IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF FLUIDS, AND ALSO THE PRESSURE OF STEAM
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
LEANDRE CLEMENT, of Saint Martin's Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twelfth day of July, in the sixth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Jean Leandre Clement, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, my exors, adñors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF FLUIDS, AND ALSO THE
PRESSURE OF STEAM;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in

page_text: part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Jean Leandre Clement, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon (that is to say):-
The Invention relates to a mode of constructing thermometric apparatus
acting by the different degrees of expansion of two metals for ascertaining the
temperature of steam, air, or other fluids; and the Invention consists,―
First, in causing a compound bar of two metals to be fixed at one end to a
fixed point, and then to cause such compound bar to be coiled several times;
the other end of the compound bar being then connected with a rod, which
turns as an axis in a bearing or bearings, by which means when the compound
bar is acted on by varied degrees of temperature, the rod or axis to which it
is fixed will be caused to turn, the increase of temperature being indicated by
the axis or rod turning in one direction, the decrease of temperature being
indicated by its turning in the other direction, and by placing a pointing hand
on the axis, and graduating a plate or surface to the Centigrade or other scale,
the temperature acting upon the compound bar will be indicated.
And, secondly, my Invention relates to apparatus for indicating the tempera-
ture of the water in which a ship or vessel is moving, by causing a compound
bar, subjected to the action or temperature of the water, to give motion to an
axis or rod passing into the ship or vessel, such axis giving motion to suitable
instruments for pointing out on a suitable graduated scale the varying tem-
perature the thermometric apparatus is subjected to, such indication of the
temperature being made at a position above the level of the water, whereby
persons on board a ship or vessel may be enabled to ascertain when the ship
or vessel is passing into or from deep or shallow water by the varied degrees of
temperature indicated by the thermometer, and the approach to ice will also
be indicated.
I would remark, that I am aware that compound bars of metal, acting
by the different degrees of expansion of the two metals employed, have
been before used for thermometric purposes, and for regulating the going of
timekeepers, and also for regulating températures of buildings and furnaces.
I mention these matters in order to state that I do not claim to combine bars
of different metals for such purposes generally, my Invention relating, first, to
a mode of giving motion to an axis for ascertaining temperatures, by causing a

page_text: compound bar of two suitable metals to be affixed at one end to a rod or axis
which is free to move in a bearing or bearings, the compound bar being
formed into a coil or spiral, the other end of the coiled compound bar being
affixed to a fixed point, by which means when the compound bar is acted on
by the varying temperatures of fluids, the axis will be caused to turn, and by
a suitable pointer indicate the temperature on a suitably graduated scale. And
if it be desired to shew more minute divisions of temperature than the first
motion of the axis would give, then, in addition to applying a pointer or hand
to the axis itself, the axis may by suitable wheelwork cause other hands to
be put in motion, such other hands having suitable dials or surfaces graduated
to indicate the hundredths or other divisions of the degrees of heat indicated
by the main hand, which is put in motion immediately by the axis. The axis
receiving motion from the thermometric apparatus may be of considerable
length, so that the temperature of a fluid may be shewn in a locality a
considerable distance from the fluid to which the thermometric apparatus is
subjected; and one important use to which my apparatus has been applied
is indicating on deck or in a cabin of a ship the temperature of the water in
which a ship or vessel is moving, by which persons may be informed when the
And in like manner the tem-
ship is approaching ice or shallow water.
perature of steam in a boiler of a steam engine in a steam vessel may be
constantly shewn on deck or other desired locality of the vessel, by which
means, in the event of the temperature rising higher than is the known
proper working temperature, directions may be given by the captain or others
on board having command to open the fire-doors, or have recourse to other
means for reducing the temperature and consequent pressure of the steam in
the boiler; and in like manner may the temperature of steam in other
steam boilers be indicated in any desired locality.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood, I will
proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, where an apparatus is
shewn suitable for measuring and indicating the temperature of water in
which a ship or vessel is moving or floating, and also other apparatus
suitable for measuring and indicating the temperature and pressure of steam
in a steam boiler.
The Drawing marked A represents an apparatus for ascertaining the
temperature of the water at sea. a, a, is a coiled 'compound bar of silver and
platina (which are the metals I prefer to use, but do not confine myself
thereto) soldered together with hard solder, the platina being outside of the
coil; one end of the compound bar a being made fast to the point b, which is a

page_text: fixed point, and the other end of the bar a is affixed to the rod or axis c
This rod or axis is of such length as to give motion to suitable pointing
instruments placed on deck or in a cabin, in order at all times to point out on
a graduated dial or surface the degree of temperature which the thermometric
apparatus may at any moment be subjected to; and it is important to remark
that in thus using a lengthened rod or axis c, so as to convey the result of the
action on the thermometric apparatus to a distant placé or locality, that the
rod or axis c should move in bearings at intervals in its length, and that the
rod or axis should be placed in a tube or protecting cover. d, d, are a series of
bearings for the rod or axis c which are affixed to the bar e, such bar having
bent plates f, f, affixed to it at intervals, as is shewn, the bent plates fitting into
the interior of the tube or case g, thus keeping the rod or axis c in a central
position of the case or tube g. The lower end of the bar e, having a plate e
affixed thereto, which receives the lower end of the rod or axis c, as is shewn';
and it will be seen that the axis c and the coiled compound bar a can be
raised out of the tube or case g by means of the bar e.
The rod or axis c
gives motion by wheelwork to two hands or pointers, in order to point out the
temperature of the water. At the upper end of the rod or axis c there is
affixed a projecting arm c¹, which. by means of a crank pin c² gives motion to
the arm affixed on the axis i; and it should be stated that the rod or axis c
will be of such a length as to give motion to the axis i of the apparatus here:
after described, such apparatus being affixed in a cabin, or on deck, or other
convenient part of a ship or vessel, above the water line of such vessel; and
the rod or axis c will be protected: by an external tube or case, aś is shewn ;
and it is better to have the rod or axis in several parts, and also the bar e in
Several parts, which will facilitate the taking of the thermometric apparatus
out of the tube g, as the parts can be successively removed as they are raised.
And it will be understood that although the lower end of tube is open to the
water, the tube g is to be so inserted through a ship's bottom as not to allow
of water passing into the ship or vessel, though it rise in the tube g..
connection between the rod or axis c and the axis i 'allows of adjustment in the
following manner is a socket which receives the square end of the axis i,
the
upper end of the axis c turning freely in the socket c³. On the lower end
of the socket is affixed a projecting arm c, and there is a second arm c³, which
moves freely on the socket c³, and the adjusting screw c passes through two S
nuts which are carried by the arms c and c³, such nuts moving on their axes.
It will therefore be seen that by means of the screw co the axis i
may be
moved till the hand points to the correct temperature of the water below the,
The

