Improvements in Gas Pressure Regulators.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by PERSON NOYES, of 47, India Street, Boston, Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, Merchant.]
Improvements in Gas Pressure Regulators.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 gas pressure regulators hereinafter described and consists
in certain improvements in the mechanical construction whereby simplicity and cheap-
ness are attained and also in certain improvements for automatically varying the
pressure and increasing the same from a minimum to a maximum point and vice
versa.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a gas pressure regulator containing some
of my improvements.
Figure 2 represents a sectional view showing the automatic pressure changing
attachment.
Figure 3 represents the series of blocks which may be used with the pressure
changing attachment to modify the operation thereof.
Figure 4 represents a sectional view showing the automatic pressure changing
attachment applied to another form of regulator.
Figure 4 represents a modification.
Figure 4 represents a section on line x, x Figure 4.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 a represents a casing having an inlet b and an outlet c
adapted to be coupled to sections of a gas main or pipe so that gas passing through
the main or pipe shall pass through said casing.
In the casing is a valve seat d and a movable valve e which by moving toward and
from said soat regulates the quantity of gas passing through the casing and the
pressure of the same.
Said valve is connected by a rod f with an inverted cup or gas holder which floats
in a sealing liquid, such as glycerine in an annular reservoir i formed between the
wall of a cylindrical chamber or cup m and an inner cylindrical wall forming a part
of an inner casing or cup n placed within the casing m.
The bottom of the outer cup m rests on a seat o formed for it on the valve casing a,
and the bottom of the inner cup n rests on the bottom of the outer casing. p represents
a vertical tube affixed to the valve casing a and passing through holes formed to closely
fit its exterior, in the superposed bottoms of the outer and inner cups m, n. On the
tabe P is placed an elongated washer or binding tube q the lower end of which is
pressed down upon the bottom of the inner cup n by a nut r screwed upon the
upper end of the tube or if desired said nut may bear directly on the bottom of
сир п.
The said cups m, n are thus securely held in place. The inner cup has an annular
wall 2 which surrounds the tube p and washer q and is separated therefrom by an
annular space or reservoir j which receives the sealing liquid from the outer annular
reservoir i through a tube or passages connecting said reservoirs. A smaller inverted
cup t or gas holder attached to the gas holder h above described extends into the inner
reservoir j.
The space within the inverted cup t communicates through the tube p with the
valve casing a at the receiving side of said casing and the top of the cupt is of the
same area as the valve e so that the valve is balanced by the pressure against
the cup t.

page_text: -
The outlet portion of the valve casing a is connected by a pipe u with the space
between the outer and inner walls of the inner cup n so that gas enters said space
and according to the pressure raises or lowers the gas holder h and with it the
valve e causing the latter to move toward or from its seat, as the case may be.
The construction of the outer and inner casings and the means of securing them
together and to the valve casing are important parts of my invention, said con-
struction being very simple and cheap and permitting the parts to be readily taken
apart and put together without the exercise of any great degree of mechanical
skill and packed in small compass when taken apart, so that any person of ordinary
intelligence may perform said operations without the aid of a skilled mechanic.
The outer and inner cups m, n instead of bearing on the seat o and the valve casing,
may be supported at any desired height above the valve casing by a support interposed
between the valve casing and the bottom of cup m. Said support being for example
a tube the lower end of which rosts on the valve casing the cups m bearing on the
upper end of said tube.
The same construction is shown in Figure 2 excepting as to valve casing which in
said Figure is composed of sections 4, 5 secured together by flanges 6.6 on their
adjacent ends. The valve seat in this case is, a ring interposed between said flanges.
This construction is very simple and inexpensive, no furnishing or fitting being required
excepting at the edges of the valve and valve scat.
In Figure 2 I also show the automatic pressure changing attachment consisting of
two weight holders w, w¹ to contain mercury and a tube z connecting said holders so
that mercury can pass from one to the other. The holder w is attached to the valve
stem the latter being extended upwardly as shown. The other holder w¹ is engaged
with a vertical rib or guide A on the inner surface of the casing B which contains the
said attachment and is vertically movable on said rib or guide, by means of a
shaft or windlass on which is a chain or rope D which supports the inovable
holder w¹.
When the holder wo is lowered with the valve, so that its bottom is lower than the
bottom of the holder w', mercury flows from the latter through the tube z into the
holder w and increases the load on the gas holder and valve. By raising or lowering
holder w¹ the increase in the load by a given change in the vertical position of the
gas holder is decreased or increased as the case may be.
The windlass may be provided with a dial suitably marked so that a fixed
pointer G on the casing, will indicate in connection with said dial, the position of the
holder w for a given result, I employ in connection with the weight holders w w¹ a
series of wooden blocks of different shapes which may be secured within said holder
to limit the admission of mercury thereto, and thereby limit the possible maximum
weight when said holder is loaded. In Figure 3 I show a series of blocks D₁ for this
purpose. It will be understood that there may be a set of blocks of each form, and
that when one set of blocks is introduced into either holder, said holder is adapted to
hold more mercury than when another set having a larger area is introduced. Said
block may be secured in the holders by vertical spindles or rods affixed to the holders
the blocks having holes to receive said rods.
In Figure 4 I show the automatic pressure changing attachment in connection
with a pressure regulator of well known construction, in which the gas enters a
dome J under the floating holder and passes from said dome to the outlet c. The
dome is between the gas inlet pipe b and the floating holder and has holes
through which gas enters the said holder.
The dome has a spheroidal valve seat N against which the valve O closes, the valve
being of annular form and provided at its outer edge with a downwardly pro-
jecting tube P which enters the liquid in the inner sealing reservoir j. On the
dome is an annular holder Q for glycerine or other sealing liquid, and into said
holder projects a tube R which is attached to the floating gas holder.
Said tube by entering the sealing liquid in the cup Q on the dome prevents the
leakage of gas around the valve rod when the latter passes through the top of the

