USRE5806E - Improvement in liquid-meters - Google Patents

Description

I 2Sheets--Sheet2.'

P. BALL B.'F|TT'S Liquid-Meters.

No. 5,806, I Reissued March 24,1874.

Witnesses: Inventors: g ww, j WM UNITED STATES PHINEHAS BALL AND BENAIAH FITTS, on wonons'rnn, MAss, nssronons TO THE UNION WATER-METER COMPANY,

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIQUID-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 109,372, dated November 22, 1870 reissue N 0. 6,806, dated March 24, 1874 application filed February 26, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, PHINEHAS BALL and BENAIAH FITTS, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Meters and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification."

Figure 1 represents a plan of a meter having our improvements applied thereto, a portion of the machine being out oif on the line of its length on one side to show the operative parts. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudi nal section of the same, taken through the line a; w of Fig. 1, a portion of the parts, however, being shown in elevation; and Fig. 3, a cross-section through the line 3/ g] of the same figure. along the line of the machine cut-off in Fig. 1.

Our improvement relates to a new and improved mode of operating that class of water or fluid meters in which two or more cylinders, each provided with a reciprocating piston, are combined and used in connection with a single rotary valve, whose ports are common to the water-ways of the difi'erent cylinders.

Our invention consists, first, in combining,

with a rotary valve and a crank-shaft to operate it, a double-actin g piston, working in a cylindersuitably constructed to receive and discharge at each end the liquid to be measured, when said piston carries a rod provided with a single camslot, 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 impartedfrom the piston to the valve,

as the former is moved back and forth under the pressure of the water being measured.

, Our invention also consists in combining, with a rotary valve and a crank-shaft to operate it, two 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 Fig. r represents a sectional elevation pistons to the valve, as the pistons move back and forth under the pressure of the water being measured.

Our invention further consists in combining, with a rotary valve and crank-shaft to operate it, and with a double-acting piston, adjustingstops so'arranged that when used in connection with a piston-rod provided with a camslot formed at an angle to the path of motion of the piston, and of a proper width, the said slot shall suflice to permit of the adjustment of the pistons, that the cylinders m ay discharge at each end alternately,*neither more nor less than the exact quantity of water required; and shall also suflice, when the further ad- Vance of the piston shall have been thus arrested by the stops, to permit the crank to turn without acting 011, or being acted on by, its own piston, as, for instance, when its 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 ciently for that purpose.

Our improvement also consists in modifying the form of the widened slot in the piston-rods, by providing it on either side, at or near its middle, with a curved depression or cavity, that the following results or operations may be obtained, to wit: First, that each piston may be stopped a little before its valve-ports quite. close, and yet allow its crank and crankpin to be turned over past their dead-center without acting on, or being acted on by, its own piston by'the action of the adjoining piston, and 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 reenforce the adjoining piston in its action on the crank-shaft, that the motion of the valve and piston may be more uniform and even, the re-enforcement coming at the time most required-that is to say, at the point at which the crank of the then actuating piston nears its dead-center, and consequently at the point in which-the cam-slot exerts the least power perfect understanding of our present improve Inents.

Our improvements are represented as being applied to a meter having an outside casing, a, in which are arranged. four short sectional or auxiliary cylinders set in cement, 2. These Kaylinders are arranged side by side, in pairs, each pair being concentric, the one'with the other, so as to form a single working cylinder, 1) or 1). Each sectional cylinder is provided with a piston; and the two pistons of each concentric pair of cylinders are so connected together by means of a piston-rod, d, as to form a single double-acting piston, c or 0. ,,,Each of the piston or connecting rods dis provided with a slot, (2, into which the wrist-pin n of the crank m of the shaft i, that operates the valve g, projects and moves. It will be seen, first, that we makethe general width of the slot 6 somewhat greater than the diameter of the wrist-pin n,- and, secondly, that its width is i still further enlarged on each side, at or near its center, as shown at n, being the points necessary to allow the crank to turn freely over after the piston has been stopped. This form is deemed better than where the slot is made of an equal width throughout its length; for, as the distance between the straight portions of the slot is less than between the curved portions, and as it at that point is so made as to be still sufliciently wide to allow the crank to be turned far enough over to open the valveports 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 it, being less wide, enables the piston on its return stroke sooner to re-enforce the .other piston in turning the crankshaft than it would were it of uniform width throughout its length. The shaft dis provided I i with two cranks, m, and crank-pins 11,, one of each for each connecting-rod d and piston c or w c it also carries a bevel-pinion, g, which meshes with a bevel-gear, 1", formed on, or otherwise secured to, the valve g, and. thereby imparts 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, slots 6, cranks m, and crank-pins n, underthe pressure of the water. The valve 9 is provided withports, as well for theinduction of the liquid to be measured as for the discharge of the same, and which, for this pur pose, communicate with suitable channels ff, leading to the interior of the measuringcylinders bl) on the side of the pistons next the stops 0. s 8 represent the induction-ports;

the eduction-ports are'not shown in the draw ings, nor is such deemed necessary, as the rotary valve itself may be of a'nysuitable construction so long as it is necessary ports through the channels f and f to supply the .liquid to and discharge it from the cylinders when measured. The measured liquid escapes from the machine through the channel h, while the water to I be measured is fed into the'machine through the channel 1'.

Each endof the pistons c and c is provided with an adjusting-stop, o, with a view of abutting, at the end of each stroke, against the inner face of the cylinder-head, or head of the outer casing. A projecting point, 0-, is represented as being formed on the casing for this purpose. These stops are for the purpose of adjusting the length of the stroke of the piston, 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, we so arrange the crank and valve-ports, with relation to each double-acting piston, that the latter will reach the end of its stroke, and be arrested by the stop 0, before its valve-ports quite close. Thus arrested, the other doubleacting'piston, through its crank, and which is set at an angle of ninety degrees to the other, or thcreabout, then moves the valve over, and opens its ports, but in reverse order to the other side of the piston just stopped, be-

fore 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. The rotary valve 9 and its ports are common to the four channels or water-ways which lead to andfrom the four ends of the two cylinders b and b, and which serve alternately to charge and discharge each end of these cylinders, and,

in so doing, to move the pistons c and c, and

their respective rods d d, back and forthfirst moving the one, then the other, and afterward reversing the first, and then the other, and so on alternately and successively. Two

of these water-ways are shown at f and f in Fig. 3, the one, f, communicating with the one end of cylinder 11, at the point shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, and the other, f, communicating with the other cylinder, 1), as shown by the arrows in Fig. 4; the two other corresponding water-ways of these cylinders being arranged at their other end, and respectively marked f and f in Figs. 2 and 4. These channels, according as the valve is moved, are, through it, alternately brought into communication with the supply-pipe i and discharge-pipe h of the meter. The discharge-pipe for this purpose is so arranged as to communicate, through a suitable opening,

with the eduction-ports of the valve g. Eachof the four water-ways f f and f f is separate and distinct, the one from the other, and

provided with the ters Patent, is-

g each carrying therefrom; a cylinder, and measurement of the liquid; a double-actall so arranged, as beforemunicate with the ports of the rotary valve,

quantity of water, is effected by interposing a greater or less number of washers, rw, be-

tween the pistons and the adjusting-stops, as

indicated in the drawings; or washers of different thickness may be used. When the proper thickness is attained, the stops are then screwed up tight.

Having thus des we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- 1. The combination, in a liquid-meter, of the following instrumentalities, o wit: A rotary valve, g, provided with suitable ports or openings, through which the liquid to be measured can be supplied to the meter and discharged therefrom; a cylinder, bor b, for the reception and measurement of the liquid; and a double-acting piston, c or c, carrying a rod, (1, said rod being provided with a single camslot, 0, arranged as described, through which and a crank-shaft, i, rotary motion is communicated to the valve, for the purposes set forth. 2. The combination,.in a liquid-meter, of the following f instrumentalities, to wit: A rotary valve, 9, provided with suitable ports or openings, through which the 'liquid to be measured can be supplied to the meter and discharged therefrom;

the cylinders b and b, for the reception and measurement of the liquid; and two double-acting pistons, 0 and c,

a rod, 01, and each of said rods provided with a single 03111-81017,!3, arranged as described, through which and a crankshaft, 1', rotary motion is imparted to the valve, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a liquid-meter, of the following instrumentalities, to wit: A rotary valve, 9, provided with suitable ports or openings, through which the liquid to be measured can be supplied to the meter and discharged b or b, for the reception in g piston, c or a, carrying a rod, d, provided with a single cam-slot, c, arranged as described, and of a width greater than the diameter of the wrist not the crank-shaft, to permit of the adjustment of the length of stroke of the piston, that it may discharge at each stroke, as nearly as possible, a given quantity of water, and to permit its the dead-center after its own piston has ceased to act upon it; adjusting-stops o,'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 pistonis imparted to the valve,

the whole operating in the manner substantially as described.

4. Thecombination, in a liquid meter, the

stated, as to comcribed our invention, whatcrank-wrist freely to passof a width greater than the diameter of the wrist n of the crankshaft, so as to permit of the adjustment 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 it freely to pass its dead-center after its own piston has ceased to act on it; adj usting-stops 0, 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, 1,

through which motion from the pistons is imparted to the valve, the whole operating in the manner substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a water or liquid meter, of a piston-carrying connecting-rod, d,

having a cam-slot, 6, formed as shown-that is to say, 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 adjusting-stops o, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, in 'a water or liquid meter, of two double-acting pistons, c and c, and of their respective rods d d, each of the latter being provided with a cam slot, '0, formed as shown-that is to say, at an angle to the path of motion of the piston and rod, and of a wid'th'greater than the the wrist n of the crank, which moves in and is actuated by it-with a crank-shaft, t, and adjusting-stops 0, so that each of the pistons may be independently adjusted without interfering with the motian of the other, substantially as set forth.

7. In a water or liquid meter, a pistoncarrying connecting-rod, 01, provided with a single crank m, and crank-pin n, for the purpose set" forth.

poseset forth.

8. In a water or liquid meter, a piston-car rying rod, 01,, having a slot, e, formed as shown-that is to say, with 'a concavity, v, 011 each side, at or near its middle, and used in connectionwith a crank-shaft, for the pun In'testimony that we claim theforegoing we have. hereunto set 2d day of February, 1874.

= PHINEHAS BALL. ,1 L. sf

a BENAIAH FITTS. I L. s. Witnesses: I (ARIEL E. WILsON, JONAB- HEALD- diameter of our hands and seals this

Images