IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS, GASES, AND OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS, AND FOR REGULATING THE FLOW THEREOF, WHICH APPARATUS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO THE OBTAINING OF MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Topham, of Hoxton, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS, GASES, AND OTHER ELASTIC
FLUIDS, AND FOR REGULATING THE FLOW THEREOF, WHICH APPARATUS
MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO THE OBTAINING OF MOTIVE POWER."
Sealed the 25th November 1858, and dated the 22nd June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Tophamı at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd June 1853.
I, CHARLES TOPHAM, of Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS, GASES, AND OTHER
ELASTIC FLUIDS, AND FOR REGULATING THE FLOW THEREOF, WHICH APPA-
RATUS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO THE OBTAINING OF MOTIVE POWER," to be
as follows:-
Inside a circular box or case I fit a stop or stops, in each of which
is a passage open for the outlet of water or other liquid or fluid

page_text: employed through a slide which is caused to oscillate or turn, and upon
or close the passage as may be required. In the centre of the case I
mount a piston. The action is as follows:-Supposing water to be the
liquid to be passed through the apparatus, it is admitted through a pipe
into the slide case, and fills the space in the case behind the piston; the
slide then turns so as to shut off that passage into the case, but opens
a passage on the other side behind the piston, opening at the same
time a passage from the case into an out-flow pipe. The water con-
tinu'ng to run will now flow in through the slide case behind the
piston, and will force out the water on the other side of it until no
more remains. The number of motions of the piston being indicated
on a dial will give the quantity of water passed through the apparatus.
I construct my valve to regulate the flow of liquids or fluids to meters,
so that the increase of pressure in the in-flowing liquid or fluid shall
cause a spring or springs to gradually narrow the orifices for the inlet
to the meter.
Instead of the piston in the apparatus being employed only to
register the quantity passed through, it may be made to communicate

page_text: 5
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, ex-
crcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS, GASES, AND OTHER
ELASTIC FLUIDS, AND FOR REGULATING THE FLOW THEREOF, WHICH APPA-
RATUS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO THE OBTAINING OF MOTIVE POWER," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Topham,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to he performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Topham, 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 thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My Invention consists in measuring and regulating the flow of
liquids, gases, and other clastic fluids by means of a box or case fitted
with a stop or stops, in each of which is a passage open for the outlet
of water or other liquid or fluid employed through a slide which is
caused to reciprocate, and open or close the passage, as may be
required. Or a semi-rotary valve may be employed, having four ways,
two for the inlet, and two for the outlet, of the water to be passed
through the meter. In the centre of the case I mount a piston, which
is caused to oscillate upon trunnions by the force of the water to be
measured, entering in at one side through the slides or valves, and
thereby fills the case. When the slides or valves become reversed
water is caused to enter at the opposite side of the piston, and in so
doing it forces out the water on the other side through the exhaust
port, until the whole of the water has been thus passed through the
case and measured. The number of oscillations of the piston being
indicated by an index or dial in front of the apparatus. I construct
my
valve in connection with the source of supply, so as to regulate the

page_text: flow of liquids or fluids to the meter, in such manner that the
increase of pressure of the in-flowing liquid or fluid shall act upon
the valve, and thereby cause it to gradually narrow the orifices for the
inlet to the meter. Instead, also, of the piston in the apparatus being
employed only to register the quantity of liquid or fluid passed through
it, it may be made to communicate motion to a shaft for purposes of
power. The Drawings hereunto annexed represent different views of
machines constructed according to my said several improvements.
Figure 1, is a front elevation; Figure 2, a section on the line a, a;
Figure 3, a section on the line b, b; Figure 4, a section on the line c, c,
of Figure 2; and Figure 5, a view of the meter with the outer case
removed. Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the Figures.
A, A, is the outer case, and B, B, the inner case, the space between
them being filled with the water to be measured, which flows in through
the pipe C. D, is a strainer through which the water to be measured
is passed in order to clear it; E, E', are two sets of pistons which
reciprocate and serve to open and close the inlet and exhaust ports for
the admission and outlet of the water into and from the inner case;
F, F, are pistons which turn upon trunnions in the interior of the
case B, and oscillate between the stops G, G; H, H', are pinions upon
the spindles of the pistons F, F, which gear into racks I, 1', connected
to the rods d, d, of the pistons E, E; K, is a pipe for the out-flow of
the measured water; L, is a valve or plug placed between the pipe C,
and the inlet to the space between the cases A, and B, to regulate the
oscillation of the pistons F, F', so as to keep them at one uniform and
regular speed, independent of the pressure of the water to be passed
through the meter. This valve is formed of the shape shewn in
Figure 6, and works in a cylinder M, checks being cut in the valve for
the passage of the water or other liquid or fluid; N, is a spindle or
rod projecting from the valve, and terminating in the button N', which
presses against a spring or disc of india-rubber N2; N, is a hollow or
recess formed in the end casing of the valve, into which the india-
rubber is forced when the pressure of the in-flowing water is in excess,
at the same time the valve is forced into the cylinder M, and thereby
closes the orifices for the inlet of the water. Upon the decrease of the

