CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR WATER AND OTHER
LIQUIDS." A communication.
-
Scaled the 15th May, 1857, and dated the 23rd December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd December 1856.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR
WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved means of operating the valves
which regulate the ingress and egress of water to and from the measuring
chambers, in each of which the water is caused to act alternately on opposite
sides of a flexible diaphragm; also to certain improved mechanical contrivances
for insuring the proper operation of the flexible diaphragms in the measuring
chambers. The object of these improvements is to enable measured water to
be supplied in a more constant and uniform stream than it is by any of the
flexible diaphragm meters heretofore employed. The shell or casing of the
meter consists of a cylindrical body, two end plates, and a cap plate, which
latter covers the valve plate; all these parts are bolted firmly together with.
suitable packing rings, or packing pieces between them, to insure tight joints.
The meter is provided with two measuring chambers, formed partly within
the body of the shell and partly within the end plates, the form of each being
that of two frustrums of cones united at their bases. Within these chambers,

page_text: flexible diaphragms are fitted as usual, and attached to them are two guide
rods, for the purpose of forming the connection. between the diaphragms
and the mechanism for operating the valves and the registering apparatus.
The rods of the diaphragms pass through holes in the inner sides of the
measuring chambers to a central space, where they connect by their slotted
heads with two levers, by which the slide valves are operated. One of the
levers serves also to give motion to the registering apparatus. These levers
work on different fulcrums,. and by means of links they each connect with the
valves of the opposite measuring chamber to that with whose diaphragm they
are respectively connected. One of the levers carries a pawl, which is held by
a spring in gear with a ratchet wheel on the main spindle of the registering
apparatus, by wliich means the oscillations of the levers, and consequently the
reciprocating movements of the diaphragms, are counted and registered. The
levers have connected with their lower ends two short arms, which work
through guide openings in a plate secured across the inlet opening, and which
in combination with the levers constitute toggle joints. These arms have
springs coiled round them, in order that they may. exert a force when the
levers are out of line with their respective arms, and throw them farther out
of line, which force is employed to assist the diaphragms in completing their
stroke, so as to ensure the expulsion of all the water from the measuring
chambers. The plate which covers the inlet is perforated, and serves as a
strainer to the water entering the meter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William. Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on.
the 23rd June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, tho said William
Edward Newton, my executors; administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Willian Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and

page_text: 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN METERS FOR WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS," being a
communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 tho said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention, of certain improvements in meters for water and other
liquids, relates to certain improved means of operating the valves which
regulate the ingress an egress of water to and from the measuring chambers,
in each of which the water is caused to act alternately on opposite sides of a
flexible diaphragm; also in certain improved mechanical contrivances for
insuring the proper operation of the flexible diaphragins in the measuring
chambers. The object of these improvements is to enable measured water to
be supplied in a more constant and uniform stream than it is by any of the
flexible diaphragm meters heretofore employed..
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying. Drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a side view of a two-chambered meter with tho, improvements
applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the saine, taken in
a plane parallel with Fig. 1; but seen looking in an opposite direction; Fig. 3
is a plan of the same, having the cover of the valve box and the valves
removed. Similar letters; of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
several Figures.
The shell or casing of the meter consists of a cylindrical body B, two end
plates A, A, and a cap plate C, which latter covers the valve plate D. All of
these parts are bolted firmly together, with suitable packing rings or packing
pieces between them to insure tight joints. The meter is provided with two
measuring chambers G, G, (Fig. 2,) formed partly within the body of tho
shell and partly within the end plates A, A, the form of cach being that of
two frustrums of cones united at their bases. Within this casing, are two
flexible diaphragms P, P, which are fitted in the measuring chambers. These

page_text: diaphragms are made of india-rubber, and are secured at their edges between
the body B of the shell and the end plates A, A; they are provided at their
central part with plates II, II, in order to strengthen them. I, 1. are two
guide rods, attached to the flexible diaphragms P, P, and plates II, H, for the
purpose of forming the connection between the diaphragms and the mechanism
for operating the valves and the registering apparatus. The rods of the
diaphragms pass through holes in the inner sides of the measuring chambers
to a central space S in the middle of the shell, where they are connected by
their slotted heads e, e, with the two levers J, J, by which the slide valves
K, K, are operated; one of these levers J serves also to givo motion to the
registering apparatus. The valves K, K, are of the kind generally known as
'short slide valves, and their construction will be readily understood by refer-
ence to Fig. 2. Each valve works over three ports, arranged like the induc-
tion and eduction ports of the slide valve of steam engines. Two of the plates
M, N, in each valve seat belong to two induction passages leading to one of
the measuring chambers, and the central port O of each valve seat is an
eduction port to its respective measuring chamber. E is the inlet opening of
the meter, communicating directly with the space S between the measuring
chambers; F (Fig. 3) is the outlet in which unite two passages 9, 9, which
lead from the eduction ports 0, 0, of the measuring chambers. The levers
J, J, work, one on a fulcrum a, and another on a fulcrum c (Fig. 2), and
'they are connected with the valves by means of links L, L, cach lever being
connected with the valves of the opposite measuring chamber to that with
whose diaphragm it is respectively connected. One of the levers J, J, carries
'n pawl 1, which is held by a spring k in gear with a ratchet wheel Q on the
main spindle R of the registering apparatus; this spindle passes through a
stuffing box S to a dial on the outside of the shell or case of the meter, and
gives motion to a train of registering mechanism, and indices, such as is
commonly employed in meters. A pawl h, working on a stationary pin
secured to the shell or casing, is held by a spring j in gear with the ratchet
wheel Q, to prevent it from turning back when the pawl 7 moves back over
its teeth. The levers, J, J, have connected with their lower ends two short
arms T, T, which work through guide openings in a plate C*, secured across
the inlet opening E, and which, in combination with the levers J, J, constitute
toggle joints. These arms have spiral springs U, U, coiled round them, the
'springs U being confined between the plate C and shoulders on the upper
part of the arms, and exerting a force (when the levers are out of line with
'their respective arms T) in order to throw them farther out of line, which
'force is employed to assist the diaphragms in completing their stroke so as to

