IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISTRIBUTING, GOVERNING THE PRESSURE OF. AND LIGHTING GAR
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. William Clibran and Joseph Clibran, of the City of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinists and Manufacturers
of Gas Governors, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR
ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISTRIBUTING, GOVERNING THE PRESSURE OF. AND LIGHTING
GAR
Sealed the 21st December 1858, and dated the 23rd June 1858.
at.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William. Clibrau and
Josepli Clibran at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 23rd June 1858.
We, WILLIAM CLIBRAN and JOSEPH CLIBRAN, of the City of Manchester
Machinists and Manufacturers of "Gas Governors," do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR ARRANGE-
MENTS FOR DISTRIBUTING, GOVERNING THE PRESSURE OF, AND LIGHTING GAS," to be
as follows:-
Firstly, our improvements relate to a node of joining pipes used for the
distribution of gas; the object of our Invention being to preserve a perfect
joint, and allow for the settlement or movement which invariably takes place
after pipes are newly laid, and it consists in employing the ball and socket
arrangement to form the junction between the pipes.
Secondly, our improvements relate to "gas governors" and stop taps, and
consists in a peculiar combination of the two in one. The bottom part of the
Price 8d.1

page_text: "
gas governor case has passages conducting the gas to and from the
governor, and in one of these passages a "valve facing" is formed, and a
receptacle for a "screw plug," which is brought to or from the "valve face"
by rotation.
Thirdly, our improvements relate to small gas governors, intended for single
lights, and are particularly applicable to street lamps, and consist in a peculiar
arrangement and construction of the valve and passages, intended to provide
principally against the stoppage of such passages by the entrance of the
mercury used as a "seal" to the gas holder. The principal peculiarity is in
the return passage after the gas has passed through the valve of the governor,
and consists in forming an annular cavity under the seating part of the valve;
which cavity, when the valve seating is fixed in the casing part of the gas
governor, forms a portion of the passage to the outlet pipe. By this arrange-
ment the mercury cannot possibly enter the return or valve passages.
the
Fourthly, our improvements relate to arrangements for lighting gas lamps,
especially street gas lamps; the object being to light such lamps externally
without removing or opening the parts protecting the light from the weather,
or from the effects of atmospheric disturbance, and consist in the employment
of a pipe, the orifice at one end of which is placed directly opposite and over
gas burner, but at seine distance from it; the orifice at the other end of
the pipe being brought to the outside of the lamp or protecting cover. We
find that when a pipe is so arranged it is only necessary to apply a light to
the orifice of the pipe at the exterior of the lamp to ignite the gas escaping
from the burner, as the flame applied to the exterior end of the pipe is
couducted along it to the burner. Lamps so provided can be lighted by a
lautern carried on the end of a staff, thus avoiding the use of a ladder, and
the consequent labour of ascending, descending, and carrying it.
This part of our Invention also consists in arranging the gas burner on a
swivel joint, so that it can be turned to the side of the lamp or protecting
cover, which is perforated at this point, so that the light can be applied on the
exterior of the lamp or protecting cover, after which, the burner can be turned
to its correct position. We combine a gas governor, in a peculiar manner
with the last-described method of lighting, so that the swivel movement of
the burner answers as well for turning on and shutting off the gas, which is
accomplished by fixing the gas governor on the end of the plug of a tap, having
à gas passage through its centre, the burner being fixed in a pipe leading from
the outlet passage of the gas governor, so that the gas governor and burne
swivels with the movement of the tap or plug.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clibran and Joseph Clibran in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 22nd December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
CLIBRAN and JOSEPH CLIBRAN, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinists and Manufacturers of Gas Governors, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second yearof Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Clibran and Joseph Clibran, Her special license that we, the
said William Clibran and Joseph Clibran, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Clibran and Joseph Clibran,
our 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 might make, use,exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR
ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISTRIBUTING. GOVERNING THE PRESSURE OF, AND LIGHTING
GAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Clibran
and Joseph Clibran, by an instrument in writing under our 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 we, the said William Clibran and Joseph Clibrau,
do. hereby declare the nature of our 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 accompanying Drawings (that is to say): —
Firstly, our improvements relate to a mode of joining pipes used for the
distribution of gas, the object of our Invention being to preserve a perfect
joint, and allow for the settlement or movement which invariably takes place
after pipes are newly laid, and it consists in employing the ball and socket
arrangement to form the junction between the pipes.
The manner of carrying into effect this part of our Invention is shewn in
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings by Figs. 1 and 2; Fig 1 being a
longitudinal sectional view,and Fig. 2 an end view. The arrangement, shown
provides only for vertical movements in the pipes, but it admits of the pipes