page_text: pressure of the water the india-rubber disc returns the valve to the
position in which it was first set. 0, 0, are cranks upon the spindles
of the pistons F, F, the crank pins of which are passed through slots
in the frames P, P, which slide in the guides P¹, P', on the inner
case B. The purpose of these cranks and frames is to preserve the
pistons F, F, always in their relative position, and also to insure their
going to the end of their stroke, so as to completely empty the case of
the measured fluid or liquid, and prepare it for receiving the full
quantity it is calculated to contain. The action of this meter is as
follows: The water to be registered flows in through the pipe C, and
strainer D, from whence it passes through the regulating valve into the
space between the cases A, and B, and supposing the pistons to be in
the position represented in Figure 4, the side of the case B, containing
the piston F, would be full of the measured liquid, the ports in con-
nection with the pistons E, just commencing to open to allow a fresh
supply of water to flow in to be measured, and also to admit of the
measured water running off. The opposite side of the case, or that
which contains the piston F, being half filled with measured and
unmeasured water, the induction and eduction ports of the pistons E¹,
being both open for the in-flow and out-flow of the water or other liquid
or fluid to be measured. Figure 7, represents an exterior elevation;
Figure 8, a longitudinal section, and Figure 9, a cross section of a
modification of the preceding arrangement, in which one case A, alone
is used, and but one piston F; U, is a semi-rotary valve, having four
ways e, e, and ff, for the inlet and outlet of the water which flows in
and escapes alternately from the ports V, V1. The water or other
liquid or fluid to be measured flows in through the pipe W, and
surrounds the valve, entering the case A, through the port V, as
indicated by the arrow, and thereby exerting a pressure behind the
piston F, so as to cause it to turn upon its centres, and to force the
measured liquid or fluid through the port V, into the exhaust pipe.
When the piston arrives at the end of the stroke the valve is reversed,
and the water caused to take the opposite direction, which continues
until the whole of the liquid or fluid to be measured is passed through
the meter. Should it be desired, and where the pressure of water is

page_text: sufficient, this apparatus may be employed as a power engine, in which
case it will be necessary to employ an arrangement similar to that
represented in Figure 7, for converting the reciprocating motion of the
piston into a rotary motion, and imparting such motion to a main
driving shaft; X, is a crank upon the shaft of the piston, which is
connected by the connecting rod X2, to a beam X", oscillating upon the
fixed centre X; X', is a rod pendant from the beam X", and connected
to a crank X, on the driving shaft X; Y, is a rod attached to an
excentric upon the driving shaft X, for giving motion to the crank 'Y',
and through it to the spindle of the valve U, for causing it to partially
rotate for opening the ports into the inlet and outlet pipes.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the several apparatus for measuring and regulating the flow of
liquids, gases, and other elastic fluids, constructed and operating in the
manner herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings here-
unto annexed.
Second, I claim the regulating the flow of the liquids, gases, or other
elastic fluids into the measuring apparatus by means of a valve or plug
constructed in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described,
and represented in Figure 6, of the Drawings hereunto annexed; and,
Third, I claim the employment of the measuring apparatus as a
power engine, constructed and arranged as represented in Figures 7, 8,
and 9, of the Drawings hereunto annexed, and herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Topham, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES TOPHAM. (L.S.)