IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND MEASURING ACIDS AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND MEASURING ACIDS AND
OTHER LIQUIDS." -A communication from abroad by F. Nichols, of
New London. State of Connecticut United States of America.
.:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st April 1873.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND
MRASURING ACIDS AND OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a glass acid pump which is also convertible
into a syphon by the application of an extension tube to the nozzle, in
which pump action is produced by the compression and rarefaction of
air in a chamber between the valves, the air being compressed in the

page_text: chamber by a hollow collapsible bulb, and rarefied by expanding into
the bulb again.
The apparatus is also useful for measuring the liquids by substituting
a properly constructed and graduated bulb for the aforesaid extension
tube. The bulb is so contrived with relation to the compression
chamber of the pump that it is not exposed to the destructive acids.
It is designed for corrosive liquids, such as all the stronger acids (except
fluoric), also sensitive liquids as solutions of nitrate of silver, volatile
liquids as aqua ammonia, chloroform, and others can be handled without
injury to them, and without passing through the bulb. It is also
adapted for drawing wines and liquors, and for general use in the
chemical laboratory. A glass chamber which has a large opening at
the top and bottom is connected at the lower end with a suction pipe by
a ground joint, and has a glass valve seat fitted and cemented therein at
the upper
end;
it is connected by a ground and cemented joint with the
enlarged end of a nozzle which projects considerably into said chamber,
and has a glass valve seat fitted in it at the lower end. I also propose
to bake these joints together permanently by vitrifying and baking a
glazing of softer glass applied to them. The glass valves for these
valve seats consist of discs resting on the top of the seats, and they are
prevented from rising too high by a small stem of glass extending down
through the central hole of the seat, and upset or enlarged at the end
after being passed through the seat by heating and flattening them or
winding on a heated piece, or the stem with a head formed on it may bo
fitted by a ground and cemented joint in a hole in the disc made partly
or wholly through it. The collapsible bulb which is made of india-
rubber for compressing and rarefying the air is connected to the glass
chamber by a short metal tube which screws into a block of metal or
other substance cemented in a socket in the side of the base of the
nozzle, having a hole through it coinciding with the hole of the tube
and opening into the glass chamber. The collapsible bulb is fitted on
this tube so as to slide along it, and a hole is made in the tube to be
uncovered when the bulb is moved upward to admit air for destroying
the syphonic action for which the pump is adapted by the application of
the extension of the nozzle in the chamber. The bulb is moved down
along the tube over this vent when the pump is to be worked.
I propose in some cases to make the nozzle of glass, and have an
angle band of metal fitted on and turned under at the lower edge to

page_text: bind the parts more securely together, and I have the tube fitted in a
hole through the glass chamber with a shoulder on the outside, and a
nut on the inside to secure it in place. I also secure it by a ground or
cemented joint, and around this hole I have an extension or short tubo
in the inner surface of the chamber to afford ample surface to make a
strong joint. This projection will be formed on a stud projecting from
the inner surface of the mould in which the chamber is formed, and
over which the glass will be blown and afterwards cut off at the inner
end to make the opening through. To ensure the fitting of the bulb
nozzle on the tube, the latter may be made tapered, and a groove may
be used instead of the hole to let the air escape. To operate the pump
the bulb is compressed by hand by which the air in it is forced into the
chamber between the valves, and an equal quantity forced out of it
through the upper valve. The bulb is then allowed to expand which so
rarefies the air in the said chamber that it fills from below to a certain
extent by atmospheric pressure, then the bulb is collapsed again, and
this time a quantity of the liquid will be forced out through the upper
valve provided the liquid has filled the chamber above the lower end of
the projection of the nozzle in said chamber, otherwise the air will
escape and leave the liquid. It is on that account that the said nozzle
is extended down into the chamber.
In some cases it will be found desirable to have a check valve in the
lower end of the suction pipe particularly in pumping from barrels and
other vessels where it is desirable to frequently shift the pump from one
to another. I propose to use the pump for measuring soda syrups for
which it is especially useful. For use as a syphon the apparatus will be
very useful on account of the facility with which the syphonic action
can be set up by the pump.
I employ a measuring bulb or vessel preferably of spherical form, and
having marks or symbols indicating ounces, pints, and quarts on its side,
and provided with a discharge cock; it forms a permanent attachment
of the extension of the nozzle extending down into chamber. The
upper valve is in this case preferably located at the top of this extension
tube or at the bottom of the measuring vessel so as to enable the latter
to discharge itself entirely. The operation is apparent, the pump
proper being used (as previously described) to fill the vessel to the
required mark according to the quantity of liquid. it is desired to obtain.

page_text: It is discharged by the cock before mentioned. This same arrangement
of the upper valve is applicable to and may be adapted in the pump
proper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, 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 RAISING AND MEASURING ACIDS AND
OTHER LIQUIDS," a communication to me from abroad by F. Nichols, of New
London, State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, 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, reference being had to the Sheet

