

.S7A' WILLIAM SIEMENS, F.K.S. 295 



supplied by meters are, first, that each consumer pays only for 

 the water actually used by him, whereas at present he must pay 

 also his share of all the waste that is going on : secondly, the 

 meter is useful to the customer for regulating the distribution of 

 water on his own premises, and for preventing waste by his own 

 servants ; and thirdly, the general prevention of waste will enable 

 water companies to reduce their charges. 



There are many other useful applications of an efficient, cheap, 

 and compact water meter, one of the most important of which is 

 the application to steam boilers. By inserting a meter into the 

 suction pipe of the feed pump, a correct indication is obtained of 

 the water actually evaporated, which serves as a check on the one 

 hand upon the performance of the engine, and on the other hand 

 upon the quality of the fuel employed, or the care of the fireman 

 in burning it. 



There are at present upwards of 2,000 of these meters in constant 

 use at several large towns in this country, including London, 

 Bristol, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Yarmouth, and Leeds ; and also 

 upon the continent, at Berlin, Amsterdam, and elsewhere. 



The sizes of the meters vary from \ inch to 12 inches diameter 

 of supply pipe ; and excepting the comparatively few cases of 

 defective meters above alluded to, which, according to a careful 

 register kept by the manufacturers, have amounted to not more 

 than 33 cases in a year out of about 1,500, the results have been 

 highly satisfactory as regards both the correctness of measure- 

 ment and the durability of the meter. 



MB. SIEMENS exhibited several meters of different sizes, and 

 specimens of the revolving drums, from the smallest size, with a 

 drum \\ inches diameter, intended for a pipe \ inch diameter, 

 delivering 5 gallons per minute, up to one of the largest sizes, 

 with a drum 8 inches diameter, intended for a main 10 inches 

 diameter, delivering 500 gallons per minute. A % inch meter 

 was also exhibited, and shown in operation to the meeting at 

 various rates of discharge, having a glass casing allowing the 

 motion of the rotating drum to be seen while in action. 



