IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John McLennan, Horologist, of 84, Finsbury Park Road,
and Richard Owen, Wine Merchant, of England Laue, Haverstock Hill, both
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McLennan and Richard
Owen at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March
1880.
JOHN MCLENNAN, Horologist, of 84, Finsbury Park Road, and RICHARD OWEN,
Wine Merchant, of England Lane, Haverstock Hill, both in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF
GAS."
#
Our Invention has reference to the mode of regulating the supply of gas from the
meter to any required number of lights, and also to individual burners; and consists
in the adaptation and application to such purpose or purposes of self-acting appa-
ratus, in which the supply of gas is regulated by means of a lever working in a
chamber on centres fitted between the inlet and the outlet for the gas, such lever
being connected at one end to the valve for admitting the gas to the chamber, and
at the other end to the valve for its escape therefrom.
The inlet valve is closed by the action of gravity on that end of the lever when
the pressure of gas on the inner side of the valve.is.diminished, and_by_the_same__
action on the lever the outlet valve at the opposite end thereof is opened.
The reverse action takes place when the inlet valve is opened by the pressure of
gas, which causes the outlet valve at the opposite end of the lever to be closed.
By means of this arrangement, on the entrance of the gas into the chamber
owing to its pressure on the inlet valve, the action of the lever closes the outlet, so
that the gas is confined in the chamber until by the diminution of pressure on the
inlet valve, owing to an approximate equilibrium of the pressures on each side
thereof, the action of gravity on the inlet end of the lever causes the inlet valve to
be closed, when the outlet valve is opened, and the gas allowed to escape.

page_text: When the apparatus is used as a regulator for the supply of gas to a number of
burners, the chamber and also the lever and valves will be made of suitable capacity,
and the inlet for the gas will be at one side of the chamber, and the outlet at the
other side thereof, the valve at the outlet being of the requisite conical form in
order to adapt the supply of gas to any number of burners required. A spring will
also be adapted and applied to the lever in order to regulate its action on the valves
as required; an indicator is also applied to show for what pressure the apparatus is
adjusted. And when the apparatus is applied to a single burner it is intended to
work the lever by applying a suitable weight at the lower end, and the gas is made
to enter the chamber at a part below the fulcrum of the lever, and to escape from
it at a part above the same, a stop being inserted in the gas supply pipe at a part
between the inlet and the outlet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John McLennan and Richard Owen in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th September 1880.
JOHN MCLENNAN, Horologist, of 84, Finsbury Park Road, and RICHARD OWEN,
Wine Merchant, of England Lane, Haverstock Hill, both in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF
GAS."
Our Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of
Gas" has reference to the mode of regulating the supply of gas from the meter to
any required number of lights, and also to individual burners; and consists in the
adaptation and application to such purpose or purposes of self acting apparatus, in
which the supply of gas is regulated by means of a lever working in a chamber on
centres fitted between the inlet and the outlet for the gas, such lever being connected
at one end to the valve for admitting the gas to the chamber, and at the other end
to the valve for its escape therefrom.
The inlet valve is closed by the action of gravity on that end of the lever when
the pressure of gas on the inner side of the valve is diminished, and by the same
action on the lever the outlet valve at the opposite end thereof is opened.
The reverse action takes place when the inlet valve is opened by the pressure
of gas, which causes the outlet valve at the opposite end of the lever to be partially
closed.
By means of this arrangement, on the entrance of the gas into the chamber
owing to its pressure on the inlet valve, the action of the lever closes the outlet, so
that the gas is confined in the chamber until by the diminution of pressure on the
inlet valve, owing to an approximate equilibrium of the pressures on each side
thereof, the action of gravity on the inlet end of the lever causes the inlet valve to
be closed, when the outlet valve is opened, and the gas allowed to escape.
When the apparatus is used as a regulator for the supply of gas to a number of
burners, the chamber and also the lever and valves will be made of suitable capacity,
and the inlet for the gas will be at one end of the chamber, and the outlet at the
other end thereof, the valve at the outlet being of the requisite conical form in
order to adapt the supply of gas to any number of burners required.
A spring will also be adapted and applied to the lever in order to regulate its
action on the valves as required; an indicator is also applied to shew for what
pressure the apparatus is adjusted.
And when the apparatus is applied to a single burner it is intended to work the
lever by applying a suitable weight or spring at the lower end, and the gas is made
to enter the chamber at a part below the fulcrum of the lever, and to escape from
it at a part above the same, a stop being inserted in the gas supply pipe at a part
between the inlet and the outlet.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, we will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented the apparatus above referred to in
its application as a regulator for any required_number_of burners, and also to_a_
single burner.

page_text: cover or valve for regulating the quantity of gas admitted to the chamber; E is a
conical valve applied at the outlet C, adapted to regulate the supply of gas to the
number of burners required; F is the lover for working the valves at the inlet and
outlet respectively; this lever has its fulcrum at G, and it is graduated on its upper
side, as shewn in Fig. 1; H, H, are vertical rods with handles or buttons at the end,
by means of which they can be turned so as to move the springs I, I, over the
indexes of the lever F in order to adjust its action as required.
It will hence be seen that when the lever is adjusted in the manner stated the
entrance of gas to the chamber A and its exit therefrom will be duly regulated to
suit the number of burners required.
In Figures 3 and 4, which relate to the application of the apparatus to a single
burner, the lever F is shewn with its fulcrum at G, between the inlet B and the
outlet C, which are both formed in the pipe K leading to the burner, the inlet B
being on one side and the outlet C on the opposite side of the partition or stop L
in the said pipe; M is a weight or valve affixed to the inlet end of the lever for
the purpose of closing the inlet by the simple action of gravity.
From the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that as the gas passes through
the pipe K it will, by opening the inlet valve at B, be caused to enter the chamber
A, the outlet valve at C being closed by the action of the lever F until on the
pressure on each side of the valves becoming equalized, or nearly so, the simple
action by gravity of the weight M on the lever F will close the valve M at the
inlet B, and open the valve at the outlet C, and allow the gas to pass from the
chamber A to the burner.
The partition or stop L serves to prevent the passage of gas to the burner, except
through the chamber A, in the manner described.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as of our Inven-
tion is,―
First. The self-acting apparatus described for regulating the supply of gas to any
required number of burners, in the manner herein before described.
And, Secondly. The self-acting apparatus, as described, adapted and applied to a
single burner.
In witness whereof, we, the said John McLennan and Richard Owen, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, the Eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness to both signatures,
WILLIAM SPENCE.
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lanc.
JOHN MLENNAN.
RICHARD OWEN.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)