IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUIDS CONTAINED IN CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1884

page_text: .I, GEORGE LAING MILLER, of 24 Fenwick Street, in the City of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Printer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUIDS
CONTAINED IN CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS to be as follows:―
The object of my invention is to show, by means of a dial fixed outside
a containing vessel, the quantity of liquid contained therein, in Imperial measure,
or any other measure that may be desirable, and the invention consists
First of a dial, which may be of any convenient size and form, divided or
graduated as may be desired, and marked off in accordance therewith, for instance
in gallons, quarts, gills, and parts thereof, with index fingers.
Second of a float, which may be of any suitable material, and of any convenient
size and shape, suspended so that it may float on the surface of the liquid contained
in the said vessel, and connected to a suitable balance weight by a cord, chain, or
wire, the said cord, chain, or wire passing over and around a pulley.
Third of a pulley, around which passes the cord, chain, or wire aforesaid to
which the aforesaid float is connected; said pulley has its periphery made in
sections, and the spokes of same are capable of being either lengthened or shortened
by means of screws, or by being made bent and jointed. Thus the diameter of said
pulley may be either enlarged or contracted by straightening or still further bending
the spokes, or by screwing them in or out of their sockets as aforesaid by means of
any suitable arrangement. A screw or other attachment is fitted for fixing the
spokes in a permanent position when the size has been suitably regulated.
Fourth of two eccentric or other irregular shaped toothed wheels or other
equivalents, the axles whereof move in slots, with a screw attachment for fixing
them permanently in position when suitably regulated. By shifting the position of
these wheels on their axles, and thereby increasing or diminishing their eccentricity,
I cause the irregular motion of the float in rising or falling with the liquid (caused
by the bulge of the cask, or by the irregular form of the containing vessel) to be
transformed into a uniform or regular motion (when transmitted to the dial train)
Dine 71

page_text: and, by means of a suitable train of toothed wheels, the index fingers on the dial
indicate the quantity of liquid at any time taken from or put into the containing
vessel.
By enlarging or contracting the pulley around which the cord, chain, or wire
aforesaid attached to the float passes (set forth as the Third part of this my
invention) I regulate the space passed over by the fingers on the dial, and further,
by making the said pulley adjustable and capable of being fixed in any position on
its axle, I regulate the apparatus to suit liquids of any specific gravity.
Dated this eleventh day of July 18841

