IMPROVE- MENTS IN GAS PRESSURE GOVERNORS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edwin Heath, of No. 7, Pembroke Terrace,
Chalk Farm, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GAS PRESSURE GOVERNORS."
Sealed the 20th August 1867, and dated the 22nd February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edwin Heath
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd February 1867.
WILLIAM EDWIN HEATH, of No. 7, Pembroke Terrace, Chalk Farm, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS PRESSURE GOVERNORS," to be as follows:-
1. I prepare a chamber of any convenient form, but by preference circular
or cylindrical, the bottom partially open, the top entirely open, with an annular
groove or trough cast or formed in the upper edge or surface.
2. I introduce at the bottom a conical cylindrical shaped valve case or
body carrying in the centre by a tripod stay a guide for the spindle valve.
3. I make a spindle valve of conical section accurately ground to fit the
opening in the valve case with stem or spindle passing through the guide hole
of valve case, and terminating in a shouldered seat and a screw and nut for
carrying the diaphragm or cup.
4. I make an inverted cup or diaphragm of light iron or other material
indestructible in mercury with hole in the centre to connect with the valve

page_text: the edges of or rim of the cup. I introduce into the groove or annular ring,
see 1, and fill the groove with mercury or other suitable medium.
5. I fix on the bottom of the cylinder, see 1, a plate of meta!, which
confines the valve case in its place, and in the centre of this plate I introduce
a connection for the admission of the gas or other fluid, and at the side of the
I make the total
cylinder another connection for the outlet of the same.
weight of the valve or diaphragm to be equal to the desired head of water or
"pressure," and any excess of pressure on the under. side of the same by
raising it closes the valve suspended from the centre. I varnish the whole and
make a cover to protect the moving parts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Heath in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WILLIAM
EDWIN HEATH, of No. 7, Pembroke Terrace, Chalk Farm, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the sail
William Edwin Heath, Her special licence that I, the said William Edwin
Heath, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Edwin Heath, my executors, administrators, and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS PRESSURE GOVERNORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edwin Heath, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their 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 I, the said William Edwin Heath, do hereby declare
the uature of my said lnvention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to procure an uniform supply of gas to
burners and pipes or other appliances at all times and under any excessive or
fluctuating supply. Gas at present being served at various levels and at different
pressures during the twenty-four hours from causes and for reasons of economy
and policy on the part of the vendors of that fluid, and being consumed in
buildings and other places in varying quantities it has become necessary to
adopt some machine or appliance that shall act on the supply so as to cause
it always to issue from the orifice at which it is consumed at one uniform rate
of speed, or under the same pressure at all times, so that from an orifice of a
given size a flame of a fixed size and cost shall at all times and under all
circumstances issue when lighted, and that without supervision.
To effect this object I prepare a chamber, Fig. 1, of a suitable size and
shape, but by preference cylindrical, at the bottom closed partially, at the top
open, Fig. 1, A, B; I form on or in the top edge of this chamber a deep
annular groove C, C. I introduce at the bottom of this chamber a conical
shaped box or valve case in the manner herein-after explained; from the
upper edge of this valve case I make a tripod or other shaped stay D, D,
which carries the guide for the spindle of the valve; the edge of this valve
case, as shewn in the Drawings, is turned of a true conical section, and the
edge of the valve E is made accurately to fit it when brought together; from
the centre of this valve I carry a rod or spindle through the guide stay,.
terminating in a screw carrying two nuts F, F. I prepare a diaphragm of
light metal or other substance G, G, with edges of the depth of the annular
groove turned down all round; on the flat or upper surface of this diaphragm.
or cup I form a series of grooves sunk in the surface, or raised, for the purpose
of giving rigidity, or combining strength with lightness; I varnish this cup.
with one part resin and four parts bees'-wax. The bottom of the apparatus I,
form by a cap plate H, H, fastened by screws to the bottom of the chamber
with a luting of white lead or other suitable preparation; this cap plate is.
made so as to confine the valve case truly central in its place, and carries a
screwed orifice in its centre for the admission of the gas. I invert the
cup G, G, and place the rim downwards in the annular groove C, C, and
confine it in its place between the nuts F, F, and a leather washer, thus con-
necting it in all its movements with the spindle and valve E; I then fill the
groove C, C, with mercury, to prevent the escape of the gas under the edges
of the cup G, G. I make a cover K, K, to fit over the top, and preserve

page_text: the moving parts from injury; a hole in the centre allows ingress and egress
for the air in the working up and down of the cup. The valve spindle and
diaphragm being made together equal in weight to a column of water of the
desired height (but by preference six-tenths of an inch) and of the area of
the under side of the cup or diaphragm, the apparatus is then fixed on the
supply pipes of the gas main and the gas turned into the apparatus. If the
gas is supplied below the requisite pressure the valve remains inactive,
presenting a full open passage for the gas, but as soon as the pressure is
above that to which the instrument was first adjusted it impinging on the
under side of the cup with a greater pressure than the weight of that cup and
valve together floats or raises the cup, simultaneously closing the entrance;
if a burner is lighted the gas having an outlet for the excess of pressure
through the outlet passage at L, the cup slightly falls until it has opened the
valve sufficiently to allow the requisite quantity in demand to pass, and it
then remains suspended with its weight of six-tenths of an inch (more or less)
pressing on the gas in the chamber M, M, at which pressure the gas passes
ont into the pipes of the supply; if more or less burners are lighted the valve.
opens or closes to admit or shut it off spontaneously; if a greater pressure is
required the cup must be made heavier by the addition of the small float
weights, Fig. 5.
Fig. 2 shews a top view of Fig. 1 with the cover and diaphragm removed,
exposing the valve case, tripod stay, and guide; Fig. 3 shows the cap plate
of the bottom; Fig. 4 shews section of another method of forming the
groove C, C, out of the solid.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I claim is
as follows:-
First, I claim the form and arrangement of the valve case, valve, and
guide, and the position and manner of introduction into the chamber of the
"governor."
Second, I claim the form and arrangement of the cap plate at the bottom,
and the manner in which it confines in its place the valve case, &c.
Third, I claim the manner in which the annular groove is formed in two
parts, Fig. 1, A and B, and the fixing by screws or otherwise of the two
flanges with luting between them for containing the mercury.
Fourth, I claim the form and arrangement of the concentric sunk rings in
the top of the cup for giving rigidity to it. I do not confine myself to the
precise shape and form of Drawings accompanying this Specification so
long as the main features of my improvements are retained; but what I claim

page_text: is, the general arrangement of this apparatus for the control of the pressure
at which gas is supplied.
Fifth, I claim the form and arrangement of my improvements for the
purpose of controlling or admitting the passage of other fluids than gas for
illuminating, and for air or water and other liquids, or steam and other
vapours.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edwin Heath, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM EDWIN HEATH. (L.S.)