IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Frost, of the City of Manchester, Manager
of the Manchester Water Meter Company (Limited), for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS."
Sealed the 7th January 1862, and dated the 22nd October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Frost at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd October
1861.
I, HERBERT FROST, of the City of Manchester, Manager of the Manchester
Water Meter Company (Limited), .do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS," to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist, firstly, of an improved piston for fluid meters,
the packing rings of which are sprung into groves formed in the periphery
of the piston plate, or the ring may be formed with an internal grove and sprung
on the edge of the piston plate. The rings are also made to spring outwardly
by their own elasticity for keeping themselves as well as the joint bit in contact
with the interior of the cylinder; their form also permits the fluid to act
inwardly and directly upon them for the same purpose.
Secondly, in an improved valve, consisting of a moveable plate for covering
the ingress and egress ports, and a movable cover or chamber fitting on a rib
or midfeather cast or fixed on the plate. By this contrivance the fluid is
Price d

page_text: made to reverse the position of the plate, and thus to change the course of the
fluid passing through the ports without the aid of the additional valve, and
without the flexible or other packing described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me in conjunction with David Chadwick, on the
Twenty-eighth April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, No. 1,200.
Thirdly, in an improved apparatus for measuring fluids, consisting of a
moveable chamber or box sliding on a flat plate or in an angular trough, the
said chambers being kept in contact with the surfaces on which they move by
their own gravity. The chambers are moved to and fro on the surfaces by the
fluid which is being measured acting against a stationary division plate, which
forms a partition between the fluid which is entering the chamber and that
which is escaping therefrom.
Fourthly, in working the indicating ratchet wheel by a lever with a moveable
stud in a slot for regulating the length to be travelled by the said lever
according to the quantity of the fluid that is being measured, and by the
application of two or more catches working in the ratchet wheel for avoiding
the back lash of the teeth, thus ensuring greater accuracy of registration;
also in working the index wheels by means of a catch acting on a disc of
vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable material.
Fifthly, in placing the indicating wheels and dials within the case of the
meter under a glass, the object being to dispense with the stuffing box now
required for the rod, by which motion is conveyed to the indicator; in this case
the glass may serve as the dial.
In making meters for domestic use I employ glass, vulcanite, or other
suitable materials instead of metal for the exterior works of the meter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Herbert Frost in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERBERT
FROST, of the City of Manchester, Manager of the Manchester Water Meter
Company (Limited), send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our Lord
. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said Herbert Frost, Her special license that I, the said Herbert Frost; my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Herbert
Frost, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Herbert Frost, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar mouths next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Herbert Frost, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
-
These improvements consist, firstly, of an improved piston for fluid meters,
the packing rings of which are sprung into grooves formed in the periphery of
the piston plate, or the ring may be formed with an internal groove and sprung
on the edge of the piston plate. The rings are also made to spring outwardly
by their own elasticity for keeping themselves as well as the joint bit in
contact with the interior of the cylinder. Their form also permits the fluid
to act inwardly and directly upon them for the same purpose.
Secondly, in an improved valve consisting of a moveable plate for covering
the ingress and egress ports, and a moveable cover or chamber fitting on a rib
or midfeather cast or fixed on the plate. By this contrivance the fluid is
made to reverse the position of the plate, and thus to change the course of
the fluid passing through the ports without the aid of the additional valve
and without the flexible or other packing described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me in conjunction with David Chadwick, on-
the Twenty-eighth of April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven,
Number 1200.
Thirdly, in an improved apparatus for measuring fluids, consisting of a
moveable chamber or box sliding on a flat plate or in an angular trough, the
said chambers being kept in contact with the surfaces on which they move by
their own gravity. The chambers are moved to and fro on the surfaces by the
fluid which is being measured actingagainst a stationary division plate, which

