IMPROVEMENTS IN RECORDING STEAM GAUGES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RECORDING STEAM GAUGES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Marmont B Edson, of the City and
7 1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st April 1875.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," South-
ampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RECORDING STEAM
GAUGES," a communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention pertains to certain combinations of elements useful in

page_text: complete, and it is preferably made in a circular form the better to
adapt it for receiving a glass or other transparent shade or dome. (A
metallic case may however be substituted) The said base is also made
with a chambered or recessed cavity. To adapt it to receive and hold a
diaphragm spring I prefer that this spring should be a corrugated disc of
sheet metal placed in said cavity and clamped firmly in its position by a
bending shell and screws which are attached to said base, and thereby
support the spring in a horizontal position. A stcam chamber is thus
formed between the spring and the outer shell into which the steam
from the boiler or other reservoir is admitted through the tube or pipe,
and which, when the pressure is sufficiently gicat to act upon the spring,
will raise it, and thereby raise the connecting rod which is attached to
the opposite side of the spring and is pivoted at the opposite end to an
arm on the rock shaft, and by which the said shaft is partially rotated to
operate the pencil or record marker and the indicating hand.
As the diaphragm spring against which the steam presses can give
but little range of action, and as it is necessary that the recording marks
shall be sufficiently great to be casily seen, the said rock shaft is provided
with an arm much longer than the first named arm, so that slight
vibrations of the spring will cause considerable range of motion to the
extreme end of the arm, and to which a connecting link is attached by
one end and at the other to a sliding bar, to which the pencil or record
marker is connected.
The said sliding bar works in a vertical guide or at a right angle to
the base, and as the pencil or record marker is attached thereto by a
spring arm or holder it also travels vertically and rises or falls with each
vibration of the diaphragm spring or according to the varying pressures
in the boiler, and will produce a record upon the belt or strip of paper
placed under or behind the point of the marker. Said belt or strip of
paper is provided with ruled parallel lines to correspond with a scale of
parts to indicate the various pressures and corresponding with the
vertical scale. Said paper is wound upon a spool or reel on one side of
the gauge and thence drawn on to another spool or reel connected by
suitable gearing with a chronometer movement in such a manner as to
move the paper forward from the left to the right under the pencil or
marker regularly and according to some definite intervals of time, as
defined by hours, so that the varying pressures may be recorded within
such certain fixed periods as the hours or parts of days as may be desired

page_text: and as defined by vertical lines across the chart, varying the same
according to circumstances.
The said chronometer mechanism consists merely of a regular clock
movement (with certain parts left out as hands and wheels for driving
them, and with only a few pieces added instead) placed at the back of
the paper belt or ribbon It need not be further described here than to
say the winding lever is preferably provided with a pawl to engage a
ratchet on the winding stem instead of a key.
To make the connection of the paper winding reel with said clock
movement a pinion is mounted upon an axis in such a position as to
engage with the main wheel of a clock train. Upon the said pinion
axis is a worm which works into a large toothed wheel on the shaft of
the winding reel, and thic said toothed wheel is held in contact with the
reel by friction caused by a binding screw on the reel shaft. This
connection with the winding reel permits it to be easily disconnected
from the train, and the paper or portion traced upon to be unwound and
examined from time to time or removed when desired, as, for example,
between the watches of the engincers, or at a certain hour in the
morning in manufactories, or at mid-day on board steamships at
sea,
The number of hours during which the steam or water pressure has
been maintained may, when desired, be defined automatically by means
of springs having metallic or other points so arranged that the said
points shall puncture the movable paper ribbon or chart at the termina-
tion of each and every hour, also at the end of every twelfth hour. Tho
said movement or operation being effected by means of eccentrics or cams
so connected to the hour wheel of a clock train that the said spring to
which the point or perforator is affixed shall be caused to flirt from the
said cam with such force as to puncture the paper chart or ribbon, and
shall have sufficient rebound to withdraw itself from the paper, thus
not obstructing even for an instant its progress from left to right,
although it would otherwise obstruct the movement of the chart and
cause inaccuracy
The indicating mechanism consists of a graduated dial or a segment
and an index land, the said hand being attached to a pivot or screw,
and around the said pivot is a small pinion fastened to the index hand.
The said pinion gears into a toothed segment on the rock shaft, which

