IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BURNERS AND REGULATORS FOR GOVERNING OR CON- TROLLING THE SUPPLY OR PRESSURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lorimer Corbett, of Glasgow, in the County of
"
Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of 'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BURNERS AND REGULATORS FOR GOVERNING OR CON-
TROLLING THE SUPPLY OR PRESSURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lorimer Corbett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th December 1880.
JOHN LORIMER CORBETT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BURNERS AND REGULATORS FOR
GOVERNING OR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OR PRESSURE OF ILLUMINATING
GAS."
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple, reliable, and efficient means
of controlling or governing the supply and pressure of gas for public and private
purposes, and this object is obtained by the use in combination with gas burners
of a new construction of regulator in which the present improvements consist.
Under one modification of the Invention or improvements this gas regulator
comprises a small tube or cylinder, preferably of glass, fitted in a ring or ferrule at
each end, the lower end terminating in a conical tube to fit in a socket of the gas
bracket in the same manner as an ordinary burner. The upper ring or ferrule is
fitted with an annular packing of asbestos, cork, or other non-conductor of heat,
and a gas burner of any of the ordinary forms is fitted therein, the non-conducting
material being provided to prevent heating of the glass. Into the glass tube are
inserted one, two, or more small thin loosely fitting dises or plates, which are made of
of platinum or other metal, preferably non-corrosive, or of talc, or carbon, or even paper
or glass. These discs are pierced centrally with holes, which, when there are
several discs, are made smaller in the lower than in those above, so that when all
lying in the bottom of the tube these holes form a single conical opening through
the discs. The lower discs are also by preference made heavier than the upper
ones, and when the gas is admitted through the glass tube to the burner all the
discs are slightly raised, and one or more of the lighter discs are raised up by the
pressure of the gas to lie flat against a shoulder formed on the upper ring or ferrule,
or on the flat under surface of the asbestos or cork packing, or a plate fixed to
this. The number of discs fully raised will depend on the pressure of the gas

page_text: supply, and as the size of aperture for the passage of the gas in the discs at the top
of the tube will become smaller as the lower discs are raised to cover those above,
the increased velocity of the the gas due to the higher pressures will be counter-
balanced by the lessening of the admission orifice through the discs, and thus the
supply of gas to the burner is regulated or maintained constant.
In other modifications of the improved gas regulator the tube or casing may be
made entirely of glass with the burner inserted in an annular packing of non-
conducting material between it and the glass; or it may be made of a simple
metal tube with a tapered or conical lower end, and fitted with an inner collar or
shoulder, or contracted below to support the pierced discs, while the discs would be
raised by the pressure of the gas to cover the lower end of the burner inserted
above or to lie against a ring fitted round it. The lower discs may also be pierced
with other small holes to allow the gas to pass through while they are only
partially raised, but which close up against the upper discs to prevent the passage
of gas otherwise than through the central hole when the gas pressure raises them
fully.
In some cases also the lowest disc.may not be perforated or may only have holes
pierced on either side of the centre, so that it allows the gas to pass freely to
supply the burner when in its lower position with a normal pressure, but if the
burner should be accidentally removed or knocked out of its socket, the sudden
rush or velocity of gas tending to escape will close up this disc against the central
aperture in the disc above and entirely stop the supply.
In another modified construction of the improved regulator a central spindle is
fitted to pass up through the disc in the tubular casing, and this spindle is
preferably made conical or tapered, being of less diameter at the bottom than
above. In this arrangement the size of central opening in the lowest disc will be
such as to fit close around the spindle when it is fully raised, and then either
partially or entirely stop the passage of gas, while in its lowest position it allows it
to pass freely. Small holes may also be pierced on either side of the centre of
the discs or through a hole pierced through a shoulder on the spindle when it is
not desirable that the entire flow of the gas should be regulated by the central
openings.
