IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING, CONTROLLING, AND REGISTERING QUANTITIES OF LIQUID DRAWN FROM CASKS AND OTHER RECEPTACLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Simon, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR MEASURING, CONTROLLING, AND REGISTERING QUANTITIES OF LIQUID
DRAWN FROM CASKS AND OTHER RECEPTACLES." A cominunication from abroad
by Lambert Herlitschka and Messrs. Goetjes & Schulze, both of Bautzen,
Saxony, in the German Empire.
Sealed the 6th August 1878, and dated the 22nd February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Simon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1878.
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING, CONTROLLING, AND
REGISTERING QUANTITIES OF LIQUID DRAWN FROM CASKS AND OTHER RECEP-
TACLES." [A communication from abroad by Lambert Herlitschka and Messrs.
Goetjes & Schulze, both of Bautzen, Saxony, in the German Empire.}
This Invention consists mainly in the use of one or more closed vessels or
chambers of definite or adjustable capacity, having flexible or elastic diaphragmns
dividing the chamber into two separate compartments, each of which can alternately
be put in communication with the cask or reservoir containing the liquid to be
measured and with a discharge cock. This cock has passages so formed that in
the one position it establishes the communication between the reservoir and the
one compartment of the measuring chamber, so that such compartment is charged
with the liquid, thereby causing the flexible diaphragm to be moved so as to expel
the liquid contained in the other compartment through the outlet passage of the
cock. In the reverse position the cock establishes the communication between the
last-named compartment and the reservoir, and allows the other compartment to be
discharged. The plug of the cock carries a cam, which at each movement actuates
[Drine BJ1

page_text: the pawl and ratchet of a counter or registering mechanism for registering each
volume of liquid discharged.
In order to allow the exact regulation of the quantity of liquid to be discharged,
and to allow of two or more different measures of liquid to be drawn off and
registered by the same apparatus, and also to prevent its action being made
unreliable by the passage of gas instead of liquid, the following arrangement is
employed-The cask or reservoir containing the liquid communicates with a sinall
closed vessel, communicating with the before-mentioned discharge cock by a
passage which when the vessel is empty of liquid is closed by a float valve, so that
air or gas can in that case not pass through the passage to the measuring apparatus.
At top the vessel has an aperture closed by a piece of textile fabric that will allow
gas readily to escape through it, but will not readily allow the passage of liquid.
Above this is a small cylinder containing a loaded valve and having a side hole,
so that when the gaseous pressure in the vessel exceeds that of the valve this will
be raised, and in uncovering the side opening will allow the gas to escape. Should
the vessel become quite filled with the liquid the float valve in rising closes the
aperture at top, and thus closes it against the escape of liquid.
The measuring chamber consists by preference of a spherical vessel, having at
its middle two caoutchouc or other suitable flexible diaphragms with a small space
between them.
In order to adjust the capacity of the chamber to the exact measure required,
the space between the diaphragms is filled with water through a pipe to such an
extent that the remaining space in the chamber is of the required capacity. The
space between the diaphragms also communicates through a pipe with the one
compartment of a second measuring chamber, of similar construction, but of such
smaller capacity that when this is deducted from that of the larger vessel the second
desired measure will be obtained.
The other compartment of the smaller chamber can be put in communication
through a slide actuated by hand either with a vessel containing air, gas, or water
under pressure, slightly exceeding that of the liquid in the cask or reservoir, or
with the atmosphere. Assuming that the first-named compartiment of the small
chamber is charged with water, and it is desired to draw off a quantity of beer or
other liquid equal to the lesser measure, then by moving the slide, so that the other
compartment of the small chamber communicates with the pressure reservoir, the
said charge of water will be forced thereby into the space between the two
diaphragms of the larger chamber, thus reducing the measuring capacity of the
latter to the desired extent.
The
If now it be desired to draw off a measure equal to the full capacity of the large
chamber, the slide is moved so as to put the small chamber in communication with
the atmosphere, and the pressure existing in the large chamber will then force the
same volume of water back into the small chamber that had before entered it, thus
again increasing the capacity of the large chamber to a corresponding extent.
rod by which the slide is moved has a stud, which when moved into the position
for drawing off the smaller quantity acts on the pawl that works the ratchet of the
counter, so that the pawl is prevented from turning the counter beyond the distance
required for registering the smaller quantity.
It will be evident that two or more such before-described measuring chambers,
of smaller capacities than the main measuring chamber, may be employed in com-,
bination with the latter in the same manner as above described, when it is desired
to draw off three or more different measures of liquid by the same cock.
