IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR MEASURING WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Myers, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR
MEASURING WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 22nd August 1862, and dated the 17th March 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Myers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
March 1862.
I, THOMAS MYERS, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS
FOR MEASURING WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in improvements in the construction of meters, in
which the valves, valve boxes, and ducts, are so arranged as to act with the
requisite sensitiveness, so that the action shall only be carried on during
supply and shut off immediately the supply ceases. To effect this I have a
measuring cylinder with a piston working therein, such piston having a piston'
rod protruding beyond the cylinder with collars thereon, between which collars
works the end of a crank lever with roller at that end to prevent friction, the
other end being forked so as to act upon the axis of rollers which work upon
a diaphragm of india-rubber or other elastic or pliable substance, such
diaphragm covering several ducts (five for instance), the rollers aforesaid being
so arranged with regard to the said diaphragm as to press it upon and close one
or, more of the said ducts at one time. Some of the said ducts; (two by

page_text: preference) lead some (one by preference) to the upper and some (one by
preference) to the lower part of the said measuring cylinder, and hence upon
water, gas, or other fluid being admitted by the supply pipe, it will, according to
the position of the piston and the attached piston rod, cause the opening of some
of the said ducts, and allow the water, gas, or other fluid to enter either above
or below the piston, and thus keep it in motion. To reverse the crank lever
quickly I apply a plunger acted upon by springs..
plunger acted upon by springs. The registering apparatus is
acted upon by the crank, the piston rod, or in other suitable manner.
Instead of these arrangements I could use the following modification
thereof I have a measuring cylinder in which a piston works, and attached
thereto and communicating therewith a valve box with valve ways opening to
the upper and lower part of the said cylinder, that is, above or below the
piston, in which valve box is a slide which I now prefer to make of cylindrical
construction, but hollow at its upper and lower portions, and having perfora-
tions through such hollow portions so as to allow of communication with the
said valve ways. Through the supply pipe connected with the said valve box
the water, gas, or fluid is admitted into the same by reason that the said
supply pipe branches off to the top and bottom of the said valve box, and
consequently, according to the position of the piston in the measuring cylinder,
the water, gas, or fluid, will pass below or above the said piston, as the case
may be, such piston having a system of levers attached thereto by which
the action of the same is registered by the usual indicating mechanism.
Springs are also connected with these lever arrangements to ensure the action
thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Myers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MYERS, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Myers, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Myers,' my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Myers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS
FOR MEASURING WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Myers, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Myers, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My improvements in meters for measuring water, gas, or other fluids,
consist, firstly, of a measuring cylinder furnished with valves, valve boxes, and
ducts so arranged as to act with the requisite sensitiveness, and that the action
shall only be carried on during supply and shut off immediately the supply
ceases. The cylinder is fitted with a piston having a piston rod protruding
beyond the top of the cylinder with collars thereon, between which work the
end of a lever supported: by standards with a roller at one end to prevent
friction, the other end being forked to guide and work a slide valve made of
brass or other suitable material, or rollers which press upon a diaphragm valve
made of india-rubber or other elastic or pliable material, such slide or
diaphragm valve covers several ducts (five for instance, but I do not confine
myself to any particular number of ducts, their shape, size, or position), the
slide valve or the rollers acting on the diaphragm are so arranged as to
press upon and close one or more of the said ducts at one time. Some of
the ducts (two by preference) lead some (one by preference) to the upper
and some (one by preference) to the lower part of the cylinder, and hence,
upon water, gas, or other fluid being admitted by the supply pipe, it will,.
according to the position of the piston and the attached piston rod, cause the
opening of some of the ducts and allow the water; gas, or other fluid to.
enter either above or below the piston and thus keep it in motion.
Figure 1 represents a cross section of the meter, and Fig. 2 a top view of
the same, shewing diaphragm bed. Figure 3 is a part. elevation and section;