page_text: forms a partition between the fluid which is entering the chamber and that
which is escaping therefrom.
Fourthly, in working the indicating ratchet wheel by a lever with a
moveable stud in a slot for regulating the length to be travelled by the said
lever according to the quantity of the fluid that is being measured, and by the
application of two or more catches working in the ratchet wheel for avoiding
the back lash of the teeth, thus ensuring greater accuracy of registration.
Fifthly, in placing the indicating wheels and dials within the case of the
meter under a glass, the object being to dispense with the stuffing box now
required for the rod, by which motion is conveyed to the indicator; in this
case the glass may serve as the dial.
And in order that my Invention may be readily carried into effect, I will
proceed to describe the three accompanying Sheets of Drawings, reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 an edge view, and Figure 3 a
section, of a piston suitable for a fluid meter, constructed according to my
improvements. a is the body of the piston, having a groove formed in its
periphery to receive the packing ring b, which is sprung into the groove.
The joint is closed or covered by the segmental pieces c, c.
The body of the
piston is provided with four or other convenient number of holes, through
which the fluid can pass from the interior of the cylinder or chamber to the
inner surface of the packing ring, the elastic force of which, assisted by the
pressure of the fluid to be measured, keeps the packing ring in contact with
the interior of the cylinder, and insures an easy but at the same time an
accurate joint.
Figures 4,5, and 6 are three views of another piston, constructed according
to my improvements. In these views a is the body of the piston; b, the
packing ring, the inner surface of which has a groove fitting on the outer
diameter of the body a, on to which it is sprung; c is the joint piece in the
shape of a wedge; c¹ is a shank fitting in a hole in the body a; around this
shank is a spring, by which the wedge is held against the bevelled edges of the
packing ring b. In this arrangement, also, the fluid acting on the interior of
the packing ring assists in maintaining an accurate fit in the cylinder.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a fluid meter, to which my improved
valve is applied; Figure 8 is a plan of the same; Figure 9 is a vertical
section through the line A, B, on Figure 7; Figure 10 is a section through
the line C, D; and Figures 11 and 12 are detached parts of the valve; d is
the bed plate, provided with the ingress union d¹ and egress union d2. To the
bed plate are secured the two cylinders e, e¹, in which the pistons f, f¹, work;

page_text: these pistons are connected by the piston rod f2, in which is a slot for
actuating the index (not shewn in the Drawing), and to which are fixed the
projections f3 and 4. To the bed plate d is fixed the plate g, in which are
the ingress ports gl and g², and the egress port g³; the moveable plate h, see
Figure 11, fits and slides on the plate g; the lower side of this plate forms
the moveable part of the valve for opening and closing the ports gl, g2, and g³,
and to the upper part is cast or fixed the midfeather ¹, through which are
holes to allow the fluid to pass from the chamber i, see Figure 12, the interior
of which has a faced projection fitting accurately the edge of the midfeather h¹;
to the chamber i are attached rods ¹, fitting in the brackets 2, screwed to the
plate g; these brackets serve to limit the traverse of the chamber i. The
working parts of the meter are covered by the lid j, which is screwed on to
the bed plate d. When the fluid enters the union d', it passes through the
perforations in the plate d³ to prevent the passage of impurities; the fluid
then passes through the two holes d, seen best in Figure 9, into the space
within the lid j, from whence it is conveyed alternately through the ports g'
and g² to the cylinders e, e¹, and from these to the egress port g³. The
Drawing represents the various parts in the positions they occupy when the
fluid is passing through the port g2, along the passage d³ and orifice e³ to the
back of the piston; this piston is now supposed to be forced in the direction
of the arrow in Figure 7, and the piston f is expelling the fluid in the
cylinder e through the orifice e², passage do, port g', valve h, to the egress
port g, which conveys it to the egress union d. When the pistons f,f, have
nearly completed their stroke in the direction of the arrow in Figure 7, the
projection comes against the side of the chamber i, and carries it over the
plate h until the lower edge comes on the plate h; at this time the edge i
of the chamber i passes beyond the edge of the plate h, to admit fluid into the
left-hand side of the chamber i, this fluid pressing on the midfeather h',
pushes the plate in the direction of the arrow until the port g¹ is open, and
the ports g² and g³ are covered; the fluid can then pass along the passage de
to the back of the piston f, to reverse the direction of the pistons fand f', and
the fluid that is in the cylinder e¹ can escape through the passage do to the
egress portgs, and thence to the egress pipe. At the moment of reversing the
position of the plate valve h, the fluid that was confined on the right-hand
side of the chamber i is allowed to escape to the egress port g³ through
the orifices in the midfeather h. The two little flap valves at the top of the
chamber i are to permit the escape of a portion of the fluid in the chamber i
at the moment of changing the position of the valve plate h; these flap valves
may in some cases be dispensed with. By means of these improvements the

