AN IMPROVED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED' IN DISTILLERIES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes and
Son, Patent Agents, 128, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE QUANTITY AND
QUALITY OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED' IN DISTILLERIES."A communication from
abroad by Traugott Glaeser; of Brieg, and Ernst Hofmann, of Breslau,
Silesia Prussia
R
Sealed the 30th September 1864, and dated the 6th April Ï$64.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th April 1864.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE
QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED IN DISTILLERIES," a communication
to me from abroad by Traugott Glaeser, of Brieg, and Ernst Hofmann, of
Breslau, Silesia, Prussia, 'to be as follows:-
Theannexed Drawing represents three different elevations of the apparatus,
a front view, and two side views.
The apparatus consists, first, in the jacket A, Fig. 1, of strong sheet iron,
which is furnished with a door and two locks, in order to open and lock the
Price 8d1

page_text: same, and has two oblong openings cand d. From the first of these openings
projects the box containing the controlling and indicating apparatus, which is
in connection with the inner work. The brass door of this box is made to be
locked and furnished with two openings, with strong glass panes to allow the
inspection of the dial plates; the second opening is also surrounded by a box
with doors made to be locked, and having an opening furnished with a pane
of glass, through which the lowest degree of temperature that the alcohol has
passed through may be seen by means of a minimum thermometer. The
inner mechanical work surrounded by the jacket consists of a reservoir B
(Fig. 1) which is in connection with the discharge pipe of the receiver of the
distillery by means ofthe tube a. Between the discharge pipe of the receiver
and the tube a there is a brass cylinder, the communications of which may be
under the control of the Tax Commissioners. In the middle of this cylinder
there is a sieve for the purpose of retaining the mash which might have
escaped through the refrigerator and the receiver, and be prejudicial to the
distillation, and also for introducing only the pure alcohol into the reservoir,
which is furnished with two sieves. In the interior of the jacket there is the
measuring cylinder C, made of strong sheet brass tinned, which cylinder is
joined with the reservoir B by means of the tube B a. In the measuring
cylinder itself there is a lens-shaped float Ca, Figures 1 and 3, of thin plate
brass, inwardly loaded with lead, so as to weigh 8 pounds, and acting as the
motive power; the cylinder is also provided with two valves C d and C e,
Fig. 3, one in connection with the tube Ba, as entering valve, and the other
in connection with the discharge pipe as eduction valve. To the float Ca is
attached a firm chain Cb, Fig. 1, which leads to a pulley e, fixed to the steel
main shaft f, and furnished with strong pins fitting the rings of the chain,
which chain has at its end the counterweight Cc. On the steel main shaft f
besides the pulley e, are fixed the driving gear g, the ratchet wheel h, and the
disc, with the stud e¹. On this shaft, in the same line, runs an eight-toothed
steel wire pinion ", carrying the disc h³, which leads the pawl to the ratchet
wheel on the main shaft. The pinion " is at one end fitted cylindrically
into the main shaft t, whilst it is held on the other side by means of a centre,
driving the first wheel of the indicating apparatus c', after each measuring of
10 Prussian quarts. The wheels of the indicating apparatus have each
80 teeth. During the filling and emptying of the lower vessel C the shaftf
is by means of the float made to rotate from left to right, by which rotation
the indicatingapparatus is put in motion and the positions of the entering and
eduction valves are reversed. This change is performed very precisely and
without requiring the least power, in the following manner :-On the shaft f

page_text: is bolted the disc k, which is provided near its periphery with the slot c; in
this slot c, and turning round the bolt d, moves the pin e in such manner that
it touches the sides of this slot first to the right and then to the left. The
piece e¹ of the pin e projecting from the disc comes in contact with the arm g,
and pushes it forward; this arm being furnished at its end with the weight p,
and moving freely between the two points rand s. The axle of the arm g is
enlarged between the points and s to the shape of a chain drum t, around
which is placed the chain , h', which is secured at the point i. The two ends
of the chain are applied to the ends of the lever 1, 2, which has its fulcrum
alternately first in the end of the rod M of the entering valve C d, and
then in the connecting rod m² of the eduction valve Ce; on both arms of the
lever 1, 1, which are easily moved on pulleys, are suspended the weights n
and ', which, following the law of gravity, act on the levers to which they are
applied. The alcoholometer pulley Dc, and the ratchet wheel D dare fixed
to one tube and have their own motion. The wheel g¹ being connected by a
small steel pinion with the wheel from which it receives its motion runs on
a separate bearing, and the pin with the head p enters the tube of the
pully Dc and the wheel D d. The shaft Df carries the wheel D g and the
disc 1) e, containing a pawl for the ratchet wheel D d, the pulley Dc and the
'wlicel g¹ being in the same line. The wheel D g, on the shaft Df, gears into
the wheel D of the indicating apparatus c" for the determination of the
quality. Attached to the pulley Dc, and wound once round the same iз a
silken coral Da, which passes over the adjustable pulley D 6, and carries the
alcoholometer within the small cylinder E.
9:
The controlling apparatus K consists, firstly, of the frame K a, inserted
before the dial plates; into this frame the controlling leaves are to be put, of
which a specimen is shewn in Fig. 4; secondly, of guide pins K b, which
regularly guide the frame; thirdly, of the spiral springs K c, which are
between the frame and the dial plates and surround the guide pins Kb;
and,fourthly, of the above-mentioned brass door, furnished with strong glass
panes, and with a lock so constructed that in opening and locking it a pin
comes out and presses the frame with the controlling leaf against the hands,
which, having steel points, pierce through the controlling leaf. The discharge
pipe C fleads into the small cylinder E, while the tube Ea carries the alcohol
which freely streams into it to the minimum thermometer d', where its
temperature is indicated, flows into the funnel F, and from thence through
the discharge pipe binto the cellar of the distillery. The stool I, to which
the cylinder C is screwed, carries the apparatus, and its legs L' are bolted to
the bottom of the jacket A. The supports v, v, v, v, carry the reservoir B,

