Improvements in or connected with Water Meters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 18th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Water Meters.
I BERNARD AMBROSE COLLINS of 38 Glycena Road Lavender Hill in the
County of Surrey Meteorologist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to Improvements in or connected with Water Meters and
the object thereof is to obtain at a small cost an apparatus which will be more
reliable in use than heretofore.
For this purpose
employ a vertical and shallow cylinder provided with a
suitable inlet and outlet arranged upon opposite sides thereof and at its ends closed
by suitable covers and within this cylinder I arrange upon a vertical axis a drum
of smaller diameter than the cylinder whilst around the periphery of this drum
I mount upon axes of motion at suitable intervals and equi-distant from each other a
number of curved vanes or blades which when open extend to the periphery of the
cylinder and make a tight or approximately tight joint therewith whilst I provide
the drum with suitable recesses corresponding with the curved vanes or blades so
that they may when desired lie flush with the periphery of the drum as hereinafter
described.
I fill in the space between the cylinder and drum for a distance of about half the
circumference thereof that is to say from one side of the inlet to the corresponding
side of the outlet so as to compel the current to act upon the blades or vanes upon
one side only of the axis of the drum and I make an approximately tight joint
between the periphery of the drum and the "filling" by carefully fitting the parts.
In order to close the vanes or blades into their recesses whilst passing the
"filling" I form that end of the "filling" adjacent to the outlet inclined so that it
will act upon the blades or vanes in succession as they arrive at that point and
close them into their recesses.
I also make the outlet slightly smaller than the inlet which consequently when
under water forms a back pressure of water in the meter and so cushions the blades
or vanes in closing without any apparent noise likewise saving all wear and tear
against the "filling."
In order to open the blades or vanes after passing the "filling" and in readiness
to be acted upon by the water flowing in at the inlet I cause a cam pin or other
means to act upon tails or lever arms which extend behind the hinge or pivot of
in order
the swivelled vanes or blades immediately they have passed the "filling
"
to raise the same into position to be acted upon by the current of the water.
The shaft or spindle of the drum which is fitted with a cup leather to prevent
water rising, passes through suitable stuffing boxes carried by the ends of the
cylinder and is connected with any suitable counter for recording the number of
revolutions thereof.
any
Inasmuch as the drum is dependent for its rotation upon the force of the current
of water it might sometimes happen that the current was not sufficiently powerful
to turn the drum and there might be notwithstanding careful fitting a leakage of
water past the blades without anything being recorded but in order to obviate this
defect I employ in connection with the meter the following device :-
I connect the outlet from the water meter with an inlet arranged at the upper
part of a suitable tank or cistern which is provided with an outlet at the lower part
thereof which may be smaller or in some cases larger than the inlet and controlled
by a cock.
Within this tank I arrange a funnel shaped vessel of small capacity and within

page_text: this funnel shaped vessel I arrange a ball or float which I connect by means of a
vertical spindle with one end of a horizontal lever the other end of which is
connected with a cock controlling the inlet to the tank and consequently the outlet
from the meter.
At the bottom of the funnel shaped vessel is provided an outlet controlled by a
cock which is connected by means of an arm or lever with a ball or float located
within the tank or cistern and which when in its lowermost position opens such cock
and in its uppermost position closes the same.
By this arrangement of parts when the tank is emptied that is to say in the
normal position of the parts the outlet from the funnel shaped vessel is opened by
the descent of its connected ball or float whilst the cock controlling the inlet is
opened by the descent of the ball or float within the funnel shaped vessel; water
will now flow into the tank by the inlet and upon rising a short distance in the tank
the water will raise the lower ball or float and close the cock at the bottom of the
funnel shaped vessel and the water will continue to rise until it reaches the top edge
of the funnel shaped vessel when it will suddenly flow into the same causing the
contained float or ball to instantaneously rise and close the cock controlling the
inlet to the tank or vessel.
The water within the tank or cistern will now pass away by the outlet as it is
drawn off by the consumer but inasmuch as the lower ball will be supported by the
water until it falls below the level of the outlet the water within the funnel shaped
vessel cannot escape but will hold the ball or float therein in its raised position and
the inlet cock closed until the level of the water falls to about the level of the
outlet when the cock closing the lower end of the funnel shaped vessel will be
opened and the water will be discharged therefrom thereby permitting the contained
ball or float to fall and the inlet cock to the tank to be opened whereupon the same
cycle of operations will be repeated.
By these means a constant pressure will be maintained in the meter inasmuch
as when the inlet to the tank is cut off the flow through the meter is stopped and the
drum cannot turn and any leakage past the vanes or blades is avoided.
