AN IMPROVED FLUID-METER
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William. Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED FLUID-METER." A communication from abroad by Leon
Jules Edouard Jacquet, of Paris, France, Engineer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
"AN IMPROVED FLUID-METER." [A commu-
Southampton Buildings, London.
nication from abroad by Leon Jules Edouard Jacquet, of Paris, France, Engineer.]
This Invention relates to an improved fluid meter of that class in which the
liquid to be measured is introduced alternately above and below a piston working
in a cylinder. The capacity of this cylinder and the number of strokes of the
piston determine the volume of the liquid which has passed through the apparatus.
A special arrangement of valves reverses at each end of the stroke of the piston
the direction in which the water is admitted.
An ordinary counting device actuated by a ratchet wheel registers the number
of strokes, and consequently the quantity of water passing through the apparatus.
-The
This improved water meter therefore comprises three distinct parts, viz. :-
measuring cylinder, the distributing apparatus, and the registering mechanism.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a cylinder consisting of a
cast-iron casing which encloses a thin brass cylinder or tube soldered at its upper
part. In this tube works a piston formed of plates of sheet-iron and brass with
two pieces of leather pressed between the same back to back so as to form a
hermetic closing whichever side the pressure may come from.
The liquid is admitted sometimes above the piston where the supply pipe is
situated, and sometimes below through a lateral conduit or passage which opens at
the base of the brass cylinder. The distributing apparatus or mechanism is
contained in a cast iron casing bolted upon the body of the measuring cylinder.
This distributing apparatus is horizontally divided into four parts, so that on

page_text: The
removing the cover all the parts of which the distributing apparatus consists can
be readily seen and are accessible to the hand. The main chamber directly com-
municates with the top of the piston. The admission chamber communicates
directly with the water supply pipe attached to a coupling piece at its end.
exhaust chamber communicates directly with the delivery pipe with which it is
connected in the same manner as the admission chamber is connected with the
supply pipe, and at the rear a chamber or space communicates with the under
side of the piston by means of a lateral passage which has been previously
mentioned,
These four chambers communicate with one another by orifices. These orifices
are traversed in pairs through their axes by two screw threaded bronze shafts,
each carrying two clack-valves; these shafts are solidly attached to a cross piece nt
whose centre there is an aperture which forms an eye having the shape of a
parallelogram. Their ends take on the one side into an aperture provided in the
casing of the distributing device, and furnished with leather fittings, their opposite
ends taking into a bronze plug which closes the aperture through which they are
admitted. They very freely move forward and backward and thus form in reality
a framing carrying the valves.
The valves are formed of bronze discs with a central screw threaded eyo, and are
mounted on the aforesaid bronze shafts each carrying a leather disc pressed upon
by a second bronze disc also screw threaded, which admits of their being fixed at any
point along the shaft carrying the same. The two shafts and the cross piece
forming a very rigid combination the cams cannot move independently of one
another. Their arrangement on the shaft is such that when two of them are open
the other two are closed. If the cross piece moves in one direction two of the valves
close, whilst the other two are opened. When the cross-picce returns in the
opposite direction the contrary action takes place.
Referring to the preceding description relating to the arrangement of the
distributing chambers it will be obvious that by a slight forward movement of the
cross piece the liquid arriving through the chamber communicating with the
supply pipe will alternately be admitted above and below the piston. But when
it has access below the piston by passing through the rear chamber, the valves
being in a certain position, the space above the piston will communicate with the
delivery pipe. To cause the space under the piston to communicate with the
delivery pipe it will be necessary that the valves, having changed their position,
admission should take place at that side at which the first named chamber is
situated.
This being stated I will proceed to describe the apparatus which sets the valve
gear in motion.
At the centre of the main chamber is firmly secured at three points of support a
piece of hard bronze, which serves at the same time as a guide and as a seating.
In a groove at its lower part it maintains a knife-edged piece, upon the back of
which bears a supporting point, a hard bronze spring which may be stirrup-shaped,
or with a cross-piece acted upon by two coiled springs of bronze, or in the shape
of a screw threaded rod resting on movable knife edges, so that the tension of said
spring may be increased for the purpose of compensating for the wear of the parts
of the knife edges which are exposed to friction. This spring has its point of
rotation in the vertical axis of the knife edges, and by this arrangement one of the
knife edges swinging on the seating and the other in a slit in the cross piece of
the spring cannot retain this position of unstable equilibrium, and are thrown
sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left as soon as they are caused to
pass the point of maximum tension of the spring. The knife-edge carries two lever
arms arranged at a right angle. The upper aru engages with the slot of the cross
piece of the valve shafts. The other extending forward engages with a slut
provided in the seating and extends to the guide of the piston rod. By the side
of these levers there are placed two other levers of bell crank form which are
movable on an axle placed very near to the axle of the upper kuiſe edge. These

page_text: two levers work very freely and do not participate in the movement of the knife-
edged lever; they are longer than the latter. One of their ends engages with the
eye of the cross piece and the other in the piston guide.
