IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW OF WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS.
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Marie Du Boys, Government Engineer, of
Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, France, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW OF WATER
OR OTHER LIQUIDS.".
Sealed the 14th August 1866, and dated the 20th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Marie Du Boys
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th February 1866.
I, ERNEST MARIE DU BOYS, Government Engineer, of Boulevard de
Strasbourg, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE FLOW
OF WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for measuring and
registering the flow of liquids, such, for instance, as the supply of water through
pipes. The measuring of a liquid moving freely in an open vessel may be
readily and accurately obtained by means of measuring vessels of known
capacity; the object of the present improvements is to allow of measuring in
the same manner, and consequently with the same facility and accurateness,

page_text: the quantity of liquid moving in a closed vessel and under variable pressures.
The principle upon which the apparatus is constructed consists in the inter-
vention or interposition of a suitable quantity of atmospheric air or other
suitable aeriform fluid between the liquid in the vessel serving to regulate the
pressure and that in the measuring or gauging vessel or vessels (the
apparatuses being either single or double acting,) in such manner that the
said aeriform fluid being allowed to yield and vary in bulk according to
the variations in the pressure exerted on the liquid to be measured or gauged
the apparatus will constantly show the quantity of liquid passed through the
same exactly as if no variation in the pressure had occurred.
The annexed Drawing shows a vertical elevation view of some of the
principal working parts of a double-acting apparatus for measuring or gauging
the quantity of water passing through pipes, such, for instance, as made use
of for the supply of water to towns or other similar places, which apparatus
is constructed according to the above-described principle; in the Drawing
several parts are represented as partly cut away in order to make the
arrangement and mode of working more easily understood. The apparatus
consists chiefly of three vessels of any suitable size and shape, by preference
cylindrical. A is the vessel for regulating the pressure, which vessel must be
situated at a higher level than the two gauging vessels B and B', and be con-
nected by suitable pipes at the top to each of these latter, and at the bottom
to the pipe C by which the liquid to be gauged is allowed to enter into the
apparatus; C is the exit pipe for the gauged liquid; both pipes communicate
with the gauging vessels and they are provided with stop-cocks R; valves or
other suitable means allow the entrance or exit pipe alternately to be put in
communication with either of the gauging vessels, each of which latter is
provided with a float F, the rod G of which passes through a stuffing box H
and carries a dise K which when the float is at its highest position fully shuts
the opening o forming the communication between the upper chamber 6 and
the lower one b¹ of each of the vessels B and B', the said lower chambers
forming in fact the real gauging vessels; the stop-cocks or valves R are
connected in such manner to the rods of the floats as to make the opening
and shutting of these valves or cocks dependant on the position of the floats.
In the Drawing the float of the vessel B is represented about in its highest
position, and that of the vessel B' at about one-half of its downward stroke;
the bottom of each float serves at the same time as an obturator for the
opening o; these vessels B and B' may be situated either in a fixed: position
or a rocking motion may be imparted to them, viz., one vessel may be allowed
to rise when the other is falling, and by suitable connecting parts they may

page_text: be caused to determine the alternate opening and shutting accordingly as
required of the respective cocks or valves R. Either one of the rods G, or
one of the valves R, or one of the gauging vessels (in case these latter are
moveable) is put in communication with any suitable tell-tale or registering
apparatus, so as to cause this latter to indicate either the number of strokes
or pulsations of the rods G, or of the valves R, or of the gauging vessels, and
consequently record how often each of these latter has been filled and
alternately emptied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ernest Marie Du Boys in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
MARIE DU BOYS, Government Engineer, of Boulevart de Strasbourg, Paris,
France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give, and grant unto
me, the said Ernest Marie Du Boys, Her special licence that I, the said
Ernest Marie Du Boys, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Ernest Marie Du Boys, 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 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING
AND REGISTERING THE FLOW OF WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ernest Marie Du Boys, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ernest Marie Du Boys, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for measuring and
registering or recording the flow of liquids, such, for instance, as the flow of
water running through pipes for the supply of cities, and which being
intended to be distributed in various parts requires to be exactly measured,
and the supply of it registered. The principle on which are founded the
apparatuses I make use of for this purpose, and which forms. the object of
the present improvements, consists in the interposition of a suitable quantity
of atmospheric air or other suitable aeriform fluid between the liquid in the
pressure regulating vessel and that in the measuring or gauging vessel or
vessels (the apparatus being either single or double acting,) in such manner
that the said aeriform fluid varying in bulk according to the variations in the
pressure exerted on the liquid to be measured or gauged the apparatus will
constantly show the quantity of liquid that has passed through the same
precisely as if no variation in the pressure had occurred.
