IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOSEPH JOHN TYLOR, of 22ª Queen's Gate, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LIQUID METERS" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of liquid meters known as
inferential, in which the quantity of liquid passed through a pipe in a given time,
is registered by the revolution of a wheel or fan set in motion by the stream of
liquid. The objects of the invention are to simplify and cheapen the construction
of such meters, to facilitate their regulation and adjustment, and to provide means
whereby the working parts of the meter can be easily removed from the casing or
body for the purpose of repair or cleaning, and replaced therein without detaching
the meter case or body from the pipes to which it is connected.
The aforesaid improvements consist of the following arrangements:-
I construct the outer casing or body of the meter somewhat as at present with
inlet and outlet passages for the entrance and exit of the liquid, but instead of
mounting the working parts directly in the said casing or body, I mount them in
an inner case which can be readily inserted into, or removed from, the outer casing
or body, at pleasure. This inner casing is made in one piece so formed and
adapted that the separate oil cup, usually employed for the lubrication of the
registering mechanism, may be dispensed with, and easy means provided for
replacing or changing the working parts. It is preferably of a cylindrical form,
furnished with inlet and outlet openings or ports corresponding to the inlet and
outlet passages or channels in the outer casing, and is fitted so as to be inserted
into the outer case or body from the bottom thereof, being retained therein by a
cover plate. It may be screwed into the outer case or body, or be fitted therein
with a shoulder adapted to be pressed against an india rubber or other suitable
elastic ring when the bottom cover plate is screwed up, so as to secure a water-
tight joint to prevent direct communication between the inlet and outlet passages
in the outer casing or body when the inner case with its working parts is inserted.
The aforesaid elastic ring allows for slight differences in the lengths of the inner
casing whilst still maintaining a tight joint. In this way the joint of the bottom
plate can be made sound as well as the inner joint, without requiring the exact
adjustment of length necessary when the tightness of two joints is dependent upon
the accuracy of the distance apart of the surfaces composing them. I arrange all

page_text: the bearings for the spindle of the measuring wheel or fan in the inner casing so,
that when once they are set true, they cannot vary or be put out of line by
screwing the parts of the meter together, or by carelessness in placing those parts
together. The main bearing of the spindle is by preference in one piece with the
inner casing, and the exact position of the axis of the fan spindle is not important
so long as the worm on it gears properly with the worm wheel in the registering
clock work. The brakes for effecting the regulation or adjustment of the regis-
tration of the meter are formed of projections or vanes with alternating recesses
which are contained in the inner case and may be adjustable by screws or other-
wise from the outside of such inner case containing the working parts, without
taking the meter to pieces. This adjustment may be effected either by causing the
projections or vanes to approach nearer to, or to recede further from, the registering
wheel or fan, or by being turned round into various positions. I sometimes
dispense with the strainer usually employed in the inlet pipe external to the
meter, and substitute therefore a strainer in the annular inlet passage surrounding
the inner casing, and I effect the cleansing of such strainer without removing it
from the meter, and without taking the meter to pieces, by means of a hole from
the said inlet passage through the outer casing or body. This hole is usually kept
closed by a plug or cock, but when it is required to cleanse the strainer, the plug is
removed, or the cock opened, and the liquid then rushes over the surface of the
strainer, washing off the dirt and ejecting it through the said hole.

page_text: I, JOSEPH JOHN TYLOR, of 22ª Queen's Gate, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of
drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon:-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of liquid meters known as
inferential, in which the quantity of liquid passed through a pipe in a given time
is registered by the revolution of a wheel or fan set in motion by the stream of
liquid. The objects of the invention are to simplify and cheapen the construction
of such meters, to facilitate their regulation and adjustment, and to provide means
whereby the working parts of the meter can be easily removed from the casing or
body for the purpose of repair or cleaning, and replaced therein without detaching
the meter case or body from the pipes to which it is connected.
The aforesaid improvements consist of the following arrangements :—
I construct the outer casing or body of the meter somewhat as at present with
inlet and outlet passages for the entrance and exit of the liquid, but instead of
mounting the working parts directly in the said outer casing or body I mount
them in an inner case which can be readily inserted into, or removed from the
outer casing or body at pleasure. This inner casing is so formed and adapted that
the separate oil cup usually employed for the lubrication of the registering
mechanism may be dispensed with, and easy means provided for replacing or
changing the working parts. It is preferably of a cylindrical form furnished with
inlet and outlet openings or ports corresponding to the inlet and outlet passages
or channels in the outer casing, and is fitted so as to be inserted into the outer case
or body from the bottom thereof; being retained therein by a cover plate. It may
be fitted into the outer case or body, with a shoulder adapted to be pressed against
an india-rubber or other suitable elastic ring when the bottom cover plate is
screwed up, so as to secure a water tight joint to prevent direct communication
between the inlet and outlet passages in the outer casing or body when the inner
case with its working parts is inserted. The aforesaid elastic ring allows for slight
differences in the lengths of the inner casing whilst still maintaining a tight joint.
In this way the joint of the bottom plate can be made sound as well as the inner
joint, without requiring the exact adjustment of length necessary when the
tightness of two joints is dependent upon the accuracy of the distance apart of
the surfaces composing them. I arrange all the bearings for the spindle of the
measuring wheel or fan in the inner casing, so that when once they are set true
they cannot vary or be put out of line by screwing the parts of the meter together,
or by carelessness in placing those parts together. The main bearing of the spindle
is by preference in one piece with the inner casing, and the exact position of the
axis of the fan spindle is not important so long as the worm on it gears properly
with the worm wheel in the registering clockwork. The brake for effecting the
regulation or adjustment of the registration of the meter is formed of projections
or vanes with alternating recesses; it is contained in the inner case and may
be adjustable from the outside of such inner case containing the working parts
.

