IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE QUANTITY OF WATER OR OTHER LIQUID FLOWING THROUGH PIPES OR OTHER CONDUITS."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Melling, of Grassendale Park, Aigburth, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS
OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGISTERING THE QUANTITY OF WATER
OR OTHER LIQUID FLOWING THROUGH PIPES OR OTHER CONDUITS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Melling at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th July 1877.
THOMAS MELLING, of Grassendale Park, Aigburth, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGIS-
TERING THE QUANTITY OF WATER OR OTHER FLUID FLOWING THROUGH PIPES OR
OTHER CONDUITS."
My Invention has for its object the measuring and registering of the quantity
of water or other fluids flowing through pipes, &c., in an accurate and reliable
manner by an instrument, simple in construction, inexpensive in maintenance,
silent and steady in working, and certain in its action.
Numerous contrivances have been previously introduced for this purpose, but
have severally been found either inaccurate in measurement, liable to allow the
water to pass unregistered, rough and noisy in working, and consequently objec-
tionable, and subject to great "wear and tear," costly in original construction,
requiring frequent inspection, &c., or altogether ineffective, all of which objections
my Invention is designed to obviate.
It consists in,-
I. A measuring cylinder with its piston and rod.
II. Two piston valves and the side pipes in which they are contained.
III. The gearing by which the said valves are worked.
And, IV. The clockwork for registering the quantity of water measured or more in
detail as follows, viz. :-
I. The measuring cylinder is truly bored, and has a branch upon it at each end;
to connect it to the side pipe, the upper branch communicating by a port cast upon,
the cylinder with the bottom end of the cylinder, and the lower branch also, coin-
municating by another port with the top end of the cylinder. The cylinder is
Prine 61

page_text: provided with a cover at each end, one of which covers has a stuffing box in it
through which the piston rod works. The piston is formed by two cupped leathers
or it may be of other suitable construction.
II. The valves for regulating the admission of the water to and its expulsion from
the ends of the cylinder are two in number; they are of the "piston" kind, formed
by a cupped leather in each, the pressure of the water against the leathers keeping
them tight; these leathers are protected by metallic guards on both their faces.
"
Although I prefer them formed by cupped leathers, these piston valves may be
'metallic," or of other suitable description. The two valves are connected by a
hollow rod or tube, through which the outlet water from the upper valve passes,
the top end of the tube being perforated for that purpose between the upper piston
valve and the attachment of the tube to the valve spindle. The outlet water is,
therefore, always on the outer faces of the two piston valves; and as the inlet
water is introduced between them, and of course also presses equally on their inner
faces, they are consequently always "in equilibrio," and that of the most perfect
kind.
The side pipe is a plain cylinder, truly bored at both ends where the valves
work; it is connected at one end to the outlet pipe, and in the middle to the inlet
pipe. It has also a cover at one end with a stuffing box in it for the valve spindle
to work through. To form the connexion between the side pipe and the ends of the
cylinder, instead of the ordinary oblong ports, the side pipe is perforated with round
holes of small diameter, which open into two annular chambers around it, the metal
intervening between these 'small holes with the metallić guards serving to protect
the leathers of the piston valves in passing over them; these chambers have branches
upon them, which are connected to those on the cylinder.
III. The valve gearing consists of,-
(a.) A lever, hereafter called the cam lever, which is raised and depressed by the
piston rod; this lever is of the bell-crank form, having at right angles to it a
heart-shaped cam. On the upper part of the heart plate (or cam) at right angles
to the plane of its face, and on the opposite side to the lever, are two projecting
studs, which are below, and their centres parallel to the centre line of the lever
when seen in "side view."
(b.) A lever, hereafter called the weight lever, one end of which carries a roller
that bears against the heart-shaped cam, and the other a weight, which weight, as
will be hereafter described, works the valves; its centre is fixed below that of the
cam lever, and on one side of it.
(c.) A double-ended lever, hereafter called the valve lever, which works loose on
the same fixed centre as the cam lever, and the ends of which are raised alternately
by the projecting studs on the cam, which studs are below it. One end of this
lever is connected by a valve spindle to the tube passing through the valves, and
the other end carries a weight to counterbalance that of the two piston valves in
the side pipe.
(d.) A standard affixed to the cylinder cover for carrying the levers.
IV. The clockwork by which the quantity of water measured is registered. It is
actuated by the piston rod or valve gearing, and, together with the said gearing, is
enclosed in a suitable casing.
