Improvements in Gas Governors.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 13th Jan., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
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 our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS, 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 applicable for regulating the
supply to regenerative gas lamps or other suspended lamps.
In this governor we use either a metal float or piston working in a cylinder, a
leather or other flexible material diaphragm, on a liquid or mercury seal, such being
actuated upon by the pressure of gas on the underside which moves a valve or
equivalent which closes or opens more or less according to the increase or decrease of
pressure to give a regular and even flow of gas to the burner. Outside the governor
is provided an adjustable screw to regulate the quantity of gas required to the burner
and also to greatly reduce the pressure of gas on the outlet side from which there is a
gas passage to the top side of float, diaphragm, mercury seal or equivalent the pressure
of gas being therefore greater on the underside of such allows the valve to rise or fall
according as the pressure varies.
In Figure 1, A is the body of the governor in which freely works a float or piston B
provided at its upper end with a guide tube C which is used for the purpose of
supplying gas to the underside of float B and also serving as a valve to open or close
the passage of gas at the tube cover D. The quantity of gas required to be passed
through to the burner is adjusted by the regulating screw E. The gas passage F
gives free communication between the top side of float B and the outlet side of the

page_text: regulating screw E. The action is as follows:-Gas is turned on and passes under
the tube cover D down the tube C and underneath the float or piston B, the regulating
screw E is set for the required amount of gas to pass through for use.
More gas
passes through the tube than can pass through the screw E consequently the bulk
of the gas remains under the float B and the gas pressure is therefore greatly reduced
at the outlet side of the screw E from which there is a gas passage F which gives free
communication to the top side of the float B it follows that the pressure of gas will be
less on the top side of float B than on the bottom and the increase or decrease of
pressure causes the float to rise or fall and regulate the supply of gas through the
tube Cat D. The tube C may be extended below the float B to H the tube would
then be perforated at the underside of float as shown in Figure 3.
In Figure 2 we use an extra gas passage G to supply the underside of float B with
gas instead of through the tube C as in Figure 1 in this case the tube C is continued
through the float B into the hole H and the regulated gas passes through the whole
length of tube C to the regulating screw E.
Figure 3 resemble Figures 1 and 2 except that we substitute for the metal float a
cup B dipping into a mercury seal B₁ the tube C is brought through the cup B to H
to serve as a guide to keep the cup B in its proper and upright position, the tube C is
perforated at the underside of cup B to allow the bulk of the gas to collect under the
спр В.
Figure 4 resemble Figure 3 except that a leather or other flexible material
diaphragm B is employed instead of the cup dipping into the mercury seal.
Figure 5 resemble Figure 3 except that we use an inverted valve C instead of an
upward valve or tube; the gas follows in the direction of the arrows to the underside
of cup B and passes through the regulating screw E to outlet, the gas passage F
giving free communication to the top side of cup B as before stated in Figure 1.
In Figure we substitute a leather or other flexible material diaphragm B for the
cup B in Figure 5.
It will be seen that the valve arrangement at D in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 admits of
considerable modification, but the above is given as being very simple and giving
satisfactory results.
The governor as described in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5 being unaffected by heat is
particularly suitable for regenerative lamps, or to be placed in other situations exposed
to heat.
F
By not exposing the top side of diaphragm, mercury seal or equivalent to the action
of the atmospheric air entirely prevents the possibility of any escape of gas should any
part get out of order or leak as the escaping gas would pass through the passage
and be consumed. While the governor as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings is preferred as having the advantage of no part being exposed to
the action of the atmospheric air, yet it will be seen that in Figures 5 and 6 by
dispensing with the gas passage F and exposing the top side of B to the air as shown
by the dotted lines J, the difference in pressure of the atmospheric air on the top side
of B and the gas pressure on the underside of B will allow the valve to rise or fall as
the pressure varies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A gas governor with inlet at the top and outlet at the bottom in which the
supply of gas is carried downward through a centre tube to the underside of float,
piston, cup dipping into a mercury or liquid seal, flexible diaphragm or equivalent
which being actuated upon by the pressure of gas on the underside moves the said
tube upwards or downwards and closes the inlet more or less according to the increase
or decrease of pressure substantially as herein specified and illustrated in Figures 1, 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
2. A gas governor with inlet at the top and outlet at the bottom such as Figure 2
provided with a gas passage such as G for the purpose of supplying gas to the

page_text: underside of float while the regulated gas passes from the tube cover D) down the
tube C to regulating screw E substantially as specified.
3. A gas governor such as Figures 5 and 6 with inlet at top and gas passage
through to inverted valve C and from thence to regulating screw E to outlet at
bottom, substantially as specified.
4. The method of using as gas passage such as F placed between the outlet side of
the regulating screw E and the top side of B to abviate the necessity of any part of
the governor being exposed to the oction of the atmospheric air, substantially as
specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The method of using mercury or liquid governors in which no part is exposed to
the action of the atmospheric air.
HENRY WILLIAM COLE.
ALBERT FREDERICK COLE.