IMPROVEMENTS, IN REGULATING THE PRESSURE OR FLOW OF GAS OR FLUID BODIES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN
REGULATING THE PRESSURE OR FLOW OF GAS OR FLUID BODIES."-A coni
munication. from Samuel W. Brown, of Lowell, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his: Petition, on the 30th
April 1855.
I, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields; in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark North Britain, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REGULATING THE PRESSURE OR FLOW OF GAS OR FLUID BODIES," being: a
communication from Samuel W. Brown, of Lowell, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America..
This Invention relates to various modifications of apparatus for regulating.
the
pressure of gas or fluids flowing thro' pipes or passages. by means of a
valve which is adjusted by the action of the gas or fluid itself; the chief objects
of the improvements being the obtainment of an increased adjusting power so
It s

page_text: as to overcome any tendency of the valve to stick, as, for example, by the
accumulation of gas tar as deposited by illuminating gas, for regulating which
the apparatus is more particularly designed.
is
According to one modification of the gas-regulating apparatus, the gas
admitted into a suitable vessel by a pipe or duct which projects inside the vessel,
and the mouth of which opens upwards, and has a weighted valve applied to
it, tending always to close it. The induction pipe is formed at its mouth with a
deep annular groove, which is partly filled with mercury, or with an amalgam
of mercury and lead, and the rim of the valve, which is shaped like an inverted
cup, is arranged to dip into this groove. The vessel in which the regulator
valve is placed is furnished with a moveable cover, which can be raised by the
internal pressure of the gas, but which is connected to the vessel by a liquid
joint to prevent the escape of gas. This cover is loaded according to the pres-
sure at which it is wished to maintain the gas, and it rests or presses down upon
an arm formed upon the regulating valve, the valve piece being set upon a knife
edge at a point between the valve and the end of the arm, in such a manner
that, when the cover of the regulator vessel sinks, it causes the induction pipe
to be further opened by tilting up the valve piece. The gas passes off to the
burners by a pipe communicating with the regulator vessel, and in reaching it the
gas has to pass through the regulating valve: When the burners are all shut off
and the gas has no egress, the valve becomes as far closed as it can be, but a
small notch is made in the descending rim of the valve, so as always to allow
a sufficient quantity of gas for one burner to pass through, so that there may
be no difficulty in lighting the gas, and so setting the apparatus in action.
All danger of the valve sticking to the mouth of the inlet pipe is avoided by
the liquid connection between the two..
According to another modification of these improvements, the valve piece is
arranged to turn on a knife edge on one side of the inlet pipe, and is acted
upon on the other side by a lever set upon a knife edge, and connected to the
.cover of the regulator vessel. The lever is so shaped and arranged, that when
the valve is closed (all but the small orifice through which a supply of gas for
a single burner can pass), and when it is most liable to stick, from the deposition
of gas tar at the mouth of the inlet pipe, it is acted upon by a projection on
the lever very near its centre of motion, so as to have sufficient lifting power
upon the valve, whilst when the valve is opened a short distance it is acted
upon by a projection on the lever at a greater distance from its centre of
motion, and is thereby prevented from being unsteady in its action, as it would
be, were the lever to act with as much power throughout as when the valve is
nearly closed.

page_text: According to a third modification, the lever and valve piece are both formed
with weights, situated some distance above the knife edges on which they turn,
so as to quicken and intensify their movements when they are turned to either
side. In addition to this, the valve is connected to a small piston, which fits
loosely in a vessel nearly filled with water or other liquid, and by the resisting
action of the water prevents the valve from moving too quickly or suddenly.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Johnson, Her special license that I, the said William Johnson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after. 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REGULATING THE PRESSURE OR FLOW OF GAS OR FLUID BODIES," being
a communication from Samuel W. Brown, of Lowell, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 William Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
.

