IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, DAVID BRUCE PEEBLES, of Tay Works, Bonnington, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS" to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to gas governors of the kind in which a floating bell
or drum working in a vessel containing water or other suitable liquid is used to
control the position of a valve through which the gas passes; and my object is by
an improved construction and arrangement of the parts to overcome difficulties or
defects experienced with existing gas governors.
The valve of my improved gas governor is a disk or cone having its axis vertical
and working vertically through or in connection with a circular aperture in a
horizontal partition in the valve casing, the inlet for the gas being either above or
below the partition and the outlet on the other side. In combination with the
valve there is a cylindrical shell which may be fixed either to the valve or to
the valve seat or partition having the valve opening in it, and which is formed
with a helical or inclined edge, or with a series of openings the upper or lower
edges of which are in a helical or inclined line, so that increasing areas of opening
are uncovered as the valve opens more and more, and vice versa. A small
opening is made through the valve or cylindrical shell so that some gas inay still
pass even when the valve is otherwise closed, in order to prevent or diminish
oscillatory movements.
The bell or drum which controls the movement or adjustment of the valve is in
a casing which may be either above or below the valve casing, and the bell or
drum may be partly counterbalanced by either of the well known methods,
namely a lever or pulley and counterweight or an annular float formed round
the lower part of it and immersed in the liquid. In every modification the
pressures on both sides of the valve are counterbalanced. When the controlling
bell is above the valve, the valve is connected by a tubular spindle to an inner
bell which is attached to the controlling bell by radiating spokes at the bottom
edge; and between the two attached and movable bells there is a stationary bell
fixed by its bottom edge to the bottom of the bell casing, slots being formed in
the stationary bell for the passage and movement of the connecting spokes of the

page_text: two inovable bells. The outlet pressure is admitted through pipes or passages to
act inside of the movable bells, the pressure thus acting inside the smaller bell,
counterbalancing the downward pressure on the valve; whilst the inlet pressuro
having access through the tubular valve spindle to the inside of the fixed bell
acts downwards on the inner movable bell so as to counterbalance the upward
pressure on the valve. The controlling bell is formed with or has fixed to it
a trough or receptacle for holding water or other suitable liquid, which is to be
supplied to it or withdrawn from it for the purpose of varying the load on the
bell and thereby altering, as may be desired, the pressure of the outlet gas.
For supplying or withdrawing the loading liquid in this way a small pump is
provided, and a four-way cock or valve is fitted to the connecting pipes, this cock
being set in different positions accordingly as it is proposed to supply or withdraw
the liquid. The pump and four-way cock may be placed at any distance from the
governor, and may be connected thereto by a small pipe.
My improved governor may be made of various sizes; and its improved con-
struction makes it suitable for large sizes such as those of station and district
governors. It may be placed underground; and when the pump for altering the
load on the controlling bell is at a higher level than the governor the small pipe
should be fitted near the governor with a pair of check valves opening opposite
ways to prevent the emptying of the pipe the valve opening towards the governor
being loaded to correspond to the higher level of the pump.
Dated this thinkinth day of T.... 1004

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I, DAVID BRUCE PEEBLES, of Tay Works, Bonnington in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to gas governors of the kind in which a floating bell
or drum working in a vessel containing water or other suitable liquid is used to
control the position of a valve through which the gas passes; and my object is by
an improved construction and arrangement of the parts to overcome difficulties or
defects experienced with existing gas governors.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to, and representing three modifications of my improved
apparatus. Figures, 1, 2, and 3, are vertical sections of the three modifications
respectively; and the same or corresponding parts in the different modifications are
marked with the same reference numerals.
The valve, 4, of my improved governing apparatus is a cone as shown in figure, 1,
or a disk as shown in figures, 2 and 3, this valve having its axis vertical and
working through or in connection with a circular aperture or seat, 5, in a horizontal
partition, 6, in the valve casing, the inlet, 7, for the gas being either below the
partition, 6, as in figure, 1, or above it as in figure, 2, and 3, and the outlet, 8, on
the other side. In combination with the valve, 4, there is a cylindrical shell, 9,
which may be fixed either to the valve or to the valve seat, 5, or partition, 6, having
the valve opening in it, and which is formed with a helical or inclined edge, or with
a series of openings the upper or lower edges of which are in a helical or inclined
line so that increasing areas of openings are uncovered as the valve opens more and
more, and vice versa. A small opening, 10, is made through the valve or the
cylindrical sheel, 9, so that some gas may still pass even when the valve is other-
wise closed, that is to say-even when the other openings in the cylindrical shell
are closed, with the object of preventing oscillatory movements.
In the modification shown in figure, 1, the bell or drum, 11, which controls the
movement or adjustment of the valve, 4, is in a casing, 12, which is above the
valve casing, and the bell or drum, 11, is shown as partly counterbalanced by the
well known method of a lever, 13, (or it might be a pulley) and a counter-
weight, 14; or even in this first modification the bell might be partly counterbalanced
by the other well known expedient of an annular float, 15, formed round the lower
part of it and immersed in the liquid as shown in figures, 2, and 3. The pressures
on both sides of the valve, 4, are counterbalanced the valve being connected by a
tubular spindle, 10, to an inner bell, 17, which is attached to the controlling bell, 11,
by radiating spokes or arms, 18, at the bottom edge; and between the two attached
and movable bells, 11, 17, there is a stationary bell, 19, fixed by its bottom edge to
the bottom of the bell casing, 12, slots being formed in this stationary bell, for the

