IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Howe Gould, of Battersea Park Road, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS,"
Sealed the 2nd December 1879, and dated the 25th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Howe Gould at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th June 1879.
ROBERT HOWE GOULD, of Battersea Park Road, in the County of Surrey. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS."
My Invention relates to meters or apparatus for measuring or ascertaining the
quantity of water or other liquid passing through a conduit, and it has reference
chiefly to the arrangement of the valves and the gear or devices for operating the
same, and in the case of piston meters also to the construction of the piston of the
meter.
In carrying out my Invention as applied, for example, to a piston or diaphragm
meter, I employ for operating the valves two cam plates, arranged so as to be
capable of sliding longitudinally, and each having a groove approximating to the
shape of a right angled triangle, by preference, with unequal sides, the longer of the
two sides subtended by the hypotenuse, being arranged at the top horizontally and
prolonged to a short distance beyond its point of intersection with the hypotenuse,
and the right angle of one cam groove being arranged at the opposite end of its
plate to that of the right angle of the cam groove of the other plate. In the groove
of each of the cam plates is fitted a stud carried by a rod, which is arranged so as
to be capable of sliding vertically, and supports a weight, by preference of a rounded
shape, in order to diminish friction in its passage through the liquid in which the
parts are submerged. These weighted rods are each provided at their lower end
with an arm which acts upon a double armed lever fast upon a rocking shaft, on
which is secured a forked arm for operating the inlet valves below from the interior
by means of a studded projection from such valves, the outlet valves, which are
arranged above, being also simultaneously operated from the interior by another
forked arm, rocking shaft, and double armed lever, coupled by suitable connecting
rods with the lower double armed lever before referred to.
The cam plates are each provided with two projections at a distance apart,
having a relation to the length of the upper side of the triangle, and the rod of the

page_text: piston or diaphragm is provided at the end nearer to the said cam plates with
tappets which are free to move according to the reciprocation of the piston or dia-
phragm between the two projections on the cam plates without operating them, but
which, when they come in contact with the said projections, conduct the cam plates
with them in their motion. A reciprocating to and fro motion is thus imparted to
the cam plates, whereby they are caused to act upon the valves in the following
manner:-
Assuming that the stud of the nearer weighted lever is at the point of intersection
of the hypotenuse with the other long side of the triangle of one cam plate, herein-
after designated No. 1, in which position the stud of the further weighted lever
will be down at the point of intersection of the hypotenuse with the short side of
the triangle of the other cam plate, hereinafter designated No. 2, the cam plate
No. 1 moves over the stud until it arrives at the apex of the right angle, when the
stud descends vertically, being impelled by the weight to the bottom of the short
side, the motion taking place first gradually by reason of the curved shape of the
groove and then being suddenly completed so as to secure the required instan-
taneous action. The motion thus obtained is transmitted through the double
armed levers, rocking shafts, and forked arms to the valves, thereby opening one
inlet valve and closing the other, and closing and opening respectively the cor-
responding outlet valves. During the time that cain plate No. 1 is operating in
the manner herein before described cam plate No. 2, the motion of which is coin-
cident with that of No. 1, gradually raises by the action of its inclined groove the
stud of the other weighted lever, which has previously descended, and at the return
stroke of the piston or diaphragm the stud of No. 2 suddenly descends at the end
of the stroke, and the stud of No. 1 is gradually elevated, the descent of the stud of
No. 2 again reversing the valves, and so on in succession during the operation of
the meter..
In order to prevent the accidental descent of the studs down the inclined grooves
I employ hinged or other movable guards which will yield to the upward motion of
the studs along the inclined grooves but will prevent any return motion.
The mechanical details of the apparatus may be somewhat modified, as, for
example, double bell crank or three arined levers mounted loose upon stud centres
may be employed in substitution for the double armed levers, rocking shafts, and
forked arms herein before referred to.
It is preferred to make the ports in the valve facing and the passages in the
valve of a number of slots, having an aggregate area equal to the amount of opening
required.
When my Invention is applied to piston meters I may construct the piston of
three cylindrical layers, the intervening one of which is formed of or faced on its
periphery with gun metal or other suitable material, and is composed of three
segments loosely fitted together with scarf joints, or with mortices and tenons, or
in any other suitable manner.
Two of the segments are maintained in contact with the lower portion of the
inner periphery of the cylinder by their own gravity, whilst the third segment is
forced upwards into contact with the upper portion of such inner periphery by
means of any suitable devices situate in an annular or other chamber in the centre,
and brought into operation by the gravitating action of the two other segments.
The motion of the piston, diaphragin, or other reciprocating part of the ineter may
be transmitted to the counting apparatus in any convenient manner, such, for
example, as is described in the Provisional Specification filed by me with my
application for Letters Patent dated the 17th June 1879, No. 2391.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Howe Gould in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
December 1879.
ROBERT HOWE GOULD, of Battersea Park Road, in the County of Surrey.
PROVEMENTS IN LIQUID METERS."
