IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS- REGULATORS.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wright, of 55, Paddington Street, Baker Street, in
the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS-
REGULATORS.
33
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wright at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1880.
FRANK WRIGHT, of 55, Paddington Street, Baker Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in gas regulators.
In order to regulate the quantity of gas passing to a gas burner I cause the gas
to be admitted by the supply pipe to the lower part of a small chamber having
cylindrical sides. This chamber is closed at the top by a cover in which there is
an aperture or apertures for the passage of the gas to the burner. The burner may
be screwed into a socket formed to receive it in the top of the cover. The chamber
contains a light metallic capsule or cup also having cylindrical sides, and of such
a diameter that it is just able to enter freely into the cylindrical portion of the
chamber. The cup is so light that the gas admitted beneath it at ordinary pressure
is able to lift it.
Immediately over the top or open end of the chamber, and a very short distance
above the rim of the cup, when lying within the chamber, a plane surface is
provided; it forms part of or is fixed to the cover of the chamber, as is hereinafter
described. Thus the cup is free to rise only a short distance, as the rim of the
cup will then come up against the plane surface.
Now in the bottom of the cup
there is a hole which is just of a size to allow the proper quantity of gas, or that
quantity which the burner is best adapted to consume, to pass to it when the
pressure of the gas is just adequate to lift the cup. Little or no gas can pass
between the sides of the chamber and cup, and practically the whole of the gas to
supply the burner has to pass through the hole in the bottom of the cup. Now
by the arrangements described a constant difference of pressure is maintained on
the two sides of this hole, for when the gas is admitted below the cup and lifts it
the cup ascends until the gas is checked in its passage from the interior of the cup
to the burner by the approach of the rim of the cup to the plane surface; the
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page_text: pressure within the cup then rises until it is sufficient, together with the weight of
the cup, to balance the pressure beneath.
The amount of motion permitted to the cup should be quite small, and so it is
requisite that the plane surface above it should be set with considerable
accuracy.
of the cover.
The
In some cases I make the cover to fit over the top of the chamber, and I form
the plane surface as a separate button having a stem screwing into the underside
The stem is tubular, and is perforated at the sides to permit of the
delivery of the gas through it to the burner. The stem is also made to receive a
key by which the button can be adjusted after the cover has been put on.
button is first screwed down until it bears upon the top of the cylindrical part of
the chamber, and is then just slackened again to give the proper amount of
freedom for the movement of the cup, and for the passage of the gas to the burner
after it leaves the cup. In other cases I make the cover to screw within the upper
part of the chamber, which is enlarged to receive it; the plane surface is then
formed on the under side of the cover, and the parts being made to gauge when
the cover is screwed home the plane surface occupies its proper position in relation
to the rim of the cup.
Side perforations formed in the cover immediately over
the plane surface allow the gas after it escapes from the cup to pass to the
burner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Frank Wright in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 30th September 1880.
FRANK WRIGHT, of 55, Paddington Street, Baker Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in gas regulators.
In order to regulate the quantity of gas passing to a gas burner I cause the gas
to be admitted by the supply pipe to the lower part of a small chamber having
cylindrical sides. This chamber is closed at the top by a cover, in which there is
an aperture or apertures for the passage of the gas to the burner. The burner may
be screwed into a socket formed to receive it in the top of the cover. The chamber
contains a light metallic capsule or cup also having cylindrical sides, and of such a
diameter that it is just able to enter freely into the cylindrical portion of the
chamber. The cup is so light that the gas admitted beneath it at ordinary pressure
is able to lift it.
Immediately over the tap or open end of the chamber, and a very short distance
above the rim of the cup when lying within the chamber, a plane surface is
provided, it forms part of or is fixed to the cover of the chamber, as is hereinafter
described. Thus the cup is free to rise only a short distance, as the rim of the
cup will then come up against the plane surface. Now in the bottom of the cup

page_text: there is a hole which is just of a size to allow the proper quantity of gas, or that
quantity which the burner is best adapted to consume, to pass to it when the
pressure of the gas is just adequate to lift the cup. Little or no gas can pass
between the sides of the chamber and cup, and practically the whole of the gas to
supply the burner has to pass through the hole in the bottom of the cup. Now by
the arrangements described a constant difference of pressure is maintained on the
two sides of this hole; for when the gas is admitted below the cup and lifts it the
cup ascends until the gas is checked in its passage from the interior of the cup to
the burner by the approach of the rim of the cup to the plane surface, the pressure
within the cup then rises until it is sufficient, together with the weight of the cup,
to balance the pressure beneath.
