IMPROVE- MENTS IN WATER GAUGES FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WATER GAUGES FOR STEAM BOILERS."-A communication from
abroad by Ambrose George Fell, of the City, County, and State of New
York, United States of America.
Sealed the 15th November 1867, and dated the 17th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th May 1867.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES FOR STEAM BOILERS," a communication, to be
as follows:
The said improvements consist chiefly in constructing a water guage with
one or more sides or faces formed of transparent mica which is secured in a
metal frame or case provided with suitable means for attachment to a steam
boiler.
Gauges for shewing the height of the water in steam boilers have been
beretofore constructed with a glass tube, which is objectionable for many

page_text: reasons, such as liability to fracture from flying pieces of coal, from sudden
changes of temperature, and by the crumbling or wearing away at the ends,
occasioned by the great heat to which these points are subjected, and the
corrosive effects of the steam thereon, besides their well-known liability to
fracture after cleaning. When a glass tube is broken it is necessary (especially
on board steam vessels) to replace it while the boiler is hot, which is a very
difficult operation; and sometimes by the breaking of the said glasses the
engine drivers or other attendants are severely scalded. It is found necessary
with ordinary glass gauges when a steamer is leaving port to provide a box full
of tubes because of the necessity of frequent renewal.
My improved gauge is therefore more economical than these tubular
gauges, as it is not affected by changes of temperature nor liable to injury
from the other causes above mentioned. The mica will also stand a greater
pressure than the glass tubes.
The frame of the guage is formed of brass or other suitable metal, and is
cast with an adjutage or nozzle at each end for attachment to a boiler. Side
pieces are provided formed with an aperture which extends nearly the whole
length of the said frame to enable a person to look through the gauge; these
side pieces are firmly attached by screws or other suitable means to the frame
of the gauge, and the strips of mica, which are of the same size as the side
pieces, are placed between the latter and the frame. Thin strips of india-
rubber or other suitable material are placed along the edges between the
frame and the mica.
The arrangement of the mica on two opposite sides of the guage is found
most convenient in practice; but the whole four faces or sides, or only one
face may be provided with mica if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,

page_text: did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER GAUGES FOR STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
forming a part of this Specification:-
The said improvemnants consist chiefly in constructing a water gauge with
one or more sides or faces formed of transparent mica which is secured in a
metal frame or case provided with suitable means for attachment to a steam
boiler.
Gauges for shewing the height of the water in steam boilers have been
heretofore constructed with a glass tube, which is objectionable for many
reasons, such as liability to fracture from flying pieces of coal, from sudden
changes of temperature, and by the crumbling or wearing away at the ends,
occasioned by the great heat to which these points are subjected, and the
corrosive effects of the steam thereon, besides their well-known liability to
fracture after cleaning. When a glass tube is broken it is necessary, especially
on board steam vessels, to replace it while the boiler is hot, and when it is
consequently very difficult to work so close to the boiler, and sometimes by
the breaking of the said glasses the drivers and other attendants or workmen
are severely scalded. It is found necessary with ordinary glass gauges when a
steamer is leaving port to provide a box full of tubes, because of the necessity
for frequently renewing the same.
My improved gauge is therefore more economical than these tubular
gauges, as it will last as long as the boiler itself; it is not affected by flying

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved gauge; Figure 2 is a trans-
verse section of the same on the line a, x, Figure 1. Like letters indicate the
same parts in each Figure.
A is the frame of the gauge which is formed of brass or other suitable
metal, and is cast with an adjutage or nozzle a, a, at each end to form a
means of attachment to the boiler; B, B, are the faces or sides of the gauge,
in each of which is a slotted opening extending the entire length of the gauge
to enable a person to look through the same; these faces or sides are firmly
attached by screws or other suitable means to the frame A of the gauge, and
strips C of mica of the same size as the sides B are placed between the latter
and the frame. Thin strips D of rubber or other suitable material are placed
along the edges between the frame and the strips of mica.
The arrangement of the mica on two opposite sides of the gauge is found
most convenient in practice, but all four of the faces may be provided with
the mica, or if desired the latter may be only applied to one of the said faces.
With the mica placed on two sides, as shewn, my improved gauge can be seen
through as easily as an ordinary glass tube; but with only one side of mica
the height of the water in the boiler is easily ascertained.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I claim a steam gauge having one or more of its
sides or faces formed of mica and constructed substantially as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOS. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.