IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO APPA- RATUS OR MECHANISM FOR MEASURING AND REGULATING THE FLOW OF GAS, AND IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING PARTS THEREOF
Year: 1856

page_text: Totection, out notice
proceed with the
application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.):
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clibran and Joseph
Clibran at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 20th February 1856.
We, WILLIAM CLIBRAN and JOSEPH CLIBRAN, of the City of Manchester,
Machinists and Manufacturers of Gas Regulators, do hereby declaré the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO APPA-
RATUS OR MECHANISM FOR MEASURING AND REGULATING THE FLOW OF GAS, AND IN
THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING PARTS THEREOF," to be as follows: "..
Firstly, our improvements consist in adapting gas regulators, so that they
may be used and made to serve the purpose of a "stop-cock," by fitting the
valve of the regulator, so that when close to its seat or facing; it will effectually
stop the passage of 'gas, and by arranging mechanism (such as a screw, lever.
weight, or spring,) which will keep it close against its seat or facing when the
gas is required to be shut off, but which will leave it at perfect liberty to regulate
the pressure of the.gas when it is required for consumption.
Secondly, in applying and arranging a. valve in one of the gas passages of
gas regulators, to answer the purpose of a stop-cock.
Thirdly, in the arrangement of a "gas regulator" apparatus, to be worked
by water that will not require frequent attention, which consists in employing

page_text: a small case similar in form to a gasometer, arranged in a closed vessel con-
taining water, in the same manner as a gasometer, but so that the pressure
of the gas instead of acting upon the interior to force it out of the water,
acts on the exterior of it, tending to sink it in the water. This "case" is
connected to the spindle of a valve, which has its seating or facing in a
chamber above the case, into which chamber the gas is admitted. The
"case" has float attached to its lower end, sufficiently buoyant to support
the weight of the "case," valve spindle, and valve attached thereto, and to
resist the pressure of the gas acting upon it, and thus keep open the valve as
long as the pressure does not exceed the required amount. To prevent resist-
ance to the movement of the "case," by the air contained in its interior above
the surface of the water, a pipe is arranged to communicate with the interior
of the case and the atmosphere, so that the air within it may have a free pas-
sage to and from it on its rise or fall. This pipe extends above the water line,
and acts as well as a guide to the case being placed in its axis. An increase
or decrease in the depth of the water does not materially affect the action of
this regulator as long as the float is submerged, as its buoyant power is only
increased or decreased by the depth of the water in proportion to the differ-
ence between the weight of the material in that portion of the "case"
submerged above the float and the water displaced by it; the "case" being
very thin, this difference is but small in amount. On this account the regulator
will require but little attention, as a great depth of water may be employed, but
when deficient, it will give warning by stopping the supply of gas, but before
the deficiency will allow any escape of the gas.
Fourthly, in applying to and combining with gas meters a "gas regulator,"
worked by the water of the meter or by water in connection with that in the
meter. This we accomplish by a gas regulator, arranged in a manner similar
to that described under the second head of our improvements...
Fifthly, in combining with a gas meter a gas regulator, which will also
serve the purpose of the stop valve' employed in that class of meters denomi-
nated "wet meters," to shut off the supply of gas to the meter when the
water gets too low. This we accomplish by arranging the gas regulator,
mentioned under the second and third heads of our improvements, in the
place of the stop valve and float of the "wet meter," and in such manner
that its float will cease to be submerged when the water in the meter gets
below the point fixed upon.
Si .thly, in arranging the combination described under the fourth head of
our improvements, so that the valve therein acting as a "regulator" and stop

page_text: valve, may be made also to answer as the stop-cock, accomplished by means
of similar mechanism to that referred to for this purpose under the first head
of our Invention.
Seventhly and lastly, in the arrangement and mode of constructing gas
regulators of such small proportions, that it will be found advantageous to
apply them to regulate the supply of gas to single lights, such as the street
lamps. This we accomplish by a simple arrangement of the parts, by reducing
their size and weight, and by drilling the gas passages and making the receiver
of thin metal, which may be made from flat discs of metal, shaped to the form
required by being forced through holes.