An Improved Device for Measuring and Ascertaining the Contents. of Cans and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: COME LIE SIECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Measuring and Ascertaining the Contents.
of Cans and the like.
A communication by ERNST HERMANN BERGNER, of No. 137, Kirchgasse,.
Lichtenstein, in Saxony, in the Empire of Germany, Agent.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The sheet metal cans hitherto employed for oil, petroleum, etcetera, have the
drawback that the amount of their contents is not visible from the outside, which in
most cases is very awkward, as, for instance, in the case of purchasing such articles.
A person is thus almost compelled to trust to the honesty of the seller, or of the
messenger, and the loss by dishonesty or carelessness is considerable, especially in
the case of expensive articles, such as oils, varnishes or the like. The handling of
the can is also inconvenient as the amount of the contents, not being visible, the
vessel cannot be inclined to correspond therewith.
This invention has for its object a device for indicating the amount of liquid or
other substance contained in cans or the like, by which device the amount of the
contents may be ascertained and tested at any time from the outside.
This device for measuring the contents consists of a glass tube and scale held
elastically in a recess or channel in the can and arranged in such a way that under
any ordinary circumstances, a breakage of the glass tube is prevented. Such a can
is shown on the accompanying drawing, on which,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the can together with the device for measuring the
contents.
Figure 2 is a section on of Figure 1, and
Figure 3 a section ou y y of Figure 1.
The construction of the can and contents measuring device is as follows-
The body a of the can has at one side an inwardly curved recess or channel b
which does not quite reach to the bottom of the can and is open at the lower, but
closed at the upper end. In this recess or channel there is a bent glass tube d
which has at each end an india rubber holder or casing e or f respectively and
which reaches with its lower end into the interior of the can, so as to be in com-
inunication with the latter. The india rubber holder f fully suffices to hold the
glass tube d in the recess or channel b in such a way as to allow of this tube being
casily removed therefrom. By the side of the recess or channel, a contents-scale g
is made on the can, on which the amount of the contents of the can may be read off
at any time.
If liquid be poured out of the closed can by means of the spout, a sufficient
quantity of air enters by the glass tubed which is open at its upper end, to allow
of the can being used without it being necessary to leave open the opening by
which the can is filled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is-
An improved device visible from the outside for ascertaining the amount of
liquid or the like contained in cans or the like, consisting in a glass tube which

page_text: extends from the bottom of the can to the filling opening at the top of the same
and is open at both ends, and which is connected by its lower end with the
can being held by india rubber or other elastic holders in a recess or channel b
formed in the can a, and in juxta position to the same a suitable contents-scale
formed on the can with the object of admitting the amount of the contents of the
can to be examined and ascertained at any time from the outside, and of allowing
air to enter the can when any of the contents are poured out, whilst the can
on the
remains closed, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.