IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS. REGULATORS OR APPLIANCES FOR CONTROLLING THE CONSUMPTION OF GAS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Slack of Sheffield in the County of York for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS. REGULATORS OR APPLIANCES FOR
CONTROLLING THE CONSUMPTION OF GAS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Slack at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1883.
SAMUEL SLACK of Sheffield in the County of York "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
REGULATORS OR APPLIANCES FOR CONTROLLING THE CONSUMPTION OF GAS"
This Invention relates to improvements in gas regulators or appliances for
controlling the consumption of gas being specially applicable to controlling the
consumption of, and effecting economy in the use of, lighting gas in private houses
and factories, the apparatus being in additon to, and easily applied to ordinary
fittings, without alterations of the existing fittings.
The essential features of the invention are a double ended slotted lever which
can be attached to the ordinary service tap on the gas main the handle of the
said tap fitting into the recess or slot in the double ended lever and being secured
thereto by a set screw or equivalent appliance. To each end of the slotted lever
is connected a wire, chain, or cord, which is passed over guide pulleys and connected
to, or wound over, a drum the said drum being fixed on a spindle carrying a
handle and an index finger, or pointer, working in connection with or over a dial,
the said dial being suitably marked, or divided, to show to what extent the gas tap
(to which this appliance is connected) is open when the index finger or pointer is
opposite the said divisions or marks on the dial. The dial spindle and drum
aforesaid are placed in any convenient room or place in the house or factory
being by preference so placed as to be under the immediate observation of the
owner or manager. The dial can be placed on or in an office desk, on a mantel
shelf or other convenient situation and the spindle and drum with wires and pullies
will be arranged to suit the construction of the building (etcetera) The wire, chain
or cord will or can be fitted with a self acting appliance for adjusting the variations
of the length thereof due to variations of temperature etcetera, one suitable
arrangement consisting of a grooved pulley with links and weights suspended

page_text: from the wire or chain and weighted to tighten the wire or chain without undue
strain.
In applying and using this apparatus the double ended lever will be fixed on
the ordinary and existing gas tap and the spindle-to which is attached the
pointer will be rotated by the handle until the pointer is opposite the desired
division on the dial this operation turning the tap to which the double ended lever
is fixed.
As a modification the spindle to which the dial handle is attached can be geared
by toothed wheels to the drum on which is wound or to which is fixed the chain,
cord, or wire.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Samuel Slack in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 30th October 1883.
SAMUEL SLACK of Sheffield in the County of York "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
REGULATORS OR APPLIANCES FOR CONTROLLING THE CONSUMPTION OF GAS
33
This invention relates to improvements in gas regulators or appliances for
controlling the consumption of gas being specially applicable to controlling the
consumption of and effecting economy in the use of lighting gas in private houses
and factories the apparatus being in addition to and easily applied to ordinary
fittings without alteration of the existing fittings. The essential features of the
Invention are a double ended slotted lever, or as an equivalent a slotted pulley,
which can be attached to the ordinary service tap on the gas main the handle of
the said tap fitting into the recess or slot in the double ended lever or pulley and
being secured thereto by a set screw or set screws, bolts or equivalent appliance.
To each end of the slotted lever or round the slotted pulley is connected or screwed
a wire chain or cord which is passed over guide pulleys or through guides and
connected to or wound over a drum the said drum being fixed on a spindle, or as
an equivalent a tube, carrying a handle and an index finger or pointer working in
connection with or over a dial the said dial being suitably marked or divided to
show to what extent the gas tap (to which this appliance is connected) is open when
the index finger or pointer is opposite the said divisions or marks on the dial. The
dial spindle and drum aforesaid are placed in any convenient room or place in the
house or factory (preferably so placed as to be under the immediate observation of
the owner or manager). The dial can be placed on or in an office desk, on a
mantel-shelf, on the skirting board, or other convenient situation and the spindle
and drum with the wires and pulleys will be arranged to suit the construction of
the building. The wire chain or cord will or can be fitted with a self-acting
appliance for adjusting the variations of the length thereof due to variations of
temperature (etcetera) one suitable arrangement consisting of a grooved Pulley
with links and weights suspended from the wire or chain and weighted to tighten
the wire or chain without undue strain.
