GAS REGULATORS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Carter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1881.
WILLIAM CARTER, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster.
IN GAS REGULATORS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to improvements in gas regulators which have troughs
containing mercury for a seal for the gas around the edge of an inverted cup
or float, and consists in the first place of an improvement in the form of valves for
controlling the flow of fluids, known as equilibrium valves, having reference to a
combination of valves and valve seats of such form that the motion or pressure of
the fluid passing through the valve seats shall have no tendency to open or close,
or retard the opening or closing of the valves, and also in making one valve in the
combination of such shape as will prevent the least tendency of the valves to stick
in the seat, and the other valve to be so shaped as to be a guide to the valve
spindle and float, at the same time that the shape of both valves is so arranged as to
provide a proportionate opening for the passage of the fluid with a relative amount
of drop of float. I effect this by making the guide valve slightly taper, and the
other valve tapered at a greater angle to the spindle. The second part of this
Invention provides for a defect in pressure regulators with a mercury seal, which
arises through a cup or float being immersed to different depths in the mercury,
thereby causing a continually altering weight upon the float, which should be
uniform. To correct this I provide an accelerating weighting contrivance, formed
by preference of a pivotted elbow lever, the vertical arm of which is weighted, and
the horizontal arm rests on or is connected to the valve spindle, so that as the float
falls a greater weight is thrown upon it, and as it rises the weight is automatically
taken off the float and supported by the pivot. The third part has for its object
making the regulator gas safe in case of accident to the float, or when the mercury
by accident, oxidation, or otherwise gets below its proper level, in which case in

page_text: regulators hitherto made the gas would escape around the lip of float and so might
cause a dangerous explosion. I prevent this by contracting the aperture which
supplies gas to the float to a small opening around the valve spindle, and fixing
upon the spindle a washer or other provision which shall (when the float by any of
the causes above named is not supported by the pressure of gas) rest upon the
contracted opening, and so far close it that no dangerous escape of gas can take
place. To prevent spilling of mercury I make the inner side of the channel higher
than the outer edge, and curve the upper edge of the channel outwards to form a
relief space running round the outer edge of channel, so that when the regulator is
turned upon its side the mercury fills the relief enlargement, and is thereby
prevented running over into the inner part of regulator.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lotters Patent filed by
the said William Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd November
1881.
WILLIAM CARTER, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster.
IN GAS REGULATORS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to improvements in gas regulators, which have troughs
containing mercury for a seal for the gas around the edge of an inverted cup or
float, and consists in the first place of an improvement in the form of valves for
controlling the flow of fluids, known as equilibrium valves, having reference to a
combination of valves and valve seats of such form that the motion or pressure of
the fluid passing through the valve seats shall have no tendency to open or close,
or retard the opening or closing of the valves, and also in making one valve in the
combination of such shape as will prevent the least tendency of the valves to stick
in the seat, and the other valve so shaped as to be a guide to the valve spindle and
float, at the same time that the shape of both valves is so arranged as to provide a
proportionate opening for the passage of the fluid with a relative amount of drop
of float; and for this purpose I find that the sides of the upper valve should form
an angle of about ninety-five degrees, and the sides of the lower valve should form
an angle of about forty-five degrees.
The second part of my Invention provides for a defect in pressure regulators
with a mercury seal, which arises through a cup or float being immersed to
different depths in the mercury, thereby causing a continually altering weight upon
the float, which should be uniform. To correct this I provide an accelerating
weighting contrivance formed by preference of a pivoted elbow lever, the vertical
arm of which is weighted, and the horizontal arm rests on or is connected to the
valve spindle, so that as the float falls a greater weight is thrown upon it, and
as it rises the weight is automatically taken off the float and supported by the
pivot.
The third part of my Invention has for its object making the regulator gas safe
in case of accident to the float, or when the mercury by accident, oxydation, or
otherwise gets below its proper level, in which case in regulators hitherto made
the gas would escape around the lip of the float and so might cause a dangerous
explosion.
I prevent this by contracting the aperture which supplies gas to the float to a
small opening around the valve spindle, and fixing upon the spindle a washer or
other provision which shall (when the float by any of the causes above named is
not supported by the pressure of gas) rest upon the contracted opening, and so far
close it that no dangerous escape of gas can take place.
To prevent spilling of mercury I make the inner side of the channel higher than
the outer side, and curve the upper edge of the channel outward to form a relief
space running round the outer edge of the channel, so that when the regulator is
turned upon its side the mercury fills the relief enlargement, and is thereby
prevented running over into the inner part of the regulator.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a gas regulator constructed according to my
Invention.
Fig. 2 shows compensating levers for making adjustment for float of a large
regulator.
a is a shell which contains the valves and valve seatings and forms the ingress a¹
and egress a for the gas: on this shell is fitted the circular plate 4 through the

page_text: tapered tubular portion of which the gas passes to the float or cup c; the rim of
this float rests in mercury contained in a channel in the annular casting d, which
is screwed on and secures the plate b to the shell a; e is the valve spindle on
which are fixed the valves c¹ and e, the float c is fixed to the valve spindle c, and
the washer fixed on the spindle rests on and closes the tubular portion of the
plate b, and lessens or prevents the escape of gas if the mercury gets below its
proper level, or if the float should get broken.
Fitted loosely on the top of the spindle c is a cap fon which are two small pins
which enter holes in the end of the weighted elbow lev g; this lever is pivoted
on a projection on the cross stay h, in which is a hole to serve as a guide for the
valve spindle; the stay his fixed on projections on the casting d; % is the relief
space which extends round the casting d which is connected to the top piece d¹,
which forms part of the relief space into which the mercury runs when the
regulator is turned on its side.
When the gas is admitted at a¹ it passes the valves e¹ and e² and through the
tubular aperture in the plate b, and lifts the eup c and valve spindle if the pressure
be sufficiently great; as the cup is lifted it moves the weighted arm of the lever g
towards the vertical position, throwing the weight on the fulcrum and thus
lessening the pressure of the lever on the spindle e as the cup is raised further out
of the mercury, so that an equal or nearly equal weight bears upon the spindle to
whatever depth the rim of the cup c is immersed in the mercury. If the pressure
of gas is very low the valve is opened to the full extent, but as the pressure
increases the action of the gas on the cup raises the spindle and partially closes the
valve, thus tending to equalize the pressure of gas at the burners to maintain a
steady light and lessen the consumption of gas.
My improved regulator may be made of metal or other material, and the cup and
mercury channel may be enamelled or may be made of glass or earthenware, and
the shape may be varied if desired.
Having stated the nature of my Invention and described the manner of
performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
1. The shape of the valves c¹, e², on the spindle e, as and for the purpose shown
and described.
2. The application of the weighted lever g to the valve spindle e to maintain an
approximately uniform pressure on the same, substantially as shown and described.
3. The washer i to close the aperture at the apex of the plate b, as shown and
described.
4. The relief space k, substantially as and for the purpose shown and discribed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Carter, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
W. CARTER. (L.S.)