APPARATUS FOR GIVING IMMEDIATE WARNING OF UNDUE HEAT, WHETHER OCCASIONED BY FIRE, SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION, OR ANY OTHER CAUSES, OF LEAKAGE IN SHIPS, AND OF THE SUDDEN IKRUPTION OF WATER, AND OF THE ACCUMULATION OF CHOKE DAMP IN MINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTER
to Charles West, of No. 7, Queen's Place, Kennington
Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of APPARATUS FOR
GIVING IMMEDIATE WARNING OF UNDUE HEAT, WHETHER OCCASIONED BY
FIRE, SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION, OR ANY OTHER CAUSES, OF LEAKAGE IN
SHIPS, AND OF THE SUDDEN IKRUPTION OF WATER, AND OF THE ACCUMULATION
OF CHOKE DAMP IN MINES,"
Sealed the 2nd February 1866, and dated the 9th August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th August 1865.
I, CHARLES WEST, of No. 7, Queen's Place, Kennington Road, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"APPARATUS FOR GIVING IMMEDIATE WARNING OF UNDUE HRAT, WHETHER OCCA-
SIONED BY FIRE, SPONTÁNEOUS COMBUSTION, OR ANY OTHER CAUSES, OF LEAKAGE IN
SHIPS, AND OF THE SUDDEN IRRUPTION OF WATER, AND OF THE ACCUMULATION OF
CHOKE DAMP IN MINES," to be as follows:-
For the detection of fire, or undue heat in ships, dwelling-houses, bonded
and other warehouses, theatres, and all other buildings, I use an apparatus
which will give an instantaneous alarm upon the increase of the temperature
[Price 8d.]

page_text: in any room, or compartment, or place where it may be fixed, whether the
increase of the temperature may arise from spontaneous combustion or from
any other cause.
The apparatus consists of a hollow iron tube of such size and diameter as
may be most suitable to the special purpose to which it is to be applied; but
the dimensions of those I should generally use would be about five inches in
length, and twelve-sixteenths of an inch in diameter on the exterior, and about
ten-sixteenths of an inch in the interior. The bore, however, of ten-
sixteenths would not extend beyond three inches of the five in length, the
remaining two inches would have a much smaller bore, varying from the
sixteenth to the thirty-second part of an inch. This tube is closed at the
larger end, and I fill the whole of this part, and up to about a quarter or half
an inch of the smaller part or neck of the tube with mercury. I then
insert in the remaining part of the neck of the tube, to within a short distance,
but not to touch the mercury, a closely fitting insulated wire, which by means
of an adjusting screw I so regulate that it shall give the warning at such a
degree of heat as I may fix upon; as the mercury from its well known pro-
perty of expansion under heat will rise in proportion to the increase of
temperature and make contact with the wire in the neck of the tube at the
degree of heat to which it may be regulated. I use iron for my tube, and on
the outside I solder or attach a wire leading to the alarm and indicator, and one
of the poles of a battery. I do not have any interior lining of enamel or glass
because such would prevent the mercury acting on the metal tube in contact
with this wire. The other wire, which is insulated, leads also to the bell
and indicator, and the opposite pole of the battery. This, as I have
described, I insert in the neck of the tube, so that when the mercury rises
and makes contact with it the circuit is complete, and the alarm is immediately
given.
The apparatus I use for giving warning of "leakage in ships, and of the
sudden irruption of water in mines," consists of a perforated iron or other
tube, which I fix upright in the mine or well of the ship. I fix two pieces of
metal on the lower part of a circular piece of wood or other non-conducting
material. A separate wire is attached to each of these pieces of metal, one
leading to one pole and the other leading to the opposite pole of a battery, and
to the indicator and alarm. These two pieces of metal are separated from each
other, consequently the circuit is broken; but on one of the pieces I place a
small spring, which with a very slight pressure will make contact with the other
piece of metal. This piece of wood or other substance so prepared I fix in the
interior of the tube, in which I also place a cork, or wood, or a hollow thin

page_text: metal ball. The tube being perforated, as already stated, will admit the water
caused by any sudden irruption or leakage, which raises the ball till it comes in
contact with the spring, herein-before described, and presses it on the other
piece of metal, and thus completes the galvanic circuit, and causes the alarm
to be given.
For the detection of the accumulation of choke damp in mines I use a
similar apparatus to the foregoing for water, but instead of a cork or hollow
metal ball I use one of prepared silk or of caoutchouc, or other light material.
This I fill with carburreted hydrogen or hydrogen gas, which being lighter
than the atmospheric air would have a tendency to rise of itself, but being
only in a small quantity is counterbalanced by the weight of the material which
comprises the ball. The accumulation, however, of the choke damp, or car-
bonic acid gas, which is considerably heavier than the atmospheric air, would
act upon the ball in the perforated tube, and cause it to rise and press against
the spring, and produce a similar result to that produced by the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WEST, of No. 7, Queen's Place, Kennington Road, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles West, Her special licence that I, the said Charles West, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
West, 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 "APPARATUS FOR GIVING IMMEDIATE
WARNING OF UNDUE HEAT, WHETHER OCCASIONED BY FIRE, SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION,
OR ANY OTHER CAUSES, OF LEAKAGE IN SHIPS, AND OF THE SUDDEN IRRUPTION OF WATER,
AND OF THE ACCUMULATION OF CHOKE DAMP IN MINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles West, my executors or administrators, by