page_text: receives its motion from the diaphragm spring, as already explained,
consequently as the pressures on the spring vary the index hand will
vary in front of the dial, and will thus show the varying pressures in the
boiler connected with the said spring, and it is therefore evident that if a
number of springs, one for each boiler, be combined on the same basc,
and have connections to as many hands and record markers as there are
springs, that a record will be made upon the chart for cach boiler
independently by the zig-zag lines To prevent any confusion in the
record under such a construction the pencils or record markers may be
of different colors, so that on the same belt or ribbon of paper their
several degrees of pressure and all fluctuations occurring therein from
time to time will be clearly shown.
With the above described apparatus there is also combined a gong or
signal bell which in connection with suitable operating mechanism will
sound an alarm whenever the pressures from any cause shall rise above
a certain predetermined point or rate within any boiler or pipe to which
such an alarm gong shall be attached, thereby giving warning of tho
approach of danger from over pressure This gong is mounted in the
usual manner, and is provided with a hammer which is operated by an
escapement wheel set in motion by a spring and train, but this is allowed
to operate only when the pressure rises to a certain point by the
rotation of the same rock shaft that operates the record marker and the
indicating hand. Upon the said shaft is an arm which vibrates with the
various movements of the shaft, and as the pressure rises the free end of
the said arm will be carried towards a set screw which is in the end of
an arm mounted upon an axis that has a pawl connected with the train
wluch operates the escapement and hammer, so that whenever the arm
is carried or moved far enough forward to press against the set screw and
force it back the pawl will be lifted and the train and hammer set in
motion, and the gong will be sounded.
According to another method by which the "alarm" may be operated
and the alarm clockwork dispensed with wholly or in part, a post or
support on the top of the frame is placed and insulated from the
instrument, but connected with an clectric battery by wire or wires and
a bell or "sounder," which may be placed at any required distance; or
several gongs may be placed in the circuit. The said post is provided
with a regulating screw so located as to meet the end of the aforesaid
arm when the pressure rises to a sufficient height to rotate the rock

page_text: shaft to that degree to bring the said arm and the point of the screw in
contact, when the circuit will be closed (or broken, as the case may be)
and an alarm sounded on all the instruments in said circuit. In such a
case it will be necessary to mount the said post on a pivoted or yielding
basc, so that as the pressure rises above the point of contact the point of
the set screw may yield with it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Haseltine in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 1st October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Build-
ings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Haseltine, Der special licence
that I, the said George Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Haseltine, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during the teim
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RECORDING STEAM GAUGES," a communication to me from abroad by
Marmont B Edson, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, upon thc condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Haseltine, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, in which,—
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of one of the said gauges upon a
circular horizontal base, and covered with a glass shade or dome.

