IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMATION OF GLASS TUBES EMPLOYED IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF THERMOMETERS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THERMOMETERS THEREFROM, WHICH SAID TUBES ARE MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CLINICAL, CHEMICAL, AND OTHER LIKE THERMOMETERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Luigi Peroni, of 45, Hatton Garden, Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Glass Blower, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND FORMATION OF GLASS TUBES EMPLOYED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF THERMOMETERS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THERMOMETERS
THEREFROM, WHICH SAID TUBES ARE MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE
MANUFACTURE OF CLINICAL, CHEMICAL, AND OTHER LIKE THERMOMETERS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Luigi Peroni at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1878.
LUIGI PERONI, of 45, Hatton Garden, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Glass Blower. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMATION OF GLASS
TUBES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THERMOMETERS, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF THERMOMETERS THEREFROM, WHICH SAID TUBES ARE MORE
ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CLINICAL, CHEMICAL, AND
OTHER LIKE THERMOMETERS."
The object of my improvements in the shape or formation of said glass tubes is,-
1st. To lessen the liability of such to breakage by accident, from being negligently
or carelessly placed on a table or other like surface which invariably has an inclina-
tion sufficient to impart a rolling motion to any circular tube or object. The
importance of this will at once be seen in the case of the clinical thermometer as
now manufactured from circular tubes, and which, when in-use by medical gentle-
men, are often unavoidably and hurriedly placed in positions whereby their safety
is greatly imperilled and endangered from liability to roll.
2nd. It will be found also that my proposed formation possesses the advantage
of magnifying the bore of such tube, giving increased facility to the reading of
indications of the mercury therein, the importance of which will also be best
illustrated by reference to the use of the clinical as well as the chemical
thermometer:
My improvements then are effected as follows:-Instead of making the tube
circular as at present employed, it is manufactured with a flat or horizontal base

page_text: having two perpendicular sides with a circular top. It is however made to retain
the enamelled ground as at present in use, and when manufactured into the ther-
mometer appears with its divisions or markings on the circular top reflected by the
enamel at the base.
The enlargement of the bore is seen by a side view of the top where the
magnifying power of the tube exists.
It will be seen therefore that the novelty of my Invention consists in the forma-
tion or construction of the glass tube and its consequent magnifying power, as and
for the purposes above described, which novelty I-claim.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Luigi Peroni in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th July.
1878.
LUIGI PERONI, of 45, Hatton Garden, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Glass Blower. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMATION OF GLASS
TUBES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THERMOMETERS, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF THERMOMETERS THEREFROM, WHICH SAID TUBES ARE MORE
ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CLINICAL, CHEMICAL, AND
OTHER LIKE THERMOMETERS,"
My Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of glass tubes
employed in the manufacture of thermometers, whereby thermometers made of such
tubes possess the advantage of magnifying the bore of the tube more than is the
case with tubes of the forms heretofore employed, thereby giving increased facility
for reading the indications of the mercury or fluid therein, the importance of which
will be best illustrated by reference to the use of the clinical as well as to the
chemical thermometer having very fine bore.
My improvements are effected as follows:-Instead of making the tube circular
and with the bore in the centre thereof, as at present employed, it is according to
one form, as represented to an enlarged scale at Figure 1, manufactured with a
section consisting of a flat or horizontal base a, two perpendicular sides b, and a
circular or curved top c, and in producing tubes of such section by "drawing" the
circular or curved top.c becomes connected with the sides b by small curves d,
which, by reason of the bore being beyond the mechanical centre or axis, of such
curves d act as magnifying curves or lenses, and thus magnify the appearance of
the bore more than is the case with thermometer tubes made as heretofore with the
bore placed in the mechanical centre or axis of the tube or of the curved portion of
the tube. The tube is preferably made with the enamelled ground or back at
present in use.
The bore is seen enlarged or magnified by a view thereof through the magnifying
curves d of the tube in the direction of the arrows.
By forming the tube with flat base a and sides b the rolling of thermometers
made therefrom is prevented, and consequently the liability to breakage of the
thermometer from such rolling is prevented or considerably lessened.
I would, however, here remark that although in my Provisional Specification

page_text: such flat sides and base were described as forming part of my said Invention, the
employment of such flat sides and base was known previously to the date of my
said Provisional Specification, and the insertion of such description was in error;
for this reason I desire to disclaim, and I do hereby disclaim forming thermometer
tubing of a section having flat sides and base.
At Figure 2 I have represented to an enlarged scale a different section of tubing
with my Invention applied thereto. In this case the tube is mainly circular in
section, and the bore is in the centre of the main portion thereof, but the tube is
formed with a curved portion d, standing up above the general surface of the tube,
and by reason of the bore of the tube being beyond the mechanical axis or centre
of such raised curved portion & the latter acts as a lense or magnifying curve, and
greatly magnifies the appearance of the bore.
At Figure 3 I have represented another section of tubing, in which the tube is
circular in section, but in consequence of the bore thereof being placed out of the
centre the bore is enlarged in appearance.
At Figure 4 I have represented another section of tube consisting of an oval or
ellipse; in this case the bore may be placed in the centre of the longitudinal axis
of the oval or ellipse, as shown, or it may be placed at one side of such centre, as
shown at Figure 5. The bore in this case is seen greatly enlarged or magnified by
a view thereof through the longitudinal axis of the oval or ellipse.
It will be evident that my Invention may be applied to other sections of tubes
than those above referred to.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is
making tubing for thermometers, and making thermometers therefrom, the section
of which is such that the bore is out of or beyond the mechanical axis or centre of
the magnifying curve so as to cause the bore thereof to appear magnified to a
greater degree than is the case with thermometers made of tubing of the sections
heretofore employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Luigi Peroni, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
LUIGI PERONI.
(L.B.)