The mode of working is as follows:-The piston being at the bottom end of
the cylinder, and the two piston valves at the highest point of their stroke in the
side pipe, the under side of the piston will be open to the inlet pipe, and its upper
side to the outlet pipe. The inflowing water will then enter the cylinder under
the piston, and force the latter upwards. In its ascent the piston rod (by a suitable
preparation upon it) will, at any point, come in contact with the cam lever
and raise it, the cam at the same time depressing a roller on the weight lever, and
raising the weight until the point of the "heart" (or cam) bears upon the roller,
when the weight will instantly descend, causing the roller to run up the other
curved side of the cam, and thereby completing the stroke of the cam lever, and
changing the valves, or, more briefly, one half of the motion of the cam lever (both

page_text: in the up-and-down strokes of the piston) is effected by the piston rod; the other
half by the weighted lever, the latter half only acting upon the valve lever and
valves. For, as the projecting studs on the cam are so arranged that the one
which is about to act upon the valve lever does not come in contact with it until
the point of the "heart" is upon the roller, the changing of the piston valves is
effected instantaneously by the descent of the weight (not by the movement of the
piston rod).
"3
The instantaneous changing of the valves that is thus effected when the point of
the "heart reaches the roller also insures perfect uniformity in the length of the
stroke of the piston, and consequent accuracy of measurement; and as the valves
and side pipe are so arranged that one valve must be closed before the other is or
can be opened, and as the valves are constructed on a principle that ensures their
being perfectly tight, there is no possibility whatever of any "slip" (or passing of
water unmeasured), either in changing the position of the valves or at any other
time, nor of their being fraudulently tampered with to allow the water to pass
unregistered, the meter thus becoming a dead block to the passage of water, unless
the piston works.
The down stroke of the piston is effected in a similar manner to the up stroke,
and a quantity of water corresponding to the capacity of the cylinder having been
thus measured by an up-and-down stroke, the piston is ready to re-ascend.
The registration is effected by clockwork of the description usually employed in
meters, such clockwork being actuated either by the piston rod, valve rod, or one of
the levers.
In the construction of the meter, as herein-before described, the upper valve
regulates the inlet and outlet of the water to and from the bottom end of the
cylinder, and the lower valve answers the same purpose for the top end of the
cylinder; but, to dispense with the ports required by this arrangement, the upper
valve could by a suitable modification of the gearing be made to serve for the top
end of the cylinder, and the lower valve for the bottom end, and that without any
variation from the principle herein described either for the valves or their gearing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Melling in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th January
1878.
THOMAS MELLING, of Grassendale Park, Aigburth, in the County of Lancaster.
'" IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS OR APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND REGIS-
TERING THE QUANTITY OF WATER OR OTHER FLUID FLOWING THROUGH PIPES OR
OTHER CONDUITS."
My Invention has for its object the measuring and registering the quantity of
water or other fluids flowing through pipes, etcetera, in an accurate and reliable
manner by an instrument, simple in construction, inexpensive in maintenance, silent
and steady in working, and certain in its action.
Numerous contrivances have been previously introduced for this purpose, but
have severally been found either inaccurate in measurement, liable to allow the
water to pass unregistered, rough and noisy in working, and consequently objec-
tionable, and subject to great "wear and tear," costly in original construction, requiring
frequent inspection, etcetera, or altogether ineffective, all of which objections my
Invention is designed to obviate.
This it does by supplying two important and long-sought desiderata in water
meters, viz., valves which shall at the same time be tight, easily moved, and prevent
the passage of unmeasured water whilst they are being changed in position, and
gearing to work such valves which shall combine simplicity of construction with
certainty of action. Fulfilling these conditions my improved water (or fluid) meter
becomes strictly "positive," or an absolute and reliable measure.
It consists as follows:-
I. A measuring cylinder with its piston and rod.
II. Two piston valves and the side pipe in which they are contained.
III. The gearing by which the said valves are worked, and,
IV. The clockwork for registering the quantity of water measured.
For the further elucidation of my said Invention I have annexed hereunto
Drawings thereof, in which Figure 1 shows a general section through the meter;
Figure 2, a plan thereof (with the guide for the top of the valve spindle removed);
and Figures 3 and 4, sections through the side pipe and valves drawn to a larger
scale. The saine letters of reference apply to the same parts in all the Figures.
I. A is the measuring cylinder with a branch upon it at each end, a and a¹, to
which is attached the side pipe to be hereafter described. The cylinder A is truly
bored, or it may be lined with brass or other suitable material; its bottom may be
of one piece with it (as shown upon the Drawings herewith), or it may be made
loose and bolted on in the usual way. B is the cylinder cover with a stuffing
box bin it through which the piston rod D works. The piston rod C is formed
by two cupped leathers, or it may be of other suitable description; the piston rod D
is recessed from d to d¹ (or may have other suitable provision) to form projections
thereon for working the cam lever, and by it the valves, as will be hereafter
described.