The apparatuses consist principally, 1ly, of an upper or pressure regulating
vessel which is in constant and direct communication with the inlet pipe for
the liquid to be measured; 2ly, of a measuring or gauging vessel, or in case
the apparatus be double-acting two gauging vessels of the same capacity,
which gauging vessels or gaugers are to be situated at a lower level than the
pressure regulating vessel, the upper part of these vessels being in continuous
communication with that of the pressure regulating vessel, whilst by means of
suitable stop-cocks, clack, slide, or other valves they are set in communication
alternately with the inlet or with the outlet or delivery pipe; 3ly, of a float
provided in each of the gauging vessels, and which by its regular oscillations
or ascending and descending motions provides for the due working or opening
and shutting of the above-mentioned cocks or valves.
In the present Specification a full description will be given of a double-
acting apparatus, viz., one provided with two gauging vessels or gaugers,
whilst the mode of working a single-acting apparatus, viz., one with only one
gauging vessel, may be easily deducted from that of the double-acting one.
In the Drawings two arrangements of apparatus are shown, which differ
from each other in so far that in the apparatus represented in the Figs. 1, 2;
3, and 4 the working of the cocks or valves for allowing the liquid to be
measured off alternately entering into or take its exit from the gauging
vessels takes place by the effect of the rise and fall or vertical oscillations of
the floats in the gauging vessels, by which oscillations a momentum is created
sufficient for overcoming the resistances which oppose the alternate opening

page_text: and shutting of the said valves or cocks. In the apparatus shown in the
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 the floats only call forth the motion of the cocks
or valves to take place at the required moments, viz., when one of the gauging
vessels being filled with the fixed quantity of liquid to be delivered at each
stroke the other gauging vessel has delivered or discharged the same quantity
of liquid. In the first arrangement the gauging vessels are fixed, whereas in
the second arrangement they are moveable, an alternate rising and falling or
vertical oscillating motion being imparted to them. In this description the
liquid to be measured I will suppose to be water, atmospheric air being the
interposed compressible aeriform fluid. In the various Figures of the annexed
Drawings corresponding parts are indicated by the same letters of reference,
whilst the corresponding parts of one of the gauging vessels are shown by the
same letters as those of the other one, but provided with the indicating mark 1;
thus whilst one of the gauging vessels is marked B the other one is marked B₁,
and so on.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical elevation view of one of the apparatuses, part
of which is shown in vertical sectional view; Fig. 2 shows a horizontal
sectional view taken over the lines 5, 6, 11, & 12 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows
a vertical sectional view of part of the apparatus taken over the lines 3, 12,
of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 represents a sectional view of one of the stop-cocks taken
perpendicularly over its axis.
The apparatus is fixed on a suitable frame; A is a pressure regulating
vessel, the capacity or bulk of which comparatively to that of the two gauging
vessels B & B, which are to be of exactly the same bulk, must be such
that the air contained in the apparatus entirely fills the vessel A and one of
tlie gaugers B, for instance, at the lowest pressure at which the apparatus is
to work; whilst when the apparatus works at its highest pressure the same
quantity of air will only fill the said gauge and the connecting tube D, D', D₁,
the vessel A being in that moment filled with water. At bottom the vessel A
is in free communication with the inlet tube C¹, C", whilst at the top the
same vessel communicates with both gauges B & B,, by the tube Z', D', D, D₁.
A float N rising with the water will, when at its highest positioni, shut the
opening Z' by means of an india-rubber washer Q, and thereby prevent the
water from passing by the air tube Z', D', D, D₁, into the gaugers B & B₁.
