IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER METERS to be as follows:—
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS ROBINSON of Lawrence Hill in the city and county of Bristol
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER METERS to be as follows:—
"
This invention relates to certain improvements in water meters the object being
to so construct the apparatus that the largest or smallest quantity of water may
be measured correctly and to insure the correct registration thereof.
I construct the apparatus as follows:-
To a bed plate and enclosed in a casing I attach by any suitable means at each
side a cylinder and between said cylinder and connected therewith by a pipe or
pipes are provided slide valves.
The cylinders are provided with pistons as ordinarily for a steam engine and
connected to cranks at each end of a shaft provided above said cylinders at any
convenient height.
The slides of the valves are connected to eccentrics on the said shaft.
The shaft is provided with a worm which gears into a worm wheel which
connects upwards and gears with the gearing of the clock work placed above the
casing.
Instead of the cylinders and slide valves two cylinders and pistons may be used.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The water is supplied from the supply
pipe into the bottom chamber and opens the valves and operates the eccentrics
causing the water to pass into the cylinder and the pressure of water against the
piston or pistons works the cranks so that the shaft is revolved and with it the worin
wheel which operates the clock work before referred to. The water after passing
through the cylinder is delivered into an exhaust chest and then passes through a
pipe connected to a cock for use by the consumer.

page_text: I, THOMAS ROBINSON, of 134 Lawrence Hill, in the City and County of Bristol,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER METERS," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My said invention relates to certain improvements in water meters of the
cylinder and piston type and has for its object to obtain greater accuracy in
measurement and indication of the quantity of water passed through a neter..
The cylinders of a meter, constructed and arranged in accordance with my said:
invention, are secured to the underside of a bed plate and are provided with slide
valves for governing the admission of the fluid to the cylinders. The cylinders
are enclosed in a casing or chest and are fitted with pistons the rods of which are
connected to hollow crossheads partially embracing the crank pins of cranks fixed
upon the crank shaft which is carried at any convenient height above the cylinders.
The crank pins are adjustable in the cranks which are slotted or made hollow for
the purpose. The slide valves aforesaid are connected to eccentrics carried upon
the said crank shaft. Upon the crank shaft is formed or secured a worm which
gears with a worm. wheel connected to a train of spur wheels and pinions or clock-
work enclosed in a box surmounting the meter. The engine thus constructed and'
arranged is driven by the water supplied from an inlet chamber attached to the
chest or casing aforesaid and communicating with the main supply pipe or other
source.
Motion is imparted from the crank shaft to the clock work, and the pointers of
the latter are rotated over a dial plate the face of which is furnished with circles"
properly graduated and figured for the purpose of indicating the quantity of water
passed through the meter. The water is delivered from the exhaust ports of the
cylinders into an outlet chamber attached to the chest or casing at the side opposite
to the inlet chamber:
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, Fig 1 thereon
represents a part vertical section and part side elevation of a water meter con-
structed and arranged in accordance with my said invention. The lower casing or
chest which encloses the cylinders B. B and other parts below the bed plate F' and
the cover C, which encloses the mechanism above the bed plate F, are shown in
vertical section.
-
Fig 2. represents a view of the meter as seen from the left hand end of Fig 1.
The chest A and cover Care shown in vertical section.
Fig 3 represents a sectional plan taken through the inlet chamber D and outlet
chamber E.
The cylinders B. B are attached to the bed plate F which constitutes a lid or
cover to the chest A.
The cylinders B. B are fitted with pistons which are preferably composed as
shown in the left hand cylinder, Fig. 1. Each piston is made up of cup leathers a, a
disposed, as shewn, above and below a metal disc b and are furnished with discs c. c,
the whole being secured in place on the piston rod G by the nut d.

