IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID METERS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bennison, of Burrage Road, Plumstead, in the
County of Kent, and of Hobart Town, Tasmania, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID METERS."-Partly a communication.
from abroad by Frederick Arundel Downing, of Hobart Town, Tas--
mania.
Sealed the 2nd December 1864, and dated the 27th September 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bennison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
September 1864.
I, HENRY BENNISON, of Burrage Road, Plumstead, in the County of Kent,
and of Hobart Town, Tasmania, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID METERS," to be as
foNows:-
"
My Invention relates to rotary apparatus for measuring water and other
fluids. This apparatus has a rotating wheel or centre piece mounted on a
suitable axis, one-third (more or less) of the circumference of this wheel
forms the limits of the the measuring space, and is enclosed by a case covering
the periphery and both sides. Between the extreme diameter of this case

page_text: and the circumference of the wheel or centre piece, there exists the segment
of an annular space whose area is available as the measuring compartment for
the fluid. The centre or wheel has two, three, four, or more pistons or pallets
at equal distances apart, which are projected in succession from and drawn
within the periphery of the wheel; they are projected just after passing the
fluid abutment that abuts on the periphery of the wheel. These pallets are
disposed radially in suitable slots in the periphery of the wheel, and are
supported by radial stems having lateral projections operated by a cam or
cams fixed to the stationary plates, enclosing the sides of the wheel-or other-
wise, which cams regulate the pallets, so that they are withdrawn from the
periphery when required to pass the abutment, and again projected at the
.proper time, or they may be actuated by springs which allow-the pallets to
recede on passing over an incline leading to the abutment, and project them
so soon as that point is passed; these springs must be sufficiently strong to
overcome the pressure of the water on the edges of the pallets. When a
pallet or piston passes the stationary abutmeut, and is projected. into. the
segmental chamber, the pressure of the water takes effect upon it, and so
forces the centre or wheel round." Before this pallet escapes from the chamber,
(having completed say a quarter revolution; and supposing there are four
pallets) the succeedling pallet will have entered, and-receives the pressure of
the water; so soon as this is the case the first, pallet passes from the
measuring chamber, and allows the water or other fluid to escape which has
acted upon it, and so on. The entire of the sides and the periphery of the
wheel or centre may be enclosed, and a suitable channel provided to conduct
the fluid away from the apparatus at a point after it has passed the limits of
the capacity determined as the necessary chamber, which will depend on-the
number of pallets in the circumference, and will be the capacity or
space in
the case between any two pallets; supposing there are four pallets the space
will be four times filled at each revolution. A registering apparatus is
applied to indicate and register the number of revolutions, and the capacity
being known it will show! the quantity of fluid passed.
I apply this apparatus
for measuring beer and other, fluids. I provide escape apertures near the
abutment, to permit of the escape of any fluid carried before the pallets, and

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed'
"by the said Henry Benuison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY,
BENNISON, of Burrage Road, Plumstead, in the County of Kent, and of
Hobart Town, Tasmania, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS: Her most; Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters,
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our.
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, för. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,,
the said Henry Bennison, Her special, licence that I, the said Henry Bennison;
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry,
Bennison; my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term théréin 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS, IN FLUID METERS," partly my own: Invention, and partly a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Frederick Arundel Downing, of Hobart Town,
Tasmania, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Bennison,
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 per-.
formed, 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 Henry Bennison, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to rotary apparatus for measuring water and other,
fluids. This apparatus has a rotary wheel or centre piece mounted on a
suitable axis; one-third (more or less) of the circumference of this wheel is
enclosed by a case covering the periphery, and both sides. Between the
extreme diameter of the case, and the circumference of wheel or centre piece,
there exists a segment of an annular space, whose area is available as the

page_text: measuring compartment for the fluid. The centre or wheel has two, three,
four, or more pistons or pallets at equal distances apart, which are projected
in succession from and drawn within the periphery of the wheel; they are
projected just after passing an abutment which forms the limit of the measuring
space in the one direction, and which is in contact with the periphery of the
wheel. These pallets are disposed radially in suitable slots in the periphery of
the wheel, and are supported by stems actuated by projections on each side,
operated on by a cam or cams fixed to the stationary plates enclosing the sides
of the wheel or otherwise, which cams regulate the pallets in such manner
that they are withdrawn within the periphery when required to pass the abut-
ment; and again projected at the proper time, or they may be actuated by
springs which allow the pallets to recede on passing over an incline leading to
the abutment, and which projects them so soon' as that point is passed; the
springs must be sufficiently strong to overcome the pressure of the water on
the edge of the pallets. When a pallet or piston passes the stationary abut-
ment, and is projected into the segmental chamber, the pressure of the water to
be measured, which must of course flow from a higher level, takes effect upon
it, and so moves the centre or wheel round before this pallet escapes from the
chamber, (having completed say a quarter revolution, and supposing there are
four pallets) the succeeding pallet will have entered, and receives the pressure
of the water; so soon as this is the case the first pallet emerges from the
chamber, and allows the water or other fluid to escape which has acted upon
it, and so on. The entire of the sides and periphery of the wheel or centre
may be enclosed, and a suitable channel provided to conduct the fluid away
from the apparatus at a point after it has passed the limits of the capacity
determined as the measuring chamber, which will depend on the number of
pallets in the circumference, and will be the capacity of the case between any
two pallets; supposing there are four pallets, the space will be four times
filled at each revolution. A registering apparatus is applied to indicate and
register the number of revolutions, and the capacity being known will show
the quantity of fluid passed. I apply this apparatus for measuring water and
other fluids. The apparatus is somewhat similar to motive-power engines for
which Letters Patent were granted to me, bearing date respectively the 3rd
day of March and 1st day of September, in the year One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four, and numbered respectively 535 and 2149. As a
meter for measuring water, I prefer that the space through which the pallets
move should be enclosed throughout the circumference of the case, and I
prefer to employ two pallets, which determines the measuring capacity as
extending to one half the circumference, the other half of the circumference