The amount of motion permitted to the cup should be quite small, and so it is
requisite that the plane surface above it should be set with a considerable
accuracy.
In some cases I make the cover to fit over the top of the chamber, and I form
the plane surface as a separate button having a stem screwing into the under side
of the cover. The stem is tubular, and is perforated at the sides to permit of the
delivery of the gas through it to the burner. The stem is also made to receive a
key by which the button can be adjusted after the cover has been put on. The
button is first screwed down until it bears upon the top of the cylindrical part of
the chamber, and is then just slackened again to give the proper amount of freedom
for the movement of the cup and for the passage of the gas to the burner after it
leaves the cup. In other cases I make the cover to screw within the upper part
of the chamber, which is enlarged to receive it; the plane surface is then formed
on the under side of the cover, and the parts being made to gauge when the cover
is screwed home the plane surface occupies its proper position in relation to the
rim of the cup. Side perforations formed in the cover immediately over the plane
surface allow the gas after it escapes from the cup to pass to the burner.
The accompanying Drawing shews various forms of gas regulators made
according to the principle of my Invention.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of a gas regulator arranged
according to my Invention, applied to a flat flame burner. A is a cylindrical
chamber made of brass or other suitable material formed with a tubular stem at its
base screwed for attachment to the supply pipe. This chamber A is lined with a
cylindrical bushing a made of a non-corrosive material, and provided with three or
more snugs or brackets b, upon which the capsule or cup B rests when out of
action. The capsule or cup is pierced with a hole c, and is made with cylindrical
sides to fit freely into the bushing u. C is a cover fitted with a suitable burner D,
and made with a screwed socket for the reception of the screwed stem of the
adjustable button E. The button E is made with a plane surface on its under
side. The stem of the button is tubular, and has suitable orifices e in its side
for the passage of the gas to the burner. A slot d is provided in the stem of the
button and receives a turnscrew for adjusting the position of the plane surface E in
regard to the rim of the cup B. The rim of the cup B is chamfered to a knife-
edge, and lies beneath the top of the cylindrical bushing a. As it is important
that the motion permitted to the disc or cup should be very small the button E is
first screwed down to bear upon the cylindrical part of the bushing a, and is then
just slackened to give the proper amount of passage of the gas to the burner.
The gas enters the chamber A, and passing under the cup B flows through the
hole c, thence between the edge of the cup B and the plane surface of the button E
through the apertures e to the burner D. Should the pressure of the gas be
sufficient to lift the cup the rim of the cup will approach the plane surface and
check the flow of the gas, thereby causing the pressure within the cup to accumulate.

page_text: until it is sufficient, together with the weight of the cup, to balance the pressure
beneath.
By this means a constant difference of pressure is brought about at the orifice
or hole c in the cup, and thereby a constant bulk of gas is supplied to the
burner.
The amount of gas passing to the burner may be varied either by altering the
weight of the cup B or by increasing or diminishing the size of the hole c.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section shewing another form of burner arranged according to
my Invention. The cup B fits freely into the cylindrical chamber A, which is
enlarged to fit the cover C. A plane surface is formed upon the lower part of C, and
suitable orifices a are provided by means of which the gas may pass to the
burner D.
A screw thread 6 is provided on the outer case A, upon which may be affixed a
triangle or globe holder.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a street light regulator arranged after my Invention,
and is somewhat similar in construction to Fig. 1, but is provided with an adjustable
conical plug g, by raising or lowering which the quantity of gas passing through
the hole c in the cup B may be regulated to the desired extent. The cover C is
further made with a screwed stem at its upper extremity, upon which is mounted
a hollow pillar or socket G fitted with a suitable burner D.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a burner especially adapted for household use, and
is made by preference of an alloy formed of lead, tin, and antimony.
The plane surface C is kept in its proper position in relation to the cup by means
of three of more projections on its under side which bear upon the upper edge of
the cylindrical chamber, and is firmly secured by expanding the projections & on
its upper surface against the side of the chamber A.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Gas
Regulators," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it
to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details as set forth, but
that what I claim and wish to have secured to me by Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction of a gas regulator with a moveable cup B, in conjunction
with an adjustable plane surface E, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. The application of a conical adjustable plug g, in conjunction with the
cup B and adjustable plane surface or button E, by means of which the gas passing
to the burner D may be regulated, substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wright, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
ERNEST DUDDY,
Mechanic,
55, Paddington Street,
Baker Street,
London, W.
FRANK WRIGHT. (L.S.)