An Improved Self-closing Valve for use in connection with Gas Burners.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Self-closing Valve for use in connection with Gas
Burners.
I, THOMAS THORP, of Whitefield, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved valve or apparatus for use chiefly in
the service of gas piping between the main or service supply cock and the gas
burner, and has for its main object to prevent the escape of gas at the burner
upon the turning on of the supply, in the event of the burner tap being in-
advertently left open at the time of the turning off of the supply, and its secondary
object is to provide a valve which is self closing with the turning off of the supply
of gas and which is opened at will and remains so while the supply continues. It
is a very usual practice to turn off the gas at the meter or at some intermediate
point to prevent waste, but if it is not ascertained before doing so that all the
burner taps are closed there is obviously great risk that when the meter tap is
turned on again, one or more of the burner taps may be passing gas, and it is
a matter of common knowledge that persons have been asphyxiated in this manner
and explosions caused.
In carrying out my invention for preventing this leakage and accidents result-
ing therefrom I fix in the gas pipe, preferably near to each burner a safety valve
or apparatus constructed in the main as follows:-Before the burner tap or burner
I place a valve chamber having an inlet from the gas pipe and an outlet to the
burner, the inlet orifice being small say of the same size as the bore of the burner
cock and arranged preferably in the centre of one of the sides of the chamber.
The side of the chamber opposite to the inlet is formed of a flexible diaphragm,
such as a leather diaphragin, or of a moveable bell sealed by means of mercury,
glycerine or other non-evaporating liquid, and is of a considerable area com-
paratively to the inlet orifice. This flexible or moveable surface is hereinafter
referred to as the diaphragm, and is under a slight pressure from a spring or
weight so that when the diaphragm or a valve connected to it, rests against the
orifice, a considerably greater pressure than exists in a gas pipe is required to lift it.
To the diaphragm is fitted a projection by means of which it or the valve can
be drawn away from the orifice, and means may be applied by which the dia-
phragm is drawn away from the orifice when the burner tap is closed, but released
when the tap is open.
When the gas is turned off at the meter while the burner tap is open the
diaphragm or valve is pressed against the orifice by the spring or weight, there
being no pressure inside the chamber and the orifice being small remains closed
when the meter tap is again turned on, and no escape of gas can take place through
the open burner tap. When the gas is to be lit it is necessary to draw the
diaphragm back by means of the projection aforesaid or its equivalent, when

page_text: the gas pressure acting upon the whole area of the diaphragm prevents the closing
of the orifice as long as the gas is turned on at the meter.
Dated this 19th day of November 1897.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Harrington Chambers, 24, North John Street, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
An Improved Self-closing Valve for use in connection with Gas
Burners.
I, THOMAS THORP, of Whitefield, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, 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 an improved valve or apparatus for use chiefly in the
service of gas piping between the main or the service supply cock and the gas
burner, and has for its chief object to prevent the escape of gas at the burner
upon the turning on of the supply, in the event of the burner tap being in-
advertently left open at the time of the turning off of the supply, and its secondary
object is to provide a valve which is self closing with the turning off the supply
of gas thereto and which is opened at will and remains so when there is the usual
pressure of gas in the supply pipe. It is a very usual practice to turn off the gas
at the meter or at some intermediate point to prevent waste but if it is not ascer-
tained before doing so that all the burner taps are closed there is obviously great
risk that when the meter tap is turned on again, one or more of the burner taps
may be passing gas, and it is a matter of common knowledge that persons have
been asphyxiated in this manner and explosions caused.
In carrying out my invention for preventing this leakage and accidents resulting
therefrom I fix in the gas pipe, preferably near to each burner a safety valve
or apparatus constructed in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had
to the sheet of drawings hereunto attached.
In the said drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of my improved
apparatus; Figure 2 a plan of the same; Figure 3 a plan of the apparatus with
the cover removed; Figure 4 a detail of the valve; and Figure 5 a modification
of the valve.
Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference in the several views.
The improved apparatus consists of a valve chamber a having an inlet a¹
from the gas pipe and an outlet a² to the burner the inlet orifice a¹ being small
say of the same size as the bore of the burner cock and arranged preferably in
the centre of one of the sides of the chamber as indicated in Figures 2 and 3 of
the drawings. The side of the chamber opposite to the inlet or valve seating a³
is formed of a flexible diaphragm b, say of leather which is of a considerable
area comparatively to that of the inlet orifice. This flexible or moveable surface
is hereinafter referred to as the diaphragm b, and is under a slight pressure from
a spring e or its equivalent so that the diaphragm which has a valve face a¹
connected to it, rests over the orifice formed by the seating a³, a considerably
greater pressure than exists in a gas pipe is required to lift it.
The diaphragm is provided with means by which it and the valve a carried by
it can be drawn away from the orifice. To this end the piece forming the valve
face a is also formed with a neck a above which neck is mounted the spring c

page_text: preferably a flat metal one as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The
spring being held in position by a screwed nut a. A finger d is pivoted at d¹
Figure 1 and has its inner end formed to grasp the neck as above referred to.
This finger may be formed at its outer end to come in contact with a cam formed
on the tape by which the turning of the tap raises or lowers the finger. This
may be done in any well known way.
In order to give more freedom to the valve face and to insure its making a
perfect seal with the valve seating I preferably form it in the manner illustrated
in Figure 4. The valve face proper at is formed by a disc a mounted as shewn
upon the piece as to which the diaphragm and the neck piece a5 are attached.
The two faces in contact at a are ground true and gas tight.
Figure 5 represents a modification of the valve face attachment. In this
modification the valve face a' is formed upon a disc a' which is loosely attached
by. a screw cap al to a flanged stud a" which secures the valve face a to the
diaphragm b and neck piece a³.
With this apparatus the gas can be turned off at the meter while the burner
tap is open and the diaphragm or valve will be pressed against the orifice by the
spring or weight there being no pressure inside the chamber, the orifice being
small remains closed when the meter tap is again turned on, no escape of gas
taking place through the open burner tap. When the gas is to be lit it is
necessary to draw the diaphragm back by means of the finger d aforesaid or
its equivalent, when the gas pressure acting upon the whole area of the diaphragm
prevents the closing of the orifice as long as the gas is turned on at the meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. The improved construction of a self-acting shut-off valve for gas service
pipes which consists of a closed valve chamber having a flexible diaphragm
forming one side of the said chamber, an inlet orifice formed with a valve seating
opposite to the diaphragm of considerably less area, a moveable or self-adjusting
valve facing fixed to the diaphragm and pressed upon the seating by a light
spring or its equivalent, a finger for raising the valve facing from off the valve
seating and an outlet orifice leading from the valve chamber, substantially as
and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Second. The improved construction of a self-acting shut-off valve for gas
service pipes substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, of the drawings.
1000
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Harrington Chambers, 24, North John Street, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.