IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Nov., 1888
We, HENRY WILLIAM COLE and ALBERT FREDERICK COLE, both of Raven
Street, Stourport, in the county of Worcester, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS, to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide simple and safe means for regulating and
adjusting the supply of gas to burners and is especially suitable for regulating the
supply to regenerative gas lamps or other suspended lamps, and illustrates other
modifications of our governors described and illustrated for like purposes in our
application No. 16817 dated December 7th 1887.
The method of carrying out this invention consists in carrying the gas downward
from the inlet directly through the governor to outlet at bottom; instead of using as
has hitherto been used "upward or ascending" governors in which the gas is carried
down the one side then upward and through the governor and downwards again to
the outlet. The accompanying drawings show other modifications of our governor
described in application No. 16817-1887, and the action of such we will now
describe.
In Figure 1 the gas enters at inlet passes down the centre tube C through the
holes O and underneath the float B the quantity of gas passing through the tube C
being greater than can pass through the regulating screw E rises B and closes the
valve sufficiently to admit only the quantity of gas that can pass through the
regulating screw E and the gas pressure at the outlet side of regulating screw E and
top side of float B being maintained equal by means of the free gas passage F, and
the weight of float B and valve D being properly adjusted, it follows that any increase
of pressure in the pipes must first act on the underside of B rising the same and
closing the valve D in proportion to the increase and as the pressure decreases B must
fall and open the valve D in proportion to the decrease of pressure, thus ensuring a
regular and uniform flow of gas for use.

page_text: Figure 2 is shown with a regulating screw E placed in the inlet at top of governor.
A gas passage G supplies the underside of float B which is properly adjusted and
weighted, with gas. Gas passes through the regulating screw E (which is set to
pass the amount of gas required for use) down the centre tube C through the holes O
to the top side of float B and also down the bottom of centre tube through the
valve D to outlet. While the governor is in action the gas for use is being con-
tinuously taken from the top side of B and the pressure of gas exerts its full force
on the underside of B rising the same sufficiently to admit through the valve D the
amount only of gas that passes through the regulating screw E any increase of
pressure therefore first acts on the underside and rises the float B and closing the
valve D, and with any decrease of pressure the float B will fall and the valve D open
proportionately as the pressure varies and by such means maintain an uniform flow
of gas for use.
In Figure 3 the upper end of tube C and the tube cover D is used as a valve to open
or close the passage of gas to the outlet more or less as the pressure varies, the
regulated gas passing down the tube to outlet. The regulating screw E placed
in the inlet of governor regulates the amount of gas required for use.
The gas
passage G supplies the underside of B with gas. The pressure acting on the under-
side and top side of float B in the same manner as described in Fig. 2.
In Figure
two passages C and F are formed in the centre tube, the gas entering
at inlet passes under the tube cover D and down the tube C to the underside of
float B and as more gas can pass through the tube than can pass through the
regulating screw E, B rises and closes the valve at D sufficiently to admit only the
quantity of gas that can pass through the regulating screw E the gas passage F
formed in the lower end of centre tube gives free communication between the outlet
side of regulating screw E and top side of float B thus allowing the float B to rise
or fall and close the valve more or less as the pressure varies.
In Figure 5 two passages G and C are formed in the centre tube, the full pressure
of gas passes down the passage G to the underside of float B. The gas for use
passes through the regulating screw E placed at inlet to the top side of float B and
down the lower end of centre tube C through valve D to outlet. The action is the
same as described in Figure 2.
In Figure 6 the lower end only of the centre tube C is used the full pressure of
gas passes down the free gas passage G to the underside of float B tending to rise
the same and close the valve D. Through the regulating screw E placed at the inlet
of governor gas is supplied to the top side of the float B the pressure of gas on the
top side of B and the weight of B tends to bring the float B in equilibrium, but as
the gas is being continuously taken from the top side of B the float B rises sufficiently
to allow the gas from the regulating screw E to pass down the tube C through the
valve D; any increase or decrease of pressure therefore closes or opens the valve D
thereby maintaining a regular flow of gas for use.
In Figure 7 the upper end of the tube C and the tube cover D serves as a valve to
regulate the pressure instead of a valve situated at the bottom end of tube Cas
described in Figure 6.
A cup dipping into a liquid or mercury seal, or a leather or other flexible material
diaphragm, can be employed instead of the metal floats B in the same manner as
described in application No. 16817-1887.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1888

page_text: Improvements in Gas Governors.