page_text: and the support all carries the indicating apparatus. The discharge pipe Sa
and the discharge tap 'T' serve to let out the alcohol which after the conclusion
of the distilling process is left in the cylinder and tubes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION OF THE APPARATUS, WITH REFERENCE TO THE
DETERMINATION OF THE QUANTITY.
The accumulation of the alcohol flowing through the entering pipe a,
Fig. 1, into the reservoir B, and from thence by means of the discharge pipe
Ba, into the cylinder C, causes first a floating and then a rising of the float
Ca; therefore, at a given quantity of fluid, the float must always reach a
certain height. Now if the liquid to be measured mounts to 10 Prussian
quarts, as in the present case, the moment the cylinder contains this measure
any further supply must be stopped, and another outlet must be provided.
In order to have at any time, by means of the float, the exact measure of 10
Prussian quarts of alcohol of the required strength and temperature, and in
order to have this measure then taken away, the pulley secured to the
main shaft f,and furnished with pins, and carrying the chain with the counter-
weight Cc, attached to the float, is constructed so that its periphery
corresponds accurately with the height of the space which the float has
passed in rising, and consequently turns exactly one revolution round its axle.
In consequence of this the shaft, with the ratchet wheel /, the driving gear g,
and the disck, must likewise have turned exactly one revolution round their
axle.
The Drawing shows the arrangement at the moment when the last measured
drop from the vessel C, has been let out through the valve Ce, and when the
float having sunk down has brought the shaft f with the disk k in the
position in which the middle line of the bolt d is, exactly vertical above the
middle line of the shaft f, that is, the position in which the bolt d, and with it
the float is at its lowest. The dimensions of the slot c, the pin e, and the
arm g, are now so adjusted, that, exactly at this moment the arm g with the
weight p, its centre of gravity being already pushed beyond the middle line,
must come down to the right. In the next position shown by the dotted
lines, the chain his stretched and draws the lever 2, the weight p falling
lower down into the horizontal position, by means of which the eduction
valve C e, is closed, and the end of the valve rod m¹ now becomes the fulcrum.
All this is done in a moment, as the weight p without loss of time falls down
to the vertical position, lifting the lever 7 so high from its horizontal position,
that the weights n and n³, Fig. 3, roll in their opposite position, (as indicated
by dotted lines,) this makes the weight n lose the greatest part of its effect

page_text: P,
at its now shortened lever arm, whilst n¹, with its elongated lever arm, draws
up the entering valve Cd. The float being lifted by the liquid streaming into
the vessel C, now gives to the disc k a retrograde rotating motion in the
direction of the arrow. When the pin e has attained a vertical position
under the middle line of the shaft f, it moves the arm g and weight p again
up to the highest position, and as it leans on the opposite side of the slot c, e,
it causes the weight p to fall only at the moment when the bolt d has again taken
its highest position. It is obvious that at the moment before the falling down
of the weight p, the float has not any more power, as the whole weight p, with
that of the arm g, rests on the points.. By means of the falling of the weight
the entering valve is now closed in the same manner as the eduction valve
was before, which eduction valve is now immediately opened, after which the
operation is repeated in the same manner. According to this construction
the float must always come exactly to one and the same highest position,
thus the opening of one of the valves can under no circumstances ensue
before the other is closed; one moment indeed both the valves are closed
at the same time, but this is only a passing moment of the motion. All these
motions are effectuated exactly at the moment when 10 Prussian quarts of
alcohol are in the cylinder C; innumerable experiments have shewn that the
measured quantity was always accurately and conformably the same. As the
measuring of the alcohol occupies but three minutes, and the flowing off but
four, there will be collecting from 4 to 5 quarts in the reservoir during the
flowing off, and thus a stoppage can never take place. It is however intended
to construct the apparatus so that both actions may be performed in 1 to 2
minutes. At the same time that the shaft f, at the rising of the float, moved
from right to left about its axle, the eight-toothed steel pinion h¹¹, inserted
into this shaft,and in the same line with it, with the disc h',must be prevented
from having the same motion by means of the pawl going from the disc to
the ratchet wheel, for in order to have no influence on the upper indicating
apparatus c, it must be made to stand still; but as soon as 10 Prussian
quarts are measured, and the entering valve is closed, this act of measuring
must be indicated at the dial plate by the float sinking, and the shaft f, now
moving backwards from left to right, and as the pawi of the disc ', has
geared into the ratchet wheel h, the eight-toothed pinion 11, connected with
the upper indicating apparatus, must also partake of this motion. As this
pinion after each measuring of 10 Prussian quarts drives the first wheel of the
ndicating apparatus c', about 16 forward, the hand at the first dial plate after
he measuring of the first 10 Prussian quarts stands at number 1. Thus if
0 Prussian quarts are measured the hand of the second dial plate must after

