Extract from the 1901 Journal of William S. Murphy. - GLENFIELD & KENNEDY, LIMITED, ENGINEERS, KILMARNOCK. (compliments of Graces.Guide) Near the foot of Low Glencairn Street, beside the River Irvine, just within the borders of Kilmarnock, stand the extensive engineering works of Glenfield & Kennedy. Now we arrive at the meter department, which, as has been hinted, may be considered a separate establishment. Reserved exclusively for the production of Kennedy's patent water meters, it has its own pattern shop, brass foundry, smithy, brass-finishing shop, turning and fitting shop. The latter is replete with modern tools, viz., 60 lathes, 35 drilling machines, 7 plaining machines, 4 shaping machines, slotting machines a ‘Barffing’ furnace for treating meter cylinder castings to prevent rust, and other special appliances. The rubber used for the meters is manufactured from the raw material to ensure uniform quality, and the process employs five mills, nine vulcanising pans, and a large number of skilled workers. Employed in these works are 10 steam boilers, 8 engines, 3 dynamos driving 4 electric motors and lighting 24 arc lamps, 3 sets of three-throw and 1 set of double-throw hydraulic pumps, 32 hydraulic cranes, 6 steam cranes, 19 hand cranes, to overhead cranes, and 26 switch cranes. These enormous proportions were further added to in 1900. A large extension of the foundry was erected on twelve acres of land acquired on the east side of the river Irvine. The new foundries have six spans of roofing, each 250 ft. long, and are so designed that they can be trebled in length. To cope with this addition, a large power station was built, in which two sets of triple-expansion pumping engines, two sets of condensing steam engines, with dynamos, have been erected and put in operation. With these extensions and improvements, the works of Messrs. Glenfield & Kennedy, Limited, cover a space of 22 acres. The centre to which all these operations tend is the machine department. This department comprises three shops; the light machine shop, the heavy machine shop, and the brass-finishing shop. The light machine shop measures 160 ft. by 84, roofed over by four spans of roofing, two of the roofs rising 21 ft. above the floor, to accommodate the heavy travelling cranes. Machine tools abound here, whirring and grinding on every side. It is impossible to convey to the mind's eye the appearance of such a crowd of machines - 66 lathes, 22 drilling machines, 4 slotting machines, 2 horizontal plane, shaping machines, 1 boring mill, and 11 switch cranes. Near at hand is the testing shop, with four sets of hydraulic testing appliances of enormous power, the hydraulic intensifier being capable of testing up to 3000 lb. per square inch. A still larger shop is that for making heavy machinery, occupying a space of 3470 square yards, and spanned by seven roofs. The newest part of this building is 160 ft. long. 40 ft. wide, and 30 ft. high, the height being required by the enormous engines here erected. Technical Core Mechanism of the Kennedy Water Meter Measuring Cylinder — A fixed‑volume chamber receives water in discrete charges. Double‑acting Piston — Water is directed alternately above or below the piston via a small internal valve. This forces the piston to rise and fall, each stroke displacing a known volume of water. Change‑over Valve — Automatically switches the inlet flow from one side of the piston to the other, ensuring continuous measurement. Mechanical Linkage — The piston’s reciprocation drives a gear train connected to the register. Register / Dial Train — Displays cumulative volume through dials visible through a small window. Why It Was So Accurate Direct volumetric measurement — No reliance on velocity; every piston stroke equals a calibrated volume. Low‑flow sensitivity — Even trickle flows move the piston, unlike turbine meters. Minimal slippage — Tight tolerances and polished cylinder surfaces reduce bypass leakage. This design is the ancestor of modern rotary/oscillating piston meters, which still use the same positive‑displacement principle. (Research by Alex Manu - 2026)