Improvements in Clinical and other Thermometers.
Year: 1890

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 22nd day of February 1893,
allowed, under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of
this Specification.
Date of Application. 14th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clinical and other Thermometers.
1, GEORGE WILLIAM SIMPSON of 19 Cross Street, Hatton Garden, in the
County of Middlesex, Glass Blower do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the tubes of thermometers and especially to those.
thermometers such as clinical thermometers in which the bore containing the
indicating medium is of very minute size and it is required to magnify its apparent
size to facilitate reading of the height of the indicating medium relatively to the
marked divisions and figures.
In carrying out my invention I provide a lens or combination of lenses in con-
junction with the tube of a thermometer and so placed relatively to the bore as
to give proper effect to the magnifying properties of the lens.
The tubes of the thermometers may be of various shapes.in cross section such
as an intersection of two arcs or of a curve back and front united by straight.or
slightly curved sides or of a circular cross section or of flat or straight or
approximately straight sides and flat bottom and top, joined by short curved
portions. Within the rear portion of the material of the tube is imbedded the
usual bore backed by usual enamel and in front of the bore at proper distance for
best effect is arranged a lens or combination of lenses of suitable size and
character.
The lenses may be made of any suitable color or tint. and of glass or other
suitable material.
The tubes may be made of colored or tinted material and the lenses of bright
clear color and the tube front may be of lens form or other ordinary form.
Preferably within the tube I form a hollow space or extra and enlarged bore in
which I apply a lens or combination of lenses, either after manufacture of the tube
or during manufacture of the same. In some cases I. form the lens or combination
of lenses on the surface of the tube and the tube may be colored and lens of bright
clear material or vice versa.
The shape in cross section of the lenses may be varied according to the require-
ments of the case.
Strips or a strip of enamel or other suitable material may be applied at the sides
of the lenses or tubes to facilitate reading.
The divisions and figures are applied preferably on the lens or it may be on
the tube.
Amongst the advantages attendant on my invention is the facility afforded by
the lens being removeable for adjustment should the tube contract in course of
time. This can be effected by loosening the end of the lens from tube and shifting
their relative adjustment. Again the graduations if on the lens and below the
tube are removed from danger of injury by friction, corrosive fluid or other
injury.
Dated the 14th day of June 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Clinical and other Thermometers.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM SIMPSON of 19 Cross Street, Hatton Garden, in the
County of Middlesex, Glass Blower do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the tubes of thermometers and specially to those
thermometers such as clinical thermometers in which the bore containing the
indicating medium is of very minute size and it is required to magnify its apparent
size to facilitate reading of the height of the indicating medium relatively to the
marked divisions and figures.
In carrying out my invention I provide a lens or combination of lenses in con-
junction with the tube of a thermometer and so placed relatively to the bore as to
give proper effect to the magnifying properties of the lens.
The tubes of the thermometers may be of various shapes in cross section such
as an intersection of two arcs or of a curve back and front united by straight or
slightly curved sides or of a circular cross section or of flat or straight or
approximately straight sides and flat bottom and top, joined by short curved
portions. Within the rear portion of the material of the tube is embedded the
usual bore backed by usual enamel and in front of the bore at proper distance for
best effect is arranged a lens or combination of lenses of suitable size and character.
The lenses may be made of any suitable color or tint and of glass or other
suitable material.
The tubes may be made of colored or tinted material and the lenses of bright
clear color and the tube front inay be of lens form or other ordinary form.
Preferably within the tube I form a hollow space or extra and enlarged bore in
which I apply a lens or combination of lenses, either after manufacture of the tube
or during manufacture of the same. In some cases 1 form the lens or combination
of lenses on the surface of the tube and the tube may be colored and lens of bright
clear material or vice versa.
The shape in cross section of the lenses may be varied according to the
requirements of the case.
Strips or a strip of enamel or other suitable material may be applied at the sides
of the lenses or tubes to facilitate reading.
The divisions and figures are applied preferably on the lens or it may be on the
tube.
Amongst the advantages attendant on my invention is the facility afforded by
the lens being removable for adjustment should the tube contract in course of time.
This can be effected by loosening the end of the lens from tube and shifting their
relative adjustment. Again the graduations if on the lens and below the tube are
removed from danger of injury by friction, corrosive fluid or other injury.
I attain these objects by the construction of thermometric tubing indicated by
the accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. indicates a thermometer face (here embodied in the form usually
denominated a clinical thermometer but any other usual form, size or description
of thermometer body may be employed), Figs. 2 to 32 shew various modifications
of cross sections of thermometer tubes and lenses adapted to various patterns for
various uses with the improvement applied thereto.
In Fig. 1a is the glass body of the thermometer, & the bulb here shewn elongated
but this form may be of any usual or convenient shape.
e is the bere (which varies greatly in dimension in various instruments but in
clinical thermometers is of very minute internal diameter). d indicates a scale
which may be any scale suited to the purpose to which the instrument is designed
for use.