page_text: DETERMINATION OF THE QUALITY.
As already mentioned there is between the driving gear 9 on the main
shaft f, and the wheel g' running on a box y, a small steel pinion. The
wheel g¹ must have the same motion as the main shaftf, and has at its side
a stud driver. The construction of the alcoholometer pulley Dc, is already
described, and has its own motion, which does not depend on the motion of
the main shaft or the wheel g'. This pulley, to which is secured the alcoholo-
meter by means of a silken cord passing over the adjustable pulley D b, has
at its side likewise a stud. Without this stud, and without that at the
wheel g', the alcoholometer would turn the pulley D c, which moves very easily
and without any friction, by means of its own weight, very rapidly about its
axle, and cause it to sink rapidly, and strongly oscillate the alcohol contained in
the cylinder E. By the aid of these studs it cannot do so, but is let down as
slowly as the stud of the wheel g', which retains the stud of the pulley, will
allow it. The motion of the wheel g', however, corresponds with the motion
of the shaft, and the gradual rising of the float. As soon as the alcoholo-
meter is floating and indicating the degrees of the alcohol, it has no more
effect on the pulley which now remains standing, whilst the wheel g¹ moves
on till the entering valve is closed. When this valve is closed the float siuks,
and the retrograde motion of the main shaft f, as well as of the wheel gi
begins; when the pin of the wheel g' has reached that of the alcoholometer
pulley it takes the last with it, turning it back again to its former position,
and in consequence of this bringing the alcoholometer also back to its former
position at zero. As the pawl of the disc De, gears into the ratchet
wheel Dd, connected with the alcoholometer pulley the retrograde motion is
also imparted to the shaft D f, and the wheel D g, which, as before men-
tioned, gears into the wheel Dh, by which means the lower indicating
ȧpparatus for the determination of the quality is put in motion in the same
way. The alcoholometer not only correctly indicates the degrees of the
alcohol having no friction to overcome, but the indicating apparatus must
repeat the same quite correctly, even to half a degree by means of the dial
plate, because the periphery of the palley answers exactly the length of the
scale of the alcoholcmeter, consequently the alcohol flowing through the
apparatus is first measured according to quantity, 10 Prussian quarts each
time, and then the per-centage of every 10 quarts fixed by the alcoholometer
and both results indicated on the dial plates. It follows that in measuring the

page_text: first 10 Prussian quarts the alcoholometer sinks in the cylinder E down to
100 degrees, because the per-centage is fixed afterwards, and because at the
first time there is no alcohol in the cylinder, which could be indicated at the
dial plate; therefore at the first indicating of the apparatus these 140 degrees
must be deducted. For correctly transmitting the results, the alcoholometer
is graduated in equal divisions. In order to construct the apparatus as
complete and useful as possible the examination of the temperature of the
passing alcohol has also been considered.
It is known that the real strength of alcohol is found out from the apparent
one, and from the temperature, by the aid of the so-called Brix tables. If, for,
instance, the alcoholometer sinks in alcohol of +6° Reaumur down to 80
degrees, the real strength of the same is 82.4 degrees, if it sinks in alcohol
of +16° R. to 80 degrees, its real strength is 78.7 degrees. Alcohol of a
higher temperature than 144° R. is weaker than the alcoholometer indicates,
but below this normal temperature it is stronger. As the quantity and the
strength of the alcohol is fixed in charging manufacture duty, it follows that
spirit of cooler temperature should pay a higher duty, because it contains more
degrees of alcohol than the alcoholometer really indicates. This circumstance.
indeed should not be considered as essential, but with an apparatus which.
claims completeness and utility, this finding out of the temperature must not
be wanting, even if it should only be used as a certain hold for the Custom
officers. For this reason the alcohol having flowed freely over the e cylinder E,
and having entered the discharge pipe E a, is led to a minimum thermo-
meter d within the projection d, flowing round about its ball continually.
This thermometer, as known, is so constructed that it indicates always at a
certain space of time the lowest temperature which any liquid has bad. The
thermometer rests on an axle, and thus in turning causes the small body
within the glass tube to rise to the normal temperature of 121° R. If the
distiller obtains alcohol ofhigher temperature the small body remains standing
at 12 R., but if the temperature of the alcohol sinks, for instance, to 8° R.,.
the small body retires, and does not any more go forward at a higher tem-
perature. Alcohol of a higher temperature than + 12° R. being weaker than
the alcoholoineter indicates, could not be regarded at the charging of duty, as
the distiller has it in his power, even during the warm season, to obtain the
alcohol at a temperature of + 12° R. When alcohol is obtained at a tem..
perature below + 10° R. it must be reckoned up to its real strength with the
aid of the Brix tables, and the duty fixed accordingly. This arrangement atall
events offers the means for giving a certain hold for the Commissioners of
Duty, and of disappointing the intention of those distillers who, by preparing.
1'