I would have it understood that in carrying out this part of my invention I do
not confine myself to the employment of two balls or floats and corresponding cocks
as I may employ any suitable number of balls and ball cocks and dispense with the
tank and substitute a system of pipes or tubes in lieu thereof.
Dated this 18th day of July 1893.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Water Meters.
I BERNARD AMBROSE COLLINS of 38 Glycena Road Lavender Hill in the
County of Surrey Meteorologist do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to Improvements in or connected with Water Meters and the
object thereof is to obtain at a small cost an apparatus which will be more reliable
in use than heretofore.
For this purpose I employ a vertical and shallow cylinder provided with a
suitable inlet and outlet arranged upon opposite sides thereof and at its ends closed
by suitable covers and within this cylinder, I arrange upon a vertical axis a drum
of smaller diameter than the cylinder whilst around the periphery of this drum
I mount upon axes of motion at suitable intervals and equi-distant from each other a
number of curved vanes or blades which when open extend to the periphery of the
cylinder and make a tight or approximately tight joint therewith, whilst I provide the

page_text: drum with suitable recesses corresponding with the curved vanes or blades so that
they may when desired lie flush with the periphery of the drum as hereinafter
described.
I fill in the space between the cylinder and drum for a distance of about half the
circumference thereof that is to say from one side of the inlet to the corresponding
side of the outlet so as to compel the current to act upon the blades or vanes upon
one side only of the axis of the drum and I make an approximately tight joint
between the periphery of the drum and and the filling by carefully fitting the
parts.
In order to close the vanes or blades into their recesses whilst passing the filling
I form that end of the filling adjacent to the outlet inclined so that it will act upon
the blades or vanes in succession as they arrive at that point and close them into
their recesses.
I also make the outlet slightly smaller than the inlet which consequently when
under water form a back pressure of water in the meter and so cushions the blades
or vanes in closing without any apparent noise likewise saving all wear and tear of
the blades or vanes against the filling and preventing the overrunning of the wheel
or drum on the cutting off of the current.
In order to open the blades or vanes after passing the filling and in readiness to
be acted upon by the water flowing in at the inlet I cause a cam pin or other means
to act upon tails or lever arms which extend behind the hinge or pivot of the
swivelled vanes or blades immediately they have passed the filling in order to raise
the same into position to be acted upon by the current of the water.
The shaft or spindle of the drum which is fitted with a cup leather to prevent
any water rising, passes through suitable stuffing boxes carried by the ends of the
cylinder and is connected with any suitable counter for recording the number of
revolutions thereof.
Inasmuch as the drum is dependent for its rotation upon the force of the current
of water it might sometimes happen that the current was not sufficiently powerful
to turn the drum and there might then be notwithstanding careful fitting a leakage
of water past the blades without anything being recorded but in order to obviate
this defect I employ in connection with the meter the following device:
I connect the outlet from the water meter with an inlet arranged at the upper
part of a suitable tank or cistern which is provided with an outlet at the lower part
thereof which must be larger than the inlet and controlled by a cock.
Within this tank I arrange a funnel shaped vessel of small capacity and within
this funnel shaped vessel I arrange a ball or float which I connect by means of a
vertical spindle with one end of a horizontal lever the other end of which is
connected with a cock controlling the inlet to the tank and consequently the outlet
from the meter.
At the bottom of the funnel shaped vessel is provided an outlet controlled by a
cock which is connected by means of an arm or lever with a ball or float located
within the tank or cistern and which when in its lowermost position opens such cock
and in its uppermost position closes the same.
By this arrangement of parts when the tank is emptied that is to say in the
normal position of the parts the outlet from the funnel shaped vessel is opened by
the descent of its connected ball or float whilst the cock controlling the inlet is
opened by the descent of the ball or float within the funnel shaped vessel; water
will now flow into the tank by the inlet and upon rising a short distance in the tank
the water will raise the lower ball or float and close the cock at the bottom of the
funnel shaped vessel and the water will continue to rise until it reaches the top
edge of the funnel shaped vessel when it will suddenly flow into the same causing
the contained float or ball to instantaneously rise and close the cock controlling the
inlet to the tank or vessel.
The water within the tank or cistern will now pass away by the outlet as it is
drawn off by the consumer but inasmuch as the lower ball will be supported by the
water until it falls below the level of the outlet the water within the funnel shaped

page_text: vessel cannot escape but will hold the ball or float therein, in its raised position and
the inlet cock closed until the level of the water falls to about the level of the
outlet when the cock closing the lower end of the funnel shaped vessel will be
opened and the water will be discharged therefrom thereby permitting the contained
ball or float to fall and the inlet cock to the tank to be opened whereupon the same
cycle of operations will be repeated.
