IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS."
-A communication from abroad by José Francisco de Navarro,
of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 23rd May 1871, and dated the 24th January 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th January 1871.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS
FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
'
These improvements are more particularly designed to be applied to
water meters, but they are equally applicable to meters for measuring
other liquids or fluids.

page_text: The Invention consists, firstly, in a valve of peculiar construction for
controlling the movement of the diaphragm or piston, such valve being
of cylindrical contour and receiving the liquid at its one end and
discharging it at the other, and is provided with alternately disposed
or otherwise equivalently arranged inlets and outlets in its sides for
operation in relation to ports or passages in the valve seat or cylinder, so
that while the movement of the valve in direction of the length of its
axis does not change the course of the fluid the simultaneous turning of
the valve about its axis reverses the flow through the ports of the valve
seat or cylinder. These ports and those constituting the inlets and
outlets in the sides of the valve are preferably so constructed or elongated
in relation with each other that the movement of the valve in direction
of the length of its axis does not reduce or change the condition of the
ports. The Invention also includes a valve which is lifted by the
moving diaphragm or piston of the meter and made to drop and turn
independently of the latter to reverse the reciprocating action of the
diaphragm or piston, such valve dropping by its own weight, or in part
by weight and in part by the pressure of the incoming fluid or either.
The Invention likewise includes a balanced or partly balanced con-
struction of free or independent valve, whereby it is relieved of a portion
of the pressure derived from the incoming fluid, thereby facilitating the
'lift of it and easing its drop when falling. The Invention furthermore
comprises a combination with the valve, whether balanced or not, of a
vibrating hollow cam, formed with reverse inclines and set in motion by
the piston of the meter, a cross bar or piece connected with the valve,
and suitable stops to effect the lift of the valve in a straight line or
course and to insure its turning when dropping. The operating devices
for actuating the valve consist of a pinion on a swinging piston meter
shaft and a toothed sector on the vibrating cam herein-before referred to.
A valve constructed to operate as described is capable of being rapidly
(reversed to effect the change in the motion of the piston, and when
combined with a suitable arrangement of ports, which it controls, serves
to insure a free supply and discharge being kept up without intermission
of the stream.

page_text: top for communicating motion from the working portions of the meter
to the registering mechanism which may be of the ordinary or any
suitable construction. The measuring cylinder or chamber of the meter
occupies a vertical position on a base plate within the outer case and
covered by a lid. A swinging diaphragm or piston occupies a vertical
position within the measuring cylinder and moves in its reciprocating
movement towards and from opposite sides of an abutment which is
made hollow and of cylindrical configuration internally to receive down
within it a cylindrical valve that operates therein with a vibratory motion
about a vertical axis, and also in an up and down direction. The abut-
ment is provided with double vertically disposed ports on opposite sides
of it, through which the water is alternately admitted to and passed from
the cylinder by the operation of the valve to keep up the reciprocating
or swinging action of the piston. The valve, is formed of a cylinder
open at its opposite ends through the upper one of which the water is
admitted from the case, while the lower end is in open communication
with the exhaust pipe or passage of the meter. In open connection
with the ends of the valve are a series of alternately disposed vertical
ports or inlets and outlets made in the sides of the valve. These inlet
and outlet passages are arranged to occupy equal divisions or spaces or
thereabouts around the valve, and are in number, that is collectively,
half as many again as the ports in the abutment, which ports they are
preferably made to exceed in length to provide for the up-and-down
movement of the valve, but are of only about half or a little more than,
one half the width of these ports, and the metal between the inlets and
outlets of a like proportion. The number, arrangement, and proportion,
of these several ports and openings may, however, be different from the
description here given of or for them. The vibratory motion of the valve
alternately opens the ports on opposite sides of the abutment to the
inlet and outlet ends of the valve, and by the arrangement of the ports
and openings as described a free ingress and egress for the water through
the ports, is established at all times, so that there is no dead point or
period as regards the flow of the water into or out of the cylinder of the
meter, and while the valve is being reversed, which is only momentary
or very rapid, a supply to the exhaust is kept up through the ports on
both sides of the abutment which prevents any intermission of the
stream, also a full or effective pressure of the inlet water is brought to
bear on the valve to suddenly drop or lower it after it has been raised,
which motions are connected with the reversal of the valve which is

