IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF GAS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Busch, of Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
"E
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Busch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th March 1871..
I, JOHN BUSCH, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Gas Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF GAS," to be as
follows:-
--
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus used for regulating
the pressure and flow of gas, by which the acting parts are rendered
more durable, less liable to get out of order by use, and also more certain
and effective in their operation.

page_text: My first improvement consists in forming the cup or float (which
floats in the mercury) of glass or earthenware, or similar substance,
which is incapable of being corroded or acted upon by the mercury or
impurities in the gas.
My second improvement relates to the form of the cup or float. The
upper surface of this I make hollow or concave, so as to lessen the
distance betwixt the cup or float and the valve and valve scat, by which
the action of these parts is rendered more perfect and steady.
My third improvement relates to the form of the valve and valve seat.
The valve I construct as a portion of a sphere or a form approaching
thereto, and the valve seat I construct so as to form a circular edge.
The joint effect of these parts so constructed renders their action in
regulating the flow of gas much more perfect and complete.
My fourth improvement consists in placing the guide or guides which
support the valve spindle entirely above the cup or float, the effect of
which is that these parts are entirely removed from all contact with the
gas, and consequently not liable to have their action impeded or
deteriorated by tar or other impurities.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Busch in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BUSCH, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Gas Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Busch, Her special license that
I, the said John Busch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Busch, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully miglit make, use, exercise, and vend, within the

page_text: REGULATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF GAS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Busch, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Busch, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is
to say :-
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus used for regulating
the pressure and flow of gas, by which the various parts are rendered
more durable, less liable to get out of order by use, and also more certain
and effective in their operation.
My first improvement consists in forming the cup or float (which
floats in or is supported by mercury) of glass or earthenware, or similar
substance, which is incapable of being corroded or acted upon by the
mercury or impurities in the gas.
My second improvement relates to the form of the cup or float. The
upper surface of this I make hollow or concave, by which means I
lessen the distance betwixt the upper surface and the valve or valve
seat, by which the length of the connexion is shortened and the action
of these parts is rendered more perfect and steady.
My third improvement relates to the form of the valve and valve seat.
The valve I construct as a portion of a sphere or form approaching
thereto, and the valve seat I construct so as to form a circular edge.
The combined effect of these parts so constructed is to render their
action in regulating the flow of gas much more exact and complete.
My fourth improvement consists in placing the guide or guides which
support the valve spindle entirely above the cup or float. The effect
of which is that these parts are entirely removed from all contact with
the gas, and consequently not liable to have their action impeded or
deteriorated by tar or other impurities contained in the gas.

page_text: My fifth and last improvement consists in giving to the exterior case
or capsule (which contains the other parts of the apparatus, and by
which they are supported,) a coating of enamel of the nature of glass.
This coating of enamel is applied to the interior as well as to the exterior
surface of the casing, and effectually protects it from corrosion arising
from the atmosphere, or from impurities contained in the gas.
In order to make my Invention more clearly understood, I have here-
unto annexed a Sheet of Drawings, to which the following description
relates, and in which the same letters of reference or letters and figures
conjoined indicate the same parts.
Figure 1 represents a side view of a gas regulator constructed according
to my improvements; Figure 2, a section through the centre of the same,
as shewn in Figures 1 and 3; Figure 3, a view of the gas regulator as seen
from above; Figure 4, a view of the same, with the cover removed in
order to display the arrangement and construction of the internal parts;
and Figures 5, 6, and 7, sections and views of separate parts of the
apparatus.
A, A, exterior case or capsule; A¹, A¹, cover or cap for the same;
B and B', two inlet appertures by which the gas enters the regulator.
If the regulator is attached to a horizontal supply pipe, the apperture 1
B is made use of; but if the regulator is attached to vertical supply
pipe, the apperture B' is used. The apperture not in use being closed by
a plug or screw; B2, B², apperture by which the gas leaves the regulator,
and by which it is attached to the pipe through which the gas passes
to the burners; C, C, float or inverted cup, shewn separately in section in
Figure 5, and also as seen from above in Figure 6. This float I construct
of glass, porcelain, earthenware, or other similar substance or metal
coated with enamel, which is not subject to be corroded or acted upon
by impurities in the g gas. It may however be constructed of metal, but
such a construction is for the most part objectionable on account that
metals generally are subject to corrosion from impurities in the gas or
from the action of the mercury; D, D, D, circular chamber or reservoir
partially filled with mercury, in which the float C is supported, and in
which it is at liberty to rise and fall according to the pressure of the
gas beneath it, and which arrangement forms at the same time an
air-tight joint. The upper surface or crown of the float C, C, I prefer
to be made concave or hollow, as shewn in Figures 2 and 5, at C', C¹;
E, E, the valve, by the immediate action of which the regulation of the

