IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR KEEPING. TIME FOR WEIGHING LETTERS. AND OTHER MATTERS. AND FOR LEVELLING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tosco Peppé, of Sydenham, in the County of
Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR KEEPING.
TIME FOR WEIGHING LETTERS. AND OTHER MATTERS. AND FOR LEVELLING.”
Sealed the 14th December 1860, and dated the 26th June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tosco Peppé at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1860.
I, GEORGE TOSCO PEPPE, of Sydenham, in the County of Kent, do hereby:
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
KEEPING TIME, FOR WEIGHING LETTERS, AND OTHER MATTERS, AND FOR LEVELLING,"
be as follows:-
9.
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for keeping.
time, for weighing letters, and other matters, and for levelling, and consists in
the application of a disc of glass formed with a hollow periphery, whether the
instrument produced according to my Invention be a timekeeper, a weighing
machine, or a fluid level. The disc of glass is made by blowing glass into a
globe, and then by opening it out, or flashing it in the manner of manufac-
turing crown glass, but the flashing or flattening out is not to be continued,
till the whole is flattened into a disc, but the flashing or flattening process is.
to be stopped whilst there is still sufficient of the glass left unflattened at the
outer circumference, and when this edge is pressed towards and in contact.
with the flat surface of the disc there will be produced a hollow periphery of

page_text: the size or section desired; and the edge so pressed and brought in contact
with the flat surface of the disc is to be made to attach itself all round air
and fluid-tight. Or, in place of flashing or opening out the globe it may be
flattened into a disc without opening, leaving the periphery or outer circum-
ference hollow.
In order to apply such a glass disc with its hollow periphery in constructing
a timekeeper, or a weighing machine, or a fluid level, an opening is to be
made into the hollow periphery, mercury or other fluid, and in some cases
mercury and other fluid is to be introduced therein. When making a time-
keeper suitable means are also to be applied for retarding the too free flow
of the air or other fluid introduced into the hollow periphery in addition to
mercury.
Also, when for a timekeeper, or for a weighing machine, the disc is to be
mounted on a horizontal axis, in order that it may be enabled to make a
complete or partial rotation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tosco Peppé in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
Tosco PEPPE, of Sydenham, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Tosco Peppé, Her special licence that I, the said George
Tosco Peppé, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said George Tosco Peppé, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR KEEPING TIME, FOR WEIGHING LETTERS,
AND OTHER MATTERS, AND FOR LEVELLING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Tosco Peppé, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tosco Peppé, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention consists in forming a glass disc with a hollow periphery, so
as to obtain a hollow ring or annular tube in connection with a central glass
disc, and the application of this hollow ring and central flat disc to form a
timekeeper, a weighing machine, or a fluid level. The mode in which the
hollow ring and disc are made in one piece is as follows:-A sufficient
quantity of glass is first blown into a globe, and partially flattened by flashing
in the manner of manufacturing crown glass. It is then opened, and still
further flattened by flashing, and the ordinary tools used in shaping glass
vessels, until the margin of the opening has reached to within such a distance
from the periphery of the flattened globe as will allow for the formation of a
hollow ring of the required internal capacity, by pressing and turning inwards
the edge of the opened side until it comes in contact with and adheres to the
opposite side. By this means a hollow peripheral ring may be formed on the
disc of the required size and section, of equal capacity throughout, and sealed
by the adhesion of the opened edge to the opposite side, so as to be both air
and fluid tight. In place of opening one side of the flattened globe the
central portion of the sides may be made to adhere together, leaving an open
space at the periphery to form a continuous hollow tube or ring. Or, after
the globe has been flattened, it may without being opened be dropped into
a mould, and the adhesion of the adjacent sides effected by means of a
plunger or piston operated on the central portion of the mould. The object
of this arrangement is to obtain the discs and hollow rings of exactly the
same dimensions, while the air displaced by the plunger from the central
portion of the flattened globe, by being forced into the hollow periphery, will
distend it, make it take the shape of the mould, and tend to round the internal
section of the joint or lap. The construction of timekeepers, levels, and
weighing machines with these discs is performed in the following manner:-
First, when it is desired to construct a timekeeper I take one of the discs
represented in front and section by Figures I. and II., and by means of a glass-
cutter's wheel cut out two wedge-shaped notches, shown at A and B, Figure I.,
and situated diametrically opposite to each other. The cuts must be of suffi-
cient depth to pass through the whole internal section of the hollow periphery

