IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-METERS
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lakė,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-METERS. A communication from abroad by
Charles Casimir Barton, of Rochester, Manufacturer, and Jonathan Burns
West, of Geneseo, Machinist, both in the State of New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 20th May 1879, and dated the 30th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1878.
'
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-METERS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Charles Casimir Barton, of Rochester, Manufacturer,
and Jonathan Burns West, of Geneseo, Machinist, both in the State of New York,
United States of America.]
This Invention relates to water-meters having a reciprocating piston, which at
each stroke shifts the valves to change the currents of the water.
The said Invention comprises an improved construction and arrangement of the
barrel, the valves, and other operating parts, as hereinafter set forth.
In carrying the said Invention into practice a cylinder or case is provided
forming the lower half of the apparatus. A casting rests on the top of this
cylinder forming the upper half, and containing the water-chamber, the valves, and
other operating parts except the piston. The whole is surmounted by a cap or
cover and is secured together by bolts. In the said casting forming the upper half
of the apparatus are two chambers with which communicate respectively the
induction and eduction pipes. These chambers are separated by a vertical curved
diaphragm or partition. In the upper and lower faces of the chambers are formed
valve-openings, those in the lower face opening into the lower part, and those in
the upper face into the upper part. The upper part forms a water chamber which
[Price fidi

page_text: communicates with the lower part by an open throat between them. The said
valve openings are covered by four valves which are arranged in pairs and attached
to plates, so that each pair will cover two openings on opposite sides of the curved
diaphragm. The plates are bent at an angle so that when one valve of the pair is
open, the other is closed. The valves opposite each other vertically are connected
by links. In the centre of each plate is a knife edge which rests in a groove in the
wall of the chamber. The distance between the knife edges is less than the length
of the links, and the plates are elastic, by which means the valves will have a
tendency to close of their own accord when the plates pass the dead centre.
A lever is employed under the lower valves having a knife edged bearing which
rests against the wall. This lever is held by a spring in the form of a loop which
is pivotted at the upper ends; and swings from one side to the other, carrying the
lever with it. The swinging of the lever shifts the valves. The outer end of the
said lever has a friction roller, and has attached to it a chain, the opposite end of
which is attached to a double acting piston, which plays up and down in the
cylinder.
A barrel of brass or other non corrosive metal is located in the lower part of the
casing. It is of smaller diameter and of less length than the casing except at the
top where the barrel fits closely in the casing. A water passage is left around
the barrel between it and the casing, and which communicates with the water
chamber above the valves. A part or passage is also left between the end of the
barrel and the casing, and which allows the water to pass up under the piston.
The piston is made of sheet metal and hollow, with a leather packing around it
pressed out by springs, or it may be made of wood or other material approximating
the specific gravity of water, so as to move up and down similarly. to a float. Any
desired registering apparatus may be used.
The operation is as follows:-The water from induction pipe entering its
compartment or chamber passes through the valve into the lower part of the
cylinder, and forces the piston down by its pressure. The dead water below the
piston passes out through the port below the end of the barrel, thence through
the passage at the side of the barrel up into the water chamber at the top of the
meter, thence through the open valve into the eduction chamber, and is finally
discharged by the eduction pipe. Just before the piston reaches the end of its
stroke, it draws upon the chain and shifts the valves by the swinging of the lever
and spring. The water then enters in the reverse direction passing from the water
chamber at the top down through the passage at the side of the barrel, and the
port at its bottom beneath the piston, forcing it up, and the dead water above the
piston passing out through the valve into the other compartment, when it escapes
by the eduction pipe. Just before the end of the stroke the piston strikes the end
of the lever and shifts the valves to the original position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
May 1879.
:
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine; Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-METERS." A com-
munication from abroad by Charles Casimir Barton, of Rochester, Manufacturer,
and Jonathan Burns West, of Geneseo, Machinist, both in the State of New York,
United States of America.
This Invention relates to water-meters having a reciprocating piston which at
each stroke shifts the valves to change the currents of the water.
The said Invention comprises an improved construction and arrangement of the
barrel, the valves, and other operating parts, as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a central vertical section on the line x, x, of Figure 4.
Figure 2 is a similar section on the line y, y.
Figure 3 is a plan of the lower half of the meter showing more particularly the
arrangement of the barrel in the case or cylinder.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line z, z, of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a diagram showing the spring arrangement for shifting the valves.
A represents the cylinder or case forming the lower half of the said apparatus ;
B is a casting forming the upper half, and containing the water chambers, the
valves, and other operating parts except the piston C which works up and down
in the cylinder. The whole is surmounted by a cap or cover D, and secured
together by bolts a, a..
In the casting B are formed two chambers or compartments 6, 61, with which
communicate the induction and eduction pipes c, c¹, as shown most clearly in
Figure 4. These compartments are separated by a vertical curved diaphragm d.
In the lower and upper faces of these compartments are made valve-openings
f. f',
1, g, g', those in the lower face opening into the barrel I, and those in the upper
face into a chamber E, which is situated directly above the upper valves. These
valve openings are covered by four valves h, h¹, and i, i, arranged in pairs and
attached to plates k, k, so that each pair will cover two holes on opposite sides
of the diaphragm d. The plates are bent at an angle as shown, so that when
one valve is closed over its opening its fellow is open; and the valves opposite
each other vertically are connected by links or equivalent connections 1, 1, and
retain their parallelism at all times. In the centre of each plate and rigidly
attached thereto is a knife-edge m, which rests in a groove upon the wall of the
chamber, thus allowing the said valves to move up and down alternately. The
distance between the knife edges m, m, must be less than the length of the
links 1, 1, and the plates k, k, must be elastic, or the links 1, 1, elastic in the
direction of their length, and when so constructed the valves will rest firmly on
their seat when closed in either direction, and also have a tendency to close from
the centre in either direction of their own action when the valve plates pass the
dead point; r is a lever having a knife-edge bearing s resting in grooves against
the wall, which lever is held in place and operated by a spring n which is pivoted
at o, o, in passages p in line with the centre of the arc in which the lever travels,
and beyond the knife-edges. The knife-edge 8 is preferably made in the form of, a
loop, as shewn in Figure 2. To the outer end of the lever r is attached a chain u
connected at the opposite end with the top of the piston C, and said end of the
lever is also preferably provided with a roller v to take the friction of the piston as
the latter rises against it.
I is a barrel of brass or other non-corrosive metal placed longitudinally in the
said casing. It is of smaller diameter than the interior of the case, excepting a
contraction at the top of the case in which the barrel fits so as to leave a clear

