IMPROVEMENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS."
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bentinck Coathupe, of the Junior United
Service Club, Saint James's, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bentinck Coathupe
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th August 1861.
I, HENRY BENTINCK COATHUPE, of the Junior United Service Club, Saint
James's, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS," to be as
follows:
This Invention consists of an apparatus whereby the hour of the day or
night is shewn with the accuracy of the clock, but without any of the
machinery used in clockwork.
I take a tube of thin glass of small internal diameter, say, about the
eighth of an inch, and about eighteen inches in length, open at both ends, and
having its diameter slightly contracted at two points, each distant about an
inch from each end, at which points the external diameter of the tube is
caused to bulge, or become somewhat larger than the main portion. This is
effected by heating the tube at the desired points, and slightly shortening the
tube by pressure, so as to form simultaneously an outward bulge and
inward contraction. A plug of cotton, wool, or other suitable material is
inserted at one end of the tube as far as the contraction, above which a por-
tion of porous, earthy, or other suitable matter is inserted, and then another
small quantity of cotton, wool, or other suitable material is added, after which
a quantity of mercury is poured into the other end sufficient to occupy about

page_text: an inch of its length, and a similar plug is then inserted to make each end of
the tube correspond. A second tube of glass closed at one end, and of an internal
diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the first tube, is mado
the receptacle thereof. Its length being merely sufficient to contain the small
tube, and to allow of its open end being acted upon by the blow-pipe and
closed hermetically by its aid. The mercury as it falls in the inner tube will
force the air below it through the porous plug and into the outer tube, up
which it will pass and again enter the top of the inner tube, but the mercury
itself will be prevented by the plug from escaping from the inner to the outer
tube. These two tubes, now as it were in one, are secured by spring clips to
an index and placed vertically, having at requisito equal distances marked
thereon a scale of lines aud numbers representing the hours and quarters.
The mercury will sink gradually, but in an invariable ratio from the upper to
the lower end of the tube, and indicate by its level the hour on the index.
When the mercury reaches the lower end of the tube or approximates thereto,
the position of the apparatus is to be reversed, and, if necessary, the tube
itself is moved upwards or downwards along the index through the clips, in
order to bring the level of the mercury to its proper hour thereon.
For the purpose of ascertaining the hour of the night the index may consist
of ground glass, tracing cloth, or other suitable transparent substance fixed
within a frame, in the centre of which the tube is arranged, and beneath and
behind which a small lamp or other illuminator is to be placed for the purpose
of giving light to the entire index. The mercury would then appear opaque,
and clearly indicate the hour on tho transparent index, thus forming a
noiseless night clock, without tho necessity of using any other light than that
bebind the index.
SPECIFICATION in pursuanco of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
'by the said Henry Bentinck Coathupe in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY S
BENTINCK COATHUPE, of the Junior United Service Club, Saint James's, in the
County of Middlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her 3
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said Henry Bentinck Coathupe, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Bentinck Coathupe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Henry Bentinck Coathupe, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
tines thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TIMEKEEPERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Bentinck Coathupe, executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in. the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Bentinck Coathupe, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This Invention consists of an instrument whereby the hour of the day or
night is shewn with the accuracy of the clock, but without any of the
machinery used in clockwork.
I take a tube of thin glass of small internal diameter, say, about the
eighth of an inch, and about eighteen inches in length open at both ends, and
having its diameter slightly contracted at two points, each distant about an
inch from each end, at which points the external diameter of the tube is
caused to bulge or become somewhat larger than the main portion. This is
effected by heating the tube at the desired points by the blow-pipe, and
slightly shortening the tube by pressure, so as to form simultaneously an out-
ward bulge and inward contraction. A plug of cotton wool, filtering paper, or
other suitable material is inserted at oue end of the tube as far as the con-
traction, above which a portion of porous, earthy, or other suitable matter is
inserted, and then another small quantity of cotton, wool, or other suitable
material is added; after which a quantity of mercury is poured into the other
end, sufficient to occupy about an inch of the length of the tube, and a
similar plug is then inserted to make each end of the tube correspond.. A
second tube of glass closed at one end, and of an internal diameter slightly
larger than the external diameter of the first tube is made the receptacle
thereof, its length being merely sufficient to contain the small tube, and to
allow of its open end being acted upon by the blow-pipe and closed hermeti-

