AN IMPROVED STEAM GAUGE
Year: 1859

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 STEAM GAUGE."-A communication from
abroad by Anthoine Ernest Dupas, of New Orleans, in the United
States of America.
Sealed the 29th September 1859, and dated the 5th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1859.
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 STEAM GAUGE," to be as follows:-
This Invention of "An Improved Steam Gauge" consists in arranging or
connecting an adjustable weighted' index or lever (which travels over a curved
scale) to a piston placed in a tube, which extends from the outside of the
boiler down into the water space thereof. The pressure exerted by the water
in the boiler on the piston will force the latter up in the tube, and this pressure
will be indicated on the scale. To the tube is connected a branch pipe or
tube, provided with a whistle and with an escape pipe, so that when the piston
in the tube is forced up beyond a certain point, and if the water begins to get

page_text: low in the boiler, the whistle is blown, and the surplus steam finds an escape.
The piston rod is adjustable by means of a screw, so that the point when this
blowing off or alarm will take place can be adjusted in accordance with the
strength of the boiler..
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 5th November 1859.
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 Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license 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 STEAM GAUGE," being communication from abroad by
Anthoine Ernest Dupas, of New Orleans, in the United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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):-
This Invention of an improved steam gauge consists in arranging or con-
necting an adjustable weighted index or lever (which travels over a curved

page_text: scale) to a piston placed in a tube, which extends from the outside of the
boiler down into the water space thereof. The pressure exerted by the water
in the boiler on the piston will force the latter up in the tube, and this
pressure will be indicated on the scale. To the tube is connected a branch
pipe or tube, provided with a whistle and with an escape pipe, so that when
the piston in the tube is forced up beyond a certain point, and if the water
begins to get low in the boiler, the whistle is blown, and the surplus steam
finds an escape. The piston rod is adjustable by means of a screw, so that the
point when this blowing-off or alarm will take place can be adjusted in
accordance with the strength of the boiler.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, which represents
a vertical central section of a boiler with the Invention applied thereto. A is
a tube, which extends into the water space of a steam boiler to a sufficient
distance to reach the water when the same is at a proper height, but so that
the end of the same is out of the water when it gets low; B is a piston, fitted
nicely into the tube A, and having its under surface turned out in the shape
of a cup, the edges of which are very fine, so that the pressure of the water
or steam on this cup brings the sides up to the sides of the tube, and so that
the piston always works tight. Pivotted to the upper end of this piston is the
rod C, which terminates in a tube, in which a screw D works; and attached
to the end of this screw by a pivot is a bent lever E, which has its fulcrum in
a projection e, and which forms the index on a curved scale F. An adjustable
weight G is attached to the lever, so that the pressure necessary to force the
piston up can be regulated by shifting the weight, and the lever E is bent in
order to increase the power exerted by the weight on the piston as the water
rises. The tube A communicates with a steam whistle H by means of a
tube I, the end of which is closed by means of a valve i, which yields to a
slight pressure from the inside.
The length of the piston rod C is adjusted by means of the screw D, so
that the piston B is below the point where the tube I communicates with the
tube A as long as the pressure in the boiler is below a certain point, and the
water in the boiler is kept high enough, so that it rises in the tube A, and
that it acts on the piston B when the latter is forced up, and the index E
indicates the amount of pressure on the scale F. If, however, the water gets
low in the boiler, and the pressure of the steam rises to a dangerous height,
the piston will be forced up beyond the tube I, so that the whistle H will be
blown, and the tube I at the same time will afford the means for the surplus
steam to escape.
Having now described this Invention of an improved steam gauge, and

page_text: explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the arrangement of the cup-
shaped piston B, which acts on a bent lever E, with an adjustable weight G,
so as to indicate the pressure in the boiler on a curved scale F, substantially
as described; and, in combination with the above-mentioned arrangement I
claim the tube I, which is connected with the tube A at such a point that it
affords the means of escape to the surplus steam if the pressure rises beyond a
certain point, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)

page_text: LONDON: Printed by GEORGE EDWARD EYRE and WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE,
Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. 1859.