Improvements in or relating to Reflectors for Water Gauges.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Reflectors for Water Gauges.
I, LEWIS CHARLES WALLACH, Engineer's Furnisher and Contractor, 57 Grace-
church Street, in the City of London, do, hereby declare the nature of this
invention, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to reflectors for water-gauges in order to make the level
of the water in the gauge glass more readily apparent.
In carrying out the invention I provide the gauge glass with a reflector at
the back which is preferably made of metal with a pattern device or openings
and will be distorted to the view where the water is, but seen in a natural
condition above the water level. This reflector gives satisfactory results when
made in cast or stamped metal with an euamelled front. It is made detachable
so that it can be removed when required. In order to show up the water level
in the dark as well as in the light the reflector whether provided with the
before mentioned pattern or not is faced or coated with luminous paint and it is
desirable that it should be removable in order that particularly in the case of
dark boiler houses it may be placed in the light during the day. The fact of
its being removable also facilitates cleaning so as to show the full light at night.
Instead of a separate patterned reflector the perforated pattern may be painted
directly on the gauge-glass in luminous or in non-luminous paint, or a stripe of
luminous paint may be laid thereon.
Dated this 29th day of September 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Reflectors for Water Gauges.
I, LEWIS CHARLES WALLACH, Engineer's Furnisher and Contractor, 57 Grace-
church Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to reflectors for water gauges in order to make the level of
the water in the gauge glass more readily apparent.
In carrying out the invention I provide the gauge glass with a reflector at
the back to which the light has access from the front and which is preferably
made of metal with a pattern device or openings of any convenient or suitable
shape, which latter will be distorted to the view where the water is, but seen
in their natural shape above the water level. These distortions vary in shape
and size according to the shape and size of the openings and the position of

page_text: the reflector relatively to the gauge-glass. But the reflector may be of any
suitable material and preferably should have a glazed, enamelled, or shiny face.
It is made detachable so that it can be readily removed when required. In order
to show up the water level in the dark as well as in the light the reflector whether
provided with the before-mentioned patterns or not can be faced or coated with
luminous paint, and it is desirable that it should be removed in order that,
particularly in the case of boiler houses which are more or less permanently dark,
it may be exposed to light when required to regain its luminosity. The fact of its
being removable also facilitates cleaning.
Instead of a separate patterned reflector the perforated pattern may be painted
directly on the back of the gauge glass in luminous or in non-luminous paint, or a
stripe of luminous paint may be laid thereon.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one example of a gauge-reflector A
according to this invention, having perforations A' made in it; this reflector might
have a facing of luminous paint, or a plain plate coated with luminous paint could
be made to fit close up behind it as a backing so that the luminous paint would
appear in or at the perforations.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a short length of gauge-glass B with a
reflector such as A in position behind it. The glass is assumed to contain water up
to the level of the line CC in Figure 2, so that the openings A below that level
are distorted in some such fashion as is indicated, in the drawings, whereas above
the water level they present approximately the same appearance which they possess
in Figure 1.
If instead of a separate reflector a pattern be made directly on the gauge-glass
back as aforesaid it might be such as to present a substantially similar appearance
to that which is indicated with regard to the separate reflector shown in
Figure 2.
The pattern or perforations employed should preferably be so disposed that the
uppermost part of the column of liquid gauged will always partly cover (as at CC
Fig. 2 for instance) one at least of the perforations or markings.
In the further modification before referred to, comprising the stripe of luminous
paint or equivalent luminous material, such stripe could be laid upon the exterior
of the periphery of the glass in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of
the same; or a stripe of luminous paint might be laid longitudinally along the
bore of the glass in cases where the nature of the fluid contained in the glass and
the working pressures and temperatures would permit.
Such reflectors as are hereinbefore described may be combined with a gauge-
glass protector or other fittings or appliances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A gauge reflector without perforations or patterns and with a facing of
luminous paint.
2. A gauge reflector having a perforated or other pattern in or upon it, and also
a facing of luminous paint.
3. A gauge reflector perforated or patterned and coated with paint or enamel.
4. A gauge-glass having in or upon it a pattern in luminous or non-luminous
paint, or a stripe of luminous paint.
5. A perforated gauge reflector with a backing of luminous paint visible through
the perforations.
6. In gauge-apparatus of the kind described a series of patterns or perforations
so disposed that the upper part of the column of liquid gauged will always partly
cover one at least of the perforations or markings.
7. A gauge-glass reflector in or upon which luminous paint is employed, and
which is made readily removable for the purpose specified.

page_text: 8. A gauge-reflector substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of February 1897.
LEWIS CHARLES WALLACH.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.