A HYDRAULIC APPARATUS APPLICABLE TRANSMITTING, REGULATING, AND MEASURING THE SUPPLY OR FLOW OF LTOMIDS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Beaumont, of Clapham, in the
County of Surrey, Civil, Mechanical, Mining, and Gas Engineer and
Surveyor, for, the Invention of "A HYDRAULIC APPARATUS APPLICABLE
TRANSMITTING, REGULATING, AND MEASURING THE SUPPLY OR FLOW OF
LTOMIDS"
Sealed the 3rd February 1860, and dated the 5th August 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Beau-
mont at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th August 1859.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM BEAUMONT, of Clapham, in the County of Surrey,
Civil, Mechanical, Mining, and Gas Engineer and Surveyor, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "A HYDRAULIC APPARATUS APPLICABLE. TO
TRANSMITTING. REGULATING, AND MEASURING THE SUPPLY OR FLOW OF LIQUIDS,"
to be as follows:-
:
Across a vessel (which may, be open or closed according to the work to be
done) I place a frame in which a tubular beam or cradle closed at both ends
works transversely on elongated trunnions or an axle, as the case may be,
that is to say, on a continuous or a divided axis. Inside of this tubular beam
or cradle I place a ball or sphere, capable of running by its own gravity from
end to end of the beam or cradle, according as the beam or lever may be
inclined in one or the other direction. This beam has a vibratory or oscillating
[Price 8d.]

page_text: motion, similar to that of a steam engine or pair of scales; it has also a pair
of small trunnions at each end, one pair of which carries a stone or other
float, and the other pair its counterbalance weight (unless a hollow or other
float be used which does not require to be counterbalanced); in either
case, however, the whole must be in equilibrio when the float is nearly,
but not quite half, immersed. For the admission and exit or expulsion of the
liquid to be passed through the vessel, I connect with it at top or bottom (or
both, as circumstances may require) one, two, or more pipes provided with
valves, taps, or cocks, which may be either on the outside or inside of the
vessel, and the supply of liquid may be obtained from any source above or
on a level with the apparatus or from below if a vacuum be created by the
admission of steam or otherwise. From any one or more of the above-
named valves, taps, or cocks I bring to the framing ene or more rods, each
terminating in a long slotted head, which slides in the framing; I also place
on the trunnions or axis of the beam one or more arms or levers, the ends or
heads of which work loosely in the slotted heads of the valve rods. The
float mentioned above may be of any shape or section in a horizontal direction,
but must be vertically not less in length than the height or depth of the rise
or fall in the vessel of the level of the liquid to be passed through it, minus
the rise and fall of that part of the beam to which it is attached, and it must
also displace a quantity of the fluid greater in weight than twice the weight
of the ball in the beam, and hav itself rather more than the weight of the
ball, which when a counterbalance is used will be a differential weight.
When no counterbalance is used, a pair of side levers parallel with the beam,
or some other means may be requisite to steady the float. I also sometimes
add an air vessel to the apparatus.
The action of the apparatus is, that as soon as the liquid rises to its highest
level, the float by its buoyancy elevates its own end of the beam, so as to
cause the ball to roll to the other end, and thereby produce a compound force
equal to rather more than twice the gravitating power of the ball, which
reverses the action of the apparatus, but when, on the other hand, the fluid
has fallen to its lowest level, the float becomes a weight sufficient to depress
its own end of the beam, and thereby causes the ball to return and again
reverse the action of the apparatus, which is thus alternate or reciprocating.
In order that no impediment may be offered to this action of the float upon
the ball, and also that the movement of the valves, taps, or cocks may not be
gradual, but instantaneously complete, the heads of the valve levers are so
proportioned to the slots in which they work as to "work waste," or without
effect in these slots in the valve rod heads until the ball has changed its