For the registering apparatus is, by preference, employed a counter of following
construction A number of discs, having numerals on their circumference, and
arranged side by side on a spindle in a similar manner to ordinary counters, have
each attached to them two ratchet wheels, one having as many teeth as there are
divisions on the disc, while the other has only one tooth or notch. A lever pivotted
on the same axis that carries the discs has a series of spring pawls, so formed that
each pawl is in gear with the ordinary ratchet wheel of one disc and also with the

page_text: single tooth ratchet of the next disc. On motion being imparted to the lever
carrying the pawls, the disc for units is first rotated by a separate pawl in gear
only with its ordinary ratchet, and on completion of its revolution the next disc
is turned one division by the pawl in gear with a single tooth ratchet of the first
disc and the ordinary ratchet of the next disc, the circumference of the single tooth
ratchet being of such a diameter that the pawl is prevented from entering the tooth
of the ordinary ratchet except when it falls into the notch of the single tooth. In
like manner the third disc is turned one division by the next double pawl on the
complete revolution of the second disc.
In order to insure that the contiguous limbs of two pawls that are in gear
respectively with the ordinary ratchet and the single tooth ratchet of a disc shall
work together correctly, the one limb is provided with a bridge piece that extends
over the back of the other. Each disc has fitted in its side a spring bolt, which
when all the digits of the same denomination of the several discs are in line with
each other enter notches in the contiguous discs, thus connecting them all together.
Thus by turning continuously the last disc by means of the spindle (to which it is
fixed) the other discs will one after the other be locked to it, and the counter can
be brought back to the zero position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Simon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th August
1878.
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING, CONTROLLING, AND
REGISTERING QUANTITIES OF LIQUID DRAWN FROM CASKS AND OTHER RECEP-
TACLES." A communication from abroad by Lambert Herlitschka and Messrs.
Goetjes & Schulze, both of Bautzen, Saxony, in the German Empire.
This Invention consists mainly in the use of one or more closed vessels or
chambers of definite or adjustable capacity having flexible or elastic diaphragms
dividing the chamber into two separate compartments, each of which can alternately
be put in communication with the cask or reservoir containing the liquid to be
measured, and with a discharge cock. This cock has passages, so formed that in
the one position it establishes the communication between the reservoir and the one
compartment of the measuring chamber, so that such compartment is charged with
the liquid, thereby causing the flexible diaphragm to be moved so as to expel the
liquid contained in the other compartment through the outlet passage of the cock..
In the reverse position the cock establishes the communication between the last-
named compartment and the reservoir, and allows the other compartment to be
discharged. The plug of the cock carries a cam, which at each movement actuates
the pawl and ratchet of a counter or registering mechanism for registering each
volume of liquid discharged.
In order to allow of the exact regulation of the quantity of liquid to be discharged,

page_text: and to allow of two or more different measures of liquid to be drawn off and
registered by the same apparatus, and also to prevent its action being made
unreliable by the passage of gas instead of liquid, the following arrangement is
employed: The cask or reservoir containing the liquid cominunicates with a small
closed vessel communicating with the before-mentioned discharge cock by a passage
which when the vessel is empty of liquid is closed by a float valve, so that air or
gas can in that case not pass through the passage to the measuring apparatus. At
top the vessel has an aperture closed by a piece of textile fabric that will allow gas
readily to escape through it, but will not readily allow the passage of liquid. Above
this is a small cylinder containing a loaded valve and having a side hole, so that
when the gaseous pressure in the vessel exceeds that of the valve this will be raised,
and in uncovering the side opening will allow the gas to escape. Should the vessel
become quite filled with the liquid the float valve in rising closes the aperture at
top, and thus closes it against the escape of liquid.
The measuring chamber consists by preference of a spherical vessel, having at its
middle two caoutchouc or other suitable flexible diaphragms with a small space
between them.
In order to adjust the capacity of the chamber to the exact measure required the
space between the diaphragms is filled with water through a pipe to such an extent
that the remaining space in the chamber is of the required capacity. The space
between the diaphragms also communicates through a pipe with the one compart-
ment of a second measuring chamber of similar construction, but of such smaller
capacity that when this is deducted from that of the larger vessel the second desired
measure will be obtained.
The other compartment of the smaller chamber can be put in communication,
through a slide actuated by hand, either with a vessel containing air, gas, or water
under pressure, slightly exceeding that of the liquid in the cask or reservoir, or
with the atmosphere. Assuming that the first-named compartment of the small
chamber is charged with water and it is desired to draw off a quantity of beer or
other liquid equal to the lesser measure, then by moving the slide so that the other
compartment of the small chamber communicates with the pressure reservoir, the
said charge of water will be forced thereby into the space between the two
diaphragms of the larger chamber, thus reducing the measuring capacity of the
latter to the desired extent.
