IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS."
A communication from abroad by Placido Tarda y Puig, of Barcelona, in the
Kingdom of Spain.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors
of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS." A communication from abroad by Placido
Tarda y Puig, of Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain.
The Invention consists in measuring the quantity of water flowing through a
pipe by discharging the water into a balanced vessel and counting the oscillations
of the same in the following manner:-The supply pipe ends in a water tank at the
top and inside of a cylindrical casing which encloses the principal parts of the
apparatus. Inside the said tank is a conical or cylindrical tube forming an
overflow, through which the water falls into a vessel, preferably rhombic in cross
section, provided in the centre with a vertical partition, and capable of turning on a
horizontal axis so placed that the two halves of the vessel balance each other. The
motion of the vessel is limited right and left by two balls of india-rubber or other
fixed buffers, situated at such a height that each half of the vessel is emptied
before or after it touches the respective buffer, the change of motion from one
extreme position to the other being retarded by a balance weight attached to the
centre of the vessel. When the other half is filled with water, the vessel moves
back, so that the water flows now into the first half and out of the second.
The oscillating motion of the vessel is transmitted through a connecting rod
upon an anchor or ratchet wheel, which imparts its rotary motion to a system of
tooth wheels and hands moving over dial plates so as to indicate the quantity of
water which has flown through the meter.

page_text: From the balanced vessel the water falls into a receptacle screwed or bolted to
the bottom of the apparatus, and leaves the same through a three-way cock placed
outside the meter and serving also for cutting off the supply, the outlet pipe
being preferably placed immediately under the supply pipe and the core of the cock
covered by a cap which may be screwed to or froin the body of the cock by means
of a special key.
The two buffers for limiting the motion of the balanced vessel may be made
adjustable in height by providing their standards or spindles with screw threads or
otherwise, and the clockwork is preferably placed inside the cylindrical casing of
the apparatus, and made visible by providing the wall of the casing with a sheet of
glass packed with india-rubber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
March 1881.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LIQUID METERS." A communication from abroad by Placido Tarda y Puig, of
Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain.
This Invention consists in measuring the quantity of water flowing through a
pipe by discharging the water into a balanced vessel and counting the oscillations
of the same in the following manner :—
The supply pipe leads to a water vessel at the top and inside of a casing which
encloses the principal parts of the apparatus. This vessel into which the water falls
is preferably rhombic in cross section, provided in the central with a vertical
partition, and capable of turning on a horizontal axis so placed that the two halves
of the vessel balance each other. The motion of the vessel is limited by buffers of
india rubber or other suitable material, situated at such a height that each half of
the vessel is emptied before or after it touches the respective buffer, the change of
motion from one extreine position to the other being retarded if desired by a
balance weight attached to the centre of the vessel.
When the other half is filled with water the vessel moves back, so that the water
flows now into the first half and out of the second.
The oscillating motion of the vessel is transinitted through a connecting rod upon
an anchor or ratchet wheel, which imparts its rotary motion to a system of tooth
wheels and hands moving over dial plates so as to indicate the quantity of water
which has flown through the meter.
From the balanced vessel the water falls to the bottom of the apparatus, which is
provided with an inlet and an outlet tap.
The buffers for limiting the motion of the balanced vessel may be made adjustable
in height by providing their standards or spindles with screw threads or otherwise,

