IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER or OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & C° Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER or
OTHER LIQUIDS" to be as follows :--
This invention relates to an improved water-meter or apparatus for measuring
liquids.
The said meter has a casing divided into three compartments, of which two are
cylindrical and the third forms the central chamber. To this casing are bolted, or
otherwise secured, first a plate in which the conduits are arranged; second, the
upper cover-plate, upon which the whole ratchet and pawl and registering
mechanism or clockwork is mounted; third, the lower cylinder cover-plate; fourth
a cover closing the central chamber and thus completing the exterior casing of the
apparatus.
In the interior there are two pistons each working within a bronze or brass ring
which forms a partition and is provided with circular grooves in which leather
rings are placed. These pistons are simultaneously driven from one end of the
compartments to the other. They serve as a gauge and constitute the basis for the
measurement of the water passing through the meter. The piston-rods extend
into the central chamber and pass through stuffing boxes. In this central chamber
is arranged a block or device having two inclined faces and provided with six
rectangular ports. On this device there are two slides the alternative displacement
of which is effected by means of frames fixed on the extremities of the piston-
rods. A device placed above the said block and held by the cover serves as a guide
for these frames and the pistons; and at the same time fulfils the functions of a
filter. At the rear of the upper piston-rod, the driving rod is fixed, which passes
through a stuffing box in the cover-plate to the outside. This driving rod is
.

page_text: provided with a cross-bar held in place by a pin and carrying at each ond a
connecting-rod which transmits reciprocating motion to an arm carrying the pawls,
and these, in their turn, impart a continuous rotary motion to the ratchet-wheel,
which motion is communicated to the registering apparatus by the medium of an
endless screw. In this arrangement there are no wheels coming in contact with
the water, which is a great advantage as regards the wear and cleanliness of the
apparatus.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING WATER OR
OTHER LIQUIDS' " 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 an improved meter or apparatus for measuring water
or other liquids and comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a meter constructed according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1 and
Figure 4 is a plan of the plate containing the conduits.
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views of details hereinafter referred to.
The improved meter is arranged in a vertical position and has a body A the
space within which is divided by partitions into three compartments a b c Figure 1,
of which the two compartments a and c are cylindrical and at the ends of the
casing while the third b is at the centre.
To the body A are bolted or otherwise secured a plate d-Figure 4-in which
the conduits are arranged; the upper cover-plate e upon which the registering
meclianism is mounted; and the lower cylinder cover f. These parts, together
form the external casing of the apparatus. Within the cylindrical chambers a, c
are arranged two pistons a' c¹ respectively Figure 1, each working within a bronze
or brass ring a which forms a partition and is provided with grooves in which
rings of leather or the like are placed. These pistons a' and o' are moved in their
respective compartiments in the manner hereinafter described.
The said chambers serve as a gauge for the measurement of the water or other
liquid passing through the metor.
The piston rods ac extend into the central chamber 6 and pass through
stuffing boxes in the partitions.
In this central chamber b is arranged a device, having two inclined faces h h'-
Figures 3 and 5-provided with six rectangular ports 4, 6, 3 and 1, 5, 2

page_text: respectively. On this device slide two valves i -Figures 1, 3 and 6-whose
alternating motion is produced by means of straps kk-Figure 7-fitting the said
valves and provided with lugs having U-shaped recesses fitting over the extremities
of the piston-rods a³ ³, as shown in Figure 3. Guides ; placed above the straps servo
to maintain the straps and their valves in the proper positions.
A plate g Figures 3 and 8 holds these guides in place and at the same time fulfils
the functions of a filter.
To the upper piston-rod c³ is fixed the rod which passes through a stuffing box
in the cover-plate e to the outside. This driving rod is provided with a cross-
bar m carrying at each end a link n which transmits reciprocating motion to an
arm o carrying a pawl. These pawls are mounted in opposite directions, or in any
other suitable manner, so that they impart a continuous rotary motion to the ratchet-
wheel p which motion is communicated to the registering apparatus through the
medium of a worn. In this arrangement there are no wheels in contact with the water
which is a great advantage as regards the wear and cleanliness of the apparatus,
The inlet pipe is arranged upon one side of the apparatus and the outlet pipo
on the other so that no bending of pipes is necessary when fixing the apparatus.
The action of the improved apparatus is based upon the utilization of the motion
imparted to one of the pistons a¹ or c¹ by the water or other liquid, for actuating
the valve i or i¹ of the other piston. The admission ports 1, 2, 3, 4, Figures 1 and 4,
correspond to conduits connected with the spaces above and below the pistons in
the compartments a and c The said compartiments are thus brought in turn,
through the movement of the valve, into communication with the water which
enters the central chamber 6 and with the ports 5 and 6, by which the liquid finds
egress, after having been measured, in such a manner that when one of the spaces
is filling with the liquid, the space on the other side of the piston invariably
empties. Supposing the working parts of the meter to occupy the position shown
in Figure 1, the piston c¹ being against the upper cover e, the piston a' in the
middle of its course, the port,1 open, placing the central compartment b in
communication with the space below the piston a', and the ports 2 and 5 in
communication by reason of the position of the slide . If now the admission
cock be opened the liquid passes through the port 1 into the space below the piston a'
driving the said piston upwards towards the upper end of the compartment a
and expelling the liquid contained therein through the conduit which communicates
with the ports 2 and 5. As the valve i, is connected with the lower piston through
the medium of the strap k, it participates in the motion of the said piston and thus
opens the port and establishes communication between the ports 3 and 6. On
the port 4 being opened the liquid passes into the space above the upper piston c'
in the compartment c, which space fills, whereby the piston c' is forced down, at the
same time forcing the liquid from the space below through ports 3 and 6 to
the outlet.
The valve whose frame is attached to the rod of the piston c', in following the
motion of the latter; opens the port 2 and connects the ports 1 and 5, consequently
the liquid is conducted into the space above the piston a', filling the same and
emptying the space below the piston as the latter is being driven down towards
the cover the liquid escaping through the conduit communicating with the
ports 1 and 5; and as the valve i follows the said motion of the piston, it opens
the port 3 and connects the ports + and 6. The space below the piston c³, in its
turn is filled with the liquid, the piston c returning to its, original position, and
emptying the space above it in the upper compartment through the conduit leading
to the ports 4 and G. In this manner the action of the apparatus continues as long
as the admission cock 'remains open.
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:-
First. The general arrangement of the apparatus for measuring liquids, the
vertical position of which apparatus ensures proper action and casy mounting, and.

page_text: "
L
whose inlet and outlet orifices, being arranged opposite cach other, enable the
apparatus to be placed in a right or left handed position without having to bend
the pipes.
Second. The employment of the straps k for operating the valves i i¹, which
straps are connected to the piston-rods a³ and c³, by means of lugs having U-shaped
recesses, in such a manner that the said valves are enabled to move upon the inclined.
faces h h in the central chamber b, substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.
Third. The employment of guides ; for the straps
and the valves i i¹,
substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the drawing.
Fourth. The arrangement of the conduits 1, 2, 3, and 4, for the passage of the
liquid, substantially as described with reference to Figure 4 of the drawing.
Fifth. The arrangement of the ratchet and pawl mechanism for the registering
apparatus, the two pawls of which are mounted in such a manner as to impart a
rotary motion to the ratchet wheel p in one direction whether the arins o carrying
the pawls ascend or descend, thus ensuring the accurate registration of the quantity
of liquids passing through the moter, substantially as described.
to 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
• For the Applicant.