As a modification the Spindle to which the dial handle is attached can be geared
by toothed wheels to the drum on which is wound or to which is fixed the chain
cord or wire
In applying and using this apparatus the double ended lever or slotted pulley
will be fixed on the ordinary and existing gas tap and the spindle, to which is
attached the pointer, will be rotated by the handle until the pointer is opposite the
desired division on the dial this operation turning the gas tap to which the double
ended lever or pulley is fixed.
The slotted pulley on the gas tap and the pulley on the index spindle can be
screw-threaded so that the cord wire or chain wound thereon will work freely and
without friction
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. Fig 1 is a side view and
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved apparatus in which A is a spindle; B is a
handwheel and Ca pointer fixed on the said spindle A; D is a small pulley or
drum-preferably screw-threaded or having a spiral groove also fixed on the
said spindle A; E is an index plate on which the various positions of the plug of
the gas tap are indicated; F is a slotted pulley fixed on to the handle of the plug
of the gas tap; G is the wire, cord or chain which is passed round the small pulley D
and the large pulley F; H H are guides or supports fixed to the ceiling of the room
in which the meter K is fixed and through which the wire is passed; L is the floor

page_text: of the room. In this arrangement the spindle A and its accessories are supported
by a table M on the top of which is fixed the index plate E; Fig 3 is a sectional
view (in elevation) of the table M showing the spindle A, pulley D, pointer C, and
handwheel B in elevation; Fig 4 is a plan of Fig 3; Fig 5 is an enlarged plan of
the top of the table M showing the handwheel B and pointer Cand with the index
plate E removed; Fig 6 is an enlarged plan of the index plate E; Fig 7 is an
enlarged sectional view in elevation of the slotted pulley F showing the method of
attaching it to the handle O of the plug of the gas tap; Fig 8 is an enlarged plan
of the pulley F; Figs 9, 10 and 11 are enlarged views of the guides or supports H
with staples N, Fig 12 is an end view of a round guide H¹ which is of the form of
two guides H placed face to face.
In using this apparatus the handwheel B-with the spindle A, pointer C and
pulley D attached thereto-is rotated, the pulley F being thereby turned by the
wire G thus opening or closing the plug tap of the outlet pipe of the meter K
and indicating the extent of the opening thereof on the index plate E.
It is obvious that the spindle A with its accessories as hereinbefore described
can be fixed in any convenient position or in any convenient manner other than
that illustrated by Fig 1 and Fig 2, for instance it may be combined with and
fitted to an office desk, or an inkstand, or a wall bracket, or an umbrella stand, or
a smoking table.
As a modification, the spindle A can be rotated by bevil gearing a bevil wheel
being fixed on the spindle A and geared with a bevil pinion fixed on a shaft at
right angles to the longitudinal centre line of the said spindle, the pinion shaft will
be carried in bearings fixed to the table or bracket to which the index plate is
fixed; the end of the pinion shaft will be formed into a square, triangle or other
similar and convenient shape to which will be fitted a loose key of corresponding
form by which the gearing and pointer will be rotated.
The handwheel of the apparatus firstly described and the bevil gearing above
described can be locked in any ordinary manner to prevent its use by unauthorised
persons and may further be fitted with a catch or lock to prevent it being turned
too far.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
Improvements in gas regulators or appliances for controlling the consumption
of gas by the construction of an apparatus independent of and in addition to the
existing gas fittings and consisting of a double ended slotted lever or as an
equivalent a slotted pulley fitted on and fixed to the handle of the plug of the gas
tap and actuated through a wire, chain or cord, by a drum, spindle and handwheel
or gearing and indicating the extent of the opening of the said gas tap by an index
plate and pointer substantially as herein before specified and as described in reference
to, and as illustrated by, Fig 1 to Fig 12 of the accompanying drawings and any
mere modification thereof
In Witness whereof, I the said Samuel Slack havo hereunto set my hand and
Seal this nineteenth day of October in the year of our Lord Oue thousand eight
hundred and eighty three