By a modification of this construction of regulator with tapered central spindle
the lower disc is made cup-shaped or in the form of a hollow piston open on the
under side, and in the highest position to which it can be raised this piston cuts
off the supply of gas through its central opening. A fixed disc or plate pierced
with one, two, or more holes is fitted at the upper end of the tubular casing, and
an intermediate disc similarly pierced is provided, which in its normal position is
kept by its own weight down off the face of the uppermost fixed disc by means of
a pin passing through an enlargement or shoulder on the central spindle. This
intermediate disc has a tubular part or deep annular ring formed at the centre
which is slotted for the passage of the pin through the spindle and to allow the
disc to rise past the spindle while being guided by it. When the pressure of the
gas is too great for the supply desired, the lower cup disc or piston is raised until
it touches the lower edge of the annular rim on the intermediate disc, and if the
pressure is not extreme the intermediate disc is not raised, but if the pressure is
excessive the weight of the intermediate disc is also overcome, and it is raised till
it comes in contact or lies fairly on the upper fixed disc. The pierced openings in
the intermediate disc then partially cover those in the fixed disc above, and the
supply of gas is thereby reduced or regulated.
Instead of fitting the regulator to control the supply of gas to single burners, it
may be applied or fitted at any convenient part of the supply pipe for a whole
house or district to govern the supply of gas to all the burners of the house or
district, and maintain a constant pressure for these burners independent of the
pressure at the supplying gasometer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Lorimer Corbett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th June 1881.
«
JOHN LORIMER CORBETT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BURNERS AND REGULATORS FOR
GOVERNING OR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OR PRESSURE OF ILLUMINATING
GAS."
The object of my said Invention is to provide a simple, reliable, and efficient
means of controlling or governing the supply and pressure of gas for public and
private purposes, and this object is obtained by the use in combination with
gas burners of a new construction of regulator, in which the present improvements
consist.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended for that purpose a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings representing several modifications of my improved gas
regulators and burners, which I shall now describe. These Drawings are all made
to an enlarged scale for convenience of showing the smaller parts of the regulators
and burners; and like parts are indicated by the same reference letters in the
various Figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a modification of my improved gas regulators
combined with an ordinary burner; Figure 2 is a horizontal section at the line 1-1
in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows detached the discs which I employ for regulating
the passage of gas to the burner; Figures 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16 are vertical sections
of different modifications of my improved gas regulators; Figures 5, 8, 11, 14, and
17 respectively are plan views of the same; and Figures 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 are
views showing the forms of regulating discs used with these regulators. Figures 19
and 20 are vertical sections of modifications of gas burners fitted with my improved
regulating appliances.
Referring to the modifications shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the gas regulator
comprises a small tube or cylinder A, preferably of glass, fitted in a ring or
ferrule a, a, at each end, the lower end or holding ferrule a¹ terminating in a
conical tube A' to fit in the socket of a gas bracket in the same manner as an
ordinary burner. The upper ring or ferrule is fitted with an annular packing of
asbestos, cork, or other non-conductor of heat C, and a gas burner B of any of the
ordinary forms is fitted therein, the non-conducting material C being provided to
prevent heating of the glass A. Into the glass tube A are inserted one, two, or more
small, thin, loosely fitting discs or plates D, D', D2, which are made of platinum or other
metal, preferably non-corrosive, or of talc or carbon, or even paper or glass. These
discs are pierced centrally with holes d, which, when there are several discs, are
made smaller in the lower discs than in those above, so that when all are lying in
the bottom of the tube A, as seen in Figure 1, these holes form a single nearly
conical opening through the discs D, D¹, Ď³. The lower discs are also by preference
made heaveir than the upper ones, that is, the lowest disc D is heavier than that
D' above, while the disc D' is in turn heavier than the upper disc D²; and when
the gas is admitted through the glass tube to the burner, all the discs are slightly
raised. One or more of the lighter discs D² or D' are raised up by the pressure of
the gas to lie flat against a shoulder formed on the upper ring or ferrule, or on the
flat under surface of the asbestos or cork packing, or a pierced plate C' fixed to this.
The number of discs fully raised will depend on the pressure of the gas supply, and
as the size of aperture d for the passage of the gas in the discs D or D¹ at the top
of the tube will become smaller as the lower discs D' or D are raised, as indicated
by dotted lines in Figure 1, to cover the openings d in those above, the increased

page_text: velocity of the gas due to the higher pressures will be counterbalanced by the
lessening of the admission orifice through the discs thus raised, and thus the supply
of gas to the burner B is regulated or maintained constant. The tube or casing A
of the improved gas regulator may be made entirely of glass, with the burner B
inserted in an annular packing C of non-conducting material between it and the
glass; or it may be made of a simple metal tube with a tapered or conical lower
end, and fitted with an inner collar or shoulder to support the pierced discs D,
while the discs would be raised by the pressure of the gas to cover the lower end
of the burner inserted above, or to lie against a ring fitted round it. The lower
discs may also be pierced with other small holes d', as shown in the disc D,
Figure 3, to allow the gas to pass through while they are only partially raised, but
which close up against the upper discs D¹ or D² to prevent the passage of gas
otherwise than through the central hole d when the gas pressure raises them fully.
