IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF GASEOUS AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Field, of Buckingham Street, Adelphi, in
the City of Westminster, and County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE
FLOW OF GASEOUS AND OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 19th September 1862, and dated the 20th March 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Field at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th March
1862.
I, EDWARD FIELD, of Buckingham Street, Adelphi, in the City of West-
minster and County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN, APPARATUS FOR REGULATING
THE FLOW OF GASEOUS AND OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is applicable both to gaseous fluids and to liquids, and has
for it's object so to regulate their flow as to maintain it at a uniform or nearly
uniform velocity. The principle of its action consists in causing the fluid
whose velocity is to be regulated, to pass into a chamber, from which its exit
niust take place through or around a moveable piston, diaphragm, plate, or
leaf, connected or formed with or attached to another piston, diaphragm, plate,
or leaf, in such manner as that any variation in the velocity of the passing fluid
by acting upon one or other of the pistons, diaphragms, plates, or leaves, shall
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page_text: cause the other to proportionately open or close the opening, by which the
fluid passes through the regulator. It will be observed that the action of this
regulator differs from that of others in being dependent upon the velocity
finstead of upon the pressure) of the passing fluid,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Field in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
FIELD, of Buckingham Street, Adelphi, in the City of Westminster, and
County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Field, Her special licence, that I, the said Edward Field, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Field, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 FLOW OF GASEOUS AND OTHER FLUIDS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Field, 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 Edward Field, 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 state-
ment:-
This Invention is applicable both to gaseous fluids and to liquids, and has
for its object so to regulate their flow as to maintain it at an uniform or nearly
uniform velocity. The principle of its action consists in causing the fluid, whose
velocity is to be regulated, to pass into a chamber, from which its exit must

page_text: take place through or around a moveable piston, diaphragm, plate, or leaf,
connected or formed with or attached to another piston, diaphragm, plate, or
leaf, in such manner as that any variation in the velocity of the passing fluid,
by acting upon one or other of the pistons, diaphragms, plates, or leaves' shall
cause the other to proportionately open or close the opening by which the
fluid passes through the regulator. It will be observed that the action of this
regulator differs from that of others in being dependent upon the velocity
(instead of upon the pressure) of the passing fluid.
The manner in which my Invention may be carried into effect will be fully
understood by aid of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is
a vertical section of one form of regulator, constructed according thereto, and
Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sections of the same, taken at different points of
its height. The same letters of reference are made use of to denote equivalent
parts throughout the Drawings.
a represents a cylindrical vessel containing a second cylinder b, perforated
with ports or orifices c, and fitted with an easily movable piston d (constituting
a nearly frictionless equilibrium valve arrangement), formed with or attached
to the stem e, which carries a second piston or disc f, and is loaded as may be
necessary with weights g, placed on the stem e, or otherwise. by means of a
spring or springs. The entrance pipe for the passage of the fluid into the
regulator is shewn at h, and the exit at i.
The action of the regulator is as follows:-The fluid on entering the regu-
lator passes through the ports c of the cylinder b and upward in the direction
indicated by the arrows through the notches or perforations formed in or
around the disc f, and if the supply through the pipe be greater than the
demand, the piston d will be carried up by the disc f into some intermediate
position between the top and bottom of the ports c, thus closing them propor-
tionately to the extent to which the supply is in excess, and reducing the
quantity passing through to the proper amount for maintaining the required
velocity. Should the supply subsequently decrease, the disc will at once fall
proportionately, and by thus opening the ports c, restore the required velocity
of flow.
Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a horizontal and vertical section, representing
an arrangement equivalent to those shewn in the foregoing Figures, and
placed in an inverted position, and a double-seated equilibrium valve substi-
tuted for the piston d. Fig. 6 is an arrangement in which the ordinary throttle
(answering to the piston or equilibrium valve d) is connected by a rod to a
hinged and perforated leaf, answering the purpose of the disc f. Fig. 7 is a
modification, in which a double piston valve is substituted for the single piston

page_text: valve of Fig. 1. In Fig. 8 a disc is dispensed with, the double piston valve
shewn being made hollow, and forming its own disc. Fig. 9 shews the regu-
lator applied (through the intervention of any form of machine of the kind
known as a rotary engine or pump) for the purpose of controlling the speed of
a windlass or crab in lowering anchors and other. weights; in this case the
regulator, is placed so as to connect the inlet and outlet openings of the pump
or engine. Fig. 10 represents a similar arrangement applied to a capstan.
Fig. 11 represents the regulator as applied to a gas burner; its construction
and action are similar to those of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is another modification of
the application of the regulator to a gas burner, which sufficiently explains
itself. Fig. 13 also represents a gas burner having the regulator applied in a
manner similar to that shewn at Fig. 6.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention.
and the manner in which the same may be performed, I would remark, that I
do not confine myself to the precise modes herein described of carrying it into
effect, as the same may be greatly varied without departing from its distinctive
character; but that I claim the use or employment in regulating the flow of
fluids of a piston, valve, or other equivalent part through or around which a
portion of the fluid passes, and which is so connected with another piston.
valve, or other equivalent part as to open or close the inlet opening as
required, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Field, have hereunto set by
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
FRANCIS WISE.
EDWARD (L.S.) FIELD.