IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND QUANTITY OF GAS SUPPLIED TO GAS BURNERS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE
AND QUANTITY OF GAS SUPPLIED TO GAS BURNERS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by George Washington Thompson,
of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, Gentleman,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND
CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND QUANTITY OF GAS SUPPLIED TO GAS BURNERS,
AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by George
Washington Thompson, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America,
Gentleman.]
This Invention relates chiefly to an improved gas controller or gas regulator to be
used at or near the gas burner or point of combustion for regulating the pressure
and consumption of the gas, and preventing waste thereof. The object of the said
Invention is to construct the said controller or regulator in such a manner that it
will be very durable, will not be liable to get out of order, may be easily adjusted,
and will at all times ensure an equable consumption of gas under varying pressures.
The said Invention consists principally in a flexible, elastic, metallic box or vessel
composed of two discs of thin corrugated sheet metal connected at their peripheries
by a close joint, which box is enclosed or suspended within a chamber that 'connects
with the supply pipe and the burner tip, through which chamber the gas passes on
its way to the burner. The interior of the said box communicates with the outer
atmosphere, and the said box is compressed by every increase of pressure of the gas,
and expanded when the pressure is removed or diminished, and by such compression
and expansion operates a valve or other suitable device for regulating the influx of
'

page_text: gas into the said chamber, and from thence to the gas tip, the quantity of gas
admitted being thereby diminished when the pressure is increased, and increased
when the pressure is diminished.
The box is expanded by means of a spring which counterbalances the pressure of
the gas at any predetermined degree of pressure, and the tension or force of the
said spring is adjusted by means of a set screw operated from the outside of the
apparatus, by which means the regulator can be set so as to begin to diminish the
supply of gas to the said chamber whenever the gas enters the said chamber under
a pressure greater than that for which it is set, and to increase the supply thereinto
when the pressure begins to diminish, and consequently it will ensure an unvarying
rate of supply of gas to the flame under varying pressures.
Other equivalent mechanical means may be substituted for the spring above
mentioned for expanding the box, and for regulating the supply, and the degree of
pressure required to compress the box.
And my said Invention may be applied to other kinds of apparatus (as well as to
gas burners), in which it is desired to regulate the supply of gases or fluids under
pressure, so as to diminish the supply under increased pressure and increase the
supply under diminished pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
October 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND
CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND QUANTITY OF GAS SUPPLIED TO GAS BURNERS,
AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by George
Washington Thompson, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America,
Gentleman.
This Invention relates to an improved gas controller or gas regulator to be used
at or near the gas burner or point of combustion for regulating the pressure and
consumption of the gas, and preventing waste thereof; and its object is to construct
the same in such a manner that it will be very durable, will not be liable to get out
of order, may be adjusted easily and readily, and will at all times insure an equable
consumption of gas under varying pressures.
The said Invention consists, principally; in a flexible, elastic, metallic box or vessel
composed of two discs of thin corrugated sheet metal connected at their peripheries
by a close joint, which said box is enclosed or suspended within a chamber that
connects with the supply pipe and the burner tip, through which said chamber the
gas passes on its way to the latter. The interior of the said box cominunicates
with the outer atmosphere, and it is compressed by every increase of pressure of
the gas, and expanded when the pressure is removed or diminished, and by such
compression and expansion operates a valve or other suitable device for regulating

page_text: the influx of gas into the said chamber, and from thence to the gas tip, the quantity
of gas admitted being thereby diminished when the pressure is increased, and
increased when the pressure is diminished.
The box is expanded by means of a spring which counterbalances the pressure of
the gas at any predetermined degree of pressure, and the tension or force of the
said spring is adjusted by means of a set screw operated from the outside of the
apparatus, by which means the regulator can be set so as to begin to diminish the
supply of gas to the said chamber whenever the gas enters the said chamber under
a pressure greater than that for which it is set, and to increase the supply thereinto
when the pressure begins to diminish, and consequently it will insure an unvarying
rate of supply of gas to the flame under varying pressures.
Other equivalent mechanical means may be substituted for the spring above
mentioned for expanding the box, and for regulating the supply and the degree of
pressure required to compress the box.
And my Invention may be applied to other kinds of apparatus (as well as to gas
burners) in which it is desired to regulate the supply of gases or fluids under
pressure, so as to diminish the supply under increased pressure, and increase the
supply under diminished pressure.
In order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
1 more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall refer to the
several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the Figures.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section on line x, x.
In the said Drawings B represents a chamber of any convenient form and
dimensions, within which the flexible box above mentioned is enclosed, and which is
connected with and supports the burner tip F, which latter may be of any of the
ordinary kinds. D is a case or cover which fits on the under side of the chamber B,
forming a second chamber B', and being attached to the supply pipe by any suitable
connection C.
Fig. 3 represents a plan of the under side of the chamber B.
A is my improved box or device for regulating and controlling the pressure and
consumption of gas at the point of combustion. It consists of two discs of thin
corrugated sheet metal or other suitable material which is sufficiently flexible and
elastic, and will resist the heat of the flame, which said discs are attached together
at their periphery by an air-tight joint. It is suspended in the chamber B from the
end of a small pipe a, which forms a communication between the box and the outer
atmosphere by a flange or plate rivetted to the upper disc. By means of this pipe
air is freely admitted into the interior of the said box A when the said box is
expanded, and is expelled from the same when the box is compressed by the pressure
of the gas in the chamber B.
c is a rod pivoted to a plate attached to the lower disc which carries a disc or
valve plug 6 that fits to a valve seat b₁ formed in the partition plate f. The box A
is expanded by means of a spring d secured to the plate f, which bears upon a
hinged rod or plate h that is perforated to receive the end of the rod c; and the
extent to which the said box is to be expanded is regulated by means of a screw
nut on the said rod c. The force or pressure of the spring d, and consequently
the degree of pressure required to compress the box A, is regulated by means of an
adjusting screw m, which passes through the lower case and is adjusted from the
outside. The gas passes through the two chambers on its way from the supply pipe
to the gas tip, and the nut i and spring d having been adjusted to the desired
degree of supply and pressure, whenever the pressure on the gas is increased the
increased pressure within the chamber B compresses the box. A and closes or
partially closes the valve, thereby diminishing the supply into the chamber B and
maintaining an equable supply and pressure at the point of combustion.
I may state that the means employed for expanding the box, and also for
regulating the supply and the degree of pressure required to compress the box, may
be modified or varied without departing from the principle of my Invention; as,

page_text: for instance, a spring inside of the box, or a weight suspended from the lower disc,
may be employed to expand the box, and other equivalent devices may be employed
for adjustment to the required degree of pressure.
The supply pipe, tip, and controller may be relatively arranged, as shewn in
Figure 4 if preferred.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original in the said improvements, and
therefore claim as my Invention is,―
Firstly. The flexible and elastic box A, into which the outer air is freely admitted,
suspended within a chamber B, substantially as set forth, for the purpose of operating
a valve by the pressure of the gas in the said chamber, and thereby to diminish or
increase the supply of gas.
Secondly. The box A and pipe a in combination with the chamber B, and suitable
devices for diminishing the supply of gas to the said chamber in proportion to the
degree of pressure of gas within the said chamber.
Thirdly. The combination of the box A, chamber B, valve b, b', and screw nut i
on the rod c, as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourthly. The combination of the box A, chamber B, valve b, 6¹, and adjustable
spring d, as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifthly. The gas controller herein described consisting of the chamber B, box A,
adjustable valve b, b', and adjustable spring d, arranged in relation to the burner
tip and supply pipe, substantially as herein-before shown and described.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
17M DODT TAZ