page_text: passage and movement of the connecting spokes or arms, 18, of the two movable
bells, 11, 17. The outlet pressure is admitted through the pipe or passage, 21, the
pressure thus acting inside the smaller movable bell, 17, counterbalancing the down-
ward pressure on the valve, 4; whilst the inlet pressure having access through the
tubular valve spindle, 16, to the inside of the fixed bell, 19, acts downwards on
the inner movable bell, 17, so as to counterbalance the upward pressure on the
valve.
The controlling action of the governor is obtained by admitting the outlet
pressure through the pipes or passages, 20, to the underside of the bell, 11, which
is formed with or has fixed to it a trough or receptacle, 22, for holding water or
other suitable liquid, which is to be supplied to it or withdrawn from it for the
purpose of varying the load on the bell and thereby altering, as may be desired the
pressure of the outlet gas.
For supplying or withdrawing the loading liquid in
this way a small pump, 23, is provided and a four-way cock or valve, 24, is fitted
to the connecting pipes, 25, 26, 27, 28, this cock, 24, being set in different positions
accordingly as it is proposed to supply or withdraw liquid. The pump, 23, and
four-way cock, 24, may be placed at any distance from the governor, and may be
connected thereto by a small pipe, 25, the end of which inside of the casing, 12, is
made to dip down into a pocket formed for it at any convenient part of the bottom
of the trough, 22.
In the modification shown in figure, 2, the controlling bell or drum, 11, is placed
in a casing, 12, below the valve casing, and is made in an annular form and with
an annular float, 15. The atmosphere has access to the top of the bell or drum, 11,
by an air pipe, 29; whilst the outlet gas has access to the inside by a pipe, 30, the
lowest part of this pipe, 30, being in communication with an ordinary drip box, 31,
for draining off any water getting into the pipe and from which such water can be
removed at convenient intervals. The receptacle, 22, for the variable loading water
or liquid is placed directly below the valve, 4, the pipe, 25, by which the loading
liquid is supplied or withdrawn being arranged to dip down into it through a hole
in the valve. The smaller movable bell, 17, is extended upwards to the valve, 4,
the enclosed space forming a receptacle, 22, for the loading liquid. The pipe, 20,
connects the bell, 17, and valve, 4, to allow the inlet pressure to act in the space
below the receptacle, 22, and thereby counterbalance the downward pressure on the
valve. The inner movable bell, 17, is connected to the outer bell, 11, by means of
radial spokes, 18, as in figure, 1. The space round the part of the inner bell, 17,
which is in communication with the outlet, 8, is separated from the air space above
the controlling bell or drum, 11, by a cylindrical sheel, 33, fixed at its upper end to
the bottom of the valve casing and dipping down below the water level, its lower
end being by preference supported as shown, on the bottom of the casing, 12. This
modification is specially designed for being placed underground; and when the
pump (23) for altering the load on the controlling bell or drum is at a higher level
than the governor there should be fitted near the governor in connection with the
pipe, 25, a pair of check valves, 34, 35 opening opposite ways; and in order to
prevent the emptying of the pipe, 25, the valve, 35, opening towards the governor
inust be loaded to correspond to the higher level of the pump. It will be obvious
that instead of using the pump to increase the liquid load, the liquid may be poured
into a stand pipe and be withdrawn by means of the pump when it is wished to
diminish the load.
The modification shown in figure, 3, differs from that shown in figure, 2, in having
the valve, 4, arranged to open by rising instead of descending, and consequently the
atmospheric pressure is admitted under the bell or drum, 11, by the air pipe, 29,
instead of on the top as in figure, 2. The smaller movable bell, 17, is extended
upwards to the valve, 4, to form a loading chamber, 22, as in figure, 2, and the
cylindrical shell, 33 is dispensed with.
My improved governor may be made of various sizes to suit dwelling houses,
factories, warehouses, churches, and other buildings; and its improved construction

page_text: makes it suitable for large sizes such as those of station and district governors. And
as the load controlling the adjustment of the valve can be altered for manipulation
at a distance from the governor, the apparatus for that purpose may be used when
wished for entirely shutting off the gas. Thus when the governor is applied in
connection with the gas fittings of a theatre, hotel, factory, or other large
establishment; the gas inay at any time be shut off without its being necessary to
get access to the governor for that purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1-The combining together of the parts of gas governors substantially in the
improved manner herein before described.
2 The combination of the cone or disk valve, 4, with the cylindrical shell, 9,
having openings the ends of which near the valve are in a helical or inclined line,
and with the hole, 10, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
3-The mode of counterbalancing the pressures on both sides of the valve
substantially as herein before described.
4 The mode of controlling the outlet pressure by means of liquid introduced or
withdrawn by means of a pump which may be placed at any convenient distance
from the governor substantially as hercinbefore described.
:תוית
100
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent,