Improvements in Automatically Varying the Load and Pressure of Gas Governors and in the Means or Apparatus employed therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatically Varying the Load and Pressure of
Gas Governors and in the Means or Apparatus employed
therefor.
I WILLIAM COWAN Buccleuch Street Works Edinburgh Gas Meter
Manufacturer &c. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the "Automatic Pressure Changer" invented & patented by me of date
July 5th 1878 No. 2686 I made the loading & unloading of the governor depend on
the combined agency of a clock and the pressure of the gas in the main close to the
governor outlet.
In the present invention I propose that the loading and the
unloading shall be regulated by the degree of pressure in some part of the main
pipe more or less considerably distant from the outlet of the governor. It would
of course be futile to attempt to regulate the amount of load by means of the
pressure in or adjacent to the governor because the pressure there depends so
exclusively on the amount of load that a change of pressure cannot in an efficient
governor precede a change of load. But it is otherwise at a point remote from the
governor where friction in the main has so retarded the passage of the increased
supply which an enlarged demand requires that the pressure may thereby fall in ..
the district whilst it is maintained undisturbed at the governor.
In like manner though the pressure at the outlet of a thoroughly efficient
governor cannot increase without a change of load it yet may rise in a remote
district from the lower degree to which a large demand may reduce it to the higher
degree which a smaller demand may allow it to attain. For example; a governor
may be loaded to give a certain pressure at its outlet but in a remote district (of the
same level as the governor) this pressure may be reluced very considerably by
the combined influence of friction & large demand but as the draught lessens and
the friction diminishes the pressure in that remote part of the main will rise and
approximate more & more nearly to the pressure at the outlet of the governor. By
utilising these fluctuations of pressure it becomes practicable to regulate the load on
the governor bell more or less in proportion to the demand for gas.
For the purpose of loading with water the loading tank of the governor bell I
employ a cistern such as is commonly used in houses in connection with domestic
water supply. That is an ordinary cistern with a ball-cock to regulate the flow
into it a waste pipe to prevent overflow and the usual outlet. To this outlet I
attach a flexible or jointed tube capable of having its other end raised up above
the level of the waste pipe so as to retain all the water which can ever be in the
cistern when full and also capable of being lowered so as to allow any quantity or
even the whole of the water to pass out. The outlet end of this flexible tube is
supported by a suitable fastening carried by the bell of a gas holder in such a way
that the position of the bell determines the escape from or the retention of the
water in the cistern. The gas holder bell is operated by the pressure of gas
transmitted to it through a pipe which connects it with a distant part of the main
beyond the outlet of the governor. The rising & the falling of the bell in response
to this pressure is in the first instance determined by its weight which may be varied
according to circumstances but it is further determined & regulated by an arrange-
ment of suspended weights (or in some cases a weighted chain) coming into & going
out of operation somewhat after the manner described in the Specification of the
Automatic Pressure Changer patented by me in 1878 No. 2686. It is obvious that
the reduction of the pressure in the remote part of the main contemplated will
bring down the gas holder bell and along with it the outlet end of the flexible tube
and by this means the failing pressure in the remote district will be restored by the
D
017

page_text: governor receiving an extra load. The flow of water into the governor loading
tank will cease when the bell of the gas holder rises in response to the increased
pressure and raises the outlet of the flexible tube up to or above the level of the
water in the cistern In some cases the flexible tube may be counterpoised to
prevent its weight materially affecting the gas-holder bell.
Under some conditions instead of using an ordinary cistern with a flexible tube
as above described I may employ a "flushing cistern" such as is used for sanitary
and other purposes which will discharge the whole of its contents in one operation.
In this case the function of the bell operating the discharge of this cistern will be
limited to the pulling of the cord or chain when the bell falls. In both of the
above modes of loading I lead the discharge outlet into a suitable funnel or conduit
pipe which passes the water down into the loading tank of the governor bell.