In Fig. 2, a is the body of the thermometer, in cross section, e being a lens ou

page_text: which may be engraved at e' the scale to be seen through the thinuer part a' of the
body a
This lens here shewn as of circular cross section may be of other form. The
lens e is here shewn within a correspondingly shaped cavity a left in the body a
into which cavity the lens is slidden by an opening which may he afterwards sealed
up. fis a layer or sheet of enamel to throw up the small body of indicating fluid
by contrast of colour in the usual way, but this reflecting chret may; us will-be
described be made removeable.
Fig. 7 indicates the lens e of Fig. 2 separately.
When the lens e is drawn out in one with the body in the manufacture of the
thermometer tube as indicated by Figs. 23 to 29, the two parts become fixed and it
is necessary for provision to be made for maintaining separation between the two
for a portion of the circumference of the lens e, and this I ensure by forming the
recess e in the lens e before inserting it in the body a, and in the subsequent
attenuation of the tube under the glass blower's hands this space is maintained
proportionately.
This space also may be utilized to receive a slip of glass-engraved as a crale-;
or the seale may be engraved on the outside of the body-a-in-the-ordinary
manner
Figs. 25 and 27 indicate the manner of arranging the body a with the mercury
or spirit bore centrally and a lens cavity and lens e on each side thereof with
spaces a³, a³, when the lenses are "drawn" with the body a in making.
Figs. 5, 6, 11, 16, 17 and 21 indicate how the invention is applied when the two
lenses e of Fig. 25 are applied after "drawing" the body a, by sliding these lenses
in, and if the lenses themselves are not "-graduated" or marked with "seales" on
their faces, longitudinal clits to receive "seales" may be reserved us shewn in
Figs. 5, 11 and 17 at 7.-9-or these spaces may be occupied by enamel.
Fig. 31 chews a variation in the form of lens, that may be adopted in place of
the circular lens shewn in Fig. 2, and this lens c and " enamel " reflector / are
removable.
Fig. 26 indicates the form of lens shewn in Fig. 34 4, but drawn with and there-
fore fixed in the space a³; a reserve from this space for air or air and side seales
asf, being provided at a³.
Figs. 12 aud 22 indicate two forms of glass body, with lens, in the one case
(Fig. 12) approximately of oval form, and in the other case (Fig. 22) of oval form
but with a flattened base next the indicating tube.
By making thermometers with a hollow space or spaces in addition to the
ordinary mercurial or spirit bore, and placing therein a lens either fixed or
removable as set forth I am enabled to attain greater magnifying power; another
advantage secured is the protection obtained for the scales by their lying within the
body of the thermometer and thus defended from the corrosive acid or other
matters into which the instrument may be thrust and further, facility is afforded
for obtaining enlargement of the indications on the embedded scales as well as of
the indicating column of fluid.
In Fig. 28 the portion e before drawing is built up on the portion a and the
whole is drawn in one or the parts may be formed in equivalent manner.
In Fig. 29 the upper and lower portions e e are similarly built up on the middle
portion a and the whole drawn in one, or the same end may be attained by usual
and known means.
In Figs. 30 and 32 the lens is constituted by the body of the glass relatively to
the bore in nenal or known manner but in Fig. 30 I have applied my invention of
the reserved chamber-g, or it might be chambere, behind or partly in rear of the
bore whilst in Fig. 32 the bore is located rearward- of the chamber 7, or it may be
chambere, and is seen through the clear or vacant portion f' of the enamel or
other contrasting surface.
These chambers may be utilized to receive the graduated indicating "seales" or
elipe and nenal enamel backing may be applied behind the bore.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. In a thermometer a bore for the indicating fluid formed in a body of glass
in combination with a lens located in a lens chamber formed for it in the body of
the said glass, said lens and lens chamber being eccentric of the centre of the
glass body, substantially as set forth.
2. In a thermometer having an ordinary bore for indicating fluid, a separate
chamber in the same body, and a removable lens within said chamber said lens
and lens chamber being located eccentric to the centre of the body of glass,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a thermometer having an ordinary bore filled with indicating fluid located
centrally of its glass body the combination therewith of lenses located in lens
chambers each chamber eccentric to the centre of the glass body, substantially as
set forth.
4. The various arrangements or combinations of parts of the glass bodies of
thermometers and lenses located in lens chambers formed in said bodies substantially
as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
5-The-combination with a thermometer body having usual bore of a chamber
as-g-adapted-to-receive a separate senle or indienting clip or clips as /-substantially
as chewn-and-described in respect of Figs. 30 und 3
6.5. The constructions or arrangements of thermometer bodies, bores and lenses
substantially as and for the purposes set forth in respect of Figs. 12 and 22.
Dated the 12th day of March 1891
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.