IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Jones, of the City Water Works, Oxford,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING
LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 14th January 1859, and dated the 14th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th July 1858.
I, JAMES JONES, of the City Water Works, Oxford, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR
MEASURING LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in meters for measuring
liquids, and consists in so arranging them that the valve by which the flow of
the liquid to and from the measuring chambers is governed, is caused to move,
by the reaction of the pressure of the liquid within either of the chambers
when it is completely filled, on suitable instruments in connection with the
valve. For this purpose a meter is constructed in the following manner:-
One measuring chamber consists of a metal case of any suitable shape, and the
other of a flexible bag contained within the case. The liquid to be measured
is by the valve let alternately into the case exterior of the bag, and into the
interior of the bag itself, (or a cylinder divided into two parts by a piston may
be employed.) The passages to these chambers are in connection with a valve
box of a cylindrical or other suitable form containing a valve, which is a
double piston or two pistons on the same rod, with a space between the two.
Into this space the liquid from the inlet pipe flows, and according to the
position of the double piston in the valve box, the liquid passes on into one or

page_text: other of the measuring chambers. The valve box also contains two other
pistons, one on each side of the double piston, and these are connected
together by a rod which passes through the rod connecting together the two
parts of the double piston, this rod being made hollow for the purpose.
Passing from each of the measuring chambers there is a pipe, and these two
pipes communicate with the spaces at the ends of the valve box behind the
outer pistons, and when the liquid has filled either of the measuring chambers
it passes back by the tube in connection with the chamber into one or other
end of the valve box, and moves by its pressure the two exterior pistons in
one or other direction; these at first move independently of the double piston
or valve, but ultimately one of the pistons comes in contact with it and pushes
it over, so as to reverse the flow of the liquid. The rod of the exterior pistons
passes through the end of the valve box and is connected with apparatus
similar to what is called a tumbling bob, which, when the pistons have passed
over a little more than half their stroke, tends to carry them rapidly to the
end of it; this apparatus secures a rapid change in the position of the valve,
and holds it securely in its position until the next movement; motion is con-
municated to the counting apparatus from the rod of the two exterior pistons
in any ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JONES, of the City Water Works, Oxford, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Jones, Her special licence that I, the said James Jones,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James-
Jones, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said

page_text: James Jones, 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.
5
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Jones, 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 fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in meters for measuring.
liquids, and consists in so arranging them that the valve by which the flow of
the liquid to and from the measuring chambers is governed, is caused to move,
by the reaction of the pressure of the liquid within either of the chambers
when it is completely filled, on suitable instruments in connection with the
valve. For this purpose a meter is constructed in the following manner:-
One measuring chamber consists of a metal case of any suitable shape, and the
other of a flexible bag, contained within the case, the liquid to be measured
is by the valve let alternately into the case exterior of the bag, and into the
interior of the bag itself, (or a cylinder divided into two parts by a piston may
be employed.) The passages to these chambers are in connection with a
valve box of a cylindrical or other suitable form, containing a valve, which is
a double piston, or two pistons on the same rod, with a space between the
two; into this space the liquid from the inlet pipe flows, and according to the
position of the double piston in the valve box, the liquid passes on into one or
other of the measuring chambers. The valve box also contains two other
pistons, one on each side of the double piston, and these are connected
together by a rod which passes through the rod connecting together the two
parts of the double piston, this rod being made hollow for the purpose.
Passing from each of the measuring chambers there is a pipe, and these two
pipes communicate with the spaces at the ends of the valve box behind the
outer pistons, and when the liquid has filled either of the measuring chambers
it passes back by the tube, in connection with the chamber, into one or other
end of the valve box, and moves by its pressure the two exterior pistons in one
or other direction; these at first move independently of the double piston or
valve, but ultimately one of the pistons comes in contact with it and pushes it
over, so as to reverse the flow of the liquid. The rod of the exterior pistons
passes through the end of the valve box, and is connected with apparatus
similar to what is called a tumbling bob, which, when the pistons have passed

