IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER METERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER
METERS." A communication from abroad by Phineas Ball and
Benaiah Fitts, of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th April 1875.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF WATER METERS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to a new and improved mode of operating that
class of water or fluid meters in which two or more cylinders, each pro-
vided with a reciprocating piston, are combined and used in connection

page_text: with a single rotary valve whose parts are common to the waterways of
the different cylinders.
The improvement consists, first, in constructing the piston rod of a
double acting piston with a cam slot formed and arranged at an angle
to the path of motion of the piston so as to actuate the crank shaft
through which motion is imparted from the piston to the valve as the
former is moved back and forth under the pressure of the water being
measured.
The improvement a lsoconsists in combining with a rotary valve and a
crank shaft to operate it two or more double acting pistons, cach working
in a separate cylinder and each carrying a rod provided with a cam slot
formed and arranged at an angle to the path of motion of the piston for
the actuation of the crank shaft, through which motion is imparted
from the pistons to the valve as they move back and forth under the
pressure of the water being measured.
The improvement further consists in combining with a rotary valve
and crank shaft to operate it and with a double acting piston adjusting
stop or stops so arranged that when used in connection with a piston
rod (provided with a cam slot formed at an angle to the path of motion
of the piston and of a proper width), the said slot shall suffice to permit
of the adjustment of the pistons so that thic cylinders may discharge at
each end alternately neither more nor less than the quantity of water
required, and shall also suffice when the further advance of the piston
shall have been thus arrested by the stops to permit the crank to turn
without acting on or being acted on by its own piston, as for instance,
when the crank shaft is acted on by the adjoining piston for the purpose
of opening the parts to the other sides of the piston just stopped, and
which it otherwise could not do were the slot not widened sufficiently
for that purposc.
The improvement also consists in a peculiar modification of the form
of the widened slot in the piston rods whereby by providing it on either
side at or near its middle with a curved depression or cavity the following
results or operations may be obtained, namely, first, each piston may be
stopped, a little before its valve ports, quite close and yet allow the crank
and crank pin which moves in its cam slot to be turned over past their
dead centre without acting on or being acted on by its own piston by
the action of the adjoining piston, so that the latter in thus turning the

page_text: crank may also move the valve over and open its ports to the other sides
of the piston just stopped, and that before the crank pin of the latter
piston has reached the point at which under the action of the other
piston it would compel its own piston to move, thereby preventing the
one piston from compelling the other to move while its valve ports are
closed; secondly, that the piston just stopped when moving on its return
stroke may sooner reinforce the adjoining piston in its action on the
crank shaft so that the motion of the valve and piston may be more
uniform and even, this reinforcement coming at the time it is
most required, that is to say, at the point at which the crank of the
then actuating piston nears its dead centre, and consequently at the
point in which the cam slot exerts the least power upon it,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lanc, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER METERS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by Phineas Ball and Benaiah Fitts, of
Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts, United States of America,

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a new and improved mode of operating that
class of water or fluid meters in which two or more cylinders, each pro-
vided with a reciprocating piston, are combined and used in connection
with a single rotary valve whose ports are common to the waterways of
the different cylinders.
The improvement consists, first, in constructing the piston rod of a
double acting piston with a cam slot formed and arranged at an angle 3
to the path of motion of the piston so as to actuate the crank shaft,
through which motion is imparted from the piston to the valve as the
former is moved back and forth under the pressure of the water being
measured.
The improvement also consists in combining with a rotary valve and
a crank shaft to operate it two or more double acting pistons, each
working in a separate cylinder and each carrying a rod provided with a
cam slot formed and arranged at an angle to the path of motion of the
piston for the actuation of the crank shaft, through which motion is
imparted from the pistons to the valve as they move back and forth
under the pressure of the water which is being measured.
The improvement further consists in combining with a rotary valve
and crank shaft to operate it, and with a double acting piston, an
adjusting stop or stops, so arranged that when used in connection with
a piston rod (provided with a cam slot formed at an angle to the path of
motion of the piston, and of a proper width), the said slot shall suffice