For the purpose of unloading the governor I provide the loading tank of the
governor bell with a flexible or jointed tube one end of which is fixed into &
communicates with the lower part of the loading tank whilst the other or outlet
end of the tube is supported and carried by the bell of a small gas-holder mounted
upon and moving with the governor bell. The outlet end of the flexible tube is
supported by a cord or chain which passes over a pulley on the gas-holder cross bar
or other suitable support so that the other end of the cord or chain is joined to the
bell of the gas-holder. Hence as the bell of the gas-holder rises the outlet end of
the flexible tube lowers and as the bell of the gas-holder falls the outlet end of the
tube rises. Or instead of a cord & pulley arrangement the connection between the
gas-holder bell and the tube may be by means of a lever one end of which is
operated upwards as the bell rises and downwards as it falls whilst the other end
correspondingly lowers & raises the tube outlet which it supports. The level of
the water in the loading tank of the governor bell thus depends on the position of
the outlet end of the flexible or jointed tube which is determined by the
position of the gas-holder bell. When the bell is near the bottom the outlet
end of the tube will then be in its highest position and the maximum load of water
if present in the loading tank will be retained. But when the gas-holder bell rises
and the outlet end of the tube consequently lowers water will flow out of the loading
tank in consequence of the higher pressure transmitted to this gas-holder also
through its being also in connection with the pressure pipe already described in
reference to the loading arrangements. This gas-holder also responds to the
pressure in proportion to its weight and further as regulated by the suspended
weights (or weighting chain) similar in action to that which has been described in
connection with the loading gas-holder. The connection between this small gas-
holder which is carried by the governor bell and the pressure pipe from the
remote district main must either be flexible or consist of a water slide lute to admit
of the motion the gas holder has in consequence of its being mounted on the
moving bell of the governor.
When a flushing cistern is employed for loading and therefore the whole of the
load is delivered in one quantity its removal may be effected in some cases by a
somewhat different arrangement to that above described. In this case I partition
off a small portion of the governor bell loading tank and by means of a small hole
in the dividing wall (near the bottom) I allow the two chambers to be in free
communication with each other. In the smaller chamber I fix a moderate sized
syphon in such a manner that its longer leg protrudes through the outside wall and
is thus capable when charged of withdrawing the contents of both chambers and so
removing the load. The syphon bend is sufficiently above the water level of the
maximum load to prevent the syphon being charged when the governor is being
loaded but the smallness of the chamber in which the syphon is placed admits of the
syphon being charged by the addition of a comparatively small quantity of water.
This addition comes from a small flushing cistern the contents of which are
discharged through a suitable conduit pipe into the syphon chamber when the gas-
holder bell rises beyond a certain point in response to an augmentation of pressure
in the remote district occurring in the manner above described. The discharge

page_text: end of the syphon may be furnished if necessary with a tap valve or other means
for restricting the rate of discharge and regulating the time occupied in removing
the load.
Instead of employing water sealed gas-holders to respond to the varying pressure
and operate the flexible tubes other appliances such as floats or dry diaphragms
might be used.
The water cisterns above referred to may be conveniently placed & rest upon
the crossbar or pillar girder of the governor but any other suitable position will
answer equally well.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatically Varying the Load and Pressure of
Gas Governors and in the Means
or Apparatus employed
therefor.
I, WILLIAM COWAN of Buccleuch Street Works, Edinburgh in the County of
Midlothian, North Britain, Gas Meter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention 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 improvements in automatically varying the load and
pressure of gas governors and in the means and apparatus employed therefor.
In the Automatic Pressure Changer invented and patented by me of date July 5th
1878 No. 2686 I made the loading and unloading of the governor depend on the
combined agency of a clock and the pressure of the gas in the main close to the
governor outlet-According to my present invention the loading and unloading is
regulated by the degree of pressure in some part of the main pipe more or less
considerably distant from the outlet of the governor.