page_text: regard to duty.
The arconol naving nowed round
the ball of the thermometer runs off through the funnel F and the discharge
pipe 6 into the cellars of the distiller. It is the same with a maximum
thermometer.
THE CONTROLLING APPARATUS.
Even with the most perfect apparatus, which nechanically transfers the
quantity and quality to the indicating apparatus, and shows it by means of the
dial plates, the objection could be made that the indications of the dial plates
might also be taken off erroneously, or by way of falsification, and the revenues
of the state might so be injured, though the suspicion of such falsification
might soon be proved by the comparing of the received statements amongst
each other; and for the purpose of regulating the management of the distilleries
it is not to be denied that this objection is perfectly well founded. In all
cases where the determination of the object of duty must be left to the lower
officers the Board of Taxes must try to find means to persuade themselves of
the correctness of the official statements. For this purpose the following con-
trolling arrangement at the indicating apparatus c¹ and c" has been made :-
Within the box surrounding the indicating apparatus is inserted before the
hands, which are all furnished with steel points, the frame K a. Into this
frame the revising officer must at the beginning of the distilling put a con-
trolling leaf, upon which is represented exactly the number and size of the dial
plates behind it, with their respective numbers, so that the dial plates of the
indicating apparatus, and those of the controlling leaves, are in congruity.
The paper for these controlling leaves may beforehand be marked officially by
the Commissioners of Taxes, or it may be furnished with certain water inarks,
so that the controlling leaves cannot be imitated, and would be considered as
papers of value on the loss of which not only a severe penalty might be inflicted,
but which might also be treated as a fraud. As already before inentioned
the frame Ka, with the controlling leaf, is at the opening and locking of the
outer door of the projection c pressed against the points of the hands of the
indicating apparatus, these hands pierce the paper and the holes they have
made, which could not be done away, from the paper without being seen
immediately, show exactly the numbers which the hands of the apparatus
indicate. At the beginning of the distilling the officer lias to put a controlling
leaf, a copy of which is shewn in Fig 4, into the frame K a, and then to lock
the outer door; at this moment all the hands pierce the controlling leaf at

page_text: all the dial plates at O because no alcohol has as yet flowed through the
apparatus. Now if after some time the officer comes for the determination
of the alcohol obtained in the distillery, he has to make a short protocol
according to a given model, which is only to be filled up and contains the
following words. The hands of the dial plates indicated the following
numbere
Each measure has therefore an average per-centage of 82% Tralles. The
lowest temperature was standing at 11° R, wherefore, the rate of duty is fixed
according to the determinations before mentioned, or the lowest temperature
was standing at 8° R, wherefore the real strength of the alcohol is after Brix's
tables with 1 measure 83.5 %Tr. The door to the dial plates is now opened,
the controlling leaf taken out and added to this protocol; at the same time
a new controlling leaf is put into the frame, and the door locked again. It
would be sufficient if only the degrees of temperature were indicated, and the
calculation of the real strength of alcohol were left to the Custom Office.
The owner of the distillery, or his agent, should be present at this registration.
The controlling leaves which after having been removed must have two holes
on each dial plate are with the papers of revision delivered to the superiors or
the Chamber of Accounts, to whom they must carry the conviction of the
correctness of the official statements, they will also in their continued results
which must follow each other precisely, give a view of the management of the
distillery, showing the greater or lesser regularity of it. Revisers carry with
them a counterpart of the key for the door of the projection in order to be
able to judge theauthenticity of the controlling leaf and the right management
of it; however the keys for the jacket remain in the hands of the Custom
officers. To prevent the jacket of the apparatus being opened with master
keys the same could be provided with official seal or with lead. The fear that
the holes in the controlling leaves could be imitated will in future be removed
as the points of the hands will receive another shape not easily to be
imitated

page_text: FINAL REMARKS.
The completeness and durability of the apparatus might be inferred from
its great simplicity of construction having as seen by the description only two
valves and not much gearing. It is to be supposed that the gearing with all
its other parts may be used without wanting repair at least 25 years as the
motions throughout are slow and not violent, the two valves alone would
perhaps want grinding every 5 or 6 years. Eventual repairs could be made
by any somewhat clever coppersmith or brazier, and repairs at the wheels
by any watch maker. It will be also taken into consideration to construct"
the alcoholometer of metal. It is not. to be feared that the gearing and the
indicating apparatus will come out of order, neither will the valves as long as.
they are not worn out. Should a stoppage' in the reservoir or measuring
cylinder take place the alcohol would flow over from both the vessels to the
bottom of the apparatus, and from thence stream out between the joints of the
jacket, every other coming out of order would be seen immediately on the
dial 'plates or on the controlling leaves; both however is not probable..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS' SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 128,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
mė, 'the' said Edward. Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, 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
"AN IMPROVED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE QUANTITY AND

