IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER METERS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Reinhold Schloesser, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WATER METERS." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Dreyer,
Rosenkranz, and Droop, of Hanover.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reinhold Schloesser at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1880.
REINHOLD SCHLOESSER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER METERS." A communication from
abroad by Messieurs Dreyer, Rosenkranz, and Droop, of Hanover.
The improved water meter consists principally of a circular shallow vessel in
which is placed centrally a vertical spindle, which is so mounted as to be capable
of revolving, and which is provided with six horizontal arms. Three of these arms
carry small wings or vanes, and as the water flows through the vessel in passing
from the inlet to the outlet, the fluid pressure carries these vanes with it like
floating bodies, and the other three form the stops between the inlet and outlet
passages.
The vanes or wings hang loosely on the arms and move in a circular channel
formed in the vessel, in which channel they nearly fit so as to have very little play
but no friction against the sides, and the result is that of a revolving piston
working in the circular recess or channel without any friction.
The circular channel is provided with a fixed stop or partition at one side, so that
the water in passing from the inlet to the outlet is compelled to take one particular
course or direction. The wings or vanes swing loosely upon their respective arms,
and in front of the fixed stop or partition there is fixed an inclined plane,so that they
are caused to rise up and pass over this fixed stop or partition as they revolve, and
the other three arms are so formed as to just fill up the space between the top of
the partition and the lid or cover of the vessel, so that as before stated they form
stops between the inlet or outlet passages.

page_text: The revolving spindle is in direct communication with transmitting gear in a
case above, which in turn gives motion to the counting apparatus, which latter
indicates (by several pointers on a dial) the number of gallons of water which pass
through the circular channel from the inlet to the outlet.
In a modification of the above I employ a vessel forming a circular horizontal
channel as before, the entrance passage.to which is formed in a tangential direction,
the outlet being at the opposite side.
The measuring wheel occupies the whole of the interior of this channel, excepting
that there is some space left between the wheel and the sides of the vessel so as to
prevent friction, and to allow of the passage of dirt or other substances of a similar
kind.
The measuring wheel is made of a composition of india rubber, known as "ebonite"
or sulphurized indiarubber, the specific gravity of which is equal to that of water,
and on its periphery are formed six (or other number of) recesses, so that its shape
is somewhat that of a ratchet wheel with (say) six teeth or projections.
The water therefore entering by the tangential passage into the circular channel
finds opposed to its progress the face of one of these projections, which is equal to
the sectional area of the circular channel, and it is compelled therefore to cause this
wheel to revolve as it passes through the said channel.
The specific weight of the water being equal to that of the rubber composition of
which the measuring wheel is formed, the latter is almost balanced, and it will
soon take up the velocity of the water flowing through, and hence there is no
likelihood (as is the case with wheels of a heavier material) of it outrunning the
current of the water.
There is therefore, owing to the balancing of the measuring wheel, a perfect
control of the measuring of the water flowing through.
There are small vertical holes formed through the wheel to prevent the latter
from being raised by the weight or pressure of the water.
The wheel is made with a cylindrical boss projecting from its upper surface, and
the upper end of this boss forms the means of communication with the transmitting
gear and counting apparatus.
The measuring wheel is supported and revolves on a pointed spindle, which
latter is capable of adjustment by means of a screw, so as to raise or lower the
wheel as may be required to adapt it to the circular channel above mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Reinhold Schloesser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th June
1881.
REINHOLD SCHLOESSER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER METERS." (A communication from
abroad by Messieurs Dreyer, Rosenkranz, and Droop, of Hanover.)
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing represents a horizontal section, and
Fig. 2 a vertical section of one modification of the improved water meter, which
consists principally of a circular shallow vessel a, a, in which is placed centrally
a vertical spindle b, b, which is fixed, and on which is mounted, so as to be capable
of revolving, a boss c, c, which is provided with six horizontal arms (see detached
plan view, Fig. 3). Three of these arms d, d, d, carry small wings or vanes e, e, e,
and as the water flows through the vessel a, a, in passing from the inlet f, f, f, to the
outlet g, g, the fluid pressure carries these vanes e, e, with it like floating bodies,
and the other three arms form the stops between the inlet f, f, and outlet
passages g, g.