page_text: '
cally by its aid. The motive power of the clock is obtained froin the gravity
of the mercury regulated by the suction and passage of the air through the
plugs, so that the mercury as it falls in the inner tube will force the air below
it through the porous plug and into the outer tube; but the mercury itself
will be prevented by the plug from escaping from the inner to the outer tube.
These two tubes, now as it were in one, are secured by spring clips to a frame
carrying or bearing an index marked on the frame itself or attached to it, and
placed vertically; this index having at requisite [equal distances marked
thereon a scale of lines and numbers representing the hours and quarters.
The instrument is suspended by hangers of wire or other suitable material, so
as always to keep the tubes in a perpendicular position. The mercury will
sink gradually, but in an invariable ratio from the upper to the lower end of
the tube, and indicate by its lower level the hour on the index. When the
mercury reaches the lower end of the tubo or approximates thereto, the posi-
tion of the instrument is to bo reversed, and, if necessary, the tube itself is
moved upwards or downwards along the index through the clips, in order to
bring the level of the mercury to the proper hour thereon.
For the purpose of ascertaining the hour of the night the index may consist
of ground glass, tracing cloth, or other suitable transparent substance attached
to a frame, in the centre of which tho tube is arranged perpendicularly, and a
small lamp or other illuminator is also to be attached in or about the appa-
ratus for the purpose of giving light to the entire index. Tho mercury will
then appear opaque, and clearly indicate the hour on the transparent index,
thus forming a noiseless night clock and lamp, without the necessity of using
any other light in the room.
In order that my said Invention may be more fully understood, I will now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters of refercuco marked thereon, as
follows:-
a, a, is the inner tube, placed in the exterior tube e, c; b, b, are the enlarged
portions of the inner tube, leaving very small orifices between the plugs c, c',
and the main portion of the tube containing the mercury d, which is repre-
sented as situated at the upper end thereof, and ready to descend down the
tube and indicato by its lower level the hour on the scalo or index f, f. The
clock is now to be hung up. The mercury begins to fall in the tube by its
own weight; but its rate of descent must depend on and be governed by the
rate at which it can push the air beneath it through the lower plug, and suck
it back again through the upper plug as well. This double-governing action
.

page_text: constitutes one great merit of the clock. When the mercury reaches the
lower portion of the tube the instrument is to be reversed, and the tube
adjusted by sliding it between the spring clips g, g, till the mercury agrees
with the proper hour thereon. Both ends of the inner tube are open, and tho
air is driven by the pressure of the mercury through the lower porous plug
into the hermetically sealed tube e, e, a counterbalancing portion of air being
drawn into the inner tube through the upper porous plug by the suction
caused by the descending mercury. The dials or indices may be made of
various materials, such as wood and enamelled paper, sheet iron or tin,
stamped, painted, enamelled, or printed, and they may be colored and orna-
mented as desired. The index may be made reversible, only showing one set
of figures reading downwards, by making a scale of hours on each side of a
slip. of material about half the width of the apparatus. This slip is to be
worked on a hinge at the top and bottom of the instrument, whereby it may
be laid on either side of the tubes. The figures are arranged in reverse direc-
tions on each side of the slip, so that as the position of the instrument is
changed, and its lower part placed uppermost, the slip is to be turned over to
the opposite side of the tubes, and always present an index reading down-
wards, and appearing to an observer always on the same side of the tubes.
The front of the apparatus may be ornamented, so that whichever side is not
covered by the slip may present an ornamental design. The clips or holders
9, 9, may be made of hard or soft wire, iron, steel, or brass, or they may be
cut out of tin plate or other suitable material; these may be single or double;
the single clip is fastened by a nail or screw, while the double clips hold firmly
both the tube and clock index, board, or frame. They can also be lacquered
or gilt, or they may be made of india-rubber covered or not with silk or
cotton. The clock frame may be grooved to admit of the shape of the tubes
resting therein, part of the frame between the clips being left open to allow of
a more easy adjustment of the tubes. For the night lamp clock, perforated
zinc, tin, or other material may be wholly or partially adopted, also wire gauze.
The materials may be japanned, if desired, and the lamp may be made to burn
candles or oil, and will perform the usual functions of a night lamp. A glass
dial with an index, either cut on stained glass, or fixed by the diaphane or
other process, may be fitted to the lamp, so as to slide readily up or down, and
the tube may be adjusted and held in position by means of the clips before
mentioned, or by means of a rod or rods of wire attached to the top and
bottom of the frame, and bent and twisted at proper intervals, so as to hold
the tubes; these rods or wires may also be placed at the sides of the frame
running across it, having clips formed, as just described, or having them

page_text: fastened on by soldering or other means, as may be most convenient. That
portion of the frame carrying the tubes in the manner just described, may bo
made to enclose the glass index, or to form a portion of the night lamp clock,
whichever may be most convenient, but I prefer the latter plan, although I
uso both. Or without forming a lamp on purpose for the night clock, the
index being made of transparent material and attached to a frame, to which
is also attached a set of tubes, as before described, may be placed in front of
a lamp or other illuminator, whereby the, hour of the night may bo readily
observed.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of "Improvements
in Timekeepers," and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
would remark, in conclusion, that I do not limit or restrict myself to the preciso
details specified, as the same may obviously be varied or modified without
departing from the objects of my Invention, such, for example, as the substi-
tution of one material for another, or the more modification in the formation
of the different parts; but what I claim as my Invention, and therefore desire
to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is, the
general improved arrangement and construction of parts constituting the mer-
curial timekeeper, and also the adaptation of them to the purpose of forming
a night clock or a night clock lamp, and especially the application of the wire
clips and hangers, and also the single and double sheet metal clips of tin, iron,
or other metal; also the application of the enamelled paper index, colored or
not, as well as the governing the descent of the mercury by suction, as herein
fully described, and partly shown by the illustrative Sheet of Drawings hereto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bentinck Coathupe, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of February, in tho
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
H. BENTINCK COATHUPE, (L.S.)
Capt.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.