Supply of Water for Domestic and other Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 15th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 30th Aug., 1887.
Supply of Water for Domestic and other Purposes.
I, OSWALD BROWN, of 27, Great George Street, in the City of Westminster,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention relates to apparatus principally intended for use in connection with
the supply of water for domestic purposes and in comparatively small quantities; the
same consisting of a tank which serves as a reservoir and which is provided with
apparatus for measuring the quantity of water supplied to it from the main, as also
with means for automatically shutting off such supply upon the reservoir becoming
charged with the quantity of water for which the same is intended.
In apparatus constructed according to this invention, the lower part of the tank is
utilised as a storage reservoir, a pivotted lever and float being mounted at or about
the level the water is intended to reach. This lever is connected by means of a rod
with the lever of a shut-off valve mounted upon and controlling the inlet-main. The
inlet-valve is located in the upper part of the tank and has beneath it a funnel-shaped
receiver which serves to direct the water issuing from the valve to the centre of a
measuring apparatus. This apparatus consists of a peculiarly shaped vessel of known
capacity freely mounted on knife-edged bearings in such a manner as to permit of its
oscillating through a moderate angle. The measuring vessel is formed with two
compartiments so arranged in relation to the pivot whereon the apparatus is mounted
that each compartment successively receives water until the weight thereof on one
side of the vessel's pivot is greater than that on the other side; the heavier end of
the ineasuring vessel thereupon falling and the opposite end rising to be in turn
surcharged in a similar manner. The movements of the measuring vessel are recorded
by means of a counter. The water discharged from the measuring vessel at each
oscillation falls into the lower part of the tank, and, unless withdrawn, operates in
time to raise the float and thus automatically to shut off the supply from the main.
In measuring apparatus of the kind herein described, it is important, both for
ensuring certainty of action and accuracy of measurement, that the rocking measuring
гъ

page_text: vessel should be mounted perfectly level. To facilitate the attainment of this object,
I pivot the measuring vessel upon the sides of a shallow tray capable of holding water.
The tray is mounted upon set-screws or is otherwise provided with means for adjusting
its level, the water contained in the tray serving as a guide in such operation. The
water contained in the tray further serves as a medium to mitigate the shock incidental
to the fall of the overweighted arm or chamber of the rocking measuring vessel.
With the same object, the under side of each arm of the oscillating vessel may be
formed or provided with a downwardly projecting rib or ribs so arranged as to enclose
a body of air when the edge of the rib dips into the water contained in the tray.
The air so confined gradually escapes through a small orifice provided for the purpose,
and the descent of the measuring chamber is gently completed.
At a suitable height, the tank is furnished with an escape orifice to provide against
the water rising (owing to leakage of the shut-off valve) to such a height as to
submerge and arrest the working of the measuring apparatus.
Dated this 19th day of Databor 1886
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
Supply of Water for Domestic and other Purposes.
I, OSWALD BROWN, of 27 Great George Street, in the City of Westminster,
Consulting 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus principally intended for use in connection with
the supply of water for domestic purposes and in comparatively small quantities; the
same consisting of a tank which serves as a reservoir and which is provided with
apparatus for measuring the quantity of water supplied to it from the main, as also
with means for automatically shutting off such supply upon the reservoir becoming
charged with the quantity of water for which the same is intended.