page_text: being placed in a curve horizontally.
Each pipe has a ball at one end, and a
socket at the other end. Fig. 1 shows a junction between the ends of two
pipes a is the ball end of one pipe, and a¹ the socket end of the other pipe;
each pipe has a pair of ears (b), having holes in them, through which a pair
of bolts (c) pass, which secure the ends of the pipes together. The heads of
the bolts (c) and the nuts (c¹) are made hemispherical, and fit into corre-
sponding cavities formed in the ears (b); the centre of the hemispherical
cavities in the ears on the ball end of the pipe are both in a line drawn
through the centre of the ball, and when the pipes are placed in the position
they are intended to occupy, a plain passing through the centres of the two
connecting bolts (c) will be horizontal. The joint is made by a ring of greased
cloth placed between the ball and socket. These arrangements will-maintain
a perfect joint, while admitting all vertical settlement or movement taking
place in newly laid pipes.
Secondly, our improvements relate to gas governors and stop-taps, and
consist in a peculiar combination of the two in one. The bottom part of the
gas governor case has passages formed in it, conducting the gas to and from
the governor, and in one of these passages a valve facing is formed, and a
receptacle for a screw plug, which is brought to or from the valve face by
rotation.
This part of our Invention is shown in the accompanying Drawings by
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6; Fig, 3 is a plan sectional view of the passages and stop
valve at the lower part of the governor case; Fig. 4, a plan view of the gas
governor, with the cover (h) and gasometer removed; Fig. 5 is a vertical
section on a line 1, 2, Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a similar section on a line 3, 4,
Fig. 3, looking from the valve facing. It will be seen that the gas enters the
compartment a,then passes through the valve facing orifice b,and through the
governor valve c into the "gas holder" d, from which it passes through an
orifice e into the compartment f, from which it goes to the meter or to the
pipes-leading to the burners. The plug (g) of the valve screws through a
part (g¹) forming the gland, which keeps the packing tight against the spindle
part of the plug, the part g2 forming the chamber for the packing being
screwed into the case (a), as shewn. The plug g is rotated by a hand wheel g³
secured on it, as shewn.
Thirdly, our improvements relates to small gas governors intended for single
lights, and are particularly applicable to street lamps, and consist in a
peculiar arrangement and construction of the valve and passages intended to
provide principally against the stoppage of such passages, by the entrance of
the mercury used as a seal to the "gas holder;" the main peculiarity is in the

page_text: return passage, after the gas has passed through the valve of the governor,
and consists in forming an annular cavity under the seating part of the valve,
which cavity, when the valve seating is fixed in the casing part of the gas
governor, forms a portion of the passage to the outlet pipe; by this arrange-
ment the mercury cannot enter the return or valve passages. Fig. 7 on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows a sectional elevation, and Fig. 8 an
outside elevation. a is the case; b, the valve seal; c, a circular cavity, which
communicates by means of two holes with the space left for the valve spindle d
and also with the outlet passage e; f is a cover for the regulator, and forms
part of the outlet passages (e); it turns on a hollow screw g, as shown, so as to
uncover the gas holder (h), and is kept in its place by a screw i, the end of
which can be screwed into a notch formed in the side of the "case" (a).
The gas passages are drilled, and can be easily cleaned out if required.
Fourthly, our improvements relate to arrangements for lighting gas lamps,
especially street gas lamps, the object being to light such lamps externally
without removing or opening the parts protecting the light from the weather,
or from the effects of atmospheric disturbance, and consists in the employment
of a pipe, the orifice of one end of which is placed or arranged so as to come
directly opposite and over the gas burner, the orifice of the other end of this
pipe being brought to the outside of the lamp or protecting cover. We find
that when a pipe is so arranged, it is only necessary to apply a light to the
orifice of the pipe at the exterior of the lamp to ignite the gas escaping from
the burner, as the flame applied to the exterior end of the pipe is conducted
along its interior to the burner. Lamps so arranged can be lighted by a
lantern carried on the end of a staff, thus avoiding the use of a ladder, and
the consequent labour of ascending, descending, and carrying it. This method
of lighting lamps is illustrated by Figs. 9 and 10 on the accompanying Sheet
of Drawing. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a lamp, and Fig. 10 a plan view. It is
the protecting glass of the lamp, the cap or top cover to the side of which the
lighting or flash pipe b is secured to turn on a vertical axis (61), so that the
interend can be brought over the burner, as shown in full line, or turned on
one side, as shown in dotted line (see Fig. 10). A stop is arranged to prevent
the pipe b from moving beyond the position in which it is shewn in full line
over the burner (c). A lever (d) having two arms at right angles is placed on
the end of the plug (d) of the stop-tap, oneof the arms of the lever is vertical,
and the other is horizontal when the tap is open or shut, so that to open or
shut the tap it is only necessary to push up that arm of the lever which is
horizontal into the vertical position. This is done by a suitable projection ou
the lighting lamp, which is carried on the end of a staff. In lighting the

