AN IMPROVED GAS REGULATOR
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sudbury and Alfred William, Linsell, of
Halstead, in the County of Essex, Brassfounders, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED GAS REGULATOR."
Sealed the 2nd October 1857, and dated the 16th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sudbury and
Alfred William Linsell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 16th April 1857.
We, JOHN SUDBURY and ALFRED WILLIAM LINSELL, of Halstead, in tho
County of Essex, Brassfounders, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED GAS REGULATOR," to be as follows:
The object of this instrument is to maintain an uniform supply of gas to the
burners unaffected by any varying pressure on the mains. For this purpose
the gas from the supply pipe is admitted through a tubular passage into a
chamber, the upper part of which is closed by a flexible diaphragm; from this
diaphragm is suspended a piston, working freely up and down in the tubular
passage, which bas a hole or holes cut in its side for the admission of
gas; an outlet orifice at the side of the chamber conducts the gas to the
burners. Any increase of pressure beyond the regulated amount raises the
diaphragm; and with it the piston, thereby partly closing the holes in the side
of the tubular passage and checking the admission of gas to the burners.
When this.extra pressure is diminished, the diaphragm and piston falls,

page_text: uncovering more of the holes, and presenting increased facility for the entrance
of the gas to the burners. The holes in the side of the tubular passage may
be of any approved form, but we prefer to make them triangular.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Sudbury and Alfred William Linsell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
SUDBURY and ALFRED WILLIAM LINSELL, of Halstead, in the County of Essex,
Brassfounders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs' and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Sudbury and Alfred William Linsell, Her special licence that we,
the said John Sudbury and Alfred William Linsell, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, tho said John Sudbury and
Alfred William Linsell, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED GAS REGULATOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said John Sudbury and Alfred William Linsell, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
. performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The object of this instrument is to maintain an uniform supply of gas to the
burners unaffected by any varying pressure in the mains. For this purpose
the gas from the supply pipe is admitted through a tubular passage into a

page_text: chamber, the upper part of which is closed by a flexible diaphragm; from this
diaphragm is suspended a piston, working freely up and down in the tubular
passage, which has a hole or holes, cut in its side for the admission of gas; an
outlet orifice at the side of the chamber conducts the gas to the burners.
Any increase of pressure beyond the regulated amount raises the diaphragm,
and with it the piston, thereby partly closing the holes in the side of the
tubular passage and checking the admission of gas to the burners. When
this extra pressure is diminished, the diaphragm and piston falls, uncovering
more of the holes, and presenting increased facility for the entrance of the
gas to the burners. The holes in the side of the tubular passage may be of
any approved form, but we prefer to make them triangular.
And in order that the same may be more fully understood, reference is had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say,-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of one of our improved gas regulators. A is
the inlet orifice through which the gas enters from the meter or supply pipe;
B is the outlet leading to the gas burners; C is a tubular passage through
which the gas enters a chamber D, the upper part of which is closed by a
flexible diaphragm E, made of leather, oiled silk, or other suitable material so
prepared as to render it impermeable to and not liable to injury from the gas.
From the centre of the flexible diaphragm E is suspended a spindle e, having
at its lower end a piston F, nearly filling but working freely up and down
within the tubular passage C, so as to cover or uncover the entrance holes c¹.
On entering from the pipe A, the gas passes up round the outside of the
tube C, through the triangular openings c' in its side up into the chamber D.
Upon the upper part of the spindle e, above the diaphragm E, are placed
weights W, by which the apparatus is adjusted, so that at the proper pressure
the piston F hangs so as to uncover the opening c¹, at which time the gas is
free to enter the chamber D and pass on to the gas burners in quantities
suitable to their supply. But should the pressure of the gas in the mains
from any cause become unduly increased, the-diaphragm E and piston F will
be lifted, and the holes c¹ partially covered, proportionally diminishing the rate
at which the gas is admitted to the burners. When this extra pressure is
taken off, the diaphragm E and piston F falls again, uncovering a larger
portion of the entrance holes and affording freer ingress to the gas. G is a
cover to the regulator; and II, a cap, which leaves an opening h for the free
communication of the external air with the upper side of the diaphragm.
Figure 2 is an external view, and Figure 3 a section, of another modification
of our improved gas regulator. I is the inlet, and K the outlet orifice; Lis

page_text: a flexible diaphragm, supporting a central spindle m, the lower end of which is
jointed to the tail of a curvilinear faced metal valve N, turning on the centre n,
so as to open or close the inlet orifice i. While the gas enters the regulator
at the stipulated pressure the inlet orifice i remains fully open, but if the
pressure is increased, the diaphragm L and spindle m is lifted, which causes
the valve N to move towards the inlet orifice i and, check the entrance of the
gas. When this extra pressure is diminished, the diaphragm and spindle fall,
and the inlet orifice i is again fully opened. In Figure 2, O is the cock for
turning off the gas from the regulator; but Figure 4 shows an arrangement in
which the regulating valve itself answers the purpose of a stop-cock. P is
a screw, working through a stuffing box in the lower part of the gas regulator,
its lower end impinging against the tail of the valve N; on turning the screw P
the end of the valve is forced upward, and the inlet orifice effectually closed
against the admission of gas. On reversing the motion of the screw, the valve
opens, and the regulator is free to act, as before described.
We are aware that flexible diaphragms have heretofore been used in gas
regulators, and therefore we do not claim them as constituting any part of our
Invention. What we claim is, the mode of regulating the supply of gas
under varying pressures by means of a piston covering or uncovering holes in
the side of a tubular passage, as herein-before described, and shown in
Figure 1; or by means of a curvilinear faced valve, as shown by Figures 2
and 3. We also claim the arrangement shewn in Figure 4, by which means
the gas regulator is made to answer the purpose of a stop-cock.
In witness whereof, wc, the said John Sudbury and Alfred William
Linsell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-sovon
Witness,
W* BADDELEY.
JOHN SUDBURY.
(L.S.)
ALFRED WILLIAM LINSELL. (L.S.)