GB2443209A

GB2443209A - Mains water meter mounted on stop tap body

Info

Publication number: GB2443209A
Application number: GB0621350A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Richard Twell
Original assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Current assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Priority date: 2006-10-26
Filing date: 2006-10-26
Publication date: 2008-04-30
Also published as: GB0621350D0; GB0908859D0; GB2456463A; WO2008050075A1

Abstract

A mains water meter system comprises a water meter (32) and a fitting (34) for attaching the water meter to a stop tap body (36), such that a fluid path is defined between the stop tap input (44), through the water meter (32), and to the stop tap output (52). This enables a water meter to be installed at the location of a stop tap. This means no excavation is required to fit a water meter.

Description

MAINS WATER METER

Field of the invention

This invention relates to mains water meter systems.

Background of the invention

The use of water meters for domestic households is increasingly common. Unfortunately, the installation of water meters typically requires ground excavation between a water stop tap and the domestic premises. The stop tap defines the interface between the mains water network and the individual dwelling, and the water meter therefore needs to be installed downstream of the stop tap.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention, there is provided a mains water meter system comprising: a water meter; and a fitting for attaching the water meter to a stop tap body, such that a fluid path is defined between the stop tap input, through the water meter, and to the stop tap output.

The invention thus provides a system which enables a water meter to be installed at the location of a stop tap. This means no excavation is required to fit the water meter.

The fitting may comprise an adapter having an inner fluid passageway which terminates at an end portion for seating on the stop tap body valve seat, arid an outer fluid passageway for fluid communication with the stop tap output. The inner fluid passageway then receives water from the input side of the stop tap. After this water has passed through the water meter, it can pass back into the stop tap body and to the dwelling. The inner and outer fluid passageways are preferably concentric.

The water meter may have an inner fluid input and a concentric outer fluid output. In this case, the inner fluid passageway can connect to the inner fluid input and the outer fluid passageway can connect to the outer fluid output. A simple adapter fitting can thus be defined.

Instead, the water meter may have an inner fluid output and a concentric outer fluid input.

In this case, the fitting may comprise a passage arrangement for connecting the inner fluid passageway to the outer fluid input and connecting the outer fluid passageway to the inner fluid output. An adapter fitting then provides a cross-over of fluid passageways.

The system preferably further comprises a valve device for controlling the fluid flow between the stop tap input and the stop tap output. The normal stop tap function can thus be maintained.

The invention also provides a water installation comprising a mains water pipe, a stop tap body in the path of the pipe and a system of the invention attached to the stop tap body.

The invention also provides a method of installing a water meter, comprising: removing the stop tap valve mechanism of a stop tap between a mains water supply and a customer dwelling, thereby revealing an open stop tap body; and fitting a water meter to the open stop tap body.

Brief description of the drawin2s

Examples of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an arrangement of houses served by a shared mains water pipe which is to be serviced; Figure 2 shows the known stop tap used for isolating the mains supply to each house; Figure 3 shows a water meter system of the invention; Figure 4 shows the adapter of Figure 3 in more detail; and Figure 5 shows an alternative adapter for use in the system of the invention.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows an arrangement of houses 10 served by a shared mains water pipe 12. The mains pipe 12 is a branch from another mains pipe 14, and the supply to the branch 12 is controllable by a sluice valve 16, which can also be used to control the pressure Iii the branch 12 as welt as completely cutting off the supply.

Stop taps 20 are shown provided in the individual branches to the houses. These stop taps enable the individual supply to be cut off to enable works to be carried out to a house water system, and they typically also define the boundary between the responsibility of the water company and the responsibility of the user for the pipework.

Water meters are installed between the stop tap and the user dwelling. The installation typically involves shutting off the supply at the stop tap, and carrying out excavation works to dig to a suitable location for the water meter. If possible, water meters may also be installed in the dwellings themselves, but this may not be possible for a number of reasons.

Furthermore, it may be desirable to keep the water meter out of the dwelling so that water meter readings are more easily obtained and to reduce the possibility of fraudulent tampering with the water meter.

Figure 2 shows the known stop tap 20.

The left part shows the tap closed, and the shading 22 represents the mains water, which enters the mains side of the tap but is prevented by the sealing washer 24 from reaching the user side 26.

The right part shows the tap open, in which the mains side 23 is coupled to the user side 26,and the tap chamber 28 prevents water leakage.

The invention provides a water meter system which replaces the valve mechanism 28 and sealing washer 24. The valve mechanism 28 is a screw fit into a body of the stop tap, and the water meter system is designed to screw into that stop tap body.

