Improvements in Thermometers for Clinical and other Purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1893—Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thermometers for Clinical and other Purposes.
I, JAMES JOSEPH HICKS, of 8 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Meteorological Instrument Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in thermometers which can be used for
ordinary clinical purposes and to indicate the temperatures of baths, food, &c.
For this purpose I construct a thermometer according to any well known system
of constructing a clinical thermometer, that is to say, I provide it with a bulb and
a fine bore or capillary tube, so as to obtain a very open scale, and self registering
or not as may be desired. I make only a few divisions on the scale, say three, the
lowest of which may indicate the temperature of a tepid bath, the intermediate
division, that required for a baby's food temperature and bath, and the highest,
that of a hot bath. The divisions on the scale may be of other number and
otherwise arranged, that is to say, to indicate other desired temperatures, but in
any case I make the divisions only at those points indicating the temperatures it is
desired to obtain or ascertain. I also form on or attach to the index or capillary
tube, a bulb, either of glass or other material, of any suitable shape and dimensions,
which is so proportioned as to enable the thermometer to float in a bath or, if
desired, in food or other liquid. When the float is made of glass, it will be fused
to the upper end of the index or capillary tube, but when made of other material,
said float and tube will be so formed as to be capable of ready connection and
disconnection. The float serves as an efficient handle whereby the thermometer.
can be safely and more easily handled.
JAS. J. HICKS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thermometers for Clinical and other Purposes.
I, JAMES JOSEPH HICKS, of 8 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Meteorological Instrument Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
The invention relates to improvements in thermometers which can be used for
ordinary clinical purposes and to indicate the temperatures of baths, food, &c.
For this purpose I construct a thermometer according to any well known system
of constructing a clinical thermometer, that is to say, I provide it with a bulb and
a fine bore or capillary tube so as to obtain a very open scale, and self-registering
or not as may be desired. I make only a few divisions on the scale, say three, the
lowest of which may indicate the temperature of a tepid bath, the intermediate
division, that required for a baby's food, temperature and warm bath, and the
highest, that of a hot bath. The divisions ou the scale may be of other number.
and otherwise arranged, that is to say, to indicate other desired temperatures, but
in any case I make the divisions only at those points indicating the temperatures it
is desired to obtain or ascertain. I also form on or attach to the index or capillary
tube, a bulb, either of glass or other material, of any suitable shape and dimensions,
which is so proportioned as to enable the thermometer to float in a bath or, if
desired, in food or other liquid. When the float is made of glass, it will be fused

page_text: to the upper end of the index or capillary tube, but when made of other material,
said float and tube will be so formed as to be capable of ready connection and
disconnection. The float serves as an efficient handle whereby the thermometer
can be safely and more easily handled.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figures 1 and 2 represent two thermometers provided with floats formed of
glass.
Figure 3 represents a similar thermometer provided with a float made of cork,
and Figure represents a similar thermometer with a float consisting of a hollow
india rubber ball.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a represents the bulb of the thermometer, the index or capillary tube, and e
the float.
As
As represented at Figures 1 and 2 the float e is made of glass, which is fused to
the upper end of the index or capillary tube b. As represented at Figure 3 the
float is formed of cork, in which case it is made with a hole c to receive and fit
tightly the enlargement d formed on the upper end of the thermometer.
represented at Figure 4 the float a consists of a hollow india-rubber ball with a
hole therein through which the enlargement d formed on the upper end of the
thermometer is passed, and such hole is smaller in diameter than the tube / so that
the india-rubber shall fit tightly around said tube.
The tube, instead of being divided as usual along the entire length thereof,
has only the special divisions thereon which indicate the temperatures desired to
be obtained or ascertained. In the examples shown in the drawings I employ
three divisions, the first of which is marked 1 and indicates the temperature
required for a tepid bath, viz., 75 degrees; the second division, marked 2, indicates
the temperature required for a baby's food, the temperature of a baby in a state of
health, and that required for a warm bath, viz., 984 degrees; and the third
division, marked 3, indicates the temperature required for a hot bath, viz., 103
degrees.
By the use of a thermometer constructed as above described, the thermometer
can be floated in water or in a baby's food, and by having only the divisions
indicating the temperatures of the same, there cannot be any possibility of mis-
taking one division for another, thus safeguarding a child from being accidentally
.supplied with food or with a bath either above or below the temperature required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A thermometer provided with a float at its upper end and with only the special
divisions and figures required to indicate a small number of temperatures, substan-
tially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. The combination in a thermometer, of a bulb, a tube or stem connected
therewith, a float attached to the upper end of such tube or stem, and a small
number of divisions, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated.
3. The combination in a thermometer, of a bulb, a tube or stem connected to
and communicating with said bulb, a float fused on to the upper end of the stem
or tube and a small number of divisions and figures on the tube or stem, substan-
tially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1893.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1893.
JAS. J. HICKS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.