page_text: casing, as when it is extended upwardly to connect with the automatic pressure
changing attachment.
The cup on the dome and the tube R floating with the gas holder and pro-
jecting into the cup may be used without the automatic pressure changing
attachment when the consumer does not desire the friction of the gas to vary.
.
The regulator shown in Figure 1, may also be used without the pressure
changing attachment when the friction is comparatively uniform.
The pressure changing attachment is to be preferred however when consumers
of gas desire to vary the friction at different times and under different circum-
stances.
The casing B which contains the automatic pressure changing attachment is
attached to the casing of the regulator, as shown.
The inlet pipe 6 of the regulator is shown in Figure 4 as extending vertically
from a point below, but if desired said pipe may extend horizontally and then
upward as shown in Figure 4*.
In this form of regulator the connection between the outer and inner reservoirs
instead of being a tube, as shown in Figure 1, is made by casting the inner wall of the
outer reservoir and the outer wall of the inner reservoir as one part with an opening
at 7 which permits the passage of liquid from one reservoir to another.
The pipe u shown in Figures 1 and 2 is not required in the construction shown in
Figure 4 and the general construction shown in Figure 4 is more compact than that
shown in the other figures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination of the outer casing or cup and
the inner casing or cup having the outer annular rim and the inner annular rim and
the connecting tube or passage, the whole placed in and secured to the bottom of
the outer cup whereby two annular reservoirs are formed to receive the two
inverted cups.
Second. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination of the outer and inner cups,
forming the outer and inner annular liquid reservoirs, said holders being connected by
a tube or passage, the floating holder supported by the liquid in the outer liquid
reservoir and provided with the cup or tube projecting into the inner reservoir, the
valve connected by a rod with the floating holder, the casing containing said valve,
and the tube connecting the outlet side of said casing with the space within the
floating holder, as set forth.
Third. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination of the valve casing having a
seat o of the outer and inner cups m n forming the outer and inner annular liquid
receptacles, the bottom of said inner cup n bearing on the bottom of the outer cup m
while the latter bears on the seat of the valve casing, and the tube P attached
to the valve casing, the bottoms of said cups being held by a nut screwed on said
tube and acting either directly on the bottom of the inner cup or on a tube or
washer, as set forth.
Fourth. The valve casing composed of the flanged sections 45 provided respec-
tively with inlet and outlet branches, and the ring d clamped between said
sections and constituting a valve seat, combined with the valve having a rod f
and a gas pressure regulator having a floating gas holder to which said rod is
secured.
Fifth. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination of the valve, valve rod, inverted
cup or gas holder, compensating weight holder w attached to said rod, and the
adjustable weight holder to connected by a tube with the weight holder w, as set
forth.
Sixth. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination of the valve, valve rod, inverted
cup or gas holder, the weight holder w attached to the valve rod, the vertically
movable weight holder to connected by a tube to the weight holder, means as a

page_text: drum or windlass for vertically adjusting the weight holder w¹, and an indicator
whereby the position of said weight holder for any given result may be
determined.
Seventh. In a gas pressure regulator having a weight holder for a fluid weight
attached to and acting upon an inverted cup, a series of sets or groups of solids
for the variable displacement of the fluid weight from the holder to a tauk or from
the tank to the holder through a connecting tube, and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination of the outer and inner
annular reservoirs for sealing liquid, an opening or passage connecting said reser-
voirs, a floating holder supported by the liquid in the outer reservoir, an inner
cup projecting into the liquid in the inner reservoir, a valve connected by a valve rod
with the floating holder, and a seat to prevent the passage of gas around said valve
rod through the top of the holder.
Dated this 13th day of June 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.