AN IMPROVED SALINOMETER
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Sutton Gamble, of Frederick Street, Cale-
donian Road, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SALINOMETER."
Sealed the 21st April 1863, and dated the 23rd October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Sutton Gamble
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd October 1862.
I, WILLIAM SUTTON GAMBLE, of Frederick Street, Caledonian Road,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SALINOMETER," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing a salinometer in the following
improved manner, that is to say, within a metal case I adapt a large glass
tube, the lower edge of which rests on a flange to which it is fixed water-tight,
the upper edge of said tube being held in position water-tight by means of a
short hollow casting, and a screw cap tightening thereonto. The aforesaid
metal case is made as a double cylinder, or two cylinders one within the other,
the outermost cylinder having a long opening therein for reading off the
indications of an hydrometer placed within the aforesaid glass tube.
I would here observe, that an important feature of this Invention consists in
forming the bulb of the bydrometer with points around and about its largest
diameter, the scale of the salinometer being so adjusted as to read off from the
bulb of the hydrometer, instead of from the surface of the water as heretofore
practised.

page_text: Another feature of this Invention consists in employing a three-way cock,
instead of two separate cocks as ordinarily practised; by these means the
operation of blowing may be performed direct through the three-way cock
aforesaid, instead of blowing through the salinometer as heretofore practised.
I also propose to adapt a piece of wire gauze to the bottom of the large
glass tube containing the hydrometer, and by placing a cap on the top of the
salinometer ebullition of the water is almost entirely obviated, and the water
is thus kept clear, by which the reading of the scale may be more readily
and accurately accomplished than by the use of salinometers as heretofore
constructed.
In conclusion, I would remark, that I propose to adapt a thermometer
within the salinometer visible from the outside. I also propose to adapt a
small valve with a fine thread or screw cut about its stem for adjusting the
extent of the opening of the induction passage of the three-way cock aforesaid
leading from the steam boiler into the salinometer; an eduction passage
being formed within the case of the salinometer, extending from the top to the
bottom thereof, to carry off the water into the waste pipe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Sutton Gamble in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SUTTON GAMBLE, of Frederick Street, Caledonian Road, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Sutton Gamble, Her special licence, that I, the said
William Sutton Gamble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Sutton Gamble, 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 "AN IMPROVED SALINOMETER," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Sutton Gamble, my executors or administrators, by an

page_text: 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 William Sutton Gamble, 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, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in constructing a salinometer in the following
improved manner, that is to say, within a metal case I adapt a large glass
tube, the lower edge of which rests on a flange to which it is fixed water-tight,
the upper edge of said tube being held in position water-tight by means of a
short hollow casting and a screw cap tightening thereonto. The aforesaid
metal case is made as a double cylinder, or two cylinders one within the other,
the outermost cylinder having long opening therein for reading off the
indications of a hydrometer placed within the aforesaid glass tube.
a
I would here observe, that an important feature of this Invention consists
in forming the bulb of the hydrometer with points around and about its largest
diameter, the scale of the salinometer being so adjusted as to read off from the
bulb of the hydrometer, instead from the surface of the water as heretofore
practised.
Another feature of this Invention consists in employing a three-way cock,
instead of two separate cocks as ordinarily practised; by these means the
operation of blowing may be performed direct through the three-way cock
aforesaid, instead of blowing through the salinometer as heretofore practised.
I also propose to adapt a piece of wire gauze to the bottom of the large
glass tube containing the hydrometer, and by placing a cap on the top of the
salinometer ebullition of the water is almost entirely obviated, and the water
is thus kept clear, by which the reading of the scale may be more readily
and accurately accomplished than by the use of salinometers as heretofore
constructed.
In conclusion, I would remark, that I propose to adapt a thermometer
within the salinometer visible from the outside. I also propose to adapt a
small valve with a fine thread or screw cut about its stem for adjusting the
extent of the opening of the induction passage of the three-way cock aforesaid
leading from the steam boiler into the salinometer; an eduction passage being
formed within the case of the salinometer, extending from the top to the
bottom thereof, to carry off the water into the waste pipe..