page_text: being occupied by the inlet and outlet, and by the cam and abutment surface,
as represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a lateral vertical section of a fluid meter, constructed
according to this Invention, the section being taken on the line C, D, of
Fig. 2, which is a transverse vertical section of the same on line A, B, while
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, represent several of the parts detached; I, I,
represents a stationary case mounted on a suitable base K, and bed plate L;
the case I, I, is furnished with bearings M, M, to receive and support the
main shaft N, carrying the disc wheel O; this wheel O is separately repre-
sented in side view at Fig. 3, and in section at Fig. 4, on the line j, j, Fig. 3.
This disc wheel has the edges or sides of its periphery faced and turned true
on its axis N, and the interior of the case I, I, is also truly surfaced, so as to
receive wheel O, and permit of its working properly and water-tight therein.
The. bearings M of shaft N are furnished with stuffing boxes, in order to
prevent any escape, from the centre of the case in the event of any taking
place from the annular pressure chamber P; to obviate this as much as
possible, it may be advisable to furnish the rubbing surfaces of the wheel (the
sides touching the case) with metallic packings, in which case the stuffing
boxes M may be dispensed with, and simple bearings, adopted, indeed, if a
little, leakage is unimportant, both stuffing boxes and metallic packings afore-
said may be dispensed with. The disc Ọ is furnished with two similar pallets
or pistons X, X', separately represented at Fig. 6, in side and edge views;
these pallets are mounted on stems R, fitting and sliding in bearings Y, (seen
separately in Fig. 7.) fixed to the disc O. These stems are free to slide
towards and from the axis N. The thickness of the pallets or pistons ✗
are fitted in recesses in the periphery of the wheel, in which they slide water-
tight by reason of the packings placed in recesses 1, 2, which bear against the
faces of the pallet, while the breadth, is adapted to occupy and fit the breadth
of the annular space P, seen in secțion Fig. 2, in order to receive the pressure
of the fluid. The pallets or pistons X, X', are controlled in their positions
by two cams, the one S fixed in the centre, and the other T at the circum-
ference of the meter. The cam S is seen dotted in Fig. 1, and separately in
side and edge views at Fig. 8, while cam T is seen in Fig. 1, and is also
separately represented at Fig. 5. Cam S is a fixture to the side of the case I,
and cam T, which occupies a space within the outer circle of case. I, is also a
fixture thereto. The solid part T¹ of cam T, serves as the abutment, for the
pressure of the fluid, while the openings U, V, in the inclined parts communi-
-

page_text: "
cate with the inlet and outlet passages W and Y for the fluid. The extreme
ends of the pallets X, bear on the inclines of cam T, and are controlled in
position thereby. The inner end of the stems R, carrying pistons X, are
furnished with arms 3, which bear on the cam S; this cam keeps the pallets
projected to their greatest extent, when they are not operated on by cam T, &
allows them to recede under the influence of that cam, the two cams S and T
thus control the position of the pallets or pistons during their revolution or
traverse throughout the entire circumference. The arms 3 of R carry wedge
pieces 4, dovetailed therein, and furnished with a screw, and nut 5, by which
the wedge is drawn up its incline; and so projecting its bearing surface
more or less towards cam S, thereby compensating for any wear, and the
distance between the extreme end of the piston and the arm-3, regulated
as required. The parts of the engine are fitted and bolted together as usual
in such machinery, and as seen in the Drawings, and will require no
particular description; Wis the inlet of the water- or other .fluid, and Y the
outlet. Water entering under pressure, and as indicated by-the arrow, finds
a solid resistance in the abutment formed by the part T, and therefore bears
with the force due to its' pressure on the extended pallet X', and impels it,
and with it the wheel O, round in the direction of the arrow. Motion so
communicated to the wheel; Ó is transmitted to the shaft N, which com-
municates with a registering apparatus. When the pallets X, X, arrive at
the horizontal position; the pressure of the meter on the first one X will be
cut off by the other X, which will now be subjected to the action of the water,
the first one X 'will then begin to recede within the periphery of the wheel by
the action of the incline of cam T upon it, and will so pass the abutment T¹;
so soon as the pallet passes part T" it is again, projected by the cam S, and on
arriving at the point occupied by X¹, receives the pressure of the water.as
before, and so on, thus producing continuous rotary motion- of- the wheel O
and shaft N, and measuring of the fluid. Fig. 9 represents a partial, trans-
verse section of the case I, I, and cam-T, at the outlet on the line E, F,
while Fig. 10 represents a like section at the inlet on line G, H, Fig. 1.
will be evident that the capacity of the annular space in which the water.or
other fluid exerts its influence on the pallets being known that the quantity of
water passed may be ascertained by counting and recording the number of
revolutions of the shaft N. For this purpose I apply a pinion (or it may be
-an-endless-screw)-12-to the-axis-N,-which-pinion gears into a train_of_wheels_
(the first number 13 only of which is shown) in connection with a registering
and indicating apparatus, such as used in automatic meters generally, such
apparatus being well understood will not require any description.
It

page_text: Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the particular arrangement
and combination of parts constituting the apparatus represented in Figs. 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, applied as and
for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bennison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our.
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
HENRY BENNISON. (L.S.).