Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 28th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd May, 1887
I GEORGE FREDERICK DEACON, of 4 Cavendish Road, Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
In tide, or reservoir gauges in which a diagram is drawn by the rising and falling
tide through the medium of a float and wire, cord, or chain upon a sheet of paper
caused by clockwork to travel past the pen, or pencil at right angles with the
direction of motion of such pen, or pencil, much skilled attention is requisite to
ensure that the zero of the paper and the hour lines occupy truly the correct positions
at any given time in relation to the diagramatic representation of the tide at the same
instant. The paper stretches and shrinks often unequally and thus.when the diagram
is not renewed and readjusted daily proper accuracy becomes an impossibility.
According to my Invention I remove this difficulty entirely and render it possible to
leave the apparatus for weeks, or even for months without attention by supplying the
paper in a single strip of the requisite length and by automatically pricking or
otherwise marking the zero and various heights and the time lines while the diagram
is being drawn, then if the various parts of the instrument are adjusted in true
correspondence with each other and the scale of the diagram, no previous or
subsequent alteration of the dimensions of the paper can effect the accuracy of the
record.
I mark the paper by needles carried by arms from an eccentric upon, or within the
diagram drum by which eccentric such needles are caused to puncture the paper and
are again withdrawn, or I cause the height and time lines to be drawn by pencils, or
by analyne or other dye diluted with water and glycerine, in pens, which instead of
being formed as open ended tubes in the usual manner, are solid and pointed ended
tubes, from the upper side of the end of the bore of each of which a small hole
passes to the outside. From this hole a groove is, formed towards the point and a fine
wick is placed in the hole and groove along which the ink flows as required. Such
pens if properly constructed and set to work will continue to work for weeks without
attention

page_text: pens
When the time lines are to be marked with pencils, or pens being at right angles to
the direction of motion of the paper they may be best formed by causing the same
pencils, or pens that draw the height lines to move at the proper times at right angles
to such direction with sufficient quickness to produce, notwithstanding the motion of
the paper a straight line as nearly as may be, at right angles therewith and the
above described, unlike pens of the ordinary open ended tube construction will permit
of this as they work well whether at a low, a high, or a varying velocity. The motion
of the pencils, or pens thus described may be produced by the sudden release of a
weight, or spring wound up, or lifted between the formation of the time lines, by the
clock and the motion due to such sudden release may be controlled as desired by a
" cataract," or "dash point."
In cases in which much silt is liable to enter the tube in which the float works, or
to cover the end of the pipe beneath the external water, I surround such tube by a
larger pipe to act as a flushing tank, or I provide such flushing tank in another
position. This tank is provided with valves so arranged as to hold back the tidal, or
other water and to discharge it when the external water has reached a lower level.
Or I filter the water passing into the supply pipe through the material of sugar
refiners bags, or any other filtering medium in a fixed frame, or in a frame so arranged
in a floating buoy, attached to the supply pipes by a flexible tube that it is kept above
the bottom of the water. Or I arrange in a fixed frame, or in a floating buoy a valve
so opening inwards to a larger vessel that after admission the water remains
comparatively quiescent before entering the supply pipe and allows the silt to fall to
the bottom of the containing vessel.. When the level of the water falls this silt is
driven out through a lower valve opening outwards.
Certain of the records of the gauges thus constructed may be caused by electric
means to register simultaneously at any distant place.
Dated this 26th day of June 1886.