It would of course be futile
to attempt to regulate the amount of load by means of the pressure in or adjacent
to the governor because the pressure there depends so exclusively on the amount of
load that a change of pressure cannot in an efficient governor precede a change of
load. But it is otherwise at a point remote from the governor where friction in the
main has so retarded the passage of the increased supply which an enlarged demand
requires that the pressure may thereby fall in the district whilst it is maintained
undisturbed at the governor.-
In like manner though the pressure at the outlet of a thoroughly efficient
governor cannot increase without a change of load it yet may rise in a remote
district from the lower degree to which a large demand may reduce it to the higher
degree which a smaller demand may allow it to attain.―
For example:
a governor may be loaded to give a certain pressure at its
outlet but in a remote district (of the same level as the governor) this pressure
may be reduced very considerably by the combined influence of friction & large
demand but as the draught lessens and the friction diminishes the pressure in that
remote part of the main will rise and approximate more and more nearly to the
pressure at the outlet of the governor. By utilising these fluctuations of pressure
it becomes practicable to regulate the load on the governor bell more or less in
proportion to the demand for gas.-
But in order that my present invention may be readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the annexed
explanatory sheets of drawings throughout which the same reference letters denote
similar parts.
Figure 1 of the drawings is an elevation shown partly in section of an arrange-
ment or apparatus by which my said invention may be carried into effect.―
Figure 2 is a similar view of a modification.
For the purpose of loading with water the loading tank A of the governor bell B,

page_text: I employ a cistern C such as is commonly used in houses in connection with domestic
water supply. That is to say an ordinary cistern C with a ball-cock c to regulate
the flow into it, a waste pipe e to prevent overflow and the usual outlet c; to this
outlet I attach a flexible or jointed tube D capable of having its other end raised
up above the level of the waste pipe el so as to retain all the water which can ever
be in the cistern when full and also capable of being lowered so as to allow any
quantity or even the whole of the water to pass out.
The outlet end of the flexible tube D is supported from the top end of the
upright rod d carried by the bell E of an auxiliary gas holder F in such a way
that the position of the bell E determines the escape from or the retention of the
water in the cistern D.
The gas holder bell E is operated by the pressure of the gas transmitted to it
through a pipe G which connects the bell with a distant part of the main H
beyond the outlet of the governor. The rising or the falling of the bell E in
response to this pressure is in the first instance determined by its weight which
may be varied according to circumstances but it is further determined and regulated
by an arrangement of suspended weights J. (or in some cases a weighted chain)
coming into and going out of operation somewhat after the manner described in the
Specification of the aforesaid Automatic Pressure Changer patented. by me in 1878
No. 2686. It is obvious that the reduction of the pressure in the remote part of
the main H contemplated will bring down the gas.bolder bell E and along with it
the outlet end of the flexible tube, D and by this means the failing pressure in the
remote district will be restored by the governor receiving an extra load. The
flow of water into the governor's loading tank A will cease when the bell E of the
gas holder Frises in response to the increased pressure and raises the outlet of
the flexible tube D up to or above the level of the water in the cistern C In
some cases the flexible tube D may be counterpoised to prevent its weight
materially affecting the gas holder bell E as shown at K. The discharge outlet c³
of the flexible or jointed supply pipe is led into a funnel or conduit pipe a provided
in the top of the loading tank A so as to permit of the water entering into
said tank.