page_text: QUALITY OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED IN DISTILLERIES," a communication to me from
abroad by Traugott Glaeser, of Brieg, and Ernst Hofmann, of Breslau,
Silesia, Prussia, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Thomas Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my,or their, or one of their hands and seals,should particularlydescribe
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 Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, to be
particularly described and ascertainedinandbythefollowing statementthereof,
reference being had to the figures and letters on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, in which Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are front and side views of the
apparatus, and Fig. 4 a specimen of a sheet used when controlling (that
is to say):-
The apparatus consists, first, in the jacket A, Fig. 1, of strong sheet iron
which is furnished with a door and two locks in order to open and lock the
same, and has two oblong openings c and d. From the first of these openings
projects the box containing the controlling and indicating apparatus which is
in connection with the inner work. The brass door of this box is made to be
locked, and furnished with two openings with strong glass panes to allow
inspection of the dial plates. The second opening is also surrounded by a
box with doors made to be locked, and having an opening furnished with a
pane of glass through which the lowest degree of temperature that the alcohol
has passed through may be seen by means of a minimum thermometer. The
inner mechanical work, surrounded by the jacket, consists of the reservoir B,
(Fig. 1,) which is in connection with the discharge pipe of the receiver of the
distillery by means of the tube a. Between the discharge pipe of the receiver
and the tube a there is a brass cylinder, the communications of which may be
under the control of the Tax Commissioners. In the middle of this cylinder
there is a sieve for the purpose of retaining the mash which might have
escaped through the refrigerator and the receiver, and be prejudicial to the
distillation; and also for introducing only the pure alcohol into the reservoir,
which is furnished with two sieves. In the interior of the jacket there is the
measuring cylinder C, made of strong sheet brass, tinned, which cylinder is
joined with the reservoir B by means of the tube B a. In the measuring
cylinder itself there is a lens-shaped float Ca, Figs. 1 and 3, of thin plate

page_text: brass, inwardly loaded with lead so as to weigh 8 lbs., aud acting as-'the
motive power; 'the cylinder is also provided witli two valves C'd, and 'Ce,
Fig. 3, one in connection with the tube B, as entering valve, and 'the other
in connection with the discharge pipe as eduction valve. To the float Caris
"attached a firm chain Cb, Fig. 1, which leads to a pulley e fixed to the steel
main shaft f, and furnished with strong pins fitting the rings of the chain,
which 'chain has at its end the counterweight Cc. On the main shaft.f,
besides the pulley e,are fixed the driving gear g, the ratchet wheel, and the
disck, with the stud e¹. (in this shaft in the same line runs an eight-toothed
steel-wire pinion ", carrying the disc ', which leads the pawl to the ratchet
wheel on the main shaft. The pinion is at one end fitted cylindrically
into the main 'shaft whilst it is held on the other side by means of a
centre, driving the first wheel of the indicating apparatus et after each
measuring of 10 Prussian quarts: The wheels of the indicating apparatus
have each 80 teeth. During the filling and emptying of the lower vessel C.-
the shaft is, by means of the float, made trotate from left to right;, by
which rotation the indicating apparatus is put in motion, and the positions of
the entering and eduction valves are reversed. This change is performed very
precisely, and without requiring the least power, in the following manner :-
On the shaft is bolted the disc, which is provided near its périphery with
the slot c; in this slot c, and turning round: the bolt d,moves the pin ein
such manner that it touches the sides of this slot first to the right'and then
to the left. The picce e of the pine projecting from the disc comes in
contact with the arm g and pushes it forward, this arm. being furnished at its
end with the weight p, and moving freely between the two points and 8:
The axle of the arm g is enlarged between the points rand s to the shape of
a chain-drum t, around which is placed the chain h, , which is secured at
the point i. The two ends of the chain are applied to the ends of the lever
1,, which has its fulcrum alternately first in the end of the rod (M of the
entering valve Cd, and then in the connecting rod m³ of the eduction valve
Ce; on both arms of the lever l, l, which are easily moved on pulleys, are
'suspended the weights n and n²; which following the law of gravity action the
levers to which they are applied. The alcoholometer pulley D, estaid the
ratchet wheel D d, are fixed to one tube, and have their own motion. The
wheel'g' being connected by a small steel pinion with the wheel g, from which
it receives its motion, runs on a separate. bearing y, and the pin with the
head p'enters the tube of the pulley Dc, and the wheel Dd. The shaft Df,
"carries the wheel D.g; and the disc D e, containing a pawl for the ratchet
wheel D d; the pulley Dc, and the wheel g¹ being in the same line. "The

