Patent ID: 8869600

Claim:
A viscometer comprising: a measuring bushing; a cylindrical piston slidably receivable inside the measuring bushing, the piston having a first section and a second section, wherein a circumferential edge of the first section of the piston is rounded or beveled and a bottom surface of the first section of the piston is flat, a height of the first section is less than that of the second section, and a width of the first section is greater than that of the second section; a lifting mechanism in communication with the piston and a piston rod, the lifting mechanism configured to raise the piston to an upper piston position, upon instruction from a controller, wherein fluid is drawn into the measuring bushing by raising the piston; the controller configured to maintain the piston in a raised position for a pre-programmed time, after which the controller allows the piston to fall by the force of gravity at an angle that is greater than zero; and a switch mounted proximate to the piston and the piston rod, wherein the switch senses when the piston reaches a lower piston position, wherein a time taken for the piston to travel from the upper piston position to the lower piston position is a direct function of the viscosity of fluid received in the measuring bushing.