IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF GAS REGULATORS TO GASELIERS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Sugg, of Vincent Street, in the City of
Westminster, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
REGULATORS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF GAS REGULATORS TO GASELIERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Sugg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1881.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF
GAS REGULATORS TO GASELIERS."
This Invention consists, 1stly, in a novel construction of apparatus for regulating
the quantity of gas to be supplied to gas stoves, gaseliers, and in other places where
the quantity of gas consumed and the pressure of the gas varies within con-
siderable limits, and where it is impossible or undesirable to apply a regulator to
each jet or burner; and, 2ndly, in the application of such apparatus or any other
suitable gas regulators to gaseliers. The class of regulators to which these improve-
ments more particularly refer is that in which a rising and falling disc is made gas
tight in its case by means of glycerine or other suitable oily substance, which is
maintained by capillary attraction in position, in a groove male in the edge of the
disc.
It has been found that these regulators, though efficient as small regulators to
be applied to a single burner, do not answer their purpose effectually when applied
to gas stoves or in other places where large quantities of gas are burned, as the
pressure is at times so great as to overcome the capillary attraction of the oil and
blow it out of the groove onto the top of the disc, thus permitting the gas to
escape.
It has also been found that if these regulators when male of a size sufficiently
large for use in gas stoves be laid down on one side the oil has a tendency to run
to that side and get onto the top of the disc and stop up the hole or holes therein
through which the gas passes, or to run out at the opening at the top of the case,
thus wasting the oil and interfering with the proper working of the regulator.

page_text: Now according to my Invention I use in place of a disc a small gasholder with a
conical or dome-shaped top, and around the outer periphery of this gas holder I
form a series of four or more grooves. This gasholder I introduce into an annular
space formed by a cylinder or ring placed inside an outer case of such diameter
that the gas holder will be just free to rise and fall therein.
This annular space is intended to form a reservoir into which the glycerine or
other suitable substance to seal the holder is poured, and from whence it rises by
capillary attraction up the sides of the holder and fills the grooves.
A valve, which may be of any suitable form, is connected to the holder in any
convenient manner.
By constructing the regulator as above described all danger of "blowing" will
be obviated.
In order to prevent the escape of the glycerine or other sealing material when
the regulator is laid down on its side, I form a U shaped gutter, which I invert
and fit onto the top of the outer case so that the sealing liquid may collect in the
gutter and be preserved, the conical or dome shape of the holder preventing any
of the liquid collecting upon it.
If desired, the holder may have a ledge or flange on the top for the same
purpose.
The gas may be made to pass through the regulator, in which case two openings
will be made in the supply pipe under the holder with a partition between them,
one opening being closed by the valve; or the valve may be worked by a lever
from the holder, in which case only a sufficient quantity of gas will pass into the
holder to cause it to act.
.
In applying a gas regulator, such for instance as that just described, to a two, three,
or more light gaselier, I prefer to place the regulator in a case which will take
place of the usual vase of the gaselier. The form of the case may be of an orna-
mental character, and the gas supply and delivery pipes may be arranged inside
in any convenient manner.
When using such a regulator the regulation of each flame of the gaselier will be
effected by turning its own tap, and the flame so regulated will remain the same
size, notwithstanding any increase of pressure due to turning out the other flames
or from any other cause. Neither will the lighting of other burners affect the
already lighted burner, provided the pressure at the main is sufficient.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Thomas Sugg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th March 1882.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster,
Engineer. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF
GAS REGULATORS TO GASELIERS."
This Invention consists, firstly, in a novel construction of apparatus for regu-
lating the quantity of gas to be supplied to gas stoves, gaseliers, and in other
places where the quantity of gas consumed and the pressure of the gas vary
within considerable limits, and where it is impossible or undesirable to apply a
regulator to each jet or burner; and, secondly, in the application of such apparatus
or any other suitable gas regulators to gaseliers.
The class of regulators to which these improvements more particularly refer is
that in which a rising and falling disc is made gas tight in its case by means of
glycerine or other suitable oily substance, which is maintained by capillary
attraction in position in a groove made in the edge of the disc.
