GB2262506A - Liquid meter - Google Patents

Abstract

In a liquid meter, e.g. for metering water supplied through a hosepipe to a garden sprinkler. water flows through an inlet 14 via a nozzle 20 to an outlet 15 striking the paddles 21 of a paddle wheel 22 on the way. The paddle wheel forms the start of a train of reduction gears 22, 23, 30, 31 33, 34 and 36. The final gear 36 has a pin 47 which holds a pivoted crank 43 in position, so holding the gate 40 of a gate valve open against a spring 42. As gear 36 turns anticlockwise, pin 47 turns crank 43 clockwise, lifting its end 45 away from gate 40 and so releasing that gate to slide down between guides 41 and so turn off the water flow. The device may be preset by setting the angular position of gear 36. <IMAGE>

Description

Fluid Control Device The present invention relates to fluid control devices, and more particularly (though not exclusively) to devices for measuring out predetermined cluanti- ties of liquid.

The need for conservation of water is of increasing importance. A dornestic water supply has to be of high quality, so that it can be safely drunk.

Only a small part of the water supplied to domestic premises is actually drunk, however, so it is important to try to control the arnounts used for non-dr-inlcin;- purposes.

One use of such water is for watering gardens. Such wter-ing is veneer ally done in three weys: hand watering u::Ang o watering can, hand watering using a hose, and automatic watering using a sprinkler. Control of the quantity used is in effect automatic in the first two ways. When a sprinkler is being used, however, control of the quantity used requires the supply to be turner off at the right time.This results in a very rough and ready control of the quantity used, with the real possibility that the user will for-Q;et to turn the supply off until long after adequate watering has been achieved.

The main object of the present invention is to provide means for controlline the quantity of water used by a garden sprinkler- or the like.

According to the present invention there is provided a metering device for liquid, including a paddle wheel driven by the flow of liquid through the device and a spring-loaded valve on the supply side of the paddle wheel and controlled thereby via a reduction gear train.

The primary use envisaged for the device is inclusion in a hosepipe or similar supply to a garden sprinkler, though it will of course be realized that the device is not limited to application to water ini garden sprinklers.

A water metering device embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawing, which is a diagrammatic sectional view of the device.

The device comprises a casing 10 containing a paddle wheel 11, a gear train 12, and a valve 13. Water enters through an inlet connector 14 and leaves through an outlet connector 15.

In more detail, water passes from the inlet connector 14 to a nozzle 20, impinges on the paddles 21 of the paddle wheel 11 as it leaves the nozzle, and leaves via the outlet connector 15. The casing 10 contains any water which is diverted or splashed by the paddle wheel, and such water is eventually entrained by the emerging stream through the outlet connector 15.

The paddles 21 are mounted on a disc 22 which has a small gear wheel 23 attached to it and which rotates on a pivot 24. The gear wheel 23 engages a large gear wheel 30 which has a small gear wheel 31 attached to it and rotates on a pivot 32. The gear wheel 31 in turn engages a large gear wheel 33 which has a small gear wheel 34 attached to it and rotates on a pivot 35. Finally, the small gear wheel 34 engages a large gear wheel 36 which rotates on a pivot 37. This gear train 12 effects a large compound reduction, of typically about 2500:1.

The gate valve 13 comprises a gate 40 which slides between guides 41 and is urged, by a spring 42, into the closed position where it closes off the water passage between the inlet connector 14 and the nozzle 20. A crank 43 is pivoted at 44 and urged anticlockwise by a spring 48, and the end of one arm 45 engages with the gate 40 to retain it in the open position. The crank 43 ib held in that position by its other arm 46, which engages with a pin 47 mounted on the gear wheel 36.

The initial position of the gear wheel 36 is with the pin 47 just beyond (in the anticlockwise direction) the end of the arm 46, as shown. As water flows through the device, it causes the paddle wheel 11 to rotate and so, via the gear train, the gear wheel 36 to rotate, so moving the pin 47 anticlockwise. As water passes through the device, so the pin 47 will eventually approach the underside of the arm 46 and, as the wheel 36 continues to turn, gradually lift that arm. As a result, the other arm 45 of the crank 43 will be lifted away from the gate 40. That arm 45 will therefore eventually disengage from the gate 40 (after a predetermined quantity of water has passed through the device), which thereupon moves downwards under the force of the spring 42 to close the valve 13 and thus shut off the flow of water.

The device is reset by turning the wheel 36 further, until the pin 47 passes beyond the end of the arm 46 (so allowing the crank 43 to drop back to its initial position), and pulling the gate 40 out to allow the arm 45 to engage with it and opening the water channel.

A handle may be provided on the shaft of the paddle wheel 20 so that the pin 47 can be so advanced. (Alte6natively.. a handle may be provided on one of the intermediate wheels. It may then be convenient for the coupling of that gear with the preceding gear to be a slipping coupling, so that resetting does not involve spinning the ear-lier gear or gears.) The user can detect when the reset position has been reached either by listening for a click rindicative of the crank 43 being released from, the pin 47) or by pulling the gate 40 out at int.er- vals until it engages with the arm 45 and remains out.

If desired, the wheel 36 can the advanced beyond the reset point, to reduce the amount of water which the device will pass. An indicator arm can be attached to its shaft and a scale marked on the casing to enable the user to set the amount of water to a desired value.

'The device can conveniently be made mainly of plastics materials. It may be convenient to make the gear train as a distinct module, which is contained within the main housing and engages with the gear wheel 23 and the crank 43.

The valve may of course be of any convenient form.

The accuracy with which the device measures the quantity of water which it allows through is not necessarily high. Further, the quality of the valve which turns off the water supply entering the device may not be high, and may allow a slight leakage of water after the valve has closed. However, the device is fully adequate to prevent waste, as accurate metering of water in such circum- stances is not necessary, and any slight leakage will merely result in slightly heavier watering of the area of garden immediately around the sprinkler, which is unlikely to matter. The device is cheap to make and easy to use, and makes a substantiaj useful contribution to the prevention of unnecessary consumption of water.

Claims (1)

1. Gloi ms

   1 A metering device for liquid, including a paddle wheel driven by the flow of liquid through the device and a spring-loaded valve on the supply side of the paddle wheel and controlled thereby via a reduction gear train.

   2 A device according to claim 1 including hose fittings at the inlet and outlet.

   3 A device according to either previous claim wherein the final gear of the gear train is coupled to the valve via a crank one end of which controls the valve and the other end of which engaged with a pin on that gear.

   4 A device according to any previous claim wherein the valve comprises a gate slidable between a pair of guides.

   6 A metering device for liquid, substantially as herein described.

   6 Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).