page_text: I GEORGE FREDERICK DEACON, of 4 Cavendish Road, Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
In tide, or reservoir gauges in which a diagram is drawn by the rising and falling
tide through the medium of a float and wire cord, or chain upon a sheet of paper
caused by clockwork to travel past the pen, or pencil at right angles with the direction
of motion of such pen, or pencil, much skilled attention is requisite to ensure that the
zero of the paper and the hour lines occupy truly the correct positions at any given
time in relation to the diagramatic representation of the tide at the same instant.
The paper stretches and shrinks often unequally and thus when the diagram is not
renewed and re-adjusted daily, proper accuracy becomes an impossibility. According
to my Invention I remove this difficulty entirely and render it possible to leave the
apparatus for weeks, or even for months without attention by supplying the paper in a
single strip of the requisite length and by automatically pricking, or otherwise
marking the zero and various heights and the time lines, while the diagram is being
drawn, then if the various parts of the instrument are adjusted in true correspondence
with each other and the scale of the diagram, no previous, or subsequent alteration of
the dimensions of the paper can affect the accuracy of the record.
I mark the paper by needles carried by arms from an eccentric upon, or within the
diagram drum by which eccentric such needles are caused to puncture the paper and
are again withdrawn, or I cause the height and time lines to be drawn by pencils, or
by analine, or other dye diluted with water and glycerine in pens, which instead of
being formed as open ended tubes in the usual manner, are solid and pointed ended
tubes, from the upper side of the end of the bore of each of which a small hole passes
to the outside. From this hole a groove is formed towards the point and a fine wick
is placed in the hole and groove along which the ink flows as required. Such pens if
properly constructed and set to work will continue to work for weeks without
attention.
When the time lines are to be marked with pencils, or pens being at right angles to
the direction of motion of the paper, they may be best formed by causing the same
pencils, or pens that draw the height lines to move at proper times at right angles to
such direction with sufficient quickness to produce, notwithstanding the motion of the
paper, a straight line as nearly as may be at right angles therewith, and the pens
above described unlike pens of the ordinary open ended tube construction will permit
of this as they work well whether at a low, a high, or a varying velocity. The motion
of the pencils, or pens thus described may be produced by the sudden release of a
weight, or spring wound up, or lifted between the formation of the time lines by the
clock and the motion due to such sudden release may be controlled as desired by a
cataract or dash pot.

page_text: In cases in which much silt is liable to enter the tube, in which the float works, or
to cover the end of the pipe beneath the external water, I surround such tube by a
larger pipe to act as a flushing tank, or I provide such flushing tank in another
position. This tank is provided with valves so arranged as to hold back the tidal, or
other water and to discharge it when the external water has reached a lower level.
Or I filter the water passing into the supply pipe through the material of sugar
refiners bags, or any other filtering medium in a fixed frame or in a frame so arranged
in a floating buoy attached to the supply pipes by a flexible tube that it is kept above
the bottom of the water. Or I arrange in a fixed frame, or in a floating buoy a valve
so opening inwards to a larger vessel that after admission the water remains
comparatively quiescent before entering the supply pipe and allows the silt to fall to
the bottom of the containing vessel. When the level of the water falls, this silt is
driven out through a lower valve opening outwards.
Certain of the records of the gauges thus constructed may be caused by electric
means to register simultaneously at any distant place.
The Drawings hereto annexed illustrate the improvements according to my
Invention. A description of them is hereinafter given; the letters and figures of
reference occuring in the description correspond with those marked upon the Drawings
in which like letters and figures are used to denote like, or corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a tide gauge registering mechanism.
Figure 2 is a plan of saine, and
Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the apparatus through X X Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate in end elevation and plan respectively details of, on a
larger scale, the time marking device.
With reference to the Drawings a designates the time drum. is the roller which
carries the supply of paper and c is the drawing off roller which winds up the paper
after having been marked by the pens. d is the pen for marking the height lines and
used and applied also to draw time lines, or marks of time. The paper passing from
the supply roller is led over a small roller is a rod having thin metal strips e¹
which bear against the paper on the supply roller b. The strips are kept up to
their work by a weight which is suspended by a cord e³ and hangs below the
bed plate A of the apparatus. The cord passes over a pulley e and round the grooved
disce to which it is attached in such a manner that the strips el constantly press upon
the paper and so constitute a break.
All the revolving rollers a band c and the rod e are mounted in suitable footsteps/
which form their lower bearings. The upper bearings consist of pins which pass
loosely through the upper entablature B and into sockets formed in the rollers. By
this means the rollers and the brake rod can be readily removed and refitted. The
time drum a is marked with figures at its upper edge a to designate hours, or other
periods of time.
h
The time drum a is operated by a clock of suitable construction mounted on the
bed plate A at D. is the spindle operated, by the clock and is provided with a bevel
wheel which gears into a corresponding bevel wheel on the drum a. A constant
tension is kept on the paper by a weight which hangs below the bed plate A and is
attached to the cord i working over the fuzee i¹. The shaft which carries the fuzee i¹
is provided with a bevel wheel which gears into a second bevel wheel on the
roller c. This mechanism maintains the required tension on the paper.
The ruling pen d consists of a number of cells each having a nib d'arranged so
that the ink, or marking fluid can be supplied to all the vessels at once. The pen is
arranged so that when the fluid fills one vessel it overflows into the next and so on
until all are filled. By this means the supply of the fluid to the nibs of each pen is
due to the head of fluid in each vessel. The weight of the pen is nearly balanced by
a weighted cord which is fastened to the end of the upper spindle d of the pen d and
passes over the wheel d³ and down through the bed plate A where the balance weight
is attached to it and hangs. The pen d is kept up to the paper by cords d which are
attached to and pass round the wheel d³, the end of the cords being held by adjusting
screws dº. Springs & are interposed in the cords for obtaining elasticity. The

