IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH APPARATUS WILL ALSO SERVE AS A MOTOR to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We ROBERT FRASER, of 54 Park Road, and WILLIAM CLARK, of 19 Lee Street,
both of Plumstead in the County of Kent, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER OR
OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH APPARATUS WILL ALSO SERVE AS A MOTOR
to be as
follows:-
"
Our invention relates to apparatus for measuring water or other liquids, which
apparatus will, if desired, also serve as a motor.
The chief object of our said invention is to construct a water-meter which will be
more simple, durable and reliable than the meters heretofore employed.
For this purpose we combine with a cylinder and a piston, a valve arranged to
be operated by the movement of the said piston through the medium of a weight
or spring, to cut off the supply of liquid from one end of the cylinder and
simultaneously open the passage to the other end thereof.
One form or modification of our water-meter is constructed as follows, that is to
say, we provide a cylinder which may, if desired, be lined with brass or other
metal, and which is fitted with a piston and piston-rod. This cylinder constitutes
the measuring chamber and may be placed either vertically or horizontally. In
combination with the said cylinder we arrange an equilibrium and instantaneous
cut-off valve which is preferably placed on the side of the cylinder or on the top of
the cylinder-cover. This measuring cylinder has ports or water-passages at each
end communicating with the valve-box.
We fix a cross-head on the end of the piston-rod, which cross-head slides upon
one or more guide rods fixed in the cylinder-cover. One end of the cross head is
made to project in any suitable direction beyond one of the said guide-rods, and
has formed in it a hole into which a rod is fitted to move freely. The said rod has
two stops which may consist of adjustable collars, or of lock-nuts, placed at a
suitable distance apart, with the said projecting part of the cross-head between
them. One end of the said rod is connected to a lever capable of turning freely
upon its fulcrum and provided with a pin or stud projecting from one of its sides;
this pin or stud is arranged to come against one or the other of two stops formed
on, or fixed to, a forked or T-shaped lever loosely mounted on a central 'boss or
fulcrum and arranged to actuate the valve as hereinafter described. The upper end
of this lever is formed with two arms extending horizontally in opposite directions
and then curved upwards and inwards in semi-circular form. A suitably shaped
weight is pivotted at its lower end to the centre of this lever, and is free to
oscillate upon its pivot between the curved arms of the said lever.
The valve is preferably made cylindrical with a circular groove or recess to
connect either of the cylinder-ports with the exhaust. The ports or water-passages

page_text: are sometimes extended around the interior of the valve-box in the form of semi-
circular grooves or cavities, a lining of brass or other metal being fitted in the
valve-box and perforated at the parts corresponding with the said grooves or
cavities.
A weigh-shaft or spindle is fitted in the valve-box and has a lever or arm
connected to the valve.
A quadrant or segment is fixed on the valve-spindle and is made with two
projections or lugs between which the aforesaid T-shaped lever is free to oscillate
without operating the valve.
The operation of our improved meter is as follows, viz:-The action of the water
or other liquid upon the piston in either direction, causes the projecting end of the
cross-head to come into contact with the aforesaid collars or lock-nuts, and thus
carry with it the rod for operating the T-shaped lever. This lever is first cansed
to move freely from one to the other of the projections or lugs on the said quadrant
or segment; it is then caused to move the said quadrant or segment so that the
valve nearly closes the port through which the liquid is entering. By the time the
piston has reached the end of its stroke, the said lever has moved the aforesaid
weight sufficiently to bring its centre of gravity from one to the other side of its
pivot, so that the said weight falls freely from one to the other of the curved arms
of the said lever, and rapidly depresses the said lever until the latter strikes a
cushion which arrests its motion. This movement of the said lever causes the
valve to completely cut off the supply of liquid to one end of the cylinder, while
opening the port communicating with the other end thereof.
We sometimes substitute for the above described weight a spiral or other spring.
