NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS LAMPS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF ACTING AS GOVERNORS FOR LAMPS OR FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Foulis, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS LAMPS, PART OR PARTS
THEREOF ACTING AS GOVERNORS FOR LAMPS OR FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES.
"
Sealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 1st September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Foulis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st September 1877.
WILLIAM FOULIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil
Engineer. "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING
GAS LAMPS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF ACTING AS GOVERNORS FOR LAMPS OR FOR
ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
This Invention, which relates to the lighting and extinguishing of gas lamps, belongs
to that class of gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus which has for its object the
lighting or extinguishing of a number of gas lamps such as those in a street or
district simultaneously.
The Invention consists of a small chamber placed near the burner of each
lamp. This chamber is partially filled with liquid such as glycerine or oil. In this
chamber is a bell, the lower part of which dips into the liquid, and having attached
to its top a valve which when shut closes communication between the gas main and
the burner, and when open establishes that communication. The interior of this
bell communicates by a pipe with a vessel in which the pressure of air or gas is
regulated from time to time as required. Attached to another chamber situated
above that already described is a small burner, which may be called the " pilot
burner," provided with a shield to prevent it being blown out. This "pilot burner"
is in constant communication with the gas mains by means of a fine grooved or
small orifice formed in another valve carried in a seat beneath the burner, and by
preference immediately above the valve on the bell. The angle at which this small
burner is situated is such as to direct its flame towards the large or main barner.

page_text: The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Through the small burner gas
continually flows from the mains, and is kept continuously burning with a very small
flame. When it is desired to light the burners the pressure of the air or gas inside the
bell is increased until it is slightly greater than the pressure of the gass in the
mains, plus the weight of the bell. The bell will then rise and open the valve
attached to its upper end, whereby communication between the gas mains and the
burners is established.
The pressure inside the bell being greater than the pressure of gas on its top the
bell will continue to rise until the valve which it carries comes in contact with the
stem of the valve immediately below the small burner, whereby this valve is opened,
thus allowing a greater quantity of gas to pass to the small burner, thereby elongating
the flame until it reaches and ignites the gas issning from the main burner. The
pressure inside the bell is then reduced to that required to maintain a proper supply
of gas to the main burner; the bell will then fall sufficiently to allow the small
valve to close,thereby reducing the light of the "pilot burner" to its normal condition.
The apparatus, herein-before described, also acts as a governor by the bell being
regulated so as to govern the extent of opening of the valve, and therefore the flow
of gas, by means of the difference of pressures inside and outside the bell, after
the manner of the Governors, described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to the said William Foulis, No. 3655, A.D. 1876.
In place of using a bell to regulate the valve, as herein-before described, a flexible
diaphragm or its equivalent may be substituted, and in place of the small hole or
groove for the passage of the gas to the "pilot burner" being formed in the small
valve, it may be formed in any part of the metal between the gas main and the
"pilot burner."

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Foulis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th February
1878.
Lanark, North Britain, Civil
LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING
WILLIAM FOULIS, of Glasgow, in the County of
Engineer. "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
GAS LAMPS, PART OR PARTS THEREOF ACTING AS GOVERNORS FOR LAMPS OR for
ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to that class of gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus
which has for its object the lighting or extinguishing of a number of gas lamps
such as those in a street or district simultaneously, the said apparatus accordingly
as it is constructed, as herein-after set forth, acting wholly or partly as a gas
governor.
°
The apparatus consists, nnder one form, of a chamber situated near the burner of
each lamp. This chamber is partially filled with liquid, such as glycerine or oil. In
this chamber is a bell, the lower part of which dips into the liquid,and has attached
to its top a valve which when shut closes communication between the gas main and
the burner, and when open establishes that communication. The interior of the
said bell communicates by a pipe with a vessel in which the pressure of air or gas
is regulated from time to time as required, the said vessel being situated at the gas
works or at other convenient place, and having pipes leading from it to all the lamps
which are to be simultaneously lighted and extinguished. Attached to another
chamber, situated above that already described, is a small burner which may be
called the "pilot burner," provided with a shield to prevent the flame from the
said "pilot burner" from being blown out. This pilot burner" is in constant
communication with the gas mains by means of a fine groove or small orifice formed
in another valve carried in a seat beneath the said "pilot burner," and by preference
immediately above the valve on the bell. The small orifice may however
be formed in the valve seat or in other situation capable of communication with the
pilot burner.'
The angle at which the "pilot burner" is placed is such as to direct
its flame towards the large or main burner.
**
When the lamps of the street, district, or building, to which my Invention is
applied, are not lighted a small quantity of gas continuously flows to the
"pilot burner" of each lamp through a pipe from the mains, and is kept continuously
burning.
When it is desired to light the main burners of the lamps the pressure of the air
or gas inside the bell is increased until it is slightly greater than the pressure of the
gas in the main, plus the weight of the bell and its connections. The hell is thus
caused to rise and open the valve attached to its upper end, whereby communication
between the gas mains and the main burners is established.
The pressure inside the bell being greater than the pressure of gas on its top the
bell will continue to rise until the valve comes in contact with the stem of the other
valve immediately below the "pilot burner," which valve being thereby also opened
allows a greater quantity of gas to pass to the "pilot burner." This increased
supply of gas to the "pilot burner" produces an instantaneous elongation of its flame
which is thus caused to reach up to and ignite the gas issuing from the main burner.
The pressure of air or gas inside the bell is then reduced to an amount which, whilst
allowing the bell to be depressed to some extent, will still maintain the valve on its
top open to the degree required for the passage of a proper supply of gas to the
main burner, the falling or depression of the bell being sufficient to allow the
small valve of the "pilot burner" to close, thereby reducing the flame from the
pilot burner to its normal condition.
«
The apparatus, herein-before described, also acts as a governor by the pressure
inside the bell, regulating at all times the extent of opening of the valve attached to
its top, and therefore the flow and pressure of gas outside the bell, so that by
increasing or diminishing the pressure inside the bell, the pressure of gas, and there-