II. The piston valves for regulating the admission to and the expulsion of the
water from the ends of the measuring cylinder are two in number; they act in the
double capacity of pistons and valves, as their peripheries are made to fit closely
the interiors of the cylinders or chambers in which they work, and their faces to
shut against collars at each end of such cylinders or chambers. As pistons they
prevent the escape of unmeasured water whilst being changed in position, and as
valves are perfectly tight when shut.
The constructive details of the said piston valves and their accessories are as
follows: E is the side pipe containing the valves; it has upon it two branches a, a¹,
for connecting it to the measuring cylinder A; a third branch for joining it to the

page_text: inlet pipe e, and a fourth branch for attaching it to the outlet pipe e'. It has also
a top cover F, and a bottom cover f. The chambers at each end of the side pipe
in which the piston valves work are formed by two bushes, the one fixed and the
other moveable, the latter being made moveable for the purpose of easy adjustment, as
the pistons in shutting act also as double-beat valves. G, G¹, are the two fixed bushes;
they are collar bushes truly bored to fit the piston valves, and their collars faced
for the latter to shut against. In each of the fixed bushes G, G', there is a port to
communicate with the corresponding branch a, a', on the side pipe which leads to
the measuring cylinder; these ports (instead of being the ordinary oblong openings
generally in use) are formed by perforating the bushes G, G', with a number of
holes of small diameter g, g. Encompassing the ports thus formed are two annular
chambers H, H¹, in the side pipe, and out of them are taken the branches a, a³,
that lead to the measuring cylinder; I, I, are the two moveable bushes; they form
the collars or seatings against which the piston valves shut when cutting off the
communication between the measuring cylinder A and the outlet pipe el. I is the
top moveable bush. Both it and the bottom moveable bush I¹ are made adjustable
from the outside of the meter when the pressure of the water is upon the valves.
For this purpose the bush I is screwed into the top cover F of the side pipe, having
flats upon it at i, by which it is turned when being adjusted. The bush I is fixed in
position by a lock nut J, and made tight with a leather (or india-rubber) washer J¹.
In the top moveable bush I is formed the stuffing box K through which the valve
spindle works. The bottom moveable bush I' for its adjustment has a shank upon
it which is screwed into the bottom cover f of the side pipe, and, like the upper
bush I, just described, is fixed in position by a lock nut J, and made tight by a
leather (or india-rubber) washer J. To form a passage for the outlet water through
the bottom moveable bush I' it is perforated with holes h, k, and made tight (above
such holes) by the insertion of au india-rubber ring L. M, M', are the two piston
valves; they are truly turned on their peripheries to fit the bushes G and G', and to
render them perfectly tight when shut have washers m, m, of leather (or other
suitable material) on both their faces; they are connected by a hollow rod or tube N,
through which the outlet water from above the upper valve passes to the exit pipe e¹.
The piston valves M, M', are secured upon the tube N by the nuts n, n, m, n, which
nuts also serve to keep the leathers m, m, in their places. Instead of the tube N a
solid rod may be used if (for connecting the two ends of the side pipe for the
passage of the outlet water) a port be formed upon the side pipe, or a separate pipe
be used for that purpose: O is the valve spindle, and P a cap for connecting it to
the tube N, upon which the piston valves M, M¹, are fixed. The cap P is perforated
with holes p, p, (as shown upon the Drawings), to form an entrance for the outlet
water into the tube N, and to permit freedom of movement a little play is given
between the valve spindle O and the cap P; Q is a guide for the top and of the
valve spindle O; it is carried from the standard for the gearing to be hereafter
described.
III. The valve gearing or mechanism for changing the position of the valves at
the end of each stroke consists as follows, in:-
(a.) A lever R (hereafter called the "cam lever") which is raised and depressed
by the projections d, d', created by recesses or otherwise upon the piston rod I)';
this lever is of the bell-crauk form, having formed upon it, at right angles to the arm
which the piston rod works, a heart-shaped cam 7. On the upper part of the heart
plate (or cam), and at right angles to the plane of its face, are two projecting studs
,, fitted with rollers which are below and their centres parallel to the centre
line of the lever when seen in "side view," as in Fig. 1 in the Drawings.
(b.) A lever S (hereafter called "the weight lever"), one end of which carries a
roller S that bears against the heart-shaped cam 7, and the other end a weight S²,
which weight, as will be hereafter described, changes the position of the piston
valves M, M'. The centre of the weight lever S is fixed below that of the can
lever R, and on one side of it. A spring or other mechanical equivalent may be

page_text: substituted for the weight, or it may be effected by bydraulic pressure through the
medium of a ram and cylinder, but I prefer a weight.
