IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS
Year: 1869

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No 8, Southampton Buildings. London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS."-
A communication from abroad by Messrs. Pratt, Whitney, and
LETTERS PATENT. to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No 8 Southampton Buildings. London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS."-
A communication from abroad by Messrs. Pratt, Whitney, and
Company, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America,
Machinists.
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS."-
communication from abroad by Messrs. Pratt, Whitney, and
Company, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America,
Muchinists.
Sealed the 3rd December 1869, and dated the 5th July 1869.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 5th July 1869, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office, No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WATER METERS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for

page_text: the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Messrs. Pratt, Whitney, and Company,
of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, Machinists.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming
a part of this Specification.
My improvements relate to that kind of meter for water or other
liquids in which the principal part of the measuring apparatus consists
of a cylinder containing a piston which is moved by the water to bo
measured and sweeps each time through a known volume the number
of strokes made by the piston indicating the quantity of water delivered
which is recorded by a register.
Heretofore meters of the kind described have had objectionable
features, some kinds are of complicated construction, others fail to give
accurate indications because of a lack of definiteness in the movements
of the piston or of the registering apparatus, and generally the arrange-
ment of the parts is such as to render it necessary either to disconnect
the inlet or outlet pipes, or else to take off more than one cover in order
to get easily at all the working parts.
It is the object of my Invention to remedy the defects above alluded
to, and the said Invention consists,―
Firstly. In inclosing within a case to which the water to be measured
is admitted a principal measuring cylinder and piston and a secondary
cylinder and piston of smaller size which is combined with the main
valve and operates the same as herein-after described.
Secondly. In attaching the working parts of the meter to a base plate,
or channel plate, in which are formed ducts or passages for the intro-
duction into the meter from the inlet pipe of the water to be measured,
for its distribution to the measuring cylinder, and for its delivering to the
outlet, and in combining with the said channel plate a box-like cover
which contains the working parts, but is detachable therefrom, and may
be removed without displacing them and without disturbing the inlet
or outlet pipe.
Thirdly. In making the heads of the main measuring cylinder cap-

page_text: formed, and in leading the water to the cylinder through perforations in
the wall of the said cap, so that the cylinder may be of simple form
and easily fitted up.
Fourthly. In securing the cap-formed heads of the cylinder to the
channel plate by bolts, when the said heads are forced against the
cylinder by set screws as herein-after described, so as to effect water-
tight connection of the heads with both the channel plate and the
cylinder.
Fifthly. In moving the secondary valve at each end of the main
piston's stroke by means of separate driving levers located one at each end
of the main cylinder, and arranged substantially as herein-after clearly
explained, thus avoiding complicated connections within the cylinder.
Sixthly. In the peculiar arrangement herein-after described for making
a water-tight joint at the place where the axis of the valve driving
levers enter the main cylinder heads.
Seventhly. In so arranging the parts by which the register pawl is
moved that the said pawl shall be caused to move the register the proper
distance by that part of the movement of the secondary valve which is
necessary to overcome the "lap" of the said valve for the purpose
herein-after explained.
Eighthly. In providing for moving the register pawl through a
frictional coupling or an equivalent therefor, and in limiting the move-
ment of the pawl by positive stops, whereby excessive movement of
the mechanism which operates the pawl is kept from producing too
great indication by the register.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my Invention I
will now proceed more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the meter at the axis of the main
measuring cylinder; Figure 2 is a plan of the meter with the register case
removed; Figure 3 is a sectional isometric projection of the principal
working parts of the meter with the box-like cover removed; Figure 4
is a cross section at the line X, X, Figure 1; Figure 5 is a partial cross
section at the line Y, Y; Figure 6 is a side elevation of the meter with
the cover removed; Figure 7 is a plan of the channel plate or base
plate A. A is the channel plate or base plate of the meter; it supports

