IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PISTONS, PISTON VALVES, PUMP BUCKETS, AND THE LIKE, APPLICABLE FOR USE IN WATER METERS OR OTHER HYDRAULIC APPARATUS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Melling, of Grassendale Park, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO PISTONS, PISTON VALVES, PUMP BUCKETS, AND THE
LIKE, APPLICABLE FOR USE IN WATER METERS OR OTHER HYDRAULIC
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 23rd September 1879, and dated the 9th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Melling at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July 1879.
THOMAS MELLING, of Grassendale Park, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PISTONS, PISTON VALVES, PUMP
BUCKETS, AND THE LIKE, APPLICABLE FOR USE IN WATER METERS OR OTHER
HYDRAULIC APPARATUS.".
For water meters, water power engines, pumps, piston ball valves supplying
cisterns, and and other hydraulic purposes, a want has long been felt for a piston which
shall at once be tight, easy to work, durable, and that may be quickly and
economically repaired, all of which desiderata my improved piston and piston valves
are designed to fulfill. These pistons or piston valves are made of a material well
known to manufacturers of articles of india rubber, and commonly called "vulcanite,"
so formed into cups or thimbles as to be kept tight automatically by the pressure
of the water within them, and as the material, "vulcanite," possesses but a limited
amount of elasticity and works well in water, these pistons or piston-valves are not
only tight but move with very little friction and are easily worked. I consequently
find them to answer well in practice and subject to little wear and tear.
In these pistons or piston valves I also employ expanding cones or mandrils for
enlarging them, such expanding cones or mandrils being used either as component
parts of the pistons or piston valves themselves, or separate therefrom; whenever
therefore it becomes necessary either by the wear of the "vulcanite" cups or thimbles,
or of the cylinders or valve casings in which they work, 1 enlarge the outside
In using
diameter of the pistons or piston valves to compensate for such wear.
the expanding cones or mandrils for this purpose both the pistons and cones are
first warmed and then the cones or mandrils pressed into the interior of the
cups or thimbles of the pistons or piston valves. This having been done till the

page_text: pistons or piston valves are of the required size I immerse the whole in cold water,
when the vulcanite cup or thimble of the piston or piston valve will remain set or
fixed in its so enlarged size. This operation can be repeated as often as may be
required, that is, so long of course as the thickness of the vulcanite in the piston or
piston-valves will permit. In the piston valves I generally form the cones for
expanding such cups or thimbles-on-the-spindles of the said valves, but in the cups.
or thimbles of the pistons of measuring or other cylinders I use for the purpose an
~expanding cone or mandril separate therefrom.
This I do both for convenience and saving of cost and also as rendering such
piston lighter_to_work.
If however it be desirable the expanding cones may be formed in these pistons
themselves as well as in the piston valves for the expansion of the cups or thimbles
-as aforesaid.
As regards the material, "vulcanite," I do not actually confine myself to the
single variety of india-rubber to which the word "vulcanite" is sometimes narrowed
down to, but any kind of india-rubber or other material having equivalent qualities
for the purpose can be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Melling in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th January
1880.
THOMAS MELLING,, of Grassendale Park, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PISTONS, PISTON VALVES, PUMP
BUCKETS, AND THE LIKE, APPLICABLE FOR USE IN WATER METERS, OR OTHER
HYDRAULIC APPARATUS."
For water meters, water power engines, pumps, piston ball valves supplying
cisterns and other hydraulic purposes, a want has long been felt for a piston which
shall at once be tight, easy to work, durable, and that may be quickly and
economically repaired, all of which desiderata my improved piston and piston-valves
are designed to fulfil. These pistons or piston valves are made of a material well
known to manufacturers of articles of india-rubber and commonly called "vulcanite,"
so formed into cups or thimbles as to be kept tight automatically by the pressure of
the water within them, and as the material, "vulcanite," possesses but a limited
amount of elasticity, and works well in water, these pistons or piston-valves
are not only tight, but move with very little friction, and are easily worked. I
consequently find them to answer well in practice, and subject to little wear and
tear. In these pistons or piston-valves I also employ expanding cones or mandrils
for enlarging them, such expanding cones or mandrils being used either as com-
ponent parts of the pistons or piston-valves themselves, or separate therefrom.
Whenever therefore it becomes necessary either by the wear of the "vulcanite" cups
or thimbles, or of the cylinders or valve casings in which they work, I enlarge the

