IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A CURRENT METER AND MOTOR
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jan Anthony Muller, of Amsterdam, Civil
Engineer, at present of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
MEASURING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A CURRENT METER
AND MOTOR."
Sealed the 8th June 1875, and dated the 9th December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jan Anthony Muller at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th December 1874.
I, JAN ANTHONY MULLER, of Amsterdam, Civil Engineer, at present
of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
MEASURING WATER OR THER LIQUIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A CURRENT METER AND
MOTOR" (to be as follows) :-
This apparatus consists principally in an air and water tight vessel or
compartment of suitable form, dimensions, and material, wherein I

page_text: place a spindle capable of rotating easily and freely in a perpendicular
position. This spindle carries by means of suitable radial arms two or
more floats standing at right angles to the spindle. The floats can be
made of cork, hollow cases of metal, or any other suitable material, care
being taken that the material used does not influence magnets. The
floats carry two hoof-shaped magnets of the same attractive power, laid
in such a manner at equal distances from the spindle as centre that their
unequal poles are in juntaposition to each other. This arrangement
serves to neutralize as much as possible the action of the earth's
magnetism on the magnets, and these magnets being set so far apart
that they do not influence each other they still have each their full
power of attraction left available.
The whole combination of spindle, floats, and magnets is made as
nearly as possible equal to the density or specific gravity of the water or
liquid which is to be measured.
That part of the vessel wherein the floats move and where the water
is let in is circular, and of a somewhat larger diameter than that com-
passed by the floats, thus leaving a space between the ends of the floats
and the inner circumference of the vessel. Around this circumference
is an annular space in connection with the supply pipe, through which
the water is brought into the vessel by means of one or more circular or
rectangular holes or cuts made as near as possible in the direction of
tangents thereto, or by direct perforations covered by fixed or moveable
tongues or screens parallel with and lying along the inner circumference
of the vessel, the object of this arrangement being to cause the water on
entering the vessel to follow the direction of the inner circumference,
and thus take a spinning or rotary motion, which motion will be com-
municated to the floats, and it is evident that other arrangements of
letting the water in the vessel can be devised to fulfil the same object.
The outlet pipe is fixed at the bottom of the vessel or some other
suitable part.
To communicate the motion of the float and magnets to the registering
parts I make use of a light iron needle fixed on the outside of the vessel
to a spindle moving easily and freely on its points, and in the same
vertical line with that of the spindle of the floats carrying the two
magnets. The power of the magnets is such that they firmly bind or

page_text: attract the needle to their poles, and in moving force it to rotate with
exactly the same speed as they have imparted to them.
The spindle carrying the needle is provided with a worm or archime-
dian screw, which by suitable gearing communicates the original move-
ment of the floats to the hands on a dial plate.
Although not new, I intend making use of two hands on the dial in
the same way as on any clock or watch, the one indicating the multiples
of the revolutions of the other hand. It is evident that if required a third
hand can be used, or instead of the above arrangement of co-central
hands any other of the usual arrangements can be used to indicate the
movements of the floats on a dial. The original motion of the floats'
may be reduced in speed before imparting it to magnets by means of
suitable intermediate gearing. Sieves are placed in the in and outlet
pipes to prevent grit and other like substances entering the vessel.
Instead of the two magnets inside and the light needle outside the
vessel, one magnet inside and another outside of the same power may be
used.
Instead of the radial arms and floats one central float, or one central
float and radial arms can be used.
In using the above apparatus as a motor, or in fact in every one of its
applications, where it is not necessary to record small movements of the
floats, the magnets can be dispensed with as means of transmitting the
rotary motion of the floats by carrying the spindle of the floats through
the cover in a stuffing, box, and fixing outside the vessel an archimedian
screw or pinion direct on this said spindle. All parts laying in the water
are to be coated with some suitable material to prevent oxydation.
30
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAN
ANTHONY MULLER, of Amsterdam, Civil Engineer, at present of 123,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Jan Anthony Muller, Her special licence that
I, the said Jan Anthony Muller, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Jan Anthony Muller, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR MEASURING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A CURRENT METER
AND MOTOB," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jan
Anthony Muller, 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 Jan Anthony Muller, 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 and accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that
:-
is to say:-
This apparatus consists principally, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, in
an air and water tight vessel or compartment A of suitable form, dimen-
sions, and material, wherein I place a spindle B capable of rotating
easily and freely in a perpendicular position. Fixed at right angles to
this spindle are two or more [floats C made of suitable material. These
floats carry two magnets C¹ of suitable shape, both being of the same
attractive power, and laid in such a manner at equal distances from the
centre of the spindle B that their unequal poles N and S¹ and S and N¹
are in juxtaposition to each other. This arrangement serves to neutralize
as much as possible the action of the earth's magnetism on the magnets,
and these magnets being set so far apart that they do not influence