page_text: flow of the gas is effected. It is shewn in section, the outline being
of a circular or elliptical form, or a form approaching thereto; E¹, E¹,
the valve seat; E², the spindle or stalk attached to the valve, and by
which it is connected to the concave or hollow crown of the float C,
at C²; F, F, guide attached to the interior of the capsule A, A. Through
this guide the spindle E³ passes, having liberty to slide so as to ensure
the proper action of the valve E.
The several parts of the apparatus being arranged as shown in the
Drawing, and the weight of the float C, C, and valve E properly
adjusted, the regulation of the pressure and flow of the gas takes
place in the following manner :— -If the pressure of the gas in the
apperture B, B², is too great, the float C rises, and with it the valve E, .
by which action the space betwixt the valve and valve seat is reduced,
and consequently a less quantity of gas is allowed to pass and the
pressure is reduced. But if the pressure of the gas at the apperture B2, B²,
is less than it ought to be, the float C falls, and with it the valve E;
the space betwixt the valve and valve seat is now increased, and a larger
quantity of gas is permitted to pass, and in this manner the proper
supply of gas to the burners is maintained, and at the same time waste
is prevented.
The Drawing is on a scale of one-half the real size, but the size of the
apparatus will require to be increased or lessened according to the
quantity of gas consumed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, it must be understood that I do
not claim as my Invention the making or constructing of apparatus for
regulating the flow or pressure of gas generally; neither do I confine
myself to the precise details of arrangement and construction as hercin
described, as these may be varied, and will require to be varied, to meet
the different cases to which my Invention may be applied; but that
what I do claim as new and of my Invention is as follows:-
Under the head of my first improvement I claim the forming or
constructing the cup or float C, C, of glass, porcelain, earthenware,
or similar substance, or metal coated with enamel, in such a manner that
the same shall not be subject to be corroded or acted upon by impurities
in the gas or by mercury.
Under the head of my second improvement I claim the form or con-
struction of the cup or float as shown in Figures 2 and 5, that is, with

page_text: its upper surface made hollow or concave, as herein set forth and
described.
Under the head of my third improvement I claim the application
of the valve E and valve scat E¹ (see Figures 2 and 7), not simply by
themselves but solely in combination with my other improvements &
herein set forth and described.
Under the head of my fourth improvement I claim the placing of the
guide or guides F (Figure 2) entirely above the cup or float C, C, as
herein set forth and described.
giving to the 1
Under the head of my fifth improvement I claim the
external capsule or case A, A, A¹, A¹, (Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4,) a covering
or coating of enamel, by which it is preserved from the effects of any
corrosive substance or gas to which it may be exposed.
And, lastly, I claim as my Invention the combination and arrangement
of the whole of the several improvements as hercin set forth and 1
described, or any two of the same so combined together (with or without
other appliances) so as to constitute an efficient apparatus applicable to
the purpose of regulating the pressure and flow of gas.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Busch, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year 2
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Signed by the within-named John
Busch in the presence of
JOHN POTTER,
Civil & Consulting Engineer,
Manchester.
JOHN BUSCH.