page_text: fluid is made to reverse the position of the plate, and thus to change the
course of the fluid passing through the ports without the aid of the additional
valve, and without the flexible or other packing described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me in conjunction with David Chadwick on the
Twenty-eighth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven,
Number 1200.
Figures 13 and 14 are two views of a modification of my improved valve.
In this arrangement the chamber i and the moveable valve plate h are both
hinged to the plate g, which is fixed to the bed plate of the meter; in the
plate g are the ports g¹, 2, and g³, and the moveable plate his provided with
a midfeather. When this valve is used instead of the valve shewn in
Figures 7, 8, and 10, the projections on the piston act on the chamber i, and
the ports are reversed in the manner above described. It is evident that the
shapes of the midfeather h¹ and chamber i may be varied.
In these
On Sheet 2, Figure 15 is a longitudinal section of one of my improved fluid
meters; Figure 16 is a plan of the same, with the lid removed; and Figure 17
is a transverse section, about through the line E, F; on Figure 15.
views d is the bed plate; d' the ingress passage; the egress passage; and
the lid, above which is the box j containing the indicator made in the usual
manner; the measuring chamberse, e¹, are either square or angular instead of
being. cylindrical, as in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10; and the midfeathers or
division plates h, h', instead of being attached to a moveable plate or slide
valve, as in the said Figures, are attached to the stationary plates g, g, each of
which is provided with the ports marked respectively g, g³, and g²; g³, 9º;
the chambers e,et, have flanges on their lower surfaces, which fit accurately on
the surfaces of the plates g, and they are kept in contact by the gravity of the
chambers e, e'; the valves 1, 1, are placed above these ports, and traverse
with the chambers e, e¹, a little play being left between the sides of the
chambers and the ends of the valves. In some cases the valves may be cast
with the chambers e, e¹, which are connected by the links m, m', to the cranks
on the axle n; a worm n' on the axle gives motion to the indicating wheels
contained in the box . When the fluid enters the meter, it
passes through
the perforations in the plateds, then through the hole d' into the space within
the lid j, from whence it is conveyed, when the various parts are in the
positions shewn in the Drawing, from the port gs to the passage d³, which
conveys the fluid to be measured to the space between the fixed partition or
midfeather h¹ and the side of the chamber e¹; while the fluid is entering at
this. passage the fluid that had been measured on the other side of the
partition his passing through the passage de to the port g' through the valve/

page_text: and into the exit port g2, which is in communication with the egress passage d²,
as clearly shewn in Figure 15. As soon as the crank to which the chamber e¹
is connected has turned over the centre, the valve uncovers the port go, which
admits the fluid through the passage d to the space between the fixed
partition and the end of the chamber e, which then instantly commences to
move in the direction of the arrow, and the fluid at the other side of the
partition h can then make its escape through the passage ds, port gt, valve l¹,
exit port g, to the egress passage d². The object of the crank shaft n is to
keep the distance travelled by the chambers e, e¹, uniform, and to give the
requisite rotary motion to the indicating wheels, but this crank shaft forms no
part of my Invention, and is not absolutely necessary to the working of the
meter. The object of the flap valve d10 in the passage d² is to prevent the
return of the fluid.
The meter above described is particularly suitable for measuring hot water
for supplying steam boilers, as none but metallic packings or rubbing surfaces
are employed; such meters may, however, be used for other purposes.
On Sheet 3, Figure 18 is a longitudinal section of a modification of the
improved fluid meter shewn in Figures 15, 16, and 17; Figure 19 is a plan;
and Figure 20, an end view of the same; this meter has only a single
measuring chamber,and to it is applied one of my improvements in imparting
motion to the indicating ratchet wheel. dis the bed plate; d, the ingress
passage; d², the egress passage; and j, the lid; e, the measuring chamber,
to which is connected the rod e³; g is the angular trough or bed, in which the
chamber e travels to and fro, and h is the fixed partition, serving as a piston;
in the rod ea is a slot for the stud of the levers, which vibrates upon the axle
of the indicating ratchet wheel s¹; the stud in this lever passes also through
a slot, in order that the length to be traversed by the said lever may be regu-
lated according to the quantity of fluid that is being measured. To the lever s
are jointed the three catches s²; these catches are of different lengths, and
divide each tooth of the ratchet wheel into three parts, thus insuring great
accuracy in the registration of the fluid, and preventing back lash in the
catches; the ratchet wheel is also furnished with the three retaining palls s³;
the number, form, and arrangement of these catches may be varied; the indi-
cating wheels and dials are contained as usual in the box j¹ on the lid j. The
rod is provided with a slot in the direction of its length, and each end of the
slot acts alternately on the stud of the bowl t,which is connected to the arm t¹
mounted on a stud fixed in the valve plate gs; to this plate is cast or fixed the
cylinder v, in which is a piston o¹, jointed to the open piston rod v², the other
end of which is guided in a fixed bracket; the opening in this piston rod is of
و

