STEAM TENSION MANOMETER FOR ANALYZING LIQUIDS AND STUDYING PRESSURES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Perrier, of No. 83 bis, Ruc Lafayette, Paris, in the
Republic of France, M.D., Councillor General for the Department of Le Gard,
in France, for an Invention of "STEAM TENSION MANOMETER FOR ANALYZING
LIQUIDS AND STUDYING PRESSURES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Perrier at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1880.
LOUIS PERRIER, of 83 bis, Rue Lafayette, Paris, in the Republic of France, M.D.,
Councillor General for the Department of Le Gard, in France. "STEAM TENSION
MANOMETER FOR ANALYZING LIQUIDS AND STUDYING PRESSURES."
My Invention relates to a manometer with steam pressure for analyzing liquids
and studying pressures.
It is composed of a tube open at each end; the lower end is thinned and dips to
the bottom of a basin or reservoir which is soldered to the lower part of said tube.
The reservoir is filled with mercury to the upper part, which part is occupied by a
liquid, the vapours of which will actuate the mercury of the manometer, forcing it
by their pressure to rise on the tube. This column will give very exact indications,
whether it be required to determine differences of temperatures which other
apparatuses cannot give, that it is desired to use it for determining pressures in a
very precise manner, or that it is required to analyze liquids by comparing the
pressure of their steam or vapours with the pressure of the steam or vapours of the
liquid of the manometer.
This determination of liquids by means of my manometer proceeds from a very
simple equation; to make it clear I will describe the apparatus in which my
manometer is utilised for the analysis of alcoholic liquors. Ju this instrument the
manometer is plunged into a small boiler carried by a central support above a small
lamp with double current and constant level; a refrigerator is fitted to the upper
part of this small boiler.
The heating surface is regulated by a lower tube which will not permit the

page_text: flame to directly heat the bottom of the boiler, and by an inverted cone, which
outside of this tube diverts the flame from the boiler. Very great regularity of
heating is thus obtained.
It will be observed that in my alcoholometer there is no part or arrangement
which is not of my Invention.
Its working is very simple. The liquid to be proportioned is placed in the
boiler and enters into steam, its vapours equilibrate the atmospheric pressure,
they are [condensed and return to the boiler in order not to impoverish the
liquid.
Tho manometer plunged into the liquid or into the vapours takes their
temperature, the pressure of its vapours also raises the atmospheric pressure, and as
it must always be greator than the pressure of the vapors of the liquid to be
proportioned, the vapour of the constant also uplifts a column of mercury. After
previous experimentation the richness of the liquid to be proportioned is directly
deduced from the height of this column. By varying the constant all liquids, every
combination, and all mixtures of liquids may be determined.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Louis Perrier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
December 1880.
LOUIS PERRIER, of No. 83 bis, Rue Lafayette, Paris, in the Republic of France,
M.D., Councillor General for the Department of Le Gard, in France. "STEAM
TENSION MANOMETER FOR ANALYZING LIQUIDS AND STUDYING PRESSURES."
My Invention relates to a manometer with steam pressure for analyzing liquids
and studying pressures.
My improved manometer consists in a glass tube or pipe M (Fig. 1), which is the
shaft or stem of the manometer, the said pipe ending in a tapering point P and
having a cistern, basin, or reservoir soldered thereto at K.
This cistern or reservoir is filled with quicksilver to near the top, the upper part
thereof being occupied by a volatile liquid.
For the better understanding of the operation of the said manometer, I will
describe an apparatus to which it may be applied, namely, the alcoholometer for
the comparative tension or pressure of vapors represented, Fig. 2 of the Drawing.
Its principle is based on the comparison of the tensions of the vapours of the
liquid to be determined with those of another liquid contained in the reservoir of
the manometer.
On reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the reservoir or cistern of the
manometer dips into a small boiler A, the upper part of which is closed by a cork
or stopper traversed by the manometer. The liquid to be analyzed L is put into
this boiler, the lamp placed beneath it is lit and in a few minutes the liquid L boils;

page_text: its vapours then rise in the central pipe of the refrigerator R where they condense,
and after having heated the water in the refrigerator finally pass out.
A small pipe I directs the vapours against a mirror of metal where they
condense, thus it is easy to ascertain their pressure.
It may bo said that at this moment by their tension the vapours of the boiler
exactly equipoise the atmospheric pressure.
These vapours have communicated their temperature to the cistern or reservoir
of the manometer, and to its contents. The liquid therein contained (the constant)
should be always more volatile than the liquid to be examined. Its vapour over-
comes, firstly, the atmospheric pressure to which it is submitted through the
quicksilver, and raises a column of quicksilver in the pipe of the manometor until
the atmospheric pressure added to the weight of this column equipoises the tension
of the vapour of the constant.
The elastic power of the two liquids under experiment can then be compared.
The tension of the liquid to be analyzed is equal to the barometer pressure T=P;
the tension of the other, the constant, is equal to the barometer pressure added to
the height of the quicksilver column raised T¹ P+h.
-
In every special case T and P have the same value, so that they can be omitted
in the equation; T is the tension of the constant liquid, so that only T and h
can vary.
If by a previous trial I ascertain the value of compared with T, by treating
some exactly analyzed or proportioned liquors, I may later when the liquor from
which T emanates is unknown ascertain the same by means of the height of tho
column h.
For instance, I take a liquor containing exactly 10 per cent. of alcohol, and I put
the required quantity (about 30 cubic centimeters) into the boiler, tho lamp being
then lit, steain is soon emitted, the pressure of which will be equipoised by the
barometrical pressure; the vapours of the constant which are at the same
temperature as the vapours of the liquid at 10%, and possess an elastic force
superior to these last, will raise the quicksilver in the manometer to a certain
height; at this point I mark 10, and whenever any liquor to be determined gives a
vapour by which the quicksilver is raised to that height, I conclude that it contains
10% of alcohol.
°
By other similar operations I complete the graduation of the pipe or tube of the
manometer, and am then able to ascertain the alcoholic contents of any liquor.
"I therefore claim as of my Invention ascertaining the alcoholic strength of a
liquid by comparison of the elastic power of its vapour with the elastic power of
another vapour emanating from a liquid which is always the same."
The principle on which my apparatus is based is a new principle, and in addition
to the rapidity and correctness with which it permits the making of the required
analysis it is highly advantageous as allowing the direct determination of the
nature of the liquids without it being requisite to account either for the temperature
or for the pressure.
When, as in the ebullioscope, the liquids are determined by the boiling
temperature, this method, in addition to the very great difficulty of constructing a
very sensitive and correct thermometer requires a correction to be made on account
of the change which the barometer pressure makes in the temperature of the boiling
point.
When, as with the "Geissler" vaporimeter and other like apparatuses it is
desired to directly measure the tension of the vapour of a liquid (wine, for instance), .
it is not only necessary to separate it from any element other than alcohol (gas, and
vapours of more volatile liquids which it contains), but also to take into calculation
the boiling temperature of the water, in the steam of which is plunged the cistern
of the vaporimeter, and this boiling temperature varies with the pressures.
I repeat that with my manometer the deduction is made directly.
The temperature and pressure, whatever they may be, being the same, there is
a difference between the tension of two vapours equal to the height of the mercury

page_text: column raised in the manometer, from which I deduce, after the previous graduation,
the nature of the liquor to be examined."
However, this principle, simple as it is, and for which I have contrived a
manometer of a simple construction, requires in practice the use of parts, leaving
nothing to be desired either as regards the regularity of the heating or of the
observation of the tensions.
This will be easily understood as the apparatus has for object to weigh vapours
that this must be done with the greatest accuracy, and that the apparatus being
intended for general use its correctness ought not to depend upon the experience or
the ability of the operator.