page_text: statenïent in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to various modifications of apparatus for regulating
the pressure of gas or fluids flowing through pipes or passages by means of
a valve which is adjusted by the action of the gas or fluid itself; the chief
objects of the improvements being the obtainment of an increased adjusting
power so as to overcome any tendency of the valve to stick, as, for example,
by the accumulation of gas tar as deposited by illuminating gas, for regulating
which the apparatus is more particularly designed.
According to one modification of the gas-regulating apparatus, the gas-is
admitted into a suitable vessel by a pipe or duct which projects inside the
vessel, and the mouth of which opens upwards or laterally, and has a weighted
valve applied to it, tending always to close it. The induction pipe is formed
at its mouth with a deep annular groove, which is partly filled with mercury,
or with an amalgam of mercury and lead, and the rim of the valve, which is
shaped like an inverted cup, is arranged to dip into this groove. The vessel
in which the regulator valve is placed is furnished with a moveable cover,
which can be raised by the internal pressure of the gas, but which is connected
to the vessel by a liquid joint to prevent the escape of gas. This cover is
loaded according to the pressure at which it is wished to maintain the gas, and
it rests or presses down upon an arm formed upon the regulating valve, the
valve piece being set upon a knife edge at a point between the valve and the
end of the arm, in such a manner that, when the cover of the regulator vessel
sinks, it causes the induction pipe to be further opened by tilting up the valve
piece. The gas passes off to the burners by a pipe communicating with the
'regulator vessel, and in reaching it the gas has to pass through the regulating
valve. When the burners are all shut off' and the
gas bas no egress, the valve
becomes as far closed as it can be, but a small notch is made in the descending
rim of the valve, so as always to allow a sufficient quantity of gas for one
burner to pass through, so that there may be no difficulty in lighting the
gas, and so setting the apparatus in action. All danger of the valve sticking
to the mouth of the inlet pipe is avoided by the liquid connection between
'the two."
1
According to another modification of these improvements, the valve piece is
arranged to turn on a knife edge on one side of the inlet pipe, and is acted
upon on the other side by a lever set upon a knife edge, and connected to the
cover of the regulator vessel. The lever is so shaped and arranged, that when
the valve is closed (all but the small orifice through which a supply of gas for
'a single burner can pass), and when it is most liable to stick, from the

page_text: deposition of gas tar at the mouth of the inlet pipe, it is acted upon by a
projection on the lever very near its centre of motion, so as to have sufficient
lifting power upon the valve, whilst when the valve is opened a short distance
it is acted upon by a projection on the lever at a greater distance from its
centre of motion, and is thereby prevented from being unsteady in its action, as
it would be, were the lever to act with as much power throughout as when the
valve is nearly closed.
According to a third modification, the lever and valve piece are both formed.
with weights, situated some distance above the knife edges on which they turn,
so as to quicken and intensify their movements when they are turned to either
side. In addition to this, the valve is connected to a small piston which
fits loosely in a vessel nearly filled with water or other liquid, and by the
resisting action of the water prevents the valve from moving too quickly or
suddenly.
"And in order that the said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several explanatory Figures on the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto attached. These Figures represent various modifications
of pressure-regulating apparatus as constructed for carrying out the said
Invention; Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and '5 being vertical longitudinal sections of
such apparatus, whilst Figure 6 is a plan of that represented in Figure S,
but with a portion of the top broken away to shew the internal arrangement.
In the modification represented in Figure 1, the regulating mechanism is
contained in a shallow vessel A of any convenient form, the gas, which in
describing the various forms of apparatus, I shall suppose to be the fluid to
be regulated, entering by the pipe. B, and passing on to the gas burners by
the pipe C. The pipe B is made to open upwards into the chamber. A, and
its mouth is formed with a deep groove D. into which dips an inverted cup
valve E, formed upon one extremity of a lever piece F, which is set upon a
knife edge at G. The other end H of the lever F is in contact with the
cover I of the vessel A, and this cover is formed with a descending "flange,
which dips into a groove J, formed round the top edge of the vessel A. The
groove J is partly filled with mercury or other suitable fluid, so as to form an
air-tight but frictionless joint. The groove D is also partly filled with mercury
or other suitable fluid, so that when the cup E dips into it the mouth of the
pipe B will be closed without the metal surfaces being in contact, so that no
sticking can occur. A notch is made in the rim of the cup E, so that the
passage of gas is never entirely cut off, a sufficient quantity for one burner
being allowed to pass in the most closed state of the valve, in order that the
apparatus may be set in action without requiring any adjustment. When the

