A New or Improved Apparatus or Appliance to be Used in the Taking and Registering of Thermometrical Readings in Ensilage and other Stacks and Ricks, and Improvements in Thermometers to be Used therewith.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 5th Sept., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th Oct., 1887
A New or Improved Apparatus or Appliance to be Used in the
Taking and Registering of Thermometrical Readings in Ensilage
and other Stacks and Ricks, and Improvements in Thermometers
to be Used therewith.
1 JAMES POTTS of Bennetts Hill Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Manufacturing Optician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:―
Appliances heretofore employed in taking thermometrical readings in Ensilage
and other stacks and ricks, consist essentially of a rod pointed at its front end, and
having at or near the said pointed end, an ordinary thermometer which is enclosed
within the rod or within a casing carried by the rod; so that the thermometer forms
a fixed part of the appliance.
My invention consists in making the appliance or apparatus to be used in the
taking and registering of thermometrical readings in stacks and ricks, independent or
apart from the thermometer itself.
The appliance or apparatus consists essentially of a steel or iron tube or hollow rod,
having at one end, a taper spiral screw or worm, at at the other end, a cross handle,
by the rotation of which latter, the tube or hollow rod is rotated, and the screw made
to traverse or worm itself within the interior of a rick or stack.
The taper worm of the screw at the forward end, as aforesaid, is of larger diameter
than the rod, so that the apparatus shall be drawn into a stack or rick with the least
possible resistance.
The extreme front end of the hollow rod is provided with holes or openings through
which the heat or temperature of the interior of the rick is conducted to the thermo-
meter, when placed in position, while the other or handle end is open, and through
which open end, the thermometer attached to the end of a cord or string is passed to
the front end, approximate to the holes aforesaid.

page_text: The thermometer is a self registering thermometer, consisting of an ordinary glass
tube with capillary bore terminating in a bulb containing mercury; and which said
glass tube is enclosed within a sheath or casing open or exposed at its top side, but
with the ends enclosed by shoes or caps, one being open and the other closed.
The said thermometer is secured to the end of a cord, with a stop or knob at its
end, of a larger size than the bore of the rod aforesaid.
The top portion of the mercury column is divided by a film of air, so as to make
the instrument self registering.
In using the instrument or apparatus, it is passed in an oblique or inclined direction,
into the interior of the silo, rick or stack, by rotating the handle, which causes
the screw to draw the instrument into the interior thereof; and when in position, the
thermometer is let down the bore of the rod by the cord, with the top resting at the
mouth; and after the said thermometer has been in position sufficient time, it is then
withdrawn again by the cord, and the correct temperature taken, by the self registering
means aforesaid.
ריית-
1
1.
100

page_text: and other Stacks and Ricks, and Improvements in Thermometers
to be Used therewith.
1, JAMES POTTS of Bennetts Hill Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturing Optician, 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 :-
Appliances heretofore employed in taking thermometrical readings in Ensilage and
other stacks and ricks, consist essentially of a rod pointed at its front end, and having
at or near the said pointed end, an ordinary thermometer, which is enclosed within
the rod or within a casing carried by the rod; so that the thermometer forms a fixed
part of the appliance.
My invention consists in making the appliance or apparatus to be used in the taking
and registering of thermometrical readings in stacks and ricks, independent or apart
from the thermometer itself.
The appliance or apparatus consists essentially of a steel or iron tube, or hollow
rod, having at one end, a taper spiral screw or worm, and at the other end, a cross
handle, by the rotation of which latter, the tube or hollow rod is rotated, and the
screw made to traverse or worm itself within the interior of a rick or stack.
The taper worm of the screw at the forward end as aforesaid, is of larger diameter
than the rod, so that the apparatus shall be drawn into a stack or rick, with the least
possible resistance.
The extreme front end of the hollow rod is provided with holes or openings,
through which the heat or temperature of the interior of the rick is conducted to the
thermometer, when placed in position, while the other or handle end is open ; and
through which open end, the thermometer attached to the end of a cord or string is
passed to the front end, approximate to the holes aforesaid.
The thermometer is a self-registering thermometer, consisting of an ordinary glass
tube with capillary bore, terminating in a bulb containing mercury; and which said
glass tube is enclosed within a sheath or casing, open or exposed at its top side, but
with the ends enclosed by shoes or caps, one being open and the other closed.
The said thermometer is secured to the end of a cord, with a stop or knob at its
end, of a larger size than the bore of the rod aforesaid.
The top portion of the mercury column is divided by a film of air, so as to make'
the instrument self registering.
In using the instrument or apparatus, it is passed in an oblique or inclined
direction, into the interior of the silo, rick or stack, by rotating the handle, which
causes the screw to draw the instrument into the interior thereof; and when in