page_text: case.
water passage j from the water chamber E (through throat w) to the bottom of the
The water passage ; extending all around between the barrel I and the
case A equalizes the water pressure on the outside and inside of the barrel. It is
also somewhat shorter than the case, leaving at the bottom one or more ports or
passages j leading from the passage j to the interior of the barrel behind or below
the piston. The upper end is packed or filled to prevent the ingress or egress of
water at that point, and to ensure its cylindrical form. The lower end may rest
upon and within right-angled lugs e, e, which support and centre it.
The operation of this Invention is as follows, that is to say:-The water from
the induction pipe c entering the compartment b passes through the open valve h
into the barrel I, and forces the piston down by its pressure toward the bottom of
the case. At the same time the dead water behind or below the piston passes out
through the ports j' into the passage j, thence up into chamber E, thence into
compartment through the open valve, when it finally escapes through the
eduction pipe. Just before the piston reaches the end of its stroke, it draws upon
the lever through the chain n bringing the said lever down, and swinging the
spring connected to the lever by the bearing point t on its pivots o, and when
the spring has passed the dead centre it springs over into the opposite position from
the full to the dotted lines in Figure 5, and shifts the valves by opening those which
were before closed, and closing those which were open. This shifting is effected by
striking the under side of the valves. The water from the induction pipe c now
passes through the opening g into the water chamber E, thence down through
passage and port into the barrel 1 beneath the piston, forcing the latter up, and
when near the end of the stroke it strikes the end of the lever r, raising it again,
above the dead point, when the spring n springs over, shifting the valves to their
original position. The piston in rising forces the dead water above it out through
opening into compartment b¹, whence it escapes into the eduction pipe.
I am aware that in pumps two valves have been connected by a jointed rod so as
to alternately cover and uncover two ports in opposition to each other, but the
above described apparatus differs from such in having four valves connected in
pairs, and also in the use of the knife edged bearings m, m, and the bearing
.plates k, k, to which the valves are attached, being bent so that as one valve opens
the other will be closed, each opposite pair being parallel. The spring n insures
quick action when the dead point is past, so that the valves will be shifted so
quickly that there will be comparatively no escape of waste water in the act of
shifting, which is an objection to the use of counterweights. I am also aware that
in pumps and other water apparatus a lining of brass or other non-corrosive metal
has been used inside the case or cylinder to prevent rust. The barrel I differs from
such in being of smaller diameter than the interior of the case, and also of less
length in order to form the water way j and port j¹ as before described, being in
this respect particularly adapted to a water meter in which alternate currents of
water are passed to actuate the piston.
The piston C is a cylinder made as near the specific gravity of water as may be,
preferably hollow, of sheet metal, water tight, and covered on the periphery with a
leather or equivalent packing lightly pressed out by springs. It thus forms a float
which is self-buoyant or nearly so in the water. Thus constructed it moves casily
and with the same resistance whether moving up or down, and will remain in its
position when the meter is at rest. The vertical position of the meter is preferable
although it may be used in any position.
Any desired registering apparatus may be used in combination with these
improved water meters.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same I wish it under-
stood that I claim,―
First. In a water meter, the combination with the compartments b, b', provided
with the valve openings of the valve-plates k, k, having a corresponding set of
valves covering the openings, the said valve plates being connected by links and

page_text: provided with knife-edged bearings, as above described and for the purpose
specified.
Second. In the above described water meter, the two valve-plates k, k, connected
by the links and carrying the valves and so arranged that the valves at
opposite ends of each plate will alternately cover and uncover their valve-openings
as the plates are swung, as herein specified.
Third. The valve plates k, k, connected by links and provided with knife-edged
bearings m, m, the distance between the said knife-edged bearings being less than
the length of the links, so that the valve plates will spring as they pass the dead
centre to carry the valves to their seats, as herein specified.
Fourth. In combination with the said valves and valve plates, the spring
connection n, and the lever for automatically shifting the said valves by the
reciprocations of the piston, as herein set forth.
Fiftb. The spring connection n attached to pivots so as to swing in the arc of a
circle in combination with a lever provided with the knife-edged bearing, the spring
connection enclosing the lever and being connected therewith by the bearing
point t, as above described and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a fluid meter, the casing A provided with the water chamber at its top
and the cylinder at its bottom surrounded by a water space opening beneath the
barrel, the said space communicating with the said water chamber by a throat in
combination with the double acting-piston arranged within the cylinder, the
compartments having ports f, f, g, g', and walls which separate the cylinder and
water chamber from each other, and the alternately operating valves h, h', and i, i',
arranged in connection with the said compartments and ports, the whole con-
structed and arranged for operation, substantially as shown and described for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.