Improvements in Electric Fire and Temperature Indicating Apparatus for Ships' Bunkers, Refrigerating Rooms, and other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Fire and Temperature Indicating Apparatus
for Ships' Bunkers, Refrigerating Rooms, and other purposes.
I HENRY BINKO of 34 Leadenhall Street E.C. in the City of London Electrical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC FIRE TEMPERATURE INDICATING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS' BUNKERS,
REFRIGERATING ROOMS AND OTHER PURPOSES, to be as follows:-
:-
Electric thermostats are generally so constructed that one platinum wire contact
is fixed permanently in the glass bulb of the thermometer, containing the mercury
and the second platinum wire contact is hermetically sealed in the top part of the
thermometer tube. Both these platinum contacts being brought, by a well known
method, in circuit with a suitable electric signal system; but owing to the difficulty
of correctly adjusting same to a certain degree it was necessary to alter the con-
struction in such a manner that the top wire platinum contact instead of being
sealed in the tube is left free to be moved up and down so as to be able to adjust
to the degree required. Both these methods have proved failures owing to, iu
both methods, one platinum contact is permanently immersed in mercury with the
result that the latter gradually destroys the platinum, and that by the second
method the air having access to the mercury in the tube, oxidises same.
I am perfectly aware that many improvements have been made to overcome the
difficulties mentioned, for instance that the two platinum contacts are separately
sealed in the top end of thermometer tube or at various points in the glass tube so
as to keep the platinum out of continuous contact with the mercury; but experience
proves that these improvements have not succeeded to provide a satisfactory
thermostat. In almost all cases a globule of mercury remains attached to the
platinum contact in the glass tube and the difficulty of being able to adjust the
Instrument correctly, is still existing.
My improvements do away with both these difficulties, no platinum is in direct
contact with the mercury and the instrument can be externally regulated even
fter the instrument is placed in its position.
In order to carry out my improvements, I construct a small vessel or receptacle
of thin steel or other suitable material and shape and having an elastic property,
n which the mercury is contained, to this vessel I fix hermetically a glass tube in
he upper end of which after producing a vacuum, one of the platinum wire
ontacts is sealed; the second contact is produced by connecting the platinum wire
o the outside of the vessel containing the mercury. I also provide outside the
essel containing the mercury, suitable screws and plates, so constructed that the
essel can be compressed or relieved and thereby the mercury made to rise or fall
the glass tube to any degree required.
It is clear that by my said improvements the difficulties previously mentioned
re entirely and effectually removed.
Dated this 6th day of November 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Fire and Temperature Indicating Apparatus
for Ships' Bunkers, Refrigerating Rooms, and other purposes.
I, HENRY BINKO 34 Leadenhall Street E.C. in the City of London Electrical
Engineer, 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 :-
Electric thermostats are generally so constructed that one platinum wire contact
is fixed permanently in the glass bulb of the thermometer, containing the mercury
and the second platinum wire contact is hermetically sealed in the top part of the
thermometer tube. Both these platinum contacts being brought, by a well known
method, in circuit with a suitable electric signal system; but owing to the difficulty
of correctly adjusting same to a certain degree, it was necessary to alter the con-
struction in such a manner that the top platinum wire contact instead of being
sealed in the tube is left free to be moved up and down so as to be able to adjust
to the degree required. Both these methods have proved failures owing to, in
both methods, one platinum contact is permanently immersed in mercury with the
result that the latter gradually destroys the platinum, and that by the second
method the air having access to the mercury in the tube, oxidises same.
I am perfectly aware that many improvements have been made to overcome the
difficulties mentioned, for instance that the two platinum contacts are separately
sealed in the top end of thermometer tube or at various points in the glass tube so
as to keep the platinum out of continuous contact with the mercury; but experience
proves that these improvements have not succeeded to provide a satisfactory
thermostat. In almost all cases a globule of mercury remains attached to the
platinum contact in the glass tube and the difficulty of being able to adjust the
instrument correctly is still existing.
My improvements do away with both these difficulties, no platinum is in direct
.contact with the mercury and the instrument can be externally regulated even
after the instrument is placed in its position.
In order to carry out my improvements, I construct a small vessel or receptacle
of thin steel or other suitable material and shape, and having an elastic property
in which the mercury is contained, to this vessel I fix hermetically a glass tube;
in the upper end of which, after producing a vacuum, one of the platinum wire
contacts is sealed; the second contact is produced by connecting the platinum wire
to the outside of the vessel containing the mercury.
I also provide outside the vessel containing the mercury suitable screws and
plates, so constructed that the vessel can be compressed or relieved and thereby
the mercury made to rise or fall in the glass tube to any degree required.
It is clear that by my improvements the difficulties previously mentioned are
entirely and effectually removed.
In the drawing hereto annexed, "A" shows the receptacle made of thin steel
or platinum containing the mercury; "B" the glass tube hermetically fixed to
the receptacle "A" and closed at the upper end. "C" is a brass clamp which
by means of screws c. c. is fixed to the base of the instrument so as to hold the
receptacle firmly. "D, D," are the two terminals by means of which the
instrument is brought in the circuit. "E" is a wire helix connecting the
platinum contact in the glass tube to one of the terminals. 'E," is a wire
helix soldered to the outside of the receptacle and connected to the terminal.
66
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 I
claim is :
1. A thermostat consisting of a receptacle for containing mercury, made of steel
or other suitable material for the purpose set forth.

page_text: A thermostat having its contact directly connected to the above receptacle
for the purpose set forth.
3. A thermostat having provided a set screw acting on the short receptacle by
means of which the mercury can be adjusted to any degree for the purpose set
forth.
4. The combination of 1, 2 and 3, constructed substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this Fourth day of Around 100%
HENRY BINKO.