"IM-
My said Invention relates to meters or apparatus for measuring or ascertaining
the quantity of water or other liquid passing through a conduit, and it has reference
chiefly to the gear or devices for operating the valves, and, in the case of piston
meters, also to the construction of the piston of the meter.
In carrying out my said Invention I actuate the valves by means of a sliding
block, plate, or plates, provided with right and left handed cam grooves or cam
surfaces receiving a to and fro reciprocating motion from a moving part of the
meter, the said cam grooves or cam surfaces being arranged in combination with
weighted bars or springs, which are connected with the valves and are gradually
raised during each stroke of the moving part of the meter to a position whence
they suddenly fall by gravitation, or under the action of the springs at the end of
each stroke, and thereby effect the sudden reversal of the valves at the completion
of each stroke of the said moving part of the meter.
In the case of piston meters I construct the piston with an intervening layer
composed of segments loosely fitted together and maintained in contact with
the bore of the cylinder by means of the gravitating action of certain of the
segments.
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 soveral Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal section of a piston meter
constructed according to my said Invention; Figure 1ª is a detail sectional view of
the sliding block hereinafter particularly described showing one of the cam grooves
which is covered or hidden in Figure 1, these two views representing the moving
parts in one and the same position; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the meter
taken along the line 1-2, Figure 1, and corresponding to that Figure; Figures 3
and 3ª are views similar to Figures 1 and 1, but representing the moving parts in
a different position.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate my improvements in the pistons of piston meters,
Figure 4 being an edge view of a piston constructed according to my said Invention,
and Figure 5 a front sectional view of the same with the near covering plate
removed.
In my Drawings I have shewn the gear or devices for actuating the valves
applied to a piston meter; but it is obvious that they are equally applicable to
diaphragm and other meters in which a reciprocating motion takes place.
▲ is the cylinder of the meter; B, the piston; and C, the piston rod; D, D¹, are
the inlet valves, and E, E, the outlet valves, the former of which are for convenience
arranged at the lower part and the latter at the upper part of the meter, the whole
of the parts being enclosed in a casing F with an inlet G and an outlet H for the
liquid.
According to my said Invention the valves are actuated in the following
manner :-I is a block which is fitted so as to be capable of sliding along suitable
guides a, and is provided with projections b, b', arranged in relation to a tappet c
formed on the piston rod C in such a manner that as by the motion of the piston B
the tappet c on the rod C is brought alternately into contact with the projections b, b',
of the block I, the block is conducted with the piston rod in its movement, and
thus receives an intermittent reciprocating to and fro motion, the intermission in
"

page_text: the motion corresponding to the distance between the projections b, b¹. This block
is formed with two cam grooves, one at each side thereof, and marked respectively
No. 1 (see Figures 1 and 3) and No. 2 (see Figures 1 and 3a), each of which
grooves consists of a vertical portion d, a horizontal portion e, and an inclined or
curved portion f uniting the vertical portion d and horizontal portion e, the whole
forming a continuous passage of a shape approximating to that of a right angled
triangle. The grooves No. 1 and No. 2 are respectively right and left handed, the
point of intersection of the horizontal portion e, with the inclined or curved
portion of groove No. 1, coinciding with the point of intersection of the horizontal
portion e and vertical portion d of groove No. 2; and the inclines or curves f being
in reverso directions in the two grooves.
In cach groove is fitted a stud (marked g in the case of groove No. 1, and g¹ in
the case of groove No. 2), the two studs being respectively carried by rods K, K¹,
which are adapted to guides at h, h¹, so as to be capable of sliding vertically, and
support weights L, L', by preference of a rounded shape, in order to diminish
friction in their passage through the liquid in which the parts are submerged. The
weighted rods K, K', are respectively provided at their lower ends with arms i, i¹,
which act upon doubled armed levers M fast upon a rocking shaft N, on which latter
is also secured a forked arm O engaging with a studded projection k, upon the inlet
valves D, D², the arrangement being such, that when one or the other of the rods
K, K', suddenly descends by its weight through the action of the cam grooves, as
hereinafter explained, the inlet valves are reversed, that is to say, the inlet valve
which was previously open is closed, and vice versa. Simultaneously with the
action upon the inlet valves, the outlet valves E, E', are also reversed by a forked
arm O', and rocking shaft N', which is coupled by a lever l, connecting rod m, and
lever n to the rocking shaft N of the inlet valves D, D¹, so that the two sets of
valves work in unison.
