IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO GAS BURNERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Catherine Judkins, of Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Gas Regulator Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO GAS
BURNERS."
Sealed the 14th March 1876, and dated the 17th September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Catherine Judkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on
the 17th September 1875.
I, CATHERINE JUDKINS, of Fleet Street, in the City of London, Gas
Regulator Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY
of Gas To Gas BURNERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus to be placed between a gas meter
or main and the burner or burners to be supplied therefrom for the
purpose of regulating or equalizing the supply of gas to the said burner or
burners, so that there will be no waste by reason of the passage of uncon-
sumed gas through the burner and no varying of the light and no
unpleasant noise at the same.

page_text: The said apparatus is constructed with a box or vessel of any suitable
form, and in which is fitted a valve whereby the passage of the gas is
regulated. Above this valve is a diaphragm, which in one form of my
Invention is of metal, and to which the said valve is connected, or by
which it is operated. This metal diaphragm is formed with flanges_that_
extend downward,-and-dip-into a trough containing mercury. This
contrivance allows the diaphragm to work freely in the said box or
vessel, while making a secure and perfectly tight joint, which prevents
the escape of any gas above the said diaphragm. The said diaphragm
is provided with adjustable or variable weights, or with a spring for 1
regulating its pressure on the valve. The inlet passage for the gas
enters the box or vessel below the valve, and the chamber or space
between the valve and diaphragm communicates with the outlet passage.
The gas admitted by the said valve to the space under the diaphragm
and the aforesaid weight or spring acting against each other will when
the apparatus has been properly adjusted always so act on the said valve
as to cause the same to pass only just the quantity of gas required to
properly supply the burner or burners connected with the said
apparatus.
In another form of this apparatus I substitute for the aforesaid a
metallic diaphragm and trough containing mercury a diaphragm of
leather, india-rubber, or other suitable flexible material secured tightly
to a flange on the inside of the said vessel by screws or otherwise.
It is very important that the case or box of the said apparatus should
be so constructed-as to exclude foreign substances, such as dust and the 2
like, while free communication is maintained above the diaphragm with
the external atmosphere.For this purpose when the said apparatus is
to be used in. railway-carriages and in other exposed situations I provide
the said box or case with a lid or cover of metal or other material;=
which-is-fitted and secured upon the said box-above the diaphragm; and
I-provide for communication with the external air by perforating the
sides of the said box with small holes, or I may use a cover partly
formed of finely perforated metal or wire gauze. This cover is secured
on the box by screws or otherwise in such a manner that it may be
readily removed to permit access to the interior of the said apparatus.
According to another part of my Invention I provide single burners,
such as street lamps, with a regulator. For this purpose I combine
with the burner a box or chamber of sufficient size to contain the valve

page_text: and diaphragm. The said chamber is preferably constructed in two
parts, secured together by screwing one into the other, or by means of
small screws passed through flanges, or in any other suitable manner.
It is provided at the bottom with a screw socket for attachment to the
gas inlet pipe and at the top with an internal screw for the reception of
the burner. The diaphragm is made of leather, india-rubber, or other
suitable material. It is placed above the valve and secured between the
two parts of the said chamber. The valve is fitted to a seat in the inlet
passage, and is attached to the diaphragm by a small screw rod, or by
other means which permit it to be readily and accurately adjusted.
In some instances I form the said chamber with a space above the
diaphragm communicating with the external atmosphere, and form the
passage to the burner at one side of the said chamber; or I construct
the said chamber without this space and make the communication with
the burner through a small valve in the diaphragm connected with the
regulating valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Catherine Judkins in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CATHERINE
JUDKINS, of Fleet Street, in the City of London, Gas Regulátor Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Catherine Judkins, Her
special licence that I, the said Catherine Judkins, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Catherine
Judkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO GAS

page_text: BURNERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Catherine Judkins, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said Catherine Judkins, do hereby'
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :--
This Invention relates to apparatus to be placed between a gas meter
or main and the burner or burners to be supplied therefrom for the
purpose of regulating or equalizing the supply of gas to the said burner
or burners, so that there will be no waste by reason of the passage of
unconsumed gas through the burner, and no varying of the light and no
unpleasent noise at the same.
•
The said apparatus is constructed with a box or vessel of any suitable
form, and in which is fitted a valve whereby the passage of the gas is a
regulated. Above this valve is a diaphragm, to which the said valve is
_ connected, or by which it is operated. This diaphragm in one form of
my Invention is of metal, and has flanges that extend downward, and
dip into a trough containing mercury. This contrivance allows the
diaphragm to work freely in the said box or vessel while making a
secure and perfectly tight joint, which prevents the escape of any gas
above-the-said diaphragm. The-said-diaphragm may be provided with
adjustable or variable weights, or with a spring for regulating its pressure
on the valve. The inlet passage for the gas enters the box or vessel
below-the-valve,-and-the-chamber or space between the valve--and
diaphragm communicates with the outlet passage.
Figure 1 of the Drawing shews in perspective a longitudinal section
of this apparatus. a is the box or case; b is the diaphragm; 6' is its
flange; c is the trough containing mercury, in which the said flange
dips; dis the valve; e is the inlet, and ƒ the outlet aperture. The gas 3
admitted by the said valve to the space under the diaphragm and the
aforesaid weight or spring acting against each other will when the

page_text: apparatus has been properly adjusted always so act on the said valve as
to cause the same to pass only just the quantity of gas required to
properly supply the burner or burners connected with the said apparatus.
The direction of the passage of the gas through the said apparatus is
clearly indicated by the arrows.
In another form of this apparatus I substitute for the aforesaid
metallic diaphragm and trough containing mercury a diaphragm of
leather, india-rubber, or other suitable flexible material secured tightly
to a flange on the inside of the said vessel by screws or otherwise.
'
It is very important that the case or box of the said apparatus should
be so constructed as to exclude foreign substances, such as dust and the
like, while free communication is maintained above the diaphragm with
the external atmosphere. For this purpose when the said apparatus is to
be used in railway carriages and in other exposed situations I provide the
said box or case with a lid or cover of metal or other material, which is
fitted and secured upon the said box above the diaphragm; and I provido
for communication with the external air by perforating the sides of the
said box with small holes; or I may use a cover partly formed of finely
perforated metal or wire gauze. This cover is secured on the box by
scrows or otherwise in such a manner that it may be readily removed to
permit access to the interior of the said apparatus.
According to another part of my Invention I provide single burners,
such as street lamps, with a regulator. For this purpose I combine
with the burner a box or chamber of sufficient size to contain the valve
and diaphragm. The said chamber is preferably constructed in two
parts, secured together by screwing one into the other, or by means of
small screws passed through flanges, or in any other suitable manner.
It is provided at the bottom with a screw socket for attachment to the
gas inlet pipe and at the top with an internal screw for the reception
of the burner. The diaphragm is made of leather, india-rubber, or
other suitable material. It is placed above the valve and secured
between the two parts of the said chamber. The valve is fitted to
a scat in the inlet passage, and is attached to the diaphragm by a
small screw rod, or by other means which permit it to be readily and
accurately adjusted.
In some instances I form the said chamber with a space above the
diaphragm communicating with the external atmosphere, and form the

page_text: and CIOSCS LOC
burner.
Valve, thereby
W
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim the improve- 1
ments in apparatus for regulating the supply of gas to street and other
gas burners, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Catherine Judkins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy- 2
six.