US462837A

US462837A - Indicating device for water-tanks

Info

Publication number: US462837A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1908-11-10

Description

G. M. DAVIS.

INDIOAT E FOR WATER TANKS.

' Patented Nov. 10,1891.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. DAVIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INDICATING DEVICE FOR WATER-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,837, dated November 10, 1891.

Application filed February 19, 1891. Serial No. 382,049. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Indicating Device for IVat-er-Tanks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, that will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to providea device to indicate the volume of water contained in a tank or reservoir located in the upper part of a building, the indicator being placed in the lower part or basement convenient to the engineer or other attendant. By means of my arrangement the height of the water is known at a glance, no matter what the intervening distance may be between the tank and indicator.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a practical application of my device, and Fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal section of the indicator.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a water-tight cylinder placed in a vertical position; B, a traveling piston or diaphragm located therein, and C a spiral spring placed inside of said cylinder, one end resting on the bottom thereof and the opposite end bearing against the under side of the piston, as shown. The piston consists of two conoavo-convex disks a a, with the flexible packing a clamped between, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper disk at is of a less diameter than the lower companion disk, so that the annular edge of the packing may be turned upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and thereby increase its bearingsurface 011 the interior wall of the inclosingcylinder, so as to form a water-tight joint without causing so much friction as to prevent a free movement of the piston. The lower end of the indicating-rod b is secured in the upper side of the piston and extends up into the glass tube Z), properly mounted on the upper end of the indicator inclosed by the metal tube 12 which is cut away on the front side, as at 17 thereby exposing the corresponding front of the glass tube and preper end of the main reservoir, and is connected thereto by the tube (Z.

The water-pipe G connects the lower end of the auxiliary reservoir with the upper end of the indicator-cylinder. The purpose of the small auxiliary reservoir is to maintain a constant excess pressure on the upper side of the traveling piston. By this arrangement the indicator is connected to the main reservoir by two columns of a different pressure. This pressure is of course variable, very little, however, between the upper end of the indicator and the top of the main reservoir, as the auxiliary reservoir will be nearly always full, as the volume contained therein will be lessened only a little when the water in the main reservoir is lowered and the piston 011 the downstroke. The auxiliary reservoir will therefore maintain a constant and uniform head. The pressure or head through the under side of the indicator will of course vary in a greater degree in accordance with the volume of water in the main reservoir. The spring serves the purpose of balancing the difference in pressure between the two columns. The weight or tension of this spring must be determined by the vertical dimensions of the tank and the piston area of the indicator. The lugs g 9 provide means for securing the indicator to some stationary ob ject.

IVhen the indicator is placed in position the cylinder must be filled with water on both sides of the piston. Now, as the waterin the tank or mainreservoir lowers, the piston moves downwardly, and when refilled it moves in the opposite direction, which movement is made apparent by the corresponding movement of the indicating-rod in the glass tube and the height of the water in the reservoir, known at a glance; As the piston moves upwardly, the excess or overflow will escape into the tank through the tubular contiuua- 7 tion connecting the tank and auxiliary reservoir.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an indicator of the character described, the combination, with a water-tight cylinder having a glass tube mounted thereon, of a traveling piston. located in said cylinder and carrying an indicating-rod, which extends into said tube or chamber, a spring bearing against said piston, a tank vor reservolr, the water-pipes connecting the respect- GEORGE M. DAVIS. Witnesses:

L. M. FREEMAN, L. B. COUPLAND.