A float Y fixed at the top of a rod V moving freely in a glass tube x serves
for indicating the water level in the vessel A. An inner tube S open at top
and passing air-tight through the bottom part of the vessel A, and provided
at the outside of this latter with a cock U, allows either of letting out of the
vessel A, or of introducing therein by a force pump or other suitable means

page_text: ariy required quantity of air. The gauging vessels require to be situated
exactly vertical; each of them communicate freely at the top by the tube
D, D, D₁, with the pressure vessel A, consequently the air pressure will be
the same throughout the apparatus; each of the gaugers B & B, com-
municates at the bottom by an opening O with a lower tube or cylinder G
provided with an inlet pipe I and an outlet pipe I. The top E of the
cylinder G has a projecting part e, on the outside of which fits a protruding
india-rubber ring or pad L. The float F, of nearly the same diameter as its
gauging vessel B, and sufficiently strong for resisting without losing its
regular shape the pressure exerted on it from the outside, moves freely up
and down in this gauger, the bottom K of which latter is to be perfectly
smooth and level, in order that in falling down on the india-rubber ring L the
opening becomes thereby hermetically shut. The rod T of the float passes
through the cylinder G and through a stuffing box M, and carries a disc K¹
provided with an india-rubber ring L', which closes the opening O. when the
float reaches its highest position. The inlet and discharge ports I & I' are
connected by means of the horizontal tubes I, C, and I, J₁, the one I, with
the inlet pipe C, C, and the other I¹ with the discharge pipe J, J", these
pipes being provided respectively with the stop-cocks R & R', both affixed
on the same arbor 5, forming plug for both cocks and provided for this
purpose with two water passages or ways situated at right angles with each
other, whilst the angular opening of these ways is less than 45°. This
arrangement consequently allows of setting the cylinder G in communi-
cation with one of the pipes C¹, C", or J¹, J", at a time. Supposing now
the float F to be at the end of its ascending stroke, and consequently the
gauger B to be filled with water, if the inlet cock R be shut and the
discharge cock R¹ be open, the disk K¹ will be submitted on the top to
the pressure of the water acted on by the air compressed by the water in
the vessel A, and from underneath by the water communicating with the
discharge pipe J, J", which latter water exerting less pressure the disc will be
forced down and carry with it the float F, thereby opening the passage O and
allowing the water contained in the gauger B of flowing towards and run off
by the discharge pipe J, J, and become replaced in the gauger by the
compressed air of the vessel A, the water rising in this latter till the bottom K
of the descending float F applying itself on the india-rubber ring L affixed
round the opening or passage O hermetically shuts this latter. If at that
moment the rod T causes the arbor 5 to turn round for 90° and thereby shut
the cock R¹ and open the one R the cylinder G will be set in communication
with the vessel A by the tube C", C, C, I, and the air pressing on the top

page_text: of the float F this latter will be submitted from underneath, over the area of
which the ring L forms the periphery to the pressure of a column of water of
a height equal to the difference existing between the height of the water
levels in the vessels A and B, and if the said area be sufficiently large the
float will be lifted and the water will flow from A into B through the cylinder
G, in consequence of which the level of the water in A will fall and the water
discharged from that vessel will be replaced by the air entering from B into A
by the pipe D, D, till the float F reaching its uppermost position, the opening
O. becomes shut by the disc K₁'; the gauger B will thus again receive exactly
the same amount of water that was delivered therefrom during the descending
stroke of the float F₁, and if in that moment the rod T causes the arbor 5 to
tarn round again for 90°, but in a direction opposite to its preceding motion
the cocks R & R will be replaced in their original positions, the float F will
again descend and consequently a repetition of the above-described operations
will take place; the float F will thus perform alternately an up and a downward
.stroke, each of which corresponds with the delivery of the same quantity of
water, depending on the sectional area of the gauge and the length of stroke
of the float; whatever may be the amount of pressure, the pressure of the
water at the discharge remaining the same as that at its ingress, deduction
being made for the small difference in level existing between the water in the
vessels A & B, which difference represents the loss of pressure required for
setting the apparatus at work.