page_text: wheel D g, on the shaft D f, gears into the wheel D h, of the indicating
apparatus for the determination of the quality. Attached to the pulley.
Dc, and wound once round the same is a silken cord Da, which passes over
the adjustable pulley D, and carries the alccholometer within the small
cylinder E. The controlling apparatus.K.consists, firstly, of the frame Ka,
..inserted before the dial plates; into this frame the coutrolling sheets are to be
put, of which a specimen is shewn in Fig. 4; secondly, of guide pins. K b,
which regularly guide the frame; thirdly, of the spiral springs K c; which
⚫ are between the frame and the dial plates, and surround the guide pins K. b;
) and, fourthly, of the above-mentioned brass door, furnished with strong glass
panes, and with a lock so constructed that in opening and locking it a pin
comes out and presses the frame with the controlling sheet.against the hands,
which having steel points. piorce through the controlling sheet. The discharge
pipe Cf, leads into the small cylinder E, while the tube. E a, carries 'the
5alcohol, which freely streams into it to the minimum thermometer'd', where
its temperature is indicated,flows into the funnel F,and. from thence through
the discharge pipe 6 into the.cellar of the distillery. The stool L to which
the cylinder C is screwed carries the apparatus, and its legs L'are. bolted to
..the bottom of the jacket A. The supports u, v, u, v, carry.the reservoir B,
0.and the support a carries the indicating apparatus. The discharge. pipe
Sa; and the discharge tap 'T.serve to let out the alcohol, which..after: the
conclusion.of: the distilling process is left in the cylinder.and.tubes.
г
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION OF THE APPARATUS WITH. REFERENCE, 10. THE
DETERMINATION OF THE QUANTITY.
: The accumulation of the alcohol flowing through the entering pipe a; Fig.1,
into the reservoir B, and from thence by means of the discharge pipe B a,
- into the cylinder C, causes first a floating and then a rising of the float Ca;
'therefore; at a given quantity of fluid, the .float must always reach a certain
height. Now if the liquid to be measured mounts to 10 Prussian quarts, as
0 in the present case, the moment the cylinder contains this measure, any further
supply must be stopped, and another outlet provided. In order to have at
any time, by means of the float, the exact measure of 10 Prussiau quarts'of
alcohol of the required strength and temperature, and in order to have this
.measure then taken away, the pulley l.secured to the main shaft, and
5 furnished with pius and carrying the chain with the counterweight Cc,
attached to the float; is constructed so that its periphery corresponds accurately
with the height of the space which the float has passed in rising, and conse-
quently turns exactly one revolution round its axle. In consequence of this,

page_text: the shaft with the ratchet wheel h, the driving gear g, and the disc k, must
likewise have turned exactly one revolution round their axle.
The Drawing shows the arrangement at the moment when the last
measured drop from the vessel c has been let out through the valve C e, and
when the float having sunk down has brought the shaft with the disc / in
the position in which the middle line of the bolt d is exactly vertical above the
middle line of the shaftf, that is, the position in which the bolt d, and with it
the float, is at its lowest. The dimensions of the slot c, the pin e, and the
arm g are now so adjusted that exactly at this moment the arm 9 with the
weight p, its centre of gravity being already pushed beyond the middle line,
must come down to the right.
In the next position, shewn by the dotted lines,the chain his stretched and
draws the lever 7,the weight p falling lower down into the horizontal position,
by means of which the eduction valve Ce, is closed, and the end of the valve
rod m¹ now becomes the fulcrum. All this is done in a moment, as the.
weight p without loss of time falls down to the vertical position, lifting the
lever so high from its horizontal position that the weights n and n', Fig. 3,
roll in their opposite position (as indicated by dotted lines); this makes the
weight n lose the greatest part of its effect at its now shortened lever arm,
whilst n¹ with its elongated lever arm draws up the entering valve Cd. The
float being lifted by the liquid streaming into the vessel C now gives to the
disck a retrograde rotating motion in the direction of the arrow. When the
pin e has attained a vertical position under the middle line of the shaft fit
moves the arm g and weight p again up to the highest position, and as it leans
on the opposite side of the slot c, e, it causes the weight p to fall only at the
moment when the bolt d has again taken its highest position. It is obvious
that at the moment before the falling down of the weight p the float has not
any more power, as the whole weight p with that of the arm g rests on the
points. By means of the falling of the weight p, the entering valve is now
closed in the same manner as the eduction valve was before, which eduction
valve is now immediately opened; after which the operation is repeated in the
same manner. According to this construction, the float must always come
exactly to one and the same highest position, thus the opening of one of the
valves can under no circumstances ensue before the other is closed. One
moment, indeed, both the valves are closed at the same time, but this is only
a passing moment of the motion. All these motions are effectuated exactly
at the moment when 10 Prussian quarts of alcohol are in the cylinder C;
innumerable experiments have shewn that the measured quantity was always
accurately and comformably the same. As the measuring of the alcohol