page_text: all the working parts, and has formed in its substance the inlet passage B,
into which the supply pipe is screwed, also the outlet passage C, which
receives the delivery pipe and sundry other passages or channels herein-
after described. This plate is surmounted by a case or cover D in the
form of a box, with an open bottom, the edges of which match the
outline of the plate and form a water-tight joint with the top surface of
the said plate to which the cover is secured by bolts d. The box D
covers and contains all the working parts, and first receives all the
water to be measured which passes into it by the inlet duct B (shown
in Figures 5 and 7). E is the principal measuring cylinder. It is
formed of a straight tube of brass, the ends of which fit into recesses
formed in the heads E1 and E 2, which consist of short caps, nearly
cylindrical in form, but made flat on the bottom and furnished with
ears e, through which they may be fastened in a vertical position by
bolts to the channel plate. These heads or caps are forced against
the ends of the cylinder E by set screws g 1, and 92, which are screwed
through two strong standards &¹ and 82, cast in one piece with the
channel plate. The poiuts of the screws bear against the centres of the
caps. A light piston F, having centrally projecting prongs f1, and f2
slides freely in the cylinder E. Through the bottom of the rear
cylinder head E1 is an opening G 1, which matches the mouth of a duct
or passage H 1, formed within the substance of the channel plate and
leading diagonally to a raised valve seat I, where it finds an outlet
through a port hl. The valve seat I is located at one side of the
cylinder E parallel to it and near its front end. It contains two
other ports, one of which 2 opens into a duct H 2, also formed in the
channel plate A and leading directly to the front end of the cylinder E,
to which it finds an entrance through an opening G 2 in the cap E 2,
corresponding to the opening G 1 in E1. The third port c, in the valve
seat I is midway between 1 and h2, and leads into the main outlet
passage C of the meter, which passage lies directly under the port and
opens at the side of the channel plate in the substance of which it is
formed. The valve seat I is surmounted by a sliding cupped valve K,
made like the distribution valve of a locomotive. This by its move-
ment uncoveres the two ports h1 and h2, alternately, and alternately
covers them with its cup, thereby bringing them into communication
with the outlet port c. The valve k is attached to the end of the rod L
of a piston M, which slides in a small closed cylinder N that I call
the secondary cylinder; this is surmounted by a flat surface whereon

page_text: slides a cupped valve o, which by its movements uncovers alternately
the ports and k³, which open into opposite ends of the cylinder N,
and alternately brings them into communication with an exhaust port
located midway between them. The port opens into a duct m, which
passes down around the cylinder through the foot n whereby the cylinder
is supported and into a duct or channel p formed in the channel plate A,
and leading directly into the main outlet C. The valve O is formed with
considerable outside lap, that is to say, its length is so much greater
than the distance between the outside edges of the ports k¹ and k²,
that its movement after closing one of the said ports must be con-
siderable before the other port will be at all uncovered. To the top of
the valve O is attached a bar P, which extends rearward and forward of
the valve. The rear end of this bar is jointed to the free end of the
horizontal arm R' of a lever, the fulcrum of which is a vertical rock
shaft S', made in one piece with the arm R¹. The rock shaft is
supported by and enters the rear cap E', of the main measuring
cylinder. It turns in a brass bushing t; which penetrates the wall of
the cap near one side. The hub of the arm R', fits nicely the top end
surface of the bushing A, forming a water-tight joint therewith, that
is to say, the lower surface of the hub projecting around the rock shaft
forms a valve which is seated upon the top of the bushing. The lower
end of the rock shaft S', lies within the cap E', and to this lower end
is firmly fastened the other horizontal arm T of the valve driving lever.
This arm T is considerably shorter than the long arm R', and its
free end lies within the cap just in the axis of the cylinder E. The
forward end of the bar P is jointed to the longer arm R² of a lever,
the rock shaft S of which and the shorter arm T³ are arranged rela-
tively to the front cap E, in precisely the same way as are R', S', and T",
relatively to the rear cap E, t being the bushing through which S'
passes. The hub of the arm R' has in its top a slot t like the nick of
a screw, into which engages a tongue formed on the bottom of the flange u
of a small spindle U which passes up through, and is free to turn in a
brass bushing v, screwed through the top of the box like cover D of the
meter. A washer 10 of leather or other suitable material surrounds the
spindle U between its flange and the lower end of the bushing v. It
serves as a packing to prevent leakage of water around the spindle. A
collar is pinned fast to the upper end of the spindle U. Under this
collar is a leathern washer y, beneath which is an arm or lever V, the
hub of which surrounds the spindle and is free to turn on it, being only

page_text: attached thereto by being forced up against the washer y by a spiral
spring 2, which lies under the lever and bears against the top of the
bushing V. The end of the lever V is furnished with a pawl X, which
engages with the teeth of a ratchet wheel fastened to the arbor of the
first wheel of a train of wheelwork, which constitutes the register of
the meter, and is like the register of a gas meter. The movement of the
arm or lever V is limited by two pins x and x, whose distance apart is
such that each movement of the lever may be sufficient to cause the
pawl to move the ratchet wheel a certain number of teeth, but not
enough to move it one tooth more than the given number. The collar x,
washer y, and spiral spring z form a frictional coupling whereby the
lever V is connected with the spindle U and is moved by it, but which
enables the spindle to turn in either direction farther than it moves the
lever V which is stopped by the pins x and x².
Small cushions 21
and of india-rubber or leather are inserted centrally in the inside
of the caps E¹ and E, and serve as noiseless stops against which the
short lever arms strike and limit the stroke of the piston F; india-rubber
rings n' and n² are also inserted in the hub of the piston M, and in a
collar on the rod L. By these the stroke of the secondary piston is
limited.
The operation of the apparatus above described is as follows:-Water
from the source of supply fills the box-like cover D of the meter through
the inlet B, and if all the parts are in the positions shewn in the
Drawings the water enters the port h2, flows through the passage H2 and
the opening G³ into the front end of the measuring cylinder. This forces
the piston F towards the rear, and empties a certain quantity of water
out of the rear end of the cylinder E through the opening G', passage H',
port h, and the cup of the valve K, and discharges it through the
outlet or delivery passage C. When the piston F has gone so far that
its prong comes in contact with the short lever arm T the end of the
said arm is forced back, and consequently the longer arm R', the
secondary valve O, and the long lever arm R² are all pressed forward.
The spindle U is turned by the movement of the arm R', and this
moves the pawl arm V which actuates the register. The forward move-
ment of the valve O uncovers the port leading to the rear end of the
secondary cylinder, and the water flowing in from the box D presses
forward the piston M, forcing out the water which is in front of it
through the port, the cup of the valve O, the port 1, the passages m