page_text: without taking the meter to pieces. I sometimes dispense with the strainer usually
employed in the inlet pipe external to the meter, and substitute therefor a strainer
in the annular inlet passage surrounding the inner casing and I effect the cleansing
of such strainer without removing it from the meter, and without taking the meter
to pieces, by means of a hole from the said inlet passage through the outer casing
or body. This hole is usually kept closed by a plug or cock; but when it is
required to cleanse the strainer the plug is removed or the cock opened, and the
liquid then rushes over the surface of the strainer, washing off the dirt and ejecting
it through the said hole.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical section through
my improved meter. Figure 2 represents a horizontal section on the line X X of
Figure 1, Figure 3 a plan view and Figure 4 an elevation of same. Figures 5
and 6 are separate views of the measuring fan or wheel, and Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10
separate views of the brake or retarding bridge.
A designates the exterior casing of the meter having on one side an inlet
opening A¹ and on the other side an outlet opening A'. It is also provided with
a shoulder or annular interior recess which receives the rubber packing ring B.
This packing ring B fits against an inclined shoulder C of the inner removeable
casing D making a tight joint therewith and enabling inner casings of various sizes
to be used, so as to allow of the interchangeability of the interior parts by reason
of the compressibility of the rubber ring B, even if the dimensions of such parts
(especially the lengths of the casing D) are not absolutely the same. This inner
casing D is held in place by the bottom plate A* and carries the bearings for the
spindle E of the measuring fan F. The upper end of this spindle carries a worm G
which gears with a worm wheel H on driving shaft I of the registering mechanism.
J designates an adjustable regulating bridge or brake inserted in the upper part of
the said inner casing D and provided with openings J¹ and downwardly extending
flanges j arranged as shown in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings.
The said inner casing D is provided below the brake or bridge J with two or
more oblique inlets D₁ and with outlets D2 D2 D' arranged above the said brake
or bridge. Annular spaces A³ A' allow communication between the inlets and
outlets A¹ and A' of the outer casing, and the inlet and outlet openings D¹ and D'
respectively of the inner casing. Thus the water or other liquid or fluid flows
in through the openings A¹ and D' D¹, turns the fan F, ascends through the
openings J1 J1 J1 of the brake J and passes out through the openings D* D² D'
and A By adjusting the bridge or brake J so that the flanges j and the
segments, or the openings J¹, J', J, are more or less presented to the current the
latter may be checked or increased at pleasure. The brake is held firmly in
position but is made moveable for the purposes of adjustment. This adjustment
may be effected as shown in Figure 8 for example in which a segment of the brake
is shown toothed to fit a pinion S¹ the spindle of which turns in the casing and is
accessible so that it can be turned in either direction by means of a suitable
instrument, without taking the meter to pieces, and may be sealed up so as to
prevent unauthorized readjustment. I also by making the brake J of somewhat
larger dimensions than the inner casing D and cutting out a portion as at J* in
Figure 7 arrange that such brake shall remain at rest in the said casing when
sprung forcibly into its proper position therein.
I sometimes use the shoulder C on the casing D without the elastic packing
ring B, especially when measuring hot water or fluids destructive of indiarubber,
in which cases the shoulder C is fitted and ground so as to make a tight joint with
the recess in the outer casing such recess being suitably shaped to receive the
shoulder C which if preferred may in such case be made square.
To clean the casing without removing the annular strainer T I make an opening
closed by a screw plug V or by a cock on the side of the outer case opposite to the
inlet opening. A¹ so that without removing the meter from the service pipes I can,
by allowing water to pass out at the said opening or cock remove all impurities
collected against the said strainer or in the annular space A* surrounding it.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. In a liquid meter, the combination of an outer casing and a removeable
inner casing having an inclined shoulder C, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. In a liquid meter the combination of an outer casing and a removeable
inner casing having a shoulder S and an annular elastic packing ring E arranged
in a recess of the said outer casing, and in contact with the said shoulder, as
herein before described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings hereto
annexed, and for the purpose specified.
Third. In a liquid meter the brake J in combination with the fan and inlet and
outlet passages, one of the said passages being arranged above the said brake and
the other below it, substantially as herein before described, and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth. In a liquid meter the combination of an outer meter casing, an inner
removeable casing, and a measuring fan or wheel, the bearings for such measuring
fan or wheel being contained in the said removeable inner casing, as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.