page_text: shall be sufficiently great to be easily seen, said rock shaft H', Figure 5,
is provided with an arm II², Figure 7, much longer than the arm H, so
that slight vibrations of the spring will cause considerable range of
motion to the extreme end of the arm II', a connecting link H³,
Figure 7, is attached at one end to this arm, and at the other to a sliding
bar I', to which the pencil or record marker is connected, as shown as
at II, Figures 1, 5, 7, and 8.
The said sliding bar H', Figures 4, 5, and 7, works in a vertical guido
or at a right angle to the basc, and as the pencil or record marker is
attached thereto by a spring arm or holder II³, Figures 5 and 7, it also
travels vertically and rises or falls with cach vibration of the diaphragm
spring, or according to the varying pressures in the boiler, and will
produce a record upon the belt or strip of paper placed under or behind
the point of the marker. . Said belt or strip of paper is shown at K, and
is provided with ruled parallel lines, as shown in Figure 1, to correspond
with a scale of parts to indicate the various pressures, and corresponding
with the vertical scale This paper is wound upon a spool or rcel K¹
on one side of the gauge, and thence drawn on another spool or recl K³,
which is connected by suitable gearing with a chronometer movement
in such manner as to move the paper forward from the left to the right
under the pencil or marker regularly, and according to some definito
intervals of time, as defined by hours 1, 2, 3, and so on, Figures 1 and 8,
so that the varying pressures may be recorded within such certain fixed
periods, as the hours or parts of days, as may be desired, and as defined
by vertical lines (see Figure 8) across the chart, varying the same
according to circumstances.
Said chronometer mechanism is shown generally at L, L, Figures 2
and 3, and as it consists merely of a regular clock movement (with
certain parts left out, as hands and wheels for driving them, and with
only a few pieces added instead) placed at the back of the paper belt or
ribbon, it need not be further described here than to say the winding
lever, as shown at L², is provided with a pawl to engage a ratchet on the
winding stem instead of a key, (but a key will answer as well when it can
be readily obtained.
To make the connection of the paper winding recl with said clock
movement a pinion is mounted upon an axis L' in such a position as
to engage with the main wheel of a clock train.
Upon the pinion

page_text: axis L' is a worm, which works into a large toothed wheel on the shaft
of the winding reel L, and said toothed wheel is held in contact with
the reel by friction caused by a binding screw on the recl shaft, as at I.
This kind of connection with the winding reel permits it to be easily dis-
connected from the train, and the paper or portion traced upon to be
unwound and examined from time to time, or removed when desired;
as, for example, between the watches of the engineers, or at a certain
hour in the morning in manufactories, or at midday on board of steam
ships at sca.
The number of hours during which the steam or water pressure has
been maintained may when desired be defined automatically by means
of springs, having metallic or other points so arranged that the said
points shall puncture the movable paper ribbon or chart at the termi-
nation of each and every hour, also at the end of every twelfth hour,
the said movement or operation is effected by means of eccentrics or
cams so connected to the hour wheel of a clock train that the said spring
to which the point or perforator is affixed shall be caused to flirt from
the said cam with such force as to puncture the paper chart or ribbon,
and shall have sufficient rebound to withdraw itself from the paper,
thus not obstructing even for an instant its progress from left to right,
though it would otherwise obstruct the movement of the chart and cause|
inaccuracy
The indicating mechanism consists of a graduated dial or a segment,
as at M, and an index hand M², said hand being attached to a pivot or
screw, and around said pivot is a small pinion fastened to the index
band The said pinion gears into a toothed segment M³, Figure 6, on
the rock shaft H', Figures 3, 4, and 5, which receives its motion from
the diaphragm spring, as already explained; consequently as the
pressures on the spring vary the index hand will vary in front of the
dial, and will thus show the varying pressures in the boiler connected
with said spring, and it is therefore evident that if a number of
springs, one for each boiler, be combined together on the same base, and
have connections to as many hands and record markers as there are
springs, that record will be made upon the chart for each boiler inde-
pendent of cach other, as indicated in Figure 8 by the zig-zag lines.
To prevent any confusion in the record under such a construction the
pencils or record markers may be of different colours, so that on the
same belt or ribbon of paper their several degrees of pressure, and