We, HENRY WILLIAM COLE and ALBERT FREDERICK COLE, both of Raven Street,
Stourport, in the County of Worcester, manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide simple and safe means for regulating
and adjusting the supply of gas to burners and is especially suitable for regulating
the supply to regenerative gas lamps or other suspended lamps, and illustrates other
modifications of our governors described and illustrated for like purposes in our
application number 16817 dated 7th December 1887.
In the accompanying drawings we have represented in vertical section thirteen
various forms of gas governors constructed according to our present invention and
all of which are hereinafter fully described.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In the gas governor represented at fig. 1 A and B indicate the two portions of the
Cindicates an annular
enclosing casing which is circular in horizontal section.
projection or wall on the portion 13 forming with the portion A an annular chamber D.
E indicates a disc fitting into a rebate formed on the annular wall and provided
with a central perforation. F indicates a valve-tube so called because either at some
part it carries, or in some way constitutes the governing valve. The central per-
foration of the disc E is of such size as will admit of the valve-tube F sliding
freely therein but will not permit to any appreciable extent the passage of the gas
between the outer surface of the said tube F and the edge of the said perforation.
G indicates a float and H the valve secured to the tube F the said valve closing the
lower end of the tube F; by the term float it is to be understood that we refer to
one of the form of a disc as shown or of the form of a piston or the equivalent
1 indicates a
thereof such as a flexible diaphragm or a cup dipping into mercury.
perforation in the tube F. Jindicates the seat of the valve H in conjunction with
which it governs the quantity of gas passing to the outlet B¹. At the valve seat
around the valve tube Fare formed notches for the passage of gas therethrough while
the projections between such notches serve to guide the lower end of the tube F in
its vertical movements. K indicates a ring introduced (after the valve has been
placed in position) into the outlet B' for reducing the effective area thereof and L
indicates a screw by means of which the quantity of gas passing through the governor
may be regulated. B2 and B³ indicate passages for conveying gas to the space Z.
This space if entirely closed up would of course prevent the movement of the float G
and so prevent the valve from operating, it is therefore necessary that the space Z
should not be entirely closed and for this purpose communication as will be seen by
reference to the drawings is in every instance made between it and the gas.
When gas is passed in the direction indicated by the arrows it flows down the
tube F and the quantity escaping at its full ungoverned pressure through the hole I

page_text: D
to the underside of the float being greater than that capable of passing the regula-
ting screw the said float which normally rests on a shelf formed on the annular
wall C is raised and the valve H is consequently moved nearer to its seat sufficiently
to admit only the quantity of gas which can pass the regulating screw L. It there-
fore follows that as the gas pressure at the outlet side of the regulating screw Land
in the space Z are maintained equal by means of the free gas passages B2,
and 133, and the weight of the tube F and its attachments is properly adjusted, any
increase in the pressure of gas must first act on the underside of the float G and by
raising it close the valve H in proportion to such increase and in the reverse manner
if any decrease of pressure occur the valve H will be opened in proportion to such
decrease, thus ensuring a regular and uniform flow of gas through the outlet B¹.
The construction of the governor represented at Figure 2 is similar to that shown
at figure 1 excepting that the annular wall forms part of an independent casting
which construction admits of the said wall being made of some hard metal. The
valve H in this case is hollow and admits of the passage of gas therethrough the said
gas being afterwards throttled between the outer surface of the valve and the valve
seat constituted by the bottom of the casting C which is also drilled at (to communi-
cate with the outlet B'. The lower edge of the valve H is notched to admit of the
gas initially passing therethrough. At the inlet is provided the guard M for pre-
venting the dust carried along with the gas from entering the governor which dust
will deposit itself in the trough N provided for the purpose.
The operation of this governor is similar to that before described excepting that the
gas passes downwards through and upwards around the valve H to the underside of
float G and thence by the passage C to the outlet B¹, instead of as in the said pre-
ceding example by way of the holes I to the underside of float G and downwards
around the valve to the outlet B¹.
It is to be observed that the last described governor may be used either in the
position in which it is represented at figure 2 or in the reverse position that is to say
inverted, by dispensing with the notches on the end of valve H, the outlet 13 then
serving as the inlet and the before described inlet as the outlet.
