for Gas and other Fluids.
Year: 1885

page_text: for Gas and other Fluids.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
.Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MERCURIAL OR HYDRAULIC AND OTHER STOP VALVES FOR GAS AND OTHER FLUIDS,"
a communication to me from abroad by Ferdinand Muratori, of 84 Rue Oberkampf,
Machinist and Edouard Cros, of 64 Rue de la Victoire, Mining Engineer, both in
Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved mercurial or hydraulic stop valve for gas
burners and for controlling the outlet of other fluids, which closes automatically
when the pressure from the main is cut off and which cannot reopen of itself when
the pressure is restored, without the valve being acted on by the hand or other
external aid.
The principle upon which the action of this stop valve depends is that of
differential surfaces, subjected to the same pressures and therefore capable of being
moved to a greater or less extent.
The valve affords a ready means of regulating the outflow of fluids and of
controlling all the burners or outlets by a single stop cock at the main.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I will proceed to
describe some examples of its application to the gas distribution of dwellings
whether internal or external, and by which the flow of gas may be regulated and
the whole or any less number of the burners may be automatically shut off at any
time by closing the cock at the meter, or in any other suitable position.
The accompanying drawings represent four different examples of the stop valves
applied to different gas fittings and pipes.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the stop valve applied to what is known as a
candle burner. Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation of the valve applied to a gas
bracket. Figure 3 shows the mode of applying the valve to a gaselier with two or
more branches, when the same is within reach. Figure 4 represents a valve for
Din QJ1

page_text: automatically controlling a number of burners which are out of reach the valve
being placed on the service pipe at a distance from the gaselier &c.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
C is the stop valve placed upon the standard A of a pedestal lamp or upon a
vertical supply pipe, between it and the burner B.
The valve is contained in a shell a of metal or other material made either
entirely cylindrical or the upper part cylindrical and the lower part of truncated
conical form and containing a liquid such as mercury. Within this shell a at its
centre rises a small tube 6 through which the gas is admitted from the supply
pipe A. The bottom end of the tube is made conical and terminates in a
guide c for a valve rod c¹. The sides of the cone are slotted at d to admit of the
gas from A passing into chamber a the area of the slots & being made equal to
the section of the gas inlet pipe A. Upon this lower projecting end of pipe b is
screwed a pipe b¹¹ which has a gas thread on its lower end in order that the stop
valve may be applied to all kinds of gas fittings. The pipe b is enclosed in a
tube e having a guide groove f to receive the pin g of a collar h upon which is
fixed parallel to the axis of the valve C, a rod k which projects upwards through
the bottom of the chamber a and on which rests a small bell ¹ dipping in the
mercury in chamber a and enclosing a tube fixed in the bottom of the chamber a
through which the rod k passes. By sliding collar h upwards the bell will be
raised and with it a triangular or arched plate m; a spiral spring n returns the
collar h to its original position if it does not fall by its own weight. In the
chamber a above the pipe b is a bell o having at its centre a smaller bell o¹
enclosing the mouth of the pipe b and having fixed at its centre the rod c¹ which
extends upwards above the bell o¹ and passes through a guide hole p at the centre
of cover q. The latter is screw threaded at p¹ for attaching any kind of burner,
that shown being an ordinary candle burner. The cover q has one or more
perforations p through which the gas passes to burner B.
The bell o has one or more perforations r to allow of the gas passing from the
lower part of the chamber into said bell after bell o' has emerged from the mercury
and thence into the upper part of the chamber by the action of the hydraulic valve.
Instead of mercury any other liquid of the requisite density may be employed, such
as chloride of calcium, glycerine, oil, heavy oil or borax.
For gas brackets as in Figure 2 the stop valve C is placed upon the bracket
which is closed at 8 by a diaphragm, the gas contained in bell o passing back by a
side passage into the bracket and thence to the burner B. In this arrangement
the bell, which was raised by the sliding collar h in the former case, is lifted from
above by raising the rod c¹.
For automatically turning off a number of burners, two arrangements are
adopted which are shown in Figures 3 and 4 as applied to gaseliers placed either
within or out of reach. If the gaselier is within reach as in Figure 3 the gas
passes from the down pipe H of the gaselier through a small pipe 6 into the stop
valve C composed of a shell a with outer and inner bells o o', the bell o being
perforated at r to allow the gas to pass from within it into the upper part of the
casing a and thence to the several burners B.
The bello is raised for opening the stop valve by pushing up the knob G having
a rod which acts on the bell o. The lights may be lowered by partly closing the
several cocks E of the burners.
If the gaselier is out of reach the gas is caused to pass through a-stop valve
between pipes A and B as in Figure 4. A¹ is the gas inlet in a shell a, containing
outer and inner bells o o¹ and a split cap u as in Figures 1 and 2. The bell o
covers the gas inlet A¹ and the split cap u, the outlet passage r¹, in such a manner
that the gas entering at A¹ passes into the bell o and through slit u" or beneath
the split cap u to the exit pipe r¹ and thence to the burners. The supply of gas to
the burners may be regulated either by immersing the cap u more or less in the
mercury, by reducing the pressure or by placing a regulating cock on the gas pipe
before it enters the stop valve. The bello is lifted by means of a rod x, one end y

