CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CLOCKS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CYPRIEN
THEODORE TIFFEREAU, of Paris, France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of October,
in the fourteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Cyprien Theodore Tiffereau, Her special
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Cyprien
Theodore Tiffereau, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Cyprien Theodore Tiffereau, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-on-Tweed,
within the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also
within all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CLOCKS;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso, requiring that I, the said Cyprien Theodore Tiffereau,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, shall particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately.
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Cyprien Theodore Tiffereau, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described

page_text: and ascertained in and by this present Instrument in writing, as follows,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto attached, and to the figures
and letters placed thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to certain new applications of the principles of
hydraulics to the purposes of timekeepers or watermeeters, applicable to the
purposes of timekeepers.
Figure 1, front view of the timepiece. Figure 2 is a plan. Figure 3, ver-
tical section through the line a, b (Figure 2). Figure 4, section of the syphon
and floating board through the line a, b (Figure 2). Figure 5, plan of the
syphon and floating board. Figure 6, front view of the timepiece, with a
circular dial. Figure 7, plan view of the same. Figure 8, a vertical section
through the line a, b (Figure 7). Figure 9, a view of the sharp teeth or
swing wheel. Figures 10 and 11, a section of the bowl and syphon tube.
Figure 12, general view of the syphon.
.
My apparatus are,-
First, a floating board F, F (Figures 4 and.5.), through which is a small
aperture K (Figure 4) to let (through the tube E (Figure 3), again a
second aperture R, Figure 4, through which passes the arm N of the syphon
(Figure 4), which I make fast with a nut or pression screw." At each extre-
mity of the syphon, is a kind of cup or bowl, having small holes to let the
water out. These bowls are screwed on both arms of the syphon, and this
syphon is set at work just as a common one.
.
Second, a basin or water chamber B (Figure 1) bears a glass tube D
communicating with it. The use of this tube is to indicate the level of the
water in the basin. There is also a cock T (Figure 2), and a larger tube E
(Figure 3) through which the water flows into the lower chamber A. The
basin B being filled up with water, I place into it the floating syphon, having
previously charged it, the arm P of the syphon entering the tube E (Figure 3);
I then put on the cover of the basin B, which is fitted with a hole for the syphon
to pass through, and carries a tubular aperture o (Figure 1). The working of
this apparatus is easy to understand. The arm N of the syphon (Figure 3)
dips into the water of the basin B. This syphon draws out the water. which
flows through the tube E, into the inferior water chamber A. The water
being thus run out through the syphon, its level in the basin B falls in a rate
proportionate to the outlet, the floating board and syphon sinking with the
water. The difference between both levels of the water entering and flowing
out of the syphon being always the same, there will be a constant flowing of
water, and this will continue as long as the apparatus shall be going. I
regulate the speed of the flowing of water either by raising up the bowl d

page_text: (Figure 3) in the arm P, or, by causing the arm N of the syphon to dip in
the water of the basin, I through this means shorten the difference of levels,
and the flowing is thus lessened. When I have regulated the speed of the
stream according to the time the apparatus ought to run, then I graduate the
vertical dial or scale H (Figure 1). The level of water, by lowering in the
tube D, will indicate the hours on the scale or dial H. I may also graduate
the dial on the cover C, where needle fixed to the upper part of the syphon
will indicate the hours. I may also take away altogether the cover C, and
graduate the time scale on either arm of the syphon (Figure 4). The time.
then is to be read on the level of the top or cover of the basin B (Figure 3).
The operation of winding up this timepiece or chronometer is very simple.
Take off the basin B, lay it on a steady rest, and then pour from the lower
onc A the water it contains in the basin B through the tubular aperture O,
till the level indicates on the top of the dial the same hour as the one which
was indicated on the lower level at the moment of winding up. If too much
water had been poured in it may be taken off by opening the stopcock in the
basin B. The basin is then set in its first position. The water that has run
out during the operation of winding must now be added, which represents the
exact time which elapsed during the operation. I regulate this timepiece by
determining the flowing out of the liquid, as already described. In short, this
timepiece or chronometer is essentially composed of a basin containing water,
which is the prime mover of the apparatus, and of the floating syphon, which
is itself a regulater and indicator. I may graduate the hours on a circular
dial, making use of the apparatus already described (Figure 1). To do this
I do fasten a circular dial upon the cover of the basin B. Through the centre
of the dial passes the axis of a pinion, on which a hand is fixed, and on the
floating board stands a notched rod working into the teeth of the pinion. When
the floating board lowers, the teeth of the rod gearing into the pinion causes
the hand 6 to turn, thus indicating the time on the dial. I obtain the same
result if, instead of the pinion and toothed rod, I apply two small pullies con-
nected by a thread rendered tight by a hanging weight. This system of
motion is the same that is applied in the dial barometer.
Circular dial timepiece 3d. The water pouring down in this apparatus
(Figure 6) with a constant and regular motion from the upper basin B into
a vase or cup D underneath causes a swing lever to oscillate on the centre of
the dial. These oscillations being equal in duration give a regular impulse
to the ratchet wheel by the intervention of a little hook. The axis of the
wheel carries also the hand to indicate the minutes. If the swing lever gives
one oscillation every ten seconds the swing wheel, which in this case mus

