IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION GAS GOVERNORS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Key, Engineer and Manager of the
Gas and Water Works, Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Key at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th June 1875.
I, WILLIAM KEY, Engineer and Manager of the Gas and Water
5 Works, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION GAS
GOVERNORS," to be as follows:-.
This Invention refers to the construction of station gas governors
with a view to render them more safe by preventing the possibility of an
escape of a large volume of gas, and also to render them less liable to

page_text: be damaged by explosions, and thereby reduce the danger and loss of
gas and property consequent thereon, and consists in using two chambers
or tanks, one to contain the inlet and outlet pipes, cone and seat, and
the other to contain the bell or holder through which the cone is
actuated, the actuating power being as usual the pressure of the gas.
The cone is attached to a rod which passes through a stuffing box in the
dome-shaped cover of its tank or chamber, and is suspended by a chain
passing over a wheel or pulley, and terminates at the other end with a
weight. The gasholder which works in the other tank or holder is also
suspended by a chain which passes over another wheel or pulley, and is
attached to the same weight as the cone chain. From the outlet or
street main a pipe about one inch, more or less, in diameter is made to
communicate with the interior of the holder, and by this means the gas
is made to actuate the cone in proportion to the opening required, while
by this arrangement the greatest security is afforded, since no serious
escape of gas can take place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Key in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KEY, of Accrington, Consulting Gas Engineer, formerly Engineer and ?
Manager of the Gas and Water Works, Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Key, Her special licence, that I, the
said William Key, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Key, 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, excrcise, and vend, within the

page_text: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STATION GAS GOVERNORS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Key, 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 William Key, 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 statement, reference being had to the accompanying..
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
This Invention refers to the construction of station gas governors,
with a view to render them more safe by preventing the possibility of an
escape of large volumes of gas, and also to render them less liable to be
damaged by explosions, and thereby reduce the danger and loss of gas
and property consequent thereon, and consists in using two chambers or
tanks, one to contain the inlet and outlet pipes, cone and seat, and the
other to contain the bell or holder through which the cone is actuated,
the actuating power being as usual the pressure of the gas. The cone is
attached to a rod which passes through a stuffing box in the dome-shaped
cover of its tank or chamber, and is suspended by a chain passing over
a wheel or pulley, and terminates at the other end with a weight. The
gasholder which works in the other tank or holder is also suspended by
a chain which passes over another wheel or pulley, and is attached to
the same weight as the cone chain. From the outlet or street main a
pipe about one inch, more or less, in diameter is made to communicate
with the interior of the holder, and by this means the gas is made to
actuate the cone in proportion to the opening required, while by this
arrangement the greatest security is afforded, since no serious escape of
gas can take place.
In order that the foregoing may be more readily understood Drawings
are attached hereto, of which the following is a description, the view

page_text: stituting gas governors in the manner and for the purpose herein
described and shown on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Key, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
WILLIAM KEY. (L.S.)