If now it be desired to draw off a measure equal to the full capacity of the large
chamber the slide is moved so as to put the small chamber in communication with
the atmosphere, and the pressure existing in the large chamber will then force the
same volume of water back into the small chamber that had before entered it, thus
again increasing the capacity of the large chamber to a corresponding extent. The
rod by which the slide is moved has a stud, which when moved into the position
for drawing off the smaller quantity acts on the pawl that works the ratchet of the
counter, so that the pawl is prevented from turning the counter beyond the distance
required for registering the smaller quantity.
It will be evident that two or inore such before-described measuring chambers of
smaller capacities than the main measuring chamber may be employed in combina-
tion with the latter in the same manner as above described when it is desired to
draw off three or more different measures of liquid by the same cock.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 and 2 shew respectively a vertical section and sectional plan of the
before-described measuring and registering apparatus.
The liquid to be measured passes from the reservoir through the pipe 1 into the
chamber 2; in this chamber is a float valve 3, by preference of spherical form,
which, so long as there is no liquid in the chamber, closes the passage 4 lending to
the delivery cock.
The chamber is closed by a cover 5 with a small central opening 6 and guide

page_text: ribs 7 leading thereto. Above the opening 6 is a piece of textile fabric 8 secured
water-tight by a small cylinder 9 screwed down on to the cover.
In the bottom of
this cylinder is a hole 10 corresponding with 6 and closed by a weighted cylindrical
valve 11, the pressure of which balances the pressure of the carbonic acid or other
gas contained in the beer or other liquid. As soon as the normal pressure in the
chamber 2 is exceeded the valve 11 is raised and thus allows the surplus gaseous
pressure to escape through the opening 12, the permeable diaphragm 8 preventing
the escape of liquid froth with the gas. The escape of liquid itself, when the
chamber is full, is prevented by the float valve 3 closing the opening 6 before the
liquid rises to that point. From this arrangement it will be seen that if at any time
gases under pressure evolved from the liquid to be measured pass in to the chamber 2
instead of liquid the said gases will be prevented from passing in to the measuring
vessel, as the ball valve 3 will close the outlet 4 and the gases will escape from the
chamber 2 through the hole 6.
The liquid passes through the passage 4 into the four-way delivery cock, from the
casing 13 of which two diametrically opposite passages 14 and 15 lead to the main
measuring vessel, shewn half in section in Fig. 1. This consists of the two hollow
metal hemispheres 16 and 17, of the two caoutchouc hemispheres 18 and 19, and a
metal ring 20 separating the rims of the latter, as seen more clearly in the section
of the smaller regulating measuring vessel 29 and 30, which is of the same
construction, and which will be presently described.
The space between the caoutchouc bemispheres serves to receive a certain quantity
of water, which is so regulated that the remaining space in the measuring vessel
equals in capacity the quantity of liquid which it is desired to draw off at every
opening of the tap. In order to regulate this charge a pipe 21 provided with a
stop-cock establishes a communication between the first-named space and a reservoir
containing water.
According to the position of the delivery cock (whose central exit orifice 22 is
opened or closed by turning the handle 23) the one or the other hemisphere of the
measuring vessel is put in communication by the pipe 14 or 15 with the outlet
orifice 22, while the other hemisphere is put in communication by the other passage
14 or 15 with the passage 4 leading to the inlet chamber 2; thus whichever position
the delivery cock is in the liquid passes from the chamber 2 into the one hemisphere
of the measuring vessel; the pressure of such liquid in forcing the double caoutchouc
diaphragins 18 and 19 into the other hemisphere causes the liquid with which it
had previously been charged to pass thence to the outlet passage of the cock.
On the plug 22 containing the said passage is a cam 24 which serves, firstly, to
limit the extent to which the cock is turned by having its projections 25 and 26
alternately brought in contact with a stop 27; and, secondly, it serves to actuate
the rod 28 by which the withdrawal of each quantity of liquid is registered on the
counter.
A third object of the cam will be presently referred to.
