IMPROVEMENTS in GAS GOVERNORS
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry McManus at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1876. Partly a communication
from abroad by Reuben Hopkins Plass, of New York, United States of
America.
HENRY MOMANUS, of New York, in the United States of America, but at present
of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS in
GAS GOVERNORS" Partly a communication from abroad by Reuben Hopkins
Plass, of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates 1st to that class of gas governors in which the movement
of a flexible diaphragm is caused to regulate the size of the opening through
which the gas flows, and it consists in constructing the different parts of the
governor in such a manner as to insure greater sensitiveness and accuracy to facili-
tate adjustment to suit different pressures, and to render the apparatus more durable
and adapt it for attachment to inlet pipes and outlet pipes occupying different
positions.
A further object of this part of the Invention is to facilitate the manufacture of
the governor and to prevent the apparatus from being tampered with.
In carrying out this part of the Invention the outer casing is constructed in two
sections, an upper and a lower, the latter of which is made of a tubular form at
the lower part where it is provided with three threaded ways or branches, arranged
two horizontally and the third at right angles to the other two, and this lower
section is also expanded in diameter at the top to form with the upper section a
shallow chamber divided horizontally by a flexible diaphragm, the edge of which is
clamped between flanges formed on the two sections.
The under side of the diaphragm which may be composed of leather, muslin,
canvas, silk, rubber, or other suitable material, is protected by a facing of tin foil,
plumbago, or other flexible metallic coating, and through the centre of the diaphragm
passes the threaded end of a valve spindle, nuts being provided, which bear upon
interposed washers and clamp the diaphragm between them so as to secure the valve
spindle to the same
a
The valve spindle passes through two guides or bearings arranged the one above
and the other in a line with the outlet, the lower guide or bearing, is situate below
a partition dividing the lower portion of the case and having an opening to which
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page_text: is adapted a valve attached to the spindle The said valve is of a rounded tapering
form and has at the lower edge a horizontal flange adapted to a seat at the under
side of the partition
The upper section is closed by a cap, the upper portion of which is expanded to
form a shallow chest which projects over the top of the cap, and has at the under
side of the projecting portion one or more openings, the said chest being detachable
from the cap to permit access to the chamber for the purpose of placing upon the
diaphragm or removing therefrom annular weights by which the diaphragm is
loaded in accordance with the pressure of the gas.
The valve stem is divided and provided with a universal joint between the valve
and the diaphragm for the purpose herein-after described.
The inlet pipe may be connected either to one of the horizontal branches or to
the vertical branch, the other horizontal branch forming the outlet; a screw plug
capable of fitting either inlet branch is then inserted in the inlet branch not in use
for the time being, to be removed and fitted to the other as required, facility being
thus afforded for attaching the apparatus to either vertical or horizontal inlet pipes
as circumstances may render necessary.
The valve is adjusted and the diaphragm is loaded to permit the free passage of
gas at its minimum pressure; as the pressure increases the diaphragm is raised
automatically, at the same time elevating the valve and contracting the opening, so
that as the gas is condensed the volume permitted to pass through the regulator is
reduced, whereby a uniform supply to the burners is obtained whatever may be the
variations in the pressure.
The loading of the diaphragm by weights insures a constant pressure thereon in
place of the variable tension which results from the use of springs as in the ordinary
methods.
In order to insure accuracy of operation it is absolutely necessary that the valve
should be maintained central with the valve opening, it is also necessary that the
diaphragm be allowed perfect freedom in its movements, that is to say, that it be
at liberty to rise at one side or the other, which it has a tendency to do under
sone circumstances, whilst it is equally essential that there shall be no vertical play
or movement of the diaphragm independently of the valve.
These results are obtained by employing guides above and below the valve, thus
maintaining the latter central with the opening, and by making the valve stem in
sections, united by a universal joint, which may be of any suitable construction,
permitting perfect freedom of movement to the upper section and to the diaphragm,
whilst there is no play between the parts which will alter the relative vertical ad-
justment of the valvo and the diaphragm.
The case overhanging the cap and perforated beneath is a most desirable feature
of the Invention, as thereby the air is admitted above the diaphragm, whilst at the
same time the opening is so protected that it cannot be obstructed by dust or dirt,
or water gaming access thereto, or to the diaphragm.
The upper end of the valve steni may be allowed to protrude through the cap so
as to admit of the weights being varied according to the pressure of the gas when
the governor is locked or sealed, a removeable cover being employed or not,
as desired.
It is also proposed to provide two outlets arranged the one at right angles to the
other, aud two inlets also similarly arranged, one of the outlets and one of the
inlets being closed by plugs respectively adaptable to either, according to cir-
cumstances
The cover may also be secured by a bayonet joint fastoning and subsequently
locked or sealed so as to prevent the apparatus from being tampered with.
The diaphragm inay also be made double, separating rings or washers being
interposed between the two diaphragms and between the diaphragms and the flanges
of the upper and lower sections.
It is preferred to connect the two sections together by means of scrow bolts and
nuts, the ends of which bolts project beyond the nuts, and are perforated so as to

page_text: carry a seal, thereby ensuring detection in the event of that portion of the apparatus
being tampered with.