page_text: contain three hundred and sixty teeth, will turn forward a tooth for each
oscillation, and the needle driven by this motion will advance the space of one
minute in six oscillations. The motion of the minute hand may be trans
mitted to the hand indicating the hours by the means used in common clocks
or timepieces. The syphon S, of which Figure 12 gives a general view, stands
on the floating board F, F (Figure 8; it will descend with this board as the
basin B empties itself of water (Figure 6), the difference of level issuing in
and issuing out the syphon remaining invariably the same, consequently the
motion is always regulated to the same speed. I can slacken the speed of
the flowing water by turning more or less the stopcock of the syphon. The
arm of the syphon through which the water flows out enters the tube E that
crosses the chamber B. The water falls drop by drop into the funnel at the
extremity of this tube, and thence escapes into the bowl shewn in all its parts
(Figures 10 and 11). This bowl is composed of a reservoir and syphon tube,
and will begin its running-off action so soon as the level of water in the
reservoir shall get above the top of the syphon or tlie upper arm of the tube d;
then the whole water that the reservoir contains will quickly flow out. The
downward arm of the tube e is cut off slanting, and above that slanting aper-
ture there is a little hole pierced for the purpose of allowing the water to go
off quickly, and also in order to keep an opening for the passage of the air
that is in the syphon, and which the water pouring in anew would compress.
Now the mode of action of this apparatus is easy to understand. The bowl D
(Figure 6) is made fast to the end of a lever P, which swings on the centre C;
a weight H balancing the bowl keeps it raised when empty, but as it is filled
up the water's greater weight swings up the balance weight, then the bowl
comes down and remains in that position till the syphon being filled up to the
top its running-off action commences, and the water flows out from the
bowl. A stopper G is made to regulate the amount of motion which the swing
is to have. A rod L (Figure 6), connected to the lever I, gives a relative
motion to the latter. This lever drags along with it the hook, which catching
the teeth of the ratchet wheel K, causes the hands to advance, as shown in
(Figure 9). I fix to it common clockwork. I graduate the little tube d
(Figure 1) according to minutes and seconds. By this arrangement I dispense
with that part of the clock which drives the hour hand, the ratchet wheel
being made to indicate the hours. The winding up of this timepiece consists
only in the filling up of the basin. I may then adapt to this transformed appa-
ratus a system of clock wheels to mark out hours and minutes, &c. on a dial.
I make use of my timepiece as a counting apparatus; it will then indicate on
the dial the quantity of the water that passes through the syphon for every

page_text: hour or for a longer time. I use any liquid to give the motion to my time-
piece, för instance, any kind of oil, quicksilver, &c. I make it also of several
materials, for instance, glass, china, delfware, clay, gutta percha, even of wood,
and almost all metals, may be used in its formation. I make an application
of my floating syphon, first, to build chronometic timepieces or fountain
timepieces; second, as a time-counting piece to verify the flowing quantity
of liquids; third, as a timepiece to measure, compare, and graduate the
contents of the vases or reservoirs of any shape.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which the same
may be carried into effect, I may observe that I do not confine myself to the
precise arrangements described, but I claim as secured to me by the said
recited Letters Patent,-
First, the application and use of the syphon set on a floating board pro-
ducing a regular and constant flowing out of liquid, adapted to give the proper
motion to an hydraulic chronometer or timepiece.
Second, I claim the application and use of the syphon bowl D (Figure 10),
which is set flowing by the peculiarity of its configuration, a gives directly a
swinging motion by filling up and emptying itself, producing uniform inter-
mitting strokes, as herein-before described, which apparatus is also employed
in the construction of another species of hydraulic timepiece.
Third, I claim 'the application and use of the bowls or cups, which I
adjust to both branches or arms of the syphon, and which at the same time
that they regulate the flowing out keep up constantly the running-off action
of the syphon:
Fourth and lastly, I claim the application and use of all the several appli-
cations herein-before described:
In witness whereof, I, the said Cyprien Theodore Tiffereau, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 29th day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
CYPRIEN THEODORE (L.s.) TIFFEREAU...
Taken and acknowledged by Cyprien
Theodore Tiffereau, at Paris, in the
Republic of France, this 29th day of
Manch 1031 before me

page_text: This is the Specification referred to by Auguste Loradoux in the Affidavit
hereunto annexed, and sworn before me this Third day of April, 1851.
D. DREW.
Auguste Loradoux, of 7, Calthorpe Street, in the County of Middlesex,
maketh oath and saith, that he is acquainted with the manner and character
of the handwriting of Thomas Pickford, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at
Paris, in the Republic of France; and this Deponent further saith, that the
signature Thomas Pickford," set, subscribed, or written in the margin of the
Specification hereunto annexed, marked B, and dated the Twenty-nineth day
of March, of the present year, and purporting to be executed by Cyprien
Theodore Tiffereau, of Paris, in the Republic of France, whereby it is stated
that the said. Specification was acknowledged by. him, the said Cyprien
Theodore Tiffereau, before the said Thomas Pickford, on the said Twenty-
nineth day of March; at Paris aforesaid, is of the proper handwriting of the
said Thomas Pickford.
Enrolled the Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one..