Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Measuring off Quantities of Liquid, specially applicable for Testing the Amount of Fat in Milk.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Measuring off
Quantities of Liquid, specially applicable for Testing the
Amount of Fat in Milk.
We, ALFRED WALTER STOKES, F.C.S., F.I.C., of 60, Park Hill Road, Haverstock Hill,
Hampstead, London, Public Analyst and Analytical Chemist, and R. A. LISTER & Co.
LIMITED, of Victoria Iron Works, Dursley, Gloucestershire, Engineers and Iron-
founders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for quickly readily and
For this
accurately measuring off quantities of liquid, in an automatic manner.
These vessels
purpose I use two measuring vessels placed side by side in a frame.
are below connected by pipes to the barrel of a tap the plug of which has three ways
or passages through it, slanting and parallel by preference; this barrel has also two
branches which terminate in a common pipe that leads up to the liquid reservoir or
supply and entering the same by a syphon bend passes down to the bottom thereof;
the barrel has a lower outlet pipe; through a top stopper by preference of india
rubber of each measuring vessel is passed a small capillary pipe which is long enough
to reach above the top of the liquid reservoir. The plug of the tap is held in by .a
steel or other spring.
The apparatus when used for laboratory work or where corrosive liquids are used
has its vessels and pipes made of glass. The small pipes being capillary prevents the
quantity drawn off varying materially in spite of the varying height of the liquid in
the supply reservoir.
The action is as follows:-The plug of the tap first turned so as to put one of
the measuring vessels in communication with the supply reservoir, and fill it to the
required extent which depends upon the distance from the bottom to which the
capillary pipe is passed down through the top stopper. When the vessel has been
filled to that extent it will fill no more, a minute.excess quantity filling the capillary
pipe to the height of the liquid level in the reservoir. The plug of the tap is then
turned so that this vessel communicates with the receptacle to be charged and simul-
taneously is cut off from the supply reservoir and open to the outlet while the other
vessel is by the same operation put in communication with the supply. Thus it will
be understood that while one measuring vessel is being emptied, the other is being
filled, and there is thus no time lost, nor can the reservoir be emptied with the tap
in any position whatever at most one measure of liquid might be lost by careless
use.
For some purposes it is convenient to fit the apparatus with a rotatable frame
adopted to take any suitable or desired number of vessels to be charged; this frame
is. mounted on the standard to which the aforesaid apparatus is attached; in order to
adapt it to receptacles of somewhat varying lengths (as in practice obtains when
glass vessels are used) a ring cam is provided below the rotatable frame and the
latter is fitted with a small projection which enters one small notch in the ring cam

page_text: after the other as the frame is turned from one receptacle to the other, thus bringing
each receptacle in turn immediately under the outlet pipe from the tap.
In some cases the standard of the apparatus may be adapted to take more than one
supply reservoir. Thus for instance for testing the amount of fat in milk the
standard may be provided with one reservoir for sulphuric acid to be measured off as
described and another reservoir for fusel oil to be run in without special measuring
apparatus. But for some cases, where two or more valuable liquids have to be
measured off the apparatus is made with two or more sets of measuring appliances of
the kind described.
Dated this 25th day of September 1897.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Measuring off
Quantities of Liquid, specially applicable for Testing the
Amount of Fat in Milk.
We, ALFRED WALTER STOKES, F.C.S., F.I.C., of 60, Parkhill Road, Haverstock Hill,
Hampstead, London, Public Analyst and Analytical Chemist, and R. A. LISTER AND
Co. LIMITED, of Victoria Iron Works, Dursley, Gloucestershire, Engineers and
Ironfounders, 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 object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for quickly, readily, and
accurately measuring off predetermined quantities of liquid, in an automatic manner.
For this purpose two measuring vessels are preferably used placed side by side in a
frame. These vessels are below connected by pipes to the barrel of a tap the plug of
which has three ways or passages through it slanting and parallel by preference. This
barrel has also two branches which terminate in a common pipe that leads up the
liquid reservoir or supply and enters the same by a syphon bend which passes down
nearly to the bottom thereof the barrel is also provided on the underside with an outlet
pipe. Through a top stopper, by preference of india rubber, of each measuring vessel
is passed a small capillary pipe which is long enough to reach above the top of
the liquid reservoir and also to project into the measuring vessel beyond the bottom
of the stopper. The plug of the tap is held in by a steel or other spring.
The apparatus when used for laboratory work or where corrosive liquids are used
has its vessels and pipes made of glass. The small pipes being capillary prevent the
quantity drawn off varying materially in spite of the varying height of the liquid in
the supply reservoir. While one filled vessel is being drawn off the other is being
filled so that no time is lost. Devices may also be provided for readily and in
succession filling a number of receptacles with liquid from the measuring vessels.
Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of the whole apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on line a-b of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews a modified form of cock for use with a single measuring vessel.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 A and A¹ are two measuring vessels placed side by side
in a frame B which is adjustably fixed to a post C that rests in a socket plate D. The
*vessels A and A¹ are below connected by pipes to the top of the barrel E of a tap.
The barrel E is provided on the 'underside with two branches 4 and 5 which terminate
in a common pipe 6 that leads up toward the liquid supply reservoir F and also with
an outlet pipe 10 to the funnel G for passing the measure of liquid into a receptacle H.
The plug E¹ of the tap is provided with three passages 1, 2, and 3, by preference slanting

