IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF WATER IN CISTERNS OR OTHER VESSELS IN CONNECTION WITH BATHS AND HOT WATER APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Shaw of Lockwood near Huddersfield in the
County of York, Brass Finisher, and Frederick Milan of Lockwood aforesaid
Hot Water Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF WATER
IN CISTERNS OR OTHER VESSELS IN CONNECTION WITH BATHS AND HOT
WATER APPARATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Shaw and Frederick
Milan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th September
1882.
JOSEPH SHAW of Lockwood near Huddersfield in the County of York Brass
Finisher and FREDERICK MILAN of Lockwood aforesaid Hot Water Engineer,
64 IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE
PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF WATER. IN CISTERNS OR OTHER VESSELS IN CONNECTION
WITH BATHS AND HOT WATER APPARATUS
">
The object of our Invention is to provide apparatus which will indicate the
presence or absence of water in cisterns or other vessels or pipes, and also to provide
the said apparatus with one or more alarums when either the hot water pipe or
boiler is empty.
For this purpose we fix in some convenient place below the cistern an indicating
apparatus consisting of a circular or other form of case containing a hollow spring
or diaphragm capable of expanding and contracting by the pressure of water.
The said spring or diaphragm is attached to a toothed segment which gears with
a pinion fixed to a pivot in the centre of the case. The pivot carries an index or
pointer and as the spring or diaphragm expands or contracts the pointer travels
over a graduated dial and indicates the amount of water in the cistern or apparatus
in connection therewith. When the cistern only is empty there is no fear of
immediate danger, but should the pipes between the cistern and the boiler be

page_text: empty also, an electric bell which is placed in contact with the indicating apparatus
is brought into requisition (the index or pointer acting as a contact maker) causing
the electric bell to ring until attended to, or until the cells of the battery are
exhausted. If the cistern and pipes have not been attended to upon the ringing
of the electric bell, water in the boiler will get low and steam will be generated
therein which will escape to the indicator and the pressure will force open a safety
valve and allow the steam to escape and come into contact with an alarm whistle
As almost every cistern will contain a different quantity of water or is placed at
a different altitude from the boiler the dial plate will have to be graduated to suit
each case,
and to facilitate this we form a circular slot in the face of the plate and
secure the signal tablets by screws or other means so that they may be set to suit
any position of cistern.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Shaw and Frederick Milan in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd March 1883.
JOSEPH SHAW of Lockwood near Huddersfield in the County of York, Brass
Finisher and FREDERICK MILAN of Lockwood aforesaid, Hot Water Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE
'
PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF WATER IN CISTERNS OR OTHER VESSELS IN CONNECTION
WITH BATHS AND HOT WATER APPARATUS.” -
The object of our Invention is to provide apparatus which will indicate the
presence or absence of water in cisterns, or other vessels or pipes, and also to provide
the said apparatus with alarums, when either the water pipes, boiler or cistern is
empty or deranged.
Such being the nature and object of our Invention we will now proceed to
describe the form and construction of apparatus we employ for this purpose, and in
order that it may be clearly understood, we herein give reference to the accom-
panying sheet of Drawings wherein Fig 1 is elevation of apparatus we employ, and
Fig 2 is section of same shewing internal parts. The apparatus is fixed in some
convenient place below the cistern and connected by pipe A to either the pipes, boiler
or cistern as thought desirable, but for the sake of an illustration we will assume the
said pipe to be in communication with a cistern, or water pipes and boilers. B is a
hollow spring or diaphragm connected to the pipe A and capable of expanding and
contracting by the internal pressure of water. The other end of the said spring is
connected by link C to the toothed segment D hinged at E and gearing with the
pinion F. A pipe G is also connected to the pipe A, and is provided with a
valve H, and an alarum whistle I for purposes hereinafter explained. As almost
every cistern will vary in size and contain a different quantity of water, or will be
placed at different altitudes, the dial plate J will have to be graduated to suit each
case, we therefore form a circular slot K in the said dial plate and secure therein
loose signal tablets L and M. A tap N may be employed for cutting off the
connection between the water and indicator. The action of the apparatus is as
follows. After the parts have been adjusted and the cistern full of water, the
pressure thereof would be sufficient as to expand the hollow spring B and move
the segment on its centre operating the pinion F in such manner as to move the
finger or pointer P to the tablet M indicating a full cistern; but if the said cistern
was empty, the pressure of water would be less and the hollow spring B would
therefore contract, moving the segment and wheel in an opposite direction; and
bring the pointer P to the tablet L indicating an empty cistern.
So far.as.
the
cistern only being empty there is no fear of immediate danger, but should the
pipes between the cistern and boiler be empty also, there would be no pressure in
the hollow spring, and therefore it would contract more and more, operating the
pinion and pointer through the agency of the segment, until the pointer comes into
contact with the electric contact maker R whereby an electric circuit would .be
completed and alarm bells sounded thus indicating apparatus empty. If the pipes
between the boiler and supply cistern or any of the outlets be stopped up by frost,
dirt or other cause, the pressure in the pipes would be great and expand the hollow
spring to such an extent as to operate the pinion and bring the pointer against the
contact maker R¹ whereby the electric alarm would he sounded, but in addition to
this, the pressure in the pipes would lift the weighted valve H, allowing water or
steam to escape thereby preventing any further damage, whilst the escaped steam
would blow off the whistle.I.

page_text: Having now shewn and described our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we would have it understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the details herein shewn and described, but what we consider to be
'new and therefore claim as our Invention is
Firstly. The use and employment in combination with a hot water boiler or its
connections, of an indicator of the form and construction substantially as is
herein shewn and described and for purposes herein mentioned. Secondly. The
combination of a bell or other form of of alarúm with the indicator substantially as
herein shewn and described.
"
Thirdly. The use and employment of the adjustable tablets to indicate the
condition of the apparatus, substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof We the said Joseph Shaw and Frederick Milan have
hereunto set our hands and seals this twentieth day of March in the year
of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.