The apparatus operates in the following manner:-Let it be assumed that the
parts aro in the position indicated in Figures 1, 1ª, 2, videlicet, that the stud g
of the weighted rod K is at the bottom of the vertical portion d of groove No. 1
(see Figure 1), and the stud g¹ of the weighted rod K' is at the left hand side of
the horizontal portion e of groove No. 2 (see Figure 1º), the inlet valve D and outlet
valve E¹ being closed, and the inlet valve D' and outlet valve E being open, and
the piston B moving in the direction indicated by the arrows. As the piston con-
tinues its motion, the tappet c on its rod C is brought into contact with the
projection of the sliding block I, and the latter is then conducted with the piston
rod in its movement, and the following series of actions take place, videlicet:-The
horizontal portion e of cam groove No. 2 moves over the stud gl of the rod K',
and when the point 3 arrives at the stud, the latter being impelled by the weight
L', descends the vertical portion d of the groove, the motion taking place first
gradually by reason of the curved shape of the groove, and then being suddenly
completed so as to secure the required instantaneous action. The notion thus
obtained is transmitted through the double armed levers M, rocking shaft N,
forked arm O, lever n, connecting rod m, lever l, rocking shaft N¹, and forked arm
O to the valves, thereby opening the inlet valve D and outlet valve E¹, and closing
the inlet valve D¹ and outlet valvo E. This position of the parts is indicated in
Figures 3 and 30 of the Drawings. During the time that cam groove No. 2 is
operating in the manner hereinbefore described, cam groove No. 1 (the motion of
which is coincident with that of No. 2) gradually raises by the action of its
inclined or curved portion f the stud g of the rock K which has previously
descended, and brings it into the position indicated in Figure 3. The piston B
then returns, and upon the completion of its return stroke the stud g with the rod
K descends, and the stud g', with the rod K', will have been gradually elevated,
the descent of the rod K again reversing the valves, and so on in succession during
the operation of the meter."
In order to prevent the descent of the studs down the inclined or curved portions
of the grooves; I employ hinged or other movable guards o, which will vield to

page_text: the upward motion of the studs along the inclined or curved portions ƒ of the
grooves, but will prevent any return motion down the same.
One of the projections of the sliding block, I say for example the projection b).
may be formed upon a piece made separate from the block, but attached to the
latter by a screw or otherwise in such a manner as to admit of the distance between
the two projections b, b¹, being varied so as to enable the stroke of the piston to be
regulated as required.
The mechanical details of the apparatus may be somewhat modified, as, for
example, double bell crank or three armed levers mounted loose upon stud centres
may be employed in substitution for the double armed levers, rocking shafts, and
forked arms, hereinbefore referred to. Where economy of space is desirable springs
may be substituted for weights for effecting the reversal of the valves, the arrange-
ment of the sliding cam block being similar to that herein before described.
In order to minimize the motion of the valves D, D', and E, E', it is preferred
to make the ports P, P, Q, Q', in the valve facing and the passages in the valves
D, D, E, E, of a number of narrow slots, as shewn, the same having an aggregate
arear equal to the amount of opening required, instead of using one broad slot of the
same area.
The motion of the piston may be transmitted to the counting apparatus in any
convenient manner. In my Drawings I have shewn a lever R and spring tube S
applied for the purpose in accordance with the Invention for which former Letters
Patent were granted to me, dated the Seventeenth June, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine, No. 2391.
According to another part of my present Invention as applied to piston meters I
construct the piston of three cylindrical layers, the intervening one of which is
formed of or faced on its periphery with gun metal or other suitable material, and
is composed of three segments fitted together with scarf joints or with mortices
and tenons, or in any other suitable manner so as to admit of the outward move-
ment of the segments. Two of the segments are maintained in contact with the
lower portion of the inner periphery of the cylinder by their own gravity, whilst
the third segment is forced upwards into contact with the upper portion of such
inner periphery by means of any suitable devices situate in an annular or other
chamber in the centre, and brought into operation by the gravitating action of the
two other segments.
A mode of carrying out this part of my said Invention is illustrated in Figures 4
and 5 of my Drawings.
The piston B consists of three cylindrical layers B1, B2, B3, the central one B³ of
which is, formed of or faced on its periphery with gun metal or other suitable
material, and is composed of three segments p, q, r, fitted together with mortices
and tenons, as shewn in Figure 4, and slotted at s for the reception of guide studs t
projecting from the layer B or B2, or from both layers if preferred. The segments
P, q, are maintained by their own gravity in contact with the lower portion of
the inner periphery of the cylinder, and the segment is forced into contact with
the upper portion of the inner periphery of the cylinder by inclines u, v, formed on
projections from the segments q, p, and acting upon a projection w provided on the
segment in the proportion in which the segments p, q, descend by their
own gravity as they wear away on their periphery.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention, 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,-
First. Actuating the valves of liquid meters by means of a sliding block plate or
plates provided with right and left handed cam grooves or cam surfaces, and
receiving a to and fro reciprocating motion from a moving part of the meter, the
said cam grooves or cam surfaces being arranged in combination with weighted
bars or their equivalents, as herein set forth, which are connected with the valves

page_text: and are gradually raised during each stroke of the moving part of the meter to a
position whence they suddenly fall by.. gravitation or, its equivalent at the end of
each stroke, and thereby effect the sudden reversal of the valves at the completion
of each stroke of the said moving part of the meter, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Second. In piston meters constructing the piston with an intervening layer com-
posed of segments fitted together and maintained in contact with the boro of the
cylinder by means of the gravitating action of certain of the segments, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Howe Gould, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Twenty fourth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.