In the governor represented at figure 3 the valve H is above the float G and the
valve seat is formed in the upper portion A, the regulating screw L is also in the said
upper portion and thus contracts the passage for the gas at the inlet before the said
gas passes down the passage O to the top side of the float G. In this governor which
by the reference letters and description of preceding examples is considered sufficiently
explained the gas enters as indicated by the arrows and passing down the passage
to the top side of the float flows thence to the outlet B around the valve H and by
way of the passages B³, D and B2, some of the gas however passes down through
the tube F at its full ungoverned pressure into the space Y so that if the gas enters
in quantity greater than can pass the screw L and down the passage O the valve H is
moved proportionately nearer to its seat; from below the float G there is no outlet for
the gas.
The governor represented at figure 4 as indicated by the reference letters is
practically the same as figure 3 inverted, the valve H however is not inverted that
being adapted to work in the same direction that is to say when moved upwards by
an excess of pressure or volume of gas to decrease the area of the opening between the
valve and its seat. As indicated by the arrows the entering gas passes by way of the
passages B², D and B³ and upwards around the valve H to the underside of
the float G and thence outwards through the governor by way of the passage O' the
lower end of which is furnished with a regulating screw L. Gas passing upwards
through the valve tube F to the space from which there is no outlet allows the
float to rise and fall and maintain a regular and uniform flow of gas. In this form of
governor very little dust passes into the working parts thereof.
At figure 5, P indicates a passage which, similar to the passage B in Figure 4,
conducts the incoming gas from the main inlet to the annular chamber or passage D.
QQ indicate holes formed in the annular wall C which, in this construction of
governor is formed on the upper portion thereof. E indicates a perforated disc

page_text: closing in the space within the wall all except where the valve-tube F passes out
thereof. RR indicate perforated projections or an annular projection upon which
the float G is normally supported. I indicates a perforation in the tube F above the
float G and S indicates another opening in the said tube which opening together with
the disc E constitutes the governing valve the lower end of the tube being scaled.
In this example the gas to be afterwards consumed passes down through the valve-tube F
and out therefrom through the opening S; some of the gas however that enters the
valve-tube F passes out through the hole I to the upper side of the float G. As more
gas is admitted into the governor than can pass the screw some of it flows at its full
ungoverned pressure down the passages P and D and through the holes Q to the
space at the underside of the float G which is thereby raised or lowered in propor-
tion to any increase or decrease of the pressure of gas so admitted and consequently
more or less of the opening S is exposed for the free passage of the said gas down the
tube F, a regular and uniform flow of gas being thereby ensured.
At figure 6 as at figure 1 the annular wall is formed on the lower portion B and
receives a perforated disc E which however in the present example is provided with
the valve seat T, perforated at T₁, T¹ of the governing valve which is constituted by
the upper end of the valve-tube F. The disc E besides being perforated centrally
for the tube F is also perforated at E for the passage of gas.
In the operation of this last described example the gas to be afterwards consumed
passes the screw L and entering the holes T passes outwards through the tube F.
Some of the gas which passes the screw is conducted through the aperture E' to
the top side of the float whence there is no outlet. Some of the gas at its full
ungoverned pressure flows through the passages P, D, and Q to the space Y at the
underside of the float G which it raises or lowers in proportion to any increase or
decrease of pressure of the gas and thus as hereinbefore explained maintains a
regular and uniform outflow of gas.
The governor represented at figure 7 is substantially the same as that shown at
figure in all except as regards its construction for in this example the annular wall C
and disc E are formed in one casting distinct from the portion B (which arrangement
permits of hard metal being advantageously used for the said parts C and E) and the
portion A is so constructed that little dust will pass into the working parts of the
governor. The notched ring R forming part of the casting B is for supporting the
float in its normal position. The operation of this governor is similar to that shown
at figure 6.
In the governor represented at figure S a perforated dise E and valve seat T
similar to but without the hole E in that shown at figure 6 is secured in position by
and between shoulders or the like on the portions A and B. The central hole in the
dise E as in the preceding examples serves as the guide for the upper end of the
valve-tube the extreme upper end of which forms the valve of which the part T is the
seat. The said valve tube is divided by the inclined partition F¹ into two
passages F2 and F3 the upper of which as shown communicates with the underside of
the float G and the lower of which communicates with the space Z. There is no
outlet from the space Z but from the underside of the float the gas passes outwards
through the passage which is provided with the regulating screw L.
When in operation the gas to be afterwards consumed passes through the holes T
and upper passage F' of the central tube to the underside of the float G whence it
flows outwards by way of the passage and outlet B. Some of the gas which thus
Hows into the outlet B¹ passes up the lower passage F³ to the space Z.