page_text: position, when they are instantly and effectually operated on. From the
foregoing it is evident that the action of this apparatus is intermittent, but a
continuous flow may in most cases be obtained by using a double apparatus
working alternately. This apparatus, whether single or double, can be made
to work under any amount of pressure, and one made for a high pressure
works equally well without pressure, or even in vacuo. When this apparatus
is used for measuring liquids, any ordinary counting and indicating mechanism
may be attached to any suitable moving part thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.filed
by the said Francis William Beaumont in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th February 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WILLIAM BEAUMONT, of Clapham, in the County of Surrey, Civil, Mechanical,
Mining, and Gas Engineer and Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Francis William Beaumont, Her special licence that I, the said Francis
William Beaumont, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Francis William Beaumont, 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 "A HYDRAULIC APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO TRANSMITTING, REGU.
LATING, AND MEASURING THE SUPPLY OR FLOW OF LIQUIDS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Francis William Beaumont, 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 Francis William Beaumont, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the-same- is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Draw-
ings, that is to say :-
Across a vessel (which may be open or closed according to the work to be
done) I place a tubular beam or cradle closed at both ends, and working
transversely on elongated trunnions, or on an axle, as the case may be, that
is to say, on a continuous or divided axis. Inside of this tubular beam
or cradle I place a ball or sphere, capable of running by its own gravity from
end to end of the beam or cradle, according as the beam or lever may be
inclined in one or the other direction. This beam has a vibratory or oscillating
motion, similar to that of a steam engine or pair of scales. It has also a pair
of small trunnions at each end, one pair of which carries a stone or other
float, and the other pair its counterbalance weight (unless a hollow or other
float be used which does not require to be counterbalanced); in either
case, however, the whole must be in equilibrio when the float is about half
immersed. For the admission and exit or expulsion of the liquid to be
passed through the vessel, I connect with it at top or bottom, or both, as
circumstances may require, one, two, or more pipes provided with valves,
taps, or cocks, which may be either on the outside or inside of the vessel, and
the supply of liquid may be obtained from any source above or on a level
with the apparatus, or from below if a vacuum be created by the admission
of steam or otherwise. From any one or more of the above-named valves,
taps, or cocks I bring one or more rods, each having a long slot, and sliding
on or within a guide or framing. I also place on the trunnions or axis of
the beam one or more arms or levers, the ends or heads of which work loosely
in the slots of the valve rods. The float mentioned above may be of any
shape or section in a horizontal direction, but must be vertically not less in
length than the height or depth of the rise or fall in the vessel of the level
of the liquid to be passed through it, minus the rise and fall of that part of
the beam to which it is attached; and it must also displace a quantity of the
fluid greater in weight than twice the weight of the ball in the beam, and
have itself rather more than the weight of the ball which, when a counter-
balance is used, will be a differential weight. When no counterbalance is
used, a pair of side levers parallel with the beam or some other means, may
be requisite to steady the float. I also sometimes add an air vessel to the
apparatus.
The action of the apparatus is, that as soon as the liquid rises to its highest
level, the float by its buoyancy elevates its own end of the beam, so as to
cause the ball to roll to the other end, and thereby produce a compound force,

page_text: equal to rather more than twice the gravitating power of the ball, which
reverses the action of the apparatus, but when on the other hand, the fluid
has fallen to its lowest level, the float becomes a weight sufficient to depress
its own end of the beam, and thereby causes the ball to return and again
reverse the action of the apparatus, which is thus alternate or reciprocating.
In order that no impediment may be offered to this action of the
float, and also that the movement of the valves, taps, or cocks may not be
gradual, but instantaneously complete, the heads of the valve levers are so
proportioned to the slots in which they work as to "work waste," or without
effect, in these slots in the valve rods until the ball has changed its
position, when they are instantly and effectually operated on. From the
foregoing, it is evident that the action of this apparatus is intermittent, but a
continuous flow may in most cases be obtained by using a double apparatus
working alternately. This apparatus, whether single or double, can be made
to work under any amount of pressure, and one made for a high pressure
works equally well without pressure, or even in vacuo. When this apparatus
is used for measuring liquids, any ordinary counting and indicating mechanism
may be attached to any suitable moving part thereof.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "A Hydraulic
Apparatus applicable to Transmitting, Regulating, and Measuring the Supply
or Flow of Liquids," I will now, proceed to describe more in detail the manner
of carrying the same into practical effect, illustrating, by way of example, the
construction of the apparatus as applied for the purpose of supplying and
regulating the admission of water to a steam boiler; and in order that the
same may be more readily explained and perfectly understood, I have annexed
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, made to a scale of about three inches to the
foot, representing various views of the same, and have marked thereon figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation
thereof, that is to say:-
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the apparatus taken through about
the centre of the float and counterbalance; Figure 2 is a partial plan and
horizontal section of the same, the upper half of the Figure representing a
plan view as seen from above, with the cover removed, and the lower half a
section taken immediately above the beam or cradle, the latter being repre-
sented as in a horizontal position; Figure 3 is a vertical section taken through
about the line A, B, in Figure 2, shewing the beam or cradle, also in a
horizontal position, and illustrating the method of connecting the apparatus
to the steam boiler.
A, A, is a cylindrical vessel, closed at the bottom, and placed above the