page_text: shewing the action of the lever on the plungers, and Fig. 4a top view,
shewing the action of the rollers on the diaphragm valve. Figure 5 is a front
elevation of meter, and Fig. 6 a top view of the same. The letters marked
thereon represent the same parts of the meter.
a is the measuring cylinder made of iron or other metal; 6 is the piston,
and 6¹ the piston rod, to the upper end of which are attached. two collars c, c,
which act upon and work roller u in the lever h; d is the stuffing box cover;
e represents the packing for preventing the escape of the fluid. from 'the
cylinder; is the bottom of the cylinder, which can be made either solid or
secured in the usual manner; g represents the rollers, which are pivotted to
and work within a frame placed inside the the diaphragm box j; two of them
press on the top of the diaphragm valve and two against the under side of
the box cover k. The two bottom rollers are placed at such a distance as to
cover two ducts at one time, leaving two ducts open, one for the inlet of the
fluid into the lower part of the cylinder and one for the outlet of the same
from the upper part of the cylinder, and vice versâ, according to the position
of the piston. These four rollers are parallel and bear upon each other;
they are thus arranged to prevent friction, and also that the pressure on the
diaphragm valve i may never vary. When the meter is constructed with a
slide valve, I use two rollers to work the same, which rollers work between
the under side of the box cover and the slide valve, and thereby have an equal
pressure, and prevent friction. h is the lever which communicates the
motion from the piston to the slide valve or the rollers working on the
diaphragm i, which is secured on the diaphragm bed, and covers all the ducts;
is a spring for producing an equal pressure on the rollers; m, m, are the
inlets, and n the outlet for the passage of the fluid; o is the waterway leading
to the bottom, and p the waterway leading to the top of the cylinder; q, I,
are plungers working in spring boxes. The upper part of the plungers have
Inclined surfaces, over which a small roller 'q passes to, assist in the reversal of
the valves; two standards r, r; support the levers, as shewn in Fig. 5. The
registering apparatus for indicating the quantity of fluid passing through the
meter is attached in the usual way.
"
When the meter is in operation the fluid enters; through the inlet pipes.
m, m, and down the passage o into the bottom of the cylinder a, the pressure
of the fluid would cause the piston to move upwards,. and force the fluid in.
the upper part of the cylinder into the passage p, and through the outlet
pipe n. As the piston rises the lower collar cacts upon the small roller u
attached to lever h, and gradually raises it until the small, roller q has. passed
over the apex of the plungers q, and instantaneously reverse the position of the.

page_text: slide valve or the rollers which press, upon the diaphragm i, and thereby close
one or more of the ducts to allow the passage of the fluid the reverse way...
Figure 7 illustrates a modification of the meter,, herein-before described.
shewing a part external view and section of the same, as well as the standards,
and indicating mechanism with the piston rod. extended, and part of the
cylinder and diaphragm box removed to shew, the inlet and outlet,waterways,
as well as the working of the slide valve, or in place thereof the action of the
rollers upon the diaphragm valve, both of which are worked by means of the
piston, connecting rod, and levers attached thereto.
Figure 8 is a top view of meter shewing the standards, top. of stuffing box,
rollers, and connecting rod, as well as the diaphragm bed, in which are shewn
the waterways or ports, and Fig. 9 is an elevation of the same.
Assuming the piston about to descend, the upper collar c will act upon the
roller u at the end of lever h, and in carrying that down with it, will cause
roller q' at the other end of the lever h to pass over the apex of the plunger q,
and carries with it the 'connecting rod z, and thereby reverse the slide valve
or the rollers on the diaphragm valve. In the end of the connecting rod is a
slot to allow the lever h to traverse to the point on the apex of the plunger q,
without moving the slide valve or the rollers lettered g, which press upon the
diaphragm until the reverse action takes place; within the slot a pin or stud
works attached to the lever h.
I'L
And, lastly, instead of the above-mentioned arrangements, I use a measuring
cylinder in which a piston works, and attached thereto and communicating there-
with a valve box with valve ways opening to the upper and lower part of the
cylinder. In the valve box is a slide valve, which is made of a cylindrical
form, but hollow at its upper and lower portions, and having apertures or per-
forations through such hollow portions, so as to allow of communication with
the said valve ways through the supply pipe connected with the said valve
box. The fluid is admitted into the same by reason that the said supply
pipe branches off to the top and bottom of the valve box, and consequently,
according to the position of the piston in the cylinder, the fluid will pass above
or below the said piston, as the case may be. The valve is moved to and fro
by means of rollers acting on a lever having its fulcrum on the box cover, the
rollers being attached to the piston.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
1st, the general arrangemennt and construction of meters for measuring
water, gas, or other fluids, as herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: 2ndly, the arrangement of waterways acted upon, and in combination with
a diaphragm or slide valve, as herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
3rdly, the arrangement of the rollers, and the mode of working the same
on the diaphragm, or with the slide valve in connection with levers, connecting
rod, and spring plungers, which are acted upon by the piston rod, in the
manner herein-before described and as represented in the Drawings hereunto
annexed. .
And, lastly, I claim the slide valve having apertures or perforations through
the same for the passage of water, gas, or other fluid, and the arrangement of
working the same, in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Myers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord.
Oné thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
HENRY HALL,
38, Matilda Street,
Barnsbury.
THOMAS MYERS. (L.B.)