page_text: available.
The whole combination of spindle, floats, and magnets is made as near
as possible equal to the density or specific gravity of the water or liquid
which is to be measured.
That part of the vessel wherein the floats move is cylindrical, and care
must be taken to allow a certain space between the outside diameter of
the floats C and the inner circumference of the vessel A, so that the
floats will be set in rotation only by the current caused by the inflowing
water, and not by the direct pressure or blow of the incoming jet. In
order to force the water or liquid in entering the vessel A to take a
rotary motion I place before the inlet opening D (see Figs. 5 and 6) a
tongue or screen E parallel with the inner circumference A fixed at its
one end F, and of suitable elasticity to allow it to open to a certain
extent, according to the quantity of liquid that is being drawn out.
Over this tongue I put a guard or shield G, limiting the opening of E,
while this guard at the same time being parallel with the circumfer-
ence A serves to ensure that the larger jets of inflowing water or liquid
shall still take a rotary motion parallel with the circumference A, it
being evident that the screen or tongue E will ensure this rotation only
for the smaller jets. Whenever it is not required to register minimum.
jets of water or liquid the tongue E can be dispensed with, and only the
guard G used. The outlet for the water or liquid´is fixed at the bottom
of the vessel A or some other suitable part.
To communicate the motion of the floats to the registering parts I
make use of a light soft iron needle H fixed on the outside of the vessel A.
to a spindle I, moving easily and freely on pivots in the prolonged centre
of the float C. . The power of the, magnets is such that they firmly bind.
or attract the needle to their poles, and as the magnets move so does
the needle follow with exactly the same speed. The spindle I is provided.
with a worm or archimedean screw, which by suitable gearing commu-
nicates the original movements of the floats to the hands on a dial
plate.

page_text: same time it is evident that any other of the existing arrangements can
be used to indicate the movements of the floats and magnets on a dial
plate.
The original motion of the floats may if desired be reduced before
imparting it to the magnets by means of suitable intermediate gearing,
it being evident that in this case the magnets will be carried by some
part or other of this gearing, instead of by the floats. Sieves are placed
in suitable parts to prevent grit or other like hard substances entering
the vessel A.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The water or liquid in
entering A. is forced to take a rotary motion, which is communicated to
the floats, magnets, needle, and hands, and as the inlet opening is of a
constant size for each instrument it is evident that this apparatus is
bound to measure with the greatest accuracy, independent of the various
circumstances which render it so difficult to obtain accuracy in this class
of instruments.
Figs. 5 and 6 show on an enlarged scale the arrangement by which
the jet is forced to take a rotary motion in entering the vessel A. Figs. 3
and 4 show one modification in the form of the float C, which of course
can be arranged in many other forms without altering anything in the
principle of the apparatus. One or more inlets for the water or liquid
can be used. All parts coming in contact with the water or liquid are
to be coated with some suitable material to prevent oxydation.
In using the above apparatus as a motor, or in fact in every one of its
applications where it is not necessary to record small movements of the
floats and water, the magnets can be dispensed with as means of trans-
mitting the movement of the floats to the gearing, by carrying the
spindle of the floats through the cover in a stuffing box, and fixing
outside the vessel A an archimedean screw or pinion direct on the said
spindle. In making use of the apparatus as a motor it is evident that
there will be no objection in allowing the inflowing water to act directly
by its pressure or blow on the float or floats C.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention
I claim, the arrangements as described and set forth in the above Speci-
fication and accompanying Drawings for measuring and registering a

page_text: water or liquids, and their application at the same time as a current
meter and motor.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jan Anthony Muller, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our
set
my
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.