IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE GAUGES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE GAUGES."-A communication
from abroad by John Leavens, of the City of New York, in the United
States of America.
Sealed the 30th July 1861, and dated the 11th April 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his. Petition, on
the 11th April 1861.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE GAUGES," to be as
follows:
The pressure gauge which forms the subject of the present Invention
consists of a box in which is fitted a convolute spring, one end of which is
secured to the axle of a vibrating lever, and the other end is provided with a
pin which works in a slot made in an index arm or lever also mounted on the
axle of the vibrating lever so that when the convolute spring expands or
collapses it may raise or lower the index arm. The spring box is fixed on
the end of a pipe communicating with the box of the safety valve or direct

page_text: with the boiler. Steam is therefore admitted to the interior of this pipe
and acts on the under side of a piston placed in the pipe. The upper end of
this piston is pointed. and bears against the convolute spring and allows the
same to expand or collapse according to the pressure of the steam on the under-
side of the piston. The tension or resistance of the spring is regulated by
means of an adjusting screw and the vibrating lever is connected to the
weighted lever of the safety valve by means of an adjustable link, so that
when the pressure reaches a certain point and raises the vibrating lever it
will also raise the weighted lever of the safety valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th October 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her. special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE GAUGES," being a communication from abroad upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
This Invention of improvememts in pressure gauges consists in a novel
construction of pressure gauge which renders it very effective when applied
in combination with the safety valve of a steam boiler, bydrostatic press,
or any other apparatus for the purpose of relieving the valve of a portion of its
load when the pressure reaches a certain point and so insuring a greater cer-
tainty of its operation and lessening the liability to accident.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a front view partly in section,
illustrating the application of the Invention in connection with a safety
valve. Figure 2 is a back view, corresponding with Figure 1, and repre-
senting the back of the gauge box open. Figure 3 is a horizontal section
of the same. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
several Figures.
A is the safety valve box; B the safety valve; C the lever; and D the
weight, all of ordinary construction; E is the gauge pipe represented as
connected with the valve box A below the valve, but it may be connected
directly with the boiler or other apparatus. This pipe has attached to its
upper end the circular box F, whose front is extended on one side as shown
at a, for the reception of the graduated scale of the gauge, which is engraved
or otherwise marked upon its face. The upper part of the pipe E is fitted
with a piston I, which is made with a broad head b, to prevent its dropping
into the pipe when there is no pressure below it, and has the top of its head
formed into a point 6' to constitute a bearing for the steel spring G, the
form of which is about one complete turn of a flat volute. This spring G
is arranged within the box F, and is retained in its place therein by the
point below, and by a pointed adjusting screw c which passes through
the top of the box F. The outer end of this spring G is connected with
a lever H, by means of a pin d, and the inner end of the spring has secured
to it a pin e, on which the lever h bears. The lever H passes through a
slot in the side of the box, and has suspended from it a rod J, the lower
end of which has screwed on to it a slotted link K, through which passes
the safety valve lever C. The pins d and e pass through an opening g
in front of the box F, but are perfectly free of the said box. The pin d
has the index L fitted to vibrate freely upon it and the pin e passes through
a slot in the index lever L.
The action of the gauge is as follows:-The pressure of the steam, water,
or other fluid acting upon the bottom of the piston I, in opposition to the

page_text: spring G, forces the piston I up to a higher or lower position according
.as the pressure is greater or less. On rising, the piston raises the end of the
spring G, in which the pin e is secured, and the pin e acting against the under
side of the lever I raises this lever and with it the index L, thereby causing
the latter to indicate upon the graduated scale a, a, the pressure exerted by the
steam. The link K is so adjusted on the screw thread of the rod J,, that
the ends of its slot will not come in contact with the safety valve lever.C
till the pressure has reached the highest point allowed, when in case the safety
valve has not been already raised by the pressure of the steam below it, the
lower end of the slot comes in contact with the lever C, and every slight.
increase of pressure will cause the lever I to lift the lever C, and so permit
the opening of the safety valve by the pressure of the steam, water, or other
fluid below it.. The weight D, on the safety valve lever is intended to
be adjusted as accurately as is practicable for the highest pressure allowed.
Having now described this Invention of improvements in pressure gauges,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid, the mode herein set forth of constructing pressure gauges;
I claim particularly the, combination of the spring G, the lever H, and its
link K, and index; L, with the piston I and adjusting screw c, as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said. William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of October, in the year of
our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)