Aneroid Barometer

Aneroid Barometer
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANEROID BAROMETERS
THE general principle of construction of all aneroids is the same. A

box with flexible sides, hermetically sealed, the air having been first
exhausted, changes its form as the pressure of the atmosphere
.varies
The chief differences in the various kinds lie in the mechanical

devices, by which the motions of the box are rendered apparent to
the eye, and also measured in such a manner as to allow the
.corresponding pressures to be expressed in inches of mercury
The aneroid was invented about the beginning of this century, but
was first made of a serviceable form by Vidi, in 1848. It is
substantially the form most used today. The vacuum box is a thin
low cylinder, and the motion of the thin flexible head of the cylinder
is conveyed by suitable mechanism to the index hand. Vidi's aneroid
is shown in Fig. 1. D is the vacuum box, supporting the upright pillar
M upon its center. As M rises or falls, a corresponding motion is
given to the plate C. A counter pressure is afforded by the spiral
spring S. The motion of C is conveyed by the links 1 and 2 to a little
rocker shaft, shown in the figure. An arm, 3, attached to this shaft is
connected by a minute chain with the shaft which carries the index
pointer. It is kept wound to the proper tension about this shaft by a
.fine spiral hair spring
.A modification of this is shown in Figs. 2 and 3
This is Naudet's aneroid. It differs from Vidi's in the substitution of

the thin laminated spring (B in frontispiece) for the spiral spring (S
.(in Fig. 1
One of the oldest forms of box barometer and the one to which the
name aneroid is restricted by some writers, is represented in Fig. 4.
A rectangular tube, from which the air has been perfectly
exhausted, is sealed hermetically, and, having been bent into the
form represented in the figure by cbd, is made fast at the middle
point b. The varying pressure of the atmosphere causes the
extremities c and d to approach or recede from each other. This
motion is converted into a to-and-fro traverse of the
.index, by a mechanism sufficiently well exhibited by the diagram
This is known as Bourdon's form. It is not now employed for delicate

work. The forms of Vidi and Naudet are, by some writers, designated
.the holosteric barometers
The graduation of these instruments is made to correspond with the
height of the mercurial barometer, and is expressed as inches or
.millimeters
The difficulties to be met by the maker, in securing accuracy of

working, are those which arise chiefly from the varying elasticity of
the several metallic elements under change of temperature. Greater
simplicity of construction might be presumed to be attended with a
smaller liability to a kind of error, for which it exceedingly difficult to
.compensate. This is the theory of the Goldschmid Aneroid
The instrument designed for ordinary engineering use is

represented by Fig. 5. The size recommended by the present
makers for this service is 3.125 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches
.high
The construction is exhibited by Fig. 6. The vacuum box,

constructed as before described, is shown at aa. The motions of the
box, caused by variations of atmospheric pressure, are conveyed
directly to the lever, whose fulcrum is at e", and whose free end is
at e. This end, projecting through the side of the casing and working
freely through a slot, is observed with a magnifying lens, and the
reading on the index ff taken. But it is evident that the lever,
working with proper ease on its fulcrum, must be supplied with a
certain amount of counter pressure. This is ingeniously done by aid
of the delicate spring e', which is attached to the lever near the
fulcrum. Bearing on the spring is the point of the micrometer screw
M, whose head is graduated to hundredths and forms the top of the
case. Both lever and spring are furnished at their extremities with
bright metal heads, whose end surfaces lie in the same plane. The
head e' is, under ordinary conditions, higher than e, as shown in Fig.
6. When a reading is to be taken the top of the case is turned until
e' and e are side by side ; the horizontal marks borne on the
metallic heads being brought to an exact coincidence by aid of a
lens (P in Fig. 5). The reading of the Inches is taken from the scale
ff, and of the hundredths from the divisions on the scale around the
top of the box T ; a fixed point c being marked on the cylinder. In
.figure 7 the indices exhibit a reading of 29.75 inches
.The thermometer F is an important part of the instrument
In some of these instruments the scale ff bears no reference to the

inches of the mercurial barometer, but is of an arbitrary character,
and is different for different instruments. The value of the divisions
is determined by comparison with standard instruments, and is
.carefully expressed in tabular form on the cover of the box
THE USE OF ANEROID BAROMETERS
The Aneroid, like the Mercurial barometer may be used either as a