page_text: turned or vibrated in the one direction, while dropping in part by its
own weight, and in part by the pressure of the water operating to drop
it. On the upper pivot or spindle of the swinging piston is a pinion
arranged to gear with a toothed sector that is formed by a lateral pro-
jection from a hollow or perforated cam which allows of the passage of
the water through it to the valve and is arranged so as to turn indepen-
dently of the valve in relation to which it is concentrically disposed and
forms an open eye as it were to the moving sector.
This cam is
constructed with reversely disposed inclines on opposite sides of it and
that serve, as the cam is vibrated by the action of the pinion on the
sector in or during the motion of the piston to lift the valve by means of
a cross bar or piece attached to the valve spindle and resting on opposite.
sides of the cam. The highest elevation of the valve takes place as the
piston approaches the end of its stroke, after which the slightest con-
tinuation in the vibratory motion of the cam leaves the valve at liberty
to drop down either of the two opposite inclines according to the
direction in which the cam is being vibrated. This reverses in a sudden
or rapid manner the valve which in its drop has its turning motion, as
produced by the inclines of the cam, limited or controlled by the bar
striking one or other of two stops, that also serve in conjunction with
one or other of the inclines to keep the valve to its turned position during
the reverse movement of the cam. The valve drops when released from
the lift by the action of the cam to effect the turning or reversal of it,
in part by its own weight and in part by the inlet water rushing down
through and pressing on it, and which effectually prevents any possibility
of the valve sticking in its raised position and accelerates its descent and
reversal. The piston or diaphragm may have a passage formed in it to
pass water from the meter cylinder to act by its pressure on the under
side of the piston or beneath its lower pivot, for the purpose of counter-
balancing the weight of the piston in part.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the 3
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the
year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS," being a communication
to me from abroad by José Francisco de Navarro, of the City and State
of New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
66
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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 Drawing
hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
:-
1:8
These improvements are more particularly designed to be applied to
water meters, and will here be described accordingly, but the same are
equally applicable to meters for measuring other liquids or fluids.
The Invention while here shewn and described in connection with a
meter provided with a swinging piston hung to vibrate about a vertical
axis is not restricted to this or any other particular kind of, meter or
piston used therein or diaphragm operating as a piston. The piston or
diaphragm may either be rigid or elastic, and may be arranged to
reciprocate either in a straight line or in a curvilinear direction..
.

page_text: The meter may also be constructed either as a single or double piston
meter; but when a double piston is used it is desirable to have the valve
which controls the operation of either one piston operated by the other
or adjacent piston.
The first improvement consists of a valve of peculiar construction for
controlling the movement of the diaphragm or piston. This valve is of
cylindrical contour and receives the liquid at one end and discharges
it at the other, and is provided with alternately disposed or otherwise
equivalently arranged inlets and outlets in its sides for operation in
relation to ports or passages in the valve seat or cylinder, so that while
the movement of the valve in direction of the length of its axis does not
change the course of the fluid, the simultaneous turning of the valve
about its axis reverses the flow through the ports of the valve seat or
cylinder. These ports (and those constituting the inlets and outlets in
the sides of the valve) are preferably so constructed or elongated in
relation with each other that the movement of the valve in direction of
the length of its axis does not reduce or change the condition of the ports.
The Invention also includes a valve constructed and' operated in such
manner that it is lifted by the moving diaphragm or piston of the meter,
and made to drop and turn independently of the latter to reverse the
reciprocating action of the diaphragm or piston. The valve drops by
its own weight, or in part by weight and in part by the pressure of the
incoming fluid, or either.
- The Invention likewise includes a balanced or partly balanced con-
struction of free or independent valvė, whereby it is relieved of a portion
of the pressure derived from the incoming fluid, thereby facilitating the
lift of it, and easing its drop when falling.
The Invention furthermore comprises a combination with the valve
(whether balanced or not) of a vibrating hollow cam formed with reverse
inclines, and set in motion by the piston of the meter, also a cross
bar or piece connected with the valve, and suitable stops to effect the
lift of the valve in a straight line or course, and to insure its turning
when dropping.
The operating devices for actuating the valve consist of a pinion on a
swinging piston, meter shaft, and a toothed sector on the vibrating cam
herein-before referred to. A valve constructed to operate as described
is capable of being rapidly reversed to effect the change in the motion-
of the piston, and when combined with a suitable arrangement of ports
!

