AN IMPROVED WATER METER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,-
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED WATER METER." A communication from abroad by Jean Antoine
Clément and Pierre Valdelièvre, of Lille, France.
Sealed the 11th October 1878, and dated the 16th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED WATER METER." A communication
from abroad by Jean Antoine Clément and Pierre Valdelièvre, of Lille, France.
The construction of this improved water meter is shown upon the accompanying
Sheet of Drawing, upon which,-
Figure 1 represents a vertical section at X, X, Fig. 3, separating the meter into
two symmetrical parts.
Figure 2, a broken vertical section at Y, Y, Fig. 4, passing through the axis of the
water inlet and outlet conduits.
Figure 3, a horizontal section passing through the centre of the working parts.
Figure 4, a horizontal section passing by Z, Z1, Z, Z, Fig. 2; it shows the four
ducts which cause the pistons to work, and the section of the distributing valve.
Figure 5 is a plan of the wheelwork, less the dial.
And Figure 6 shows the dial with the indications.
This apparatus consists of a cast-iron box A, A, presenting interiorly a main
capacity or compartment B, provided laterally with four cylindrical parts furnished
with bronze tubes C; covers D close the exterior of the cast-iron cylinders, leaving
the bronze tubes open in order to permit their communication with the conduits E
and E'; the ends opposite each other are also open; the four conduits E, E¹, (Fig. 4)`
placed beneath the tubes unite in a socket F, in which the distributing valve is
fixed. The lower cavity G, closed by a cast-iron plate upon which the apparatus rests
receives the inlet. duct H; the outlet duct I opens into the main capacity between
Dance G1

page_text: two conduits E, E¹. The upper part of the box is closed by a cast-iron plate J
which carries the wheel work plate; a glass permitting the dial to be seen covers the
whole..
The bronze pistons K, K¹, with leather packing are fitted within the tubes; they
are set freely upon pins placed at the ends of the cross pieces or ties L, L', which
couple them two and two. In the middle of each cross piece is a slide bar placed
perpendicularly to the pistons which it unites.
These two slide bars embrace the crank M, beneath which and forming part
thereof is the key or plug N of the distributing cock. This distributor is composed
of the seat O, having four lateral orifices corresponding to the four conduits, and
which are of the same height or depth as that of the combined superposed orifices of
the key or plug; it is forced into the socket F and there held by tightening up the
nut the key or plug is a hollow cylinder open at its two ends and divided into
two parts by a partition m; in each part is an orifice m¹ diametrically opposed to
the other mit is cylindrical, and ground true. The crank has at its upper part
a small shaft P which passes through the centre of the plate J, and the end of which
terminating in a pinion comes beneath the wheel work plate; a plate R screwed on
the crank prevents the key or pluġ being lifted by the force of the water.
I will now proceed to describe how the meter is set working, and the manner in
which the quantity of water passing through it is registered:-The water being
introduced by the duct H enters into the distributor beneath the key; a plug passes
through the orifice m' and traverses the channel E, from which it penetrates into
the cylinder and passes upon the piston K; the cross piece L communicates for this
purpose with the piston K, which in advancing forces the water contained in the
cylinder C to issue by the orifice E¹; it then traverses the conduit, penetrates into
the distributor, and issues by the orifice m¹¹ and the upper opening of the key or
plug, from whence it spreads into the main capacity, where it finds the outlet duct I.
In this movement the cross piece has acted on the crank, but the orifices of the key
or plug being sufficiently large to feed two cylinders at the same time the other
cross piece acts also; they form a connecting rod, and their alternate movement
gives to the crank a rotary motion which the arrangement of the slide bars permit
it to describe; the orifices of the key or plug then present themselves successively
before each conduit to fill and empty all the cylinders in turn, and the short interval
during which the orifice m¹ only supplies one conduit, giving one cross piece an
advance upon the other; the movement is continuous.
The shaft P being in motion, the pinion a placed at its end communicates the
movement to the wheel b; these two wheels are placed in a cavity or recess under
the base plate of the wheel work; the wheel b carries a vertical spindle c, at the end
of which is an endless screw; the hole by which the spindle C passes through the
cast-iron plate is closed so as to prevent the water from penetrating into the wheel-
work; the endless screw e gears with a vertical wheel having inclined teeth, which
is set upon a horizontal shaft g, supported on two square bearings 1. At the other
end of this shaft is a second endless screw h, which obeys the movement of the
wheelf, and communicates it to a wheel with inclined teeth i, turning freely upon a
fixed pivot, and surmounted by another wheel 2, which participates in the same
movement and communicates it to a wheel j, upon which is fixed the pinion k. This
pinion, which I term the metrical pinion, gears with two differential wheels n, o,
superposed; the wheel n is set upon a pin turning in a step or socket; the wheel o
which carries the dial turns freely on a small vertical shaft placed on the wheel n,
and at the end of which is the needle or hand:
The wheel n has 101 teeth, and that o 100, so that after a revolution that which
carries 101 teeth, and which moves the hand or pointer is in retard 10 of a revo-
lution. Now by reference to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the dial is divided into 100
equal parts, and that a fixed index is placed at the side.
At starting, the zero and the hand being placed in front of the fixed index, each
time that the wheel o advances by one tooth the dial will advance a degree, and
mark in accordance with the above-described metrical pinion the passage of one

