IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Carl Kesseler at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September 1879. A communication
from Carl Oswald, Director of the Sugar Manufactory at Pelplin, Prussia, in
the Empire of Germany.
CARL KESSELER, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of Germany,
Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR WATER
AND OTHER FLUIDS." A communication from Carl Oswald, Director of the Sugar
Manufactory at Pelplin, Prussia, in the Empire of Germany.
The apparatus appertains to that class of fluid meters in which the opening and
closing of the inlet and outlet valves is effected by a system of movable levers
actuated by means of a float, but is however mainly different from apparatus of
this class in as much as the system of movable levers is not used directly for the
opening and closing of the valves but only releases an apparatus in which the
opening and closing is effected automatically by means of weights on levers.
By this arrangement the apparatus is enabled to work with more precision and
absolute accuracy.
A reservoir is divided by a partition having two rectangular bends, into two
compartments. Just above this partition in the axis of the reservoir are placed in
each of the compartments axles free to turn, each carrying a cross beam.
Each beam is made of light iron or other suitable material, and is lowered or
raised through a float pushing against adjusting rings which are fixed on a stem
free to be shifted which stem may be made of gaspiping. Each stem is by its
upper end binged to the beam aforesaid and carried into a stirrup which allows
the stem sufficient play as required by the curve produced by the movement of
the beam end.
The aforesaid stem passes through the float having plently of play, and serves
as guide for the float, it dips with its lower end into a box so as to reduce dead
space within the apparatus as much as possible.
In apparatus which has been designed according to this Invention, the dead
space is kept on a level with the height of the valves, so as to keep the latter
constantly covered by the fluid.
Besides the beam the axles also carry two loose levers (weight levers) with
unequal arms, which will by means of wires, act on the inlet and outlet valves, to
be hereafter described, so that only the falling or downward movement of the
lever will cause the valves to act. These weightlevers carry weights and lean

page_text: against the central lateral connection of the beam which will carry the lever with
itself whenever it rises, whereas if the beam is sinking it will be supported by an
angle lever and pushed forward by.a spring. Now on each end of the beam a
screw with nut and lock nut is fixed, which will act on the angle-lever when the
beam reaches its lowest point, and thereby will cause the weight levers to fall, but
these levers will not fall upon the lateral connection of the beam, but upon supports
connected with the reservoir and standing higher than the lateral connection when
at its lowest point, and thereby a concussion upon the lateral connection of the
beam is avoided, and the turning of the valves confined. The turning points of the
angle-levers are also firmly connected with the reservoir and therefore independent
of the beam. The stems are counterpoised on the beam so that the beam will move
with perfect ensc.
The construction of the valves belongs to the class of many way cocks. In a
hollow plug eight slots are cut, the total width of which is equal to the width of
the inlet or outlet, and these slots correspond with eight other slots in the body
surrounding the plug.
This body contains in its interior a ring shaped space by which the liquid will
be conducted from the inlet, which eventually becomes the outlet to other slots.
On each side of the valve. body are situated screw pins which carry the bridges,
which bridges serve as guides to a shaft. The latter carries, being closely joined
therewith by the head, the plug, the shaft carries loosely two levers and fixedly
two clutches, so that therefore the plug will turn only if the lever moves in a
certain direction, as the latter will in that case close with the clutches causing the
the revolution of the plug, whereas in the other case the plug will stand still whilst
the lever only turns.
The shaft and plug are adjustable and arranged in such manner that wear is
avoided. The plug is so inserted that it will play easily, and held fast in its
position by the bridges and the nuts of the screws; if the plug plate becomes loose
by wear it may be tightened by means of a tightening screw.
The arrangement of the valves is as follows:-
On the bottom of the two parts or vessels, four such valves are placed. Of these
one serves as inlet valve for one division, another as outlet for the same division, a
third as outlet for second division, and the fourth as inlet for the same. Further the
second and third valves are coupled, that is to say, they are seated on the saine
shaft which is conducted through a stuffing in the vertically bent partition.
Furthermore, they are so arranged that when the said shaft turns in one direction
the second will be opened and the third closed, and vice versa.
Each valve shaft carries two levers, connected by simple wires with the weight
levers, namely, each lever with two wires, of which one serves for causing the
revolution in one way, the other for the contrary movement.
It has to be mentioned that the weight lever coming in action when the float
sinks has a triple function, it opens the inlet valve of its division, closes the outlet
valve of the same division, and opens the outlet valve of the other division, whereas
the weight lever coming into action when the float riscs, fulfils one purpose only,
that to close the inlet of its division.
The measuring is effected by transmission of the number of strokes of the beam
to a counting mechanism with which it may be connected by means of connecting
rods.
The quantity to be measured will be exactly regulated by the setting of the
adjusting rings on the float stem. As above described, the beams always move in
a certain proportion, that is, alternatley the one is in advance of the other. Both
beams now are coupled by a chain or its equivalent, passing loosely over fixed
rollers so that it will always follow the oscillations, If therefore the supply of liquid
ceases for any reason whatsoever the one beam will not move in the requisite
proportion to the other, consequently the chain will be tightened. This may be
employed to cause the completion of circuit in an electric bell apparatus, which
would at once give a signal that there is scarcity of liquid. This would be of

page_text: importance if the apparatus is used for measuring the feed water of steamboilers,
because the dead space containing some water the signal would be given some time
before complete exhaustion of the supply. Of course the closing of the electric circuit
may be caused by other means than those described, and from some moving part
dependant upon the working of the apparatus for its operation.
It will be well to make the quantity to be measured by each stroke as large as
possible so as to avoid inaccuracy, and for this reason the floats are made large
although the oscillating beans require but little power for their working.
The work of the apparatus may be controlled by clockwork mechanism in
such way that the fall of the weight lever closing a circuit, and causing a mark
to be made on a scroll of paper, will note the outflow of some known unit of
measurement as is done in speedinoters and such like apparatus.
For measuring the diffusion juice in the manufacture of sugar this apparatus
is specially adapted, and for this purpose it will be provided with two other
devices:-(1) A cock for taking samples; (2) a clock or timing-device for the
claryfying pan. The cock for taking samples consists of a small cock, the plug of
which is pierced in a slanting direction, and the body is bored straight through.
It is clear that when the plug turns but one opening of its bore will be opposite to
an opening in the body, if turned to and fro the plug will therefore, as it were, dip
the liquid by taking a small quantity in on one side and afterwards discharging it
on the other.
Such cock is fitted to the inside of one of the float reservoirs in about the middle of
the height of the liquid, so that when it is turned one way it will take in some of
the fluid and discharge it through a pipe into a testing tube or other vessel when
turned the other way. The plug carries a double armed lever, which, by wires is
connected with a similar lever carried by the beam shaft so that the movement of
the shaft will be transmitted to the cock. Thus it will be easy to have a sample of
each filling of the reservoir, and for a certain space of time, say for example, six
hours, will collect a sample of juice sufficient for testing, and by this means the
average quality of the liquid, its yield of sugar, and specific weight, will be
ascertained much better than can be done by taking a sample from a small
quantity of cuttings.
The clock for the clarifying pan, the construction of which does not form part of
this Patent, is connected with the apparatus in such way that after a certain
quantity has passed through the meter a signal is given, say, that a bell is made to
ring. This will be a signal for closing the pan and the stopping of the apparatus
till the next pan is opened, whereby it will be possible to keep the exact measure
prescribed and to be drawn from the diffusing paus to the clearing pans.