page_text: which it controls serves to insure a free supply and discharge being
kept up without intermission of the stream.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of a
water or other liquid meter under one form of construction in illustration
of the Invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the line a, a,
in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plau in part with an outer case portion of the
meter in section; Figures 4 and 5 represent a longitudinal exterior
view and longitudinal section of the valve of the meter detached, and
Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a vibrating cam, by which the valve
is operated; Fig. 7 represents a vertical section of a similar meter with
a slightly different construction of its parts or certain of them; Fig. 8
is a horizontal section through the line y, y, in Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a
longitudinal exterior view of the valve of the meter detached.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 inclusive, A represents an outer chamber
or case, to which the water is admitted by an inlet a, which may be
provided with an opening in its top for communicating motion from the
working portions of the meter to the registering mechanism (not here
shewn) which may be of the ordinary or any suitable construction; Bis
the measuring cylinder or chamber of the meter which occupies a.
vertical position on the base plate C within the outer case A. and is
covered by a lid .b. A swinging diaphragm or piston D occupies a
vertical position within the measuring cylinder B and moves in its
reciprocating movement towards and from opposite sides of an abutment E.
The piston works on upper and lower pivots or in bearings c, c, arranged
to occupy a concentric position relatively with the cylinder. The
abutment E is made hollow and of cylindrical configuration internally
to receive down within it the cylindrical valve F that operates therein'
with a vibratory motion about a vertical axis and in an up-and-down
direction, as herein-after described. The abutment is provided with
double vertically disposed ports d and d¹ on opposite sides of it through
which the water is alternately admitted to. and passed from the cylinder
by. the operation of the valve to keep up the reciprocating or swinging
action of the piston. The valve F is formed of a cylinder open at its
opposite cuds, through the upper one of which the water is admitted
from the case A while the lower end is in open communication with
the exhaust pipe or passage e of the meter.
In open connection with the ends of the valve are a series of alter-
nately disposed vertical ports or inlets f and outlets g made in the sides

page_text: of the valve. These inlet and outlet passages are arranged to occupy
equal divisions or spaces, or thereabouts, around the valve, and are in
number (that is, collectively,) half as many again as the ports d, d',
in the abutment, which ports they are preferably made to exceed in
length, in order to provide for the up-and-down movement of the valve,
but are of only about half or a little more than one half of the width of
the ports and the metal between the inlets and outlets ƒ and g of a like
proportion. The number, arrangement, and proportion of these several
ports and openings may, however, be different from the description here
given of or for them. The vibratory motion of the valve alternately
opens the ports d, d', on opposite sides of the abutment to the inlet and
outlet ends of the valve.
By the arrangement of the ports and openings, as described, a free
ingress and egress for the water through the ports d, d', is established
at all times, so that there is no dead point or period as regards the flow
of the water into or out of the cylinder of the meter, and while the valve
is being reversed (which is only momentary or very rapid) a supply to
the exhaust is kept up through the ports on both sides of the abutment
which prevents any intermission of the stream. A full or effective
pressure of the inlet water is also brought to bear on. the valve to
suddenly drop or lower it after it has been raised, which motions are
connected with the reversal of the valve which is turned or vibrated in
the one direction while dropping in part by its own weight and in part
by the pressure of the water operating to drop it. On the upper pivot
or spindle of the swinging piston D is a pinion / arranged to gear with
a toothed sector i that is formed by a lateral projection from a hollow or
perforated cam G which allows of the passage of the water through
it to the valve and is arranged so as to turn independently of the valve
in relation to which it is concentrically disposed and forms an open eye
as it were to the moving sector. This cam is constructed with reversely
disposed inclines k, k, and k', ', on opposite sides of it and that serve
as the cam is vibrated by the action of the pinion on the sector i
(in or during the motion of the piston D) to lift the valve by means of
a cross bar or piece H attached to the valve spindle and resting on
opposite sides of the cam G. The highest elevation of the valve takes
place as the piston D approaches the end of its stroke, after which the.
slightest continuation in the vibratory motion of the cam G leaves the
valve F at liberty to drop by its bar H down either of the two opposite