In this case the rod which is operated by the cross-head is passed through a bush or
sleeve pivotted to the extension of the said cross-head, and a roller of steel or other
suitable metal is arranged within a slot in the said rod. The said spring is attached
to the lower end of this rod and to a stationary part of the apparatus. The said
rod has, moreover, a projection adapted to come against a lever fixed to the valve-
spindle in place of the aforesaid quadrant or segment. A lever is pivotted to a
bracket fixed to the cylinder and is provided with two stops similar to those on the
T-shaped lever above described, and a pin or stud is fixed in the said bracket to
engage with the said stops. This lever acts in combination with the aforesaid
roller so as to cause the said rod to move outward when it is moved up or down by
the cross-head. The spring then acts upon the said rod and operates the valve.
By the combined action of the piston and the falling weight, or the spring, the
instantaneous cut off of the supply of liquid is effected when the piston has reached
either end of its stroke; and by the proper adjustment of the parts great accuracy
in the measurement of the liquid may be obtained.
The cushions for arresting the motion of the T-shaped lever are sometimes
formed of pieces of India-rubber or other suitable material carried by bolts which are
adjustable in a bracket fixed to, or formed integrally with, the cylinder or the
valve-box.
'
The registering mechanism may be of any well known description and is usually
arranged so that it will be operated by the cross-head in its up-and-down or to-and-
fro movement.
By making our apparatus with a considerable length of stroke as compared with
the diameter of the cylinder, it may be used as a motor for actuating an organ-
blower. Or it may be adapted to serve as a motor for other purposes.

page_text: ע.
DEECIFICATION
We, ROBERT FRASER, of 54 Park Road, and WILLIAM CLARK, of 19 Lee Street,
both in Plumstead, in the County of Kent, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER OR
OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH APPARATUS WILL ALSO SERVE AS A MOTOR." and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
Our invention relates to apparatus for measuring water or other liquids, which
apparatus can, if desired, be adapted to serve as a motor.
The chief object of our said invention is to provide a water-meter which will be
more simple, durable and reliable than those heretofore employed.
For this purpose we combine, with a cylinder and piston, a valve or cock and
means whereby the said piston, in its to-and-fro moveinent, will operate the said
valve or cock and thus admit water into the cylinder, first on one side of the
piston, and then on the other side thereof. In some cases, the parts are so arranged
that the piston will act upon a lever to first partially operate the valve or cock and
then permit or cause a weight pivotted to the said lever to fall and act on the valve
or cock to complete the movement thereof. In other cases, the said valve is
operated by a spring, which is extended or expanded, in each stroke of the piston,
and is permitted to react at the end of each stroke thereof, as hereinafter described.
Our said invention, moreover, comprises various improvements as hereinafter
specified.
In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated different methods of carrying
our said invention into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation.
Figure 2a vertical central section, and
Figure 3 a side elevation, partly in vertical section, showing one form or
modification of our improved water-meter.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of another form or modification of the said meter.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the same, with a portion thereof removed.
Figure 6 is a vertical central section of the said meter.
Figure 7 is a plan of the same, partly in horizontal section, with some of the
parts removed.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 shew details of the said meter.
Figure 11 is a front elévation showing a further modification of our water-
meter, and
Figure 12 is an edge view of part of the same.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is a cylinder, which is preferably provided with a lining a' of brass or other
metal, and in which is fitted a piston 6 having a rod c. This cylinder constitutes the
measuring chamber and may be placed either vertically or horizontally, or in any
other desired position. In combination with the said cylinder, we arrange a hollow
cylindrical valved which we term an equilibrium and instantaneous cut-off valve.

page_text: This valve is enclosed in a valve-box e, which, in the apparatus shown in Figures 1,
2 and 3, is placed on the side of the cylinder a, but which may, if desired, be
placed on top of the cylinder-cover a², as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The measuring
cylinder has ports or water-passages a³, a through which either end of the said
cylinder can be put in communication with the valve-box by means of the
valve d.
We fix a cross-head f on the end of the piston-rod c, which cross-head slides upon
one or more guide-rods g.
