AN IMPROVEMENT IN GAS REGULATORS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Birch Paddon, of Gray's Inn Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
GAS REGULATORS."
Sealed the 19th October 1858, and dated the 22nd April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Birch Paddon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd April 1858.
I, JOHN BIRCH PADDON, of Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN GAS REGULATORS," to be as follows:-
In most gas regulators, as at present constructed, a diaphragm in a case is
acted upon by the gas entering in such manner that when the gas exceeds a
given pressure the diaphragm rises, and lifting a valve, closes the inlet
passage; then, as soon as the pressure is overcome by the weight of the valve,
the valve falls and opens the passage. From the imperfect action of the
diaphragm, regulators thus constructed are found to get out of order or out
of their proper action after having been some time in use. Now, my Inven-
tion consists in imparting to the weight or valve a constant downward
attraction, in order that immediately on the pressure inside the case of the
regulator being diminished, the valve shall be drawn down with certainty, and
open the inlet passage. For this purpose I form the valve of tempered steel,

page_text: and fit a case under it composed of soft iron; or I otherwise impart a down-
ward attraction to the valve by magnetism, or otherwise open the inlet passage
by magnetic influence.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Birch Paddon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BIRCH PADDON, of Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Birch Paddon, Her special licence that I, the said John
Birch Paddon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Birch Paddon, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN GAS REGULATORS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Birch Paddon, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 John Birch Paddon, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
In most gas regulators, as at present constructed, a diaphragm in a case is
acted upon by the gas entering in such manner that when the gas exceeds a
given pressure the diaphragm rises, and lifting, a valve, closes the inlet
passage; then, as soon as the pressure is overcome by the weight of the valve,

page_text: the valve falls, and opens the passage. From the imperfect action of the
diaphragm, regulators thus constructed are found to get out of order or out of
their proper action after having been some time in use. Now, my Invention
consists in imparting to the weight or valve a constant attraction, in order
that immediately on the pressure inside the case of the regulator being
diminished, the valve shall be drawn from its seat with certainty, and open the
inlet passage. For this purpose I form the valve of tempered steel converted
into a magnet, as is well understood, and combine with it a case composed of
soft iron; or I otherwise impart attraction to the valve, or open the inlet
passage by magnetic influence. .
In the annexed Drawings, Figure 1 shows in external elevation, Figure 2
in section, and Figure 3 in plan, the manner in which I prefer to construct my
regulator. A is the burner, fixed in the conducting pipe B; C, a case or
shield; D, an inlet pipe; E, E, branch pipes, for conveying the gas after
passing through the regulator to the burner; F is a leather diaphragm, to
which is connected the adjustable weight or valve G formed wholly or partially
of tempered steel magnetized; H is the case or socket composed of soft iron,
into the bottom of which the inlet pipe is made to screw. The action has
been already explained.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim the method of
imparting to the weights or valves of gas regulators, and whether to the
weights or valves directly or through rods, levers, or other appliances thereto,
a constant attraction by means of permanent or other magnetism, essentially
in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Birch Paddon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
J. B. PADDON. (L.S.)