IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BALL FLOATS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lemuel Willis Weeks, of New York, in the
United States of America, but at present of 35, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BALL FLOATS.”—Partly a communi-
cation from abroad by L. L. Lee, of Milwaukee, in the State of
Wisconsin, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 25th October 1870, and dated the 12th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lemuel Willis Weeks
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th May 1870.
I, LEMUEL WILLIS WEEKS, of New York, in the United States of
5 America, but at present of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BALL FLOATS," partly the result
of a communication to me from abroad by L. L. Lee, of Milwaukce, in

page_text: the State of Wisconsin, in the United States of America, and partly my
own Invention, to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
ball floats for water gauges and other purposes.
Ball floats as heretofore manufactured have been liable to derange-
ment, and to become useless in consequence of their liability to collapse,
and of the liquid in which they work permeating through the pores of
the metal of which they are made.
Now according to the present Invention these objections to their use
are entirely obviated by thoroughly condensing and closing the pores of
the metal so as to prevent the possibility of their collapsing and of
liquid permeating therethrough, even under very considerable pressure.
One mode in which these objects are attained is by first brazing.
together two hemispherical pieces of sheet copper into a ball, which is
then filled with water to any desired pressure (from one hundred to two
hundred pounds to the square inch being that which is found most
suitable). The ball thus filled with water is then lightly hammered all
over its outer surface, so as to condense, stiffen, and strengthen the metal,
and this hammering is continued until it is found that the water will
not pass through the pores of the metal. At the brazed joint it is found
advisable to apply a coating of soft solder all over the part brazed, as
such part cannot be hammered without the liability of injuring the
brazing, and the solder is found effectually to close the pores of the
metal at that part.
Another mode in which these objects may be attained is as follows:-
The two parts of which the ball float is made are first hammered upon
a suitable form and then brazed together, after which the ball float is
electro-coated with nickel or other suitable close hard metal. Or the
two parts may be " spun " into form, as has heretofore been practised,
and then after the parts have been brazed together the ball float is
electro-coated with nickel or other close hard metal. This electro-
.coating with nickel or other close hard metal is also useful when applied
to ball floats otherwise constructed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Lemuel Willis Weeks in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEMUEL
WILLIS WEEKS, of New York, in the United States of America, but at
present of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Lemuel Willis Weeks, Her special licence that I, the
said Lemuel Willis Weeks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Lemuel Willis Weeks, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BALL FLOATS," partly the result of a communication to me
from abroad by L. L. Lee, of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin, in
the United States of America, and partly my own Invention, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Lemuel Willis Weeks, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Lemuel Willis Weeks, 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
ball floats for water gauges and other purposes.

page_text: Ball floats as heretofore manufactured have been liable to become
useless in consequence of their liability to collapse, and of the liquid in
which they work permeating through the pores of the metal of which
they are made.
Now according to the present Invention these objections to their use
are entirely obviated by thoroughly condensing the pores of the metal
so as to prevent the possibility of their collapsing, and of liquid per-
meating therethrough, even under very considerable pressure.
One mode in which these objects are attained is by first brazing
together two hemispherical pieces a, a', of sheet copper into a ball as
shewn, and in order that interior support may be given to the metal of
which the ball is made for the subsequent process of hammering, an
orifice 6 is fixed in the crown of the part a by brazing. Into this
orifice is screwed a pipe c, which is connected with a hydraulic pump
by which water is forced into the ball until a pressure of from 100 to 200
pounds to the square inch is obtained, which pressure has been found
most suitable for the purpose intended. The ball thus filled with water
is then lightly hammered all over its outer surface so as to condense,
stiffen, and strengthen the metal, and this hammering is continued until
it is found that the water will not pass through the pores of the metal.
At the brazed joint it is found advisable to apply a coating of soft solder
all over the part brazed, as such part cannot be hammered without the
liability of injuring the brazing, and the solder is found effectually to
close the pores of the metal at that part. The nozzle or orifice 6 also
serves to provide means for connecting the ball float to its spindle or
rod.
In cases where the ball floats are not required to resist a great pressure
the following modes may be adopted :-The two parts of which the ball
float is made are first hammered upon a suitable form and then brazed
together, after which the ball float is clectro-coated with nickel or other
suitable close hard metal. Or the two parts may be "spun
" into form
as has heretofore been practised, and then after the parts have been
brazed together the ball float is electro-coated with nickel or other close
hard metal. This electro-coating with nickel or other close hard metal
is also useful when applied to ball floats otherwise constructed.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
mode in which the same may be carried into effect, I would have
it understood that what I claim is, the improved manufacture of ball

page_text: floats by hammering them when supported internally, and by electro-
coating them in manner and for the purpose substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lemuel Willis Weeks, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.

page_text: LONDON Printed by GEORGE EDWARD EYE and WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE
Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty 1870.