page_text: and penetrate slightly into the margin of the flat central disc; I then take
two pieces of sound and clean cork and cut them into wedges, similar in shape,
but about a third larger in all dimensions than would be required to fill the
spaces cut out of the ring at A and B. These corks I split longitudinally
through about three-fourths of their depth, as indicated by the double line
(a, a,) in Figure III.; I then, with a hollow brass cork borer, cut out a cir-
cular hole through the thickness of the wedge, as shewn at b, Figure III., which
represents front and side views of the cork wedges. I then take a piece of
platinum foil, tin foil, or lead foil coated with tin, or a piece of thin sheet brass,
copper, silver, &c., of about the same size and shape as the cork, and smear
the edges of the same with collodion, varnish, or other cement least acted upon
by the fluids used for filling the hollow ring; I put the piece of foil so pre-
pared into the cleft made in the cork, and push it down as far as the cleft
extends, and trim away the superfluous foil extending beyond the margin of
:tho cleft.
In the centre of the foil displayed by the hole in the cork (b), Figure III.,
I, with a fine needle, pierce a hole through the plate of foil. I now take one
of the two cork wedges prepared as above described, and after softening it by
immersion in boiling water, I subject it to sufficient pressure in a suitably pre-
pared cork squeezer to reduce it to two-thirds or one half of its former thick-
⚫ness. I then warm the glass disc, and smear over the edges of the cut B,
Figure I., a small quantity of cement or varnish, as before described, and force
the cork wedge (also smeared with the cement or varnish) whilst in a state of
compression into the cut B, where, in a short time, it expands and completely
fills up the cut and stops off one portion of the hollow periphery from the
other, except through the fine hole pierced in the foil. Holding the disc
upright, as represented in Figure I., I, by means of a small funnel, pour in at
A (which remains uppermost and open) as much pure filtered glycerine as will
half fill the hollow ring on each side of B. The disc thus prepared is then
plunged into a vessel containing a decoction of alkanet root in oil of turpen-
tine, and moved about until the whole of the air contained in the hollow
periphery has been expelled and its place occupied by the coloured decoction,
which ought to be raised to a temperature a little above the highest summer
heat, say, 120° of Fahrenheit. The other cork wedge is then prepared and
compressed, as already described, and is forced into the cut at A while the
same remains covered by the coloured decoction. Before the disc has cooled
it should be taken out, wiped and dried clean, and both corks coated with
sealing wax, collodion, or other varnish, and then allowed to cool.
In the process of cooling the two fluids will contract and leave a small

page_text: vacuous space within the hollow ring; this is necessary to provide for the
expansion due to increase of temperature during the summer season, as other-
wise the hollow glass ring would be liable to fracture, or the cork wedges to be
forced out by the expansion of its contents. The coating of the corks with
sealing wax or other varnish is necessary, to prevent the regress of atmospheric
air into the vacuous space left in the ring after cooling. As the disc and its
contents cool, the sealing wax or other varnish or cement employed is forced
by the atmospheric pressure into any fissures or pores which may exist in
the cork, and thus render them air-tight.
'
The glass blower in making the disc can leave a hole of from 1 to of an
inch in the centre of the flat portion, or such a hole can be subsequently bored
by the ordinary process used for drilling glass. Through this hole I pass a
spindle with a screw clip, as shown at (c, c,) Figure II., taking care that the
disc is centred as truly as possible. The spindle is made of steel, and the ter-
minal conical pivots (c, c,) are turned and polished. The clips (d, d,) are of
brass, gilt, and screwed on to the spindle, one of them resting on a shoulder
against the thick end of the spindle, while the other clips the flat centre of
the disc and firmly holds it in its place.
There are various methods of mounting the apparatus, but I prefer those and
figured and described in the accompanying Drawings, Figures IV., V., and VI.;
D, E, F, Figures IV. and V. represent front and side views of an oval glass
shade and stand filled up with the glass disc as a timekeeper. The bearings upon
the pivots of which the spindle are supported are shewn at G and H, Figure V.
These bearings are formed of brass, and are attached to the opposite sides of
the glass shade by means of cement. The bearing G is a circular disc of brass
with a conical recess going half through it. The bearing II is composed of a
larger circular disc of brass with a similar conical recess; it is backed by a
piece of cork, vulcanized india-rubber, or other elastic material, and is cemented
to the glass. The purpose of the elastic pad at H is to enable the spindle to
be fitted expediciously to shades of slightly different sizes, and also to allow for
the slope of the sides of the shade, and to prevent their fracture in packing,
&c. W is a small hollow cylinder of glass, metal, or other material, the weight
of which can be increased or diminished at pleasure by putting into or taking
out of it small lead shot, sand, &c. This weight is connected with the thick
end of the spindle by means of a string, which takes several turns round it
according to the number of days in which it is intended the clock shall run at
one winding up. The flat portion of the disc has a transparent dial formed
either by painting on it or by pasting on a printed transparent dial by means
of gum or varnish, and so placed that the figures may be close to the hollow