:
"
What has been above described in regard to the gauge B applies equally to
the other gauge B₁, both gauges acting in exactly the same manner, but
in opposition to each other, viz., the one B delivering its contents when the
other B, is filling and inversely. To this effect the cranks & for actuating
the arbors 5 & 5, are connected by a horizontal coupling rod n, n₁; both
cranks. are of the same length and fixed parallel to each other on the said
arbors 5 & 5, and in such manner that the corresponding water passages or
ways of each of the two cocks fitted on the same conduit pipe be situated at
right angles in respect to each other, consequently when one of the two-
gauging vessels or gaugers is in communication with the pipe by which the
water enters into the apparatus the other gauger will be in communication
with the pipe by which the exit of the water takes place, so that one gauger
will be filling itself whilst the other is delivering its contents. The following
mechanical means may be resorted to for causing the float rods T & T₁ to
actuate the axis 5 and 5, at the required moments for setting the cocks in the
required positions, viz., in communication either with the respective inlet or
with the discharge pipes. The cranks 1 & 11 of the two parallel axis 5 & 5

page_text: are connected by the rod n & n₁, to the free end of a crank 9 forming with
the one a bell-crank lever, to which is coupled the upper end of a
vertical rod h, h₁ the lower end of which is connected to the rocking lever
m₁, m, turning in the middle of its length on an arbor a in suitable bearings
situated equidistant from both gauges B & B₁; the length of the part a, g¹,
must be equal to that of the crank q, in order that each of the three connected
arbors a, 5 & 5₁, should in turning describe angles of the same width; it
will consequently be sufficient to describe in what manner one of the said
arbors, the one a for instance, is at the required moments made to turn for
90° either forward or backward, which is obtained by causing the rocking
lever m, m, alternately to be set at an angle of 45° either above or below the
horizontal line. Underneath each of the bottom plates E¹ & E₁₁ of the
cylinders G & G₁, is situated a vertical pulley b, over which passes a chain 8,
one end of which is fixed to the lower end of the rod T of the float, whilst
the other end after passing over a second pulley b¹ carries a hook or catch d
acting in such manner that whenever the rod T rises the catch d falls down,
whereas the rod in falling down causes the catch to rise. When the float F
has reached the end of its rising stroke, the catch'd will be in its lowermost
position, and thereby take hold from underneath of the arbor c between the
two pendants p', by means of which a counterweight p is suspended in suitable
collars provided towards the ends of the arbor, which ends protrude sufficiently
far for allowing the arbor to roll by means of them over two tappets t & t',
turning on stud pins fixed in the standards of the frame of the apparatus,
whereas the middle part of the arbor c may rest in a suitable depression
provided in the forked end of the corresponding arm of the lever m, m₁.
now the weight of the float F be sufficient for lifting the counterweight p,
the arbor c in rising will strike with its protruding ends against the tappets
t & t, and cause them to turn and fall against the fixed stops r & r¹,
whilst immediately after the arbor has passed the tappets they will fall back
into their original or normal position in the manner as shown in Fig. 1 in
respect to the hook d₁ and other parts corresponding with the float F₁. The
weight p will be lifted untill the upper end d₁₁ of the hook or catch d₁ in
striking against a fixed protruding arm g, becomes upset, which will liberate the
counterweight p, and cause the same to fall down, which will take place at
the very moment the float F finishes its downward stroke. The weight p₁ in
falling down carries with it the arbor c, which latter will roll over the inclined
upper side of the tappets t₁ & in the direction towards the arbor a and
fall into the depression e₁ of the lever arm m₁, a, which will cause this arm to
be depressed till the end m₁ thereof reaching its lowermost position the arbor c
If

page_text: will leave the depression, and rolling over to fixed guide blocks u₁ & u¹
towards the cross stay w₁ be stopped by this latter ready for being again
taken hold of by the catch d₁. The rocking motion of the lever m, m₁, pro-
cures the corresponding opening and closing of the respective cocks or valves
by means of the above-mentioned coupling rods and cranks connecting the
arbors a, 5, & 5₁. It is required consequently that the rocking motion of
the lever m, m₁, and the liberating of the counterweight p, from the catch d₁,
should take place at the very moment the float F reaches the lower end of
its downward stroke, which is obtained by properly regulating the length of
the suspending chain 8, for the catch d; this rocking of the lever m, m₁, and
liberating of the counterweight p₁ should not take place before the other float
in ascending has reached its uppermost position, its gauger being filled with
water; for this purpose a lever sy₁, the fulcrum of which is situated in s₁1,
has a forked arm y, the ends of which fork are turned down, and which ends
in the normal position of the lever rest on the top of the tappets t₁ & tr³,
and which will act as stops for the arbor c₁ in its lateral motion if an undue
unhooking of the catch d₁ should occur, the float F₁ reaching the end of its
downward stroke before the float F is arrived at the end of its upward stroke,
in which case the lower end of the rod T of the float F in bearing against
the lower end of a set screw v, would lift the lever sy, set free the tappets,
over which the arbor c₁ would roll and begin its downward stroke. However,
when the apparatus is working regularly for obtaining a continuous supply
of water the filling of the gaugers ought to take place in less time than
their emptying, the forked lever is to be lifted by the ascending float at the
moment the descending float finishes its stroke and liberates its counterweight.
