IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING OR TA D T REGULATING THE FLOW OR PRESSURE of ILLUMINATING GAS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Bruce Peebles, of the Tay Works, Bonnington, in
the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING OR
TA
D
T
A
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Bruce Peebles at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th September 1880.
DAVID BRUCE PEEBLES, of the Tay Works, Bonnington, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED
WITH APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING OR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PRESSURE of
ILLUMINATING GAS."
This Invention has principally for its object to improve the construction and
action of apparatus for governing or regulating the flow or pressure of illuminating
gas.
The first part of the Invention relates to metallic governors, without liquids or
flexible diaphragms, for automatically delivering a constant volume of gas notwith-
standing variations in the initial pressure, and in the pressure at which it may be
delivered, these governors being suitable for large or small burners or for groups of
burners. In one modification there is a cone which when not raised by the gas
rests on a needle or central spindle, as in the "needle" governor described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present applicant, and dated
23 February 1878 (No. 755). The apex of the cone or conical shell, and which
forms the valve or closing detail of the passage proceeding from the regulating
chamber to the burner, has a tine hole drilled through it, through which a very
small quantity of gas can pass, even when the passage is otherwise closed; and this
serves to render the action more uniform under extreme variations of pressure. The
cylindrical part of the chamber in which the cone or (in some modifications) a
piston or disc works, is together with the cover of the chamber made in block-tin.
or other white-metal, and is inserted in a cylindrical brass casing, the bottom of
which is made with the usual nozzle for insertion into the gas pipe. The burner
tube is fitted to be screwed into the top of the cylindrical brass casing, and in being.
Price fid 1

page_text: screwed down it compresses the top of the inner white-metal piece, and makes a
tight joint. A hollow dome or thimble is in some cases placed over the cover of
the regulating chamber, and the gas issuing from the central opening in the cover
is by the dome made to pass downwards and issue in a thin film from under the
edge of the dome into the space or passage in the burner tube, the object of this
arrangement being to prevent noise and keep out dust.
In a second modification, a hollow piston is substituted for the cone, such piston
being made in a lens-like form out of two dished pieces of very thin metal. By
this construction stiffness with extreme lightness is obtained, and one or both of
the pieces may be radially corrugated to increase the stiffness, the corrugations when
on the under side also preventing the entire closing of the passage when the piston
is in its lowest position. A light vertical tube is fixed in the centre of the piston
and projects down into the mouth of a passage formed in a white metal disc on the
underside of which is a screwed plug. This disc and plug being screwed down into
the bottom part of the brass casing, forms a base for and completes the white metal
chamber already described. A small plug screwed in from the outside serves for
regulating the flow through the passage into the tube, and the gas passes through
lateral openings in the tube into the cavity of the piston, and through openings in
the top of the piston into the space above it. A nozzle formed in the centre of the
cover of the chamber, and projecting downwards, forms the outlet thence, and is
more or less closed by the piston rising more or less near it, a fine hole in the
middle of the piston allowing-some gas to pass, even when the nozzle is otherwise
quite closed. A dome or thimble is placed over the nozzle outlet as in the first
modification. The gas which acts on the under side of the piston passes to the
bottom of the chamber by a separate inlet, so that its action is not interfered with
by the current proceeding to the burner.
In a third modification the hollow piston has a central tube fixed to it, so as to project
upwards, and this tube passes through the cover of the regulating chamber and
approaches the top of the dome or thimble above.
In a fourth modification the downwardly projecting tube and adjustable inlet
passage of the second modification, are combined with the upwardly projecting tube
of the third modification.
An improvement or variation applicable to either the third or fourth modification
consists in fixing or forming a second but smaller piston on the top of the central
tube. This smaller piston works in a short cylindrical passage in the top of the
regulating chamber, and secures a more perfect action with large burners, such as
are used for large lamps or gas stoves.
