Improvements in Meters, more especially for Measuring Spirits and Distillates.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov.. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Meters, more especially for Measuring Spirits
and Distillates.
:-
I, CHARLES FRANÇOIS CHAPP, Chief of Revenue Department at Basse Terre,
Guadeloupe, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to meters more especially for measuring spirits and
distillates, based upon their weight and alcoholic or equivalent strength.
It comprises a balance of which one of the pans contains a fixed and constant
weight, the other receiving the liquid. The distillate arrives by a pipe terminating
in an enlarged T head and falls into a chute integral with the scale pan into which
it falls from said chute until the weight of liquid turns the balance. The distillate
then falls into the chute which retains it, until the charge of liquid in the scale pan
has flowed out and the latter and its chute regain their former position when the
liquid in the chute falls into the scale pan. The charge from the scale pan falls
outo an inclined floor over which are two cross walls to prevent back flow into the
scale pan. From this floor the charge runs into a vessel which it fills and in which
are two syphons.
The larger syphon empties this vessel into a larger catch basin whence the liquid
runs to a pipe for conveying it to its destination, while the smaller syphon carries
off a small sample duly allowed for in the calculation of the function of the meter
into a smaller catch basin whence it runs to a closed vessel. These syphons are
preferably made with the shorter leg of larger cross sectional area than the longer
leg, while the latter is also further reduced at its discharge end.
A register is provided for the charges which fall into the syphon vessel and
consists of a movement similar to a clock movement operated by a float in said
vessel.
Two testing chambers or vessels may be provided one at the entrance to the
meter, the other at its outlet and are provided with thermometers, draw off cocks
or other devices for the purpose of ascertaining the temperature of the distillate
on entering and leaving the meter, or for tasting purposes or affording other
information as to the character of the distillate.
Dated this 12th day of December 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Meters, more especially for Measuring Spirits
and Distillates.
1, CHARLES FRANÇOIS CHAPP, Chief of Revenue Department at Basse Terre,
Guadeloupe, West Indies, 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 :-
This invention relates to meters, more especially for measuring spirits and
distillates based upon their weight and alcoholic or equivalent strength.

page_text: It comprises a balance of which one of the pans contains a fixed and constant
weight, the other receiving the liquid. The distillate arrives by a pipe terminating
in an enlarged T head and falls into a chute integral with the scale pan into which
it falls from said chute until the weight of liquid turns the balance. The distillate
then falls into the chute which retains it, until the charge of liquid in the scale
pan has flowed out and the latter and its chute regain their former position when
the liquid in the chute falls into the scale pan. The charge from the scale pan
falls onto an inclined floor over which are two cross walls to prevent back flow into
the scale pan. From this floor the charge runs into a vessel which it fills and in
which are two syphons. The larger syphon empties this vessel into a larger catch
basin whence the liquid runs to a pipe for conveying it to its destination, while the
smaller syphon carries off a small sample duly allowed for in the calculation of
the function of the meter into a smaller catch basin whence it runs to a closed
vessel. These syphons are preferably made with the shorter leg of larger cross
sectional area than, the longer leg, while the latter is also further reduced at its
discharge end.
A register is provided for the charges which fall into the syphon vessel and
consists of a movement similar to a clock movement operated by a float in said
vessel.
Two testing chambers or vessels may be provided, one at the entrance to the
nieter, the other at its outlet and are provided with thermometers, draw off cocks,
or other devices for the purpose of ascertaining the temperature of the distillate
on entering and leaving the meter, or for tasting purposes or affording other
information as to the character of the distillate.
In the annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section, Fig. 2 is a plan view, and
Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the improved meter.
The distilled liquid arrives through the pipe ending in its extremity in a T head
marked T and spreads regularly in the latter and falls without shock, in a
reservoir A, placed above the points of support of the pan C and integral with it
throughout its breadth. From this reservoir it flows always without shock, into
the whole extent of the pan C, B is what I call the second pan, where is the
weight which the volume of say, 10 litres must raise by falling from pan C into
the receptacle E, E', E" placed in the bottom of the meter.
The pan B rests upon a support S. The pan C is stopped in its movement by a
rod S¹ until after it has emptied its containing into the receptacle.
To give great mobility to this balance and to render it sensible in spite of its
solidity, which must be its dominating quality, its 2 lateral walls have been joined
by a tube P which traverse a copper bar serving as support and pivot to the pan.
This bar is fitted at its 2 extremities between bearings in which it is movable.
The pan rests at 2 points at the entering and the leaving of this bar, round which
it is movable.
When the pan C pours out its contents, the vessel A follows its movement, and
retains for the moment, under the groove T, the liquid, which continues to flow
into it. When the pan rises again, the liquid so retained in vessel A enters the
pan C.
The pieces marked in Fig. 1 Y and Y are partitions, of which Y weakens the
shock of the 10 litres which descend upon the inclined plane D" and fall into the
receiver E, E¹, E¹.
Y prevents the weighed liquid from running back into the pan.
The dimensions of the receiver E, E', E" in length, breadth, and height, are so
calculated that the 10 litres fill it entirely and cover the syphons X and Z, which
fills the latter and assures their immediate working.
To facilitate this regular and immediate working of the large syphon X and to
assure to it a discharge much superior to that of the most powerful distilling
apparatus, and to allow at the same time, its adaptation to the small recipient
which receives the 10 litres, I have given to its 2 branches, different dimensions,
I have augmented the section of the shorter branch and diminished the section of