page_text: lamp the lighter pushes up one arm of the lever (d) to the vertical position,
placing the lighting lamp over the external end of the " flash-pipe" (b),
pressing on one side till the pipe comes against the stop, when it is directly
over the burner (c), then the escaping gas ignites; the lighter then moves the
lighting lamp, so as to bring the flash pipe (b), to one side, as shown in dotted.
line, Fig. 10, when the operation is completed. This part of our Invention
also consists in arranging the gas burner on a swivel joint, so that it can be
turned to the side of the lamp or protecting cover, which is perforated at this
point, so that a light can be applied on the exterior of the lamp or protecting
cover to ignite the escaping gas, after which the burner can be turned to its
'correct position. We combine 'a gas governor and stop-tap iu a peculiar
manner with the last-described method of lighting, so that the swivel move-
ment of the burner answers as well for turning on and shutting off the gas,
which is accomplished by fixing the gas governor on the end of the plug of the
tap, having a gas passage in the direction of its axis, the burner being fixed
in a pipe leading froin the outlet passage of the gas governor, so that both the
burner and gas governor swivels with the movement of the tap or plug. The
last-described method of lighting, and the peculiar combination of the gas
governor and stop-tap is illustrated by Figs. 11 and 12 of the accompanying
Sheet of Drawing. Fig. 11 is an elevation of a lamp; and Fig. 2, a plan
view of the interior of the lamp. e is the gas branch pipe from the main pipe,
which is connected with the stop-tap f, the plug of which is hollow, so that
the
gas leaves the tap at the end of the plug upon which the gas governor g is
screwed, c being the pipe leading to the burner. A groove is formed in the
plug, so that gas will pass through the tap when the burner is in the central
position (1), and the side position (2), but the groove in the plug does not
admit of the passage of gas when the burner passes the central position (1)
towards the position (3), when the gas is shut off. The first position of the
burner is shewn in full line, and the second and third in dotted line on Fig.12.
The second position of the burner is that in which the burner is opposite the
orifice in the side of the lamp where the escaping gas is ignited. A groove
is formed in the top of the lamp, by which the lighting is effected, which is
carried on a staff, by which groove the plug of the tap is turned into the
required positions. When the lamp is to be lighted, the burner (c) is in the
position 3, the lamplighter turns it to the position 2, then applies the light,
and turns it back to the central position 1.
Figs. 13 and 14 show another modification of this part of our Invention,
combining a gas governor and a method of lighting practised prior to the date
of our invention, that is, by a lighting lamp'carried on a staff, which is inserted

page_text: through a hole left in the bottom of the lamp. Our improved combination
removes the objection to that mode of lighting, namely, the difficulty of
adjusting the stop-tap,the necessity for such adjustment being dispensed with
by our improved combination; in fact, the combination of a gas governor
removes all objections to this or the other modes of lighting lamps herein-
before described. Fig. 13 is an elevation showing the gas governor applied;
and Fig. 14 is a plan view of the bottom of the lamp and gas governor (g).
A lever d is fixed on the plug of the tap f, (shown full size in Figs. 7
and 8,) the tap is placed so that when it is shut the lever d will be in the
position shown in Fig. 14. The opening hin the bottom of the lamp, shown in
Fig. 14, is unglazed, and it is through this that the lighting lamp is passed,
which is represented by the dotted circle. The act of passing the lighting
la ip through the opening () will cause the lever d to be turned to the
vertical position, as the lighting lamp will force it up, so that by one move-
ment the gas is turned on; and the lamp is lighted without requiring any.
adjustment of the tapf, which is a great saving of time and labour to the
lamplighters. The tap f can easily be shut by a hook or projection on the
end of a staff, by pushing up the balancing arm of the lever d, or pulling down
the arm acted upon by the lighting lamp when opened.
We have now particularly described the nature of our Invention, and the
modes of carrying the same into effect, and wish it to be understood that we
clain as our Invention,―
Firstly, the mode of joining pipes used for the distribution of gas,as herein-
before described under the first division of our improvements.
Secoudly, the combination of a gas governor and stop-tap, substantially in
the manner herein-before described under the second division of our improve-
ments.
Thirdly, the improved construction and arrangement of gas governors,
substantially as herein-before described under the third division of our
improvements.
Fourthly, the system or method of lighting gas lamps externally by means
of a flash pipe (b), or by swivelling the gas burners (c) to the side of the
covering of the lamp, as herein-before described under the fourth division of
our improvements.
Fifthly, the system or method of combining a swivelling gas burner, gas
governor, and stop-tap, so that the act of swivelling the burner to bring it to
the position to be lighted will turn on the gas, as herein-before described
under the fourth division of our improvements.
Sixthly, and lastly, the combination of a gas governor with the methods of

page_text: lighting gas lamps, herein-before described under the fourth division of our
improvements.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Clibran and Joseph Clibran.
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fitty-eight.
WILLIAM CLIBRAN. (L.S.)
JOSEPH CLIBRAN.
(r..S.)