page_text: ensure the expulsion of all the water from the measuring chambers. Tho
plate C covers the inlet entirely, but is perforated, and serves as a strainer to
the water entering the meter. It should be observed that the levers J, J, and
rods I are set so far out of the centre of the meter in opposite directions as to
pass cach other without interfering with each other's movements.
The operation of the meter is as follows:-The water enters at E, and
passes up through the central space S in the direction of the arrows, and
passing through the ports M and N, as they are respectively opened by the
movement of the valves by the levers J, J, enters the measuring chambers on
opposite sides of their respective diaphragms alternately, and thus gives tho
diaphragms a reciprocating action, cach diagram giving motion by means
of its rod I, and the lever J connected therewith, to the valve of the opposite
measuring chamber at the proper time to reverse the action of the water upon
the diaphragm of that chamber. In illustration of this action, let it bo
supposed that the water is entering the port M of the left-hand chamber and
pressing against the metallic plate and diaphragm II, P, as shewn in tho
section, Fig. 2, and thereby forcing the diaphragm towards the right-hand sido
of the chamber: the lever J in connection with that diaphragm is giving
motion to the valve K of the right-hand chamber, which has now moved far
enough to close the port N of the right-hand chamber, and is about to open
the port M of the said chamber to admit the water to act on the right-hand
side of its diaphragm, and force the same towards the left-hand side of the
chamber. As the right-hand valve opens the port M, it also brings its port
N in communication with the exhaust port O, and allows the exit of the water
contained on the left-hand side of the diaphragm in the right-hand chamber,
and by means of the lever J connecting the right-hand diaphragm with the
left-hand valve, that valve is moved over its port or channel N, and admits a
flow of water through the said port to the right side of the diaphragm of
the left-hand chamber, at the same time the latter valve travels over the
channel M and leaves the water in the left side of the diaphragm in free
communication with the exhaust port on that side, and thereby allows the freo
exit of all the water on that side, which the travel of the diaphragm from right
to left forces out through the ports M and O to the outlet F. In the above
operation, the action of the water upon the diaphragms is opposed during the
first half of the movements of the diaphragms by the springs U, U, but during
the last half of their movements, that is to say, after the arms T, T, bave
passed the position of a straight line with the levers J, J, the springs assist
the action of the water, and thus ensure the completion of the stroke of the
diaphragms, so as to expel all the water from before them; the opposition of

page_text: the springs to the force of the water at the commencement of the stroke is of
little importance, as the valve of either chamber continues to open wider
during the first part of the stroke of the diaphragm, while the valve of the
opposite chamber is at the same time closing the induction port, and henco
the force of water is increasing on the starting diaphragm ; but during the
latter portion of the stroke, when the valve is closing, and the port that is
supplying water to the opposite chamber is wide open, or nearly so, and the
pressure on the diaphragm is consequently slight, the action of the spring is of
great assistance, and it is found in practice that some assistance of this kind
is necessary to insure a perfect discharge of water from the measuring
chambers, without which a perfect measurement of the water cannot be
obtained by registering the strokes of the diaphragms; but the contents of tho
measuring chambers being perfectly expelled at every stroke of the diaphragm,
and the capacity of the chambers being known, the registration of the number
of strokes of the diaphragms by the registering apparatus is a correct indication
.of the quantity of water that has passed off through the meter. By the above
described action of the springs U, U, and by the operation of each valve by the
diaphragm of the opposite measuring chamber, the water is caused to flow
from the outlet of the meter in a perfectly uniform stream.
Having now described the Invention of improvements in meters for water
and other liquids, that has been communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, as aforesaid, I claim, as tho Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent, as aforesaid:
First, the operation of the two valves of the double-chambered meter, ench
by mechanism connected with the diaphragm of the opposite chamber to that
to which the valve belongs, as described.
Second, the application of a toggle joint movement and springs to the rods
of the diaphragms, to operate as heroin set forth, for the purpose of assisting in
the completion of the strokes of the diaphragms.
In witness whereof, I, the said, William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66; Chancery Lane..
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)
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