IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR GASES THROUGH PIPES OR CONDUITS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walker Stead, of Northallerton, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR
GASES THROUGH PIPES OR CONDUITS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walker Stead at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th December 1880.
"
WALKER STEAD, of Northallerton, in the County of York, Civil Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING
THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR GASES THROUGH PIPES OR CONDUITS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MOTIVE POWER ENGINES AND PUMPS."
My Invention relates to meters or apparatus for measuring or ascertaining the
flow of water or other liquids, or of gases through pipes or conduits, but it is also
applicable to motive power engines to be driven by liquids, vapours, or gases, and
to pumps.
In carrying out my Invention as applied, for example, to the construction of a
water meter, I employ discs mounted in pairs on axles passing through a central
shaft or axis, which discs are arranged so as to fit and travel in a tube or passage
through which the water to be measured flows. The discs present their largest
surface to the direction of flow of the water for a portion of their revolution around
their common centre, after which they are turned upon their axes by coming into
contact with a curved or other suitable projecting surface, and continuing their
orbital motion return edgewise through the smallest practicable channel to the inlet
of the tube or passage, the arrangement being such that when one of the discs of
any pair is assuming its edgewise position, the other disc of that pair is assuming
its open position ready to be acted upon by the incoming liquid, and that there
shall always be one of the discs fully open, and completely filling the section of the
tube or passage through which the liquid flows.

page_text: One of the axles is cranked, allowing of a rocking motion through an arc of
about 90° about the axis of the other axle. The whole of the axles with their discs
are enclosed in a water tight case, preventing the waste or escape of the liquid
passing through the apparatus.
By the revolution of the discs rotary motion is imparted to the central shaft or
axis, and transmitted by means of gearing or otherwise to any suitable counting
apparatus, and the quantity of water flowing through the tube or passage is thus
measured or ascertained.
It is obvious that the apparatus may be used as a motor for driving machinery,
and also that by imparting motion externally to the apparatus it may be employed
as a pump.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Walker Stead in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June
1881.
$8
WALKER STEAD, of Northallerton, in the County of York, Civil Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OR ASCERTAINING
THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR GASES THROUGH PIPES OR CONDUITS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MOTIVE POWER ENGINES AND PUMPS."
My said Invention relates to meters or apparatus for measuring or ascertaining
the flow of water or other liquids, or of gases through pipes or conduits, but it is
also applicable to motive power engines to be driven by liquids, vapours, or gases,
and to pumps.
.
In carrying out my said Invention, as applied, for example, to the construction
of a water meter, I employ discs or pallets mounted in pairs on axles passing
through a central shaft or axis, which discs or pallets are arranged so as to
fit and travel in a tube or passage through which the water to be measured flows.
The discs or pallets present their largest surface to the direction of the flow of
the water for a portion of their revolution around their common centre, after
which they are feathered or turned upon their axes by coming into contact with a
curved or other suitable projection, and continuing their orbital motion return
edgewise through the smallest practicable channel to the inlet of the tube or
passage. The parts are so arranged that when one of the discs or pallets of any
pair is assuming its edgewise position the other disc or pallet of that pair is assuming
its open position ready to be acted upon by the incoming liquid, and that there
shall always be one of the discs or pallets fully open, and completely filling the
interior section of the tube or of the passage through which the liquid flows. One
of the axles is cranked allowing of a rocking motion through an arc of about 90°
above the axis of the other axle. The whole of the axles with their discs or pallets
are enclosed in a water tight case preventing the waste or escape of the liquid
passing through the apparatus.