page_text: *fore the size of flame at the main burner, are increased or diminished proportionately,
and the apparatus may be constructed without the lighting and extinguishing
arrangements, in which case, being a governor only, its movements may be regulated
by a counterweight acting oppositely to the pressure of the gas.
Under another form of the apparatus, in place of using a bell to regulate the
valve, either of the lamp lighting or extinguishing apparatus, or that of the governor
as herein-before described, a flexible diaphragm may be employed,and the apparatus
may be made of any required dimensions so as to regulate the flow of gas to one,
two, or more burners.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner, in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference
being had to the annexed Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon; the same letters of reference indicating like parts in all the
corresponding Figures, that is to say :-
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of an apparatus con-
structed according to my said Invention, such as is applied to each of the lamps of
a district, street, or building, the said Figure showing the valves and bell in the
position in which they rest when the lamps are not lighted.
Figures 2 and 3 are similar sections, with the exception that in Figure 2, the
valves and bell are shown in the positions which they assume when the flame of the
"pilot burner" is momentarily elongated for igniting the gas issuing from the
main burner; and that in Figure 3 the valves and bell are shewn in the positions
which they assume when the gas at the main burner is lighted, and the flame from
the pilot burner" has been reduced to its normal size.
<
Below the burner of each lamp is a chamber A, which is partially filled with liquid
such as glycerine or oil. In this chamber is a bell B, the lower part of which dips
into the liquid, and attached to the upper part of which is a valve b, which when
resting upon its seat closes communication between the small chamber a (into which
the pipe C from the gas main opens) and the burner D, as shewn in Figure 1, and
when raised from its seat establishes that communication as shewn in Figures 2
and 3. In the centre of the chamber A is a tubular projecting piece a', extending
above the level of the liquid at the interior of the bell, and to this is secured a
pipe E, which communicates with a vessel in which the pressure of air or gas is
regulated from time to time as required, the said vessel being situate at the gas
works or at other convenient place. Similar pipes lead from the vessel to all the
lamps which are to be lighted and extinguished. Attached to another chamber F,
situated above the chambers A and , is the "pilot burner" G, provided with a
shield a, to protect the small flame of the "pilot burner" from being blown out.
The "pilot burner" is in constant communication with the gas mains by means of
a small passage g formed either in the seating of the small valve H, as shown, or
through the said valve, or in any other convenient position. The angle at which
the "pilot burner" is situated is such as to direct its flame towards the main
burner, as seen in Figure 2.
When the lamps of the districts, street, or building, to which my Invention is
applied are not lighted, gas flows continuously from the gas mains to the "pilot
burner" of each lamp through the pipes C and passage g, and is kept constantly
burning at the said "pilot burner" with a very small flame. When it is desired to
light the main burners of the lamps, the pressure of the air or gas inside the bell B
is increased until it is slightly greater than the pressure of the gas in the mains plus
the weight of the bell and its connexions. This increase of pressure is exerted upon
the air or gas in the reservoir at the gas works or elsewhere, with which the pipes E,
from all the lamps of the district, street, or building, to be lighted, communicate.
A simple and convenient arrangement for producing this increase of pressure of
the air or gas at the interior of the bells, consists in connecting the pipes which lead
thereto to the interior space of a bell floating in water, and by placing weights on
the bell causing it to sink further in the water, thus diminishing the space enclosed

