Improvements in or relating to Water-meters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Water-meters.
A communication from THEODORE DERICHS, Engineer, and Messrs. HEGEN-
SCHEIDT BROTHERS, Mechanical Engineers, of Molenbeek Snt. Jean lez
Bruxelles, 30, Rue Gauthier, Belgium.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The improvements which are the subject of this invention relate to water-meters
of the type known as Kennedy's and appertain on the one hand to the arrangement
of the 4-way cock, with cross-passages, and on the other hand to the clockwork
movement, regulating itself automatically by the stroke of the piston, to the substi-
tution of a silent feed wheel in lieu of the ratchet, to dispensing with tamping or
packing for the distributing cock, and to the provision of automatic packing for the
piston-rod, tightening itself by the water-pressure in the meter.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate the arrangement of the water-meter to which the device
for dispensing with packing is applied.
In Figs. 1 to 3, A indicates the plug of the 4-way cock B; C, the cylinder-
cover; 1, the admission pipe; 2, the discharge or outlet pipe; 3 the port or passage
communicating with the cylinder-space below the piston; 4, that communicating
with the space above the piston. The plug A is traversed by the passages D and E,
the latter crossing the former D and separated therefrom by the partition or wall
of intersection F. A hollow is formed on each side of the plug A and communicates
with the transverse outlet-passage E. The inlet and outlet passages never at any
time exchange functions; the former always serving for the admission, the latter
for the exit of the water passing through the apparatus.
The distributory movement is operated by the counterpoise G, provided with
two curved arms or cams a b, which may be cast in one piece with it. The piston-
rod H is provided with a roller J which, at the up-stroke, raises the bent arm or
cam a to the vertical position, when the counterpoise G falls to the left (Fig. 2),
carrying with it the lever arm K of the hent or angle lever K K secured to the
spindle of the cock-plug A, thereby establishing the communication between the
passages D and 4 so that the water is admitted into the cylinder above the piston,
and opening the communication between the passages 3 and E, and the discharge
outlet 2. At the dawn-stroke the roller L, pressing upon the curved arm or cam b,
raises the counterpoise from left to right, and causes it to fall over towards the right,
carrying with it the other lever-arm K of the bent or angle-lever K K, and thus
throws the passages D.and 3 into communication. Thereupon, water is admitted
to the cylinder below the piston, while that above the piston. is discharged through
the passages 4 and.2.
The counterpoise G turns freely on the stud M fixed in the bridge-piece N. On
the spindle of the cock-plug A are loosely carried the rings O over which the rubber

page_text: tube P is fitted, and fixed, on the side of the plug, by a copper ring or wire, and on
the outer side by a collar-joint, covered by the closure-plate Q which is secured by
screws to the cock-body B to prevent the rubber tube P from adhering to the
rings O; P is further lined with a cotton tube, such as a lamp wick, or the like as an
insulator between the parts.
The distinguishing characteristic of this part of the invention is as follows ;-
To permit or enable the rubber-tube P to twist or undergo torsion throughout its
whole length, and to prevent it from adhering to the spindle by the pressure of
water which is brought to bear on it, by slipping on the spindle of the plug a number
of preferably copper rings, forming a tube cut in numerous sections interposed
between the rubber and the spindle. The pressure acts on those rings, which turn
freely on the spindle and permit or enable the rubber tube to act freely without
friction and to be twisted, according to circumstances, the torsion diminishing
gradually in passing from the movable to the fixed part.
According to the nature and extent of the oscillations of the shaft or rod
transmitting the movement from the inside to the outside, i.e. according as the
rotation of the latter approaches more or less to a quarter of a revolution, it will
be necessary to vary the length of the rubber tube so as to diminish the wear
or "fatigue." This is a simple, easy, and absolutely reliable method of preventing
leakage, and reducing wear to a minimum or vice versa, to render the working
duration a maximum.
To deaden the shock caused by the falling counterpoise G rubber or other
buffers R are provided and suitably housed.
Secured to the piston-rod H is the bent arm S carrying at its outer end the
sleeve T arranged to slide up and down on the vertical rod U. Fixed on the
sleeve T is the roller V which also slides up and down within the movable curved
slotted link W, whereby the latter is caused to oscillate round a horizontal axis,
together with the lever-arm X, which thus actuates the silent feed wheel Z and
causes it to rotate, whereby the counting mechanism is actuated. The entire
clockwork movement is carried upon the bracket or standard f.
is
Figure 2 shows the automatic packing of the piston rod, consisting of a rubber
tubek with a tubular lining of cotton or other suitable material. A hollow
provided around the tube k in order to maintain free communication with the water
in the meter through the orificesi, so that the water-pressure serves automatically to
maintain a tight joint, the upper part of the rubber tube k forming a ring-flange or
crown and making joint with the cover-plate m, the whole being secured by suitable
screw-bolts and nuts.
In Figure 3 the packing is shown as composed of a rubber tube n lined and
arranged as above described, and shown in Figure 2 and may be fitted with a stuffing
box gland in the customary way, except that the cotton-wick or lining projects
inside the cylinder, and, as the rubber is always in contact with the water,
the cotton imbibes it, thus facilitating the sliding of the piston-rod, water being a
lubricant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is ;-
'
1. The improvement applied to water-meters of the type known as Kennedy's
and characterized by distribution by means of a four-way cock with crossed passages
combined with a clockwork movement automatically operated by the piston stroke
and consisting in the substitution of a silent feed-wheel for the ratchet (or escape-
ment) the dispensing with packing for the distributing cock plug by means of a
special arrangement or device and in the automatic packing of the piston rod
tightened by the water pressure in the meter the whole substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The device hereinbefore described and illustrated for the prevention of

page_text: escape and leakage round working parts employed to transmit movement from the
interior to the exterior of a closed chamber as applied to the distributors or cocks
of water meters.
Dated this 18th day of September 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.