Automatic viscometer and process of using same

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC VISCOMETER WHICH COMPRISES (1) A VERTICAL, LIGHT TRANSPARENT CAPILLARY TUBE, (2) A FIRST LIGHT SOURCE POSITIONED NEAR THE LOWER END OF SAID CAPILARY TUBE AND DISPOSED TO TRANSMIT LIGHT BEAMS SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF, (3) A FIRST PHOTOELECTRIC CELL POSITIONED TO RECEIVE LIGHT BEAMS FROM SAID FIRST LIGHT SOURCE AFTER PASSING THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID CAPILLARY TUBE, SAID FIRST LIGHT SOURCE AND SAID FIRST PHOTOELECTRIC CELL TOGETHER CONSTITUTING A FIRST DETECTOR PAIR, (4) A SECOND DETECTOR PAIR POSITIONED AT A MIDDLE LOCATION WITH REFERENCE TO SAID CAPILLARY TUBE, (5) A THIRD DETECTOR PAIR POSITIONED AT AN UPPER LOCATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID CAPILLARY TUBE, (6) A FIRST CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID CAPILLARY TUBE ABOVE SAID THIRD DETECTOR PAIR WHERETHROUGH SAID TUBE MAY BE EVACUATED TO DRAW UP THEREINTO A LIQUID OF WHICH THE VISCOSITY IS TO BE DETERMINED, (7) VALVE MEANS IN SAID FIRST CONDUIT WHEREBY THE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID FIRST CONDUIT MAY BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY CLOSED, (8) A SECOND CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID CAPILLARY TUBE ABOVE SAID THIRD DETECTOR PAIR WHERETHROUGH SAID TUBE MAY BE VENTED TO LET FALL THEREIN A LIQUID OF WHICH THE VISCOSITY IS TO BE DETERMINED, (9) VALVE MEANS IN SAID SECOND CONDUIT WHEREBY THE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID SECOND CONDUIT MAY BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY CLOSED, A MANIFOLD WHEREBY THE FIRST AND SECOND CONDUITS MAY BE SELECTIVELY CONNECTED TO THE CAPILLARY TUBE, (10) FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS ADAPTED TO CONVERT ELECTRICAL INPUT SIGNALS INTO LAPSED TIME DATA, (11) ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DETECTOR PAIRS AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS WHEREBY INPUT SIGNALS CORRESPONDING TO OUTPUT SIGNALS FROM THE PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DETECTOR PAIRS MAY BE IMPOSED UPON SAID FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS, (12) ELECTRICAL ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE MEANS IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUITS, (13) A THIRD SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS ADAPTED TO CONVERT ELECTRICAL INPUT SIGNALS INTO POWER OUTPUTS, SAID THIRD SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID ELECTRICAL ACTUATING MEANS TO IMPOSE SAID POWER OUTPUTS THEREUPON WHEREBY SAID VALVE MEANS IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUITS MAY BE ACTUATED IN DIRECTIONS TO CLOSE THE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID FIRST CONDUIT AND OPEN THE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID SECOND CONDUIT, AND (14) ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PHOTOELECTRIC CELL OF SAID THIRD DETECTOR PAIR AND SAID THIRD SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS WHEREBY INPUT SIGNALS CORRESPONDING TO OUTPUT SIGNALS FROM THE PHOTOELECTRIC CELL OF SAID THIRD DETECTOR PAIR MAY BE IMPOSED UPON SAID THIRD SERIES OF AMPLIFIERS AND RELAYS.