page_text: over a little more than half their stroke, tends to carry them rapidly to the
end of it. This apparatus secures a rapid change in the position of the valve,
and holds it securely in its position until the next movement. Motion is
communicated to the counting apparatus from the rod of the two exterior
pistons in any ordinary manner.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a plan, partly in section, of a.
meter constructed according to my Invention, similar letters indicating
corresponding parts in each Figure.
a is a metal cylinder fitted with a cover 'b, having an internal cylinder d,
attached to the cover, and extending half way down the cylinder a, with a
small space between the two; c is a bag of flexible material secured to the
lower end of the internal cylinder d, of such dimensions, that it can adapt
itself closely to the lower half of the cylinder a, and also may become inverted.
and occupy a similar position in the cylinder d, thereby forming two compart-
ments or measuring chambers, which become filled and discharged alternately,.
upon fluid being passed through the instrument.
The mode by which I effect the change in the direction of the stream of
liquid, first into one and then the other of the compartments, and the dis-
charge from them is as follows:-The valve case e is a metal cylinder truly
bored, fitted with a cover at each end f, f, and fixed by a suitable flanch to the
upper side of the cylinder cover b; g is the orifice by which the fluid enters
the valve case; h, h, are the ports through which the liquid is admitted and s
discharged from the compartments; i, i, are the outlets from the valve case,
as shewn in Figure 2; jj, are two passages connecting the two compartments
with the interior of the valve case e, at the respective ends, through one of
which the liquid instantly rises, upon the compartment in connection with it
becoming filled; k, k, is the valve, consisting of two pistons or discs fitted to 3
slide in the cylinder e, forming one piece with the hollow rod l, which connects
them;. m, m, are two pistons fitted to slide in the cylinder e, connected
together by the rod n, which passes through the hollow rod 1; the piston rod n
is made to pass through one of the covers of the cylinder e, provided with a
cup leather or packing to prevent leakage; o is a rod attached to the end 3
of the piston rod n, and so bent to a right angle that it may slide along the
outside of the cylinder e through a guide bole p, simultaneously with the
motion of the pistons m, m; g is a bent lever or tumbler, having its centre of

page_text: motion at the point on the outside of the cylinder e; s is a connecting rod
jointed to the rod o at t, and to the tumbler at u, and of such a length, that
when the pistons m, m, are at half stroke, the long arm of the tumbler is
parallel with the axis of the cylinder e; v is a spring fitted to the outside of
the cylinder e at w, having a connecting rod x attached to the long arm of the
tumbler, the purpose of which is to secure rapidity in the motion of the valve.
The meter operates as follows:-Liquid is admitted by the orifice g, and flows
in the direction of the arrows through one of the ports to the interior of the
cylinder d and bag c, expelling at the same time, the portion of liquid occupying
the opposite compartment through the outlet i, as shown by the arrow; as soon
as the compartment that the liquid is flowing into is quite full, the piston m,
in connection with that compartment, acting as a relief valve to prevent con-
cussion in the chamber, is suddenly forced by the rush of liquid up the
passage j to move a certain distance along the cylinder e, carrying the valve k
with it, thereby causing the liquid to flow into the other compartment, which,
upon becoming full again reverses the order of the ports. Upon each motion
of the pistons m, m, taking place in the cylinder e, the portion of liquid con-
fined between one of the pistons and the end of the cylinder passes back
through the passage j, and is discharged by the common outlet i, this quantity
is in addition to the contents of the measuring vessel, and must be taken into
account in estimating the quantity of liquid passed through the meter at each
operation.
Instead of the cylinder and bag already described, a cylinder and piston
may be used. The counting may be effected by the ordinary means, motion
being obtained for it from the rods n or o.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details; but what I
claim is, the combination herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Jones, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord Onc
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JAMES JONES. (L.S.)