page_text: to permit of the adjustment of the pistons so that the cylinders may
discharge at each end alternately neither more nor less than the quantity
of water required, and shall also suffice (when the further advance of
the piston shall have been thus arrested by the stops) to permit the
crank to turn without acting on or being acted on by its own piston, as
for instance, when the crank shaft is acted on by the adjoining piston
for the purpose of opening the ports to the other sides of the piston just
stopped, and which it otherwise could not do were the slot not widened
sufficiently for that purpose.
The improvement also consists in a peculiar modification of the form
of the widened slot in the piston rods, whereby by providing it on either
side at or near its middle with a curved depression or cavity, the
following results or operations may be obtained, namely; first, each
piston may be stopped a little before its valve ports, quite close, and yet
allow the crank and crank pin, which moves in its cam slot to be turned
over past its dead centre without acting on or being acted on by its
own piston by the action of the adjoining piston, so that the latter in
thus turning the crank may also move the valve over and open its ports
to the other sides of the piston just stopped, and that before the crank
pin of the latter piston has reached the point at which under the action
of the other piston it. would compel its own piston to move, thereby
preventing the one piston from compelling the other to move, while its
valve ports are closed; secondly, that the piston just stopped when
moving on its return stroke may sooner re-enforce the adjoining piston
in its action on the crank shaft, so that the motion of the valve and
piston may be more uniform and even; this re-enforcement coming at
the time it is most required, that is to say, at the point at which
the crank of the then actuating piston nears its dead centre, and con-
sequently at the point in which the cam slot exerts the least power
upon it.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a plan of a water
meter to which the improvements have been applied, and Fig. 2 is a
plan of the registering apparatus, its cap or cover and dial plate having
been removed.
Fig. 3 represents a partial plan and horizontal section of the meter,
the registering devices, and the upper half of one of the cylinders, as also
the valve crank and crank shaft having been removed.

page_text: Fig. 4 represents a vertical section through the line A, B, of Fig. 3,
with the pistons and piston rod removed, and also shewing the regis-
tering devices or gears in elevation, the side of the case for that purpose
being cut and shewn in sectional lines.
Fig. 5 represents a vertical transverse section taken through the line
C, C, of Fig. 3; but showing in addition thereto a sectional view of the
main gear of the registering devices as arranged in position, together
with a side elevation of its shaft and transmitting pinion, the left hand
double acting piston and rod being removed. Fig. 6 represents a plan;
Fig. 7, a side clevation, and Fig. 8, a sectional view of the valve,
"
1

page_text: the straight portions of the slot is less than between the curved portions,
and as the slot at its curved parts is made sufficiently wide to allow the
crank to be turned far enough over to open the valve ports in reverse
order to the other sides of the piston, without acting on the piston so as
to cause it to move on its return stroke before its valve ports are open,
its being less wide therefore between the straight parts enables the piston
on its return stroke sooner to re-enforce the other piston in turning the
crank shaft, than it would were it of uniform width throughout its
length. The shaft is provided with two cranks m and crank pins n,
one of each for each connecting rod and double acting piston c or c¹; it
also carries a bevil pinion q, which meshes on its under side with a bevil
gear k, formed on or otherwise secured to the valve g, and thereby im-
parts rotary motion to the latter, as it itself is turned by the action of
the pistons as they are moved back and forth through the medium of
rods d, d¹, slots e, cranks m, and crank pins n, under the pressure of the
water. The crank pins n carry friction rolls n². The valve g is provided
with ports, as well for the induction of the fluid to be measured as for
the discharge of the same, and which, for this purpose, communicate
with suitable channels f, f', leading to the interior of the measuring
cylinders b, b', on the side of the pistons next the ends or caps a¹ of the
cylinders. 8, 8, 8, represent the induction ports, and t, t, t, the eduction
ports, see Figures 6, 7, and 8, there being three of each; but the number
may be varied as the valve itself may be of any suitable construction, so
long as it is provided with the necessary ports wherewith through the
channels ff, to supply the liquid to and discharge it from the cylinders
when measured. The measured liquid escapes from the machine through
the channel, while the water to be measured is fed into the machine
through the channel or induction opening u.
The valve is made of conical form and sits in a correspondingly
shaped scat cast with the shell of the meter. The upper face of the valve
is provided with a bevil gear wheel k, which as a rule is cast with it,
although it may be independently made and afterwards secured to it,
but the former mode is preferred. This gear wheel meshes, as before
stated, with the bevil pinion q, both being suitably and correspondingly
shaped for the purpose. The valve seat r in this case is provided with
four ports x, x, which communicate respectively with one of the four
water ways ff, and f¹, f¹, there being one of each for each end of the
two cylinders 6, 6¹. The lower end of the valve seat communicates