page_text: of which is placed within reach of the hand, while the other end acts on a forked
lever for raising knob z attached to said bell. A spring keeps the forked lever v
constantly pressed against the cover g so as to enable the bell o to fall to the bottom
of casing a when the gas is shut off.
In order to ensure the facility of burning the gas low whatever may be the
pressure, the small cap u is used, which covers the hole p Figure 1 or the exit
pipe as in Figures 2 and 4. The cap u is slightly notched at its bottom end u¹
Figures 2 and 4 and is provided with a series of small holes spirally arranged or
with a longitudinal slit utapering upwards from the base so as to allow of a
The gas
gradually diminishing amount of gas passing into the pipe or hole r.
at the burners may in this manner be lowered for the production of scenic effects
in theatres for example.
The cap u may also be replaced by a cone inserted in tube or a tapered rod
which would enter hole r and gradually close it in a similar manner to the
split cap u.
The action is as follows:-The bells o and o' dip in the mercury or other fluid
and the area of o¹ exposed to the gas at its ordinary pressure of from 20 to
70 millemetres of water is insufficient to enable the gas to lift bell o and pass
into B, but if collar h, knobs z or G be raised by hand the bells o and o¹ will be
lifted, bell o being unsealed, so that the gas passes direct into bell o, which owing
to its larger area is kept raised by the gas pressure. If the gas pressure be
gradually reduced by closing the main cock slowly, the gas will flow in gradually
diminishing quantity through the split cap u and the lights will be lowered at the
burners; if the pressure be entirely cut off, the bell o will fall by its own weight
and bell o¹ will be again sealed and the passage of gas entirely cut off.
The bell o is permanently immersed in the mercury, to a sufficient depth to
resist the maximum pressure.
A dry valve may also be employed in which the bell o would be replaced by a
flexible diaphragm, hermetically attached to the bottom of the casing, to the upper
part of which diaphragm would be attached a small bell o' working above the gas
inlet pipe band whose edges would be caused to make a gas tight joint in con-
nection with a seat of any suitable material.
The stop valve may also serve to regulate the flow of gas by placing a double
cone t upon the guide stem c¹ Figure 1, working in the gas inlet pipe b, the mouth
of which is contracted as shown.

page_text: Improvements in Mercurial or Hydraulic and other Stop Valves
for Gas and other Fluids.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Ferdinand Muratori of 84 Rue Oberkampf Machinist, and Edouard
Cros of 64 Rue de la Victoire, Mining Engineer, both in Paris, France, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to an improved mercurial or hydraulic stop valve for gas
burners and for controlling the outlet of other fluids, which closes automatically
when the pressure from the main is cut off and which cannot reopen of itself when
the pressure is restored, without the valve being acted on by the hand or other
external aid.
The principle upon which the action of this stop valve depends is that of
differential surfaces, subjected to the same pressures and therefore capable of
moving to a different extent.
The valve affords a ready means of regulating the outflow of fluids and of
controlling all the burners or outlets by a single stop cock at the main.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I will proceed to
describe some examples of its application to the gas distribution of dwellings
whether internal or external, and by which the flow of gas may be regulated and
the whole or any less number of the burners may be automatically shut off at any
time by simply closing the cock at the meter, or in any other suitable position.
The accompanying drawings represent four different examples of the stop valves
applied to different gas fittings and pipes.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the stop valve applied to what is known as a
candle burner. Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation of the valve applied to a gas
bracket. Figure 3 shows the mode of applying the valve to a gaselier with two or
more branches, when the same is within reach. Figure 4 represents a valve for
automatically controlling a number of burners which are out of reach, the valve
being placed on the service pipe at a distance from the gaselier &c.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
C is the stop valve placed upon the standard A of a pedestal lamp or upon a
vertical supply pipe, between it and the burner B.
The valve is contained in a shell a of metal or other material made either
entirely cylindrical or the upper part cylindrical and the lower part of truncated
conical form and containing a liquid such as mercury. Within this shell a at its
centre rises a small tube b through which the gas is admitted from the supply
pipe A. The bottom end b₁ of the tube is made conical and terminates in a
guide c for a valve rod c¹. The sides of the cone are slotted at d to admit of the
gas from A passing into chamber a the area of the slots d being made equal to

