IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GAUGES, PRESSURE GAUGES, AND VACUUM GAUGES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Burden, of Birmingham, in the County of
C
C
Warwick, Steam, Pressure, and Vacuum Gauge Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GAUGES, PRESSURE GAUGES, AND
VACUUM GAUGES."
Scaled the 4th September 1874, and dated the 20th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Burden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th March 1874.
.
"
I, JAMES BURDEN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Steam,
Pressure, and Vacuum Gauge Maker, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GAUGES, PRESSURE GAUGES,
AND VACUUM GAUGES," to be as follows:-
In the said gauges as ordinarily constructed the steam, atmosphere, or
liquid, the pressure of which is to be indicated by the gauge, is in direct
> communication with a small chamber at the back of the gauge, the
steam, atmosphere, or liquid usually acting upon a diaphragm, the
deflection of which is transmitted to an index finger traversing a
graduated dial.

page_text: In consequence of the steam, atmosphere, or liquid coming into
contact with the chamber described the diaphragm becomes oxidized or
covered with a deposit, and the gauge is thereby injured, and its accurate
working impaired. Great inconvenience also results from the freezing
of the water which accumulates in the gauge, and frequently from the
bursting of the gauge.
1 My Invention has for its object to remedy the defects referred to, and
my said Invention consists in wholly preventing the steam, atmosphere,
or liquid, the pressure of which is to be indicated, from coming into
contact with the interior of the gauge. This I effect by placing the pipe
which conveys the steam, atmosphere, or liquid, the pressure of which is
to be gauged, at the top or highest part of the gauge instead of at the
lowest part as usual, and I fill the small chamber situated between the
back of the gauge and the diaphragm and also the passages leading to
the said chamber with quicksilver or mercury. The steam, atmosphere,
or liquid in communication with the gauge presses upon the mercury in
the said chamber, and the said mercury presses upon the diaphragm, the
deflection of which is registered in the ordinary way. Thus the steam,
atmosphere, or liquid, instead of acting directly upon the diaphragm,
acts upon it through the quicksilver or mercury, and the steam, atmos-
phere, or liquid is thereby prevented from coming into direct contact
with the diaphragm of the gauge, and injuring the same, as herein-
before explained. Or the connecting pipe of the gauge may be of the
usual syphon form, and quicksilver or mercury may be placed in the
bent or curved part of the syphon pipe only, instead of filling the
chamber with quicksilver or mercury.
་
My Invention is applicable.to gauges of various constructions as well

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her. reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Burden,
Her special license that I, the said James Burden, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Burden, 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 mako,
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 STEAM GAUGES, PRESSURE GAUGES, AND VACUum Gauges,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Burden,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, 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.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Burden, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
In the said gauges as ordinarily constructed the steam, atmosphere, or
liquid, the pressure of which is to be indicated by the gauge, is in direct
communication with a small chamber of the gauge, the steam, atmos-
phere, or liquid usually acting upon a diaphragm, the deflection of
which is transmitted to an index finger traversing a graduated dial.
In consequence of the steam, atmosphere, or liquid coming into
contact with the chamber described the diaphragm becomes oxidized or
covered with a deposit, and the gauge is thereby injured and its accurato
working impaired. Great inconvenience also results from the freezing
of the water which accumulates in the gauge, and frequently from the
bursting of the gauge, consequent on the freezing of the water.
- My Invention has for its object to remedy the defects referred to, and
my said Invention consists in wholly preventing the steam, 'atmosphere,

page_text: steam is thereby prevented from coming into contact with the diaphragm d
of the gauge and injuring the said diaphragm.
Figure 3 represents in front elevation (partly in vertical section)
another steam gauge provided with my improvements. In this gauge,
instead of a corrugated steel diaphragm or disc, an india-rubber
diaphragm situated in a small chamber at the head of the gauge. is
employed. is the small chamber at the highest part of the gauge,
into the top of which the pipe which conveys the steam to the gauge is
screwed; is the india-rubber diaphragm, the deflection of which is
transmitted by a rod and gearing to the index finger & traversing the
graduated dial . In the said small chamber quicksilver or mercury is
placed, as indicated by the broken lines, the said mercury covering and
protecting the upper surface of the diaphragm . The steam acts
directly upon the mercury, and through the said mercury upon the
diaphragm i.
→
Figure 4 represents a Bourdon gauge, to which my Invention is
applied, the said gauge having the steam pipe at bottom of the usual
syphon form. The bent or curved part m² of the syphon pipe is filled
with quicksilver or mercury. When the steam, the pressure of which is
to be registered, is admitted into the pipe at m, it acts upon the mercury
in the syphon pipe m², and causes the said mercury to act on the bent
tube of the gauge and register the pressure. On the steam being shut
off from the pipe at m the mercury returns to its original position in the
syphon pipe n.
"
Instead of applying to a Bourdon gauge the syphon pipe m² containing
mercury, a tube similar to that represented at g, Figures 1 and 2, may
be employed, the said tube containing mercury being connected with the
gauge at top.
Although I have represented the best means with which I am
acquainted of carrying my Invention into effect, yet I do not limit
myself thereto, as the position and shape of the chamber or part con-
taining the quicksilver or mercury may be varied so long as the said
mercury is placed in such a manner as to cut off communication between
the diaphragm chamber or measuring agent and the water, steam, air,
or other liquid or fluid, the pressure of which is to be registered.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I

page_text: :
claim as my Invention, the improvements in steam gauges, pressure
gauges, and vacuum gauges herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, that is to say, filling with quicksilver or mercury
the diaphragm chamber or measuring agent of the gauge, or the syphon
part of the connecting pipe of the gauge, or interposing between the.
liquid, steam, air, or gas, the pressure of which is to be measured, and
the measuring mechanism, a column of quicksilver or mercury, so that
the liquid, steam, air, or gas to be measured, instead of acting directly
upon the diaphragm or measuring agent acts upon it through the quick-
silver or mercury, and the liquid, steam, air, or gas is thereby prevented
from coming into direct contact with the diaphragm or other measuring
agent, and injuring the same, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Burden, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JAMES BURDEN. (L.S.)