And in order that my invention and the mode I prefer for carrying the same into
effect may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same with the aid of

page_text: the accompanying drawings, whereof Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal and transverse
vertical sections respectively and Fig. 3 a plan. Fig. 4 shews in elevation and to
an enlarged scale the connection between the measuring apparatus and the counter-
gear, Fig. 5 being a plan of the same. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in all the figures. a is a tank, the lower portion whereof is
utilised as a storage reservoir; a pivotted lever b and float b¹ being mounted at or
about the level the water is intended to reach. The lever b is connected by means
of a rod with the lever c¹ of a shut-off valve c mounted upon and controlling
the inlet main d. The inlet valve c is located in the upper part of the tank a as
shewn, and has beneath it a receiver e formed or provided with a funnel-shaped
spout which serves to direct the water issuing past the valve c to the centre of
the measuring apparatus. This apparatus consists of a peculiarly shaped vessel ƒ of
known capacity freely mounted on knife-edged bearings in such a manner as
to permit of the vessel oscillating through a moderate angle. The measuring vessel f
is formed with two compartments fso arranged in relation to the pivot whereon
the apparatus is mounted that each of the compartments ff successively receives
water until the weight of the charged compartiment is sufficiently in excess of that
of the uncharged compartment to cause the apparatus to oscillate on its pivot; the
heavier end of the measuring vessel falling, whilst the opposite end thereof rises to be
in turn surcharged in a similar manner. The measuring vessel is connected by
means of the rod g and lever g¹ to a counter g² whereby the movements of the vessel
are recorded. With a view to enabling the counter to be readily disconnected from
the measuring vessel, I prefer to attach the rod g to the body of the latter by means
of a forked clip g³, applied as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. The water discharged from
the measuring vessel at each oscillation thereof falls into the lower part of the tank a
whence it may be withdrawn through the tap h. If, however, the water be not with-
drawn, it operates in time to raise the float 6' and thus automatically to close the inlet
valve c and to shut off the supply from the main.
In measuring apparatus of the kind herein described, it is important, both for
ensuring certainty of action and accuracy of measurement, that the oscillating
measuring vessel should be mounted perfectly level. To facilitate the attainment of
this object, I mount the measuring vessel upon the sides of a shallow tray i, capable
of holding water. The tray is mounted upon set-screws, or is otherwise provided
with means for adjusting its level; the water contained in the tray serving as a guide
in such operation. In the present design, the tray i is supported at three points, one
of these being fixed and the other two being adjustable.
The water contained in the tray further serves as a medium to mitigate the shock
incidental to the fall of the overweighted arm or compartment of the oscillating vessel f.
With the same object, the under side of each arm or compartment of the oscillating
vesself may be formed or provided with a downwardly projecting rib or ribs so
arranged as to enclose a body of air when the edge of the rib dips into the water
contained in the tray. The air so confined gradually escapes through an orifice
provided for the purpose and the descent of the measuring chamber is gently completed.
An equivalent mode of attaining the same result consists in forming the bottom of
the oscillating vessel with a false bottom which is open at the sides as shewn in
Fig. 1. When so constructed, the air contained between the upper and lower skins
of the false bottom serves momentarily to support or partially support the loaded
compartment when the latter falls upon the water lying in the tray.
At a suitable height, the tank is furnished with an escape orifice ; to provide against
the water rising (owing to leakage of the shut-off valve) to such a height as to
submerge and arrest the working of the measuring apparatus.
To prevent the apparatus being tampered with, the top of the tank is closed with a
cover & secured by means of a projection, which engages in a hole in the back of
the tank and a quadrant-shaped bolt 2 which passes through the cover and a hole in
the front of the tank, a padlock or sealed wire being threaded through the extremity
of the said bolt.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :—
1. The improved apparatus for measuring and controlling the supply of water for
domestic and other purposes, constructed and operating substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming clause, mounting
an oscillating measuring vessel upon a tray provided with means for adjusting the
level thereof and adapted to contain water for use as a guide in effecting such
adjustment.
3. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the first claiming clause, mounting an
oscillating measuring vessel upon a frame provided with means whereby the level
thereof may be accurately adjusted.
4. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the first claiming clause, mounting an
oscillating measuring vessel upon a tray containing water, such water serving to
break the shock incidental to the fall of each loaded compartment of the measuring
vessel.
5. In measuring apparatus of the kind referred to in the first claiming clause,
forming the oscillating measuring vessel in such a manner that air is temporarily
confined between the bottom of each compartment and the surface of the water
contained in the tray, whereby the fall of each loaded compartment is cushioned and
the shock incidental thereto is mitigated.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.