IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ALEXANDER GIBB HENDERSON of 8 Queens Road, Bowes Park, N. in the
county of Middlesex, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING
THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS to be as follows:-
"
My invention consists of a closed cylindrical chamber in the centre of which
stands up an open pipe which is connected at bottom with the inlet gas supply.
Crowning and fixed upon this central pipe and of a like diameter is a short open
ended cylindrical valve.
Surrounding this central pipe and extending about the greater part of its length
is a small cylinder which may be cast with the bottom of the main cylinder and
serves to form an annular channel around the central pipe. The space between the
two cylinders serves to contain water which forms a water joint for, an inverted
floating bell that is open at top to allow of gas passing through the cylindrical
valve to the outer surfaces of the bell.
The cylindrical valve is slotted vertically to form lateral passages for the gas,
and the opening in the crown of the bell is fitted with a packing ring which
embraces the slotted valve on a level with the longitudinal slots and serves as
the bell rises and falls to enlarge or contract the lateral passages for the escape of
gas.
The gas admitted to the apparatus passes through the lateral passages down the
annular passage before mentioned and so to an exit pipe with which the annular
passage communicates.
The bell is weighted preferably by water so as to regulate the supply of gas to
any established pressure on the distributory mains.
Should this pressure on the inlet of the apparatus increase or diminish the bell
will sink deeper or rise higher in the water thereby reducing or increasing the
capacity of the lateral passages in the cylindrical valve in a corresponding ratio,
and maintaining the established pressure against all changes of inlet pressure.
The upper end of the supply pipe is surrounded with a small cylinder preferably
made of glass, and is covered with a metal cap piece pendent from the inner side
of which is a small cylinder open at its lower end.

page_text: The supply pipe projects into the small cylinder and projecting downwards
through the metal cap into the small cylinder is a short pipe which carries the
burner at top.
These two pipes are so arranged with respect to each other that the end of the
supply pipe stands at a slightly higher level than the bottom of the pendent pipe.
Water or other fluid is supplied to the glass cylinder sufficient to seal the pendent
pipe in which however a small lateral orifice is formed. When the night pressure
of the gas is on, the gas will break the water seal and supply the burner in the
usual way.
So soon however as the pressure is brought down to the day pressure the
pendent pipe will be sealed and a small jet of gas passing through the lateral
opening in the pendent pipe will be all that will reach the burner.
The end of the supply pipe has a valve box with a lateral opening capable of
being closed by a cylindrical valve by turning which the gas may be supplied or
cut off from the burner.
The valve stands vertically with its stem towards the ground, the head of this
stem being suitably shaped to receive a key with which the Lamplighters pole is
fitted.

page_text: Í ALEXANDER GIBB HENDERSON of 8 Queens Road, Bowes Park, N. in the
county of Middlesex, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING
THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS" and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention which is represented in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the annexed
drawings consists of a closed cylindrical chamber A in the centre of which stands
up an open pipe B which is connected at bottom with the inlet Gas supply C.
Crowning and fixed upon this central pipe B and of a like diameter is a short
open ended cylindrical valve D.
Surrounding, this central pipe B and extending about the greater part of its
length is a small cylinder E which may be cast with the bottom of the main
cylinder A and serves to form an annular channel F around the central pipe B.
The space between the two cylinders A, E, serves to contain water which forms a
water joint for an inverted floating bell G this being open at top to allow of gas
passing through the cylindrical valve D to the outer surfaces of the bell G.
The cylindrical valve D is slotted vertically to form passages H, H, for the gas
and an opening I in the crown of the bell G is fitted with a packing ring J which
embraces the slotted valve D on a level with the slots H, H, and serves as the
bell G rises and falls to enlarge or contract the passages H, H, for the escape
of gas.
The gas admitted to the apparatus at C passes up B and through the passages H, H,
down the annular passage F before mentioned to an exit pipe K with which the
annular passage F communicates.
The bell G is weighted preferably by water in a reservoir L so as to regulate the
supply of gas to any established pressure on the distributory mains.
Should this pressure on the inlet of the apparatus increase or diminish the bell
will sink deeper or rise higher in the water thereby reducing or increasing the
capacity of the passages H, H, in the cylindrical valve D in a corresponding ratio,
and maintaining the established pressure against all changes of inlet pressure.
The upper end of the burner supply pipe M is surrounded with a small
cylinder N preferably made of glass, and is covered with a metal cap piece P
pendent from the inner side of which is a small cylinder Q open at its lower end.
The supply pipe M projects into the small cylinder Q and projecting downwards
through the metal cap P into the small cylinder Q is a short pipe R which carries
the burner at top.
These two pipes are so arranged with respect to each other that the end S of the
supply pipe M stands at a slightly higher level than the bottom of the pendent
pipe R.
Water or other fluid is supplied to the glass cylinder N sufficient to seal the
pendent pipe R in which however a small lateral orifice T is formed. When the
night pressure of the gas is on, the gas will break the water seal as shown in
Figure 4 and supply the burner in the usual way.
So soon however as the pressure is brought down to the day pressure the pendent
pipe R will be sealed and a small jet of gas passing through the lateral opening T
in the pendent pipe R will be all that will reach the burner.
The end of the supply pipe R has a valve box U as shown in Figures 5 and 6
with an opening V capable of being closed by a cylindrical valve W by turning
which the gas may be supplied or cut off from the burner.

page_text: The plug valve W stands vertically with its stem X towards the ground, the
exposed end of this stem being suitably shaped to receive a key Y with which the
Lamplighters pole Z is fitted.
Where the outlet K from the main regulator is arranged at the upper part of the
cylinder AI dispense with the small cylinder E before referred to as shown in
Figure 7 of the drawings.
a is a pipe for charging the bell with water and b is a branch by which any
surplus water can be removed.
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 apparatus shown in the annexed drawings composed of three pieces
acting in conjunction for controlling and regulating the supply of gas to burners as
set forth.