IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF REGULATING GAS BURNERS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Snelgrove, of Melksham, in the County of
Wiltshire, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF REGULATING GAS
BURNERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Snelgrove at the
Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1881.
WILLIAM SNELGROVE, of Melksham, in the County of Wiltshire.
MENTS IN SELF REGULATING GAS BURNERS."
"IMPROVE-
This Invention relates to the construction of self regulating gas burners in such
manner as to automatically regulate the passage of the gas to be burnt.
For this purpose I construct a hollow casing by screwing or otherwise fitting
together two recessed parts so as to form a chamber, within which, previous to such
fitting together, has been fixed a horizontal partition or diaphragin provided with
an orifice at its centre which divides the chamber into two parts.
At the upper
side of the partition or diaphragm, and near its periphery, I fix one end of a
sensitive spring, the other end of the same being connected to a thin inetal disc or
valve, and thence by means of a pin which passes through the central orifice to
another metal disc or valve similar to the preceding one at the underside of the
partition or diaphragm where it is held suspended. The area of the inlet or supply
orifice by which the gas passes to the under side of the valve and diaphragin is
made small in comparison with the orifice feeding from above the valve and
diaphragm to the burner proper, so as in the former case to obtain momentum to
operate the valve, and in the latter case to prevent back pressure. Through
the valve face a small hole is made, or such face is provided with one or more
small projections, so that when the valve is closed there may always be a small
passage for some gas to pass.

page_text: A perforated plate or a wire gauze partition is fitted to the lower part of the
orifice leading from above the diaphragm to the burner proper.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
On the gas rushing through the small inlet or supply orifice it closes the valve.
The moment this takes place the space under the valve becomes filled with gas,
thereby preventing any further inflow through the inlet or supply orifice, and the
pressure being distributed over the whole of the surface of the horizontal partition
or diaphragm is insufficient to keep up the disc or valve, which accordingly springs
back to its normal position when the compressed gas escaping through the valve
allows more gas to enter through the inlet or supply orifice when the same action
is continuously repeated.
My Invention is also applicable for steam, water, and other fluids.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Snelgrove in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th May 1882.
WILLIAM SNELGROVE, of Melksham, in the County of Wiltshire. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SELF REGULATING GAS BURNERS."
This Invention, which I will describe with reference to the accompanying
Sheet of illustrative Drawings, relates to the construction of gas burners in such
manner as to automatically regulate the passage of the gas passing through them
to be burnt.
For this purpose (referring to Figure 1, which is a vertical section, I construct a
hollow casing by screwing or otherwise fitting together two recessed parts 1, 2, so
as to form a chamber within which, previous to such fitting together, has been
placed a horizontal partition or diaphragm 3, near the periphery of which (at
about a) I fix one end of a sensitive spring 5 composed of a narrow strip of thin metal
or india rubber, the other end of the same being connected to a thin metal disc or
valve 6, having on its under side a vertical stem 7 which passes downward through
the central orifice 8 in the partition or diaphragm 3 to another metal disc or
valve 9 (similar to but larger in area than the preceding one) at the under side
of the partition or diaphragm 3 where it is held suspended. The area of the inlet
or supply orifice 10 by which the gas passes to the underside of the valve 9 and
diaphragm 3 is made small in comparison with the orifice 11 leading from above
the valve G and diaphragm 3 to the burner 12 so as in the former case to obtain
momentum to operate the valve 9, and in the latter case to prevent back pressure.
Through the face of the valve 9 a small hole 13 or such face may be provided with
one or more small projections, so that when the valve 9 is closed against the
diaphragm 3 there may always be a small passage for some gas to pass through to
the burner 12.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Upon the gas rushing through the inlet or supply orifice 10 with an excess of
force it forces up the valve 9 against or towards the under face of the diaphragm 3.
The moment this takes place the space under the valve 9 becomes filled with gas,
thereby preventing any or a very limited further inflow through the inlet or supply
orifice 10, and the pressure of the gas, being distributed over the whole of the
underside of the partition or diaphragm 3, becomes insufficient to keep up the disc
or valve 9 in its raised position, which accordingly springs back to its normal
position (the position shewn in the Drawing) when the compressed gas, escaping
upward between the valve and the diaphragm, allows more gas to enter through
the inlet or supply orifice when the same action is continuously repeated.
Figure 2 represents in vertical section a modification of my Invention, in which
the diaphragm 3 is made double so as to form a hollow casing or chamber in which
is arranged the valve 9 so as to be suspended on the sensitive spring 5, similarly as
in Figure 1, but with the spring 5 below instead of above the valve; the lower
plate of the double diaphragm serving to keep the valve 9 from falling back too
far, this purpose being fulfilled in Figure 1 by the disc 6. The double diaphragm
is screwed up between the part 2 of the external casing and one or more india
rubber rings 15 so as to make a gas tight joint. The bottom of the double
diaphragm is provided with two small holes 16 and the top with a single and
larger central orifice 17.
In this modification the valve or disc 9 is made slightly larger than in Figure 1,
while the upper diaphragm is furnished with a small projecting nose, as shown
at X, through which the orifice 17 passes. The valve or disc 9 is so arranged that

page_text: its weight is equal to the pressure required to pass the requisite volume of gas
through the space between the valve and its containing chamber, so that any excess
of pressure (tending to pass a greater volume of gas) raises the valve, which by
pressing against the orifice 17 regulates the flow of gas to the burner.
The nose x
by admitting the gas to the greater part of the upper side of the valve 9 makes it
a partially balanced valve. A small orifice is made in the upper diaphragm of such
a size as to pass a sufficient quantity of gas to balance the tendency of all regulators
of the above description to pass less gas under high pressures than they do at low
pressures.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are respectively a front elevation and vertical section and
a plan of the double diaphragm and internal fittings to a larger scale.
Like figures of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures.
It is obvious that my Invention may be modified in many other ways without
affecting the essential features of the same.
Having thus described my Invention and the method of carrying it into effect,
I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
1st. In self regulating gas burners the combination of a sensitive spring acting
as a hinge and a disc or valve (attached thereto) in such manner as to maintain the
said disc or valve in a central position relatively to the chamber in which it is
placed, so as to obviate peripheral friction (and the attendant liability to stick from
corrosion and other causes), substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated
in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
2nd. The construction and arrangement of the working parts of the apparatus so
that they may be made independently of the external casing and be readily
interchangeable, substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
3rd. The general construction of self regulating gas burners, substantially as
hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Snelgrove, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
WILLIAM SNELGROVE.
("S"1)