It will further be sufficient to couple one of the arbors a, 5, or 51, with a
counter for recording the number of oscillations or strokes of the floats F & F₁,
so as to show how many times the gaugers B & B₁, the contents of which
are known, have been filled and bave delivered their contents in a given
length of time. The floats may be made of wood, but I prefer manufacturing
them of copper plate or any other suitable impervious material, the top and
bottom of the floats being hermetically connected to the drum or body of the
float by the interposition of a strip of india-rubber, or the floats may be open
at top in which case the proportions of the vessels A₁, B & B₁, ought to be
5 altered accordingly. Was the apparatus from a double-acting one to be
turned into a single-acting it would be sufficient to remove one of the
gaugers B, for instance, with its corresponding air tube D, arbor 5, and stop
cocks R, & R, and also the levers sy & s₁₁, and arrange the pulleys for
the counterweight. p, in such manner that this weight instead of being lifted

page_text: by the 'float F, in its downward stroke be lifted by the float F in its upward
stroke; in this case the weight of the float requires to be altered according to
the diminution in resistance resulting from the removing of the above said
parts.
A modification of the above-described apparatus is shown in the Figures 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, & 10, in which Fig. 5 represents a vertical elevation view of the
apparatus; Fig. 6 a vertical sectional view over the axis of the gaugers;
Fig. 7 a horizontal sectional view of the slide valves over the line y, y', of
Fig. 5; Fig. 8 a cross vertical sectional view of the lower part of the
apparatus over the axis of this latter; Fig. 9 an elevation view of a modi-
fication in the mode of suspending the gaugers, and Fig. 10 a sectional view
of a modification of these latter with the object of doing away with the floats.
In these Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10 corresponding parts are indicated by the
same letters and marks of reference:
In this modified arrangement the vessel A consists of two horizontal tubes.
situated parallel to each other and connected by a cross tube of the same
diameter provided with a dome, in the top of which opens the pipe connecting
the upper part of the gaugers with this vessel A, the water supply taking
-place from underneath by the tube C provided with a water level indicator
and a pressure gauge.. The float Z, to which is suspended the water level
and indicator rod, glides along a central guide tube situated concentrically
with the air inlet and the water level tubes, this rod moves freely in the centre
of this guide tube and is fixed in the centre of a small horizontal circular
plate held by four small bent rods resting on the upper rim of the float, the
.bent part of these rods passing through vertical slits provided in this guide
'tube. On the plate lays an india-rubber washer which, when the bulk of the
air would diminish beyond a minimum limit, becomes applied against and
thereby shuts the opening of the air tube so as to prevent the water from
entering into the gaugers by this tube.