In many cases it is desirable that one and the same apparatus should serve to
register the delivery of two or more different measures of liquid. As an example,
in the present case it is assumed that the apparatus is to register pints and half
pints. For this purpose it is necessary to be able to vary the quantity of regulating
water between the caoutchouc hemispheres of the main measuring vessel in such
manner that at one time the remaining capacity is equal to a pint, and at another
time to half a pint. This is effected by the employment of a second measuring
chamber of the same construction as the main one, consisting, namely, of the two
metal hemispheres 29 and 30, shewn partly in section in Fig. 1, of two caoutchouc
hemispheres 31 and 32, and of a metal ring 33 separating the latter. The regulating
space between 31 and 32 is charged with such a quantity of water that the total
remaining capacity of the chamber is equal to half a pint. The lower space formed
between 30 and 32 is put by means of a pipe 34 in communication with the regu-
lating space between 18 and 19 of the main measuring vessel. Assuming the space
between 32 and 30 to be filled with water, and it is desired to reduce the capacity

page_text: of the main measuring vessel to half a pint, this is effected by forcing 31 and 32
down close against 30, whereby the water in the latter will be forced into the space
between 18 and 19, thus reducing the remaining capacity of the main measuring
vessel to the required extent. If now it be required to increase the capacity of the
latter again this is effected by allowing the pressure of the liquid to be measured to
force the above-mentioned quantity of water back between 30 and 32 again. This
alternate descent and ascent of the regulating water is effected as follows:-
Above the regulating vessel is a cylindrical slide 35 in a chamber 37, which is
open at both ends, but communicates by a pipe 36 with a reservoir containing water
under pressure somewhat greater than that of the liquid to be measured. The
double piston slide 35, the motion of which is accurately determined by the
register 38, when drawn outwards establishes a communication between 31 and 29,
and the said pressure reservoir by means of the pipe 36, the annular space of the
double piston slide, and the small hole in 29, so that the water under pressure
entering the regulating vessel forces 31 and 32 down, so as to reduce the capacity
of the main measuring vessel to half a pint, as above described, whereupon half a
pint of liquid will be delivered from the cock 22. On now pushing the register 38
inwards, so as to bring the piston slide into the position shewn at Fig. 1, the upper
space of the regulating chamber will communicate with the atmosphere through the
small hole and the open end of 37, and consequently the greater pressure of the
liquid to be measured will force the water that had before entered 18 and 19 back
into the regulating vessel, causing the water in the upper part of the latter to
escape through 37 into the atmosphere. The capacity of the measuring vessel will
therefore be restored to a pint, and that measure can consequently be drawn off
through the cock.
The register 38 also serves to regulate the registration of the quantities drawn on
the counter by the following arrangement:-Assuming that the complete rotation
of the units disc effects the registration of ten pints, then one-tenth of a revolution
would register one pint, and one-twentieth half a pint. If now the ratchet wheel
of the disc be provided with twenty teeth, then for registering a pint it will have
to be moved forward two teeth, and for half a pint one tooth, consequently for the
latter registration the action of the pawl that moves the ratchet must be prevented
after it has performed half its full stroke. For this purpose the pin 39 connecting
the register 38 to the slide 35 is extended, so that when the register is drawn out
for measuring half a pint it moves the bell crank 40, so as to cause this to raise a
pin 42, which is so adjusted relatively to the pawl 41 that when this has performed
half its stroke it is thrown out of gear with the ratchet wheel by the pin, and thus
causes the registration of half a pint only to be effected.
By means of the slot 43 the movement of the units' disc can be retarded by a
fraction of the circumference, which is necessary in some of the relative positions
of the several counter discs.
In order to insure that the register 38, and consequently the slide 35, shall be in
the exact required positions for measuring before the liquid is drawn off, the register
has a stud 44, and the cam has a segment of a circle 45, so formed that the plug of
the cock to which the cam is attached) can only be turned when the register has
been moved either into the position shewn in the Drawing, with the inner side of
the stud just clear of the outer side of the segment, or into the other position with
the outer side of the stud just clear of the inner side of the segment. For the
counter is by preference employed the construction shewn in cross section and
sectional plan respectively at Figs. 3 and 4.
Within the cylindrical casing A are a number of discs B, B1, B2, &c., arranged
side by side on a spindle C, each disc bearing numerals on its periphery, in a similar
manner to ordinary counters, the disc B serving to indicate units; B¹, tens; and so
Each disc has two ratchet wheels, one D, D1, D2, &c., having as many teeth as
there are divisions on the disc, and the other E, E, E², &c., having only one tooth
or notch. A framed lever F turning on the spindle C carries on a bar F¹ a number
of spring pawls G, G, .&c. The pawl G is in gear with the ratchet D ; G¹ is in gear
on.