For the purpose of unloading the governor I provide the loading tank A of the
governor bell B with a flexible or jointed tube L one end of which is fixed into and
communicates with the lower part of the loading tank A whilst the other or outlet
end of the tube is supported and carried by the bell M of a small gas-holder N
mounted upon and moving with the governor bell B. The outlet end of the
flexible tube L is supported by a cord or chain which passes over a pulley lon
the small gasholder cross bar or other suitable support so that the other end of the
cord or chain is joined to the bell M of the gas-holder N. Hence as the bell M
of the gas holder N rises the outlet end of the flexible tube L lowers and as the
bell M of the gas holder N falls the outlet end of the tube L rises. The level of
the water in the loading tank A of the governor bell B thus depends upon the
position of the outlet end of the flexible or jointed tube L which is determined by
the position of the gas holder bell M. When the bell M is near the bottom, the
outlet end of the tube L will then be in its highest position and the maximum load
of water if present in the loading tank A will be retained. But when the gas-
holder bell M rises and the outlet end of the tube L consequently lowers water will
flow out of the loading tank A in consequence of the higher pressure transmitted to
this gasholder N by its being also in connection by means of the pipe G' with the
pressure pipe G already described in reference to the loading arrangements. This
gas-holder N also responds to the pressure in proportion to its weight and further
as regulated by the suspended weights J (or weighting chain) similar in action to
that which has been described in connection with the loading gas-holder F. The
connection between this small gas-holder N which is carried by the governor
bell B and the pipe G! connecting the pressure pipe G from the remote district
main H with this gas-holder N must either be flexible as at g, or consist of a water
slide lute to admit of the motion the gas holder N has in consequence of it being

page_text: mounted on the moving bell B of the governor.-Or instead of a cord and pulley
arrangement the connection between the gas-holder bell M and the tube L may be
by means of a lever one end of which is operated upwards as the bell M rises and
downwards as it falls whilst the other end correspondingly lowers & raises the tube
outlet which it supports. Under some conditions instead of using an ordinary
cistern C with a flexible tube D as above described I may employ a Hushing
cistern C¹ such as is shown in Figure 2 and as is used for sanitary and other
purposes which will discharge the whole of its contents in one operation. In this
case the function of the bell E operating the discharge of this cistern C¹ will be
limited to the pulling of the cord, chain or rod and lever arrangement, as shown,
when the bell falls. The discharge outlet e is led into a suitable funnel or conduit
pipe a which passes the water down into the loading tank A of the governor
bell B.-
When a flushing cistern C¹ is employed for loading and therefore the whole of
the load is delivered in one quantity, its removal may be effected in some cases by a
somewhat different arrangement to that above described. In this case I partition
off a small portion a' of the governor bell loading tank A and by means of a small
hole a² in the dividing wall (near the bottom) I allow the two chambers to be in
free communication with each other. In the smaller chamber a¹ I fix a moderate
sized syphon as in such a manner that its longer leg protrudes through the outside
wall and is thus capable when charged of withdrawing the contents of both
chambers and so removing the load. The bend of the syphon a³ is sufficiently
above the water level of the maximum load to prevent the syphon as being charged
when the governor is being loaded but the smallness of the chamber a' in which the
syphon is placed admits of the syphon being charged by the addition of a
comparatively small quantity of water. This addition comes from a small auxiliary
Alushing cistern C³ the contents of which are discharged through a suitable
conduit pipe into the syphon chamber a¹ when the gas-holder bell E rises
beyond a certain point in response to an augmentation of pressure in the remote
district occurring in the manner above described. The discharge end of the
syphon may be furnished if necessary with a tap, valve or other means for
restricting the rate of discharge and regulating the time occupied in removing the
load.
The water cisterns C1 C2 above referred to may be conveniently placed & rest
upon the crossbar or pillar girder of the governor or gas holder F but any other
suitable position will answer equally well.
Instead of employing water sealed gas holders to respond to the varying pressure
and thereby operate the flexible tubes other appliances such as floats or dry
diaphragms might be used.
It will of course be understood that, where the position of the governor and its
loading and unloading gasholders, differs in elevation from the main, at the point
where the return pressure pipe joins it, such difference of elevation must be
allowed for, in the adjustment of the weights, and other automatic loading
arrangements, of the gasholders.-
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 :-
:-
1st. Automatically regulating the loading and unloading of gas governors by the
pressure of gas in the main of a district remote from the governor.-
-
2nd. In the loading of gas governors, the employment of a water cistern
connected to the loading tank of the governor by means of flexible or jointed
tubing, said tubing being operated by the pressure of the gas in the main of the
remote district through the medium of an auxiliary gas holder and pressure pipe,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.—
3rd. In the unloading of gas governors, the employment of an auxiliary gas
holder mounted on the governor bell, the bell of the said holder actuating the

page_text: flexible or jointed discharge pipe of the loading tank in consequence of the said bell
being raised or lowered by the varying pressure of the gas in the main of the
remote district. through the medium of the pressure pipe and flexible joint,
substantially as herein before described and shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.-
4th. In the loading and unloading of gas governors, the employment of two
flushing cisterns actuated by the pressure in the main of the remote district causing
the bell of the auxiliary gas holder to rise or fall and operate the desired cistern,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.—
Dated this 9th day of November, 1892.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.