Improvements in and Connected with Meters for Registering the Flow of Liquids.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 13th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 27th Jan., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Meters for Registering the
Flow of Liquids.
I, CHARLES CASIMIR BARTON of the City, County and State of New York, United
States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of meters intended to measure and record the
flow of liquids, the invention consisting of improved arrangements and combinations
of parts, the nature of which is hereinafter set forth.
In Specification No. 2876 of 1885 is described a construction of meter with an
internal flexible diaphragm the motion of which depends upon the varying pressure of
the liquid upon the opposite sides thereof. Attached to the diaphragm is a central
rod the rising and falling of which actuates the valve which governs the flow said flow
being recorded by indicating mechanism all as therein set forth.
In practising said invention certain defects have been found which by the use of my
present invention may be obviated and a practical meter with comparatively few parts
may be produced.
The diaphragm I propose to construct of rubber and instead of its being in the
shape of the frustum of a cone as in the before referred to specification. I make the
sides on an Ogee curve so that in its movement it will assume the same shape at
the termination of each stroke. I also combine with it a central metal plate which is
completely covered by the rubber. This plate is perforated so that when the rubber
covering it on both sides is placed in the moulds for shaping and vulcanizing, the
rubber passes through these perforations and thus is practically made into one piece.
The outside edges of the diaphragm are thickened by insertion cloth and this portion
acts as packing between the upper and lower parts of the meter.
In the specification before referred to, pressure cones of metal were used to compel
the diaphragm to take the samo shape whether up or down, without regard to the rate
of flow. The necessity for these cones I obviate by so constructing the lower part of
the meter that the discharge of the current from and to this part is central. The
I Price 8d

page_text: cores.
construction also permitting the lower portion to be cast without the use of sand
Instead of using two current plates on the valve I propose to use but one and that
at the inlet end, as I find the use of two to be objectionable. I also make the two
valves, the spindle, and the current plate in one piece, and make the valve chamber in
two pieces for economy and accuracy of machining and to facilitate assembling the
valves and valve-chamber.
When nearing the top of its stroke the central spindle comes in contact with the
weighted end of a ratchet and pawl mechanism for operating the indicating mechanism.
The shaft of the toothed wheel carries a lug or projection which engages in a corre-
sponding recess in a horizontal disc or wheel attached to the actuating shaft of the
indicating mechanism. The space between the recesses on the horizontal wheel is
slightly curved or dished so as to prevent movement after the lug leaves one recess
and before it enters that next in order. With this construction and a single lug there
must be a complete revolution of the toothed wheel for each notch moved by the
horizontal disc.
In order that the currents or flow in the central division of the valve chamber may
be equally obstructed on both sides I construct in the otherwise unobstructed side a
projecting shield of the same area as the tube through which the rod attached to the
diaphragm passes.
11: 17th
Mah 1987
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Meters for Registering the
Flow of Liquids.
I, CHARLES CASIMIR BARTON of the City, County and State of New York, United
States of America, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to that class of meters intended to measure and record the
flow of liquids the invention consisting of improved arrangements and combinations of
parts the nature of which is hereinafter set forth.
In Specification No. 2876 of 1885 is described a construction of meter with an
internal flexible diaphragm the motion of which depends upon the varying pressure
of the liquid upon the opposite sides thereof. Attached to the diaphragm is a
central rod the rising and falling of which actuates the valve which governs the
flow, said flow being recorded by indicating mechanism all as therein set forth.
In practising said invention certain defects have been found which by the use of my
present invention may be obviated and a practical meter with comparatively few parts
may be produced.
In order that my present invention may be clearly understood reference is made
to the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and in which
Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of the improved ineter showing the diaphragm
in its lowest position.
Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of the same with the diaphragm in its highest
position.
Fig. 3 represents a central sectional elevation on the line y y fig. 2.
Fig. 4 represents a plan view on the line z z
Fig. 2, and
Fig. 5 represents a plan view of the bottom casing.
The diaphragm A I propose to construct of rubber and instead of its being in the
shape of the frustum of a cone as in the before referred to specification I make the
sides on an <1
Ogee" curve so that in its movement it will assume the same shape at
the termination of each stroke. As the diaphragm must of necessity be made in
moulds and in its normal condition occupy the position as shown either in Fig. 1 or
Fig. 3 and as it must move alternately to each it is evident that when made in the
shape of a frustum of a cone that returning from one end of its stroke to the opposite
end the rubber around the circles of the largest and smallest diameters must be bent
very sharply on itself and this bending many consecutive times will wear out the
rubber at those points, while with the diaphragm made as described on an "Ogee "
curve, this bending will be distributed throughout the entire flexible portion of the
diaphragm and the wear reduced to a minimum. I also combine with it a central
metal plate a which is completely covered by the rubber. This plate a is perforated
so that when the rubber covering it on both sides is placed in the moulds for shaping