page_text: with the eduction channel h of the meter through which the measured
water or liquid is discharged. Thus constructed the slotted piston rods
d, d, shaft i, pinion q, crank m, and pin n', are then so connected
with the valve through the bevil gear %, that the respective valve port s
of each cylinder will be open when its piston is in the middle, and closed
at the end of its stroke.
Each of the connecting rods d, d', on their outer side and at equal
distances apart from slote is provided with ears or projections ; which
are so arranged as to be alternately brought in contact with a projection
or stop w, cast on or otherwise secured to the under side of the upper
portion of the casing a, and midway between the ends of the cylinders,
and thus stop the further progress of the pistons, there being one stop w
for each pair of connected pistons. Stops w and lugs are made of such
thickness when first made that each may be reduced in thickness without
materially impairing their strength, in order to allow the length of the
stroke of each piston to be increased if necessary, that it may at the
end of each stroke discharge a given quantity of water. The pistons being
once so adjusted will remain so afterward. Each side of the stops w is
thus adjusted with respect to the corresponding lugsj of their respective
piston rods. By this arrangement of the stops w, but one is required for
each pair of pistons.
It is evident that the same effect without change of principle will be
produced by simply transposing the stops w from the under side of the
upper portion of the casing a to the outer side of the connecting rods;
and then transposing the lugs; from the latter to the under side of the
casing; the two lugs being suitably arranged on the casing for the
purpose. Or instead of using stops was just described, each end of
pistons c, c, can have an adjusting stop for regulating the length of its
stroke by using an adjusting screw for securing the piston heads to the
piston rods; the adjusting screw being provided with an elongated end,
so as to abut at the end of each stroke against the inner face of the
cylinder head a¹, i.e., ends of the outer casing or shell of the meter.
These stops are for the purpose of adjusting the length of the stroke
of the pistons, so that each cylinder shall discharge alternately for each
stroke of its double-acting piston as nearly as possible a given quantity
of water and no more; and in addition to this the crank and valve ports
are so arranged with relation to each double-acting piston that the
latter will reach the end of its stroke and be arrested by the stop w

page_text: before its valve ports quite close. Thus arrested the other double-acting
piston through its crank, and which is set at an angle of ninety degrees
to the other or thereabout, then moves the valve over and opens its
ports, but in reverse order to the other side of the piston just stopped,
before the crank pin of the latter reaches the point at which it would
compel its own piston to move; thus in no case allowing the one double-
acting piston to force the other to move while its valve ports are closed.
This peculiar movement of the crank and valve we obtain through the
agency of the widened slot e at v, v.
The rotary valve and its ports, as before stated, are common to the
four channels f, ƒ, ƒ³, ƒ¹, or water ways, which lead to and from the
four ends of the two cylinders b, b, and which serve alternately to
charge and discharge each end of these cylinders, and in so doing to
move the pistons c and c¹ and their respective rods d, d', back and forth,
first moving the one, then the other, and afterwards reversing the first,
and then the other, and so on alternately and successively. Two of these
waterways are shown at fand f¹ in Fig. 5, the onc f communicating
with the one end of cylinder 6 at the point shown by the arrows in
Fig. 3, and the other f¹ communicating with the other cylinder 6¹ in the
same manner, the two other corresponding waterways of these cylinders
being similarly arranged at their other end. These channels, according
as the valve is moved, arc, through it, alternately brought into communi-
cation with the supply pipe u and discharge pipe h of the meter. The
discharge pipe for this purpose is so arranged as to communicate through
a suitable opening ¹ with the eduction ports of the valve g. Each of
the four waterways f, f, and f¹, f, is separate and distinct the one
from the other, and all so arranged, as before stated, as to communicate
through the openings x, x¹, in the valve seat with the ports of the
rotary valve according as the latter is turned.
The crank shaft i is mounted in a bearing formed in a removable
spider frame z in the manner shewn in Figures 11 and 12, and which is
held in place by its two arms z³, which are made to fit in grooves 2" cut
in the upper shell or casing a of the meter on the opposite sides of the
valve. These grooves are seen in Fig. 3. The keying of the cranks
m, m, to the shaft i after the latter has been arranged in its bearings in
the spider frame holds the shaft in its proper place with respect to its
frame.