page_text: 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 Charles West, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
For the detection of fire, or undue heat in ships, dwelling-houses, bonded
and other warehouses, theatres, and all other buildings, I use an apparatus
which will give an instantaneous alarm upon the increase of the temperature
in any room, or compartment, or place where it may be fixed, whether the
increase of temperature may arise from spontaneous combustion or from any
other cause.
The
The apparatus consists of a hollow iron tube of such size and diameter as
may be most suitable to the special purpose to which it is to be applied; but
the dimensions of those I generally use are about five inches in length, and
twelve-sixteenths of an inch in diameter on the exterior, and about ten-
sixteenths of an inch in the interior. The bore, however, of ten-sixteenths
does not extend beyond three inches of the five in length, the remaining two
inches having a much smaller bore varying from the sixteenth to the thirty-
second part of an inch. Or in place of making the tube entirely of iron, I
prefer to make the portion with the smaller bore of vulcanite or wood, and to
adapt it to the portion which is of iron by a male and female screw.
metal tube is closed at the larger end, and I fill the whole of this part with
mercury. I then insert in the remaining part or neck of the tube a closely
fitting insulated wire descending to within a short distance of but not touching
the mercury. The wire may be made adjustable by having a screw thread
cut upon it working into a corresponding thread cut in the vulcanite o
wooden neck, usually, however, it is better to fix the wire after setting it in
fron
the first instance. When the apparatus is exposed to heat the mercury,
its well known property of expansion under heat, will rise in proportion to the
increase of temperature, and make contact with the wire in the neck of the
tube at the degree of heat to which the instrument may be regulated. I solde
or attach a wire to the outside of the metal tube. This wire is insulated and
leads to the alarm and indicator, and through these the metallic connection i
continued to one of the poles of a battery. I do not have any interior lining
of enamel or glass within the metal tube, because such a lining would preven

page_text: The insulated wire
opposite pole of the
the mercury coming into electric contact with the tube.
which enters the neck of the tube is coupled with the
battery. I prefer to fix the tube to a suitable wooden frame, which can be
readily attached to any convenient part of the ship or building. In framing
the tube care should be taken that the frame may not shelter it from any heat.
which there may be in its locality. The tube should either be exposed on one
or more sides, or it should be covered with a copper or other metal plate.
The alarm and indicator may be such as are commonly used for telegraphic
purposes.
The apparatus I use for giving warning of leakage in ships, and of the
sudden irruption of water in mines, consists of a perforated iron or other tube,
which I fix upright in the mine or well of the ship. I fix two pieces of metal
at a distance apart on the lower part of a circular piece of wood or other non-
conducting material, which is used to close the upper end of the tube. A
separate wire is attached to each of these pieces of metal. These wires are
suitably insulated, and one leads to one pole of the battery, and the other
through the indicator and alarm to the opposite pole of the battery. These two
pieces of metal are separated from each other, consequently the circuit is broken.
On one of the pieces I solder or fix a small spring, which with a very slight
pressure will make contact with the other piece of metal. Within the tube
I place a float of wood, thin metal, or other material. The tube being per-
forated, as already stated, will admit the water caused by the sudden irruption
or leakage, which raises the float till it comes in contact with the spring.
herein-before described, and presses it on to the piece of metal above, and
thus completes the galvanic circuit and causes the alarm to be given. Care
should-be-taken that the float is of such a size as readily to deflect the spring.
For the detection of the accumulation of choke damp in mines I use a
similar apparatus to the foregoing for water, but instead of a wooden or
hollow metal ball I use one of prepared silk, or of caoutchouc, or other light
material. This I fill with gas, by preference carburetted hydrogen or hydrogen
gas, which being lighter than the atmospheric air has a tendency to rise, but
this tendency is just counterbalanced by the weight of the material which forms
the ball or otherwise. The accumulation, however, of the choke damp, which
is considerably heavier than the atmospheric air, will cause the ball in the
perforated tube to rise and press against the spring and produce a similar
result to that produced by the water. Or in this case to avoid the necessity.
of using a very large balloon or ball in place of a spring, a small lever
balanced on a knife-edge or axis may be employed, so that a floating power
of a few grains may be able to turn it and make the required contact.
The

page_text: of choke damp.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles West, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this,Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
CHARLES WEST. (L.S.)