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What is it?

While looking for something in the workshop I came across an item that I've had for ages, but don't realy know what it's for. One of theose items that probably came in amongst a load of other stuff.

It's a smal pressure gauge (1.5") that measures 0-125 PSI. It is in a nice stainless steel case, but the odd thing is that it comes with 4 screw on adaptors that have hyperdermic needles on the end. Each needle has a length of fine wire through it, with a supply of spare bits of wire in the case.

I had guessed it was perhaps for measuring the pressure inside rubber pipes, and that the small hole made by the needle would seal itself back up when the needle was removed -perhaps the fine wire would be left behind as a marker for future measurements. But I'd love to know what it's actual use was. It is made by "consolidated pneumatic" and has a logo with BIL in it. It must be quite old as the inside of the lid has "British Made" stamped on it.

Regards Kevin

Reply to
Kevin Steele
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It is. A rubber airline hose hypodermic pressure gauge. I'm not sure what the wire is for unless it's intended to be left in the hole to seal it.

and that the small hole made by the needle would seal itself

Reply to
Dave Baker

In article , Kevin Steele writes

I'll defer to Dave's knowledge as I have no idea. However, I have been around long enough to remember that hypodermic needles, in the days when they were all steel and were re-usable (after autoclaving, if for medical use) always came in little plastic cases of 6 or 12 with fine brass wire for clearing any blockages in the needle. I still have some of these from time spent in labs in the 60s and 70s, and have occasionally found the brass wire extremely useful, as it is much finer than anything else I have. Mind you I have one huge one which probably could take a smallish brass rod... (Elephant doctoring?)

You hypothesis sounds very iffy to me, I should think it would be a major pain to get the needle back over the wire, and leaving the wire behind might even cause problems. Also quite unnecessary since, as Dave says, thick-walled rubber tubing is pretty good at self-healing. (Actually I doubt it actually heals, it's just that the pressure pushes the walls of the small hole together.)

David

Reply to
David Littlewood

Thinking about it the wire is poddibly just for clearing the needle of any plugs of rubber that might get in there.

Reply to
Dave Baker

Thanks Dave, I thought that seemed a reasonable explanation.

Regards Kev>

Reply to
Kevin Steele

For some medical applications, large hypodermic needles are used with a wire core in place to avoid cutting a core (ouch). It could be that the wires are there with these needles for the same reason.

Mike

Reply to
mike.crossfield

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