IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE.. SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Price, Engineer and Manager of the Hampton
Court Gas Company's Works, Hampton Wick, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE..
SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS."
Sealed the 26th May 1868, and dated the 2nd December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Price at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
December 1867.
1, EDWARD PRICE, Engineer and Manager of the Hampton Court Gas
Company's Works, Hampton Wick, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby.
"declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the employment of apparatus to prevent the
necessity of daily lighting and extinguishing the public lamps, but although
specially designed for public lamp usé, it is by no means limited thereto, as it
is equally applicable to lamps in any situation where a small but continuous
flame during daylight is not objectionable:
The improvements consist in placing either within or without the lantern a
small instrument similar in construction to an ordinary public lamp governor,
but baving an inlet only; in communication with the vertical lamp service pipe.
This instrument may be like either a wet or dry governor, that is to
may consist of a bell or holder working in some kind of liquid; as water, -oil,
sny,

page_text: spirits, glycerine, mercury, &c., or it may be inde with a flexible diaphragm.
In either case the bell or diaphragm carries with it a vertical rod which is con-
nected by a lever to the plug of the burner tap. This rod is also connected
with a lever above the former which operates upon a guard or protector to the
small light when not in use as an illuminator. In order to facilitate the motion
of the apparatus, which may be necessary in some situations, it is proposed in
such cases to construct the lever which is attached to the cock of a straight or
curved form, and hollow so as to admit, of its being partially filled with mercury.
The action is as follows:-Supposing all the lamps to have been previously
lighted during the daytime, and that each has within it a diminutive flame, as
the time approaches for "lighting up" an increase of pressure from the works
becomes necessary, and this increase is made available by its operation on the
bell or diaphragm before described which is raised thereby. As the bell or
diaphragm ascends so also does the rod, and by its action gradually opens the
burner tap and allows the full quantity of gas. to pass through, while at the
same time the guard or protector is lowered so as to expose the burner and
admit of a due .comsumption. On the other hand, when the time for ex-
tinguishing draws near, the pressure is reduced at the works, the bell or
diaphragm falls, the cock is nearly turned off and the guard raised so as to
protect from the action of the wind, &c., the little flame which is kept burning
during the hours of daylight. The gas is therefore always "alight," and all that
is necessary to be done is to increase or diminish the size of the flame as
occasion may require, which may be accomplished in the most satisfactory
manner by the use of the present Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Price, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
PRICE, Engineer and Manager of the Hampton Court Gas Company's. Works,
Hampton Wick, in the County of Middlesex,-send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen. Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Price, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Price,
my executors; administrators, and. assigns, or such others as I, the said

page_text: Edward Price, 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 SUPPLY OF GAS TO BURNERS,".
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Price, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Price, 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 Drawing and the letters marked
thereon:-
This Invention relates to the employment and construction of such apparatus
ás will prevent the necessity for daily lighting and extinguishing the public
lamps by hand, but although specially designed for public lamp use it is by
no means limited thereto, as it is equally applicable to lamps.in.any situation
where a small but continuous though hidden flame during daylight is not
objectionable.
The apparatus may be constructed of various forms, but the principle of its
action is the same, that is to say, that as the pressure of gas is increased
during the lighting hours, a bell, holder, or flexible diaphragm is acted upon
and communicates motions to a cock or valve which is opened thereby and the
gns allowed to pass to the burner, which, when the apparatus is at rest, emits
but just enough gas to keep an almost imperceptible flame alight, but when
in action allows an ample quantity to give an effieient light. Or the appa-
ratus may be so arranged that when it is out of action the flame may
be entirely extinguished at the ordinary burner, but as soon as it is put in
motion may be relighted through the intervention of a small supplemental
though hidden jet which is kept constantly burning. On the other hand when
the pressure in the mains is decreased as during daylight, so also is the flame
at the burner decreased, or entirely extinguished, according to the construction
of the apparatus; in the latter case however sufficient gas is allowed to pass to
the independent jet to keep it always alight.
One of the forms of apparatus may be described as follows:-A small

page_text: .
-instrument somewhat similar in construction to an ordinary public lamp
governor, but having an inlet only in communication with the vertical lamp
,service pipe is placed either within or without the lantern. This instrument
may be like either a wet or dry governor, that is to say, it may consist of a bell
or holder working in some kind of liquid, or it may be made with a flexible
diaphragm. In either case the bell or diaphragm carries with it a vertical rod
.which is connected by a lever to the tap or valve through which the burner is
supplied with gas. The rod is also connected with another lever which operates
upon a guard or protector to the small flame when not in use as an illuminator.
Another modification of the apparatus and one which may be preferred is
exhibited in the Drawing attached hereto, and of which the following is a
description :-
:
A is a cylindrical or other suitably shaped case made of tin plate or other
material adapted for the purpose, and is screwed on to the service pipe or cone
at B. Within this chamber. a ring of metal C rises, to the upper part of
which is attached a flexible diaphragm D. In the centre of this diaphragm a
rod is fixed which carries the little valve E, fitting into a seat F. On tlie
exterior of the case. two.tubes.G.and I are attached and disposed as shown in
-the. Drawing. The tube G is in communication with the chamber beneath
the diaphragm while the. tube: H is in connection with that part of the
apparatus which lies: immediately below the valve, and when the instrument is
not in action and the valve closed all communication from one tube to the
other or from the service pipe to the tube H is cut off. What may be termed
the "permanent leak," that is to say the quantity of gas which is allowed to
pass to the little supplemental jet at J by way of the small tube K is determined
by the size of the orifice in the jet. L is a guard attached to the burner cone
.M, and surrounds. the jet flame. to protect it from the wind. N is one of
Sugg's Patent public light. governors which, although an extremely useful
accessary for regulating the quantity. consumed by the ordinary burner, is by no
means indispensable for the proper working of this Invention. In lieu of the
bat's-wing or fishtail burner shown in the Drawing it is proposed that an.argand
should be used wherever it can be employed without objection, a better..light
being produced thereby, while it affords more security against any outward
disturbance.to the jet flame, which is in this case carried up through the central
orifice of the burner.. 0, 0, are two screw plugs which admit of condensation
or..other.. obstruction. being removed. The arrows. indicate the direction, in
which; the gas flows.
The action of the apparatus is as follows The jet Jis first lighted during
the daytime and the diaphragm D weighted so that the valve may remain

page_text: This
closed at the maximum day pressure. As the time for "lighting up”
approaches an increase of pressure in the mains becomes necessary.
pressure causes the diaphragm to rise and open the valve E when the gas
flows to and escapes at the burner P where it is immediately ignited by the
jet J. On the other hand when the time for extinguishing draws near the
pressure in the mains is reduced, the diaphragm consequently falls, the valve
closes, and the light is "put out."
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details or arrangements which I have described or referred to as variations may
be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of
this Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letter Patent is, the construction of apparatus whereby the pressure of the
gas
is made available for lighting, extinguishing, and regulating the supply of
gas to burners substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Price, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.