page_text: periphery. The mode of action may be understood by a reference to the
Figures IV. and V., in which the shaded portion of the hollow periphery represents
the heavier fluid, in this case glycerine. As the two fluids, glycerine and oil of
turpentine, are immiscible, and of different specific gravities, the first being
1.285, and the latter 870, the turpentine floats on the top of the glycerine
without mixing with it. Before the weight W is put on the two lines of
meeting of the two fluids in each side of the disc will be in the same horizontal
line, but as soon as the weight W is applied, it begins to turn round the spindle
and tilts the opposite limb of the disk up until an equilibrium is established by
the ascent of the heavier fluid to the level L, while at the side on which the
weight acts it descends to K.
The weight of the fluid contained between the levels L and (1), or K and L
is always (taken into account the leverage upon which it acts) an exact
balance for the weight W. But since the stops A and B are not impervious
to either of the fluids, by reason of the small holes pierced in their respective
foils the heavier fluid will gradually percolate through the hole in B, and
tend to assume the level it had before the application of the weight. As
the heavier fluid descends it will force the lighter through the hole in A.
But while this is taking place the equilibrium of the disc round the centres
of motion at G and H is disturbed, the consequence of which will be that the
weight W (always acting from the constant radius of the spindle upon which
it acts by means of the string) will as soon as the equilibrium is disturbed by
the movement of the two fluids restore it. By this means a constant action
and reaction are maintained, and the disc will continue to revolve as long as
the weight continues to descend. The speed of revolution will be determined
by the sizes of the apertures in the foils through which the fluids have to flow.
and by the difference of level between K and L; but since this difference of
level is occasioned by the weight W it is evident that by increasing or di-
minishing the weight the speed of the revolution of the disc can within
certain limits be regulated after the holes have been pierced. The holes in
the foils can after a little practice be pierced within a limited amount of
variation, and this variation is capable of complete external adjustment by
means of the weight. The reason why two stops are used in place of one
is, that since the two fluids are necessarily of different specific gravities and
characters they will flow with different velocities through orifices of the same
area. By having two stops and equal quantities of both fluids there is always
one stop in the heavy fluid, and one in the light one, and thus a uniformity
of action is secured and maintained. By the means described the motion of
the dial can be regulated so as to make one complete revolution in twelve

page_text: hours, and the upper level of the heavier fluid will serve as a hand to indicate
the dial the hour of the day or night. In Figure IV the dial indicates
exactly two o'clock.
I have particularized glycerine and oil of turpentine, but although immiscible
fluid of different specific gravities, such as water and oil, chloroform and
water, mercury and water, &c., may be employed. But where mercury is
employed, it cannot readily be made to flow through the orifices, lighter fluids
can ready pass, and consequently a complete revolution of the disc cannot be
obtained, and the divisions on the dial are necessarily limited to a space equal
to that occupied by the lighter fluid. I do not limit myself to the particular
form of bearings and framework indicated in Figs. IV and V. A glass
or porcelain vase may be used as in Figure VI. The weight descends inside
the vase where it is unseen. The bearings are attached to the opposite
sides of the lips of the vase, as shewn in Figure VI.
When it is desired to construct a level with the glass disc a small hole is
bored into the hollow periphery through which one coloured or one coloured
and one uncoloured immissible fluid are to be poured in equal quantities until
the hollow periphery is full. When one fluid only is used it ought to be coloured
or opaque, as mercury, and in such case about half the hollow should be filled,
and the hole then carefully sealed. When it is required to take a level from
the position of the observer the eye is brought into such a position as will
bring the two levels b and c, Figure VII., into a line, when it will be found
that all objects intersected by this line stand upon the same level as the eye
of the observer. By attaching a graduated arc to one part of the limb of
the disc angles may be measured, (within certain limits) as shewn in Figure
VII., where a small perforated brass sight is fixed at E, and a moveable brass
clip D is attached to the graduated scale, and capable of being slid along it.
By looking between the level of the upper coloured fluid and the brass
sight E to the object whose angle of vertical elevation is required, and bringing
the moveable clip D into a line with it, the angle can be read off from the
graduated scale e, f, g.
When it is desired to construct a weighing machine with the glass disc, a
hole is bored, as in the level, and one coloured fluid is poured in until the
hollow periphery is half full. The hole is then sealed to prevent the fluid
escaping. The disc is then fixed in the same position to an upright standard
A, B, Figure VIII., by means of the nut (n) and screw (s), terminating in the
polished spindle (p; on this a grooved pulley x plays freely. A cord is attached
to the pulley at one end, and after passing over the pulley is attached to the
weighing scale y. The pulley has a loaded index hand, or pointer at w,

page_text: which when the scale is unloaded should point to zero on a graduated scale
attached to the disc.
When letters or other matters are required to be weighed the index w is
deflected until it points to the indicated weight.
What I claim as my Invention is not the making of a hollow ring on a
glass disc, but the application thereof as described in constructing a timekeeper,
level, and a weighing machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tosco Peppé, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
המתחם.
G. T. PEPPE (1.5.)