page_text: both with E and with D¹ of the disc B₁, and so on, each successive pawl being in
gear with the ordinary ratchet of one disc and with the single tooth ratchet of the
next one, for which purpose it is provided with two limbs. Thus it will be seen
that on the units disc B having been moved through a complete revolution by the
ratchet D, the pawl G¹ in falling into the single tooth of the ratchet E will at the
same time come in gear with the ratchet E', and will thus cause this, and conse-
quently the disc B', to move forward one division. In like manner when B' has
performed one revolution, the pawl G will cause B2 to move forward one division,
and so on.
Each of the pawls G2, G3, &c, has attached to its right-hand limb a
bridge piece H extending over the left-hand limb of the preceding one, so that the
former is prevented from falling into its notch, unless the latter also at the same
time falls into a notch of its ratchet. Without this arrangement no accurate
transfer of the numbers registered could be offected beyond the second disc.
Each disc has a lateral recess in which is fitted a spring bolt with inclined face I,
which, when all the digits of the same denomination of the several discs are in line
with each other, enter notches in the contiguous disc, as shewn at Fig. 4, thus
connecting them all together. Thus, when it is required to set the counter to zero,
this is effected by turning continuously the projecting end of the spindle C by means
of a key, thereby also rotating the last disc B³ which is fixed to it; by this means,
when B has arrived in the position with its zero in line with that of B, its spring
bolt will enter the latter, and will carry it round, and when B has arrived with
its zero in line with that of B³, its spring bolt will enter the latter and will carry
it round, and so on. The whole of the discs are then brought with their zeros
opposite the openings A' of the casing.
The bar F is actuated by the before-mentioned rod 28 of the measuring apparatus,
Figs. 1 and 2.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents,
I claim-
First. In apparatus for measuring the delivery of liquids, the use of a measuring
vessel consisting of a chamber containing a hollow flexible regulating diaphragm,
into or from which water or other liquid can be introduced or expelled so as to
decrease or increase the remaining capacity of the chamber to the exact measure
required, substantially as herein described.
Second. The use in combination with the measuring vessel referred to in the
preceding claim of one or more regulating vessels of like construction so arranged
in connection with the regulating diaphragmn thereof, that the latter can at will be
charged with different definite quantities of regulating liquid, so as to cause the
measuring vessel to deliver at will different measures of liquid, substantially as
herein described.
Third. The use of a measuring vessel, such as is referred to in the first claim,
having two compartiments separated by the regulating diaphragm, and so connected
to a delivery cock and a pipe leading to the cask or reservoir of liquid, that as the
cock is turned so as to allow a measure of liquid to flow from the one compartment
of the measuring vessel, liquid at the same time flows from the reservoir into the
other compartment thereof through a passage in the cock, substantially as herein
described.
Fourth. The provision of a chamber with float valve and gas escape pipe on the
supply pipe from the reservoir, so that on gas instead of liquid flowing into the
measuring apparatus this is prevented from passing into the measuring vessel, and
is allowed to escape into the atmosphere, while at the same time the escape of
liquid is prevented, substantially as herein described.
Fifth. The arrangement for altering the capacity of the measuring vessel, as
referred to in the second claim, wherein the regulating vessel is provided with a
slide actuated by a register, so as either to put the regulating vessel in com-
munication with a reservoir of regulating liquid under pressure or with the
atmosphere, substantially as herein described.

page_text: Sixth. So arranging the register, referred to in the preceding claim in combination
with the delivery cock, that the latter cannot be turned until the valve of the
regulating vessel has been set to the correct position by the register.
Seventh. So arranging the register that actuates the regulating vessel in com-
bination with the counter, that when the register is set so as to cause the measuring
vessel to deliver less than its full capacity, it actuates the pawl of the counter so as
to throw it out of gear when it has performed a corresponding part of its stroke,
substantially as herein described.
Eighth. In counters or registering apparatus providing each registering disc with
an ordinary and a single tooth ratchet wheel, and arranging the actuating pawls so
that their one limb is in gear with the ordinary ratchet of the one disc, and with the
single tooth ratchet of the next one, substantially as herein described.
Ninth. The use in combination with the arrangement of ratchets and pawls,
referred to in the preceding claim, of bridge pieces fixed to the one limb of the pawl,
and made to overhang the limb of the preceding one, substantially as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
Tenth. The arrangement herein described for adjusting the counter to the zero
position wherein the last disc is fixed on the axis of the counter, and each disc has
a lateral spring bolt capable of entering a notch in the contiguous dise.
Eleventh. Arranging a counter to register fractions of units by forming the
ratchets with teeth corresponding in number with the fractions required, and
providing mechanism whereby, when only a fraction of a unit is to be registered,
the actuating pawl is put out of gear with the units disc when it has performed
only a corresponding fractional part of its full stroke, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Simon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HENRY SIMON. (L.S.)