An Improved Device for Indicating the Level of Liquids in Vessels Containing the same, Chiefly Designed for Use in Connection with Lamps.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1887.
Complete Left, 17th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 20th Sept., 1887.
An Improved Device for Indicating the Level of Liquids in Vessels
Containing the same, Chiefly Designed for Use in Connection
with Lamps.
I, THOMAS ANDERSON, Manager of the Anglo-American Tin Stamping Company
Limited of Stourport in the County of Worcester, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means for indicating the level of liquids in vessels containing
the same, and is chiefly designed for use in connection with the oil holders or
reservoirs of petroleum and similar lamps for the purpose of enabling a person, when
he is pouring oil therein, to know when a sufficient quantity thereof has been supplied,
and thus (amongst other advantages) preventing overfilling.
The oil holders or reservoirs of petroleum and other lamps in which hydro-carbons
are used, are, in very many cases, made of metal or other opaque material consequently
the level of the oil therein not being readily apparent, accidents are caused by reason
of the fact that too much oil is frequently supplied, that is to say, the latter is allowed
to reach a level which is too near the metallic parts in connection with the upper
part of the wick and is thus liable to become heated and to cause an explosion.
Moreover, the absence of any means for indicating the level of the oil often causes
the refilling to be neglected until the exhaustion of the oil is indicated by the extinction
of the flame which not only injures the wick, but gives rise to an offensive odour and
is otherwise inconvenient.
The difficulties and inconveniences above mentioned are not present when transparent
oil-holders are used, but such holders are not so safe in use as those which are
made of metal by reason of their liability to break, and their employment is not
recommended. But by means of my invention I provide for the desired indication in
opaque holders.
The said invention is carried into practice in the following manner that is to say,
I provide a float which is preferably in the form of a hollow-body made of thin metal
and which is so constructed as to be of much less specific gravity than the liquid.
This float is provided with an aperture through its centre so as to fit upon a vertica!

page_text: rod secured inside the oil-holder. The float is capable of sliding upon this rod and
has attached to its upper end a thin tubular indicating-piece which also slides over
the rod and is arranged to project through an aperture in the top of the holder to
indicate the level of the oil within the same. This aperture may be specially provided
for the purpose or the aperture through which the oil is introduced, may be utilized,
in which latter case the aforesaid tubular piece will be of such a length as not to
project through the aperture until the holder or reservoir is very nearly full or until
the oil has reached any predetermined level, this aperture being ordinarily closed by a
screw cap or otherwise. If the aperture is specially made for the indicator, the latter,
hat is to say, the tubular piece may be of such length that it will at all times project
outside the holder but the extent of the projecting part will gradually diminish as the
oil is burned away and thus indicate its level at all times, by reason of the gradual
sinking of the float.
When the oil is being poured into the holder or reservoir the float rises pro-
portionately and the tubular piece connected thereto indicates when the desired level
has been reached and so enables a person to avoid overfilling. The vertical rod over
which the float and tube slide keeps the same in the desired position. The vertical
rod may be secured within the holder in any desirable manner, and in some cases
instead of using this rod I may provide a tube with apertures freely admitting the
oil, within which tube the float and indicator will be placed.
It is obvious that my invention may be used for indicating the level of liquids of
various kinds in vessels other than those above described, such for instance as kitchen
and other boilers.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: is to be introduced and which is provided with a screw cap d.
arranged to project through this aperture a¹ when the oil in the
has reached the desired level, so that the person filling the said
may know when he has poured in a sufficient quantity of oil.
The indicator 6' is
holder or reservoir
holder or reservoir
According to the modification of my invention, illustrated in Figure 2 I form
an aperture a² in the holder a in addition to the aperture a¹ and I employ a tubular
indicator which is closed at its lower end so that it will serve also as a float. This
indicator is fitted to slide up and down in a guide-tube c, secured to the bottom of the
holder or reservoir and having apertures 63 by which the liquid is freely admitted to
the said tube. The indicator is so arranged that it will at all times project outside
the holder, but the extent of such projection will gradually diminish as the oil is
consumed and thus indicate the level of the oil at all times. Therefore, when the oil
has been nearly consumed, this fact can be readily ascertained and the reservoir can
be refilled before the extinction of the flame takes place through want of oil.
It is obvious that my invention may be used for indicating the level of liquids of
various kinds in other vessels for instance in kitchen and other boilers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that I claim :-
First. A device comprising a combined indicator and float which, by its projection
through an aperture in an oil-holder or reservoir or a boiler or other vessel, will
indicate the level of liquid therein as above specified.
Second. The improved indicating device constructed substantially as described with
reference to Figure 1 or to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing and operating as,
and for the purposes, above specified.
T
171 1.
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.