page_text: position, the thermometer it let down the bore of the rod, by the cord, with the top
resting at the mouth; and after the said thermometer has been in position sufficient
time, it is then withdrawn again by the cord, and the correct temperature taken, by
the self registering means as aforesaid.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents partly an elevation, and partly in vertical section, an apparatus
or instrument, to be used in the taking, and registering of thermometrical readings in
Ensilage, and other stacks and ricks; and which said apparatus, is shown broken off at
both the handle part, and at the stem or hollow tube part. Figure 2 is a top side plan
of the said figure 1. Figure 3 represents in front elevation, a self-registering silo
thermometer, with lowering cord and stop, in the form of a knob, with short shank.
It will be seen that the diameter of the thermometer, is a little less than the bore of
the apparatus, with which it is to be used.
Figure 4 represents in side elevation, the thermometer figure 3, thus exhibiting
the
enclosing sheath or casing, which prevents the glass tube from being accidentally
broken, as it is only exposed at its top side. Figure 5 represents a cross section of
the said thermometer, upon the dotted lines A B, figure 4.
Figure 6 represents upon a reduced scale, partly in elevation, and partly in vertical
section, the apparatus and thermometer when in use.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
a is a light iron or steel tube, or hollow rod, having at its front end, a special screw
or worm b, of larger diameter about its middle, than the tube a, and at the other end,
a cross bar or handle e, by the rotation of which, the apparatus is rotated, and the
screw made to traverse, or worm itself within the interior of a silo, stack or rick.
The worm of the screw, is made of larger diameter, than the rod, in order
that the apparatus, shall be drawn into a stack or rick, with as little resistance as
possible.
The metallic tube or hollow rod a, is open at top, and marked a², while the bore
thereof, extends to within a short distance of the front end of the tube, next to the
screw; and which end is provided with a small hole or opening a³, wherethrough
air passes outwardly, on the introduction of the thermometer down the bore, and
wherethrough, the heat or temperature of the interior of a stack or rick is conducted
inwardly to the thermometer, when in position, as represented in figure 6. The
bore a² is of a little larger diameter, than the diameter of the thermometer.
The thermometer which is self registering, consists of an ordinary glass tube d
with capillary bore, terminating at the base in a bulb, containing mercury, and which
said glass tube, is enclosed within a sheath e, partly open at the top side e², so as to
expose the thermometrical readings.
The top and bottom ends of the thermometer, are enclosed by shoes e³, of which the
latter is pierced with small holes e'.
The extreme lower end of the shoe e³, is provided with a block of rubber, or other
material to prevent concussion or injury to the instrument, on the same being
lowered rapidly within the bore of the tube.
The upper end of the thermometer is secured to a cord g, and plug stop h.
The top portion of the mercury column of the thermometer, is sub divided by a
film of air 2, so as to make the instrument self registering.
In using the apparatus, the tube should be screwed home, until the handle is close
to the rick; when in this position, lower the thermometer gently to the bottom of the
bore, and close the top with a plug stop h. After the thermometer has remained
some time, withdraw it by the cord, and observe where the detached piece of mercury
stands. Before again using the instrument, gently swing the thermometer bulb
downwards, so as to force the index down to its normal position, with respect to the
primary column.
While screwing the apparatus into silo, it should be steadied, to prevent any risk
of bending, as no forward pressure is required, as the instrument draws itself in.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is.
First. An apparatus or appliance to be used for taking, or to be used in taking
and registering the thermometrical readings in Ensilage and other stacks and ricks,
consisting of a hollow rod, stem or tube a, taper screw b, and handle c; and which
said hollow rod or stem, is open at top, and closed at bottom; and with the said
closed end provided with an air hole a³, substantially as described and set forth in
figures 1, 2 and 6.
Secondly-Making the screws at the advancing ends of apparatuses for taking
thermometrical readings, in Ensilage, and other stacks and ricks of larger diameter,
than the rod or stem, for the purpose, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirdly.—Providing thermometers with protecting sheaths or casings e, e², e³ et,
substantially as set forth in figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
Fourthly. The combination with the lower end of a thermometer, a yielding
block or concussion pad f, for the purpose substantially as described and set forth.
Fifthly. The combination with a self registering thermometer, of a cord g, and
plug stop, substantially as described and set forth.
Lastly. The combination with an apparatus, for the taking of thermometrical
readings as described and set forth in claim 1, of a self-registering thermometer d, i, iª²,
as described and set forth in figure 6.