In a fifth modification the central tube projecting upwards from the piston passes
through an opening in the cover of the chamber into a small upper chamber, and
therein approaches the bottom end of a tube fixed to the top. The gas passes
between the edges of the two tubes into the space surrounding them, and thence
through openings or slits into the lower part of the burner tube, such openings or
slits being by preference not opposite the ends of the tubes. The movable and fixed
tubes may be of uniform diameter throughout, or they may be flared or trumpet-
shaped at their meeting parts; or the lower tube may have a smaller or contracted
or tapered upper end, which enters up into the fixed tube, to cause the gas to move
downwards between it and the fixed tube, the outlet from the bottom of the fixed
tube being more or less closed by a shoulder or flange on the movable tube.
The outside of the brass casing is made cylindrical with a bead or milled
projection at the bottom; and the ring of the globe holder is shaped to fit upon the
casing, and is secured when on by a catch jointed to it and engaging beneath the
bottom head or projection.
The second part of the Invention comprises improvements in the constructive
details of a well known type of gas governor, in which a bell made of glass or of
metal, plain or enamelled, dips into an annular trough of mercury or other suitable
liquid. The casing is made in three parts united with horizontal joints, which are
made tight by means of grooves filled with lead or other suitable substance. The

page_text: inlet and outlet for the gas are arranged so that any water in the outlet pipe may
pass through the governor to the inlet pipe, and thence to the meter or other
convenient receptacle. The bottom piece of the casing contains the bottom plate
of the regulating chamber, in which plate is the opening for the valve which
controls the passage of the gas; and beneath this plate is a central nozzle projecting
downwards, at which the valve is introduced, and to which the inlet pipe may be
connected. There is also a lateral nozzle for connecting the inlet pipe horizontally
when more convenient. The middle casing piece comprises the annular trough for
the mercury, with a bell-shaped central part having a central hole for the passage
of the valve rod, and with a curved flange round such hole to check nccidental
movements of the mercury. The top casing part comprises the cover of the chamber,
and its middle part is depressed to form an recess for the weights, and to form an
annular channel to receive the mercury in the event of the governor being over-
turned. The outlet nozzle for connecting the pipe for leading the gas away from
the governor is formed in the middle casing part, and cominunicates directly with
the space above the bottom plate of the chamber, and any water entering the
nozzle finds its way without obstruction through the valve opening to the inlet
space.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Bruce Peebles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
March 1881.
"
DAVID BRUCE PEEBLES, of the Tay Works, Bonnington, in the County of
Mid Lothain, North Britain, Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED
WITH APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING OR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PRESSURE OF
ILLUMINATING GAS."
My said Invention has principally for its object to improve the construction and
action of apparatus for governing or regulating the flow or pressure of illuminating
gas.
The first part of my Invention relates to metallic governors without liquids or
flexible diaphragms, for automatically delivering a constant volume of gas, not-
withstanding variations in the initial pressure and in the pressure at which it may
be delivered, these governors being suitable for large or small burners or for groups
of burners. Several modifications of these metallic governors are hereinafter par-
ticularly described, and in all of them there is an external brass casing, which I
prefer to make cylindrical with a bead or milled projection at the bottom, and I
shape the ring of the globe holder to fit on the casing, and secure it by a catch
engaging beneath the bottom bead or projection.
The second part of my Invention comprises improvements in the constructive
details of a well known type of gas governor in which a bell made of glass or of
metal, plain or enamelled or nickel-plated, dips into an annular trough of mercury
or other suitable liquid.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing_the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing various inodifications of my improved
apparatus. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
"
1
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of a
combined burner and governor, the latter being made according to a first modifi-
cation of my improved metallic governors. In this modification there is a cone 11
which when not raised by the gas rests on a needle or central spindle, as in the
" needle governor described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me
and dated 23 February 1878 (No. 755). The apex of the cone or conical shell 11,
and which forms the valve or closing detail of the passage proceeding from the
regulating chamber to the burner (or burners) has a fine hole drilled through it,
through which a very small quantity of gas can pass, even when the cone is lifted
so high as to otherwise close the passage; and this serves to render the action more
uniform under extreme variations of pressure. The cylindrical part 12 of the
chamber in which the cone 11 works is, together with the cover of the chamber,
made in block-tin or other white metal, and is inserted in a cylindrical brass
casing 13, the bottom of which is made with the usual nozzle 14 for insertion into
the gas pipe. The burner tube 15 is fitted to be screwed into the top of the
cylindrical brass casing 13, and in being screwed down it compresses the top of
the inner white-metal piece 12 and makes a tight joint. A hollow dome or
thimble 16 is (in some cases) placed over the cover of the regulating chamber, being
secured by one or two beads of solder, and the gas issuing from the central opening
in the cover of the regulating chamber is by the dome 16 made to pass downwards
and issue in a thin film from under the edge of the dome into the space or passage
in the burner tube 15, the object of this arrangement being to prevent noise and
keep out dust.