page_text: by the portion of the bell above the water, after the manner of the apparatus set
forth with reference to Figure 4 of the Drawings of my former Specification No.
3655, A.D. 1876.
I will now describe the action of my said apparatus with respect to one lamp or
burner, it being understood that this action is simultaneously produced in apparatus
attached to each lamp of the district, street, or building.
The bell B, instantly that the increase of pressure is exerted upon its interior
through the pipe E, will rise and lift the valve b attached to its upper end,
thereby opening communication between the gas mains and the main burner D,and
the pressure inside the bell B being greater than the pressure of gas on its top the
bell will continue to rise until the valve b comes in contact with the stem of the
valve H immediately below the " pilot burner" G, whereby the said valve H is
raised, and a greater quantity of gas passes therethrough to the "pilot burner," so
that the flame is elongated, as shown in Figure 2, until it reaches and ignites the
gas issuing from the main burner. When the main burner of the lamp is thus
lighted the pressure inside the bell B, through the pipe E, is reduced to an amount
which will cause the said bell to fall sufficiently to allow the small valve H of the
pilot burner" to close, but still maintain the valve 6 open to the extent required
to allow the passage of a proper supply of gas to the main burner D, whereby the
gas at the main burner is kept burning, and the flame of the "pilot burner" is
reduced to its normal condition, as shewn in Figure 3.
"
In place of using a bell to regulate the valve, as herein-before described, a flexible
diaphragm or its equivalent may be employed, as shewn in the vertical section,
Figure 4, in which the said diaphragm is marked L. The action of the apparatus
under this modification is precisely similar to that herein-before described with
reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, its operation being controlled by the pressure of
air or gas acting upon the under side of the diaphragm L in lieu of upon the interior
of a bell.
It will be obvious that the apparatus herein-before described and shown at
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, after the ignition of the gas issuing from the main burner
has been effected, and the small valve H has returned to its closed position, acts as
& governor by controlling the quantity of gas passing to the main burner, and
therefore the size of the flame. The apparatus may however be constructed without
the "pilot burner" G and its valve H, in which case it constitutes a governor only.
Such a construction of the apparatus is shewn at Figure 5.
Figures 6 and 7 represent other arrangements of my apparatus as governors,
Figure 6 shewing an arrangement in which a bell is employed, and Figure 7 one in
which a diaphragm is used in place of a bell.
The pressure under the bell B, or below the diaphragm L, as the case may be, is
in these arrangements obtained by prolonging downwards the spindle 6' of the bell
or the diaphragm, and causing one end of a lever J (turning on a fulcrum ;, and
weighted at its other end by a weight K) to bear upon the said spindle b'. By
shifting the weight K nearer to or further from the fulcrum 3, the pressure exerted
by the said weight through the lever J and spindle 6' upon the inside of the bell,or
upon the under side of the diaphragm, may be regulated so as to govern the extent
of opening of the valve b, and the.efore the flow of gas from the pipe C(in connection
with the gas mains) to the burner D.
Figure 8 represents an arrangement of the apparatus suited to regulate the supply
of gas to a number of burners, such, for example, as the entire number of burners in
a house. This arrangement is similar to that shewn in Figure 7, with the exception
that the pipe M, leading from the governor, conducts the gas to a number of
burners.
In lieu of the inlet of gas to the governor, shewn at Figure 8, being above the
valve b, it may be placed below the valve, in which case the said valve is enlarged
to nearly the diameter of the diaphragm L, and in this case the governor is adapted
for controlling the pressure of larger supplies of gas.
Such an arrangement is shewn at Figure 9, in which the gas inlet is marked N

page_text: and the outlet P. In this Figure the pressure beneath the diaphragm L is shown
to be controlled by the weighted lover J, herein-before described with reference to
Figures 6 and 7, but it is obvious that an air pipe similar to the pipe E in Figure 4
may be substituted.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invection secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The apparatus, consisting of a gas lighter, extinguisher, and gas governor
combined, as herein-before described and shewn at Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the
accompanying Drawings, the action of which is controlled by pressure of air or gas
acting upon the inside of the bell, or upon the under side of the diaphragm, and
independently of the pressure of gas in the mains.
Secondly. The form and construction of the governors without gas lighting and
extinguishing apparatus combined therewith, as described and shewn at Figures 5,
6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Foulis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM FOULIS. (L.8.)