In the apparatus shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, one end of the cross-head f
is made with an extension h, which projects beyond one of the guide-rods g as
shown. This extension is formed with a hole and is fitted to slide freely upon the
rodi, which has two stops one consisting of an adjustable collar j and the other of
two lock-nuts k. The lower end of the rod i is coupled to a lever l, which is fitted
to turn freely upon the boss of a lever n. This lever n is loosely mounted on a
stud o fixed in a bracket o¹ and serving as a bearing for a spindle or shaft herein-
after described. The lever is provided with a projecting pin or stud m and is so
arranged in combination with the lever n that, when the apparatus is in operation,
the pin or stud m will act alternately upon the two stops n¹ formed or fixed on the
Baid lever n. The upper end of the lever n is formed with two arms n³, which
extend horizontally in opposite directions and each of which is curved upward and
inward in a semi-circular form, as shewn in Figure 1. A weight p, which is
preferably V shaped as shewn, is pivotted at p¹ to the lever n and is free to oscillate
upon its pivot between the curved arms n* of the said levéer.
The valve d has a circumferential groove or recess d¹, whereby either of the
cylinder-ports a³, a' can be put in communication with the exhaust-port q. The
ports or passages a³, a', q are extended around the valve d in the form of semi-
circular grooves or cavities a*, q*, formed in the valve-box e, and a lining e³ of
brass or other metal is fitted in the valve-box e and perforated at the parts
corresponding with the said grooves or cavities, as shewn at e³.
A shaft or spindle is passed through a stuffing box in one side of the valve-
box e, and is supported in a bearing at the other side thereof; it also has an outer
bearing in the stud o. A lever or arm & is fixed on this spindle and connected to
the valve d.
t is a segment fixed on the spindle r and formed or provided with two projections
or lugs t¹, t, between which the lever n is free to oscillate so that it will not
commence to operate the valve d until it is turned sufficiently in either direction
to act upon one or other of the projections t¹, t².
The operation of the above described meter is as follows, viz:-Assuming water
or other liquid to be admitted into the upper end of the cylinder a, the piston b
will move downward, thereby causing the extension h of the cross-head f to act
upon the collar j and push the rod i downward. The lever is thus moved in the
direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, carrying with it the lever n, which is
first caused to move freely from the projection to the projection t of the
seginent t, into the position shewn in the drawing; it is then caused to act upon
the projection t² and move the said segment and thus operate the valve d. By the
time the valve d has nearly closed the port a³, the lever n has been turned
around its pivot or fulcrum sufficiently to move the centre of gravity of the weight p
from one side to the other of its pivot or fulcrum p¹. Therefore the said weight
will fall freely from one to the other of the curved arms n' of the lever n and
rapidly depress the said lever until the latter strikes a cushion u which arrests its
motion. This movement of the said lever causes the valve d to instantaneously cut
off the supply of liquid to the upper end of the cylinder and simultaneously open
the port a communicating with the lower end thereof.
It will thus be seen that the piston, in its downward stroke, acts upon the valve
and nearly closes the port a³ before permitting or causing the weight p to fall and
complete the upward movement of the valve. In the upward stroke of the piston,
the parts are moved in a similar manner in the reverse direction.

page_text: The cushions u for arresting the motion of the lever n are sometimes formed of
pieces of india-rubber or other suitable material" carried by bolts u¹ which are
adjustable in the bracket o¹.'
11.
112
The registering mechanism may be of any well known description and is usually
provided with a toothed wheel' w, as shown in Figure 1, so that, in the upward
movement of the piston, the said wheel will be partially rotated by the spring-
catch w' carried by the cross-head f, the said spring-catch yielding, in the downward
movement of the piston, and passing over the teeth of the said wheel so that the
latter is not moved.
."
In cases where it is desirable to have the mechanism protected or covered so as
to prevent tampering with the same, we provide a casing or covering on the top of
the cylinder.
In the modification of our apparatus shown in Figures 4 to 10, we provide, for
this purpose, a casing as which is secured to the cylinder-cover and encloses the
working parts of the apparatus; and we employ only one guide-rod g which is
firmly secured, at its upper end, to the said casing a³.