It has been found that this kind of regulator, though efficient as a small
regulator to be applied to a single burner, does not answer its purpose effectually
when large quantities of gas have to be passed through, as the pressure is at times
so great that the discs are liable to stick or otherwise get out of order, the
consequence being that the capillary attraction (which retains the oil in the
groove) overcome, and the oil is blown out of the groove, thus allowing the gas
to escape.
It has also been found that if these regulators (when made of a size sufficiently
large for use in gas stoves) are laid down on one side, the oil has a tendency to
run to that side, get onto the top of the disc, and stop up the hole or holes therein
through which the gas passes; or in the case of regulators which are open to the
atmosphere, to run out at the opening at the top of the case or other open part,
and thus wasting the oil and interfering with the proper working of the regulator.
Now according to this Invention I use in place of a disc an inverted cup-shaped
vessel like a small gas holder, and around the outer periphery of this gas holder or
in the walls of the case I form a series of four or more grooves. This gas holder
I introduce into an annular space formed by a cylinder or ring placed inside the
case, such space constituting a reservoir for the glycerine or other suitable
substance intended to seal the holder.
A valve, which may be of any suitable form, is connected to the holder in any
convenient manner.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1 and 2, Sheet I, show in sectional
elevation one form of my improved regulator. A is a metal case, which screws
into a base plate B, with which the inlet and outlet C, C¹, are cast; D is a ring or
cylinder, also cast with the base plate and of less diameter and depth than the
case A; E is an inverted cup-shaped vessel or small gas holder, with which the
valve F is connected by a rod or rod and lever.
The inverted gas holder E is placed in the annular space between the
cylinder D and the case A, in which it is free to rise and fall. In the walls of
the holder (which are made thick for the purpose) a series of grooves a, a, are cut.
These grooves serve by capillary attraction to hold the sealing liquid (which is
placed in the annular space) in suspension, and so make a gas tight joint of
considerable depth and effectually obviate any chance of "blowing." The top of

page_text: +
the case A is open to the atmosphere, the pressure of which on the top of the
holder E serves to balance the regulator.
In order to prevent the escape of the glycerine or other sealing material when
the regulator is laid down on its side, I form a U or other suitably shaped
gutter G, which I fix in an inverted position in the case A, at a point above the
full rise of the holder, so that the sealing liquid may collect therein and be
preserved.
If desired, the holder may be formed with a ledge or flange on the top for the
same purpose. In like manner the upper part of the cylinder D, may be formed
with a gutter b, as shewn in Fig. 2, to catch the sealing liquid inside the holder.
The gas may be made to pass through the regulator as in the arrangement shewn
in Fig. 1, in which case a partition c will be placed between the inlet and
outlet C, C, and openings will be made in the base plate B under the holder, one
on either side of the partition. The inlet opening, which will be made centrally
of the cylinder D, will be closed by the valve F, and the outlet opening will be
left free. In the arrangement shewn in Fig. 2 the gas will pass direct to the
outlet through an opening in the partition c. In this case the valve F will be
carried by a lever F¹, which will be worked from the holder, and only a
sufficient quantity of gas to cause it to act will pass into the holder.
Instead of formning the grooves a, a, in the walls of the holder, I may cut them
in the inner periphery of the case A, as shewn in Fig. 3, Sheet II., or in the outer
periphery of the cylinder D, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, Sheets III, and IV. The
last mentioned plan I prefer, as the grooves can be cut with greater facility and
the holder and case can be made lighter than in the arrangements shewn in the
previous Figures.
In applying a gas regulator, such, for instance, as one of those just described, to a
two, three, or more light gaselier, the regulator will be placed in a case which may
take the place of the usual vase or any other convenient part of the gaselier, and
the form of the case may be of an ornamental character.
When using a regulator in such a position, the regulation of each flame of the
gaselier will be effected by turning its own tap, and the flame so regulated will
remain the same size notwithstanding any increase of pressure due to turning out
the other flames or from any other cause. Neither will the lighting of other
burners affect those already lighted provided the pressure at the main is sufficient.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5, I have shewn in vertical section two modes_of_adapting a
regulator to a gaselier, Figures 3 and 4 shewing the regulator in place of the usual
socket with which the branches are connected, and Fig. 5 the regulator situate in
the vase of the gaselier.
The same letters of reference in the former Figures apply to corresponding parts
in these Figures. The parts A, B, D, E, G, will be practically the same as those
already described, but as the gas will be introduced above the holder and will act
by downward pressure instead of upward, certain additions and alterations in
detail will be necessary adapt the apparatus to the altered circumstances.