page_text: "
outer diameter of the pistons or piston valves to compensate for such wear. In
using the expanding cones or mandrils for this purpose, both the pistons and cones
are first warmed, and then the cones or mandrils pressed into the interior of the
cups or thimbles of the pistons or piston-valves. This having been done till the
pistons or piston valves are of the required size, I immerse the whole in cold water,
when the vulcanite cup or thimble of the piston or piston-valve will remain "set
or fixed in its so enlarged size. This operation can be repeated as often as may be
required, that is, so long of course as the thickness of the vulcanite in the piston or
piston valves will permit. In the piston valves I generally form the cones for
expanding such cups or thimbles on the spindles of the said valves, but in the cups
or. thimbles of the pistons of measuring or other cylinders I use for the purpose an
expanding cone or mandril separate therefrom. This I do both for convenience and
saving of cost, and also as rendering such piston lighter to work. If however it be
desirable the expanding cones may be formed in these pistons themselves, as well
as in the piston valves for the expansion of the cups or thimbles as aforesaid.
As regards the material, "vulcanite," I do not actually confine myself to the
single variety of india-rubber to which the word "vulcanite" is sometimes narrowed
down, but any kind of india-rubber or other material having equivalent qualities
for the purpose can be used.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a section, and Fig. 2 a plan of one of my
improved pistons with a single cup; A, being the vulcanite piston, and B the piston-
rod on which the piston is secured by the nuts b, b¹. In this piston and the
succeding ones the mode in which the pressure of the water in the cups serves to
pistons tight is indicated by arrows.
Fig. 3 is a section, and Fig. 4 a plan of another piston with double cups; A being
the vulcanite piston, and B the piston rod on which the piston is secured by nuts b,
61, as before.
Fig. 5 is a section and Fig. 6 a plan of another piston constructed with an
expanding cone, by which its diameter can at any time be enlarged so as to com-
pensate for "wear and tear," et cetera. In this piston A is the vulcanite ring, the
inside of which is of the form of the frustrum of a cone and fits upon a corresponding
frustrum of a cone B formed upon the piston rod B¹, being held thereon by the
nuts b, b, and the washer C.
Fig. 7 is a section, and Fig. 8 a plan of a pump-bucket constructed on my
improved method. Like the piston last described the bucket shell D forins the
frustrum of a cone on which is fitted a vulcanite ring A which is kept in position
by the nuts b, b', and the washer c, and which nuts and washer also serve to
secure the bucket on its rod B, the washer c having suitable openings through it
for the passage of the water. A nut d is also inserted through the washer c to
prevent the cone on the bucket shell D binding in that of "the vulcanite ring A
when working. The bucket here shown is of the ordinary type for india-rubber
valves but this is not material as any other kind of valves may be used, the only
part claimed as new being the conical cupped vulcanite ring A, by which it is
kept tight against the internal periphery of the cylinder or barrel in which it
works.
Figs. 9 and 10 show a convenient apparatus for expanding the pistons when
constructed in one piece or without expanding cones in themselves; Fig. 9 repre-
senting it as applied to a double-cupped piston, and Fig. 10 to a single-cupped one.
It is simply a hand screw-press in which F is the screw affixed to a plate G that
has a handle H upon it by which to hold it. A is the vulcanite piston to be
operated upon; I, I, I, the expanding cones; and J, a thumb nut for forcing them
within the pistons. For large sizes of pistons where more power is required, all
that is necessary is to fasten down the plate G instead of holding it in the hand,
and to substitute a cross-handled or wheel nut for the thumb nut J. The mode of
using this apparatus has been previously indicated.
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to

page_text: First The manufacture-and-use in water-meters, water power engines, pumps,
piston ball valves supplying cisterns; and other hydraulic purposes of closely fitting
pistons or piston-valves made of the material commonly called "vulcanite," or other
preparation of india-rubber, or other material having equivalent qualittes for the
purpose, so formed into cups or thimbles as be automatically kept tight by the
pressure of the water within them as herein before specified; also, the construction-
of such pistons (or piston-valves); with expanding cones for enlarging their sizes
when desirable, as herein before specified; also, the use of expanding cones generally
for enlarging the sizes of this kind of pistons (or piston-valves), whether such cones
form component parts of the pistons (or piston-valves) themselves as aforesaid, or
are applied to them separately, and whether used when the pistons (or piston-valves)
are in their places or out of them.
Second. The manufacture and use of the expanding apparatus or presses, for the
purposes and in the manner herein before 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 eighty.
Witness,
WM P. THOMPSON,
6, Lord St.,
Liverpool,
and 323, High Holborn,
London,
Patent Agent.
THOMAS MELLING. (L.S.)