AN IMPROVED ALCOHOLMETER OR INSTRUMENT FOR ASCERTAINING THE ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH OF LIQUIDS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ALCOHOLMETER OR INSTRUMENT FOR
ASCERTAINING THE ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH OF LIQUIDS."-A communication
from abroad by Basile Rakowitsch, of the Imperial Russian Navy,
St. Petersburg, Russia.
Sealed the 25th February 1868, and dated the 24th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th December 1867.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ALCOHOLMETER OR INSTRUMENT
FOR ASCERTAINING THE ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH OF LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
. This Invention is based upon the chemical affinity that chloroform has for
alcohol and the impossibility of making it combine with water. The instrument
employed for the purpose of the Invention is a graduated glass tube into
which is poured a given quantity of chloroform and to this is added a given
quantity of the liquid to be tested. These are well mixed together by being

page_text: agitated and then when left to subside the chloroform will take up the alcohol
and leave the water, which being lighter than the chloroform will float on
the top and the quantity of water that has been mixed with the spirit will be at
once seen
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed,
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS, Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did for herself, Her heirs and successors, give and graut unto me,"
the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 "AN IMPROVED ALCOHOLMETER FOR ASCERTAINING THE ALCOHOLIC
STRENGTH OF LIQUIDS," being a communication to me from abroad by Basile
Rakowitsch, of the Imperial, Russian Navy, St. Petersburgh, Russia, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
-

page_text: The improved instrument which forms the subject of the present Invention
and which is denominated by the Inventor a chloroform alcoholmeter is based
upon the relation which exists between the chemical affinity of alcohol for
chloroform and water, and also the impossibility of combining chloroform
with water. It has been proved by experience that the admixture of equal
parts of chloroform and strong spirits of wine pruduces a uniform liquid,
whilst the admixture of equal parts of chloroform and water produces a liquid
which is visibly divided into two equal parts, the lower one of which is
chloroform and the upper one water. Brandy (that is to say, alcohol with
water in unequal proportions) mixed with an equal volume of chloroform
produces nearly the same separating effect, but it differs from it inasmuch as
the lower volume of liquid is always augmented more or less whilst the
upper portion is diminished. Chymical and other investigations have shewn
that the augmentation in the volume of the chloroform or lower part of the
liquid arises from the alcohol which is in the brandy, and that such volume
increases in proportion to the alcohol contained in the same. The line of
demarcation of the mixed liquids is always represented by an arched "dome"
and is formed in a few seconds, the different proportions however of the
mixed liquids and also of brandy weaker than thirty degrees or stronger than
sixty degrees, sometimes produces a slower formation of the " dome," but
this slowness may easily be remedied by adding spirits of wine at ninety-five
degrees or spirit of wine diluted with half the quantity of water. This
supplementary augmentation of one or other of these liquids will be mentioned
hereafter.
It will be seen on referring to the accompanying Drawings, Figures
and 2, that the instrument which forms the subject of this Invention consists
of a glass cylinder closed at one end, and from forty to forty-five centimetres
in length and about thirteen millimetres in diameter. This cylinder is
divided (as will be seen) by four half circles into five unequal parts, the lower
part of which at the closed end at the line r, a, contains fifteen cubic
centimetres of liquid; from r, a¹; to b, u, ten cubic centimetres, from 6, u, to
k, o, five cubic centimetres; and from k, o, to p, a, also five cubic centimetres';
the last space of the cylinder is intended for liquids which can be freely
agitated therein. Between the two last semicircles there is a graduated
scale composed of two rows of short lines which show the place of the "dome"
of the different strengths of brandy and spirit of wine proved by the chloroformi
at ninety-five degrees Trallus, and at a temperature of fifteen degrees six
(15° 6) centigrad. The star marked upon the cylinder serves to shew in
what case and which of the supplementary liquids is to be added to the

page_text: different spirituous liquids to be proved by the chloroform, this augmentation
is effected in order to be able to measure more quickly the strength of the
different brandies, and it is based upon the mathematical law by which the
correlation of sizes is invariable when they are multiplied or divided by the
same number.
The method of proceeding to the proof with this apparatus is as follows:
Chloroform is poured into the cylindrical vessel (which must be quite clean
and dry) up to the line r, a', Fig. 2), then the spirituous liquor to be proved is
poured in up to the line b, u, after having hermetically closed the vessel with
a cork or stopper, the mixed liquids are to be shaken up together and the
cylinder is held in an inclined position for some seconds so that the stoppered
end shall be a little higher than the closed end. When the froth arising
from the agitation of the liquids has disappeared, the cylinder is placed in a
vertical position and the situation of the "dome" in relation to the star is
to be observed. If the "dome" is lower than the star spirits of wine at
ninety-five degrees are poured into the cylindrical vessel up to the line p, a;
if the "dome" be higher, or if it does not exist, half the quantity of spirits of
wine at ninety-five degrees is to added and half water, that is to say, up
to the line k, o, spirits of wine are poured and up to the line p, a, common
water is added. The mixture is again agitated and after the froth has dis-
appeared the cylindrical vessel being in a horizontal position it is carefully
replaced in a vertical position, the cork at the top, and the situation of the
"dome" is again observed. If only spirits of wine, are required to be added
the strength of the proved brandy is marked by the dome on the right
side of the scale, if half water and half spirits of wine are to be added the
"dome" is on the left side of the scale.
I would here observe, firstly, that Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing both
represent the same cylindrical vessel with this difference only that Fig. 1
represents the vessel of the real size which prevents the left side of the scale
from being seen, whilst Fig. 2 shews it developed or spread out.
I would observe, secondly, that in pouring the liquids attention must be
paid to their molecules which flow slowly along the internal surface of the
cylinder a in order to enable the instrument to indicate correctly, time must
necessarily be allowed for them to settle, and by means of a small tube the
superfluous liquid is removed or any deficiency made up.
I would remark, thirdly, that the temperature has an influence upon the
situation which the dome assumes for each five degrees of height (that is to
say) above fifteen degrees six (15° 6) centigrade, the dome rises upon the
scale to the extent of one degree, and vice versa.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of this Invention of "An Improved
Alcoholmeter for Ascertaining the Alcoholic Strength of Liquids," and having
set forth the manner of carrying the same into effect, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I desire it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the mode of and apparatus for
measuring the alcoholic strength of liquids by the addition thereto of chloroform
as above shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousaud eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (Ls.)