page_text: regulator is in action, the gas inside the vessel A tends to raise the cover I,
and this allows the cup end E of the lever F to descend, being made heavier
than the other end, so as to close the entrance pipe B as the pressure in the
vessel A increases from any cause. The pressure at which the gas passes off
by. the pipe C is determined by the weight placed upon the cover I. The
pressure of the gas in the vessel A. is in proportion to the quantity of gas
consumed, and the cover I, rising or falling according to the pressure, corre-
spondingly closses or opens the inlet aperture. Thus, if the consumption
increases, by igniting a greater number of burners, for example, the pressure
of the gas in the vessel A at first sinks, but the cover I immediately sinks
also and opens the inlet pipe, so as to admit a greater supply of gas.
consumption of the gas increases, the contrary action takes place.
If the
In the modification represented in. Figure 2, the vessel A is contained or
formed inside of a large vessel J, which contains water, oil, or other suitable
fluid to form a frictionless air-tight joint for the cover I. The gas enters by
the pipe B, passing off by the pipe C; the pipe B opens laterally into the
vessel A, and its mouth D is bevilled off, so as to leave as little surface as
possible for the valve piece E to stick to. This valve piece is hung on a knife
edge centre formed upon the pipe B, and is shaped so as to close when left to
itself. It is formed with an arm K, which is acted upon by one end of
a lever F, osillating on a knife-edged support G. The other end E of the
lever F is acted upon by the cover I, and the operation of the apparatus is
precisely the same as that of the modification described in Figure 1. The
edge of the pipe B is notched, to allow sufficient gas for one burner to pass
through the apparatus when the pipe is otherwise quite closed.
In the modification represented in Figures 3 and 6, the entrace and exit
pipes B and C rise up through the bottom of the vessel A, which is partly
filled with water, oil, or other suitable fluid J, to form a frictionless air-tight
joint for the cover I, as in the other modifications. The mouth D of the
pipe B is bevilled off to prevent sticking, and is covered by a valve piece E,
which rests on a knife-edge support formed upon the pipe B. The valve
piece E is acted upon by the lever F, which oscillates upon the knife-edge
support G, also formed upon the side of the pipe B. The lever F is acted
upon at the end H by the cover I, as in the other modifications. The other
end of this lever F is contrived so as to act with more power when the valve
piece E is nearly or quite closed, so that there may be less tendency to failure
in the action of the apparatus from the sticking of the valve piece E upon the
pipe. For this purpose the lever F is.formed with two projections M and L,
the latter of which acts upon the valve piece E when this.last. is open; but

page_text: when this valve piece is closed, its projecting end rests upon the point M of
the lever F, so that when this lever begins to open the valve piece it will act
with an increased leverage. .In other respects the action of the apparatus is
the same as that of the modifications. represented in Figures 1 and 2. The
modification represented in Figure 4 only differs from that represented in
Figure 2 inasmuch as the cover I dips into a groove J in the top edge of
the vessel A, similarly to the modificatión represented in Figure 1, and, as
the lever F is formed with two points M and, L for acting upon the valve
piece E, as in Figure 3. The other details of the modification represented in
Figure 4 are distinguished with the same letters of reference that are used
in Figure 2.
:
In the modification represented in Figure 5, the valve piece E and lever F
are both constructed with top-heavy weights N, O, contrived so as to be poised
or balanced upon their centres when the valve E is closed. The end P of the
lever F is formed like a fork, in such a manner as to move through a small
space before acting on the valve piece. The end H of the lever F is connected
to the cover I by a wire or rod Q, and on. the gas burners in commnnication
with the outlet pipe C being opened the cover I sinks, and turns the lever F
into the position in which it is represented in the Drawing. In this position
the weight O is to one side, and tends to increase the action of the lever F
upon the valve E. In addition to this, the lever F has gained a slight
momentum by having moved through a short space before striking the valve
E, so that it will have sufficient force to overcome any tendency of the valve E
to stick upon the mouth D of the inlet pipe B. Then as soon as the valve E
begins to move, its top-heavy weight is also thrown to one side, and assists in
further opening the valve. To prevent the oscillation in the action of thic
apparatus, which the addition of the top-heavy weights N and O would other-
wise cause, a small piston or disc R linked to the valve piece is made to work
loosely in a cylinder S, containing water, oil, or other suitable fluid, and as this
fluid cannot pass with any great rapidity from one side to the other of the
piston R, this piston is compelled to move slowly, and so restrains the other-
wise too rapid movements of the valve E. The same letters of reference
indicate similar parts in all the Figures upon the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
attached.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the sand
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without.

page_text: deviating from the principles or main features of the Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of apparatus or means
for regulating the pressure or flow of fluids or gases, as herein-before
described.
Second, the application and use in gas or fluid regulators of a cup valve,
arranged to cut off the supply of gas by dipping into an annular groove, partly
filled with mercury or other suitable liquid, and surrounding the mouth of the
inlet pipe or aperture, as herein-before described.
Third, the systems or modes of setting the valves and other moving details
of gas-or-fluid regulators upon knife-edge centres, so as to work with as little
friction as possible, as heroin-before described.
1. Fourth, the herein-before described systems or modes of constructing the
actuating details of gas or fluid regulators to act with increased power or with
increased momentum when the inlet valve is closed or nearly closed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Johnson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five.