CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS FOR INDICATING PRESSURES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Shanks, Engineer, 6, Robert Street, Adelphi,
Westminster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS
FOR INDICATING PRESSURES."
Sealed the 17th June 1856, and dated the 20th December 1855.
.:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Shanks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,, on the 20th
December 1855.
I, ANDREW SHANKS, Engineer, 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, Westminster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
INSTRUMENTS FOR INDICATING PRESSURES, to be as follows:-
I use a diaphragm of leather or other suitable material, being made of such
a shape as to allow a considerable movement of the piston or plug connected
with a staff acting on a spring or weight, and in connection with an apparatus
to indicate the amount of pressure exerted on the diaphragm, piston, or plug.
I also use a packing of prepared indian-rubber in such a way as to have the
least possible friction, the other parts of the instrument remaining the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Shanks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
SHANKS, Engineer, 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December; in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Andrew Shanks, Her special licence that I, the said Andrew Shanks,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Andrew Shanks, 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 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INSTRUMENTS FOR INDICATING PRESSURES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Andrew Shanks, 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 Andrew Shanks, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):
Fig. 3 is a general view of the instrument; Fig. 4 shews the internal
arrangements. Figs. 1 and 2 represent the conical leather capsule with
internal and external flanges. (a), Fig. 4 is the conical plug or piston (partly
in section) to shew the attachment of piston to the inner flange of leather
'capsule, and which is effected by the screw (b). (c, c,) are two cones for the
leather to work against, and which support it while acted on by the presure;
(d) is the staff of piston, and being attached to the lever (f), acts on the lever
(e), which carries the index finger; (9 and h) are two flanges, acted upon by
the screws (m, n), for the purpose of attaching the leather by the external

page_text: flange; (S) is the spring, by the action of which the pressure is measured and
determined.
CLAIM. I claim the use and application of the conical capsule made of
leather or other suitable material, having internal and external flanges attached,
as before described, permitting the free movement of the plug or piston with-
out leakage or sensible friction while moving upwards or downwards.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Shanks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this
day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
ANDREW SHANKS. (L.S.)