The piston-rod c is made hollow and is fitted to slide upon the rod g. The cross-
head is secured to the piston-rod by a pin or cotter f¹ which passes through a
slot g¹ in the rod g, so that the piston-rod is free to move up and down on the said
rod. The construction of the other parts of the apparatus is substantially similar
to that herein before described, except that some of the said parts are reduced in
length to permit them to be conveniently enclosed in the casing a, and, as above
stated, the valve-box is placed on the top of the cylinder; moreover the lever n is,
in this modification, provided with adjustable stops which consist of screws n³
passed through the curved arms n³ and secured in the desired position by lock-
nuts n¹.
Figures 8 and 9 show a plan and side elevation of the cross-head ƒ and the
toothed wheel w of the registering mechanism, which, in this case, is operated by a
weighted catch w².
In the modification of our invention shown in Figures 11 and 12, the rod i is
passed through a bush or sleeve h' pivotted to the extension h of the cross-head f,
and a roller of steel or other suitable metal is carried by a pin in a slot i³ in
the said rod. A spiral spring y is attached, at one end, to the rod i, and, at the
other end, to the valve-box e. The rod i is provided with a projection or stud 14
for actuating the lever t* as hereinafter described. This lever is fixed on the
spindle and is used instead of the segment t above described. A lever is
pivotted to a bracket z' attached to the cylinder a. This lever extends at one end
into the slot is; it has two stops z³ arranged to act in combination with the pin or
stud fixed in the said bracket, for the purpose hereinafter specified.
This apparatus operates as follows, that is to say: -When the piston is at the
top of its stroke, the rod i is vertical and one end of the lever a rests in the slot i³
beneath the roller i¹. When the bush or sleeve h³, in the downward movement of
the piston, comes against the lower collar j, it presses the rod i downward. The
roller then bears against the inclined plane formed by the upper side of the
lever 2, which is prevented from turning by one of the stops 2 bearing against the
stud . The rod i is thus caused to turn around or about the point h¹ until it
reaches the position shown in Figure 11, thereby extending or expanding the
spring y. As soon as the roller i¹, in the downward movement of the rod i, passes
the end of the lever z, the said spring contracts and causes the projection or stud ¿*
on the rod i to act upon the lever t* and thus operate the valve.
By properly adjusting the parts of our apparatus, great accuracy in the
measurement of the liquid can be obtained. Moreover by adjusting the collars or
lock-nuts on the rod i, so that they are nearer to, or farther from, each other, the
apparatus can be caused to measure a larger or a smaller quantity of liquid at each
stroke of the piston, that is to say, the stroke of the piston can be increased or
diminished.

page_text: We sometimes make the stroke of the piston, in our apparatus, of considerable
'length as compared with the diameter of the cylinder; we can then use the said
apparatus as a motor for actuating an organ-blower or for other purposes.
We are aware that it is not new to employ, in a water-meter or similar apparatus,
a weighted lever actuated by a piston for the purpose of turning the plug of a cock
or plug-valve to control the passage of the liquid to the cylinder; therefore,
although a weighted lever for operating a valve or cock forms a necessary part of
our improved apparatus, we do not make any claim to such a device irrespectively
of the improvements herein set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said.
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
First. A water-meter wherein à valve or cock for controlling the flow of liquid
to the measuring cylinder is so arranged in combination with a lever carrying an
oscillating weight and with the other parts of the apparatus, that the piston, in
each stroke, will act upon the said lever and thereby first move the valve or cock
to partially cut off the supply of liquid to the cylinder, and then cause the said
weight to fall and complete the movement of the said valve or cock, as, and for the
purposes, specified.
Second. The combination, with the cylinder and piston and the lever having the
oscillating weight, of the cross-head fixed on the piston-rod, the sliding rod provided
with the adjustable stops arranged to be acted upon by the said cross-head in its
to-and-fro movement, the lever coupled to the said sliding rod and provided with
the pin or projection to engage with stops on the weighted lever, and the segment t
formed with the projections t¹, t, and connected with a valve or cock, all
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The modification of our invention wherein the said sliding rod is arranged
in combination with a spring and with means whereby the said spring will be
extended, during the movement of the said rod by the cross-head, and will then be
released and permitted to react to operate the valve, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings, for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, or
Figures 4 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, and operating as, and for the
purposes, specified.
Dated this 17th don of M 10OK