page_text: In other words, my Invention has reference to the instrument commonly
known as a salinometer as used for ascertaining the density of the water in the
boilers of sea-going steam ships; this instrument as heretofore constructed
consists mainly of a metal vessel or case for containing a hydrometer and
thermometer, and my Invention relates partly to the improved construction of
such metal case for containing the said instruments, whereby at the same time
they and the persons using them are protected from injury, while the indications
can be read externally; and my Invention consists further in the improved
construction of the hydrometer, whereby it is rendered for a greater length.
of time more reliable in its indications than the hydrometer ordinarily used,
as herein-after explained.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now.
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawing accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters
of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved salinometer; Figure 2
a side elevation thereof at A, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section through the
line A, B, at Figure 2; Figures 4 to 9 inclusive, are detached parts herein-
after particularly described and referred to, At each of the foregoing Figures
I employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, is so far as
such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures respectively.
A is a cylindrical-shaped metal case, formed with a chamber a and passage b,
as exhibited at Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6; B is a glass tube fitting into the part a¹,
or inner cylinder of the casting A, and connected water-tight therein by
washers d, of vulcanized india-rubber, cement, or other suitable material; C
is a cylindrical piece of metal or gland with openings e formed therein; D is a
metal washer or plate with centre hole guiding hydrometer, resting on C, and
screwed closely against same by the metal cap piece E; G is an hydrometer,
placed loosely within the tube B; f is a colored belt, or there may be points
around the bulb of the hydrometer, said belt or points being employed to read
off the indications on the scale H, fixed or engraved on the margin of the
opening of the case A, as at Figure 1; I is a piece of metal forming the
cock and continuation of the passage b, with other openings, fitted with a three-
way plug K, shewn detached in section at Figure 8; the piece I has passages
1, 2, 3, 4, formed therein, and at which said parts screws are formed for
connecting thereto the case A and pipes or unions L and M. The pipe or

page_text: union L is to be connected with a pipe leading to a steam boiler, and the
pipe or union M is a waste pipe for carrying off the overflowing water.
The passage 1 in the piece I, when fitted and screwed into A, comes opposite
to the passage b in the case A, and is kept in that position by the set
screw 5.
It will be seen upon referring to Figure 8, that the cock plug K, is fitted
with a water-tight adjusting screw N, the end of said screw, which is made
conical fits into the passage 2 in the cock plug K by means of said adjusting
screw; the quantity of water admitted into the salinometer from the steam
boiler may be regulated as required for keeping up the temperature of the
incoming water; O is a handle fitted on the square part 6 of the cock
plug K; and P is a disc of metal fixed to O, with divisional lines marked
thereon, and engraved letters indicating the relative position of the passages'
in the cock plug with those in the cock or seat piece I, in which said
cock plug works so that by moving the handle O into the position
denoted by dotted lines at X, Figure 1, the passages 7 and 8 in said cock plug
will be brought opposite to the passages 3 and 4 in the piece or cock I, and
thereby establish a communication between the steam boiler and the waste
pipe M, thus enabling the water from the boiler to be blown through the
cock K, instead of blowing through the salinometer as commonly practised.
By moving the handle O in the direction denoted by dotted lines at Y, Figure
1, the passages 7 and 9 in the cock plug K will be brought opposite to the
passages 2 and 4 in the piece or cock I, and a direct communication be thus
established between the salinometer and the waste pipe, for the purpose of
emptying the salinometer and recharging it again with water from the boiler
when desired. Q is a seat cast on the bottom of the inner cylinder a, a,
whereon rests a vulcanized india-rubber washer, and on said washer rests the
lower edge of the glass tube B, B; R is an ordinary thermometer tube,
inserted through a bole at g, formed in the solid part 7, shewn in cross section
at Figure 4, and at Figure 1, as denoted by the interrupted lines of the case A;
8 is a piece of brass tube, shewn detached at Figures 7 and 9, fitting into the
hole 9; and S is a screw for screwing in on the top of the brass tube 8,
thereby making the bottom part of said tube water-tight on the seat Q'at
Figure 1; h is an opening made through the right-hand margin of the opening
in the case A at that part, for the reading off of the thermometer; a tube of
vulcanized india-rubber i encloses the glass tube of the thermometer; T is a
bracket piece, cast with the case A, to be employed for fixing the salinometer
in any desired position. The operations of this improved salinometer are as
follows:-

page_text: OPERATIONS OF THE INSTRUMENT.
Supposing the parts to be in the position represented at Figure 3, the water
from the boiler would pass into and through the salinometer along the
chamber a and passage b, and pass off by the waste pipe M, and by moving
the handle O, as before described, the blowing either from the boiler or from
the salinometer may be effected.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "An Improved Salinometer," together with the best means I
am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark
in conclusion, that I hereby declare my Invention to consist in, and I claim
the general combination of parts above described with reference to the illustra-
tive Sheet of Drawing accompanying these Presents, in the construction of
salinometers; and especially I claim the construction and arrangement of the
hydrometer G, and the metal casings A, a, for the reception of said hydrometer
and the thermometer R, also the construction of the plug K for the purposes
above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sutton Gamble, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
W. S. GAMBLE. (L.S.)