Improvements in Water Meters.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Meters.
I, ALESSANDRO LUCCHESINI, of Villa Giovanelli Viale de Colli, Florence,
Italy, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
My invention has reference to a simple arrangement of water meter constructed
with an adjusting device (hereinafter called the regulator) which without interfering
with the indication of the volume discharged, enables the discharge to be adjusted
to suit the initial pressure.
An arrangement of such a meter is illustrated in the drawing annexed, to which
reference is made in the following description, and which is designed to enable the
arrangement and operation of the meter to be clearly understood.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my water meter.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a plane passing through the centre of the meter.
Fig. 3 is a plan or top view.
Fig. 4 is a separate view of the regulator.
The meter illustrated comprises a metal box made in several parts which are
connected together by means of screw joints, or it may be by means of studs, and
which is closed by a thick glass plate G capable of withstanding high pressures.
The water enters by the pipe A and passes out by the pipe E.
The entering water is deflected by that part of the wall of the box that is
opposite the inlet through inclined orifices bb, b formed in a fixed cone B. These
orifices may be uniformly distributed in this cone, as indicated in the drawing,
or be reduced to a few arranged in or near a plane passing through its axis.
After the water has passed through these, it acts upon a screw V having one or
two threads, (made very light, of metal or even of ebonite) which is supported by
two pivots, so as to be movable about its axis.
The movement imparted to this screw V under the action of the moving water,
is transmitted by means of worms and toothed wheels to clock mechanism D con-
sisting of four toothed wheels corresponding to four dials visible through the glass
plate G. The speeds of these four wheels are in a ratio to each other of 1 to 10;
this allows of registering up to a thousand cubic units of flow of water. Above the
cone B I arrange a regulator C, of hollow conical shape, which fits exactly over
the cone B, and can be moved about its axis; it is perforated with a similar number
of holes to the cone B, which, according to the position given to the said cone C,
will leave the passages bb full open, or will close the same to a greater or less
extent; adjustment can be effected when the parts of the apparatus is being
fitted together, or as I prefer when it is being erected in position for use.
In Fig. 4, the left hand side of the cone B is shewn with its passages left full
open by this regulator C, and with the passages in the right hand side of the cone
partially closed by the regulator. As will be evident meters differing more or less
in detail from that illustrated may be constructed according to my invention as
above set forth.
Such a meter will work efficiently whether in a vertical or other position.

page_text: Improvements in Water Meters.
1, ALESSANDRO LUCCHESINI, of Villa Giovanelli Viale de Colli, Florence, Italy,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to a simple arrangement of water meter constructed
with an adjusting device (hereinafter called the regulator) which without being
strictly necessary permits the adjustment of the discharge for different pressures so
as to correspond to the quantity shown by the indicator.
An arrangement of such a meter is illustrated in the drawing filed with my
Provisional Specification to which reference is made in the following description,
and which is designed to enable the arrangement and operation of the meter to be
clearly understood.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my water meter.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a plane passing through the centre of the meter.
Fig. 3 is a plan or top view.
Fig. 4 is a separate plan of the regulator, one half shewing the parts in a
different relative position to that shewn in the other half, as hereinafter described.
The meter illustrated comprises a metal box, tinned inside, made in several parts
which are connected together by means of screw joints, or it may be by means of
studs, and which is closed by a thick glass plate G capable of withstanding high
pressures.
The water enters by the pipe A and passes out by the pipe E.
The entering water is deflected by that part of the wall of the box that is
opposite the inlet, through inclined orifices b, b, b formed in a fixed piece B having
the general form of a truncated cone and hereinafter called the cone B. These
orifices may be uniformly distributed in this cone, as indicated in the drawing, and
their total section depends upon the quantity of water to be discharged.
After the water has passed through these orifices it acts upon a screw V having
only two threads, (made very light, of tinned metal) which is mounted on a spindle
of suitable material such as nickel having two pivots, so as to be movable about its
geometrical axis.
The movement imparted to this screw V under the action of the moving water, is
transmitted by means of worms and toothed wheels as shewn to clock mechanism D
consisting of a train of four toothed wheels corresponding to four dials visible
through the glass plate G. The speed of each of these wheels bears to the speed of
the next preceding wheel a ratio of 1 to 10; this allows of registering up to
thousands of units of volume of water. Above the cone B I arrange when necessary
a movable piece C, of hollow truncated conical shape, hereinafter referred to as the
movable cone C, which fits exactly over the fixed cone B, and can be moved about
its axis; it is perforated with a similar number of orifices to the cone B, and
according to the position to which it is adjusted relatively to the cone B will leave
The
the orifices b full open, or will close the same to a greater or less extent.
adjustment of the movable cone C can be effected when the apparatus is being fitted
The cone B
together, or, as I prefer, when it is being erected in position for use.
and the movable cone C constitute the regulator which permits the water to flow
through with more or less case, causing the screw V to perform a determined
number of revolutions whatever may be the pressure of the water at the place of
installation of the meter, so that accurate indications will be given.
In Fig. 4, the left hand side of the fixed cone B is shewn with its passages left
full open by the movable cone, while the passages in the right hand side of the
As will be evident
fixed cone are shewn partially closed by the said movable cone.

page_text: meters differing more or less in detail from that illustrated may be constructed
according to my invention as above set forth.
Such a meter will work efficiently whether in a vertical or other position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a water meter of the kind referred to a screw having two threads V, this
screw being mounted on a spindle having pivots, of suitable material such as nickel,
and adapted to be actuated by the moving of the water, substantially as described.
2. In a water meter of the kind referred to, the combination with a movable
screw V of a regulator consisting of a fixed cone B and a movable cone (, both
being perforated with orifices of the same shape, arranged either uniformly over
their surfaces, or in a plane passing through their common axis, the arrangement
being such that according to the relative positions the cones are caused to assume, a
greater or smaller area of passage will be provided to allow the water to flow
through with more or less ease for the purpose specified.
3. The general arrangement of a water meter comprising a movable screw V, a
regulator composed of cones such as B and C, and clock mechanism with dials
arranged at the inner side of a glass plate G, the said meter operating in the
manner and for the purpose specified with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 16th day of July 1891.
A.
LUCCHESINI.
By L. W., per F. B.