page_text: the section of the gas inlet pipe A. Upon this lower projecting end of pipe b is
screwed a pipe b which has gas thread on its lower end in order that the stop
valve may be applied to all kinds of gas fittings. The pipe 6" is enclosed in a
tube e having a guide groove f to receive the pin g of a collar h upon which is
fixed parallel to the axis of the valve C, a rod k which projects upwards through
the bottom of the chamber a and on which rests a small bell k¹ dipping in the
mercury in chamber a and enclosing a tube fixed in the bottom of the chamber a
through which the rod k passes. By sliding collar / upwards the bell k¹ will be
raised and with it a triangular or arched plate m; a spiral spring n returns the
collar to its original position if it does not fall by its own weight. In the
chamber a above the pipe b is a bell o having at its centre a smaller bell o' enclosing
the mouth of the pipe band having fixed at its centre the rod c¹ which extends
upwards above the bell o' and passes through a guide hole p at the centre of
cover q. The latter is screw threaded at p1 for attaching any kind of burner,
that shown being an ordinary candle burner. The cover q has one or more
perforations pl through which the gas passes to burner B.
The bell o has one or more perforations r to allow of the gas passing from the
lower part of the chamber into said bell after bell o' has emerged from the mercury
and thence into the upper part of the chamber by the action of the hydraulic valve.
Instead of mercury any other liquid of the requisite density may be employed, such
as chloride of calcium, glycerine, oil, heavy oil or borax.
For gas brackets as in Figure 2 the stop valve C is placed upon the bracket
which is closed at a by a diaphragm, the gas contained in bell o passing back by a
side passage into the bracket and thence to the burner B. In this arrangement
the bell, which was raised by the sliding collar h in the former case, is lifted from
above by raising the rod c¹.
For automatically turning off a number of burners, two arrangements are
adopted which are shown in Figures 3 and 4 as applied to gaseliers placed either
within or out of each. If the gasclier is within reach as in Figure 3, the gas
passes from the down pipe H of the gaselier through a small pipe b into the stop
valve C composed of a shell a with outer and inner bells o o¹, the bell o being
perforated at r to allow the gas to pass from within it into the upper part of the
casing and thence to the several burners B.
The bell o is raised for opening the stop valve by pushing up the knob G having
a red with spring n which acts on the said bell. The lights may be lowered by
partly closing the several cocks E of the burners.
If the gaselier is out of reach the gas is caused to pass through a stop valve
between pipes A and B as in Figure 4. A¹ is the gas inlet in a shell a, containing
outer and inner bells o o¹ and a split cap as in Figures 1 and 2. The bell o'
covers the gas inlet A¹ and the split cap u, the outlet passage 1, in such a manner
that the gas entering at A¹ passes into the bell o and through shit u" or beneath
the split cap u to the exit pipe and thence to the burners. The supply of gas to
the burners may be regulated either by immersing the cap u more or less in the
mercury, by reducing the pressure or by placing a regulating cock on the gas pipe
before it enters the stop valve. The bell o is lifted by means of a rod x, one end y
of which is placed within reach of the hand, while the other end acts on a forked
lever for raising knob z attached to said bell. A spring i keeps the forked lever v
constantly pressed against the cover q so as to enable the bell o to fall to the bottom
of casing a when the gas is shut off.
In order to ensure the facility of burning the gas low whatever may be the
pressure, the small cap u is used, which covers the hole p Figure 1 or the exit
pipe as in Figures 2 and 4. The cap u is slightly notched at its bottom end u¹
Figures 2 and 4 and is provided with a series of small holes spirally arranged or
with a longitudinal slit u tapering upwards from the base so as to allow of a
The gas
gradually diminishing amount of gas passing into the pipe r or hole ».
at the burners may in this manner be lowered for the production of scenie effects
in theatres for example.

page_text: The cap may also be replaced by a cone inserted in tuber or a tapered rod
which would enter hole and gradually close it in a similar manner to the
split cap u.
The action is as follows:-The bells o and o' dip in the mercury or other fluid
and the area of o' exposed to the gas at its ordinary pressure of from 20 to
70 millemetres of water is insufficient to enable the gas to lift bell o and pass
into B, but if collar h, or knobs 2 or G be raised by hand the bells o and o' which
are connected together will be lifted, bell o' being unsealed, so that the gas passes
direct into bello, which owing to its larger area is kept raised by the gas pressure.
If the gas pressure be gradually reduced by closing the main cock slowly, the
gas will flow in gradually diminishing quantity through the split cap u and the
lights will be lowered at the burners; if the pressure be entirely cut off, the bell o
will fall by its own weight and bell o¹ will be again sealed and the passage of gas
entirely cut off.
The bell o is permanently immersed in the mercury to a sufficient depth to resist
the maximum pressure.
A dry valve may also be employed in which the bell o would be replaced by a
flexible diaphragm hermetically attached to the bottom of the casing, to the upper
part of which diaphragm would be attached a small bell o' working above the gas
inlet pipe b, and whose edges would be caused to make a gas tight joint in con-
nection with a seat of any suitable material.
The stop valve may also serve to regulate the flow of gas by placing a double
cone t upon the guide stem c¹ Figure 1, working in the gas inlet pipe b the mouth
of which is contracted as shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1 claim is
1st A system of stop valve for controlling the outlet of gas and other fluids,
which closes automatically when the pressure from the main is cut off and which
cannot reopen of itself when the pressure is restored without being acted on by an
external force, the valve when raised being sustained in that position by the
minimum pressure and rendered incapable of being further raised automatically by
the maximum pressure.
2nd The construction, combination and arrangements of parts constituting the
improved stop valves herein described and represented in the drawings, whereby
the thoroughfare for the gas or other fluid is closed when the pressure is shut off
and whereby the lights may be burnt low and the flow regulated occording to the
amount of pressure acting on the valve, substantially as specified.
101