page_text: ship or vessel. By this arrangement, when the: thermometric apparatus has
been placed into the tube or case g, it is to be adjusted to the graduated scale
by ascertaining the temperature of the water by sinking.a. thermometer in the
water to about the same depth as the tube 9, and quickly. raising it to see the
temperature, then the adjusting screw is to be turned till the hand of the
apparatus indicates the same temperature. The axis i-gives: mótion to the
toothed sector i affixed .thereon, which takes into, and. drives the pinion j on!
the axis j', and the sector is prevented moving too far in either direction by:
the stops.i. On the axis-is. affixed the cog wheel k, which takes into and
drives the pinion 7 affixed on the axis m, and on the axis m is affixed the cog
wheel, which takes into and drives the pinion o affixed on the-axis o¹, the
axes j, m, and o, turning, in suitable bearings, as is shewn; and it should be,
remarked that there is a very fine coiled spring. p. affixed at one end to the
axis m and at the other end to a fixed point, the object of which is to keep.the,
teeth of the wheels constantly bearing against each other: On the axis:jlis.
affixed the hand or pointer q, and on the axis o is affixed the hand or pointer r,
which respectively point to the graduated scales on the dial or face of the
instrument, such scales being graduated to the. Centigrade thermometer, the
the land pointing out the degree of temperature, and. the hand'r pointing
out the tenths of a degree; and there are registering hands qq, on either side.
of the hand q,.which being moved, by the hand g, will not return, consequently:
the highest and lowest temperatures will be registered.
The Drawing marked. B. shews á .thermometric apparatus for ascertaining
the temperature of the steam from a steam boiler. This apparatus is marked
with the same letters of reference to those before used. s.is a small cylinder,
placed and, fixed in any convenient position for observation; to this cylinder a.
steam pipe is affixed, the other end of the steam pipe being affixed to the:
boiler, so that steam may pass, freely from the boiler to the cylinder, or vessels,
and is a steam pipe with a stopcock from the cylinder or vessels, by which;
steam can pass away from that cylinder. or vessel when the cock is open. The
thermometric apparatus is inserted into and affixed on the top of the. cylinder,
or vessel &, so that when that. vessel is full of steam it will indicate, the;
temperature thereof. The dial of this apparatus has also two graduated scales:
according to the Centigrade thermometer; but in this case the axis describes
5 the whole circle, as is shewn, and indicates. the temperature and also the
pressure of the steam in atmospheres commencing, from 100°, indicating one
atmosphere, or about 15lbs. pressure, into a vacuum, and the hand points
out, the tenths of a degree. I have not, thought it necessary to shew other

page_text: arrangements of apparatus, as thermometric apparatus for other purposes may
be constructed from the description herein given. Thus, supposing it were
desired to have a thermometer which should indicate the temperature of the
outer atmosphere on the interior of a building, in such case the thermometric
apparatus would be on the outside and subject to the atmosphere, and the
axis would be conducted into the interior of the building where the dial would
be fixed; and if desired the dial might have two graduated scales, the one
acted on by a thermometric apparatus, according to my Invention, by the outer
atmosphere, and the other by thermometric apparatus acted on by the
atmosphere of the interior. In order to adjust the compound bar to the
graduated scales or the dials used, I reduce the length of the bar when the
degree of temperature acting on the coiled bar causes the hand to move
beyond the proper degree, and continue to reduce it till the hand points
correctly to the proper degree of temperature, using another thermometer to
set the new apparatus to.
Having thus described my Invention, and the best means I am acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, I would wish it to be understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein shewn and described,
provided the peculiar character of either part of my Invention be retained;
and although I have used only two metals, more might be combined in the
same bar, as has been before practised when making compound bars, but I
have not found in necessary so to do.
I would wish it to be understood that what I claim is,-
First, the mode of constructing thermometric apparatus by means of a
coiled compound bar, one end of which is made fast to a fixed point, the
other end giving motion to an axis or rod turning in a bearing or bearings,
as above described; and,
Secondly, I claim the so constructing thermometric apparatus for ascertain-
ing the temperature of the water in which a ship or vessel is moving or
floating, that a compound bar below the surface of the water may give motion
to an axis, and in such manner as to point out, at a desired position above
the surface of the water, the temperature of the water acting on the com-
pound bar.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
JEAN LEANDRE (L.s.) CLEMENT.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid Jean Leandre Clement came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One