In this modified arrangement the gangers B & B¹ instead of being kept in
a fixed position as in the apparatus described above in the first part of this
Specification, receive a vertical up-and-down or vertical oscillating motion,
and thereby impart the necessary motion to the arrangement, which causes
them to communicate alternately either with the inlet or with the discharge
pipe, for which purpose each of the gaugers is provided. laterally and above
its centre of gravity with two trunnions 6 & situated diametrically opposite
to each other, by means of two cranks c & c¹ of equal length, through the
opposite ends of which pass two fixed trunnions d & d' protruding beyond
two brackets E & E¹ fixed to the frame of the apparatus; the cranks c & C₁,

page_text: which the same as those c' & ', are situated at an angle to each other are con-
nected by the curved coupling rods n, nɩ, and n³, n‚¹. By this arrangement
the gaugers are consequently connected together in such manner that one of
them being filled and the other empty they will still be in equilibrium, both
being vertical and having their centre of gravity situated below the points of
suspension. The length of the lever arms on the ends of which they act
being in the inverse ratio to the weights. In the Drawing it is supposed that
in this position of equipoise the cranks of the empty gauger would be situated
horizontally, and those of the filled one at an angle of 150° with the first one.
At the top of each gauger is fixed a metal air tube L connected by means of
an india-rubber tube D with the air tube Y of the pressure regulating vessel
A; this tube L is provided at bottóm with a conical part H situated in
the centre of the gauger, against which part Han india-rubber pad or ring is
fixed round a conical obturator K situated on the top of the float, which
latter at the end of its upward stroke will thereby shut the air tube L. At
the bottom ends of the two gaugers is shut by a plate E, provided in the
centre with a tubular part G, the top of which presents a part H¹ protruding
beyond the plate E, and which in like manner as said for the tube
L, by means of an elastic pad or ring, hermetically shuts the gauger
when the float arrives at the end of its downward stroke; in the
centre of the lower end of the part G is provided a stuffing box M for
the rod to pass through; by means of a tube I the water is admitted into
the gauger or takes its exit therefrom, the float F in falling down at the
required moment shuts the opening of the tube G and in rising applies itself
against the opening of the air tube L. Immediately after the further exit of
the air is thus prevented the same will be in equipoise with the water, and
thereby prevent any further water entering the gauger, notwithstanding the
difference in level. The obturator K and plate K' are screwed on a central
hollow rod or tube U closed at top and open at bottom, and which moves
freely over the central rod T, the top end of which latter has a plunger head
2, its length being such that towards the end of the downward motion of the
float the tube U in pressing on the top of the rod T drives this latter down
for a short distance, whilst in rising small cross stays provided in the tube U
apply themselves under the head 2 of the rod, and thus cause this latter to
rise with the float; this rod.T consequently serves as a guide for the float;
preventing the same from coming in contact with the inner side of the
gauger.
In the present apparatus, the same as in the one described in the first
part of this Specification, the float provides for the regular entrance and exit

page_text: of the water, with this difference, however, that in rising the float does not
shut the tube by which the water enters, but only stops the flow of this latter
by shutting the air exit opening. Each of the two gaugers B & B, is
alternately set in communication with the water entrance and exit pipes by
means of the tubes I, I', a slide valve replacing the 4 cocks R₁, R₁, R₁, &
R₁, of the original apparatus. By means of the vertical partition plate y the
central part or body of this slide valve is divided in two compartments v & v²,
the one connected to the entrance conduit pipe C, C, which passing
vertically through this compartment leads to the vessel A, whilst the exit
pipe J¹ passes in the same manner through the other compartment v¹ and
leads to an air vessel N situated above the valve. Against the partition
plate y each of the compartments v & v¹ is provided with two ports or water-
ways, which ports 1, 1, 4, &, replace the ways or water passages of the
cocks of the original apparatus; those 1 & on one side corresponding with
the gauger B, and those 4, 4, on the opposite side with gauger B₁; over each
of the two sides of the valve fits a casing r and r, connected by an india-rubber
coupling tube o to the pipe of the corresponding gauger, a rod t passing
across the casing and suitable stuffing boxes serves for moving alternately
forward and backward the slide or plate P, so as alternately to shut one
port of the pair of ports and ₁, for instance, and keep open the other
port of that pair, whilst another slide or plate P₁ fixed to the rod t, acts
in the same manner, but in opposite direction to that P, in regard to the other
pair and of ports, in consequence of which if the slides P. & P, have
been fixed to their rods t & t, in the manner as shown in the Drawing, and
the crank pins of these rods are connected by a lever m, m₁, having its