page_text: and parallel as shewn but so arranged as to connect at the same time the pipe leading
from one of the measuring vessels with the outlet pipe 10 and the pipe leading from
the other measuring vessel with one of the branches from the liquid supply pipe. On
turning the tap through half a revolution the connections are reversed.
In order to avoid breakage and to facilitate the insertion of a syphon 9 the liquid
supply pipe 6 is provided at its upper end with an enlargement 7 and an india
rubber or other stopper 8 through which the long leg of the syphon 9 passes and
projects into the enlargement 7 helow the bottom of the stopper 8 so as to form an
air cushion between the stopper and the liquid the short leg of the syphon 9 passes
through a stopper in the known manner down into the reservoir F nearly to the
bottom thereof. The plug E¹ is kept in its seat by a spring E2 or equivalent
device.
Through a top stopper, by preference of india rubber, of each measuring vessel A
and A¹ is passed a small capillary stand pipe I and I¹ these pipes being long enough to
reach above the level of the top of the liquid reservoir and to project into the
measuring vessel below the stopper. The extent to which these pipes are inserted
down into the vessels A and A¹ determines the extent or height to which these
vessels are to be filled for beyond a minute quantity that runs up into these pipes,
the flow of liquid into them will cease the moment the level indicated by the bottom
of the pipes is reached. The vessels A A¹ being of glass should be held elastically in.
the frame B for instance by rubber seatings or rings K and L and rubber
bands M.
"
'
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
.
The plug E of the cock is first turned so as to put one of the vessels say A¹ in
communication with the reservoir F so as to fill it up to the bottom of the pipe I¹
for the flow ceases when the liquid reaches that level, with the exception of a minute
excess quantity which fills the capillary pipe I' to the height of the liquid level in the
reservoir F and no liquid is spilt or wasted even if the apparatus is left standing in
that condition. It will thus be readily understood that the extent to which the
vessel is filled depends upon the distance from the hottom thereof to which the
capillary pipe is passed down through the top stopper. The space intervening
between the bottom of the stopper and the bottom of the capillary tube forms an air
cushion which effectually prevents contact between the stopper and any corrosive
liquid being measured. Without this air space it would be practically impossible to
measure automatically for example sulphuric acid (vitriol) to be used in milk
analysis. The plug is then half turned so that the vessel A¹ communicates with the
pipe 10 through which and the funnel G the contents of the vessel A¹ will be
discharged into the receptacle H while simultaneously the vessel A is put into com-
munication with the reservoir and is filled therefrom as already described with
reference to the vessel A¹. Thus it will be understood that while one measuring
vessel is being emptied the other is being filled and there is thus no time lost, and
the reservoir can never be emptied by carelessness; at the worst one ineasure of
liquid might be lost by careless use.
For some purposes it is convenient to provide the apparatus with a frame for
instance such as K adapted to receive a number of receptacles H mounted freely on
the post C and in order to adapt it to receptacles of somewhat varying lengths (as in
practice obtains when glass vessels are used) the funnel G is mounted adjustably on
the post C.
Various means may be adopted for holding the frame K successively in the
positions required for filling the receptacles H but as an example we provide on
the underside of the frame K a small projection or tooth K¹ which enters into
notches provided on a ring L' rigidly mounted on or integral with the post C or
socket plate D. The edges and corners of the projection K¹ and the notches in the
ring L, are rounded, so that as the frame is periodically turned in order to bring
each receptacle H in turn immediately under the funnel G which is below the outlet
pipe 10 from the cock, said projection K₁ may easily drop into the corresponding
notch as the table is released. In some cases the post or standard C may be adapted

page_text: to receive more than one liquid supply reservoir. Thus for instance, for testing the
amount of fat in milk the standard C may be fitted with one reservoir for sulphuric
acid to be measured off as described and another reservoir for fusel oil to be run in
without special measuring apparatus. But for some cases, where two or more valuable
liquids have to be measured off, the apparatus is made with two or more sets of
measuring appliances of the kind described.
Fig. 3 shews the modification in the cock required when one measuring vessel only
is used. The plug E¹ is provided with two instead of three oblique passages said
passages serving alternately to connect the measuring vessel with the liquid supply
pipe 6 and the outlet 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for automatically measuring and delivering any predetermined
volume of liquid by means of a head of such liquid the combination of a measuring
vessel provided with a stopper and a capillary stand pipe passing through said
stopper and projecting into said measuring vessel for the purpose of regulating the
liquid level or quantity of liquid to be drawn off and providing an air cushion
between said stopper and the liquid to be measured substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for automatically measuring and delivering any predetermined
volume of liquid the combination of a measuring vessel provided with a stopper, a
capillary stand pipe passing through said stopper and projecting into said measuring
vessel for the purpose of regulating the liquid level or quantity of liquid to be drawn
off and providing an air cushion between said stopper and the liquid, a liquid supply
reservoir above the level of the top of the said measuring vessel, and a cock provided
with an outlet and connections with the underside of said measuring vessel and with
a liquid supply pipe from said reservoir, said cock being provided with a plug having
passages adapted to afford connection alternately between said liquid supply pipe or
said outlet and said measuring vessel substantially as set forth.
3. In an apparatus for automatically measuring and delivering any predetermined
volume of liquid by means of a head of such liquid the combination of two measuring
vessels each provided with a stopper, a capillary stand pipe passing through each
stopper and projecting into each measuring vessel for the purpose of regulating the
liquid level or quantity of liquid to be drawn off and providing an air cushion
between said stopper and the liquid, and a cock provided with an outlet and con-
nections with the underside of said measuring vessels and with.a liquid supply pipe,
said cock being provided with a plug having passages so arranged that while one of
the said measuring vessels is being filled the other of the said measuring vessels is
being drawn off substantially as set forth.
4. The constructions of apparatus shewn on the drawings.
Dated this Twenty savonth day of Inro 1908
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.