page_text: Third. The combination in a water or liquid meter of two double
acting pistons c and c¹, and of their respective rods d, d, each of the
latter being provided with a cam slot e formed at an angle to the path
of motion of the piston and rod, and of a width greater than the
diameter of the wrist n¹ of the crank, which moves in and is actuated
by it, with a crank shaft i, adjusting stops w, and lugs j, or their
cquivalent, so that each of the pistons may be independently adjusted
without interfering with the motion of the other, substantially as sot
forth.
Fourth. The combination in a water or liquid meter of a piston
carrying connecting rod d or d³, having a cam slot e formed at an angle to
the path of motion of the rod and piston, and of a width greater than the
diameter of the wrist n of the crank, which moves in and is actuated by
it with an adjusting stop w, for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The combination in a liquid meter of the following parts,
namely A rotary valve provided with suitable ports or openings s
and, through which the liquid to bo measured can be supplied to the
meter and discharged therefrom; a cylinder or for the reception
and measurement of the liquid; and a double-acting piston cor c¹
carrying a rod d or d³, such rod being provided with a single cam slot e,
arranged as described, through which and a crank shaft i motion in a
rotary direction is communicated to the valve, for the purposes set
forth.
.
Sixth. The combination in a liquid meter of the following parts,
namely A rotary valve provided with suitable ports or openings &
and t, through which the liquid to be measured can be supplied to the.
meter and discharged therefrom; the cylinders band b¹ for the reception
and measurement of the liquid; and two double-acting pistons c and c²,
each carrying a rod, and each of such rods d, d¹, being provided with a
single cam slot e, arranged as described, through which and a crank
shaft i continuous rotary motion is imparted to the valve, as and for the
purposes substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination in a liquid meter of the following parts,
namely:-A rotary valve provided with suitable ports or openings &
and t, through which the liquid to be measured can be supplied to the
meter and discharged therefrom; a cylinder 6 or 6 for the reception and
measurement of the liquid; a double-acting piston c or c¹ carrying a

page_text: rod d or ď provided with a single cam slot e, arranged as described, and
of a width greater than the diameter of the wrist n of the crank shaft so
as to permit of the adjustment of the length of the stroke of the piston, so
that it may discharge at each stroke as nearly as possible a given quantity
of water, and to permit its crank wrist freely to pass the dead centre
after its own piston has ceased to act upon it; adjusting stops w and
lugs or their equivalent, by means of which the adjustment of the
length of stroke of the piston at either end is effected; and lastly, of a
crank shaft i, through which motion from the piston is imparted to the
valve, the whole operating substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Eighth. The combination in a liquid meter of the following parts,
namely: A rotary valve 9 provided with suitable ports or openings s
and t, through which the liquid to be measured can be supplied to the
meter and discharged therefrom; two cylinders b and 6' for the reception
and measurement of the liquid, the double-acting pistons c and c¹ each
carrying a connecting rod, and each of these being provided with a single
cam slot e, arranged as described, and of a width greater than the
diameter of the wrist n of the crank shaft so as to permit of the adjust-
ment of the pistons that they may discharge at each stroke as nearly as
possible the exact quantity of water required of them, and so as to allow
each of the crank wrists n freely to pass its dead centro after its own
piston has ceased to act upon it; adjusting stops w, by means of which
the adjustment of the length of the stroke of the pistons at either end is
effected; and lastly, a crank shaft i, through which motion from the
pistons is imparted to the valve, the whole operating substantially as and
for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five