IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS
Year: 1885

page_text: We WILLIAM COWAN and WILLIAM HENRY COWAN of Buccleuch Street Works,
Edinburgh, North Britain, Gas Apparatus Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS" to be as
follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to neutralize the effect of any increase or decrease
of inlet pressure on the superficial area of the base or surface of the valve. An
attempt has been made to achieve this object by employing two conical, or two
disc valves, but these arrangements are open to many inconveniences.
÷
The present invention consists. in attaching to the valve spindle supported by the
bell two "plug" or "drum" valves the apex, or pointed ends of the conical or
curved openings of each valve being placed downwards. These valves work through
corresponding seats.in the valve box, and are so placed with respect to the inlet
that the entering gas exerts an equal pressure upon each valve, but in contrary
directions, one valve being pressed up while the other is forced..down, so that
whatever alteration takes place in the inlet pressure, the bell is unaffected by it,
and is influenced only by the weight applied externally, and the draught. By using
these plug or drum valves in this. way it becomes possible to reduce in any desired
degree the number and size, or even wholly to close the openings through one of
the valves, and by so doing to diminish the valvular capacity of the govenor, whilst
retaining the compensating effect of the one valve against the other a result
unattained by either double conical, or double disc valves. In this way there
may be produced not only an approximately perfect compensating govenor, but
one also in which the valvular area may be altered when required without difficulty
and at trifling cost, while each of the valves need be but little more than half the
diameter of the single valve ordinarely employed.
.A modification of this invention adapts it as a govenor for regulating the pressure
in gas retorts controlled by an exhauster and consists in reversing or inverting the
valves, that is to say, in this case the apex or pointed ends of the conical or curved
openings are placed upwards, instead of downwards as previously described. In
this arrangement the retorts are connected with what is usually the outlet of the
govenor, and the exhauster with what is usually the inlet.
20
1

page_text: Improvements in Gas Governors.
We WILLIAM COWAN and WILLIAM HENRY COWAN both of Buccleuch Street,
Works, Edinburgh, North Britain Gas Apparatus Manufacturers do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS GOVERNORS "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 accompanying
drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:—
The object of this invention is to neutralize the effect of any increase or decrease
of inlet pressure on the superficial area of the base or surface of the valve. An
attempt has been made to achieve this object by employing two conical or two
disc valves, but these arrangements are open to many inconveniences.
In order that the invention may be easily understood drawings are attached,
Fig. 1 being an elevation of the bell and tank, and a vertical section of the inlet,
outlet, and valve box or chamber, while the valve itself is in elevation. This
Fig. represents the arrangement when ordinary, weights are applied to load the
gas holder or bell. Fig. 2 exbibits the arrangement used when the apparatus is
applied as an exhauster governor, and is an elevation of the tank, and shows &
vertical section of the bell when water is employed to load the said bell. The
inlet, outlet, and valve chamber are here also shown in section, the valve itself
,being in elevation,
The invention consists in attaching to the valve spindle A supported by the
bell B, two "plug" or "drum" valves C and D, the apex or pointed ends of the
Iconical or curved openings E of each valve being placed downwards. These valves
work through corresponding seats F in the valve box or chamber G, and are so
placed with respect to the inlet H and outlet J that the entering gas exerts an
equal pressure upon each valve, but in contrary directions, one valve C being
pressed up while the other D is forced down, so that whatever alteration takes
place in the inlet pressure, the bell B is unaffected by it, and is influenced only
by the weight applied externally and the draught. K are the ordinary weights used
to load the governor.
By using these plug or drum valves in the manner described it becomes possible
to reduce in any desired degree the number and size, or even wholly to close the
openings E through one of the valves, and by so doing to diminish the valvular
capacity of the governor whilst retaining the compensating effect of the one valve
against the other, a result unattained by either double conical or double disc valves.
In this way there may be produced not only an approximately perfect.compen-
eating governor, but one also in which the valvular area may be altered when
required without difficulty and at trifling cost, while each of the valves need be
but little more, than half the diameter of the single valve ordinarily employed.
A modification of this invention as shown in Fig. 2 adapts it as a governor for
regulating the pressure in gas retorts controlled by an exhauster, and consists in
reversing or inverting the valves, that is to say, in this case the apex or pointed
ends of the conical or curved openings E are placed upwards instead of downwards
as previously described. In this arrangement the retorts are connected with L,

page_text: which is the inlet, though what is usually the outlet of the governor, and the
exhauster is connected with M which is the outlet, though in ordinary governors
is usually the inlet. In this Fig. N represents the water tank on the top of the
bell, O the water supply pipe,-Q the syphon for drawing off the water from the
tank N, when it is desired that the pressure shall be reduced, and the use of which
for the same purpose is claimed by one of the present applicants in the specification
of his Patent No 2686 dated July 5, 1878, and R is a casing attached to the
tank S and is used to cover in the bell B.
Having now, particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,-
The construction of compensating gas governors wherein two plug or drum
valves are employed, arranged as herein described and shown on the drawings.