CERTAIN IMPROVE-. MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE GAS LAMPS, AND WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF COMPRESSED GAS
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
GORDON, of Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at.
Westminster, the Fourteenth day of April, in the fifth year of His reign, did
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said David
Gordon, His especial licence, that I, the said David Gordon, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Gordon, my exors,
admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time.
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE GAS LAMPS, AND WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF COMPRESSED
GAS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me,
the said David Gordon, by an instrument in writing under my band and seal,,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said.
David Gordon, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawings which are hereunto annexed, and by
the following description thereof (that is to say):-
My improvements in the construction of portable gas lamps relate par-
ticularly to the stop and regulating valves, which are employed to retain the
compressed gas within the reservoir of the lamps during the process of filling
the same, and also for the purpose of regulating the flow or escape of gas from
the reservoir to the burner in proportion as it is consumed.
Fig. 1, upon the annexed Drawing, represents an improved construction of
regulating valve, adapted to permit the flow of gas to the burner, or to shut it
off at pleasure. It is composed of two pieces of metal, A and B, which are
screwed together at a, a, having a soft metal collar b, b, inserted in the joint
for the purpose of rendering it.tight. The said collar is composed of lead, soft
solder, or other sufficiently soft metal, and is firmly fixed by soldering or
otherwise to one of the surfaces which form the joint; it is not, therefore, in
danger of being displaced or injured by screwing it up tight, but produces a
very tight and sound joint. The lower part of the piece B is adapted to screw
into an aperture at one end of the reservoir of the lamp; and when the
regulating steel screw c is screwed down so that its conical point enters the
conical cavity formed in the piece B, it closes like a valve, and prevents all
escape of gas to the burner; but on turning the regulating steel screw slightly
round by its square head, the gas may be allowed to escape through the
passages e, e, e, e, to the burner fin any degree that may be desired. Previously
to inserting the regulating screw C in its place, I dip it in a mixture of bees'
wax and oil, which operates to fill up the threads of the screw, and thereby
effectually prevents the escape of gas by its sides during the time that the
lamp is burning. This form of regulating valve is found to admit of great
delicacy of adjustment, and is not liable to get out of order in the course of
use. The lower extremity of the regulating screw, where it fits into the metal
socket, may be formed to a straight cone, as shewn in the Figure, or it may be
shaped to a sphere or other suitable figure, and in some cases a conical or
tapering screw might be employed to form the fitting part.
Fig. 2 shews an improved construction of valve to be used in filling the
reservoirs of portable gas lamps. It is intended to be screwed into the opposite
end of the reservoir to that which is occupied by the burner and regulating
valve above described. This filling valve consists of a small conical plug of
metal, leather, or other convenient and suitable substance marked g, which is
fitted into a conical cavity or seat in the piece of metal C, similar to the valve
of an air gun, being closed by a slight steel spring h, and guided in its seat by a

page_text: metal pin, which slides through a hole in a small brass cap or perforated cover
, which is represented as screwed over it.. D shews a brass plug, which is
intended to be screwed into the lower aperture of the piece C after the filling
is completed. The upper surface of this screw plug is furnished with a soft
metal ring or collar 6, 6 (as above mentioned), which being pressed by. the
force of the screw into close contact with the under side of the piece C..
effectually prevents any escape of gas from that end of the reservoir, even if
the filling valve g should not be quite air-tight.
•
Fig. 3 shews an improved construction of regulating valve for the emission
of gas, which possesses the advantage of great simplicity, and at the same time
is capable of much nicety in adjusting the flow of gas to the burner. In this
construction the passages e, e, for the gas are drilled out of one solid piece of
metal, and the regulating steel screw c is tapped into the side of the same
piece in such a manner that its conical point may be caused to open or close
up the passage at pleasure, and thus regulate the emission of gas at the
burner f. The construction of this regulating valve will appear evident from
inspection of the Figure, without entering into a more detailed description.
thereof.
Fig. 4 shows another modification of the regulating valve, the chief difference-
being in the position of the regulating steel screw c, which in this latter con-
struction. is placed in a vertical position, with its conical point adapted to close
the conical aperture of the passage e, and thereby impede or regulate the flow
of. gas to the burner f. Note, either of the last-described regulating valves
may be employed in combination with the improved filling valve, described by
reference to Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 represents an improved construction of stop valve, which is particu-
larly adapted to the transfering of compressed gas from one lamp or reservoir
to another without occasioning loss during such process. It is composed of
two pieces of metal A and B, which are screwed together with a soft metal
collar between them at a, a. e, e, represents the openings through which the
gas is allowed to pass. The piece A has the regulating steel screw c tapped
through it, being formed at the lower part with a double cone, one part of
which cone is adapted to fit into a conical cavity or seat in the piece B, and
the other cone is adapted to fit correctly into the cavity in the under side of the
piece A. Now when the lower cone of the regulating steel screw is screwed
or forced tight down into the conical seat in the piece B, it prevents all escape
gas, and when it is desired to transfer compressed gas from one lamp or
reservoir to another, the regulating screw C is to be turned until its upper cone
fits and applies correctly into the conical cavity in the piece A, and thereby
of

page_text: prevents all escape of gas up the threads of the regulating screw during the
process of transferring, allowing at the same time free passage for the gas
from one reservoir to another through the openings e, c.
Fig. 6 shews another construction of stop valve for effecting the same object
(viz.), the transferring of compressed gas from one reservoir to another. It is
composed of two picces, A and B, screwed together, with a soft metal collar
between them, similar to the one last described, but the regulating steel
screw c, instead of being formed with double cones, is furnished at the
extremity with a loose button or revolving cylinder d, having soft metal collars
a, a, b, b, soldered upon the upper and under surfaces thereof, so that the
under side of the said button or cylinder may be screwed down tight upon the
lower passage e, and thereby effectually stop the flow of gas, or by turning the
regulating screw the contrary way the upper side of the said button may be
screwed up tight against the under side of the piece A, as represented in the
Figure, and thus prevent the escape of gas by the threads of the screw during
the period that gas is flowing through the passages e, c. These valves are
found to be particularly useful for many purposes connected with the filling of
portable gas lamps, and are less liable to get out of order than any stopcocks
which I have hitherto met with.
I have now described my Invention of improvements is the construction of
portable las lamps, with reference to the annexed Drawing, in such manner as
to enable persons conversant with works of a similar nature to practise the
Invention; and I hereby declare that I confine my claim of Invention to the
following particulars (viz') :-
First, to the employment of separate and distinct valves for the entrance and
exit of gas to and from the reservoir of portable gas lamps, such separate
valves being constructed and combined in the manner herein-before described
with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 upon the annexed Drawing.
Secondly, to the improved construction of the stop valves to be employed in
transferring compressed gas from one lamp or reservoir to another, being
provided with a double cone or with flat surfaces, furnished with soft metal or
other suitable collars to prevent the escape of gas up the threads of the
regulating screw, as above described with reference to Fig. 5 and 6 upon the
Drawing. I also claim the use of soft metal rings or collars as a means of
making joints tight in apparatus connected with portable gas lamps, such rings
for collars being soldered or otherwise fixed against one of the surfaces of the
joint, and pressed into contact with the hard metal surface on the other side
sufficiently to prevent the escape of gas without employing leather or other
similar pliable material or substance.
"

page_text: It is to be remarked, that the Figures upon the Drawing are about the real
size of the apparatus, but the form and proportions may be varied according
to the circumstances of the case, as well as the materials of which the same
may be formed or constructed, and without departing from the object of the
Invention, as herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Gordon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.