fulcrum in m"; one of these rods will cause to be set open one of the ports
of v and the opposite one of v¹, whilst when one of the slides, P for instance,
in moving forward in order to shut its open port and open the shut one the
other slide moves in the contrary direction for obtaining a similar result, and
if the length of these slides be such that one of the ports be entirely shut
before the other has commenced opening no other water except that actually
measured by the gaugers will be allowed to pass through the valve from the
entrance into the discharge pipe. The rod m, m¹, is connected by the coupling
link K, K¹, to and worked by the rocking lever h, h, having its fulerum in 5
and connected in 5' to the curved rod n¹, n,1; by this means each oscillation
of the gaugers will cause the valve rods to move in the direction required
for alternately opening and shutting the required ports. And if the oscillation
of the gaugers takes place at the moment one of them being full the other is
empty, the apparatus will act in a manner similar and with the same precision

page_text: B
as the apparatus described in the first part of this Specification, consequently
if the bulk of water discharged at each oscillation be exactly known, and a
counter or tell-tale indicates the number of oscillations during
given space
of time the quantity of water which has passed through the apparatus during
that time will be known at once. In order to insure that the oscillations take
place only when one of the gaugers has discharged the exact amount of water,"
which is to be measured at each oscillation, whilst the other gauger has
received the same amount of water, the following arrangement may be resorted
to for stopping each of the gaugers in its extreme positions and releasing them
again by means of the rods T when the floats which actuate these rods towards
the end of the oscillations reach the end of their stroke. The arrangement,
which might be modified in various manners, consists of what might be
called two locks, the bolts & & & of which are situated underneath the
plates E perpendicularly beneath the trunnions 6 & 6', and protrude beyond
the ends of the said plate, which bolts act in such manner that when the gauger
is rising one of the locks opens the bevel edge of its bolt situated at the upper
side so as to glide over an upper stop 9, which afterwards prevents the
return or downward motion of the said bolt, whereas the other lock on the
contrary opens when the gauger falls down, the bevel edge of the bolt being
situated at the under side so as to glide over a lower stop g', which afterwards
opposes the rising motion of the lock. The locks are kept what I call shut
by means of the spiral spring wound round the blank of the bolt, as in ordinary
spring bolt locks, each of the bolts being acted on by the rod T, either at its
rising or at is downward stroke by means of a set of levers in the manner as
is easily to be understood from the inspection of Fig. 8, and the action of
which on the bolt is regulated by the screw nuts situated at the end of the
blanks of the bolts; the rod T consequently causes the opening of the locks,
or receding of the bolts towards the rod T, to take place at the moment the
float arrives at the end of its stroke, either in ascending or in descending. If
we now suppose the various parts of the apparatus to be in the position shown
in the Figs. 5 & 6, the gaugers B being empty and in communication with the
water entrance conduit pipe, whilst the other gauger B₁ is filled and in com
munication with the exit pipe the gauger B will commence filling, and its
float rise, whereas the gauger B₁ will discharge its contents and have its float
falling down, but soon the weight of both the vessels B & B₁, will become such
that their relative heights would necessarily become modified were they not
retained in position by the bolts of the locks & s', and if the float F₁, which
is to finish its upward motion first, arrives at the top of its stroke, opens the
lock s, the gaugers being still retained by the other lock s₁ will not move till

page_text: the float F, at the end of its downward stroke opens this latter lock 8,', when
both gaugers being no further retained will in consequence of their difference
in weight shift position and reverse the position of the slide valve, and at the
same time cause the counter or tell-tale to move for one step whilst the
gangers by the effect of their respective vis viva (the moving power requiring
only slightly to exceed the resistance) will move beyond their position of
equipoise after having fixed the bolts of the two other locks s¹ & 81, but the
water entering into and escaping freely from the gaugers they will soon come
to equipoise, and will remain so resting on the bolts of their locks untill these
latter are again opened by the contrary motion of the floats. In order that
the opening of the locks should always correspond exactly with the same
positions of the floats the gaugers require to be well guided in their motion by
fixed vertical guide pieces. The floats may be made of wood covered or lined with
metal, india-rubber, or any other suitable impervious material, or they may be
made entirely of any such material. This modification of the vessel A, the
slide valves, and the arrangement and mode of working of the floats for
regulating the entrance and the exit of the water may be applied to the
apparatus described in the first part of this Specification.