As more gas
can flow through the passage F than can pass the regulating screw L, on any such
excess being supplied the float G will be raised and the governing valve moved nearer to
its seat sufficiently to admit of the passage of only such a quantity as can pass the said
screw; the passage F3 by giving free communication between the outlet side of the
screw Land the space Z allows the float G to rise or fall and thereby close or open
the valve more or less according to the variations of the pressure.
In the governor represented at figure 9 the valve-tube is divided into two passages
in a manuer similar to that herein last described but the lower end of the lower

page_text: passage F3 is closed and as shown is provided with an outlet port S which together
with the adjacent projection of the portion B constitutes the governing valve. The
passage O through which the gas to be consumed flows to the upper side of the float G
is provided with the regulating screw L. In this governor the gas at its full
ungoverned pressure flows down the central tube F2 to the space Y at the underside
of the float and raises or lowers it according as the pressure is increased or decreased
and consequently decreases or increases the effective area of the port S so as to
maintain a regular and uniform out-flow.
The governor represented at figure 10 is substantially similar to that shown at
figure the only appreciable differences being that in figure 1 the annular wall (
and the disc E are made in one piece distinct from the portion A, that the tube F
exist only below the float G, and that the regulating screw is inclined, otherwise both
the construction and mode of operating are identical.
The governor shown at figure 11 is substantially the same as that shown at figure 10
in an inverted position the upper end of the valve-tube F however is arranged to act
in conjunction with its seat T as the governing valve in a manner similar to that
herein described in reference to the corresponding parts of figures 6, 7 and 8. The
float G is normally supported on the ledge U U or their equivalent. In this
arrangement the entering gas passes through the aperture T¹ and valve-tube F thence
outwards past the screw L some of the gas having so passed the said serew L flows
up from the outlet B through the passages B, D and B3 to the space Z from which
there is no outlet. Should the gas How into the governor at a greater pressure than
that at which it is required to leave it, it raises the float G and thereby reduces the
area of the passage between the valve (the end of the tube F) and its seat T.
The governor represented at figure 12 is substantially the same as that shown at
figure 10 the only appreciable difference being the shape of the annular wall C
which is formed in one with the portion B, the screw L which in this example is
horizontal and the arrangement for preventing ingress of dust to the working parts.
In view of the preceding description of operations no further is deemed necessary to
explain this figure.
At figure 13 we have represented a governor which is a simplification of that
shown at figure 6 the additional disc E and valve seat T shown at the said figure 6
being dispensed with and replaced by suitably corresponding surfaces of the portion A ;
otherwise both in construction and mode of operation the two governors mentioned
are substantially the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting any one of the
forms of the gas governor substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a governor for a downward flow of gas an annular passage or chamber such
as D substantially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central tube such as F for tho
direct communication of the initial pressure to the underside of a float, flexible
diaphragm or cup dipping into mercury from which part there is no outlet, operating
in conjunction with a valve to govern the supply of gas substantially as herciu
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a tube such as F formed with a valve
opening such as S or provided with a valve such as H substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a governor for a downward flow of gas the combination with the tube claimed
in the last preceding claiming clause of a float, flexible diaphragm, or cup dipping
into mercury, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 6. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central tube such as F for
conducting the gas from the top side of the float G, flexible diaphragm, or cup dipping
into mercury to the outlet substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central tube such as F formed on
and carried below the float, flexible diaphragm, or cup dipping into mercury,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
8. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central tube such as F for
conducting governed gas to the closed space Z substantially as and for the purpose
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
9. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central tube such as F for
conducting ungoverned gas to the closed space Y substantially as and for the purpose
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
10. In a governor for a downward flow of gas provided with a regulating screw L
at inlet a central tube such as F conducting gas from above the disc E to the outlet. B¹
substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a disc such as E provided with one
or more passages or holes E so that the same pressure of gas shall exist on the top
side of the float, flexible diaphragm or cup dipping into mercury, as exists above the
said disc E substantially as herein described and illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the
accompanying drawings.
12. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central tube divided into two passages
one communicating with the space below and the other with the space above the float,
flexible diaphragm, or cup dipping into mercury, substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
13. In a governor for a downward flow of gas an auxiliary side passage such as O
for conducting ungoverned gas from the inlet directly to the top side of the float,
flexible diaphragm or cup dipping into mercury substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
14. In a governor for a downward flow of gas a central passage or tube such as F
for conducting ungoverned gas from the inlet directly to the top side of the float,
flexible diaphragm, or cup dipping into mercury substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1888
HENRY WILLIAM COLE.
ALBERT FREDERICK COLE.