The piston carries at its centre a vertical hard bronze rod, which at each end is
provided with a cain, or simply with a slit, with which the joined ends of the
three levers engage.
.M
When the piston rises a pawl at its base lifts one of the teeth of a ratchet wheel
which, by means of an arbor provided with a stuffing box communicates the motion
to an ordinary counting device registering the strokes of the piston, and consc-
quently the volume of water that has passed through the meter.
It may be observed that the two side levers hereinabove mentioned are necessary
in large apparatus only.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st December 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED FLUID-METER." A commu-
nication from abroad by Leon Jules Edouard Jacquet, of Paris, France, Engineer.
This Invention relates to an improved fluid-meter of that class in which the
liquid to be measured is introduced alternately above and below a piston working
in a cylinder. The capacity of this cylinder and the number of strokes of the
piston determine the quantity or volume of the liquid which has passed through
the apparatus. A special arrangement of valves reverses at each termination of
the stroke of the piston the direction in which the inflow of the liquid takes place.
A counting device of the ordinary construction actuated by a ratchet-wheel
serves to register or indicate the number of strokes of the piston, and consequently
the quantity of water or other liquid passing through the apparatus.
My improved meter therefore comprises threo distinct parts, namely, the
mensuring cylinder, the distributing apparatus, and the registering mechanism.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved meter or apparatus.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the distributing chamber with the valve
mechanism therein, and
Figure 3 represents part of the apparatus in vertical section on two different
planes.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent in elevation and top view a bronze seating which
serves to guide the piston-rod.
Figures 7 and 8 represent in front and side view a knife-edged lever provided
with two lateral elbow or bell-crank shaped levers.
Figure 9 is a side view of the cross-bar which connects the valve-spindles, and
which is shewn in plan in Figure 2.
The cylinder which is shewn clearly in Figure 1 consists of a cast-iron casing
that encloses a thin copper cylinder or tubo soldered at its upper part. In this
tube works a piston formed of plates of sheet iron and copper with two pieces
of leather pressed between them in such a manner as to form a hermetic joint
when the pressure is exerted either on the upper or the lower sido of the said
piston.
The liquid is admitted abovo the piston directly from the aperture with which
the inlet or supply pipe is connected, and passes to the lower side of the said piston
through a lateral conduit or passage H, which communicates with the base or
lower end of the copper cylinder. The distributing apparatus or mechanism is
contained in a cast-iron casing bolted upon the body of the measuring cylinder.
This casing or chamber is divided horizontally into four parts, ns shewn in Figure 2,
so that on removing the cover the parts which constituto the distributing apparatus
may be readily seen and are accessible to the hand. The part A which constitutes
the main chamber communicates directly with the part of the cylinder above the
piston. The part B constitutes the admission-chamber, and is in direct communi-
cation with the liquid supply pipe or passago connected thereto at E. The part C
constitutes the exhaust or outlet chamber which communicates directly with tho
delivery-pipe or passage connected thereto at G, in a similar manner to that in
which the part E is connected with the supply pipe. The chamber or part D at
the rear is in communication with the undersido of the piston by means of the
aforesaid lateral passage H. These four parts or chambers A, B, C, and D
communicate with one another by orifices O, O', o, o¹. Through the axes of the

page_text: two pairs of orifices pass the screw-threaded bronze shafts E, E', each of which
carries two valves, as shewn at K, K¹, and k, k; these shafts are securely attached
to the cross-piece F provided at its centre with an aperture or eye having the form
of a parallelogram. One end of each of the said shafts or spindles enters an
aperture formed in the casing of the distributing apparatus and provided with a
leather bearing, and the other end of each of the said shafts or spindles extends
into a bronze plug, which closes the aperture through which they are introduced.
The said shafts or spindles are thus enabled to move forward and backward very
freely.
The valves are formed of bronze discs having a central screw-threaded cyo or
aperture, and are mounted upon the shafts E, E, each carrying a leather disc
secured in position by a second bronze disc, which is also screw threaded, so as to
permit the fixing of the same at any point in the length of the shaft carrying the
same. The two shafts and the cross piece forming a very rigid combination, the
valves cannot move independently of one another. The arrangement of the said
valves upon the shafts is such that when two of the valves, say, the valves K and k¹
are opened, the other valves K¹ and are closed, that is to say, when the cross-
piece moves in one direction the valves K' and are closed, and the other two
valves K and are opened. When however the cross-piece moves in the opposite
direction the contrary action takes place.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing description of the arrangement
of the distribution chambers, that by a slight forward movement of the cross-piece F,
the liquid entering through the chamber communicating with the supply-pipe will
alternately be admitted above and below the piston. When however the liquid
has access to the underside of the piston by passing through the chamber or
passage D, the valves being then in the position indicated by Figures 1 and 2, the
space above the piston will be in communication with the delivery or outlet pipe G.
