AN IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS FOR INDICATING BY CLOCKWORK THE EXCESSIVE PRESSUREs or Lighting Gas
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Eugène Henri Hache at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd January 1874.-A communication from Georges Lévy,
residing at Bd. de Strasbourg, 23ª, à Paris.
I, EUGENE HENRI HACHE, of the Firm Hache et Cie., of Paris,
Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS FOR INDICATING BY
CLOCKWORK THE EXCESSIVE PRESSUREs or Lighting Gas,” to be as follows:―
It is well known that in all establishments lighted by gas the closing
of some burners or their extinction in neighboring establishments
causes a sudden increase in the pressure of gas in the burners which
remain lighted. These burners begin to shoot out or produce a dis-.
agreeble hissing sound, and the light which they furnish ceases to be in
proportion to the supply of gas, which is considerably augmented with.
the pressure. It is rare that this improper condition is at once perceived, -
and before the remedy is applied time sufficient has elapsed to allow of a
considerable waste of gas, which, repeated daily, amounts at the end of a

page_text: month or so to a considerable sum to be needlessly paid to the supplying
company. All these inconveniences and waste would be obviated if by
some means one could be warned in time of the alteration in the
pressure of the gas, and if it could be at once corrected by turning the
cock which commands the supply throughout the establishment. It is
this object I propose to attain with the apparatus which forms
the subject of my Invention, and which may be called "the mechanical
bell warner." The idea of drawing attention to the variations of the
pressure of gas by means of bells has already been put in practice on
several occasions, but the apparatus employed either alone or in com-
bination with electric regulators require a too delicate handling, and
have a too trifling action to succeed practically. In the new system, on
the other hand, recourse is only necessary to mechanical action in order
to transmit the variation in the elastic force of the gas to the bell apparatus.
Such is the combination which characterizes the present Invention.
The apparatus consists of three principal parts, a nanometer, a clock
movement with a bell put in communication by a balanced lever or
float, the whole enclosed in a case from whence only the bell with its
hammer is excluded.
The manometer is arranged as follows:-It comprises a receiver of
glass, which is held within the apparatus by a little partition, and is
provided exteriorly with a graduated band. In its cover is fixed,
invariably at the middle of the receiver, a long glass tube, which descends
nearly to the bottom of the latter. To the lower end of this tube is
fixed an armature or metallic case, carrying a tube which debouches at
the top in order to receive the flask or bottle intended to maintain the
constant level corresponding to zero in the graduated scale upon the
receiver. The flask consists of a glass gauge provided with two armatures,
the lower one of which serves it as a bottom, and is in a piece with the
tube, while the other is provided with a loop piece with two grooved holes,
constituting a sort of bayonet closing, very easy to open and shut. The
tube descends nearly to the bottom of the other tube, and contains a
small rod or trough which carries at its top the closing valve, which
abutting against the closing cock and against the botton of the branch
of the tube maintains the valve open. By this arrangement the constant
level of the liquid is assured, and the mounting and dismounting of the
flask is effected with great facility without the escape of even a drop of
moton

page_text: The float is formed of a long metallic hollow cylinder, which is pro-
vided exteriorly with little fingers intended to prevent it from rubbing
against the partition of the tube, which would diminish its sensibility.
This float is provided at its top with a handle, by the aid of which it is
attached to the rock lever already mentioned. This rock lever is
supported at the place of its articulation upon a cap forming a body,
with a square piece which is adapted upon the metallic armature of the
top of the tube. At its hinder part the lever is curved upwards, and is
closed in a sort of case in which a lining of leather, coutchouc, or other
convenient flexible material is embedded.
The lever carries a counterweight, by the aid of which the moment for
the action of the bell is regulated with all desirable precision.
It is unnecessary to describe the clockwork movement, which presents
no peculiarity; it is arranged so as to actuate the hammer which
produces the sounding by striking with successive blows upon the bell.
From the preceding description it is easy to understand the simple and
certain action of the apparatus.
As soon as in the establishment where it may be placed the pressure
of gas rises above what is usual and necessary the level of the coloured
water rises in the manometer tube and draws the float in its ascending
movement. As soon as the float mounts the lever moves upon its axis,
and descending permits the escape of the disc. Immediately the
mechanism causes the sounding of the bell, and by hearing it one is
warned that it is necessary to go to the key of the entrance cock, and turn
it so as to diminish the delivery of the gas. This will occur every time
when in the establisment or outside there is an extinction of a sufficient
number of burners to give rise to an injurious or useless excess of
pressure.
The apparatus will bo casily regulated for a given excess with the aid
of a counterweight.
As to the liquid of the manometer the waste proceeding from the
evaporation will be found compensated by the water of the little reservoir
or flask.