page_text: By the revolution of the discs or pallets rotary motion is imparted to the central
shaft or axis and transmitted by means of gearing or otherwise to any suitable
counting apparatus, and the quantity of water flowing through the pipe or conduit
is thus measured or ascertained.
It is obvious that the apparatus may be used as a motor for driving machinery,
and also that by imparting motion externally to the apparatus it may be employed
as a pump.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference.
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional plan of a water
meter constructed according to my said Invention, the counting mechanism being
omitted from the Drawing; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the meter taken along
the line 1-2 (Figure 1); Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the end X of the
apparatus, the section being taken along the line. 3-4 (Figure 1); Figure 4 is a
detail of the discs or pallets hereinafter described and their carrying axle, and
Figure 5 represents details of the central shaft or axle and its appurtenances
hereinafter described.
A is a cylinder or case made in two halves bolted together, and so shaped that
when united an annular channel or passage is produced which is made of an
expanded form at B (hereinafter termed the measuring channel), and is made of a
contracted form at C (hereinafter termed the return channel). In these channels
are placed a series of discs or pallets which are arranged in pairs on suitable axles,
the two discs or pallets of each pair being situate at right angles to each other on
their axle (see detail, Figure 4), so that when one of the discs or pallets is filling
the measuring channel the other disc or pallet will be filling the return channel.
In the example illustrated in the Drawings two pairs of discs or pallets are
employed, one pair a, a'; being formed on or secured to an axle D, and the other
b, b¹, being formed on or secured to an axle E.
The axles D, E, are carried in a central shaft or axis F (shewn detached in
Figure 5), which consists of a box c adapted to a suitable bearing, in the cylinder
or case A, a closing ring d, and a spindle proper e, which passes through a stuffing
box in the cylinder or case A. The central shaft or axis F is provided with
openings 1, 2, 3, 4, through which the two axles D, E, pass, the axle D being
cranked, as shewn, at f, so as to clear the axle E; or, if necessary, both axles may
be cranked so as to admit of the free motion of each, as hereinafter described,
without any obstruction by the other.
The apparatus as thus arranged operates in the following manner, videlicit :-
The water to be measured enters the apparatus at G, and passing through the
measuring channel B leaves the apparatus at H, no water being allowed to pass
through the return channel C. Assuming the axles D, E, with their discs or
pallets a, a, b, b¹, respectively to be in the positions indicated in the Drawings,
the disc or pallet b of the axle E and the disc or pallet a¹ of the axle Dare in their
vertical position filling the section of the measuring channel B, and presenting
their expanded surface to the incoming water, whilst the opposite discs or pallets b¹
and a of the respective axles E, D, are in their horizontal position, the one being
situate in and the other just emerging from the return channel C; as the water
enters at G it acts upon the disc or pallet b, causing it to move along the measuring
channel B, and thus impart motion to the central shaft or axis F by which its
axle E is carried. At the point I a projecting surface is provided against which
is caused to impinge the disc or pallet b, whereby the latter is feathered or turned
upon its axis, as shewn in Figure 3, so as to bring it into a position to traverse
the return channel C, whilst the other disc or pallet b' of this pair which has been
traversing the return channel C and is just emerged from it is by the same action
as that which feathers the disc or pallet b turned to its vertical position, so as to
fill the section of the measuring channel B and be acted upon by the incoming

page_text: water. During the time that these actions have been taking place the disc or
pallet a' has been feathered or turned upon its axis by coming into cantact with
the projection I and has passed through the return channel C, whilst the opposite
disc or pallet a of this pair being turned upon its axis simultaneously with the dise
or pallet a¹ has been brought into its vertical position, and has passed through the
measuring channel. The actions herein-before described are then repeated, all the
discs or pallets being in their turn first acted upon by the water and moved
through the measuring channel, then feathered or turned edgewise, and returning
through the return channel, whilst the discs or pallets are so arranged in relation
to each other that there shall always be one fully open to be acted upon by the
water in the measuring channel.
By means of the arrangement hereinbefore described a continuous rotary motion
is imparted to the system of discs or pallets, and thence to the central shaft or axis,
whence motion is transmitted by means of gearing or otherwise to the counting
mechanism (not shewn in the Drawings), so that the quantity of water passing
through the pipe or conduit is thus measured or ascertained.
It is obvious that the apparatus may be used as a motor for driving machinery,
and also that by imparting motion externally to the apparatus it may be employed
as a pump.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is, -
The employment of feathering discs or pallets adapted to a cylinder or case,
having an expanded acting channel or passage and a contracted return channel or
passage, the discs or pallets being so constructed and arranged in relation to each
other and to the cylinder or case that for a portion of their stroke they fill and
travel through the expanded acting channel or passage, and that they are then
automatically feathered or turned upon their axes and return through the con-
tracted channel or passage, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the
set my hand and seal, this
and sights one
said Walker Stead, have to this my Specification
First day of June, One thousand eight hundred
WALKER STEAD. (L.S.)