Improvements in or Additions to Funnels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1837
Complete Specification, Left, 29th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 5th Oct., 1888
Improvements in or Additions to Funnels.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE ATKINS of Trinity Road, Birchfields near Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, Corresponding clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates as herein-after described, to apparatus commonly called
funnels, employed for conveying liquids into closed vessels; or in other words, an
inverted hollow cone, expanding grailually from the base or pipe, upwards.
When pouring or conveying liquids, through an ordinary funnel, into a non-
transparent bottle, or other vessel, it is difficult to determine when the said bottle is
filled, or nearly filled, in order to prevent spilling, by overflowing.
The object of my said invention, is to remedy this defect, by providing the funnel
with means, which shall show at a glance, the height of the liquid.
The means as aforesaid, consists of an indicator rod, working through, or in
connection with a funnel, provided at its lower end, with a float, which rises as a
vessel fills, thereby indicating to a person, the height of the poured liquid in the said
vessel.
The funnel, which may be made from sheet metal, of porcelain, or of other suitable
materials, also affords a means, of determining the presence and height of liquid, in
vessels already filled, or partially filled.
In carrying out iny invention, I take any shaped funnel, with a pipe, whose bottom
or lower end, is closed, and of a diameter greater than the cross section of the pipe
itself, whilst the sides of the pipe, are pierced or left open, wherethrough the liquid,
poured into the inverted hollow cone, passes.
The bottom or foot of the pipe, is a little larger in diameter, than the float carried
at the lower end of an indicator rod, which passes centrally, and vertically through
the bottom of the pipe, and up the middle of the funnel.
The indicator rod, or wire, works freely through the said bottom, and is provided
at its upper end, with a knob, for preventing it from being withdrawn.

page_text: The overhanging bottom or foot, at the lower end of the pipe of the combined
funnel, and indicator, acts as a guard, for protecting the float, against the gravitating
effect of the falling liquid or in other words, it prevents the pouring liquid, which
passes through the side holes in the pipe, from falling directly upon the float, which
would otherwise be disturbed.
The indicator rod, is guided through a bar, crossing the funnel, while the sides of
the pipe, are downwardly corrugated, or ribbed, thus preventing the funnel, making a
vessel, with which it is used, air tight: so that on liquid being poured, the air
displaced, escapes upwardly through the hollows, as aforesaid.
The float may be made of sheet metal, cork, or other like buoyant substance.
The indicator rod, instead of passing up through the middle of the funnel, may pass
up the side, or through a tube in the middle of the funnel.
The indicator, may be arranged, or connected with an automatic alarm, which
indicates when the poured liquid in a vessel, has risen to a sufficient height; this
is done, by connecting the indicator rod, with a lever, or other connections, and
a bell.
The liquid may also he cut off, by an automatic arrangement, used in connection
with a tap or valve, thus preventing the liquid from rising, other than to a determinate
height.

page_text: I, FREDERICK GEORGE ATKINS of Trinity Road, Birchfields near Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Corresponding clerk, 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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus, commonly called funnels, employed for conveying
liquids into closed vessels.
When pouring or conveying liquids through an ordinary funnel, into a non-
transparent bottle or other vessel, it is most difficult to determine the exact height of
the said liquid poured.
My invention has for its object, the remedying of this defect, by providing the
funnel with an indicator, or means which determines the height of liquid poured..
Thus, the means consist of an indicator rod, with float at its lower end, which work
through the middle of the funnel.
The funnel may be made of sheet metal, porcelain, glass or other suitable
materials.
In constructing a funnel according to my invention, I take a cone-shaped open top
vessel, as usual, with a pipe depending downwardly from the middle of its contracted
underside, and which pipe is provided with piercings or openings, wherethrough the
liquid to a bottle or vessel from the funnel, flows.
"
1
Directed upwardly through the middle of the funnel, is an indicator rod, consisting of
an upright stem, with a float at its lower end, which rises with the liquid in the bottle,
and indicates thereby, the exact height of the liquid poured.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in side elevation, my new or
improved indicator funnel, constructed and arranged according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, and figure 3 is a like sectional
view of the said funnel figure 1, but taken at right angles to that of figure 2.
Figure 4 is a top side plan of figure 3, and figure 5 is an underside plan of. the
funnel, showing the float through the bottom of the pipe. Figure 6 shows the
indicator rod and float, removed from the funnel.
Figure 7 represents a funnel, placed within the neck of a bottle, and figure 8
represents the same, but with the bottle filled, and the indicator rod and float lifted to
its full extent, which thereby indicates that the bottle is full.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is the hopper mouth of the funnel, and 6 is a parallel sided pipe depending or
directed from its contracted lower side, c is a float, (preferably cork) carrying an
indicator rod d.
The pipe is open at top and bottom, but is divided or blocked off near its upper
end, by a diaphragm or guard e, which provents poured liquid from impinging
directly upon the top of the float, which if unprotected, would partially sink or be
kept under the liquid, and would therefore not so indicate correctly, the height of the
liquid in the bottle.

page_text: The float guard which divides off the interior of the pipe into two compartments,
has a hole through its middle, wherethrough the indicator rod freely passes, and
which said rod is directed vertically up the axis of the funnel, by working through a
guide, consisting of a bar directed across the mouth of the tube.
The pipe above the float guard is pierced with holes a², wherethrough liquid from
the funnel passes outwardly into the bottle.
Below the float guard is a vent or air-hole a³, wherethrough displaced air from the
bottle is allowed to escape, on the bottle being filled.
The indicator rod is prevented from falling through the guide by a stop loop d².
In using the funnel, place it in position as in figure 7, then pour the liquid into
the hopper month which flows past the guide, into the compartment of the pipe
above the float guard, and from thence it flows outwardly through the holes a
into the bottle, without practically coming in contact, or falling upon the float, and
as the bottle fills, so the float rises, and indicates the height of the liquid in the
bottle.
The liquid displaced by the filling of the bottle, escapes from the float compartment,
through the hole a³.
The indicator rod instead of passing through the middle of the funnel, may be
directed up the side thereof, or through a tube passing upwardly through its
middle.
The indicator may be arranged to work an automatic alarm or bell, which rings
when liquid in the vessel has risen to a maximum height, and the said indicator rod
may also be made to close a tap.
The pipe may be enclosed within a second one which may be tapered or straight.
The indicator rod may be made solid or left hollow, to allow air within the bottle to
escape, when filling takes place.
The pipe may be made to work telescopically within the bottom of the hopper of
the funnel, and rendered sufficiently buoyant, by cork, or by an air-tight chamber, to
rise and take the place of the indicator rod.
The indicator rod may be provided with a pointer, which traverses a graduated
scale, directed parallel to the rod, or indicated in any other suitable way.
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.
First. Providing funnels or tun-dishes with a float and indicator rod, or a float
without a rod, whereby the height of liquid within a bottle or vessel is determined,
substantially as set forth.
Secondly-Placing within the interior of the pipe or other part of a funnel or tun-
dish, a float guard, whereby liquid on being poured, is prevented from coming upon
the top of the float, substantially as and for the purpose as set forth.
Thirdly. A funnel or tun-dish, consisting of a hopper part a, tube part , (with or
without gnide f) float and indicator rod c, d, and holes a², a³, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this Twenty fifth day of August 1888.