page_text: In a second modification, shown in vertical section in Figure 2, a hollow
piston 17 is substituted for the cono (11), such piston being made in a lens-like
form out of two dished pieces of very thin metal. By this construction stiffness
with extreme lightness is obtained, and one or both of the picces may be radially
corrugated to increase the stiffness (the corrugations when on the under side also
in some modifications preventing the entire closing of the passage when the piston
is in its lowest position). A light vertical tube 18 is fixed in the centre of the
piston 17, and projects down into the mouth of a passage formed centrally in a
white-metal disc 19, on the underside of which is a screwed plug or nozzle. This
dise and plug 19 being screwed down into the bottom part of the brass casing 13 forms
a base for and completes the white-metal regulating regulating chamber 12. A small
plug 20 screwed horizontally into the central passage of the disc and plug 19 serves
for regulating the flow through that passage into the tube 18, and the gas passes
through lateral openings in the tube into the cavity of the piston 17, and through
openings in the top of the piston into the space above it. A nozzle 22 formed in
the centre of the cover of the chamber, and projecting downwards forms the outlet
thence, and is more or less closed by the piston rising more or less near it; a fine
hole in the middle of the piston, or rather in the otherwise closed upper end of the
tube 18, allowing some gas to pass, even when the nozzle 22 is otherwise quite
closed. A dome or thimble 16 is placed over the nozzle outlet, as in the first
modification. The gas which acts on the underside of the piston 17 passes to the
bottom of the chamber 12 by a separate inlet 21, so that its action is not interfered
with by the current proceeding to the burner.
In a third modification, shown in vertical section in Figure 3, the hollow piston 17
has a central tube 18 fixed to it so as to project upwards, and this tube passes
through a passage formed in the cover of the regulating chamber and approaches
the top of the dome or thimble 16 above. The complete closing of the bottom
inlet when the piston 17 is in its lowest position is prevented either by having the
underside of the piston radially corrugated, as hereinbefore mentioned, or by
forming one or more nicks or indentations in the edge of the inlet.
In a fourth modification, shown in vertical section in Figure 4, the downwardly
projecting tube 18 and adjustable inlet passage of the second modification are
combined with the upwardly projecting tube 18 of the third modification. The
adjusting screw plug 20 is in this example shown as passing only through the plug
or nozzle of the disc 19, and not through the outer casing also, so that it is
concealed and rendered less liable to be tampered with.
An improvement or variation, applicable to either the third or fourth modification,
and shown in vertical section in Figure 5, consists in fixing or forming a second but
smaller piston 23 on the top of the central tube 18. This smaller piston 23 works
in a short cylindrical passage in the top of the regulating chamber, and secures a
more perfect action with large burners, such as are used for large lamps or for gas
stoves.
In a fifth modification, which is shown in vertical section in Figure 6, the central
tube 18, projecting upwards from the piston 17, passes through an opening in
the cover of the regulating chamber into a small upper chamber, and therein
approaches the bottom end of a tube 24 fixed to the top. The gas passes between
the edges of the two tubes 18, 24, into the space immediately surrounding the
opening, and thence through openings or slits into the lower part of the burner
tube 15, such openings or slits being by preference not opposite the ends of the
tubes 18, 24. The movable and fixed tubes 18, 24, may be of uniform
diameter throughout; or they may be flared or trumpet-shaped at their meeting
parts, or the lower tube 18 may have a smaller, or contracted, or tapered upper
end, which enters up into the fixed tube 24, to cause the gas to move downwards
between it and the fixed tube, the outlet from the bottom of the fixed tube 24
being more or less closed by a shoulder or flange on the movable tubo 18.
