Improvements in Water Meters.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Water Meters.
We, FREDERICK WILLIAM TUERK Jr. of Syracuse, New York, JAMES CONRAD
HUNTER, of the same place, and JOHN HUNTER, of Sterling, Cayuga County, New
York, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to produce a Water Meter which will be positive and
reliable in its operation and free from pulsations or noise in its action, which object 1
attain firstly, in an improved form of the rotary piston, and in novel devices for
positively maintaining the movable partitions or gates in contact with said piston.
And secondly, in the arrangement of auxiliary discharge channels leading from the
space between the movable gates through the cover of the case, and to the eduction
port of the case, all as hereinafter more fully described and specifically set forth in
tho claims.
In the annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a transverse section of my improved Water
Meter; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line x-x Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse
section showing the piston in a different position; Fig. 4 is a detached face view of
one of the heads of the case; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one end of the piston and
adjacent end of the case, showing the auxiliary discharge opening from the case
between the two gates; and Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the piston.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A-represents the shell or case containing the mechanism of the meter. The lower
and greater portion of the interior of said case is of cylindrical form, and the upper
portion is formed with a cavity--A'-in the center of one side of which is the

page_text: induction port B, and from the latter projects the screw-threaded thimble for the
attachment of the water pipe.
Beneath the opposite side of the cavity-A¹-and slightly above a point
diametrically opposite the induction port-B,-the case A-is provided with
the eduction pori-C,-from which also projects a thimble for the attachment of the
water discharge pipe.
Plenotes the rotary piston which is pivoted to the ends of the case-A-central
of the cylindrical portion thereof. Said piston is of the form of a hollow cylinder
from two diametrically opposite sides of which, project two wings or flanges -P₁_
extending from end to end of the piston, and having their longitudinal outer edges in
proximity to the cylindrical portion of the case-A.
Each of said wings is formed with recesses---at opposite sides thereof, and
extending from the free edge of the wing partway toward the cylindrical portion of
the piston.
The recesses on one side alternate with those on the other side in their
relative positions, and the recesses on one and the same side of the two̟ wings—P¹—
are in line with each other.
The sides of the wings-P-which face in the direction in which the piston
rotates, and which will hereinafter be referred to as the front of the wings, have the
portion adjacent to the free edge convexed and joined with the cylindrical portion of
the piston by a reversed curved or slightly concaved portion for the purpose hereinafter
explained.
D-D-represent two gates or movable partitions extending from end to end of
the case-A, and parallel with the axis of the piston. Said gates are hinged to the
interior of the case by cylindrical enlargements along one of the longitudinal edges of
the gates fitted to corresponding sockets which are also extended from end to end of
the case, and form water-tight hinges for the gates.
One of these gates is arranged along the side of the cavity-A-farthest from the
induction port B, and the other gate-D-is located between the gate-D-
and the induction port and in proximity to the latter.
The free edges of both gates are inclined toward the induction port side of the case
and are required to be held in constant contact with the sides of the piston -P.
This we have heretofore accomplished either by weighting the free edges of the
gates so as to hold them down by gravity, or by springs pressing on the gates, but in
practice we have found that in either case the action of the gates was not sufficiently
reliable, and therefore have now devised more positively operating means for
maintaining the gates in contact with the piston. Said means consisting of levers
---which are pivoted at or near their centers to the interior of the case-A,-
preferably at the center of the length of the latter, and have their ends curved toward
the piston P-and gates-D-D²-
-so that one end of said levers will be impinged
and crowded outward by the wings-P-traversing the same during the rotation of
the piston P, and the opposite end of the lever will thereby be pressed upon
gate and thus force the same toward the piston and hold it in contact therewith.
the
At opposite sides of the gate-D'-and outside of the periphery of the cylindrical
portion of the piston are two ports-1-1-in the inner side of each end plate or
head of the case-A,-and inside of said head are formed two channels which
converge and terminate in two ports-1-1-side by side with a partition
between them in the same side of the head and inside of the periphery of the cylindrical
portion of the piston-P, and in the ends of said portion of the piston and at points
diametrically opposite each other, are passages n-n-coinciding with the two
ports - The operation of my improved Meter mechanism thus far described
is as follows:
Assuming the piston-P-to stand in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1 of
the drawing at the time when the water is started to flow from the eduction port-C-
of the case- -A, the water entering the case- A-through the induction port-B-
will exert its force on the gate-D-and on the wing-P¹—which at that time
lies in front of said gate.