page_text: the branch which leaves the recipient narrowing the end of this longer branch;
finally I have given to it the cubic form, which permits of its occupying in the
recipient E, E, E" as little space as possible.
The small syphon Z is a simple tin tube of small interior diameter the extremity
of the longer branch of which is also narrower than the opening of the little
branch, by virtue of the same principle with a view to assure its regular working.
The number of ceutilitres which is to be obtained from the discharge of this small
syphon is adjusted by raising or lowering the small branch which opens into the
recipient E, E', E" which sooner or later arrests its discharge.
The discharge of the small syphon falls into a small basin G G which is
connected through the tube G" with the closed vessel J.
The 10 litres less the volume of the sample which passes through the small
syphon, are received in a larger basin F F under the recipient E, E, E".
This larger basin as well as the small basin have special forms they are inclined
towards their outlet tubes G and F"; their superior edges at G and F must
always be placed at a lower level than the discharge ends of the syphons X and Z.
This condition is absolutely essential for the good working in free air of these
2 syphons which are thus protected against fraud.
To permit the distiller to taste the distillate to separate the good flavoured from.
the bad flavoured, the leaving tube F" of the larger basin is provided with a
testing vessel F1 and a joint, where the proprictor can install the range of pipes,
cocks, and valves, necessary for the division of his products, according to their
tastes or their alcoholic strength, their volume and their alcoholic strength will be
given by samples which the vessel J contains.
This vessel is however closed and the control could only be done by those who
have the means of opening it.
The register consisting of a wheel train L operated by the rise and fall of the
float M in the vessel E, E', E" permits the distiller to ascertain the amount of
production in an exact manner and at any moment without opening the closed
vase J. It is placed so as to be protected against fraud, behind a thick partition
between the meter pan and its casing Q.
The casing Q as shown in the annexed drawings, is a wooden case, but it may
also be of sheet iron or any other thick and resisting metal, and serves as support
and protecting casing to the interior box D D' D, E E E" which receives the
liquid coming from the pan. This box as well as all the other parts of the meter
must be in copper well tinned. The bearings on which the balance moves, the
under walls of the box and the pans of the balance must be distant, at least 5 cm.
from the walls of the case Q, so that they are not influenced by any shocks, which
this case might receive, the latter case must also be solidly bolted to massive
masonary or wooden frame work.
O is a testing vessel fixed on the outside of the casing Q. It is not indispensable
to the good working of the apparatus, but has the purpose of allowing the distiller
to regulate the working of his alembics before the liquid enters the meter. It is
provided for this purpose with two panes of glass facing each other, against which
an alcohol meter and a thermometer are placed in a little frame.
The discharge cock R enclosed in the special case N N¹ can also be placed at
the lower extremity of the testing vessel O and may lead to a range of pipes
conducting the liquid to closed recipients whence they may be taken only in
presence of those, who have to control the kind and quality.
The liquids composed only by dirty waters produced in cleaning of the apparatus
or containing grapes or other matter carried over accidentally in the manufacture
may be carried off here.
With this apparatus it will be seen that the weighted liquid is placed at the
free disposal of the distiller, but a sample of constant volume is carried to and
reserved in a closed vessel, in order to allow to give the alcoholic degree and the.
number of weighings made by the balance.

page_text: For small distilleries aud the small alembics of crude boilers, the apparatus is
made so that each weighing is of one liter and the sample of 0.03 centiliter.
For the agricultural or industrial distilleries, each weighing will be 10 liters, the
volume of the sample being according to the importance of the alembics and the
necessities of control between 0-03 and 0.10 centiliter.
For distilleries where the production is the largest that is possible to obtain by
24 hours work, the sample will be conducted to a further small meter of one liter
capacity.
If each of the samples has been determined and limited to 0-05 liter, for
instance there will be wanted 20 weighings of 10 liters or a manufacture of
200 liters in order to produce the sample liter constituting each weighing of the
smaller meter annexed to the large one. As the sample of the small counter is
0.03 liter, it results that for a manufacture of 20,000 liters by day there will be in
the closed vessel 300 centiliters giving the mean alcoholic strength of this
20,000 liters.
The mean alcoholic degree being always known in an exact manner, I have tried
to obtain uniform weighings corresponding exactly in practice to the volume of
10 liters. For this purpose I have calculated the depth and the width of pan
balance over the points of supports upon which it turns in such a manner that it
bas a considerable dead weight, and its length so that the weight of the excess of
the liquid makes a progressive leverage upon its extremity in order to render it
more and more sensitive until the moment when it overturns under the total load
of 10 liters of alcoholic liquid.
I avoid by this means in practice the use of tables of correction and I obtain
results which are exact to about one hundredth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A meter more especially for measuring spirits and distillates, having :-
1. A pan balance C, established on a pivotal axis overturned under a certain
weight of liquid, which it pours out upon an inclined plane, combined with retaining
partitions, substantially as set forth.
2: The basin E which receives the liquid and in which are arranged two
syphons X. Z.
3. The syphon X of large section, transferring the greatest part of the liquid
into a second basin F F¹ with outlet tube F¹¹.
4. A syphon with smaller diameter Z for taking a small quantity of the liquid
at cach operation of the pan C and transferring it to a basin G G with tube G¹¹
conducting the liquid to the closed vessel J.
5. A registering meter L with wheel train moved by means of a float M.
6. Two test vessels one placed at the entrance of the liquid into the apparatus
and the other at the outlet both having the purpose of giving the degree and the
temperature of the liquid before and after its passage in the meter.
The whole substantially as hereinbefore described and shown by the annexed
drawings.
D
L 1 Onth 1000
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents for Applicant.