page_text: occupies but three minutes, and the flowing-off but four, there will be collecting
from 4 to 5 quarts in the reservoir during the flowing off, and thus a stoppage
can never take place. It is, however, intended to construct the apparatus Fo
that both actions may be performed in 1 to 2 minutes. At the same time that
the shaft fat the rising of the float moved from right to left about its axle,
the eight-toothed steel pinion ", inserted into this shaft, and in the same line
with it, with the disc ¹ must be prevented from having the same motion by
means of the pawl going from the disc to the ratchet wheel, for in order to
have no influence on the upper indicating apparatus c', it must be made to
stand still. But as soon as 10 Prussian quarts are measured and the entering:
valve is closed, this act of measuring must be indicated at the dial plate by
the float sinking, and the shaft now moving backwards from left to right,'
and as the pawl of the disc h¹ has geared into the ratchet wheel h, the
eight-toothed pinion h" connected with the upper indicating apparatus must
also partake of this motion. As this pinion after each measuring of 10
Prussian quarts drives the first wheel of the indicating apparatus c¹ about one-
tenth forward, the hand at the first dial plate after the measuring of the first
10 Prussian quarts stands. at number 1. Thus if 90 Prussian quarts are
measured, the hand of the second dial plate must, after the measuring of 100
Prussian quarts stand at the number 1, and the hand of the first dial platė at
the number-0
As already mentioned, there is between the driving gear 9 on the main
shaft and the wheel g¹ running on a box y a small steel pinion. The
wheel gl must have the same motion as the main shaft f, and has at its side a
stud driver: The construction of the alcoholometer pulley D c, is already
described,and has its own motion, which does not depend on the motion of the
main shaft or the wheel g¹; this pulley, to which is secured the alcoholometer
by means of a silken cord passing over the adjustable pulley Db, has at its
side likewise a stud. Without this stud, and without that at the wheel g' the
alcoholometer would turn the pulley Dc, which inoves very easily, and without
any friction by means of its own weight, very rapidly about its axle,and cause it
to sink rapidly, and strongly oscillate the alcohol contained in the cylinder E.
By the aid of these studs it cannot do so, but is let down as slowly as the stud
of the wheel g', which retains the stud of the pulley, will allow it. The motion
of the wheel g', however; corresponds with the motion of the shaft f and the
gradual rising of the float. As soon as the alcoholometer is floating and indi-

page_text: cating the degrees of the alcohol, it has no more effect on the pulley which
now remains standing whilst the wheel g¹ moves ou till the entering valve is
closed. When this valve is closed the float sinks and the retrograde inotion
of the main shaft f as well as of the wheel g¹ begins. When the pin of the
wheel g¹ has reached that of the alcoholometer pulley, it takes the last with it,
turning it back again to its former position, and in consequence of this,
bringing the alcoholometer also back to its former position at zero. As the
pawl of the disc De, gears into the ratchet wheel D d, connected with the
alcoholometer pulley, the retrograde motion is also imparted to the shaft 1) ƒ,
and the wheel Dg, which, as before mentioned, gears into the wheel D h, by
which means the lower indicating apparatus for the determination of the
quality is put in motion in the same way. The alcoholometer not only correctly
indicates the degrees of the alcohol, having no friction to overcome, but the
indicating apparatus must repeat the same quite correctly, even to half a
degree, by means of the dial plate, because the periphery of the pulley answers
exactly the length of the scale of the alcoholometer. Consequently the alcohol
flowing through the apparatus is first measured according to quantity, 10
Prussian quarts each time, and then the per-centage of every 10 quarts fixed
by the alcoholometer,and both results indicated on the dial plates. It follows,
that in measuring the first 10 Prussian quarts the alcoholometer sinks in the
cylinder E down to 100 degrees, because the per-centage is fixed afterwards,
and because at the first time there is no alcohol in the cylinder which could be
indicated at the dial plate. Therefore, at the first indicating of the apparatus,
these 100 degrees must be deducted. For correctly transmitting the results,
the alcoholometer is graduated in equal divisions.
In order to construct the apparatus as complete and useful as possible, the
examination of the temperature of the passing alcohol has also been con-
sidered. It is known that the real strength of alcohol is found out from the
apparent one, and from the temperature, by the aid of the so called Brix
tables. If, for instance, the alcoholometer sinks in alcohol of +6° Reaumur
down to 80 degrees, the real strength of the same is 82.4 degrees; if it sinks
in alcohol of + 16° R. to 80 degrees its real strength is 78-7 degrees. Alcohol
of a higher temperature than 140 R. is weaker than the alcoholometer indi-
cates, but below this normal temperature it is stronger. As the quantity and
strength of the alcohol is fixed in charging manufacture duty, it follows that
spirit of cooler temperature should pay a higher duty, because it contains more
degrees of alcohol than the alcoholometer really indicates; this circumstance,
indeed, should not be considered as essential, but with an apparatus which

