AN IMPROVED GAZOMETER OR GASHOLDER
Year: 1818

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
CLEGG, of the City of Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting."
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of 'Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the fifty-eighth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Samuel Clegg, my exors, adññors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Samuel Clegg, my,
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Clegg,
my exors, admors, or 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
"AN IMPROVED GAZOMETER OR GASHOLDER;" in which Letters Patent there
is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Samuel Clegg, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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

page_text: the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference thereunto nau, win
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in fulfilment of the said proviso, I, the said
Samuel Clegg, do hereby declare that my said Invention of an improved
gazometer or gasholder is described. and ascertained in the manner following
(that is to say):-
My improved gazometer or gasholder is made of thin metal plates or other
fit materials; it has two sides and two ends, meeting together at top in a ridge,
like the roof of a house; the said sides and ends are united together by hinges,
and the joints are covered with some flexible material which will retain the gas,
but which will allow the sides to fold together, in the same manner as a port-
folio or letter case folds or shuts up; therefore the sides and ends of my gas-
holder can either be folded up flat and close together, or they can be opened
out in the form of the roof of a building. The bottom edges of the sides and ends
are immersed in water, in order to retain the gas which is introduced within the
gasholder or gazometer. By the opening out or closing up of the sides and
ends of the gasholder its internal capacity is enlarged or diminished, according
to the quantity of gas it is required to contain, and this variation of the internal
capacity of the gazometer or gasholder is effected without a deep pit or tank of
water, to immerse the whole gazometer as is required in the ordinary con-
struction of rising and falling gazometers. My improved gazometer requires
only a very shallow pit of water to immerse the bottom edge of the sides and ends,
and prevent the escape of the gas. The lower edges of the sides and ends of
the gasholder which dip in the water are made to move in an horizontal plane,
or nearly so, when they are opened, so that they will dip very little deeper into
the water when shut or folded together than when opened out. For this
purpose, the top or ridge joint which unites the two sides of the gazometer or
gasholder. is slightly raised up when the sides close or approach together, or is
slightly depressed when the sides open out or recede from each other. To
guide the whole gasholder in this movement, two perpendicular rods are fixed
up from the bottom of the tank or reservoir, which pass through sockets in the
ridge joints at the upper part of the gasholder, and the sockets are secured by
collars of leathers round the rods, or otherwise, to prevent the escape of gas.
The perpendicular rods are braced by chains proceedings from their upper ends,
and fastened at the bottom on each side of the tank. The weight of the gas-
holder is balanced by strong levers bent in the form of the letter L, and placed
within side the gazometer; the levers move on center pins fixed at the bottom
of the tank, which pins pass through the angles of the L levers. The perpendi-

page_text: cular arms of the levers are jointed at their upper ends to the sides of the gas-
holder nearly in the midway between the ridge joint and the bottom edges.
At the ends of the horizontal arms of the L levers are weights to counter-
balance the weight of the gasholder; both sides of the gazometer are provided
with such levers, which at the same time that they balance the weight they.
cause the ridge joint of the gasholder to rise or fall as aforesaid, so that the under
edges of the gasholders will move in an horizontal plane or nearly so (instead
of moving in the arch of a circle as they would do if the ridge joint was a fixed
centre of motion). When the two sides of the gasholder are nearly in con-
tact (or shut up) the perpendicular arms of the above-mentioned levers stand
nearly in a perpendicular position, but when the sides are opened out from each
other the levers become inclined, and as they move upon a fixed fulcrum at
their lower ends, and are jointed to the sides of the gasholder at their upper
ends they allow the whole of the gasholder to descend upon its guide rods
nearly in the same degree, as the lower edges would rise up if the ridge joint
was a fixture, and if the sides described an arch of a circle therefrom. The
latter movement is not an essential part of my Invention, but it is convenient
to make a small depth of water in the tanks serve the purpose. The sides of
the gasholder may be made to move or open on a fixed ridge joint as a centre
of motion, but it will then require a considerable depth of water in the tank to.
keep the lower edges of its sides and ends always beneath the surface of the
water, because the sides of the gasholder will describe an arch of a circle when
they are opened.
In order to explain more clearly the nature of my said Invention I have
annexed a Drawing of my said improved gasholder on a considerable scale.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the whole apparatus as it appears in action
when partly filled with gas or partly extended; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section,
taken through the middle of the gasholder and tank; Fig. 3, a transverse
section of the same; and Fig. 4, an horizontal plan of part of the gasholder,
shewing one of its ends, to explain how they are jointed together and the
leather applied to prevent the escape of gas. The same letters of reference
indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
A, Fig. 2, is the pipe which conveys the gas into the gasholder; it rises
up perpendicularly through the water in the tank high enough to prevent the
water entering it; B, the pipe of exit for the gas, which rises up nearly to the
top of the gasholder and is placed at the greatest distance from A that the gas
may cool and deposit its tar in passing from one to the other; C, C, are the
two guide rods, before mentioned; they are fastened at their lower extremities