Figure 7 is an elevation of one of my governor burners with a three-armed globe

page_text: holder 25 placed in position on it. The arms of the globe holder are fixed to or
formed in the same picce with a cylindrical ring 26, and this ring 26 fits on the
outside of the brass casing 13 of the governor. A bead or milled projection 27 on
the casing 13 supports the globe holder ring 26, and a small catch 28, jointed to
the holder, secures the holder by engaging under the bend 27; Figure 8 shows a
slight modification, in which a small locking piece 29 is jointed to the holder for
securing the catch 28 in its holding position.
Figure 9 is a vertical section of a modification of my improved gas governor of
the kind in which a bell dipping into an annular trough of mercury or other liquid
is employed. The casing of the governor is inade in three parts 31, 32, 33, united
with horizontal joints which are made tight by means of grooves filled with lead or
other suitable substance. The inlet 34 or 35 and the outlet 36 for the gas are
arranged so that any water in the outlet pipe may pass through the governor to
the inlet pipe and thence to the meter or other convenient-receptacle. The bottom
piece 31 of the casing contains the bottom plate 37 of the regulating chamber, in
which plate is the opening for the valve 38 which controls the passage of the gas;
and beneath this plate 37 is a central nozzle 34 projecting downwards, at which
the valve 38 is introduced, and to which the inlet pipe may be connected. There
is also a lateral nozzle 35 for connecting the inlet pipe horizontally when more
convenient. The middle casing piece 32 comprises the annular trough 39 for the
mercury, with a bell-shaped central part 40 having a central hole for the passage
of the valve rod 41, and with a curved flange round the top of such hole to check
accidental movements of the mercury. The top of the part 40 is depressed near the
centre so as to slightly reduce the height of the apparatus; and any mercury getting
into the depressed part finds its way back to the annular trough 39 by a small
inclined channel made for the purpose. The top casing part 33 comprises the cover
of the chamber, and its middle part is depressed to form a recess 42 for the weights,
and to form an annular channel 43 to receive the mercury in the event of the
governor being overturned. The outlet nozzle 36, for connecting the pipe for
leading the gas away from the governor, is formed in the middle casing part 32,
and communicates directly with with the space above the bottom plate 37 of the
chamber; and any water entering the nozzle 36 finds its way without obstruction
through the valve opening to the inlet space 44. If preferred, the outlet nozzle
may be formed on the bottom casing part 31, as shown at 45 in Figure 10.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The making of the governor chamber in one or two pieces of block-tin or
other white metal inserted in an outer brass casing, and tightly secured by the
screwing of the burner tube into the top of the outer casing, as herein before
described.
2. The combination of a hollow dome or thimble (16) with the outlet from the
regulating chamber, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. The making of the piston or disc on which the gas acts in the regulating
chamber in a hollow lens like form, as herein before described.
4. The mode of arranging and combining together the piston and its central
tube, with the parts in immediate connection with which they act, substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying
Drawings.
5. The mode of arranging and combining together the piston and its central
tube, with the parts in immediate connection with which they act, substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
6. The mode of arranging and combining together the piston and its central

page_text: tube, with the parts in immediate connection with which they act, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying
Drawings.
7. The making of the top of the piston tube (18) with the enlargement or small
piston (23), and the arranging or combining together of the parts, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figuro 5 of the accompanying
Drawings.
8. The mode of arranging or combining together the piston and its central
tube, with the parts in immediate connection with which they act, substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying
Drawings.
9. The mode of fitting, supporting, and securing the globe holder, substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying
Drawings.
10. The constructing of governors of the class shown in Figures 9 and 10 of the
accompanying Drawings, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
those Figures.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Bruce Peebles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
D. BRUCE PEEBLES. (L-S.)