move the cock or valve freely, when acting upon the ends of the reciprocating lever h.

To ascertain and register the specific gravity of fluids in transit, I suspend or fix a cistern or vessel upon the end of a beam or balance, having the pipes which convey the fluid to and from the said vessel extended to the centre line of the balance, and there united to the conveyance pipes by two flexible joints. To the opposite end of the said beam a weight is suspended, capable of balancing the cistern when filled with a fluid of the mean specific gravity of that particular fluid which it is intended to be assayed.

To any convenient part between the centre of the beam and the end, I suspend or attach a plunger of glass, ivory, or other suitable material, a part of which is immersed in mercury, so that if the fluid in the cistern be heavier or lighter than the balance weight at the opposite end, the equilibrium will be restored by the immersion or emersion of a portion of the plunger; the point at which the beam will be in equipoise will therefore be expressive of the specific gravity of the fluid contained in the cistern or vessel.

For the purpose of ascertaining and registering the temperature of fluids in transit, I construct what I call an operative thermometer, by uniting several discs or circular plates of thin copper or brass alternately by their edges and middles; through the centre of the united plates I make a small hole, which forms a communication through the whole series of discs, and constitutes a metallic cellular vessel, capable of some degree of expansion and contraction by the elasticity of the plates of metal; this vessel is united to a coil of pipes capable of containing from 50 to 300 times more than the contents of the cellular vessel or discs. I fill the coil of pipes and the cellular vessel with spirits of wine, linseed oil, or any other suitable fluid possessing sufficient expansibility by heat, and close the same perfectly tight. The coil is then inclosed in a cistern or chamber, through which that fluid passes, the temperature of which is to be ascertained, and in its transit communicates its temperature to the fluid contained in the coil, and causes an expansion or contraction of its volume (similar to that in the mercury of an ordinary thermometer), which increase or diminution is forced into the cellular vessel, or drawn from it, and will cause it to expand or contract accordingly, and thereby express the temperature of the fluid surrounding the coil contained in the cistern or chamber.

Having explained the respective methods by which I ascertain the quantity, specific gravity, and temperature, I now proceed to describe and ascertain the manner in which they are combined, and constitute one machine, apparatus, or instrument (as shown by fig.3,) the particulars of which are more clearly exhibited in figs. 4, 5, and 6, in all of which the respective parts are represented by the same letter or letters.

I construct a frame or balance ▲ A B B, figs. 3 and 4, which is suspended on the centres a b. To the end a of the said frame or balance is fixed the cistern c, with the operative thermometer E, also the measurer D, (as already described in fig. 1.)

From the exit branch of the cock is extended a bended pipe c, terminating against or upon the centre line or axis, within the balance frame, in a glass mouthpiece, covering the end of a perpendicular pipe of glass d, standing up in the middle of a cup of mercury e, in which the mouthpiece is inserted so far as to resist the statical pressure of the fluid within.

Another pipe g connects the eistern c with the induction branch of the cock, through which the fluid enters the cylinder D. Another pipe k extends from the cistern to the centre line of the balance frame, and there terminates in a glass mouthpiece inserted in a cup of mercury, in all respects like that already described, only connected with the induction pipe f

I attach to the balance frame, as at 7, a plunger m, suited in its shape and section to the nature of the fluid it is intended to weigh or assay, which plunger is inserted in the mercury contained in the cup n. To the end в of the balance is attached a weight sufficient to counterpoise the end a with its appendages, when filled with fluid of the mean specific gravity of that for which the machine is intended. It will now be manifest, that if the machine be thus constituted, and spirituous liquor be poured through the pipe f. it will fill the chamber c, and then through the pipe g will fill the ends of the cylinder alternately, and will ultimately run out at the pipe P. That the air may be perfectly expelled from the machine when it is set to work, the cock P must be shut, and the small air cocks q q in the pipes c and k opened, until a small quantity of the liquor rises through them, when they must be shut and the cock p opened; the machine being supplied with spirituous liquor will, by the number of the strokes of the piston, indicate the quantity passed through the machine. The preponderance of either end of the balance frame indicated by the pointer on the scale r, will express the specific gravity of the liquor; and the thermometer E will, by its expansion or contraction, indicate the temperature of the liquor as it passed.