page_text: and vulcanizing the rubber passes through these perforations and thus is practically
made into one piece therewith. The outside edges of the diaphragm are thickened by
an outside covering ring a' of insertion cloth and this portion acts as a packing between
the upper and lower metal casings B B¹ of the meter and prevents said casing from
coming in contact with the rubber.
In the specification before referred to, pressure cones of metal were used to compel
the diaphragm to take the same shape whether up or down, without regard to the rate
of flow. The necessity for these cones I obviate by balancing the hydrostatic pressure
in the valve by neutralizing the hydrodynamic pressure and by so constructing the
lower part 1 of the meter that the discharge of the current from and to this part
passes through a central opening b. The construction also permitting the lower
portion B to be cast without the use of said cores, a separate piece B² being cast
which rests against the faces of casing B¹ when the parts are in place. A considerable
economy in construction is thus effected.
Instead of using two current plates on the valve I propose to use but one, marked c
and that at the inlet end as I find the use of one on the outlet end to be objectionable.
I also make the two valve plates c¹ the spindle and the current plate c in one
piece, and make the valve chambers D in two or more pieces for economy and accuracy
of machining and to facilitate assembling the valves and valve chambers.
When nearing the top of its stroke the slotted central rod E comes in contact with
the weighted end of a ratchet and pawl mechanism for operating the indicating
mechanism. Said ratchet and pawl mechanism consists of the weighted arm F pivoted
on the shaft and carrying arm fand pivoted pawl, the latter being kept in
ongagement with the ratchet wheel G by the counterweight 3. Back motion of
wheel G is prevented by the pawl g, which with its counterweight g¹ is pivoted at g²
to the framing. When the diaphragm is depressed, the weighted arm F is prevented
from following rod E down more than a regulated distance by reason of the arm f
coming in contact with the casing as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft of the wheel G
carries a lug or projection f which engages in a corresponding recess in a horizontal
disc or wheel h attached to the actuating shaft of the indicating mechanism. The
space between the recesses on the horizontal wheel h is slightly curved or dished so as
to prevent movement after the lug leaves one recess and before it enters that next
in order. With this construction and a single lug there must be a complete
revolution of the wheel G for each notch moved by the horizontal disc h.
In order that the currents or flow in the central division of the valve chamber may
be equally obstructed on both sides I construct in the otherwise unobstructed side
a projecting shield ct of equal thickness with the tube c through which the rod E
passes.
The general operation of the meter may be briefly described as follows:-
When the parts are in the position represented in Fig. 1, the water has just been
expelled from beneath the diaphragm A and the rod E has drawn down the end of
lever I the frame 1 of which, carries flexibly connected volute springs ii which act
on the valve spindle c³ and throw the valves so soon as the frame I passes the centre
of the line upon which the springs i rest upon the spindle c³. The inlet flow is now
through port J divided channels J₁ J¹ to the section of the valve j and as valve c¹ is
closed to the top of the diaphragin, the water passes to the central section of the
valve and thence by channels to the central opening beneath the diaphragm
which is gradually forced up, the water above passing into section 2 of the valve from
behind the springs ii and thence through channels ¹¹ to outlet port k. As the
diaphragm rises, rod E lifts weighted arm F and thereby actuates the indicating
mechanism and just before rod E reaches the top of its stroke, the bottom of the slot
therein lifts lever I which at the end of its movement causes the valve to be thrown
over into the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and the inlet flow is shut off from the
bottom of the diaphragm and opened to the top thereof passing out behind buffer
plate c from section of the valve. The diaphragm A is gradually depressed and the
water beneath is expelled through channels 62, 63, and valve sections to the
discharge, the flow then taking the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4.

page_text: In the meter constructed as herein described, the pressure of the moving fluid in
the chambers above and below the diaphragm which are alternately connected with
the inlet, whether these pressures result from hydrostatic or hydrodynamic conditions,
are so nearly in equilibrium that the rubber diaphragm although very thin and very
elastic is never forced out of shape it being merely a float to divide the incoming from
the outgoing fluid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
"
1st. In fluid meters a diaphragm A. of rubber, carrying an internal perforated
plate a, the diaphragm and plate being so constructed as to conform to an "ogee
curve when at the end of each stroke as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and substantially as
described.
2nd. In fluid meters the construction of the lower section B', with a channel *, in
which rests piece B2, provided with an opening only at b, the valve of such meter
having but one current plate c (at the inlet side) while the central division of the
valve has a projecting shield ct of equal thickness with the tube c³ through which rod E
passes, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 13th day of December 1887.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agent.