I would have it understood that in carrying out this part of my invention I do
not confine myself to the employment of two balls or floats and corresponding cock
as I may employ any suitable number of balls and ball-cocks.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully to
describe the same.

page_text: close them into their recesses but generally speaking the back pressure of water
hereinafter referred to previously effec the closing of the blades or vanes.
The outlet a³ is made slightly smaller than the inlet a' so that when in action
1 re will be a back pressure of water in the meter thus cushioning the blades or
vanes 6 in closing and preventing any apparent noise and saving all wear and tear
thereof against the filling a*.
The back pressure of water also prevents the overrunning of the wheel or
drum and the consequent improper working of the register after the current of
water is cut off.
In order to open the blades or vanes after passing the filling a* and in readiness
to be acted upon by the water flowing in at the inlet a² a cam or pin c is caused to
act upon the tails or lever arms of the blades or vanes 62 and which extend
behind the pivots or axes 63 thereof immediately they have passed the filling a* in
order to raise the vanes or blades 62 into position to be acted upon by the current
of water passing into the meter.
Each vane or blade 6 is formed with a segmental web 6ª which prevents the
liquid finding its way into the centre of the wheel or drum b and thence out at the
other side and thus cheating the register.
For the same purpose that is to say in order to prevent the unobstructed passage
of the liquid across the wheel or drum b there is secured to the top of the wheel or
druma ring having one or more grooves 67* around its periphery and this
ring enters a corresponding annular recess a³ in the cover a¹ of the apparatus.
The meter is preferably used in a horizontal position and the shaft b¹ of the
rotating wheel or drum impinges on a steel pin or centre a adjustably mounted
and locked by a nut a' in the screw cap or plug a8 of an oil box a³ and the bearing
and spindle are thus effectively lubricated.
The shaft or spindle ¹ of the drum or wheel 6 which is fitted with a cup
leather a to prevent any water rising, passes through a suitable stuffing box
carried by the cover a¹ of the cylinder, and is connected with any suitable
counting apparatus for recording the number of revolutions of the wheel or
drum as will be readily understood.
In dwelling houses and other places water is generally supplied to a cistern and
the supply is governed by a ball cock which after a time gradually cuts off the
supply as the ball rises until for a considerable time before the maximum level in
the cistern is reached the incoming stream is reduced to a mere dribble.
Inasmuch as the drum or wheel b is dependent for its rotation upon the force of
the current of water passing through the meter it might sometimes happen as
hereinbefore explained that the current was so reduced that it was not sufficiently
powerful to turn the drum or wheel and there might then be notwithstanding
careful fitting a certain leakage of water past the blades 2 without anything being
recorded.
This is generally a great objection to inferential meters, as it is possible by
drawing off water from the cistern at a slow rate when the supply is nearly cut off
by the ball cock to cheat the meter.
Now according to the present invention in order to obviate the defect above
pointed out, the following device is employed in connection with the meter.
Referring to Figures 5 to 9 a represents the meter, a² represents the inlet thereto
whilst a represents the outlet.
The outlet a³ from the water meter a is connected by means of a length of pipe
with an inlet d' controlled by a cock d* arranged at the upper part of a suitable
tank or cistern d arranged in a suitable position above the level of the meter a so
that the meter may always be full and provided with an outlet 2 at the lower part
thereof which must be larger than the inlet d' for the purpose hereinafter described
and is controlled by a cock d**.
Within the tank d is placed a funnel shaped or open topped vessel e of small
capacity which is supported in a frame el fixed to the wall of the tank d.
Within this vessel e is arranged a ball float e² which is by means of a vertical

page_text: spindle * connected with one end of a horizontal lever d¹**, the other end of
which is connected with the cock d¹* controlling the inlet d¹ to the tank d and
consequently the outlet from the meter a.
At the bottom of the vessel e is provided an outlet e³ controlled by a cock et
which is connected by means of an arm or lever es furnished with a weight e with
the rod or spindle of a ball or float f located within the tank or cistern d at the
bottom thereof and guided by a cage f*, and which ball float when in its
lowermost position opens such cock e, and in its uppermost position closes the
.same.
The upper part of the rod or spindle f¹ of the ball or float f is spread out or
enlarged and formed with a vertical slot 2 therein to receive a pin e* upon the
levere by which the connection thereof with the spindle f¹ is made.