page_text: The piston rods G, G, are connected at their upper ends to the crossheads K. K
to which are pivotted the guide blocks . h working in the guides L, L fixed to
the bed plate F. Over the ports of the cylinders B, B, are placed the slide
valves . working in the guides a³, and connected by the spindles e. e-to the
eccentrics XX. secured upon the crank shaft J supported in the standards f. f.
fixed to the bed plate F
The guides of the valves act both as guides and as means to prevent
displacement of the valves by the force exerted by the water.
The crank pins i of the slotted or hollow cranks M. M'are extended between the
upper and lower members of the crossheads K. K and are provided with loose
rollers . Each pin is adjustable in the slot of its crank by means of screws m³
which, when placed in position are prevented from working out by stops in or by
other suitable and convenient means. Hence, according as the said screws are
turned in one direction or 'the other the crank pins are moved upwards or down-
wards in the slots of the cranks. When adjusted to the desired point each pin is
clamped thereat by a nut o bearing against a slotted. washer o, as indicated at
Fig.1. The stroke of the pistons may thus be regulated at will
Upon the crank shaft J is carried the worm N gearing with a worm wheel P
carried upon the spindle p the lower end of which has a bearing in the top of the
bracket carried upon the bed plate F.
The spindle.p is furnished at its upper end with a pinion q gearing with the
spur wheel q¹ from which a train of toothed wheels or clock work enclosed in
the box R. surmounting the mechanism is driven.
The space between the upper side of the bed plate F and the bottom of the
box R is designed to be filled with oil or other lubricant in which the mechanism.
therein situate is intended to be immersed.
Water is admitted to the casing or chest A through the orifices D'. D' opening
into the inlet chamber D which communicates by the pipe D³ with the main pipe
or other source of supply.
The pistons of the cylinders are acted upon by the water in a manner similar
to that in which the pistons of a steam engine are actuated by steam. The water
is exhausted from the cylinders B. B by the pipes E¹. E' which are in direct com-
munication with the exhaust ports of the cylinders. Thence it passes out through
the pipe E of the outlet chamber E. Fig 3. Motion is imparted through the
crank shaft J, worm N and worm-wheel P to the train of clockwork contained in
the box R, and the quantity of water passed through the meter is indicated by the
pointers 8, 8 rotating over graduated and figured circles inscribed upon the dial
plate S and visible through the glass plate t.
By moving the crank pins i of the cranks M, M, as aforesaid, the stroke of the
pistons may be adjusted and set so that the quantity of water indicated as delivered
corresponds with that quantity as measured. Hence the accuracy of measurement
may be readily tested. In practice it will be found convenient to employ a dial
plate engraved to indicate the delivery of any quantity of water down to a pint,
but the plate may, if desired, be marked to indicate smaller quantities.
Above each valve. is a stop or stud y, and in event of the breaking of either of
the spindle e or its becoming disconnected from its eccentric, or in event of the
breakdown of other parts of the mechanism, the valve immediately affected will
be driven up by the water against the stop or study. The upper supply port and
the exhaust port will thus be kept closed and the passage of water through the
meter be prevented. The other half of the engine will then become inoperative
inasmuch as the crank thereof cannot pass the dead centre. Instead of employing
the stud or stop y, the valve guides ³ may be cast with a projection or shoulder
for the same purpose.
A wire gauze net or screen h is interposed between the inlet chamber D and the
chest A to obviate the passage of dirt or other substance into the meter. This
may be supplemented by a second screen placed so as to surround the cylinders.

page_text: Instead of adapting the casing A to act as a valve chest for both the valves œ. œ,
as described, each cylinder may be provided with a separate valve chest in
communication with the source of supply.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to bo performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1 The employment in a water meter of the type described and illustrated of
adjustable crank pins for regulating the stroke of the pistons for the purpose.
of ensuring the agreement of the quantity of water delivered with that indicated,
substantially as liereinbefore described and by the means illustrated.
2nd In a water meter the employment of a chest corresponding to the chest A
enclosing the cylindors and valves, the said chest serving, (a), as a receptacle for
the water affording space for breaking the force due to the pressure of the water
and, (b), as a soparate chamber to receive the water from the force of which tho
more delicate mechanism situated above the bed plate F is thus cut off, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
W. LLOYD) WISE,
Applicant's Agent.