page_text: and p, and, finally, through the main outlet or delivery passage C. By
this movement of the piston M the main valve K is carried forward so
as to cover the port h² with its cup. It also uncovers the port h', which
admits water from the box D to the rear end of the cylinder E, and this
forces forward the piston F and causes the discharge of the water from
the front end of the cylinder E out at the delivery passage C. When
the front prong touches the end of the short lever arm T* this is
pressed forward, and the position of the secondary valve O is thereby
reversed and brought back into the position shewn in the Drawings. This
admits water to the front end of the secondary cylinder and causes the
rearward stroke of the piston M and the discharge through the outlet C
of the water in the rear end of the small cylinder. By this movement
of the piston M the main valve K is drawn back, and all the parts are
again brought into the positions shown in the Drawings, causing a
repetition of the described movements so long as water is supplied to
the meter and drawn from the delivery. The size of the secondary
cylinder N is such that it shall give only sufficient power to move the
valve K. with certainty, and it is important to reduce its area as much as
is consistent with this requirement, as it is found that by so doing
greater definiteness in the length of stroke of the piston F is obtained
under varying speeds. The lap of the valve O is so great that as much
angular movement of the lever arm R 1 is required to overcome the said
lap as is needed to give to the register pawl arm V the amount of motion
necessary to effect a record. By this provision no reversal of the move-
ment of the main piston F can be made to take place without a
corresponding and sufficient movement of the spindle U which drives
the register pawl arm V. The additional movement of the lever arm R1
necessary to uncover the port k¹ or after the lap of the valve is
overcome is permitted without effect on the register by the frictional
coupling by which the pawl arm V is moved, and by the stops x and x
which limit its movements. The register is made to indicate the whole
quantity of water which passes through both cylinders E and N. The
pressure of the water in the box D is (when the meter is acting) greater
than in the cylinder E; the hubs of the lever arms R' and R³ are thereby
forced upon their bushings and leakage of water into the cylinder
around the rock shafts S¹ and S2 is prevented. By this self-packing
arrangement of the rock shaft by which the movement of the piston F
is transmitted to the valve O, the use of a stuffing box for the shaft is

page_text: avoided. This feature of my Invention is applicable to some kinds of
duplex cylinder meters.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and shewn how the same may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood 5
that I do not claim the use of two measuring cylinders in the same case
or box, when these are of nearly equal size, and constitute a duplex
measuring apparatus; nor do I claim as new the arrangement of the
working parts within a single case when this is not combined with
a channel plate separate from a box-like cover as described; but I 1
claim,―
First. The combination with the principal measuring cylinder E of a
smaller secondary cylinder N and piston M; the latter connected to and
operating the main valve K of the principal cylinder when both
cylinders are arranged within a case to which the water to be measured
is admitted, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The combination of the channel plate A for supporting the
working parts of the meter, and containing the inlet and outlet pas-
sages B and C and the channels of communication H' and H2 with the
measuring cylinder, and with the box-like cover D when this is arranged
substantially as described to facilitate the uncovering of the working
parts.
Third. The caps E1 and E2, with their openings G¹ and G' in com-
bination with the tubular part E of the main measuring cylinder.
Fourth. The combination of the bolts f and f¹ and the set screws
g' and g² with the caps E' and E, and the tubular part E of the main
cylinder, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination of the two lever arms T and T lying within
the measuring cylinder or its caps, one at each end of the cylinder, with
the two lever arms R¹ and R2 lying outside of the cylinder and con-
nected with the valve O for the purpose herein-before set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the bushings with the self-packing hubs
upon the top of the valve driving rock shafts S1, S2, substantially as set
forth.
Seventh. The combination of the registering pawl with the secondary
valve O, substantially as described, so that the required movement of

page_text: the pawl shall be produced by that portion of the movement of the valve
necessary to overcome the "lap" of the valve, for the purpose herein-
before set forth.
Eighth. The combination with the register pawl arm V and the
mechanism by which it is moved of a frictional coupling, and of positive
stops and a for the purpose herein-before explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. W. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.