page_text: The gate being held in contact with the cylindrical portion of the piston resists the
passage of the inflowing water toward the cavity-A', and throws the entire force
of the water on the aforesaid wing-Pof the piston, and thereby causes said piston
to be rotated on its axis.
As the said wing traverses the eduction port--C,-the water back of the wing will
emerge through the said port. Simultaneously with this movement of the piston the
second wing P₁-passes the gate--D,-and when said wing arrives at the position
indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing, a portion of the water entering the
case A through the induction port-B-escapes through the recesses-————
in the back of the wing-P1, and thus said portion of water enters the
recess A¹.
The pressure of the water on the wing-P₁-impels the piston in its revolution,
and as the wing-P-traverses the free end of the lever, the opposite end of
the latter is caused to press on the gate-D-so as to hold it in contact with the
piston while the wing-P moves from it.
As the cylindrical portion of the piston approaches said gate, the latter swings toward
the cavity Aand entraps therein the water which has entered through the
recesses in the back of the wing-P.
The gate D-boing still under the pressure of the lever--causes said gate to
impart pressure to the entrapped water, which however is immediately released by
the passages-n--in the ends of the piston coming in coincidence with the
ports in the heads of the case-A-which allows the said water to escape
from the cavity A-through one of the ports--then through one of the
channels inside of the head and through one of the ports--thence through the
passage in the end of the piston, then back through the other channel in the
head, and through the port-[-back of the gato-D',-from whence it passes
through the eduction port-C.
It will be observed that during this movement the gate is operated positively by the
lever 1, and is relieved from back pressure by the release of the entrapped water,
and by the hereinbefore described peculiar curvilinear front face of the wing-P1,
the gate receives the pressure from the lever-l-gradually, and when applied said
pressure is maintained uniform.
Hence the operation of the Meter is positive, accurate and free from pulsations.
We provide the case-A-with a supplemental cavity-G--for the collection of
sediment which may accompany the water entering the case. Said supplemental
cavity is provided with a dischargo opening through which to remove the sediment,
and is closed by a removable stopper.
case-A.-
The registering mechanism is enclosed in a supplemental case- -A"-secured to the
Said mechanism may be of any suitable or well known construction,
and as it does not constitute any part of my present invention, and is immaterial to
the proper understanding of the improvements herein described, it is deemed unneces-
sary to describe said registering mechanism.
It receives its motion from a helical thread on one of the trunnions of the
piston P engaging a pinion--on the end of a shaft-w,-which by means
of a gear on the opposite end of said shaft transmits motion to the train of gearing of
the registering mechanism.
Having described our invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1-In combination with the case-A-A',-rotary piston-P-P-and gates-
D-D, the levers-1-1-pivoted to the case and having one end engaging
the piston, and the opposite end bearing on the gates, substantially as set forth and
shown.
2-In combination with the case- A-provided with the cavity-A',-rotary
piston P P and gates-D-D',-the heads of the case provided with
ports---and with convergent internal passages terminating in ports-'-',-

page_text: and passages in the ends of the piston coinciding with the ports-I'-I-substantially
as described and shown.
the
3-In combination with the case-A-provided with the cavity-A',-the
piston P having wings-P-P¹—with reverse curved front faces,
gates-D-D-the levers-1-1-for operating said gates, the heads of the case
provided with ports-I-I,- and with convergent internal passages terminating in
ports II', and passages in the ends of the piston coinciding with the
ports all constructed and combined substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.