IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE-REDUCING VALVES OR REGULATORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM KEY, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, Gas Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of iny said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE-REDUCING
VALVES OR REGULATORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in details of construction of the pressure
regulating apparatus described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the
present applicant dated 19th October 1882, N° 4981. The object of the present
Invention is to adapt such apparatus more particularly for regulating the pressure
of water and of high pressure fluids such as steam and compressed air.
The improved apparatus comprises a valve chamber provided with an inlet and
outlet tube, and having a dividing web or partition fitted with or forming a
seat or casing for an open annular valve, through which the water or fluid passes,
the arrangement being similar to that of any of the modifications of regulating
apparatus described in the Specification before alluded to. Instead however of the
valve being connected to and actuated by a bell or small holder, which owing to
its delicacy of action is especially applicable in connection with gas governors, it is
actuated by the pressure of the water or other fluid on a piston, plunger, or
diaphragm, connected, either directly or through a lever, to the valve. The piston,
plunger, or diaphragm is weighted, or acted on by a weighted lever, or by a spring,
which opposes the pressure on the plunger or diaphragm, of the water or fluid
within the chamber, and tends to open the valve. The plunger or diaphragmn is
weighted or loaded to balance the internal pressure on it and to correspond to the
maximum pressure at which it is intended the valve should remain open and allow
the water or other fluid to pass freely. When the pressure of the water or other
fluid is greater than and overcomes the opposing weight on the piston or diaphragm,
the valve is partially closed, and the supply of fluid passing through the valve is
diminished, and when the water or fluid pressure is less than, and is overcome by
the opposing load on the piston, the valve opens or is lifted from its seat so that a
greater supply passes through it. By fitting the loaded piston or diaphragm on
the outlet or discharge side of the valve, the supply or passage of the water or
other fluid through the valve, may be regulated to correspond exactly with the
rate of consumption.
Dated this Twenty second day of January 1884.

page_text: I, WILLIAM KEY, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, Gas Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE
REDUCING VALVES OR REGULATORS," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to improvements in details of construction of the pressure
regulating apparatus described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
me, dated 19th October 1882, N° 4981.
The object of the present invention is to adapt such apparatus more particularly
for regulating the pressure of water and of high pressure fluids such as steam and
compressed air.
In the accompanying drawings, figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections illustrating
modifications of my improved pressure reducing valve or regulator as adapted for
controlling water pressure; and figures 3 and 4 are similar views of modifications
adapted for use in regulating the pressure of steam, air or other elastic fluids.
The improved apparatus comprises a valve chamber A provided with an inlet B
and outlet tube C, and having a dividing web or partition A¹ fitted with or forming
a seat or casing D for an open annular valve E, through which the water or fluid
passes, the arrangement being similar to that of any of the modifications of
regulating apparatus described in the specification before alluded to. Instead
however of the valve being connected to and actuated by a bell or small holder
which owing to its delicacy of action is especially applicable in connection with gas
governors, it is actuated by the pressure of the water or other fluid on a piston or
plunger F, as in figures 1 and 2, or on a diaphragm F¹, as in figures 3. and 4
connected either directly as by the spindle G or through a lever or levers to the
valve E.
The piston, plunger F, or diaphragm F is weighted by movable rings H or acted
on by a weighted lever, or by a spring H¹, which opposes the pressure on the
plunger or diaphragm, of the water or fluid within the chamber, and tends to open
the valve. The plunger or diaphragm is weighted or loaded to balance the internal
pressure on it, and to correspond to the minimum pressure at which it is intended
the valve should remain open and allow the water or other fluid to pass freely.
When the pressure of the water, steam, or other fluid is greater than and overcomes
the opposing weight on the piston F or diaphragm F, the valve E rises and is
partially closed, and the supply of fluid passing through the valve is diminished,
and when the water or fluid pressure is less than, and is overcome by, the opposing
load on the piston or diaphragm the valve opens or is withdrawn from its seat so
that a greater supply passes through it. By fitting the loaded piston or diaphragm
on the outlet or discharge side of the valve, the supply or passage of the water or
other fluid through the valve, may be regulated to correspond exactly with the
rate of consumption.
In the example shown in figure 1 the lower end of the plunger chamber F¹ is
open, in that shown in figure 2 it is closed, fitted with a packing guide for the
spindle and provided with a small orifice of through which the water or other fluid
can only pass slowly. By this means sudden and temporary fluctuations of the
pressure of the water or other fluid do not so readily affect the valve, and do not
cause it to close or open violently. In the examples shown in figure 3 a corrugated

page_text: metallic diaphragm is employed to operate the valve, in figure 4 a rubber disc is
employed as the diaphragm. An elastic diaphragm may be employed in combination
with a plunger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
°
First. The combination of parts forming the improved pressure reducing valve
or regulator, substantially as described.
Second. In a pressure reducing valve or regulator, the arrangement of the open
tubular valve actuated either direct or through levers by a piston plunger or
diaphragm, substantially as described.
WILLIAM KEY.