In some cases also the lowest disc may not be perforated, or may only have holes
(as) pierced on either side of the centre so that it allows the gas to pass freely
to supply the burner B when in its lower position with a normal pressure, but if
the burner should be accidentally removed or knocked out of its socket, the sudden
rush or velocity of gas tending to escape will close up this disc against the central
aperture (d) in the disc above and entirely stop the supply.
Figure 4, 5, 6, and 7, 8, 9 show modifications of my improved gas regulator, in
which the discs are fitted to rest on steps in a recess formed at the upper end of the
socket piece A¹. The lower discs are made heavier than those above, as before, but
in these modifications the openings d in the lower discs are larger than in those
above. The pressure of the gas when excessive acting on the lowest disc D raises
it into contact with the disc D¹ above, and the passage of the gas is limited by the
smaller area of the opening d in that disc D'. If the gas pressure is further
increased the second disc D' is raised into contact with the third disc D2 or even a
fourth disc D³, and the opening d in that disc being still smaller, the passage of gas
is limited by that opening to counteract the increased pressure. If the disc D2, in
Figure 4, or D³, in Figure 7, should be raised off its seat, it comes in contact with
the pierced plate C¹ below the burner, and the passage of gas is still regulated by
the size of opening d in that disc D². Small openings d' round the central
openings & in the discs are provided for allowing the gas to pass freely while
the discs are in their normal lower positions, as shown, but these openings d¹
are covered, and the central openings d alone allow the passage of the gas
when the lower discs are raised into contact with those above.
Socket rings
or ferrules a are screwed or fitted on the upper end of the socket piece A¹ to hold
the burners B, which are of ordinary kinds. A slightly domed plate C² is fitted in
some cases, as shown in the large sized regulator, Figure 7, over the plate C¹ to
break the force of the gas passing through to the burner and prevent the unpleasant
hissing noise which is occasioned by the gas flowing at a great velocity direct
through the burner. These regulators, shown in Figures 4 to 9, are made of brass
or other similar metal; the stepped recess on which the discs rest may however be
made of hard wood, bone, or other hard and non-corrosive material, as indicated in
Figure 7, when the discs are made of metal.
The weights of the discs and the sizes of openings in them are by preference so
arranged that when the pressure of gas increases or decreases to raise or let fall
any of the discs, the opening in the disc which regulates the passage of gas for the
time being shall be of such area as to allow always a fixed quantity of gas to pass,
and admit of an equal flame or light being maintained with any burner.
In the modifications of my improved gas regulators, shown in Figures 10 to 15,
a central spindle E is fitted to pass up through the discs D, D', in the tubular
casing A, and this spindle is preferably made conical or tapered, as shown in
Figure 10, being of less diameter at the bottom than above. The lower disc D is
made cup-shaped, or in the form of a hollow piston, open on the under side, and
in the highest position to which it can be raised this piston disc D cuts off the
supply of gas through its central opening d. A fixed disc or plate C', pierced

page_text: with one, two, or more holes, is fitted at the upper end of the tubular casing A, or
in the bottom of the ferrule a, and an intermediate disc D', similarly pierced or cut
at the edges, as shown in Figure 12, is provided, which in its normal position is
kept by its own weight down off the face of the uppermost fixed disc or plate C²,
and rests on a pin e passing through an enlargement or shoulder on the central
spindle. This intermediate disc D has a tubular part or deep annular ring formed
at the centre, as seen in Figure 10, which is slotted for the passage of the pin e
through the spindle E, and to allow the disc D¹ to rise past the spindle E while
being guided by it. When the pressure of the gas is too great for the supply
desired, the lower cup, disc, or piston D is raised until it touches the lower edge of
the annular rim on the intermediate disc D'; if the pressure is not extreme the
intermediate disc D' is not raised, but if the pressure is excessive the weight of the
intermediate disc D' is also overcome, and it is raised till it comes in contact or lies
fairly against or under the upper fixed disc C¹, or on a rim c formed on it, as in
Figure 13. The pierced openings in the intermediate disc D' then partially cover
those in the fixed disc above, and the supply of gas is thereby reduced or regulated.
