AN IMPROVED LACTOMETER
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barham at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th February 1880.
GEORGE BARHAM, of Haverstock Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
"AN IMPROVED LACTOMETER."
This Invention relates to an improved lactometer, the object being to obtain the
proportions of milk and water (if any) in any adulterated or other sample of milk
in the forin of a percentage, ascertainable at a glance, instead of in the form as at
present, which leaves the person testing to reduce the percentage or fractional
proportions of the water and of the milk.
My Invention consists in making a lactometer with a duplicate scale, on the one
side of which is marked the "milk gauge," the scale being divided into one hundred
parts and marked from "0" at the top, indicating "water," downwards to "100,"
representing "pure milk" at 60°. Fahrenheit, the intermediate figures and markings
indicating the percentage of milk in the sample tested; and on the other side of
this scale is marked the "water gauge," which is similarly divided but is marked
from "0" at or near the bottom and level with tho "100" on the front scale,
denoting "puro milk," upwards to "100," indicating "distilled water" at
60° Fahrenheit, the intermediate figures and markings indicating the percentage
of water in the sample tested.
If required, the markings and figures may be continued below the "zero" on the
water gauge and the "100" on the milk gauge.
The lactometer may be formed of flat or hollow metal stems or tubes' with
exterior scales, or of round or other shaped glass stems or tubes with interior
scales, or of other desirable shapes and other suitable materials. It is used as usually.
The improved instrument is intended to supersede the ordinary lactometer and
also the use of the ordinary hydrometer or specific gravity instrument for testing
milk, which merely marks the weight or specific gravity of the fluid, leaving the
person testing or user to calculate the percentage, &c., of the admixture; and it is
more advantageous in that it has a more easily understood standard, vist., 100 for
pure milk, water being taken at 0 (really meaning 1000 as at present), the
bydrometer scale being marked from 0 to 40 and not indicating the percentage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Barham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th August
1880.
GEORGE BARNAM, of Haverstock Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
"AN IMPROVED LACTOMETER.”
The object of this Invention which relates to an improved lactometer is to obtain
the proportions of milk and wator (if any) in any adulterated or other sample of
milk in the form of a per-centage, ascertainable at a glance, instead of in the form
as at present, which leaves or requires the person testing the sample of milk to
reduce the per-centage or fractional proportions of the water and of the milk.
My Invention consists in making lactometers with duplicate scales, on the one
side of which, as represented in Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, is marked the "milk-gauge," the scale being divided into one hundred
equal parts and marked from "0" at the top, indicating "water," downwards
to "100," indicating or representing "pure milk" at sixty degrees Fahrenheit,
the intermediate figures and markings indicating the per-centage of milk in the
sample tested, and on the other side of which scale (as represented in Figure 2) is
marked the "water gauge," which is similarly divided but is marked from " "0 at
or near the bottom and level with the "100" on the milk or front scale or gauge,
denoting "pure milk," upwards to "100," level with the "O" on the milk scale or
gauge, indicating "distilled water at sixty degrees Fahrenheit, the intermediato
figures and markings indicating the per-centage of water in the sample tested.
"
»
If required, the markings and figures may be continued below the "zero" on the
"water gauge" and the "100" on the "milk gauge," as represented respectively
in Figures 3 and 4, and in lieu of providing the lactometer with a duplicate scale
indicating on opposite sides the percentages respectively of the components of the
admixture, each lactometer may be provided with but one scale, which may indicate
either the percentage of one or of the other ingredient, and which is quite sufficient
for the purpose.
The Inctometer may be formed of flat or hollow metal stems or tubes with
exterior scales, or of round or other shaped glass stems or tubes with interior scales,
or of other desirable shapes and other suitable material. It is used as usually.
The improved instrument is intended to supersede the ordinary lactometer and
also the uso of the ordinary hydrometer or specific gravity instrument for testing
milk, which merely marks or indicates the comparative weight or specific gravity
of the fluid, leaving the person testing or the user to calculate the percentage of
the components of the admixture, and it is more advantageous in that it has a more
easily understood standard, videlicet, "100" for "pure milk," water being taken at
"O" (really meaning "1000" as at present), the hydrometer scale being marked
from "0" to "40" and not indicating the per-centage of the components of the
admixture.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The making of an improved lactometer combined with a scale or scales graduated
so as to indicate or mark the relative percentages of water and milk in any

page_text: adulterated or other sample of milk, substantially as hereinbefore described, and as
illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barham, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
5, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn.
GEO. BARHAM. (LS.)