page_text: water line of the boiler, and provided' at the 'top with a cover B, B; C, C, is
a hollow beam or cradle capable of vibrating on trunnions D, D, which are
supported in suitable bearings at each side of the vessel. This cradle contains
a ball or sphere E, E, capable of running freely from end to end thereof.
The cradle C, C, has at each end small trunnions F, F, G, G, supporting
respectively the float H, H, and its counterbalance I, I; K, K, is the pipe
leading from the source of the water supply; and L, L, is a pipe leading to
the steam boiler, and terminating at the level at which it is desired to keep or
maintain the water in the boiler. L is a guard around the mouth of the
pipe L to prevent any scum or other impurities which might be floating on
the surface of the water from ascending the pipe L with the steam. These
two pipes K and L are furnished (in the interior of the vessel) with
valves M, M'; N, N, is a pipe to convey the water to the boiler, which extends
downwards to nearly the bottom of the same, and is provided with a ball
valve O, O, to prevent the return of the water from the boiler, when a vacuum
is established in the vessel (see also sectional plan view of the same, Figure 4.)
The valves M, M', are provided with valve rods P, P¹, working in guides Q, Q¹
and slotted so as to allow the levers or tongues R, R¹, to pass through them,
the said levers or tongues being respectively keyed on the trunnions D, D, of
the cradle C, C. S, S, (see Figure 1) is a valve for the escape of air from
the interior of the vessel, and T, T, is a cock for opening a communication
past the valve O, O, when required. The valves m, m', may be adjusted and
set with the greatest nicety, when required, by the following means..
It will be observed, on referring to 'the detached sectional views, Figure 5,
(drawn full size,) that the valve rods P, P¹, are formed in two pieces, the
lower end of the upper part being screwed, and passing through a nut a in
the eye b, at the upper end of the lower or slotted part. The screwed portion
of the rod is furnished with a longitudinal groove c, and the nut a is provided
with four screws d, d, d, d, so that the valve rods can be adjusted in length to
a quarter of a turn of the nut a, that is, one-fourth the pitch of the screw on
the upper part of the valve rod, and there fixed by tightening one or other of
the screws d, d, in the groove c. It is obvious that when the apparatus is first
fitted up, and also afterwards when out of action, the float H, H, will be
downwards and remain so, as shewn in Figure 1.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-By opening the cock T, the
water from the lower part of the boiler will be forced up the pipe N, N, into
the cylinder or vessel A, A, and will force the air out from the said vessel
through the valve S, S. When it has risen sufficiently to raise the float H, H,
through rather more than half the stroke, the ball E will then run to the other

page_text: end of the cradle C, and by its preponderance, will open the valve M', and
admit the steam to the top of the vessel from the boiler through the pipe L,
and as all exit will be prevented by the simultaneous closing of the valve M,
and the pipe K, K, an equilibrium of pressure will be established between
the interior of the apparatus and the boiler, and the water in the apparatus
will return by gravitation to the boiler through the pipe N, N, as it came up;
this will be known by steam instead of air issuing from the valve S. As soon
as this steam makes its appearance the cock T must be closed. When the
level of the water has fallen nearly to the lower water line, the float will act
as a weight and begin to raise the ball. As soon as the latter has risen
slightly above the level of the centre of the cradle, it will return to the float
end of the same, instantaneously shutting off the steam by closing the valve M',
and at the same time opening the valve M, communicating through the
pipe K to the water supply. The steam expands down this pipe, and
becoming condensed, causes a vacuum to be formed in the said pipe K, and
in the vessel A, and the atmospheric pressure will then cause the water to
ascend the pipe K, and fill the vessel A, the water in rising taking up the
heat which was given off by the steam in condensing. The rising of the level
of the water in the vessel A will raise the float as before, and as soon as the
steam is readmitted, the water which has been drawn from the supply will
descend by gravitation into the boiler. This action is repeated intermittently
until the level of the water in the boiler rises to the mouth of the pipe L, and
thus prevents steam from passing up the same; but as soon as the water level
in the boiler falls, steam passes up the pipe L, a vacuum is formed, and a
fresh supply of water drawn from the source as before.
It will be evident that when this apparatus is to be used as a water meter,
the pipe L, with its valve M, will be dispensed with, and the supply of water
must be taken from above, a valve similar to the one M will be placed in the
pipe N, and be actuated also by the movement of the cradle. If it be desired
to use this modification, so as to keep the water in a reservoir or cistern always
at the same level, the vessel A must be immersed in the cistern so far that
the lower water line in the apparatus is on a level with the desired water line
in the cistern, and then the apparatus will be self-acting, and answer the
purposes of a ball valve and water meter combined. This apparatus may
also be adapted for regulating the supply of water to water-closets, by so
arranging that the cradle shall be held down by a detent until released; the
contents of the vessel will thus be discharged, when the float will fall, and
allow the vessel again to become full.
Having now described my said Invention for "A Hydraulic Apparatus

page_text: applicable to Transmitting, Regulating, and Measuring the Supply or Flow of
Liquids," together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect,
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I claim, as my Invention, the making
the float in such apparatus about equal in height to that of the rise or fall of
the liquid in the same, and the general conformation, construction, and
arrangement of apparatus for such purposes, as above set forth and exhibited
in the annexed Drawings, or any mere modification thereof which may be
adapted or designed to operate in substantially the same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Beaumont, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES,
Patent Agent,
1, Serle St, Lincoln's Inn.
F. W. BEAUMONT. (L.s.)