page_text: of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists of a glass acid pump which is also convertible
into a syphon by the application of an extension tube to the nozzle in
which pump action is produced by the compression and rarefaction of
air in a chamber between the valves, the air being compressed in the
chamber by a hollow collapsible bulb, and rarefied by expanding into
the bulb again.
The apparatus is also useful for measuring the liquids by substituting
a properly constructed and graduated bulb for the aforesaid extension
tube. The bulb is so contrived with relation to the compression
chamber of the pump that it is not exposed to the destructive acids. It
is designed for corrosive liquids, such as all the stronger acids (except
fluoric), also sensitive liquids as solutions of nitrate of silver, volatile
liquids as aqua ammonia, chloroform, and others can be handled without
injury to them and without passing through the bulb. It is also adapted
for drawing wines, liquors, &c., and for general use in the chemical
laboratory.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a sectional elevation of
the improved pump and syphon.
Figure 2 is a section of a modified plan of connecting the collapsible
bulb to the pump.
Figure 3 is a modified arrangement of the tube for connecting the
collapsible bulb.
Figure 4 represents an alternative mode of constructing the valves.
Figure 5 is a partly sectional elevation of the pump and measuring
attachment.
A represents a large glass bulb with a large opening at the top and
bottom. At the lower end it is connected by a ground joint with a
suction pipe B, and it has a glass valve seat O fitted and cemented in
the upper end of the neck D. At the upper end it is connected by a
ground and cemented joint with the enlarged end E of a nozzle F which
projects considerably into said bulb A, and has a glass valve seat F¹ fitted
in it at the lower end. I also propose to bake these joints together
permanently by vitrifying and baking a glazing of softer glass applied to

page_text: wwww ww
them. G represents the glass valves for these valve seats; they consist
of discs resting on the top of the seats, and they are prevented from
rising too high by a small stem H of glass extending down through the
central hole of the seat, and upset or enlarged at the end I after being
passed through the seat by heating and flattening them, or winding on
a heated piece; or the stem with a head formed on it may be fitted by a
ground and cemented joint in a hole in the disc made partly or wholly
through it, as indicated in Figure 4. K represents the collapsible bulb
of india-rubber for compressing and rarefying the air; it is connected to
the glass bulb A by a short metal tube L which screws into a little
block M of metal or other substance cemented in a socket in the side of
the base E of the nozzle, and having a hole through it coinciding with
the hole of the tube and opening into the chamber N. The nozzle of
the bulb is fitted in this tube so as to slide along it, and a hole O is
made in the tube to be uncovered when the bulb is moved upward to
admit air for destroying the syphonic action for which the pump is
adapted by the application of the extension F of the nozzle. The bulb
is moved down along the tube over this vent when the pump is to be
worked.
It is proposed in some cases to make the nozzle of glass and shape it
as represented in Figures 2 and 3, and have an angle band Q of metal
fitted on and turned under at the lower edge as at R to bind the parts
more securely together, and also to have the tube fitted in a hole
through the bulb A, with a shoulder S on the outside and a nut T on
the inside to secure it in place. It will also be secured by a ground or 2
cemented joint, and around this hole will be an extension or short
tube X in the inner surface of bulb A to afford ample surface to
make a strong joint. This projection will be formed on a stud projecting
from the inner surface of the mould in which the bulb A is formed, and
over which the glass will be blown and afterwards be cut off at the inner å
end to make the opening through. To insure the fitting of the bulb
nozzle on the tube L, the latter may be made tapered and a groove y
may be used instead of the hole to let the air escape. To operate the
pump the bulb is compressed by hand, by which the air in it is forced
into the chamber N, and an equal quantity forced out of it through the a
upper valve. The bulb is then allowed to expand which so rarefies the
air in the chamber N that it fills from below to a certain extent by
atmospheric pressure; then the bulb is collapsed again, and this time a

page_text: quantity of the liquid will be forced out through the upper valve pro-
vided the liquid has filled the chamber above the lower end of the
projection E of the nozzle, otherwise the air will escape and leave the
liquid, and it is on that account that the nozzle is extended down into
the bulb A.
In some cases it will be found desirable to have a check valve in the
lower end of the tube B, particularly in pumping from barrels and other
vessels where it is desirable to frequently shift the pump from one to
another. It is proposed to use the pump for measuring soda syrups for
which it is especially useful.
The apparatus will also be very useful as a syphon on account of the
facility with which the syphonic action can be set up by the pump..
Figure 5 shows a measuring bulb or vessel V, preferably of spherical
form, and having marks or symbols indicating ounces, pints, and quarts,
etc., on its side, and also provided with a discharge cock w. This vessel
is a permanent attachment of the tube E extending down into the
bulb A. The upper valve is in this case preferably located at the top of
this extension tube or at the bottom of the measuring vessel V so as to
enable the latter to discharge itself entirely. The operation is apparent,
the pump proper being used (as previously described) to fill the vessel V
to the required mark according to the quantity of liquid it is desired to
obtain, it is discharged by the cock w. This same arrangement of the
upper valve is applicable to and may be adapted in the pump proper.
Invention and the manner in
Having described the nature of the
which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as the
Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1st. An acid pump consisting of a chambered bulb, valves, collapsible
bulb, and suitable pipe connections combined, substantially as specified.
2nd. The extension of the nozzle and upper valve into the bulb A,
substantially as specified.
3rd. The securing the valves to the seats by the enlargement of the
ends of stems H after being applied to the seats, substantially as
specified.
4th. The combination and arrangement of the angle band Q and lip R,
with the nozzle and bulh A
1

page_text: 5th. The arrangement of the bulb K on the tube L to slide over the
hole O and back, substantially as specified.
6th. The arrangement of the tube L, collar S, bulb A, and nut T,
substantially as represented in Figure 2.
7th. A glass tube for connecting the collapsible bulb with a hole O or
a groove y for a vent, the bulb being arranged to slide and cover and
uncover the vent.
8th. The nozzle E projecting downward into the enlarged chamber of
the bulb A below the pipe L, and provided with a downwardly seated
valve, as shown and described.
9th. The combination of a measuring vessel with a pump, substantially
as described.
10th. The combination of the graduated measuring vessel V provided
with a discharge cock w, the tube E, valves G, collapsible bulb K, rigid
bulb A, and pipe connection B, substantially as specified.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
HENRY W. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)