page_text: claims completeness and utility, this finding out of the temperature must not
be wanting even if it should only be used as a certain hold for the Custom
officers. For this reason, the alcohol having flowed freely over the cylinder E,
and having entered the discharge pipe E a, is led to a minimum thermo-
meter d' within the projection d flowing round about its ball continually ;
this thermometer, as known, is so constructed that it indicates always at a
certain space of time the lowest temperature which any liquid has had. The
thermometer rests on an axle, and thus in turning causes the small body within
the glass tube to rise to the normal temperature of 12° R. If the distiller
obtains alcohol of higher temperature, the small body remains standing at
12° R., but if the temperature of the alcohol sinks, for instance, to 8° R., the
small body retires, and does not any more go forward at a higher temperature.
Alcohol of a higher temperature than + 12° R. being weaker than the
alcoholometer indicates, could not be regarded at the charging of duty, as the
distiller has it in his power, even during the warm season, to obtain the alcohol
at a temperature of + 12° R. When alcohol is obtained at a temperature
below 10° R., it must be reckoned up to its real strength with the aid of
the Brix tables, and the duty fixed accordingly. This arrangement at all
events offers the means for giving a certain hold for the Commissioners of
Duty, and ofdisappointing the intention of those distillers who, by preparing
alcohol at a very cold temperature, think of reducing the duty, and to compel
the same at the distillery of the alcohol to adopt those degrees of temperature
which have no influence in regard to duty. The alcohol having flowed round
the ball of the thermometer, runs off through the funnel F and the discharge
pipe 6 into the cellars of the distiller; it is the same with a maximum
houmamoto
Even with the most perfect apparatus which mechanically transfers the
quantity and quality to the indicating apparatus, and shews it by means of the
dial plates, the objection could be made that the indications of the dial plates
might also be taken off erroniously, or by way of falsification, and the revenues
of the state injured. Though the suspicion of such falsification might soon bo
proved by the comparing of the received statements amongst each other, and
for the purpose of regulating the management of the distilleries, it is not to be
denied that this objection is perfectly well founded.
In all cases where the determination of the object of duty must be left to
the lower officers, the Board of Taxes must try to find means to persuade

page_text: themselves of the correctness of the official statements. For this purpose the
following controlling arrangement at the indicating apparatus c' and c" has
been made: Within the box surrounding the indicating apparatus is inserted
before the hands, which are all furnished with steel points, the frame Ka;
into this frame the revising officer must, at the beginning of the distilling, put
a controlling sheet upon which is représented exactly the number and size of
the dial plates behind it, with theirrespective numbers, so that the dial plates
of the indicating apparatus, and those of the controlling sheets, are in congruity.
The paper forithese controlling sheets may beforehand be marked officially by
the Commissioners of Taxes, or it may be furnished with certain water marks,
so that the controlling sheets cannot be imitated, and would be considered as
papers of value, on the loss of which not only a severe penalty might be
inflicted, but which might also be treated as a fraud.
As already before mentioned, the frame K a, with the controlling sheet is
at the opening and locking of the outer door of the projection c pressed against
the points of the hands of the indicating apparatus; these hands pierce the
paper, and the holes they have made, which could not be done away from
the paper without being seen immediately, shew exactly the numbers which
the hands of the apparatus indicate. At the beginning of the distilling the
officer has to put a controlling sheet, a copy of which is shewn in Fig. 4, into
the frame K a, and then to lock the outer door; at this moment all the
hands pierce the controlling sheet at all the dial plates at 0, because no alcohol
has as yet flowed through the apparatus. Now, if after some time the officer
comes for the determination of the alcohol obtained in the distillery, he has to
make a short protocol according to a given model which is only to be filled
up,and contains the following words. The hands of the dial plates indicated the
following numbers :-

page_text: was standing at 8° R., wherefore the real strength of the alcohol is after
Brix's tables with 1 measure at 83-5% Tralles. The door to the dial pla tes
is now opened, the controlling sheet taken out and addel to this protocol, at
the same time a new controlling sheet is put into the frame, and the door
locked again.
It would be sufficient if only the degrees of temperature were indicated, and
the calculation of the real strength of alcohol were left to the Custom office;
the owner of the distillery,or his agent,should be present at this registration.
The controlling sheets, which after having been removed,must have two holes
on each dial plate are, with the papers of revision, delivered to the superiors
or the Chamber of Accounts, to whom they must carry the conviction of the
correctness of the official statements; they will also,in their continued results,
which must fellow each other precisely,give a view of the management of the
distillery, shewing the greater or lesser regularity of it. Revisers carry with
them a counterpart of the key for the door of the projection in order to be
able to judge the authenticity of the controlling sheet and the right manage-
ment of it; however, the keys for the jacket remain in the hands of the
custom officers. To prevent the jacket of the apparatus being opened with
master keys,the same could be provided with official seal or with lead. The
fear that the holes in the controlling sheets could be imitated will in future
be removed as the points of the hands will receive another shape not easily
The completeness and durability of the apparatus might be inferred from
its great simplicity of construction, having, as seen by the description, only
two valves and not much gearing. It is to be supposed that the gearing with
all its other parts may be used without wanting repair at least 25 years, as
the motions throughout are slow and not violent; the two valves alone would
perhaps want grinding every 5 or 6 years. Eventual repairs could be made
by any somewhat clever coppersmith or brazier, and repairs at the wheels by
any watch maker; it will also be taken into consideration to construct the
alcoholometer of metal. It is not to be feared that the gearing and the indi.
cating apparatus will come out of order, neither will the valves as long as
they are not worn out. Should a stoppage in the reservoir or measuring
cylinder take place, the alcohol would flow over from both the vessels to the
bottom of the apparatus, and from thence stream out between the joints
of the jacket; every other coming out of order would be seen imme-

page_text: diately on the dial plates or on the controlling sheet; both, however, is not
probable.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set any hand and seal, this fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.S.)