CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN WATER GUAGES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Shanks, Engineer, of 6, Robert Street,
Adelphi, Westminster, and Francis Herbert Wenham, Engineer, Effra
Vale Lodge, Brixton, Surrey, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WATER GUAGES."
Sealed the 22nd July 1856, and dated the 25th January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Shanks and
Francis Herbert Wenham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 25th January 1856.
We, ANDREW SHANKS, Engineer, 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, Westminster,
and FRANCIS HERBERT WENHAM, Engineer, Effra Vale Lodge, Brixton,
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GUAGES, to be as follows:-
We use a float in the steam boiler (or other. vessel), as is common in such
cases, and our improvements consist of rings of iron or steel, moving loosely
and freely on the outside of a tube which is placed directly over the float, a
staff or rod to the lower end of which is affixed the said float; the upper end
carries a magnet, which moves freely and vertically inside of the tube on which
the aforesaid iron or steel ring is operated upon by the magnet within said
tube, thereby shewing externally the vertical movement of the float or water
level inside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew.Shanks and Francis Herbert Wenham in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ANDREW
SHANKS, Engineer, 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, Westminster, and FRANCIS
HERBERT WENHAM, Engineer, Effra Vale Lodge, Brixton, Surrey, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Andrew Shanks and Francis Herbert Wenham, Her special licence that we,
the said Andrew Shanks and Francis Herbert Wenham, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others. as,we, the Said. Andrew Slanks
and Francis Herbert Wenham, our 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GUAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Andrew Shanks and Francis Herbert Wenham, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under, our, or one of our, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe, 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.
6.
..
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Shanks, for myself and the said
Francis Herbert Wenham, 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 following statement and accompanying Drawing
that is to cox). "
11

page_text: The iron hoop or ring (r) moves freely on the outside of the tube (t), and is
held in suspension by the attractive force of the magnet (m) inside; (s) is the
stem or staff of the copper float (f), Fig. 3, on which the magnet is supported
by the rising and falling of the float and magnet; the indications of level are
shewn by the corresponding movement of the loop (r) outside the tube.
ANDREW SHANKS. (L.S.)