The central spindle E may either be fixed, as shown in Figure 10, to the cap or
ferrule a, or, as in Figure 13, fitted to a fixed disc or plate C³ in the bottom of the
tubular casing A. A domed cap or plate C2 may also be provided, as in Figure 10,
to overcome the hissing noise of the gas.
This modification of regulator with tapered central spindle E may be fitted with
regulating discs D, D1, D2, similar to those shown in Figure 1, but fitted round the
spindle. In this arrangement the size of central opening in the lowest disc will be
such as to fit close round the spindle when it is fully raised, and then either
partially or entirely stop the passage of gas, while in its lowest position it allows
it to pass freely. Small holes may also be pierced on either side of the centre of
the discs, or through a hole pierced through a shoulder on the spindle when it is
not desirable that the entire flow of the gas should be regulated by the central
openings.
In the modification shown in Figures 16, 17, and 18, a conical or tapered hollow
piston disc D is used in combination with weighted discs D D1, D2, raised by a
spindle F, which is attached to the moving conical piston D. The gas enters the
casing A from the socket piece A¹ through holes in a conical or tapered plug G,
over which the hollow piston D is fitted. The pressure of the gas when excessive
raises the piston D, and as the pressure increases the piston is raised the higher,
and the annular passage between the plug G and piston D*, through which the gas
must pass, is reduced in area, so that a greater quantity of gas may not pass when
the pressure is bigh than when it is low. The distance to which the hollow
piston D may rise for any pressure is regulated by means of the disc weights
D, D', D2, the lowest of which bears on a shoulder or nut on the spindle F, and is
lifted by the first increment of pressure in contact with the second disc weight D¹.
When the pressure becomes greater this second disc D¹ is also lifted up against the
third disc D2, which is also raised by a further increase of pressure. The disc
weights are fitted in a stepped recess formed at the upper end of the tubular
casing A, through holes in which the gas passes, and have notches cut round them
for the free passage of the gas to the burner.
Figure 19 shows a simple modification of this arrangement of regulator, which is
a common form of burner B, with a detaching socket piece A', the upper end of
which is formed or fitted with an inverted central cone G', through which the gas
enters by a small hole in the middle. A hollow conical piston or disc D* is fitted
over this cone, and as it is raised by the pressure of the gas the annular passage
for the gas between the cone and piston is reduced in area to limit the flow of gas
at the higher pressure, so that practically the same amount of gas passes to the
burner, and an equal light is maintained at any pressure.
Figure 20 shows an extremely simple form of disc regulator fitted in combination
with an ordinary burner. The burner B is fitted with a small cross bar or centre
piece b, to which a small stud or spindle fis fixed, carrying a disc D at its lower

page_text: end resting on a pin. The burner B is inserted in the socket of an ordinary gas
bracket, and when the pressure is low the gas passes to the burner freely round the
disc D, and through small openings in it, but when the pressure rises the disc D is
raised till it comes in contact with or rests against the bottom of the burner B, and
the gas can then only pass through the small openings or holes in the disc.
This form of regulator forms a practical means of regulating or controlling the
amount of gas to be consumed by the burner where there is no great variation of
pressure, and has the advantage of being extremely simple in construction, and of
being produced and sold at a very low price.
Instead of fitting the improved regulator to control the supply of gas to single
burners, it may be applied or fitted at any convenient part of the supply pipe for a
whole house or district, to govern the supply of gas to all the burners of the house
or district, and maintain a constant pressure for these burners, independantly of the
pressure at the supplying gasometer, any of the modifications shown and described
being suitable for this purpose.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The construction and arrangement or combination of the parts of regulators
for controlling or governing the supply of illuminating gas, in which flat discs or
weights with regulating openings or holes in them, or cylindrical or conical pistons
or discs are fitted within tubular or other casings, and raised by the pressure of the
gas to close or partially close such openings, and regulate the passage through them
of the gas to the burner, substantially as herein described and as shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. In regulators for controlling or governing the supply of illuminating gas
to burners the fitting of flat pierced discs, or piston like discs, or disc weights
within tubular or other casing, through which the gas passes, such discs being
raised by the pressure of the gas to reduce the size of passage for the gas to the
burner, substantially as herein described in reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lorimer Corbett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.,
Of W. R. M. Thomson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Glasgow.
JOHN LORIMER CORBETT. (L.S.)