US25457A - Hygrometer - Google Patents

Description

L. S; ULLMAN.

Weather indicator.

Patented Sept. 13, 1859.

Nor 25,457.

W W M M N. Pnzns. Phula-Lithagnphur, Washington. ac

FFIQE.

LOUIS S. ULLMAN, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

HYGROMETER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,457, dated September 13, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS S. ULLMAN, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Hygrometer, which I term the Oriental and Occidental WVeather-Indicator; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a front view. Fig. 2 is a central section. Fig. 3 is a view of the capsule and tail-like appendage of the Arabian plant known as chahajin or chahan constituting the principal portion of the instrument, and represented in the natural condition.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Certain plants, as the chahajin or chahan of Arabia represented in the accompanying drawing, and the Geranium eroclium well known in this country and in Europe, have attached to their capsules a tail-like appendage, part of which is naturally of a spiral form, and tends to unwind itself, or wind itself up as the atmosphere in which it is exposed becomes more or less moist.

My invention consists in the construction of a hygrometer of convenient form by combining an index, or its equivalent, and a graduated dial or scale in any manner, substantially as hereinafter described, with the capsule and spiral tail-like appendage of the above specified plants.

The drawing represents the most convenient form of my improved hygrometer and after describing that form a few remarks will suflice to explain the other form that may be adopted.

A, is a box which may be of brass, or other metal, wood or other substance, made with a solid back a, but with a movable glazed front B, around the interior of which is an open dial plate or ring I), graduated in any suitable or convenient manner. This box must have one or more suitable openings 7', in the sides or other part for the admission of air.

0 (Z 6, is the sensitive portion of the hygrometer; 0, being the capsule; (Z, the spiral portion of its tail-like appendage, and e,

i the extreme portion of the said appendage which is not twisted. The portion 6, is firmly secured by wax or cement or by any other means to the back a, of the box, in such a manner that the capsule, and the spiral portion project forward in the center of the box perpendicularly to the sides and front thereof.

7, is the index having a hole in its center which fits tightly on the capsule o.

g, is a small collet secured to a frame upon the glass it, of the front of the box to receive the front extremity of the capsule and prevent its lateral displacement. This collet is large enough for the capsule to work freely within it.

2', is a plate secured to the interior of the back of the box for the purpose of covering up the portion 6, and giving a finished appearance to the interior of the instrument.

As the spiral portion (Z, of the plant winds up, or unwinds itself with the changes in the hygrometric condition of the atmosphere the capsule 0, having the index attached is caused to turn back and forth, and if the dial is properly graduated the index will indicate the degree of moisture in the atmosphere, and so foretell changes of weather. The dial, besides being graduated, or instead of being graduated, may be marked in any manner that will be best understood for the purpose of indicating the changes of weather.

Instead of attaching an index to the capsule to indicate upon a dial or circular scale, a small weight may be suspended from a thread which is attached to, and wound around the capsule, and the said weight having a vertical scale arranged near it will ascend and descend the said scale as its suspending thread is wound up or unwound by the action of the spiral portion cl, upon the capsule c. The suspended weight may work within a glass tube having a properly graduated scale placed at the back of it. The suspended weight is an equivalent for the index f, and the vertical scale the equivalent for the dial or circular scale 6.

I do not claim the combination of an index with a vegetable substance twisted by art. Neither do I claim the use of the naturally spiral portions of plants when not applied, as I have described, in combination With dials and indices or their equivalents. index and dial, or their equivalents, substan- But tially as herein described to constitute a What I claim as my invention, and desire hygrometer.

to secure by Letters Patent, is LOUIS S. ULLMAN.

The combination of the capsule and Witnesses:

naturally spiral tail-like appendage of W. H. BURY,

either of the plants herein specified With an R. A. CAMPBELL.

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