.
The case A is provided with a cover A¹ into which the gas supply or central
pipe C of the gaselier is screwed. The gas outlets C', C¹, are made in the side of
the case A above the holder E, and into these openings the branches of the gaselier
are inserted. Between the inlet C and the outlets C₁ is placed a partition c which
is screwed or otherwise secured into the case A, and at the centre of this partition
an opening is made and a seat formed for the valve F, which is connected with
the top of the holder E by a rod.
The gas passing through the valve acts (if the pressure be in excess of a
regulated amount) on the top of the holder E and presses it down, thus contracting
the valve opening, the holder being held up against the pressure either by a coiled
spring d or a weight e, or both placed and acting below the holder and which will
be regulated to withstand such pressure.
The spring d is placed between the top of the holder E and the base plate B

page_text: and inside the cylinder D. The weight e, which is capable of being shifted
according to the pressure to which the apparatus is to be regulated, is carried at
one end of a lever e', the other end being connected by a rod e² with the top of
the holder E. The weight and lever are contained in a chamber below the base
plate B formed by the flanges B¹ projecting downwardly therefrom, and closed in
by a cap piece or cover B provided with a knob or other finial B³ A few holes are
made in the walls of this chamber to allow for the entrance and exit of the
internal air according to the position of the holder E.
In Fig. 4, the grooves a, a, are formed in the outer periphery of the cylinder D,
and a slight alteration is made in the form of the gutter or its equivalent G,
otherwise this Figure is the same as Fig. 3.
The application of a regulator to the vase of a gaselier is shewn in Fig. 5. In
this application the regulator is enclosed in a second casing A2, and is secured to
the cover A¹ with which the supply pipe C is connected. The casing A is con-
tracted at its lower end and screws into the socket As into which the branches of
the gaselier are secured in any convenient manner. The holder is provided with a
spring and weight, as shewn in Fig. 3, but the compartment below the base plate B
made gas tight by means of a stopper B, the entrance and exit of the external
air to the compartment taking place through the pipe f which is open to the external
air. The gas enters from C and after passing through the valve F escapes by the
openings Cinto the space between the cases A, A², whence it passes to the
branches.
Outside the case A2 I may place a glass or other vase as indicated by the dotted
lines, or the case itself may be made of an ornamental character.
The remaining parts of the regulator will be same or similar to those already
described, and the action will be the same as that described with reference to
Figures 3 and 4.
It will be evident that in place of the regulator described in the earlier part of
this Specification, any kind of disc regulator may be employed, and for low
pressures would probably answer the purpose sufficiently well, and it will be easy
for any competent workman to adopt such a regulator or any other suitable
regulator to a gaselier, according to the principles above indicated.
In Fig. 6, Sheet V., I have shewn in vertical section my improved regulator as
adapted to what is known as a "French" lamp with a single burner. In this
arrangement the gas will enter under the holder E.
The gas supply tubes C are connected with the socket H, which is provided with
a tap or cock I turned by a knob. The regulator case is screwed or otherwise
secured into the socket H. The construction of this form of regulator will be
practically the same as that described in Fig. 1, namely A, the outer case; B, the
base plate; D, the cylinder between which and the case A the annular space is
formed for the holder E. The gas inlet will be through a central hole in the base
plate B which is closed by the valve F in connection with the holder, as in Fig. 1.
The parts A, B, D, will however be made of sufficient thickness to permit of
passages g, g, for the gas being bored therein, as seen in the cross section, Fig. 6.
The gas entering from C passes in the direction shewn by the arrows through
the valve F into the holder E. From the holder the gas passes by the passages g, g,
into the space formed by the double cover A' and thence by the outlet pipe C to
the burner. The holder will be closed against external pressure of gas but will be
open to that of the atmosphere.
The regulator may be enclosed in a vase, or the case may be made of an
ornamental character.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Gas Regulators and
in the Application of Gas Regulators to Gaseliers," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The construction of gas regulators, substantially as herein shewn and
described for the purposes set forth.

page_text: Second. The application of gas regulators to gaseliers, as herein described or
any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Sugg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteeeth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
WILLIAM T. SUGG: (L.S.)