(c.) A double-ended lever T (hereafter called "the valve lever"), which works loose
on the same fixed centre as the cam lever R, and the ends of which are raised
alternately by the projecting studs, r, on the cam », those studs being below it.
One end of this lever T is connected to the valve spindle O, and the other end
carries a weight T to counterbalance that of the two piston valves M, M³, in the
side pipe E.
(d.) A standard U, which is fixed upon the side pipe cover for carrying the above-
named levers, and the guide for the top of the valve spindle.
IV. The clockwork by which the quantity of water measured is registered is
actuated by the piston rod D, and is so arranged as to take its indications from
the space travelled by the piston C (not. from the number of its strokes); but as
there is nothing new in this, and consequently no claim founded by me upon
or in connexion with it, I have not considered it necessary to show it upon the
Drawings, beyond merely marking the postion of the dials.
V is a casing for enclosing the upper works of the meter and the registering
apparatus, and a small casing (formed upon the bottom cover of the side pipe) to
prevent improper interference with the screw on the bottom moveable bush I¹, both
of which are sealed or locked up in the usual way.
"The mode of working" is as follows:-Thic piston C being at the top end of the
measuring cylinder A and the two piston valves M, M, also at the highest point of
their stroke in the side pipe E, with their faces against their respective upper
seatings (as seen in Figure 1 in the Drawings), the top end of the cylinder A (above
the piston C) will be open to the inlet pipe e, and the bottom end of the said
cylinder (below the piston C) will similarly be open to the outlet pipe c'. The
inflowing water will then enter the top end of the cylinder (above the piston), and
force the latter downwards. In its descent the piston rod will, by its upper pro-
jection d coming in contact with the cam lever R, depress the latter, and the cain r
will of course at the same time depress the roller S on the weight lever S, and
thereby raise the weight S2 at its other end. But as soon as the point of the "heart"
(or cam) has passed the centre of the roller S¹ the weight S2 will descend, causing
the said roller to run up the other curved side of the cam r, and thereby completing
the stroke of the cam lever R; or, more briefly, the motion of the cam lever R,
until the point of the cam has passed the centre of the roller S¹, is effected by the
piston rod D, and the remainder by the weighted lever S. And as the projecting
studs r,, on the cam are so arranged as to come in contact with the valve lever T,
just as the point of the "heart" plate is directly over the roller S, the piston C, in
carrying such point over the dead centre, will at the same time release the piston
valves M, M¹, (which have previously been stationary,) from their seatings (to which
they are held by the pressure of water caused by their differential areas when shut),
and the said piston valves being then perfectly "in equilibrio," and all but frictionless,
the changing of their positions will be easily, surely, and instantaneously effected
by the descent of the weight S².
It will also be apparent that as the piston valves M, M¹, are made to cover at
once both ports formed by the holes g, g₁, in passing them, one port will not nor
cannot be opened until the other port is closed, thereby preventing the escape of
any unmeasured and unregistered water (technically termed "slip" or "flow") in
the changing the positions of the said piston valves, the meter thus becoming a
dead block to the passage of the water unless the main piston C moves, and with
it also of course the registering apparatus. The down stroke of the piston is
effected in like manner to the up stroke, and a quantity of water corresponding
with the contents of a cylinder generated by the area of the piston, and the
'distance which it has travelled having been thus measured and registered by an
up-and-down stroke of the piston C, it is ready to re-ascend.
Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of carrying

page_text: it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details shown, as these may be varied indefinitely; but what I believe to be new
and desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The use in water (or fluid) meters of piston valves, as herein-before described,
which piston valves are made to fit closely in the cylinders or valve chambers in
which they work, and to cover at the same time both the ports that lead to the
measuring cylinder, so that one port cannot be opened until the other port is closed,
thereby preventing the passage of unmeasured and unregistered water whilst the
said piston valves are being changed in position, and .also ensuring the cutting off
of the supply of water when the meter is not working; and this I claim without
confining myself to any particular description of piston valve, whether made as
herein described, or formed with cupped leathers or of the kind commonly known
as "metallic," or of any other construction whatever which involves a closely fitting
piston.
2. The mode of forming the ports in the side pipe of water meters (over which
the said piston valves pass) by perforating the periphery of its lining with holes of
small diameter that open into annular chambers, as herein-before described.
3. The mechanism or "gearing," herein-before described, for and mode of working
the valves of water meters, and particularly the employing of a "heart" plate and
weighted lever or their mechanical equivalents (instead of a tumbling weight), for
changing the positions of the valves.
4. The general arrangement of water meters, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Melling, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
E. GARDNER COLTON,
Clerk to Wm. P. Thompson,
Patent Agent,
6, Lord St.,
L'pool.
THOMAS MELLING. (L.S.)