To render it thus useful in practice I have contrived the heating of the apparatus
by the lamp D (Fig. 2).
This lamp consists of concentric pipes and t¹ united at their lower part. The
annular space between these two pipes is occupied by a round wick; the tube t¹
extends some millimeters beyond the tube t. The wick is cut at the upper level
of 7, so that it always burns at a same length;-the-exterior pipe or tube t is bored
laterally with a circular opening, in which is soldered the pipe o; into this
latter is poured the alcohol contained into the bottle B for feeding the lamp.
The alcohol passes into the annular space between t and t up to the level N,
which, corresponding with the upper part of the mouth of the bottle, the wick is
always kept moist to that point. Directly that, by combustion, the level descends
somewhat below N, a drop of alcohol leaves the bottle B, so that tho level remains
constant above the upper level of the mouth of the bottle at N.
The carburating height of the wick, its imbibition or suction, remain always the
same, and the result is that the flame will always be regular.
The annular space limited by this partly occupied by a third pipe t¹¹ with which
is_connected the rod T bearing the boiler.
There is a small space between t-and-by which air has access during the
burning, which is thus more regular and complete, as it takes placo between two
currents.
The method of support by rod T has many advantages; it is very simple, and it
keeps the flame and the boiler in constant connection without any special
arrangement for the purpose.
A glass S protects the flame from draughts of air.
In addition to this method of regulating the flame I also avoid the direct heating
of the boiler by putting between it and the flamo a funnel or inverted cone of
metal C which diverts the flame, so that the boiler is heated by the inetallic
transinissibility of the rod and by the contact points of the cono C; and by a layer
of warm air enclosed in V it is somewhat like a warm air bath.
I claim this method of heating, which by its extreme regularity renders possiblo
and practical the very delicate operation of the comparison of the tension of two
vapours.
This having been done, a certain and easy method was required for ascertaining
the precise moment when the vapour of the boiler has a tension exactly equal to
that of the barometric pressure.
For this purpose I have added to the refrigerator a small apparatus which I
name the pressure indicator; it is composed of a pipe narrowed at its upper part
and bent against a metallic mirror m. When the vapours arrive in the central
pipe of the refrigerator they condense, and during their condensation the quicksilver
column, after having risen in the manometer, has become steady, but to ascertain
precisely the alcoholic proportion I cannot, as in the "ebullioscope," rely only on
this observation, I must wait until the condensation of vapour takes the place on
the mirror m; it is even better to wait until after the first condensation, as there
may exist gases or vapours more volatile which may slightly affect the true point.
I wait then until the vapour is more humid and abundant so as to moisten the
mirror, because then the true vapours of the alcoholic_inixture deprived of any
other element are equipoising the barometric pressure. There may then be read on

page_text: the manometer the graduation corresponding to the height of the column, and
the figure will give directly and exactly the degree of alcoholic richness of the
liquor.
In this apparatus I may by varying the constant, weigh from water up to pure
alcohol, and I may carry the sensitiveness of the mixture as far as may be desired
either by exchanging the constant for a liquor more volatile, or by replacing the
mercury of the cistern by a liquid of less density.
By the choice of the constant all kinds of liquids may be determined, as I have
just demonstrated in relation to winc.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent,―
The use of any vapour tension manometer, by incans of which I can determine
liquors by comparing the tension of their vapour with the elastic power of a vapour
produced by a constant liquid contained in the manometer.
The use of my manometer with its spirit lamp, which I claim on account of its
constant level and double air current, and also the indirect heating and the pressure
indicator with the mirror.
The use of my manometer for the determination of any liquor whatever may be
the arrangement and shape of the organs or apparatus employed to attain the said
determination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Perrier, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, this Twenty second day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
ED. D'AUBÉVILLE,
Ingénieur Civil,
83bis, Rue Lafayette,
Paris.
L. PERRIER. (L.S.)
Councillor General du Gard,
France.