page_text: and the clock work is preferably placed outside the cylindrical casing provided with
a sheet of glass packed with indin rubber.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate an apparatus embodying this Invention.
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the apparatus seen from the side.
Figure 2a longitudinal section seen from the front and indicating in dotted
lines the clockwork, and Figure 3 an elevation of the clockwork with dials and
hands indicating (in litres) the quantity of water measured.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1 and 2.
E is the tap for admitting water to the interior of the counter; V, V, a valve
opening or closing the admission of water by means of the rod VI; T, a lead pipe
connected with the valve V by means of a screw nut and conducting the water to
the balancing vessel B, which is divided into two compartments by a partition P, P,
(Figure 2). This vossel oscillates on an inner shaft E, E¹, of yellow metal covered
by an india-rubber pipe C and divided into two parts, each of which terminates
in a screwed part 2, 7, in the centre of the balancing vessel, the two parts being
united by a screw nut H fixed on the pipe t' which encloses the shaft E' and the
tube C just mentioned. The said shaft and pipe pass through the lateral walls P, P,
of the receiver R, and are secured by brackets S, the shaft and the receiver being
hermetically fitted together by screwed conical pieces. The shaft E¹ carries at one
end a connecting rod connected with an anchor escapement a, which imparts motion
to the clock work R¹ every time when the compartments of the balancing
vessel B, B, are filled and emptied, this vessel being provided with projections t
sufficiently long to arrest the fall of the vessel at a given point. The said projections
come in contact with the oval india rubber buffers supported by a screw **,
which passes through the side wall P¹ of the receiver R and has a nut to.
The receiver R is made of sheet metal, and contains the whole mechanism az
well as the water which has been measured by the balancing vessel. F is a
cylindrical float which rises and falls along the spindle E" supported and secured by
the armature A. The slotted or grooved piece P attached to the float F causes the
tooth shaped projection of the arm S to rise and fall, said arm acting on the
lever P screwed to the armature A, and giving motion to three rods VI, VII, VIII.
The first of these rods serves to open or close, when required, the water outlet
through the pipe T by means of the plates P³, P, the first being of yellow
metal and the second of india rubber. These plates serve as valves and are screwed
to the armature A.
The second rod V1 is enclosed in an india rubber tube, and connected with the
valve V for opening or closing the water inlet when required, and according to the
position of the arm of the lever P.
The rod Vis for opening or closing the inlet of atmospheric air through the
pipe T, which terminates at its upper part in pieces P7, P9, the first being of
yellow metal and the second of india rubber, these plates being screwed to the
armature A.
When the measured water, which accumulates at the bottom of the receiver R,
arrives at the height of the spring M³, the float has risen as high as to bring the
two springs (M and M¹) into contact, whereby the upinotion of the float is arrested
until the water has risen sufficiently high to overcome the resistance offered by
the two horizontal springs.
When this occurs the float rises until its cap touches the armature A.
Simultaneously with the float rises also the grooved piece P and imparts
motion to the piece S', thereby changing the position of the lever P, which controls
the flow of water and air by means of the rods V, V, V. V closes the water
inlet, while V admits water measured in the vessel R to the pipe T", and VIII
admits air during the flow of water to the vessel.
The discharge of water after having been measured into the distributing pipes
takes place through the pipe T4, and continues until the two horizontal springs
cone in contact (the upper striking against the lower one), whereupon the float
stops until the resistance of the two springs is overcome in consequence of the

page_text: continued fall of the water level. At this moment the float falls by his own
weight, together with the grooved piece P", which takes the toothed arm S¹ with it,
thereby changing the position of the lever P, which by its connection with the
rods V, V, V, opens the water inlet and closes the outlet T" as well as the air
inlet T, so that the water entering the apparatus through the pipe T arrives at
the balancing vessel B.
When one of its compartments is full, it empties the water into the receiver R,
which fills itself, thereby compressing the air in its upper part. In consequence of
this compression the measured water rises into the pipe T, through which it
passes from the base of the receiver R into the upper part of the apparatus, and
into the distributing pipes. The compressed air in the receiver R escapes in small
quantities with the water discharged through the pipe T', and is replaced by
means of the float F, which opens the air inlet T and the water outlet T" as
above described. R¹ are metal rings, one of which is fixed to the receiver R,
while an india rubber ring R" is placed between them and secured by means of
screws T5, so as to close the bottom of the receiver hermetically.
The movable bottom serves for cleaning the apparatus from mud which may be
deposited by the water.
The armature A, A, is fitted with leather and secured to the receiver by
means of the screwed ends of the taps E and of the pipes T, T, said armature A
containing or supporting all parts which form the automatic regulating mechanisin.
-G-is-a-casing-enclosing_the_clockwork R', and provided with a glass which
allows to read the figures on the dials and to see the hands which indicate-the-
quantity of water measured. The piece P serves to secure-this-casing..
Having now described the apparatus, I would remark that it may be simplified
so that the up and down motion of the float, instead of automatically opening the
water inlet, admitting air to compensate for its escape, and opening the outlet,
serves only to open the water inlet without acting on the air inlet or the water
outlet, which functions may be discharged by a special tap or other contrivance
independant of the float, the latter opening only the water inlet.
It is evident that this modification will make the apparatus considerably
simpler and cheaper without impairing its good operation.
CLAIMS.
The construction and arrangement of the various organs constituting the water
meter, with or without automatic air inlet and water outlet, substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set my
band and scal, this Eleventh day of March, A.D. 1881.
THADDAN
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