page_text: all fluctuations occurring theron from time to time, will be clearly
shown.
In connection with the herein-before described apparatus there is also
combined a gong or signal bell, as shown at N, Figures 1 and 2, which
in connection with suitable operating mechanism will sound an alarm
whenever the pressures from any cause shall rise above a certain pre-
determined point or rate within any boiler or pipe to which such an
alarm gong shall be attached, thereby giving warning of the approach
of danger from over pressure. This gong N is mounted in the usual
manner, and is provided with a hammer, as at N', which is operated by
an escapement wheel, as at N', set in motion by a spring and train N',
but this is allowed to operate only when the pressure rises to a point
(determined and defined at option) by the rotation of the same
rock shaft that operates the record marker and the indicating hand.
Upon said shaft is an arm O, best seen in Figures 4 and 5, which
vibrates with the various movements of the shaft, and as the pressure
rises the free end of said arm O will be carried towards a set screw O',
shewn in Figures 1 and 3, which is in the end of an arm mounted upon
an axis that has a pawl connected with the train which operates the
escapement and hammer, so that whenever the arm O is carried or
moved far enough forward to press against the set screw and force it
back the pawl will be lifted, and the train and hammer set in motion,
and the gong will be sounded.
Another method by which the "alarm" may be operated, and the
alarm clockwork dispensed with wholly or in part, is shewn in Figure 4
at Z, where a post or support on the top of the frame is placed and
insulated from the instrument, but connected with an electric battery
by a wire or wires and a bell or "sounder," and which may be placed
at any required distance, or several gongs may be placed in the circuit.
Said post Z is provided with a regulating screw Z', so located as to
meet the end of the arm O when the pressure rises to a sufficient
height to rotate the rock shaft to the proper degree to bring the
arm O and the point of the screw in contact, when the circuit will be
closed (or broken, as the case may be), and an alarm sounded on all the
instruments in said circuit. In such a case it will be necessary to mount
the said post Z on a pivoted or yielding base, so that as the pressure
rises above the point of contact the point of the set screw may yield
with it. This however may be modified in various ways.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
samo, I wish it understood that I am aware that several of these elements
are well known, and may be seen in various forms of instruments for
indicating and registering degrees of pressure of fluids or liquids, also for
giving an alarm when emergencies arise, and I therefore do not claim
them separately, but I claim,-
First. In combination with a circular horizontal base as described a
diaphragm spring D or springs D, D, D, each with a connecting rod G,
arm II, rock shaft II', arm H³, Figures 4, 5, and 7. Link H³, Figures 1
5 and 7, bar H³, and spring record marker II, Figure 5, for the purposo
of recording varying pressures of fluids or liquids and for defining the
time every change occurs therein, as herein set forth.
Second. In combination with a horizontal base as described a
diaphragm spring or springs (one or more) each with a connecting
rod G, arm II, rock shaft H³, toothed segment M³, index hand M²,
and graduated dial and a vertical scale, as and for the purpose set
forth.
Third. In combination with the subject matter of the first claim, the
clockwork or chronometer mechanism and chart belt or ribbon of
graduated paper, whereby a continuous record of the varying pressures
may be secured coupled with the record of intervals of time of their
occurrence, and which may be alternated whenever preferred for any
reason, or replaced by automatic perforations of said continuous chart
hourly or at any other desired period of time, in the manner above 2
described.
Fourth. In combination with the mechanism of a time recording
steam or pressure gauge as described, the graduated ribbon or belt of
paper whereby the varying pressures are permanently registered, and by
which means they may be preserved for reference at any future time,
the graduation affording additional security or evidence of the genuine-
ness of the records so made.
Fifth. In a recording gauge the combination of two or more reels for
carrying a belt or ribbon of paper, only one of them being in contact
with a chronometer or clock movement, thus permitting the speed of 3
the same to be varied according to circumstances, as and for the
purposes set forth,

page_text: Sixth. In combination with a recording steam or pressure gauge the
gong N, and the intermediate mechanism with the rock shaft II', Figures
4, 5, and 6, as and for the purposes set forth.
Seventh. In combination with a recording pressure gauge the
clements of an electric circuit closer or breaker with a sounder for alarm
purposes, as described and shewn in Figure 4, at Z and Z.
Eighth. The combination with the base of a recording steam gauge
and suitable recording mechanism of two or more diaphragm springs
separately placed, as shown at D, D, D, Figures 5, 6, and 7, whereby
records from two or more boilers may be indicated and made simul-
taneously, and upon one ribbon or chart of paper by means of connecting
rods G, G, G, rock shafts II', II', II, and pencils as shewn by horizontal
and curved lines in Figure 8 in chart.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
HY. JA. NoONE.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)