page_text: spindle d is flattened on two sides where it passes through the bearing d which is
provided with a sliding piece kept up to the rod d² by a spring as shown. The
flattened portions of the rod d² and the sliding piece d' serve to hold the pen d when
it is desired to turn the pen round and hold it off the paper.
The gear for marking the time periodically upon the paper as hereinbefore specified
is illustrated more clearly in Figures 4 and 5 and consists of a cam j tappet & pawl k¹
ratchet wheel and lifting wheel 7.
This mechanism is put into operation by the cam wheel which is fixed to the
bevel wheel gand moves with it. In operation the point of the tappet k is slowly
raised by each projection of the cam as it revolves. During this movement the
pawl rides freely over the teeth of the racket wheel k². As soon as a tooth, or
projection of the cam leaves the point of the tappet it falls to the bottom of the
space between two of the projections. The action is caused by a dead weight which
is suspended by a wire, or cord ³ from the pin in the tappet k. The falling of the
tappet causes the pawi ¹ to gear with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel k² and
move it round. This movement also moves the wheel which previously having one
of its teeth under the toe t¹ of the lower pen spindle d² raises the pen d until such
tooth leaves the toe and allows the pen to fall again. The fall of the pen is
cushioned by the dash pot, or air escapement device u which consists of an open
cylinder and a piston of ordinary construction. This rise and fall of the
pen draws a
vertical line upon the paper thus marking the time upon the paper for every given
period of time.
The pen for recording the varying heights, or level of the tide is mounted, or
swung by brackets v¹ mounted on flexible metal bands 2. The bands are attached to
and wind on, or off the wheels ³ as the tide rises, or falls. wis the cord by which
the float is attached and it winds on and off the roller wheel was the tide rises and
falls. The amount of movement of the float is reduced in the travel of the
pen by
the spur gearing w². w³ is a weight cord which takes round the wheel w and is
provided for the purpose of preventing back lash in the toothed gear w².
The float and float well may be of any known form. The water is supplied to the
float well by a pipe the inlet of which is situated at any desired position or spot. In
Figure 6 is shown a filter, or depositing vessel which consists of a buoy a and a
quiescent chamber in which the pipe for supplying the float well is situated.
The chamber is perforated with small holes at the top and bottom. The water
for supplying the float well enters the chamber through the upper small holes a
and when inside it and quiescent a deposition of silt takes place and falls through the
holes at the bottom of the chamber. The piece of pipe between the quiescent chamber
and the pipe a (of cast iron) which conveys the water to the floatwell is of flexible
material.
Various modifications of this device may be used.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate in sectional elevation and plan of the means according to
this Invention of marking, or recording the time upon the paper by puncturing. This
puncturing is effected by the eccentric y and the puncturing needles y' which pass
through holes in the upper part of the drum a. The spindle of the drum a is fixed
and the pulley of the eccentric is fixed upon the spindle. Hence as the drum revolves
and the paper comes forward the needles y are successively pressed through the holes
in the drum and through the paper and are drawn back on the opposite side of the
drum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
First. In a tide or reservoir gauge a pen or pens such as d by which a number of
lines are drawn upon the paper representing zero, the extreme, and scale of
intermediate heights as and for the purposes specified.
Second. Marking and recording intervals of time upon the paper of a tide or
reservoir gauge by a pen such as d and in the manner set forth for the purposes
specified.

page_text: Third. Marking and recording intervals of time upon the paper of a tide or
reservoir gauge by puncturing such paper substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
Fourth. The use of a fuzee mechanism for operating the roller used for coiling up
the paper delivered by or from the marking, or time drum of a gauge of the type
herein described whereby a constant tension is maintained on the paper substantially
as described.
Fifth. The construction of the mechanism for raising and lowering the pen for
recording intervals of time upon the paper of a tide or reservoir gauge substantially
as set forth, or any mere modification thereof.
Sixth. The drum a roller and roller c arranged and operating in combination
substantially as set forth.
Seventh. A filter, or vessel for freeing the water supplied to the float well of a tide
or reservoir gauge of silt substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Eighth. The construction and arrangement of the various mechanisms, or parts of
the gauge substantially as herein set forth and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
nis ofth day of March 1987