I will now describe the manner in which these particulars, viz. the quantity, specific gravity, and temperature, are registered. I construct upon the sector of the cock or the valve a pair of pallets, which work into and turn round, tooth by tooth, the wheel r upon the end of the shaft s, which extends to the centre line of the balance frame, (see figs. 1 and 2,), and there by a screw communicates motion to the wheel t and the cylinder u, on the outside of which is fixed a paper, fig. 4. This cylinder is supported upon two centre points, screwed into the top and bottom of the cylinder frame F G, fig. 6. Into the same frame, and in the centre line of the balance frame, are fixed two guides, w and x, with internal grooves, as shown in the plan, fig. 4,) to guide two pencils parallel with the surface of the paper, to indicate the mperature and specific gravity.

At a short distance from the lower end of the cylinder is suspended the lever v, into which is fastened a pencil pressing against the surface of the paper on the cylinder. From the middle part of the lever extends upwards a rod and loop, which rest upon a small cam or eccentric on the shafts, which by every revolution raises the

pencil of the lever v a short distance, and letting it fall again, makes upon the paper an indented line thus, expressive of so many gallons or other specific measures, according to the capacity of the measuring cylinder, and the number of teeth in the wheel r.

Near to the upper part of the cylinder another pencil is fixed into a socket easily moveable between the guides w and x, and occupying the grooves nearest to the cylinder u; this socket is connected by a rod to the end of the lever н, which communicates motion by the expansion or contraction of the thermometer E to the pencil, which will describe upon the revolving paper a line expressive of the temperature of the liquor, of which the lever v marks the quantity. Another pencil is fixed into a socket easily moveable between the guides w and , and occupying the grooves farthest from the cylinder u; this pencil is connected by the connecting rod ≈ to the lever 1, supported upon the upper end of 7. The other end of the lever i is attached to the fixed point y by the rod i. Then, as either end of the balance frame preponderates, the lever i will move the pencil between the guides w and a, and upon the revolving paper will describe a line more or less elevated, expressive of the specific gravity of the liquor, the quantity of which is marked immediately

under.

I

The paper, before it is put upon the cylinder, I rule with lines suited to the strength and temperature of the liquor to be assayed : thus, to express the specific gravity of spirits, I draw a strong line at the same height from the bottom of the paper as the pencil of the machine would mark, if the machine were filled with proof spirits.

Also, to show the temperature by ruling a strong line at the height where the machine would mark 60 degrees Fahrenheit; then, on each side of these lines at proper distances, I draw parallel lines, expressive of the higher and lower degrees of the specific gravity and temperature, which may be found practically useful.

The value of the lines drawn by the machine are rendered easily determinable by their falling between or intersecting these preparatory lines of known import.

In the application of part or parts of this invention to other purposes, I construct an instrument by combining the motion of the balance frame and that of the operative thermometer to affect oue index or pencil, and to indicate or register the strength of the spirits, as if the whole were sampled at one temperature; for which purpose I divide the portion of the plunger m, fig. 7, which I intend shall work in and out of the mercury, into 100 equal parts, with subdivisions, by which all the varieties of specific gravity, from distilled water to alcohol, shall be indicated.

I then construct another plunger, (which I distinguish from the other by the appellation of the compensation plunger,) of the same length, and divide it in the same manner, and I make its sections at these divisions proportionate to the expansibility (by heat) of spirits. of the various specific gravities expressed by these divisions. The compensation plunger works in the same cup with the other plunger, and is attached to the lever a b, fig. 7, the fulcrum of which is in the