AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATOR
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tuckett and Edwin Tuckett both of Paul Street
in the City of Exeter in the county of Devon for an Invention of AN
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATOR
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tuckett and Edwin
Tuckett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March
1883.
JOHN TUCKETT and EDWIN TUCKETT both of Paul Street in the city of Exeter
in the county of Devon AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATOR
The object of our invention is to produce an apparatus that shall automatically
regulate the amount of gas allowed to pass through to the burners so that whatever
may be the number of burners in use at one and the same time the gas shall only
reach them at a certain convenient pressure. With this object we form a chamber
of any convenient size and shape but preferably cylindrical and made of a suitable
material. Across the lower part of this chamber is secured a rigid diaphragm of
metal in which is an aperture controlled by a conical or other valve to the apex or
upper part of which is fitted a rod. Across the upper part of the chamber is
secured a flexible diaphragm of any convenient material to which is attached the
upper end of the valve rod. This flexible diaphragm may be weighted as required.
The gas enters the chamber below the rigid diaphragm and passes through the
aperture into the space between the two diaphragms whence it passes to the.
burners. As the pressure of the gas in this space increases the flexible diaphram
is lifted and through the rod closes the valve. When one or more of the burners
are lit the pressure of gas in this aforesaid space is diminished and the flexible
diaphragm descends and the valve is partly opened thereby allowing more gas to
enter the said space. The amount of gas therefore that is allowed to enter the.
space in the chamber between the two diaphragms and thence pass to the burners
can be regulated with the utmost exactness so as to allow gas at a certain
determined pressure only to reach the outlet from the chamber and pass to the
burners whether there are one or more burners in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Tuckett and Edwin Tuckett in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th September 1883.
JOHN TUCKETT and EDWIN TUCKETT both of Paul Street in the city of Exeter
in the county of Devon AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATOR
•
The object of our invention is to produce an apparatus that shall automatically
regulate the supply of gas and so govern the amount or quantity of gas that is
allowed to pass through the said apparatus to the burners that whatever may be
the number of burners in use at one and the same time the gas shall reach the
burner or burners so in use only at a certain convenient and predetermined
pressure.
In order to explain our invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed and carried into effect we refer to the accompanying drawing which shows
one form and method of construction of our said improved apparatus.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of our apparatus. Figure 2 is a horizontal section
of the same taken at a. b. in Figure 1.
We construct a chamber A of any suitable material and of a convenient size and
shape but preferably of a cylindrical shape as shewn in the drawing. Across the
lower part of this chamber A. is firmly secured a rigid diaphragm of metal B in
which is an aperture C so formed as to create a seating for the valve D which
valve D is preferably of a conical shape as shewn and is made preferably of white
metal. To the apex or upper part of the valve D is secured the rod E and a small
rod E¹ is attached to the bottom of the said valve D which rod E' passes freely
through a guide piece E secured to the bottom or lower surface of the diaphragm B
whereby the said valve D is always kept in a true position in regard to its seating
in the aperture C. Across the upper part of the chamber A is placed a flexible
diaphragm F which is tightly secured to the walls of the chamber A by the metal
rim G. This diaphragm F is stretched slackly across the said chamber A and may
be made of any convenient and suitable flexible material. We consider that when
made of prepared leather it is very suitable and fit for effecting our object as
hereinafter described. The rod E is firmly secured to this flexible diaphragm F at
or near the centre thereof and weights H may be placed thereon to such an extent
as may be required for the object hereinafter mentioned. The top or lid of the
chamber A may be constructed with an opening I which can be closed by a lid or
screw cap as shewn through which opening I the weights H can be removed or
replaced as may be required or the entire top or lid of the chamber
may be so
constructed as to be easily opened and closed for the same purpose. The gas
enters the chamber A below the rigid diaphragm B through the pipe K and leaves
the said chamber A from the space between the two diaphragms B and F through
the pipe L.
The action of this apparatus is as follows. Before the gas is allowed to enter
the chamber A the flexible diaphragm F is collapsed or in its lowest position and
the valve D falls away from its seating in the aperture C in the rigid diaphragm B
whereby a clear passage is made for the gas through the said aperture C. The gas
is then turned on and entering the chamber A through the pipe K passes through
the aperture C into the space above the diaphragm B and below the diaphragm F.
As the pressure of the gas in this said space increases the diaphragm F is lifted
thereby and as the said diaphragm F rises the valve D is gradually closed until at
the proper time that is when the pressure of the gas in this said space has attained
the maximum that is allowed for by the weights H the aperture Ċ is tightly closed

page_text: by the valve D and no more gas can enter the space in the chamber A between the
two diaphragms B and F. One or more of the burners are then lighted and the
gas passes away from the said space through the pipe L whereby the pressure of
the gas in the said space is diminished and the flexible diaphragm F therefor
descends and the valve D is opened to the extent of such descent thereby allowing
more gas to enter the said space between the two diaphragms until the determined
maximum pressure has again been attained when the valve D is again closed. By
adjusting and increasing or diminishing the weight H on the flexible diaphragm F
the amount of pressure that is desired in the said space between the two
diaphragms and that therefrom reaches the burner or burners can be exactly
regulated and the said pressure obtained and maintained whatever may be the
pressure of gas in the mains or before it reaches this regulator or whatever may be
the number of burners in use at one and the same time.
We prefer to make the rigid diaphragm B and the bottom of the chamber A
depressed in their centres as shewn so that any water or other matter that may be
condensed or deposited in the chamber or in the space therein between the two
diaphragms may be allowed to drain off and can be removed by taking out the
screw plug M in the said bottom of the chamber.
We would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact shapes
and proportions and methods of construction of the various parts of our apparatus
as shewn in the drawing for without departing from this our invention we can
make all the said parts of our apparatus in such a manner and of such shapes and
proportions as may be suitable or expedient in each particular case though at the
same time we would state that we consider the said shapes and proportions and
methods of construction as shewn to be very suitable for our purposes and objects
as hereinbefore described.
Having thus particularly described and clearly explained our invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed we would state that we claim as our
invention which is protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent
1. The automatic gas regulator substantially as hereinbefore described and
declared and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
2. In an automatic apparatus for regulating the supply of gas the use and
combination in a chamber of the rigid diaphragm wherein is an aperture controlled
by a valve which valve is actuated by the flexible diaphragin weighted as required
whereby the pressure of the gas that is allowed to reach the burner or burners is
regulated and governed the whole being combined and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described and set forth.
3. In an apparatus for regulating the supply of gas the method and manner of
forming the rigid diaphragm and the bottom of the chamber that contains the same
with depressions in the centres thereof substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and declared.
In witness whereof we the said John Tuckett and Edwin Tuckett have hereunto
set our hands and seals this thirty first day of August in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
JOHN TUCKETT
L.S.)
EDWIN TUCKETT (LS)