The arrangement just described for suspending the oscillating gaugers by
means of crank levers may be still more simplified by merely suspending each
of them at the ends of two chains, as shown in Fig. 9, which chains pass over
two guide pulleys 3 turning on spindles 4 fixed to the frame of the apparatus,
suitable screw rods and nuts allowing of regulating accurately the length of
the chains, which towards the middle of their length have a loop link 5 for
transmitting the oscillating motions of the gaugers to a vertical forked rod 9
turning on ag arbor 8 fixed to the frame, the rod 9 being provided at its
lower end with a counterweight 7; the counterweight of each of these rods
must be calculated in such manner that at the end of the stroke of each of
the two rods they be in equipoise with the difference in weight of the two
gaugers. One of these 9 replaces the rod h, h¹, in its working the slide
valve, whilst the other parts of the arrangement remain the same as has been
above described.
In the apparatuses above described the float has been considered as one of
the main parts of them, it would be possible, however, of doing away entirely
with the float at least for the apparatus with oscillating gaugers, by arranging
these latter in the manner shown in Fig. 10. Each gauger is formed of two
bell-shaped concave cups 11 & 12 fixed together by screw bolts 13 passing
through the flanges of the cups, between which flanges is kept interposed the
rim of a thin sheet or bag 14 of india-rubber corresponding in shape with

page_text: the inner surface of the cups so as to allow the bag or sheet of applying
itself freely without extending alternately against the inner surfaces of the
lower and of the upper cup; this latter has a collar 15 provided with
an air tube 16, whereas the lower cup is provided in the same manner
as has been described in respect to Fig. 5 with a part G connecting
the gauger with water inlet and exit tube I, a rod T passing through a
stuffing box actuating a clickwork constructed and working in the manner
described in respect to the locks $1, 81, of Fig. 8. The rod T is inserted in a
tube U. closed at top fixed to the centre of the india-rubber bag, which
tube serves for, causing the rod to move up and down for a short distance,
as described in respect to Fig. 6. Towards the lower end the tube U
carries a small horizontal disc, and the said tube is provided above with a
screw, by means of which and of a nut the bag or sheet 14 is hermetically
fixed between two leather washers. The bag or sheet being submitted on
one side to the pressure of the air, and on the other side to that of the water,
and these pressures keeping each other nearly in equipoise, the sheet may
consequently be thin and form a very flexible diaphragm separating the air
from the water, and which will apply itself at, one moment against the inner
surface of the upper cup, and at the next against that of the lower cup of
the vessel, and will thus allow of the same becoming alternately filled with
water and with air, so as to discharge at each downward stroke of the rod T
a uniform bulk of water. In order that the tube U should move exactly in
the vertical axis of the vessel, and consequently the bag 14 not become dis-
shaped and defectuous, the top of this tube passes through a metal guide
ring 18 fixed in the interior of the collar 15. This modified gauger might
replace the above-described ones without altering the mode of working of the
apparatus, and the same would allow of giving considerably less bulk and
weight to this latter.
From what has been above described may be seen that the working of
the described apparatuses is based on the principle which ensures the discharge
of a liquid contained in vessels communicating between each other and
situated at different levels and with the interposition of a compressed aeriform
fluid, with the object that the liquid should constantly have the same pressure
at its exit from as at its entering the apparatus, a counter indicating the
number of strokes, and consequently the amount of liquid passed through the
same, during a certain length of time.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the sane is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict

page_text: myself to the precise details of the arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the general arrange-
ment and combination of parts of the above-described apparatuses intended
for measuring and registering or recording the flow of liquids, and more
particularly that of water running through pipes for the supply of cities or
other places, and which being intended to be distributed in various parts
requires to be exactly measured and the supply of it registered.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Marie Du Boys, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
E. DU BOYS. (L.B.)