Pressure, and the Component Parts of Fluids.
Year: 1885

page_text: Pressure, and the Component Parts of Fluids.
I, FRIEDRICH LUX, of Ludwigshafen-on-the-Rhine, in the Kingdom of Bavaria,
and Empire of Germany Civil-Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ASCERTAINING THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY THE
PRESSURE AND THE COMPONENT PARTS OF FLUIDS" 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 an improved method of continuously, and in a direct
Inanner, ascertaining or determining the specific weight, the pressure and the
component parts of gases and vapors and the specific weight of liquids by means
of ordinary balances.
The methods heretofore employed of ascertaining the specific weight of a fluid
by means of ordinary balances allow of no continuous examination of a fluid or
liquid current in closed vessels so as to admit, for instance, of ascertaining the
specific weight of some moving gas or vapor; of determining the quantities of the
divers component parts of a mixture of gases, from the specific weight of the said
original mixture and from the respective specific gravities of the remaining com-
ponent gaseous parts after treating the said mixture with the proper absorbents;
of continuously ascertaining the specific gravity of a liquid current while in
motion; or of continuously determining the pressure either of a moving current
or of a quiescent body of vapors or gases.
My present invention enables me to make such continuous examination by
employing ordinary balances of sufficiently sensible construction, and to obtain
thereby better results even than can be obtained with the apparatus described in
the specification of former Letters Patent dated AD 1884, N° 15970 said
apparatus being based upon a quite different principle to the present invention
and not allowing, either of ascertaining in continuous succession the specific
gravities of currents of liquid bodies.
My said improved method consists substantially in combining with a suitable
receiving vessel, arranged at one end of the lever or scale-beam and constituting
as it were the scale of the balance, an inlet and an outlet conduit for the fluid
or liquid current the specific weight of which is to be ascertained, said conduits

page_text: '
partaking of the oscillating motion of the said lever or beam; and in continuously
forcing the body to be weighed into the said receiving-vessel, and out of the said
vessel, by means of the pressure of the current of the succeeding bodies, the up and
down movements of the said vessel, caused by the various weights of. the said
bodies passing through the said vessel, being indicated upon a graduated scale by
the other arm of the said lever or beam, or by means of a suitable index-finger
combined therewith.
In order that my invention may be understood reference should be made to the
explanatory parts of the said former specification No 15970 AD 1884, so that
I may obviate the necessity for again detailing, and thus unnecessarily repeating,
in the present specification, the more intrinsic motives of my improved method.
Reference is also made to the accompanying drawing the Figures of which show
an ordinary balance adapted for use in practising my present invention.
In carrying my said invention into practice I proceed as follows that is
to say :-
I provide two tubes or conduit pipes, B, C, of glass, metal or other suitable
material, communicating with the weighing vessel A. and freely participating in the
up and down movements of the balance-lever which has the two arms D, E. The
tube B is placed in communication with a supply of gas or liquid while the other C
is connected with a reservoir in which a lower pressure prevails, or with the open
air. Thus the gas or liquid in order to enter the tube C, after having passed through
'the tube B, is first caused to enter the vessel or bulb A which is filled, and thence
to escape in a continuous current through the tube C.
Supposing the said current to consist of hydrogen gas, then the graduated scale F
adjacent to the lever or arm E, which forms a continuation of the arm or lever D
supporting the weighing vessel A, is so adjusted as to cause the said lever E to
indicate a specific weight of 0.07 on the said scale. If common atmospheric air
instead of hydrogen gas is then allowed to pass through the said tubes and the
vessel A the point indicated on the scale F by the arm or lever E will be denoted
by the number 1, this being the specific gravity of common atmospheric air. The
other graduations of the scale F between these two points and beyond may then
be easily determined.
If it is desired to continuously test or control illuminating gas with regard to its
specific gravity, for instance, it is only necessary to allow a current of such gas
coming from the source of generation to pass continuously through the said vessel A,
whereupon the specific gravity of the same, or the varying specific gravities thereof,
can be seen at once being indicated on the scale F by the arm or lever E.
The specific weights of gases being in inverse ratio to the pressure to which they
are subjected, my improved method may also be employed for determining the
pressure of a current of gas or vapor, as will be well understood. For the same
reason, if it is desired to ascertain, continuously, the pressure of gaseous substances
while at rest, my present method may readily be adapted for the purpose, all that
is necessary to do being either to disconnect or to cut off, the discharge or outlet C,
and to connect only the feed or inlet tube B with the reservoir containing the gas
under pressure, and with the weighing vessel A
In the same manner as above described the specific weights of liquids say of
alcohol, for instance, or the variations in the specific weight of the same are
continuously indicated on the scale when a quantity of such liquid, is allowed to
pass continuously through the tube B into the weighing vessel A, and thence to be
discharged through the tube C into a reservoir or other receptacle.
The component parts of mixtures of gases may also be ascertained directly from
the scale of the apparatus by means of this improved method, by interposing
suitable absorption-vessels between each two of a number of such apparatus. In
this case the tube C would be employed for conveying the said mixture of gases
from the weighing apparatus to the next absorption vessel, and the tube B for
conveying the remaining component parts of the mixture from the said absorption-
vessel to the next weighing apparatus, and so on. In order to dispense with

page_text: unnecessary repetitions, I may refer for a more detailed description of such
arrangement, as adapted for this special purpose, to the specification and drawing
of the said former patent N° 15970, A,D 1884, from which those skilled in the
art will readily understand this part of the employment of my present improved
method.
The balances employed in carrying into effect the improved method herein before
described, may be constructed according to any of the ordinary and well known
kinds, either with levers of a straight, angular, or other suitable shape, or with, as
well as without, springs; and the feed as well as the discharge tubes may be made
to communicate with the weighing vessel in any suitable manner, one of the tubes
being, for instance, surrounded by the other and the outer thereof being connected
directly with the weighing vessel A; or both tubes may be arranged beside or
adjoining each other, and communicating by an air-tight joint with the vessel A.
All of these are details of construction to which I do not confine myself in
practising my improved method and which may be varied according to the
requirements of each particular case.
In the construction shown in the drawing one tube is arranged within the other,
both being supported on one arm of the straight beam or lever, they then have a
downward bend so as to substantially approach the point of leverage or the
fulcrum of the said lever, they are then bent sideways and away from the lever,
and there each connected with a piece of india-rubber hose G of suitable length,
so as to allow of their following the oscillating movement of the lever without in
the least hindering the action of the balance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The method, substantially as herein before described, of directly ascertaining the .
specific gravity, the pressure, or the component parts of a gaseous fluid, or the
specific gravity of a liquid by means of ordinary balances, said method consisting
in tightly connecting a closed weighing vessel, supported by one arm of the balance
lever, with conduits partaking of the oscillating motion of the said lever and con-
veying the fluid to be weighed into and out of the said weighing vessel, and in
causing the said fluid, by means of a higher pressure prevailing within the feed-
conduit, to pass through the latter and the said vessel into the discharge conduit
wherein a lower pressure prevails (the said discharge conduit being shut off or
omitted in cases where only the pressure of gaseous bodies in a quiescent state is
to be determined) the specific weight, gravity or pressure of the fluid being
indicated continuously so as to be read off a graduated scale combined with the
said balances.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.