IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Fletcher, of Ilkeston, in the County of
Derby, Chymist and Druggist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 21st April 1871, and dated the 22nd October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Fletcher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd October 1870.
I, WILLIAM FLETCHER, of Ilkeston, in the County of Derby, Chymist
and Druggist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS," to be as
follows
In a stand, frame, or cage is placed a vessel which may, if desired, be
marked with graduations. In the bottom of the vessel is a stop-cock.
The vessel may be open at the top or closed by a sliding or other lid.
Measuring apparatus is placed under the barrel, tub, cistern, or other
vessel containing the bulk of the liquid to be measured, so that the
required portion of the contents will flow therein. The measuring
apparatus may be suspended by a bracket or hinge. When a quantity

page_text: of liquid has run into the measuring vessel it can then be lifted away
from its bracket or stand, or be so moved as to empty its contents into
the vessel intended to receive the measured liquid. The bracket may be
so constructed as to be capable of being turned, so that the measuring
vessel may reach the cocks of a barrel or other vessel on each side
thereof. The stand, frame, or cage holds the first-named vessel
firmly in an upright position, so as to prevent the liquid from being
spilt. There may be a stop-cock and funnel at the top of the measuring
vessel.
If the measuring vessel be used for measuring only one liquid, it
may be connected by a tube with the vessel holding the bulk of the
liquid to be measured; such tube is provided with a stop-cock.
One advantage of this Invention is, that it prevents the fingers of
persons from being soiled or injured when handling measures employed
for measuring small portions of fluid, such as petroleum, naptha, 1
turpentine, oil, or treacle.
The special point or feature of novelty is that of employing a plain
or graduated measure temporarily fixed upon or permanently held by a
stand or hinged bracket, which bracket is capable of being turned so as
to enable the measure to be placed under one, two, or more vessels 1
containing the bulk of the liquid or liquids to be measured, thereby
preventing the liquids being wasted and the fingers being soiled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FLETCHER, of Ilkeston, in the County of Derby, Chymist and Druggist,
send greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the E
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Fletcher, Her special
licence that I, the said William Fletcher, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Fletcher, my exe-
cutors, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Fletcher, 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 Fletcher, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
My Invention consists of apparatus arranged and combined as
follows:
:-
In or on a stand, frame, or cage is placed a vessel which may, if
desired, be marked with graduations. In the bottom of the vessel is a
stop-cock. The vessel may be opened at the top or closed by a sliding
or other lid. The measuring apparatus is placed under the barrel, tub,
cistern, or other vessel containing the bulk of the liquid to be measured,
so that the required portion of the contents will flow therein. The
measuring apparatus may be suspended by a bracket or hinge. When
a quantity of liquid has run into the measuring vessel the measuring
vessel can then be lifted away from its bracket or stand, or be so moved
as to empty its contents into the vessel intended to receive the measured
liquid. The bracket may be so constructed as to be capable of being
turned, so that the measuring vessel may reach the cocks of a barrel
or other vessel on each side thereof. The stand, frame, or cage holds
the first-named vessel firmly in an upright position, so as to prevent the
liquid from being spilt. There may be a stop-cock and funnel at the
top of the measuring vessel.

page_text: One arrangement of my improved measuring apparatus constructed
according to my Invention is shewn in front view at Figure 1, and in
side view at Figure 2.
A is a plain or ornamental bracketed stand or cage which holds a
glass or other vessel B firmly in an upright position so as to prevent the
liquid to be measured from being spilled. This vessel is made to hold.
any given quantity of liquid required to be measured, and it is marked
on the front or side thereof, so as to indicate the various quantities con-
tained therein. In the Drawings a measuring vessel is shewn of the
size required to measure one pint, by way of example, and it is graduated
to shew every eighth of a pint, but of course the vessel may be of any
required capacity and marked with any desired proportions or graduations.
The vessel may be permanently fixed to the stand, or it may be made
capable of removal for cleansing or other puposes. C is a stop-cock
fitted to the bottom of the vessel B in such manner that the whole of
the liquid may be run clearly out of the vessel when the cock is turned
for that purpose. The crutch of the stop-cock may be placed to the
right of the measuring vessel as shewn, so as to be opened and closed

page_text: by the right hand, or the crutch may be turned to the front in which
position it may be opened or closed by either hand. F is a barrel or
other vessel containing the bulk of the liquid to be measured. It is
supported on a shelf or bearing G. The bracketed stand A may be
secured by screws to the shelf or other bearing G which supports the
barrel or other vessel F, so that the said stand lies directly under the
stop-cock of the barrel or other vessel, or the bracket may be secured in
such position that the stop-cocks E, E, of two such vessels may lie over
the open mouth of the measuring vessel B, as shewn in Figure 1.
A. modification of this arrangement is shewn at Figure 3. In this
modification the measuring vessel B is supported by a handle D which
is hooked upon the stop-cock E¹ of the vessel F containing the bulk of
the liquid to be measured. The handle D is hinged at each end to the
upper ends of two vertical side pieces A and A', which are substituted
|for the upright of the bracket A, shewn at Figure 2, the mouth of the
measuring vessel lying under the cock of the vessel F. By this arrange-
|ment when a quantity of liquid has been run from such vessel F into
the measuring vessel B, such measuring vessel may, if necessary,
lifted from its suspended position and emptied through the stop-cock C
into the vessel intended to receive the measured liquid.
be
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim, the employ-
ment of a plain or graduated measuring vessel, arranged (and disposed
on a stand or bracket) substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Fletcher, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
0 Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
WILLIAM FLETCHER. (L.S.)