Figures 3 shows a device 30 of the invention, comprising a water meter 32; and a fitting 34 (adapter) for attaching the water meter 32 to a stop tap body 36, in which the valve mechanism (cover, valve spindle and washer assembly) has been removed.

The fitting 34 has a threaded base 38 adapted to fit the threaded bore of the stop tap body.

The fitting 34 has an inner fluid path 40 which terminates and seals at the valve seat 42 of the stop tap body 36. This path 40 thus provides a fluid passageway from the input 44 to the stop tap body up to the water meter 32.

Figure 3 shows a water meter 32 having an inner water input 46 and a concentric outer water output 48. Thus, the fluid path 40 provides a direct coupling from the stop tap input 44 to the water meter 32.

The output 48 from the water meter connects to an outer concentric passageway 50 which is in fluid communication with the inside of the stop tap body 36, and thus connects to the stop tap body output 52.

A fluid path 54 is defined between the stop tap input, up the central fluid passageway 40, through the water meter 32, and to the stop tap output 52 via the outer concentric passageway 50.

The invention thus provides a system which enables a water meter to be installed at the location of a stop tap. An interconnecting adapter interfaces between the stop tap and a mounting face of the water meter. The adapter has an outer profile which is no larger than the water meter and is as short (the height dimension in Figure 3) as possible.

No excavation is required to fit the water meter system to an existing stop tap. This can give a considerable cost saving during installation, and reduce installation time, as well as making replacement and servicing easier.

Figure 4 shows the internal fluid connection of the device of Figure 3 in more detail, and uses the same reference numbers as Figure 3. The lower end of the inner passageway 40 terminates with a flange 60 which seals over the valve seat 62. Although not shown in Figure 4, the internal design of the stop tap body is such that the input 44 is coupled to the valve seat 62 and not to the output 52 (as shown in Figure 2). The threaded base 38 of the fitting 34 screws into the stop tap body opening, and includes passageways 64 coupling the outer fluid path 50 to the output 52.

The system of the invention can be used with existing water meters, and Figure 3 shows one example configuration with an inner fluid inlet and a concentric outer fluid outlet.

However, these may be reversed in other designs of water meter.

In this case, the flow pattern between the stop tap body and the water meter needs to be altered. For this purpose, the fitting 34 can include a flow diverter as shown in Figure 5.

The inner upward flow 70 from the stop tap body is routed to outer passageways 72 at a junction unit 74. The inner downward flow 76 from the water meter is routed to outer passageways 78 at a junction unit 80.

A stop tap function is still required after installation of the water meter, and this can be implemented by the fitting 34. This could be arranged as a rotating lever, other rotary device, ball valve, side plate or any other water valve device. The controller for the valve will be designed to be easily accessible without removing the water meter.

A valve control is shown schematically in Figure 3 as unit 82, and the valve 84 interrupts the flow up the inner fluid path 40. The normal stop tap function can thus be maintained.

The fitting 34 will include a sealing arrangement associated with the flange 60, and the threads and dimensions of the fitting will be designed for particular stop tap body designs.

To install a water meter, a number of different fittings can be taken, which each mate and seal with the water meter, and the required fitting can then be selected based on the stop tap design found on site.

The invention has been described as a water meter and an adapter. Of course, (be two components may be integrated into a single water meter product, so that the water meter is provided with the required interface for fitting to a particular stop tap design.

Various modifications vill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims I. A mains water meter system comprising: a water meter; and a

fitting for attaching the water meter to a stop tap body, such that a fluid path is defined between the stop tap input, through the water meter, and to the stop tap output.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fitting comprises an adapter having an inner fluid passageway which terminates at an end portion for seating on the stop tap body valve seat, and an outer fluid passageway for fluid communication with the stop tap output.
3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner and outer fluid passageways are concentric.
4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the water meter has an inner fluid input and a concentric outer fluid output, the inner fluid passageway connecting to the inner fluid input and the outer fluid passageway connecting to the outer fluid output.
5. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water meter has an inner fluid output and a concentric outer fluid input, and wherein the fitting comprising a passage arrangement for connecting the inner fluid passageway to the outer fluid input and connecting the outer fluid passageway to the inner fluid output.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a valve device for controlling the fluid flow between the stop tap input and the stop tap output.
7. A water installation comprising: a mains water pipe; a stop tap body in the path of the pipe; and a system as claimed in any preceding claim attached to the stop tap body.
8. A method of installing a water meter, comprising: removing the stop tap valve mechanism of a stop tap between a mains water supply and a customer dwelling, thereby revealing an open stop tap body; and fitting a water meter to the open stop tap body.