IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS." A communication from abroad by
Thomas Henry Haynes, of Paul's Wharf, in the City of London, but at present
residing at New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 7th May 1878, and dated the 13th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1877.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS." [A
communication from abroad by Thomas Henry Haynes, of Paul's Wharf, in the
City of London, but at present residing at New York, in the United States of
America.]
This Invention relates to that class of gas regulators in which the regulating
valve is operated by the pressure of gas under a small and a large inverted cup,
both attached directly to the valve rod, the bottom edges of the said cups being
immersed in mercury contained in annular grooves formed in the main body or
casing of the regulator.
This Invention consists partly in providing such a gas regulator with a conduit
perforated at several points to obtain a distributed discharge of the incoming gas
under the large inverted cup, and thereby to equalize the pressure all round the
same, and so obviate a twisting or tipping movement of the cup, and a consequent
considerable increase of friction and loss of efficiency. It also consists in applying
guides for guiding the upper and lower parts of the stem or rod to which the
regulating valve and the inverted cups are secured, whereby the said stem is made
to work with very little friction.
The main body or casing of the regulator is closed at its top by a cap held in
place by suitable screws. The guides consist of bridge pieces formed across the

page_text: mouths of hollow plugs, which are screwed centrally into the cap, and into the
bottom of the main body or casing of the regulator.
An opening for the passage of the gas from the main to the house is made in
a horizontal partition. In the main body or casing and is provided with a valve
mounted upon the rod carrying the inverted cups, and which closes and falls according
as the pressure of the gas on the inverted cups increases or diminishes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
May 1878.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS." A
communication from abroad by Thomas Henry Haynes, of Paul's Wharf, in the
City of London, but at present residing at New York, in the United States of
America.
This Invention relates to that class of gas regulators in which the regulating
valve is operated by the pressure of gas under a small and a large inverted cup,
both attached directly to the valve rod, the bottom edge of the said cups being
immersed in mercury contained in annular grooves.
This Invention consists partly in providing such a gas regulator with a conduit
perforated at several points to obtain a distributed discharge of the incoming gas
under the large inverted cup, and thereby to equalize the pressure all round the
same, and so obviate a twisting or tipping movement of the cup, and a consequent
considerable increase of friction and loss of efficiency. It also consists in a novel
and simple construction of and mode of applying guides for guiding the upper and
lower parts of the stem or rod to which the regulating valve and the inverted cups
are secured, whereby the said stem is made to work with very little friction.
The Invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, of which,-
Fig. 1 is a central sectional elevation of a gas regulator in which the several
improvements are illustrated; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same in the
line x, x, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a hollow plug which contains the upper guide for
the valve rod.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the hollow plug which contains the lower guide for
the valve rod.
The outer case A of the regulator may be of cast iron or any other suitable metal,
and it is closed at its top by a cap B held in place by suitable screws.
A hollow plug C is screwed centrally into the cap B, and a hollow plug K is
screwed into the bottom of the case A.
Upwardly projecting walls a, a', and a³, attached to the bottom of case A, divide
its interior into a central chamber A¹ and concentric annular chambers or channels
A³, A³, and A. A large inverted cup D has its bottom edge placed in the annular
91

page_text: channel A, and a smaller inverted cup E, placed under or inside the cup D, has its
bottom edge placed in the annular channel A². The channels A² and A* are filled or
partly filled with mercury, in which the lower edges of the cups D and E are sub-
merged, so as to seal the said edges against the passage of gas, while permitting the
said cups free liberty to rise and fall vertically. The valve rod or stem F passes
vertically through the tops of the cups D and E and the valve H, all of which are
firmly secured thereto. This rod or stem F also extends upward into the hollow
plug C, and downward into the hollow plug K. The upper plug C is constructed or
provided with a bridge M to form a guide for the upper end of the rod or stem F,
and the lower plug K is constructed or provided with a bridge L to form a guide for
the lower end of the said stem..
The valve H has its seat G on the diaphragm which forms the top of the dis-
charge chamber S, from which chamber the outlet U leads to the pipes which supply
the house or other building to be lighted. The inlet chamber T is connected at V
with the service pipe, or the outlet pipe of the metre, and the discharge chamber;
S communicates with one end of the conduit pipe P, which is coiled around in
annular form in the annular groove A³, and the top side of the said pipe P has
numerous perforations p distributed throughout its entire length, so as to charge
the incoming gas uniformly under all parts of the head of the cup D, thereby
causing it to lift evenly and avoid undue or unequal friction by tipping on the valve
rod, or by tipping the valve rod on its bearings.
The regulator thus improved performs its functions in the same way as other
regulators of the same class; but owing to the distribution of the gas under the
larger inverted cup, and the construction of and mode of applying the guides of the
valve rod by which the functions are enabled to be performed with less friction,
the regulator is rendered more sensitive to variations in the pressure of the gas in
the main or service pipe, and to the effect of turning on or shutting off the gas to or
from a larger or smaller number of burners.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements in
Gas Regulators," as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The combination of the perforated conduit P with the inverted cup D,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The combination with the case A of the cap B, hollow plugs C and K,
guide bridges M and L, and valve rod F, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Third. The combination of the annular perforated conduit P, the inverted cups D
and E, the valve rod F, the plugs C and K, and the guide bridge M and L, all
arranged as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
H. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)