In order that the cock et may for the purpose hereinafter described be held in its
closed position until the ball float has descended near to the bottom of the tank
or cistern d and then to suddenly open the same as represented at Figure 7, a
detente is employed which is suspended from an axis e* and at its lower end is
provided with a claw or hook which upon the arm or lever es being raised by the
rod or spindle of the ball float f until the cock is closed engages the pin e* of
the arm or lever e as represented at Figure 6 and retains the same in its raised
position until it is withdrawn as hereinafter described.
The detent is furnished near to its hook with a laterally projecting stud or
pin e** and the enlargement of the upper part of the rod or spindle f¹ of the ball
or float is formed with an incline 3, the parts being so arranged that in the
descent of the ball float f the incline 3 will come against the pin or stud e** of the
detent e and withdraw the hook of the detent from the pin or stud e* of the lever
or arm when the weight e will cause the lever or arm e to suddenly descend and
open the cock e as represented at Figure 7, the slot f2 at the upper part of the rod
or spindle f¹ permitting this action and upon the ball or float f again rising the arm
or lever e will be raised and the hook of the detent e' will again fall into engage-
ment with the stop or pin e* ready for the next operation.
By this arrangement of parts when the tank d is emptied that is to say when the
parts are in their normal positions the outlet e³ from the vessel e is opened by the
descent of its connected ball or float f as hereinbefore described, whilst the cock d¹*
controlling the inlet d' to the tank is opened by the descent of the ball or float e²
within the vessel e and which position is indicated at Figure 5; water will now
flow into the tank d by the inlet d' and cock d*, and upon rising a short distance
in the tank d the water will raise the lower ball or float and close the cock e at
the bottom of the vessel e as herein before described, and the water will continue to
rise in the tank d until it reaches the top edge of the vessel e when it will suddenly
flow into the same causing the contained float or ball e² to instantaneously rise and
close the cock d¹* controlling the inlet d to the tank or vessel d.
The water within the tank or cistern d will now pass away by the outlet d² and
cock d2 as it is drawn off by the consumer for domestic or other purposes, but
inasmuch as the lower ball or float will be supported by the water in the tank d
in its highest position until the water falls below the level of the outlet d², the
cock will remain closed and the water within the vessel e cannot escape, but will
hold the ball or float e² therein in its raised position as indicated at Figure 7, and
the inlet cock d¹* will therefore remain closed until the level of the water in the
tank d falls to about the level of the outlet d2 when the cock et closing the lower
end of the vessel e will be opened and the water will be discharged therefrom,
thereby permitting the ball or float e to fall and the inlet cock d¹* to the tank á
to be opened as represented at Figure 5, whereupon the same cycle of operations
will be repeated.
The object of forming the outlet de larger than the inlet d¹ is to enable the
consumer when desired to draw off the water from the tank d as fast as it flows
therein so that when a large supply is needed the apparatus within the tank will
not prevent the consumer having free access thereto.

page_text: By the means herein before described, a constant pressure or current will be
maintained in the meter inasmuch as the full volume of water is admitted to the
cistern and therefore passed through the meter up to the moment that the cistern
is actually filled when the inlet d to the tank d is instantaneously closed the flow
through the meter a stopped, and the motion of the wheel or drum 6 arrested and
thus any leakage past the vanes or blades 62 consequent upon a reduction in the
current is prevented.
Although the regulating means are hereinbefore shown and described in
connection with a particular form of meter it will be understood that any other
suitable inferential meter may be employed in connection therewith.
I would here remark that in carrying my invention into effect I do not confine
myself to the employment of two balls and floats and corresponding cocks as I may
employ any suitable number of halls and ball cocks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An inferential water meter formed with an outlet of smaller area than the
inlet substantially as hercin shown and described.
2. The combination of a water meter, a tank or cistern at its upper part provided
with an inlet connected with the outlet port of the meter, a valve controlled outlet
at the lower part of the tank and means for automatically and suddenly closing the
inlet to the tank when the latter is filled to a given level and suddenly opening the
inlet when the tank is emptied to a given level substantially as herein shown and
described.
3. In an apparatus for regulating the supply of water, the combination of a tank
or cistern, an inlet controlled by a cock, an outlet controlled by a cock, an open-
topped chamber arranged within the tank at the upper part thereof, and containing
a ball or float connected by a lever with the inlet cock to the tank, a valve
controlled outlet at the lower part of the open-topped chamber, a ball or float
located at the lower part of the tank and so connected with the valve of the open-
topped chamber as to suddenly open the same when the water in the tank falls
below a given level and close the same when it rises above a given level
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 18th day of April 1894.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.