page_text: the shape of a heart, and the bowl t is grooved and fits in the opening; the
object of this will be described hereafter; the segment-shaped valve i moves
on the plate gs, in which are the ports g¹, g², and g³, and the arm t¹ acts alter-
nately on each side of the valve i, to reverse the ports. The fluid to be
measured enters the passage d¹, and then passes through the opening into
the space within the lid.j; the chamber e is supposed to be moving in the
direction of the arrow, being put in motion by the fluid to be measured
entering the port g', passing through the passage d5 to the space between the
fixed partition and the end of the chambere; the fluid on the other side of
the partition, that has been measured is at this time passing through the
passage do, port g2, valve i, egress port g³, to the off pipe 2. The piston v¹
being at all times acted upon by the fluid within the meter, is pressed inwards
and holds the heart-shaped part of the piston rod against the bowlt; the
back of the piston vis supplied with fluid through the passage 23, communi-
cating with the egress port g³. When the chamber has nearly completed its
traverse in the direction of the arrow, the end of the slot in the rod e³.comes
against the stud of the bowl t, thus moving the arm t'a little beyond the
centre of the opening in the rod v2, the inclined surface of which acting on the
bowlt, and the pressure of the fluid on the piston v¹, move the arm t¹ rapidly
into the position indicated by the dotted line, and as the arm acts on the
valve i, it is evident that the position of the valve is thus rapidly changed to
reverse the ports, thereby admitting the fluid to the passage de, and allowing
the fluid that has just been measured to escape through the passage d. I
have shewn the chambers e, e¹, working in angular troughs g, because I con-
sider this the most convenient form, and the best suited for maintaining a good
fit when the parts are held in contact by the gravity of the chambers; I wish,
however, to remark that flat plates may be used instead of angular troughs.
Figure 21 is an elevation, and Figure 22 a plan, of another of my improve-
ments in ratchet wheels and catches for communicating motion to the indi-
cator. is a ratchet wheel, loose in the axle x; and w¹ is a smaller ratchet
wheel placed within w, which is fast to the axle; y is a cross frame, loose on
the axle, and containing the hinges for the outer catches w³, and inner
catches w³, which take into the teeth of the ratchet wheels w and w. The
length of these catches is regulated so as to divide each tooth of the ratchet
wheels into four parts, or into any greater or less number of parts according
to the number of catches working in each wheel. The motion may be com-
municated from the rod of the pistons, or from the rod connected to the
traversing chamber, or from any rotating or oscillating part of the meter,
either to the cross frame y, to the axle a, or to the wheel w. When the

page_text: indicating wheels and dials are contained in the casejl, as shewn in Figures 7,
15, and 18, it is requisite to have a stuffing box for the rod, by which the
motion is conveyed to the indicator; but by placing the indicating wheels and
dials under a glass, and within the case of the meter, as I now propose to do,
the said stuffing box is dispensed with; by this arrangement the glass may
answer the purpose of a dial.
When meters are required for domestic use, I prefer to employ glass,
vulcanite, or other suitable incorrodable materials for making the interior
works of the meter, in order to secure economy and cleanliness..
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First, the improved modes of constructing metallic pistons for fluid meters,
as shewn and described in reference to Figures 1 to 6.
Secondly, the general arrangements and combinations of the parts forming
the apparatus for measuring fluids, as shewn and described.
Thirdly, the improved compound valves described and shewn in Figures 7
to 14, consisting of a moveable plate and moveable cover, or any combination
of parts acting in the same manuer, or producing similar results.
Fourthly, the improved mode of measuring fluids by means of fixed parti-
tions and moveable chambers, as shewn and described in reference to
Figures 15 to 20.
Fifthly, the improved arrangement of parts shewn and described in refer-
ence to Figures 19 and 20, by which the indicator is actuated according to
the quantity of fluid to be measured.
Sixthly, the improved modes of actuating ratchet wheels when applied to.
apparatus for measuring fluids, as shewn and described in reference to Figures
19, 20, 21, and 22.
And, lastly, the placing the indicating wheels and dials within the case of
the meter, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Frost, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
HERBERT FROST. (L.S.)