The vanes or wings e, e, hang loosely on the arms d, d, and move in a circular
channel h, h, formed in the vessel a, a, in which channel they nearly fit so as to
have very little play but no friction against the sides, and the result is that
of a revolving piston working in the circular recess or channel h, h, without any
friction.
The circular channel h, h, is provided with a fixed stop or partition i, i, at one
side, so that the water in passing from the inlet ff, to the outlet g, g, is compelled
to take one particular course or direction, as indicated by the arrow. The wings or
vanes e, e, swing loosely upon their respective arms d, d, and in front of the fixed
stop or partition i, i, there is fixed an inclined plane k, k, (see detached view Fig. 4)
so that they are caused to rise up and pass over this fixed stop or partition i, i,
as they revolve, and the other three arms d', d', d', are so formed as to just fill up
the space between the top of the partition i, i, and the lid or cover l, l, of the
vessel, so that, as before stated, they form stops between the inlet f, f, and outlet
passage g, g.
The upper part of the boss c, c, is in direct communication with transmitting
gear m, m, in a case above, which in turn gives motion to the counting apparatus
n, n, which latter indicates (by several pointers on a dial (see detached view,
Fig. 6) the number of gallons of water which pass through the circular channel
from the inlet to the outlet.
In a modification of the above (shown in horizontal section at Fig. 5, and vertical
section at Fig. 7) I employ a vessel a, a, forming a circular horizontal channel h, h,
as before, the entrance passage f,f, to which is formed in a tangential direction, the
outlet g, g, being at the opposite side. The measuring wheel o, o, occupies the
whole of the interior of this channel, excepting that there is some space left between
the wheel o, o, and the sides of the vessel a, a, so as to prevent friction, and to allow
of the passage of dirt or other substance of a similar kind.
The measuring wheel is made of a special composition of india rubber known as
"vulcanite," the specific gravity of which is equal to that of water; or it may be
made of any other suitable material of the same specific gravity, and on its periphery
are formed six (or other number of) recesses p, p, p, so that its shape is somewhat
that of a ratchet wheel with (say) six teeth or projections.
The water therefore entering by the tangential passage f. f, into the circular
channel h, h, finds opposed to its progress the face of one of these projections,
which is equal to the sectional area of the circular channel h, h, and it is

page_text: compelled therefore to cause this wheel o, o, to revolve as it passes through the
said channel h, h.
The specific weight of the water being equal to that of the rubber composition
or other material of which the measuring wheel o, o, is formed, the latter is almost
balanced, and it will soon take up the velocity of the water flowing through, and
hence there is no likelihood (as is the case with wheels of a heavier material) of its
outrunning the current of the water.
There is therefore, owing to the balancing of the measuring wheel o, o, a perfect
control of the measuring of the water flowing through.
There are small vertical holes q, q, formed through the wheel o, o, to prevent the
latter from being raised by the weight or pressure of the water.
The wheel o, o, is made with a cylindrical boss c, c, projecting from its upper
surface, and the upper end of this boss forms the means of communication with the
transmitting gear and counting apparatus.
The measuring wheel is supported and revolves on a pointed fixed spindle b, b,
(as in the previous case) which latter is capable of adjustment by means of a screw
so as to raise or lower the wheel as may be required to adapt it to the circular
channel above mentioned.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as the Invention communi-
cated to me by the said Messieurs Dreyer, Rosenkranz, and Droop,-
First. The combination with the shallow vessel having a horizontal circular
channel and fixed stop of horizontal revolving arms fitted with vanes hanging
thereon and nearly fitting the said channel, together with the curved incline for
lifting the vanes over the stop.
Secondly. The combination with the shallow vessel having a horizontal circular
channel (but without stop) of a tangential inlet passage, together with the balanced
recessed wheel made of a material of about the same specific gravity as that of
water, all constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Reinhold Schloesser, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
R. SCHLOESSER. (L.S.)