page_text: '
inclines k, k¹, according to the direction in which the cam is being
vibrated; this reverses in a sudden or rapid manner the valve, which
in its drop has its turning motion, as produced by the inclines of the
cam, limited or controlled by the bar H striking one or other of two
stops m, m', that also serve in conjunction with one or other of the
inclines,, to keep the valve to its turned position during the reverse
movement of the cam. The valve, drops when released from the lift
by the action of the cam to effect the turning or reversal of it in part
(as hercin-before described) by its own weight and in part by the inlet
water rushing down through and pressing, on it, and, which effectually
prevents any possibility of the valve sticking in its raised position and
accelerates its descent and reversal. Other combinations of devices
than those here described, if preferred, may be used for actuating the
valve.
3
Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the Drawing illustrate a like description of
meter and its valve under a slightly different construction, but the
principle of operation is substantially the same as described with
reference to the preceding Figures, excepting that the valve F is counter-
balanced in part against the superincumbent pressure of the incoming
fluid to reduce the labor of lifting the valve and to check or ease it
when dropping. This is here represented as being done by making a
passagen down through the spindle of the valve so as to establish com-
munication between the receiving end of the valve and a cylinder.o below.
a piston q attached to the valve. Instead of arranging the counter-
balancing piston and its cylinder below the valve, the same may be
disposed above it and the area of such piston in either case be variously
proportioned to reduce or wholly relieve it, as desired, of downward
thrust as produced by the pressure of the incoming fluid. When it is
only required to check the valve in dropping and not to ease it in rising,
then an ordinary dash pot arrangement below the valve may be
substituted for the counterbalancing piston and its cylinder.
The valve F in these Figures 7, 8, and 9, is also shewn as having all-
its inlets arranged above a transverse partition in the valve and its
outlets g, as arranged below the same, but as alternately disposed or
out of line with each other for action relatively to the ports d, d³, in
the valve seat or cylinder as already described with reference to the
preceding Figures. Furthermore the outer case portion of the meter.
that first receives the water is restricted (as shown in Fig. 7) to a mere

page_text: cap or top case A, and the hollow vibrating cam G is arranged to turn
or vibrate around a cylindrical upper projection from the top plate
of the meter cylinder, the cam G bearing or resting on a roller ring r.
The cross bar or piece H which rests by rollers at its ends on the
inclines K, K', of the cam passes out through a slot or opening u in
opposite sides of the cylindrical projection around which the cam
vibrates, the edges of which slots or openings constitute the stops m, m',
that limit or control the throw of the valve. The piston or diaphragm D
may have a passage ; Fig. 7, formed in it to pass water from the meter
cylinder to act by its pressure on the under side of the piston or beneath
its lower pivot for the purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the
piston in part.
.
d;
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me as aforesaid, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent,―
First. The valve F constructed to receive the liquid at its one end
and to pass the same from and back again through it and out of its
opposite end by means of separate inlets and outlets arranged in its sides
out of line with each other in combination with ports in the valve seat
or cylinder, the whole being arranged and the valve being so operated
that the latter is moved in line with its axis for one direction of its travel
without changing or retarding the course of the liquid and is turned or
vibrated when moving in the opposite direction of its longitudinal travel
to effect a reversal of the flow into and out of the ports in the valve
seat as herein set forth.
Second. The combination with the moving diaphragm or piston of a
valve for controlling the movement of the diaphragm or piston, so that
while the valve is lifted by the piston it is free to drop and turn in part
by its own weight and in part by the pressure of the incoming fluid, or
either, to effect its reversal at the close of the diaphragm's or piston's
stroke, as herein set forth.
Third. The valve F constructed with a counterbalancing piston or
surface to relieve it of downward thrust by the pressure of the incoming
liquid, as herein set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the valve F of the vibrating or
perforated cam G with its reversed inclines k, k, set in motion by the
moving diaphragm or piston of the meter, the cross bar H or its
equivalent, and suitable stops to limit or control the throw of the valve.
.

page_text: Fifth. The combination of the pinion h on the swinging piston shaft,
the toothed sector i, the hollow cam G, with its reversed inclines k, k¹,
the valve F, the cross bar H, or its equivalent and stop or stops,
arranged to limit or control the throw of the valve, as shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of July,
in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.