IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS USED FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF- -GAB
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin John Grabham, of 107, Shepherdess
Walk, City Road, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
-Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS
USED FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF- -GAB."
Sealed the 16th February 1872, and dated the 19th August 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin John Grabham
.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th August 1871.
I, EDWIN JOHN GRABHAM, of 107, Shepherdess Walk, City Road, in
the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declaro the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS USED
FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY or Gas," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention has for its object the regulating the supply of gas by¸·
cutting off superfluous pressure from the main supply. To effect this
I fix (in a convenient-spot) a long screw on which is a nut; these are
enclosed in a case with a handle on one end of the screw for the purpose
of turning it. To the nut is fastened a wire or cord, which is carried to

page_text: the main cock by cranks or pullies and the end fastened to a lever,
which lever is fixed to the square of the plug of the main cock. The
main cock is made to shut off the supply by means of a spring or balance
weight, pulling in the opposite direction to the wire that is in connexion
with the scrow and nut. In front of the case may be fixed a dial
shewing the amount of opening given to the main cock by the action of
the screw,
nut, and wire; on the handle being turned the nut runs along
the screw and pulls the wire or cord thereby turning on the supply, but
so slowly and evenly that the exact volume of gas is allowed to pass as is
required to be used; and in turning off the action is so steady that there
is no danger of the gas being extinguished by overturning. A micro-
meter screw and barrell may be substituted for the long screw and nut.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin John Grabham in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
JOHN GRABHAM, of 107, Shepherdess Walk, City Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edwin John Grabham, Her special licence
that I, the said Edwin John Grabham, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin John Grabham, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exerciso,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE APPARATUS USED FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin John Grabham, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin John Grabham, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
This Invention has for its object the regulating the supply of gas by
cutting off superfluous pressure from the main supply. To effect this
I fix (in a convenient spot) a long screw on which is a nut; these are
enclosed in a case with a handle on the end of the screw for the purpose
of turning it; to the nut is fastened a wire or cord which is carried to
the main cock by cranks or pullies and the end fastened to a lever,
which lever is fixed to the square of the plug of the main cock. The
main cock is made to shut off the supply by means of a spring or balance
weight pulling in the opposite direction to the wire that is in connexion
with the screw and nut. In front of the case is fixed a dial shewing the
amount of opening given to the main cock by the action of the screw,
nut, and wire. On the handle being turned the nut runs along the
screw and pulls the wire or cord, thereby turning on the supply, but so
slowly and evenly that the exact volume of gas is allowed to pass as
is required to be used, and in turning off the action is so steady that
there is no danger of the gas being extinguished by overturning. A
micrometer screw and barrel may be substituted for the long screw and
nut.
In order that this Invention may be readily understood reference is
made to accompanying Drawings, the letters and figures of reference
on which refer to like parts throughout :—
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A is a plate of metal, Figs. 1, 2, and 3; B a screw with centre working
in a seat C, which is screwed on to the plate. On the other end of this
screw is fastened a mitre pinion E, and near the same end it works in a
bearing C¹ cast or fastened to the plate. D is a nut working along the
screw B. When the handle I, Fig. 2, is turned this nut is prevented
from turning round with the screw B by having a feather 4, Fig. 2, cast
on it, which feather works in a long slot 3 in the plate A, Fig. 2. Fis
a mitre cog wheel working at one end in the plate A, Fig. 2, and at

page_text: the other in cap G. This cog wheel is drilled to admit the shank of the
key I, Fig. 2. Through the feather of the nut D is drilled a hole to
fasten a wire and chains 5; this wire and chains are carried to the main
tap K, Fig. 4, by means of pullies L. On the square of the plug of the
main tap K is fixed a lever M of a quadrant shape, Fig. 4, on the
periphery of which are two grooves, N, N, Fig. 5; in one groove is
fastened a chain at 6, Figs. 4 and 5, which chain passes round the
quadrant, and is connected to the wire and chains 5. In the other
groove is fastened a chain at 7, Figs. 4 and 5, which chain passes round
the quadrant and is connected to the balance weight O, Fig. 4. In the
front of the cap G is an opening showing an index P, P, Fig. 8, and a
band or needle 1, which hand is fixed to the nut D, and rises therewith
when the handle is turned. 2, Fig. 3, is a small frame to hold a glass
in its place in front of the index P.
The general working of the apparatus may be described as follows:-
The key I is inserted into the cog wheel F, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which
gears into pinion E. On the handle being turned the cog F turns the
pinion E, also the screw B, which raises the nut D and acts upon the
chains and wire 5 and the quadrant M, Fig. 4, thereby turning the plug
of the main cock K, and so regulating the opening in the same that
desired volume of gas can be allowed to pass. On the handle being
turned in the reverse direction the nut D is lowered, and the balance
weight O, Fig. 4, causes the quadrant and with it the plug of main cock
to close in the same ratio as the lowering of the nut D, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
any
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
described, as it will be evident to a practical mechanic that the same
may be altered in form and in the manner of construction without
departing from the main or essential features of my said Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Lettors Patent is,―
First. The general arrangement and construction of the mechanism
and the parts thereof for the purpose of gradually turning on and off a
tap or cock.
Second. The adaptation and use of a screw and nut with a wire or a
chain attached to the said nut and carried therefrom to the place where
the tap or cock is situated and there attached to a quadrant lever, which
said quadrant lever is fixed to the end of the plug of the cock and is

page_text: acted on or drawn in one direction by the revolution of the screw, and
is drawn in the other direction by means of a weight or spring, all
substantially in the new or improved manner herein described and
shown in the accompanying Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Grabham, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.