In order to effect a communication between the space below the piston and the
delivery pipe, it will be necessary that after the valves have changed their position
admission should take place at the side at which the chamber A is situated.
I will now proceed to describe the apparatus which sets the valve-gear in motion.
At the centre of the chamber A is firmly secured at three points of support a piece
of hard bronze which serves at the same time as a guide and as a seating (see
Figures 4, 5, and 6). In a groove in its lower part the said piece is provided with
a knife-edged piece (see Figures 7 and 8), upon the back of which bears a supporting
point, consisting of a hard bronze spring which is stirrup-shaped, or of a cross-piece
acted upon by two spiral springs of bronze, or formed of screw-threaded rods
resting on moveable knife-edges, so that the tension of said spring may be increased
for the purpose of compensating for the wear of the parts of the knife-edges which
are exposed to friction.
This spring has its point of rotation in the vertical axis of the knifo-edges; by
this arrangement the knife-edges, one swinging on the seat and the other in a
slit in the cross-piece of the spring, cannot retain this position of unstable
equilibrium, and are thrown sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left as
soon as they are caused to pass the point of maximum tension of the spring. The
knife-edge carries two lever-arms (I, J,) arranged at a right angle to each other.
The upper arm I enters the slot of the cross piece F of the valve-shafts or spindles.
The other arm which extends forward enters a slot M, Figure 6, provided in the
seating, and extends to the guide of the piston-rod. By the side of these levers are
placed two other levers i, j, (Figures 7 and 8) of bell-crank form, which are inovable
on an axis placed very near to the axis of the upper knife-edge. These two levers
work freely, and do not participate in the movement of the kife-edged-lever; they
are longer than the latter. One of their ends enters the slot or eye of the cross-
piece F, and the other end the piston-guide.
The pistou carries at its centre a vertical hard bronze rod which is provided at
cach end with a cam, or simply with a slit with which the joined ends of the three
levers engage.

page_text: The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows, that is to say :-
When the piston rises and the parts are in the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2,
the cam on the piston rod placed at the point R engages first with the enlarged part j
(Figure 8) of the lateral pieces of the elbow or bell crank lever. As the piston
continues to rise, the two points after having met ascend, until they are on a level
with the end of the knife-edged lever. The three levers then rise together, but the
upper part of the two side levers are so much in advance of the central lever that
they touch the cross-piece F at the moment when the knife-edge having exerted a
continuous strain upon its spring, passes the point of maximum tension of the latter,
and is thrown back upon the cross-piece F. At the moment however when the
central lever pushed by the spring is about to touch the valves, moved from their
scats by the action of the side levers upon which pressure is exerted by the piston,
have allowed the liquid to enter the chamber A, the equilibrium is re-established,
and the valves ceasing to be pressed upon their seats by the effect of the loss
caused by the friction of the piston offer no resistance, and are suddenly carried
back by the spring into contact with the opposite seats, they being assisted in
this movement by the current of water which seats them thereon. The piston at
once changes its direction of movement, and when it approaches the end of its
downward stroke, the upper cam S coming into contact with the two side-levers
first carries them down to the level of the central lever, bears upon the three
connected arms, strains or distends the spring in a similar manner to that above
described, and again changes the position of the valves through the medium of the
pressure exerted upon the cross-piece F.
When the piston rises a pawl T at its base engages with and lifts one of the
teeth of a ratchet wheel V, which by means of its shaft provided with a stuffing
box communicates the motion to an ordinary counting device, thus registering the
strokes of the piston, and consequently the volume of liquid that has passed through
the meter.
It may be observed that the two side-levers above described are necessary in
large apparatus only, that is to say, if the pressure acting upon the valves is feeble,
the force transmitted to the knife-edge will also be feeble, and the lateral levers are
not required. If however the pressure upon the valves is considerable, springs of
great power must be employed to resist the same; the knife edges would then be
exposed to considerable wear, especially if the lateral levers were not employed to
support them.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,―
The fluid meter constructed as above described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing, and characterized by the special arrangement of the distribution chambers
whereby they are rendered easily accessible, and of the valves which are brought to
their seats by the effect of the current, and the combined effect of the piston and
the spring, whose pressure may be regulated as desired, to compensate for the wear
of the working or moving parts, the arrangement of the said valves being such that
they are rigidly connected, easily placed in position and regulated, and that they
work freely and do not wear rapidly or lose their proper shape in use.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.