weather indicator or in the measurement of altitudes. When used in
the former capacity, the Aneroid, especially at sea, possesses some
obvious advantages. Aside from its superior compactness of form
and its portability, it responds more readily to the changes in
atmospheric pressure than the Mercury column, and thereby serves
.more efficiently to warn the mariner of sudden tempests
The words Rain Change Fair seen stamped or engraved on the dial
of many barometers have, of course, no special significance, and
are now rarely seen on first-class instruments of either kind. The
probable changes of weather indicated by changes of the barometer
: are briefly set forth in the following
RULES FOR FORETELLING THE WEATHER
A Rising Barometer
.A "rapid" rise indicates unsettled weather
A "gradual" rise indicates settled
.weather
A " rise" with dry air, and cold increasing in summer, indicates wind
from Northward ; and if rain has fallen better weather is to be
.expected
A "rise" with moist air, and a low temperature, indicates wind and
.rain from Northward
.A " rise" with southerly wind indicates fine weather
A Steady Barometer
With dry air and seasonable temperature, indicates a continuance of

very fine
.weather
A Falling Barometer
.A "rapid" fall indicates stormy weather

A "rapid" fall, with westerly wind, indicates stormy weather from
.Northward
A "fall," with a northerly wind, indicates storm, with rain and hail in
.summer, and snow in winter
A "fall," with increased moisture in the air, and the heat increasing,
indicates
.wind and rain from Southward
.A " fall" with dry air and cold increasing (in winter) indicates snow
A "fall" after very calm and warm weather indicates rain with squally
.weather
It does not require the highest quality in the mechanism of an Aneroid to

.serve the purpose indicated in the above rules
For the accurate measurement of differences of altitude, however, the

best skill in construction and the most careful adjustment of the parts is
indispensably necessary. The use of an Aneroid of even medium quality
will frequently lead to considerable errors in estimating heights. It may
also be added here that instruments of the best manufacture in
the hands of observers unacquainted with the principles involved, will
often lead to erroneous conclusions. This is owing in many cases to a
method adopted by some makers of adding a circle marked feet outside of
.the common graduation to inches of mercury
Many tourists carry Aneroids of the pocket size, and consult them
frequently while traveling, relying upon a single observation of the index
.for the determination of their altitude
If such a circle of feet be engraved on the dial plate with the zero mark
made to correspond with 30 inches of the mercury column, of course
every estimate of altitude made as above mentioned assumes that at the
moment of observation ; the barometer at the level of the sea would stand
exactly at 30 inches ; a condition only realized occasionally. And the
further condition is also assumed, that the temperature of the air is of no
account in estimating heights; an assumption equally at variance with
.fact
It is only an inferior class of Aneroids that bear a fixed graduated circle of

.feet, with the zero of altitude corresponding to 30 inches of pressure
Prof. Airy, the former Astronomer Royal of Great Britain, prepared a table
for the use of barometer makers a scale from which is now engraved on
many English Aneroids. It places the zero of altitude at 31 inches of
pressure. This affords such large numbers for slight elevations that the
proper use of the rule is suggested to the observer. He is led to subtract
the two readings of feet to get difference in height. But this again assumes
.that the average temperature is 50 F
Some makers, designing to improve upon the simple construction just

described, have engraved the outer circle of feet on a movable ring
encircling the dial, so that when an observer is at any locality whose
height is known, he may bring the proper mark of the altitude scale
against the index pointer. Then if the observer travels about over a section
of country, the pointer will indicate with fair approximation for some hours
.the altitude of the new positions

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How do different types of aneroid barometers work?

How do different types of aneroid barometers work?

What are some common issues with using aneroid barometers to measure altitude?

What are some common issues with using aneroid barometers to measure altitude?

Aneroid Barometer

THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANEROID BAROMETERS

THE general principle of construction of all aneroids is the same. A

The chief differences in the various kinds lie in the mechanical

This is Naudet's aneroid. It differs from Vidi's in the substitution of

This is known as Bourdon's form. It is not now employed for delicate

The difficulties to be met by the maker, in securing accuracy of

The instrument designed for ordinary engineering use is

The construction is exhibited by Fig. 6. The vacuum box,

.The thermometer F is an important part of the instrument

In some of these instruments the scale ff bears no reference to the

THE USE OF ANEROID BAROMETERS

The Aneroid, like the Mercurial barometer may be used either as a

RULES FOR FORETELLING THE WEATHER

With dry air and seasonable temperature, indicates a continuance of

.A "rapid" fall indicates stormy weather

It does not require the highest quality in the mechanism of an Aneroid to

For the accurate measurement of differences of altitude, however, the

It is only an inferior class of Aneroids that bear a fixed graduated circle of

Some makers, designing to improve upon the simple construction just

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