The portion of the apparatus carrying the lower guide for the valve spindle may,
for the facility of manufacture, be cast separately from the other portion, and
secured thereto by screwing or otherwise, a lock or seal being also added if desired
so as to prevent the parts from being fraudulently detached.
The valve may be composed of glass or metal, or other suitable material,
but it is preferred to employ a vulcanized fibrous material for the purpose.
This Invention relates, secondly, to apparatus applicable more particularly tog as
burners, for the purpose of regulating the passage of the gas.
In carrying out this part of the Invention, according to one modification a
chamber is provided between the regulating cock and the burner, the bottom of
which chamber is by preference made slightly concave or dish shaped, and has
formed through it a small orifice for the passage of the gas to the burner; in this
chamber there is placed a loosely fitting thin disc of mica, gelatine, isinglass, por-
celain, flexible glass, or other suitable flexible incorrodible material which covers the
gas passage and rests at its periphery only upon the bottom of the chamber webs
or projections being provided in the upper part of the chamber in order to maintain
the disc in its proper position.
The supply of the gas to the burner is regulated in the following manner :-
The gas in its passage to the burner infringes against the the under side of the
disc, causing it to rise slightly and admit of the gas passing between the periphery of
the disc and the internal sides of the chamber. If now an increase of pressure
takes place either in the gas mains or service pipes the effect of such increase is
immediately communicated to the disc which is brought closer to its seat, thereby
contracting the passage through which the gas enters into the chamber. When,
however, the pressure diminishes, the disc rises slightly, thus enlarging the passage
for the admission of a greater volume of gas; this action of the disc is explained by
the fact that in the neutral condition of the apparatus, that is to say, when no gas
is passing the disc is equally acted upon on its upper and its under side by the
atmospheric pressure, but that when gas is admitted to the under side of the disc it
expels an equivalent quantity of atmospheric air, thereby producing a partial
vacuum beneath the disc. The atmospheric pressure beneath the disc to be opposed
by the full atmospheric pressure above the disc is therefore the normal atmospheric
pressure minus the pressure of the gas, and the disc is consequently forced to
or towards its seat with a pressure which increases or diminishes in the proportion
of the degree of vacuum produced beneath it, that is to say, in proportion to the
increase or diminution in the pressure of the gas; and by reason of the relation
which exists between pressure and quantity or volume, the quantity of gas admitted
is exactly equal at all times, whatever may be the variations in its pressure, the
contraction or enlargement of its passage by the action herein-before described,
corresponding precisely to the diminution or increase of the quantity requisite
to compensate for the variations in its pressure, that is to say, in the velocity
of its flow.
It is simply necessary to construct the apparatus to suit the required maximum
pressure in order to insure such pressure being uniformly and constantly main-
tained; the object is effected by suitably proportioning the diameters of the orifice
and the disc. It has been.ascertained that the required relative proportion should
be about as the amount of pressure in tenths to one hundred, thus for example,
if the disc governor is to be set at five-tenths maximum pressure, the area of
the orifice should be five per cent. or one-twentieth of the area of the disc.
The chamber may be constructed and fitted and the parts in connection therewith
arranged in a variety of ways. For example, the chamber containing the disc may
be made in two parts connected together by securing the one part into the other, or
the two parts may be provided with flanges for the purpose of connecting them
together by screws or bolts
According to another modification the orifice in the bottom of the chamber for

page_text: the passage of the gas is formed in a washer secured between the flanges of the
upper and lower parts of the chamber, a similar washer being arranged a short
distance above to maintain the disc in its proper position, or the chamber may
be made in one piece, and the two washers having the necessary passages screwed
into the interior thereof, a space being left between the washers to contain the
regulating disc.
According to a further modification the chamber is situate between the regulating
cock and the meter, and is divided into two compartments, each containing a thin
disc of mica, gelatine, porcelain, flexible glass, or other suitable material, as herein-
before described, against which discs the gas is caused to impinge in succession in
its passage to the burner. The orifices in both of the compartments may be made of
equal area if desired, but it is preferred to make the orifice in the lower compartment
of greater area than that in the upper compartment. These compartiments may be
formed by screwing into the interior of a tube two rings or washers, having each a
recess on the upper side to contain a regulating disc, and an orifice in the bottom
for the passage of the gas, the regulating disc in the upper washer or compartment
being provided from undue displacement by webs or projections formed in the
interior of the tube, whilst the bottom of the upper washer or compartment in like
manner prevents the undue displacement of the disc in the lower washer or compart-
ment. The lower disc acts as a check when the apparatus is employed in elevations
above the level of the gasometers, say for example, in street lamps, whilst the
upper disc forms the regulator proper, the combination of the two having the effect
of preventing flickering or blowing, and ensuring a steady flame.
The discs may be provided, if necessary, with three or any other suitable number
of arms or projections to take a bearing upon the seat.
In some cases, more particularly when the Invention is applied to argand
burners, the size of the passage for the admission of the gas to the chamber may be
regulated by means of an adjusting plug or screw passing through the body of the
chamber into the passage so as to adjust or gauge the governor in accordance with
the quantity consumed by any particular size of argand burner.