page_text: into a framing (of cast iron or other metal or materials) D, D, lying beneath
the bottom of the tank, and the upper ends of these rods are kept steady by
chains E, Fig. 8, descending on each side, and fastened at bottom to a part
of the same framing D, D. F, G, K, are the balance or
levers, which
suspend or bear up the gasholder; they. move on fixed centre pins G,
supported in pieces a, a, of the framing D, D; the upper ends F of the per-
pendicular arms are jointed to the bars (of iron or other metal or materials)
II; H, which are riveted or otherwise fastened to the side plates of the gas-
holder the upper ends of the bars H, H, are united by knuckle joints W,
which allow the sides to approach each other till they come together; the
arms I, of the bent levers F, G, K, are nearly at right angles to the
other arms F, G, and the extreme ends of the arms I are loaded with
counterpoises K, which alway's tend to bring the arms F, G, of the lever's into
à vertical position, and consequently to close up the sides of the gasholder, and
expel the gas through the exit pipe B. Three pairs of the above-mentioned
L levers are represented in Figure 2, in the length of the gásholder to support
it in different parts, and prevent its altering its figure by the weight, and more
ör less must be used, according to the magnitude of the gasholders. Each pair
of levers F, G, K, stand side by side on the same centre pins, and cross each
other, 'as seen in the plan, Fig. 4, which also shews the counterpoises K, K,
at the ends of the arms I; they are long pieces of iron, which extends from one
lever I to the next, and a recess is made in the ottom of the tank, as seen in
Fig. 3, to allow the arms I and counterpoises K to descend beneath the edges
of the gasholder in the course of its movement. The sides of the gasholder
are shorter at the top or ridge joint than at the bottom edges, as seen in
Fig. 2, in order that the under edges of the folding ends may move in än
horizontal plane, or nearly so; each of the folding ends is made of two tri-
angular plates N, O, Fig. 4, jointed together by a joint P, and each one is again
jointed to its respective side plates L, M, at c, c; the, joinings P and c, c, are
made tight by introducing a piece of leather, oiled cloth, or other such flexible
substance in the angle at e; it extends across the joint, and its edges are held
under narrow plates of metal or other substance riveted to the side and end
platės.
Fig. 4 represents the end pieces N, O, when the gasholder is nearly extended;
but when it is closed up the two parts N, O, of the end assume the position
slièwn by dotted lines L, M. Fig. 4 shews how the ends of the two side
plates are turned outwards at b, b, to render them stiff and firm. As all the
flexible joints are made trong by the metalic joints or hinges, the leather or

page_text: other substance has no stress to bear, but only to prevent the escape of gas;
the leather or other substance will therefore last a long time: R; R, are the
collars, of leather or other substance; to prevent the escape of the gas at the
openings in the top or ridge where the guide rods C. pass through. The tank
must be filled with water to such a level that the under edges of the sides and
ends will be a few inches immersed; the counterpoises K tend to close the.
sides together and expel the gas from the gazometer through the pipe -B; the
counterpoises are so adjusted in weight as to force out the gas with the requisite
pressure. If more gas be introduced by the pipe A, it forces the sides and
moves them outwards upon the ridge joint. A manhole is made in each side
of the gasholder, as seen at S, Fig. 1 and 2, to give entrance when any repairs
are necessary, or to oil or examine the joining leathers (or other substances) e, e.
These openings are closed by doors screwed on. The form and dimensions of
my gasholder may be varied, and also the materials of which the same is to be
made
may be different from the materials specified, without deviating in any of
the essential properties from the form, dimensions, and materials already
described. The ends of the gasholder may be formed in more than two folding
plates united together (if it is judged necessary), and the levers-F, G, may be
varied in number, form, or proportion, provided they balance the weight of the
sides, and cause the lower edges of the gasholder to move nearly in an hori-
zontal plane, or in any desired curve which can be drawn .betwen such
horizontal plane and the arch of a circle, which the bottom edges would
describe if the ridge joint was motionless; or the balance levers, may be laid
aside entirely, and the gasholder suspended from the upper parts of the guide
rod c, c, without moving up and down thereon; but in this case it will require
more water in the tank to keep the mouth of the gasholder always immersed ;.
the weight of the sides of the gasholder will then act to close or bring them to
the perpendicular position and expel the gas.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
third day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighteen

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1818, the aforesaid Samuel Clegg came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and nineteen.