page_text: 'cubic meter when it will have made a complete turn, the hand which is fixed to the
wheel n will be in retard one degree, and will therefore be placed upon the first
degree, which will indicate the passage of 100 cubic meters; the Figure 6 represents
the passage of 4 cubic meters, and it will be seen that as many as 10,000 may be
measured by this clockwork.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
October 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED WATER METER." A communication
from abroad by Jean Antoine Clément and Pierre Valdelièvre, of Lille, France.
The construction of this improved water meter is shown upon the accompanying
Sheet of Drawing, upon which,
Figure 1 represents a vertical section at X, X, Figure 3, separating the meter into
two symmetrical parts.
Figure 2, a broken vertical section at Y, Y, Figure 4, passing through the axis of
the water inlet and outlet conduits.
Figure 3, a horizontal section passing through the centre of the working parts.
Figure 4, a horizontal section passing by Z, Z¹, Z, Z, Figure 2; it shows
the 4 ducts which cause the pistons to work and the section of the distributing
valve.
Figure 5 is a plan of the wheelwork, less the dial.
And Figure 6 shows the dial with the indications.
This apparatus consists of a cast-iron box A, A, presenting interiorly a main
capacity or compartment B provided laterally with four cylindrical parts furnished
with bronze tubes C; covers D close the exterior of the cast-iron cylinders, leaving
the bronze tubes open in order to permit their communication with the conduits E
and E¹; the ends opposite each other are also open; the four conduits E, E, (Figure 4)
placed beneath the tubes unite in a socket F in which the distributing valve is
fixed. The lower cavity G closed by a cast-iron plate upon which the apparatus
rests receives the inlet duct H; the outlet duct I opens into the main capacity
between two conduits E, E'. The upper part of the box is closed by a cast-iron
plate J which carries the wheelwork plate; a glass permitting the dial to be seen
covers the whole.
The bronze pistons K, K¹, with leather packing are fitted within the tubes; they
are set freely upon pins placed at the ends of the cross pieces or ties L, L', which
couple them two and two; in the middle of each cross piece is a slide bar, placed
perpendicularly to the pistons which it unites.
These two slide bars embrace the crank M, beneath which and forming part
thereof is the key or plug N of the distributing cock. This distributor is composed

page_text: of the seat O, having four lateral orifices corresponding to the four conduits, and
which are of the same height or depth as that of the combined superposed orifices of
the key or plug; it is forced into the socket F and there held by tightening up the
nut Q; the key or plug is a hollow cylinder, open at its two ends and divided into
two parts by a partition m; in each part is an orifice m¹; it is cylindrical and
ground true. The crank has at its upper part a small shaft P which passes through
the centre of the plate J, and the end of which terminating in a pinion comes
beneath the clockwork plate; a plate R screwed on the crank prevents the key or
plug being lifted by the force of the water.
I will now proceed to describe how the meter is set working, and the manner in
which the quantity of water passing through it is registered: -The water being
introduced by the duct H enters into the distributor beneath the key or plug, passes
through the orifice m³, and traverses the channel E, from which it penetrates into
the cylinder and presses upon the piston K; the cross piece L communicates for this
purpose with the piston K, which in advancing forces the water contained in the
cylinder C to issue by the orifice E¹; it then traverses the conduit, penetrates into
the distributor, and issues by the orifice m¹ and the upper opening of the key or
plug, from whence it spreads into the main capacity where it finds the outlet duct I.
In this movement the cross piece has acted on the crank, but the orifices of the key
or plug being sufficiently large to feed two cylinders at the same time, the other
cross piece acts also; they form a connecting rod, and their alternate movement
gives to the crank a rotary motion, which the arrangement of the slide bars permit
it to describe; the orifices of the key or plug then present themselves successively
before each conduit to fill and empty all the cylinders in turn, and the short interval
during which the orifice m¹ only supplies one conduit, giving one cross piece an
advance upon the other; the movement is continuous.
The shaft P being in motion, the pinion a placed at its end communicates the
movement to the wheel b; these two wheels are placed in a cavity or recess under
the base plate of the clock work; the wheel b carries a vertical spindle c, at the end
of which is an endless screw; the hole by which the spindle c passes through the
cast-iron plate is closed so as to prevent the water from penetrating into the clock-
work; the endless screw e gears with a vertical wheel f, having inclined teeth which
is set upon a horizontal shaft g, supported on two square bearings . At the other
end of this shaft is a second endless screw h, which obeys the movement of the
wheel f, and communicates it to a wheel with inclined teeth i, turning freely upon a
fixed pivot and surmounted by another wheel which participates in the same
movement and communicates it to a wheel j, upon which is fixed the pinion k. This
pinion, which I term the metrical pinion, gears with two differential wheels n, o,
superposed; the wheel n is set upon a pin turning in a step or socket; the wheel o
which carries the dial turns freely on a small vertical shaft placed on the wheel n,
and at the end of which is the needle or hand.
The wheel n has 101 teeth, and that o 100, so that after a revolution that which
carries 101 teeth, and which moves the hand or pointer is in retard Too of a revolu-
tion. Now by reference to Figure 6 it will be seen that the dial is divided into 100
equal parts, and that a fixed index is placed at the side.
of one
At starting, the zero and the hand being placed in front of the fixed index, each
time that the wheel o advances by one tooth the dial will advance a degree, and
mark in accordance with the above-described metrical pinion the passage
cubic meter; when it will have made a complete turn, the hand which is fixed to
the wheel n will be in retard one degree, and will therefore be placed upon the first
degree, which will indicate the passage of 100 cubic meters. The Figure 6 represents
the passage of 4 cubic meters, and it will be seen that as many as 10,000 may be
measured by this clockwork.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention com-
municated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the

page_text: use of a water meter constructed, combined, and operating substantially as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 'Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)