page_text: I, GEORGE LAING MILLER of 24 Fenwick Street, in the, City of Liverpool, sin the
County of Lancaster, Printer; do hereby declare, the nature of, my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS: FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUIDS..
CONTAINED IN. CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS and in what manner, the same is. to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my invention is to show by means of a dial, fixed outside
a containing vessel, the quantity of liquid contained, therein in Imperial measure,.
or any other measure that may be found desirable, and the Invention consists:
First of a Dial, which may be of any convenient size and form, divided 'or
graduated as may be desired and marked off in accordance therewith, for instance
in gallons, quarts, gills, and parts thereof; with index fingers.
$
Second of a float, which may be of any suitable material, and of any convenient
size and shape, suspended so that it may float on the surface of the liquid contained.
in the said vessel, and connected to a suitable balance weight by a cord, chain, or,
wire, passing over and around a pulley.
Third of a Pulley, around which passes the cord, chain, or wire aforesaid; to
which the said Float is connected. Said pulley has its periphery made in sections,
and the spokes of same are capable of being either lengthened or shortened (by.
means of screws, or by being made bent and jointed). Thus the diameter of said
pulley may be either enlarged or contracted by straightening or still further bending
the spokes or by screwing them in or out of their sockets as aforesaid by means of
any suitable arrangement. A screw, or other attachment is fitted, for fixing the
spokes in a permanent position when the size has been suitably regulated.
Fourth of two eccentric or other irregular shaped toothed wheels, or other
equivalents, the axles whereof move in. slots, with a screw attachment for fixing
them permanently in position when suitably regulated. By shifting the position of
these wheels on their axles and thereby increasing or diminishing their eccentricity,
I cause the irregular motion of the float in rising or falling, with the liquid (caused
by the bulge of the cask, or by the irregular form of the containing vessel) to be.
transformed into a uniform or regular motion (when transmitted to the dial train)
and by means of a suitable train of toothed wheels; the index fingers on the dial *
indicate the quantity of liquid at any time taken from or put into the containing
vessel.
By enlarging or contracting the pulley around which the cord, chain or wire
aforesaid attached to the float passes (set forth as the Third part of this my
invention) I regulate the space passed over by the fingers on the dial, and further,
by making the said pulley adjustable and capable of being fixed in any position on
its, axle I regulate the apparatus to suit liquids of any specific gravity.
:
In order to more fully describe this my invention, and to show in what manner
the same is to be performed, I append herewith one sheet of drawings.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a dial suitable for an apparatus to indicate 28 gallons,
said: dial-being graduated and marked off in gallons, pints, gills and fractional parts.
thereof, with three index fingers G, P, G¹.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the pulley (set forth as the third part of this my
invention) around which passes the cord, chain, or wire A, A¹ attached to the
float B, & balance weight C. The periphery of said pulley is divided into four
sections D, D1, D2, D3, each section having a spoke, E, E¹, E², E³, on which is cut
a screw, said screw being regulated by the collar (F, F, F2, F³) said collars moving
freely in sockets cut in the solid body of the pulley G. . The said spokes also move
freely in sockets in solid body of pulley G. H, H','H2, H3, are guiding pins to
hold each section in position, firmly attached to said section and passing freely into.
sockets in body of pulley; I is a screw for fixing the pulley on its shaft.
It will be seen that by turning the collars F, F, F, F³, the four sections may be
either drawn to, or driven further from the centre of the pulley, thereby either
diminishing or enlarging its diameter as may be required. This form of pulley is
applicable to small sized machines.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation, & Fig. 31 an end elevation of another form of said
pulley more suitable for larger size machines; A, A¹, being the cord, chain or wire
connected to float & balance weight, D, D1, D2, D3, the periphery cut in four sections.
E, E, is a guiding ring, attached firmly to the boss by the spokes F, F1, F2, Fs, said
ring allowing the bent spokes G, G1, G2, G3, also the guiding pins H, H¹, H²; H³, to
pass freely through it; I, I' is an inner ring to which are attached the bent
spokes G, G1, G2, G3, by means of pins forming a joint, this ring I, 1', is also firmly
attached to a boss by prolongation of said spokes, said boss being moveable on the
shaft but capable of being fixed firmly in position by the screw attachment K
when suitably regulated. The spokes G, G1, G2, G3, are also attached to each
section of periphery by pins forming joints. It will be seen that by turning the
ring I, I, to which are attached the spokes G, G1, G2, G3, as aforesaid, said spokes
may be either further bent or straightened, thereby either drawing to or driving
from the centre the four sections D, D¹, D2, D³, thus contracting or enlarging the
diameter of the pulley as may be required.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of another form of said pulley, having double spokes,
& suitable for very large machines. D, D¹, are sections of periphery; E, E', the
guiding ring as aforesaid, with spokes F, F1, attached firmly to the boss L.
G. G are spokes attached to the sections D, D', and to the collars M, M¹, by pins
forming joints.. Said collars M, M', move freely on the boss L, and it will be seen
that when drawn close together-by. means of the screw K, the spokes G, G¹, will be
straightened, the sections D, D¹ driven further from the centre, and the diameter of
the pulley thereby enlarged, or vice versa, the collars M, M¹, may be still further
separated and the spokes G, G¹, still further bent, the sections being thereby drawn
towards the centre, and the diameter of the pulley diminished as may be required.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of said pulley in a form suitable for cheap machines
where great accuracy is not required A being the cord, chain or wire attached to
the float and balance-weight. The pulley E is solid and cone-shaped, and the
position of the cord, chain or wire A thereon regulated by means of its passing
through the fork B, said fork being regulated by screw C. D is a screw for
.attaching the pulley firmly to its shaft.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the two eccentric toothed wheels set forth as the
fourth part of this my invention. Said wheels may be moved on their axles A, A',
by means of the slots B, B, C being a screw attachment to fix the wheel firmly in
position when suitably regulated.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation, and Fig. 8 an end elevation of the train of wheels which
transmits the motion of the driving pulley to the index fingers on the dial. The
train shown is for an apparatus indicating 28 gallons with dial as shown in Fig 1.
A (fig. 8) is the driving pulley (set forth as the third part of this my invention)
around which passes the cord, chain, or wire connected to float & balance weight. B, B¹
are the two eccentric wheels, with screw attachments C, C¹, (set forth as the fourth
part of this my invention), the train being so regulated that the wheel B makes but
one revolution for the apparatus to indicate the full quantity marked on the dial D. I

page_text: G is the index finger indicating gallons, on the same shaft or axle as wheel B.
P the finger indicating pints, and G¹ the finger indicating gills and parts thereof
(see Fig. 1) The axles for these fingers are indicated by the same letters in Fig. 7.
The train of, wheels between the fingers G and G is so regulated, that for one
revolution of G, P revolves 28 times, and G, 224 times. This train of course will
vary with different sizes of apparatus.
Fig. 9 represents my invention as applied to a cask containing liquid. B is the
float, C the balance weight, A, A¹ the cord, chain or wire, passing freely through the
head of the cask, and acting upon the driving pulley D, as set forth in Fig. 2 &
Fig. 8.
Now supposing the apparatus to have been fixed and suitably regulated to a cask
or other vessel containing water; if proof spirit were substituted,-
,- or any other
liquid of a lighter specific gravity than water-the float would sink slightly and
cause an error on the indicating dial. I therefore make the driving pulley (set
forth as the third part of this my invention) capable of being adjusted on its shaft,
so that this error may be rectified as required.
In like manner if the apparatus had been regulated to proof spirit, and water or
any other liquid of a denser specific gravity were added or substituted,-the float
would rise and cause a corresponding error on the dial, which would have to be
adjusted as above set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
"
1. Indicating the quantities of Liquids contained in casks and other vessels by
means of a Dial, with index fingers as herein set forth.
2. Regulating the space passed over by the fingers on said dial, by means of
expanding and contracting pulleys as herein set forth.
3. Transforming the irregular motion caused by the bulge or other irregular shape
of the containing vessel, into a regular or uniform motion by means of two eccentric
toothed wheels, as herein set forth.
4. The adjustability of the apparatus to liquids of any specific gravity.
5. The adjustability of the apparatus to casks, and other vessels of varying shapes
and sizes.
Dated this twenty-fourth day of January 1885.
Witness:-
E. G. WASTFIELD,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
GEORGE LAING MILLER.