USRE2347E - Improvement in salinom eters - Google Patents

Description

' `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEe BENJAMIN F. BEE, OF HARWICH,MASSVGHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SALINOMETERS.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 51,912, dated January 9, 1866; Reissue No. 2,347, dated September 4, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BEE, of Harwich, in the county of Barnstable, in the State ofldassachusctts, have invented a new and Improved Salinometcr, to be usedin testing the density of the water in marine boilers; and I ilo-hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section, of a salinometer embodying my invention.

Previous to my invention it hasbeen customary to construct salinometers with float-vessels open at their upper ends, so that the stem of the iioat, or salinometer-glass,77 as it iscominonly called, used toindicate the density of the liquid could be seen by looking intol thc open top of the vessel. This mode of construction is'attended 'with many disadvantages, the most prominent of which are the following: 'Il-lie hot water .from the boiler eXhales steam, which, escapingfrom the open top ofthe salinometervessel, renders it difcult for the operator to note the .indications of the instrument, and as the water-level is necessarily below the topof the vessel, this position increases the difficulty of noting the indications. Moreover, the, apparatus can be used only in a place such as the boiler-room, where the escaping steam will produce nosubstantial injury, and the instrument cau be used with convenience only at intervals.

The object of my invention is to obviate the defects of preceding` apparatus of this kind 5 and it consists of the combination of a iloat so constructed as to indicate the density of the uid, with a closed vessel constructed in Whole or in part of glass, so that the indications of the tloat may be noted by looking through the transparent vessel without the necessity ot' looking into an opening in the vessel and without any attendant escape of steam.

My invention consists, further, ofcertaiu ,combinations of the said iioat and closed' vessel with other instrumentalities which enable the apparatus to be conveniently applied and used.

1he accompanying drawings represent 'a salinometer embodying my invention. In it the salinometer-vessel is composed in part of metal and in part ot' glass, apart of the vessel being formed of a metal chamber or cylinder which contains the salinometer float or glass, and a part being formed of a glass tube to receive and permit the inspection ot' the stem of the glass by looking through, instead of into, the vessel.

A in the figures is a piece of metal serving as a stock or bed, to which are attached the several parts ofthe apparatus'. It should be of such thickness and rigidity as not to bend or spring easily, in order to preserve the glass tube C from liability to leakage or fracture.

- B is a metal cylinder of sufficient capacity to contain the salinometer-glass D in common use and of sufficient lstrength to resistthe pressure employed in the boiler to which it may be attached. This cylinder is fitted at top with a stuiing-box having a screwed gland, b, to rcceive andhold the lower end ofthe glass tube C.

The hole in the bottom of the stuffing-box should be smaller than the exterior of the glass tube, so as that latter is supported by the bottom of the stuing-box.

E is the pipe for conducting the water to be tested from the boiler to the cylinder B, and is tit-ted with a cock, for the purpose`of con# trolling the dow of water into the apparatus.

F is the outlet or waste pipe, fitted with a cock for controlling the flow ot' water from `the Y apparatus. n

G is a thermometer., the bulb of which is in communication-with the Water in the cylinder and indicates the temperature of the water tested. This thermometer is secured in a case, L, which communicates with the interior ot' the cylinder B by perforations. The stem of the thermometer projects through the upper C. TherubberIis also penetrated at the center by the small tube a, at the top of which is a small conical valve, c, for regulating and preventing the escape ofthe air from the glass tube and cylinder. As it is necessary that the valve c should close perfectly ti ght, it is so constructed as to bc readily reground or cleared in case of any leakage or obstruction. For this purpose the valve-stem ris made separate from the screw-sleeve 0, so that it may revolve freely without progressing in either direction, and it is opened and closed by the screw-sleeve o. K is a light framework, serving as a guide for keeping the salinometer-glass in a central position in the vessel. It terminates at the top in several small points to lessen the friction ,and allow the glass to slide freely between them.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Commencing with the closed vessel, composed of the glass tube C and cylinder B, free of water and fllledwith atmospheric air at its ordinary pressure, close the valve e and the Waste-cock F. When this is done allow the water from the boiler to flow into the closed Vessel through the pipe E by opening thecock between the salinomcter and the boiler. rIhe air contained in the closed vessel will bie coin,- pressed into the tube C and upper portion of the cylinder B, lnorc or less, according to the pressure in the boiler; but the quantity of air contained in the closed vessel will not be sufficient] y compressed by the 'pressure usually carried in marine boilers to allow the water to appear in the glass tube. Now open the valy'e e, and allow the airfto escape until the water rises to about u, where the water-level is in plain view of the operator, and when it rises to this point close the valve c. terglass already contained in the cylinder will rise with the water and remain suspended, with its stem protruding more or less above the water-level in the glass tube, according to the saturation and temperature of the water. At the rst lling of the cylinder the water will not remain of the temperature at which the salinometers are usually graduated; but by opening the water-cockl and allowing the water to escape slowly, the communication with the boiler remaining open, the water in the apparatus may be brought to any telnper- If it be desirable that the apparatus should operate withoutintermission, so as to indicate the saturation continuously, nothing more is necessary than to adjust the Waste at F, lso

water in the apparatus to escape, and repeating the process of starting, as lbefore stated.

The advantage of this apparatus over others used for thesame purpose (some of which are denominated constant) arethat'by testi ngthe water in a closed vessel we avoid all the nuisance of escaping steam, the liability to scaldand thermometers by-which great quantities of those articles are constantly broken. For the same reason the apparatus lnay be placed at a greater distance from the boiler than the open case, and a very slight flow through itis necessary to maintain the temperature and keep the water in the closed vessel of the same density as that in the boiler. Moreover, as the vessel is closed, the apparatus may be placed in the state-rooms or other parts of a steamer in which the ordinary salinometers could not be used with advantage on account of the escape of steam froln them.

sel has been used in connection with a float constructed to indicate the height of water therein, the whole constituting a water-gage, and therefore I do not claim, broadly, the combination of a closed transparent vessel with a float of every description 5 but What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, in a salinomcter, of the closed transparent vessel for containing the liquid to be tested and a tloat for indicating the density of the liquid, these two operatin g substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a salinomcter, of the following instrumentalities, viz: the closed transparent vessel, salinonieter-ioat, supplypipe, and escape-pipe, all operating in thecombination substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a salinolneter, ofthe following instrumentalities, viz: the closed vessel, supply-pipe, escape-pipe, and air-valve at the top of the vessel, all operating in the l combination substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a salinomcter, of the following instrumentalities, viz: the closed vessel, salinometer-iloat, and guide 'for the salinometer-loat, all operating substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, ina salinomcter, of the following instrumentalities, viz: the closed vessel and closed case, communicating therewith, for the thermometer, both operating substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a sali no1ncter,ofthe vfollowing instrumentalities, viz: the closed vessel, salinorneter-tloat, and thermometer, all

operating substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a salinomcter, of the `closed vessel witli an escape-valve having the valve and screw independent of each other, so thatthe valve may be turned upon its seat to tighten the joint, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of May, A. D., 1866.

' BENJAMIN F. EBEE.

Witnesses:

WM. H. UNDERWooD, JONATHAN B. YOUNG. i

ing, and anymanipulatingof the salinometersy I am aware that a closed transparent ves!

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