AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONTROLLING VALVES OR COCKS BY ELECTRICITY OR BY HEAT, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Formby of Formby near Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONTROLLING
VALVES OR COCKS BY ELECTRICITY OR BY HEAT, AND IN THE MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Formby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1882.
"AN
JOHN FORMBY of Formby near Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
IMPROVED METHOD OF CONTROLLING VALVES OR COCKS, BY ELECTRICITY OR BY
HEAT AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
The object of my invention is to regulate the heat or temperature of rooms
conservatories or chambers by means of a peculiar construction of Gas Valve
actuated to regulate the flow or passage of Gas to burners through the medium of
an electric contact making Thermometer similar to that described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to me on the 22nd of March 1882 N° 1385 or by the rise and
fall of a mercury column controlled by heat.
When carrying out my invention according to the first method viz: by an
electric contact making Thermometer I construct a valve box one end of which is
provided with an electro magnet and the other end with a gas supply pipe the
interior of this box is divided by a partition in which an opening and seating for a
valve is centrally formed the valve opening or closing this orifice is provided with
a spindle supported on suitable bearings on which it can easily slide, one end of
this spindle forms an armature which is attached by the electric magnet for closing
the valve when contact is made by the electric contact making Thermometer
before mentioned and the valve is again opened by a spring when the contact is
broken or a spring may be employed for closing the valve and the electric magnet
and armature for closing same the gas being allowed to flow from the box on
the opposite side of the valve partition from which it entered or in lieu of the
spring employed for opening or closing the valve when the superior force of the

page_text: electric magnet ceases to act the gas pressure itself may be employed or the Cas
pressure supplemented by the spring thus it will be seen that by the employment
of a valve of this description or one similarly arranged actuated by two electric
magnets a negative and a positive fixed at each end of the box in a line with the
valve spindles the current of electricity when completed will according to arrange-
ment either close the valve against the admission of Gas to the Burner or vice
versa for example when the valve is closed by the action of the electric magnet
the electric contact making Thermometer is so placed that when the Gas passing
through the valve box to the burners has heated the stove room chamber or com-
partment in which it is placed to the temperature required and at which the
Thermometer previously referred to has been set the Equilibration of balance being
destroyed by the rising of the inercury column makes electric contact and so causes
the electric magnet or magnets of the Gas valve box to act on their armatures and
so close or shut off the Gas supply until the temperature is reduced at which time
the falling of the mercury column breaks contact and the spring of the valve
spindle again opens the valve for the admission and flow of Gas to the burners
When I desire to regulate the flow of Gas through the Gas box and valve by
means of heat direct without the use of Electricity I mount the valve and its
spindle in its suitable bearing by preference in a vertical position the valve being
enclosed in a box arranged similar to that previously described the lower end of
the valve spindle forms a piston which enters an open Thermometer and rests or
floats on the mercury column of the said Thermometer which is provided with a
scale to indicate rise of temperature and the opposite end of the piston rod or
spindle head enters a tube connected with and forming part of tho valve in this
tube a spring is placed which has a pressure superior to a second spring which is
employed for closing the valve when the heat is reduced below the temperature
required and at which the indicator on the scale of the Thermometer was set. The
spring in the tube of the valve forms a cushion or yielding surface which allows
the valve spindle to rise with the rise of the mercury after the valve is open
without putting extra strain on the valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Formby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th April
1883.
JOHN FORMBY of Formby near Liverpool in the County of Lancaster "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF CONTROLLING VALVES OR COCKS BY ELECTRICITY OR BY
HEAT AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
The object of this Invention is principally to regulate the supply of Gas to Gas
stoves for heating purposes though it may be used for others such as turning out
lights or lighting large fan lights where a small flame is kept burning for this
purpose and as according to my invention I employ a peculiar construction and
arrangement of valve which if actuated to regulate the flow or passage of Gas to
burners through the medium of an electric contact making Thermometer will
automatically regulate the temperature of rooms conservatories or chambers heated
by Gas.
In order that the Invention may be well understood and explained in detail I have
hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings showing the various modifications of valve
and electro apparatus I employ for carrying my invention into practico similar
letters of reference being marked on corresponding parts on all the Figs: alike.
Fig 1 represents in Section one arrangement of my improved Valve which is
opened by electro magnetism against a spring and is so kept open whilst the
current is running
Fig 2 represents a similar view to the last in which the Valve is closed by
electro magnetism against a spring and is held closed whilst the current is running
In these Figs a is a box one end of which is closed by the electro magnet 6.
connected with a battery through the medium of the electric contact making
Thermometer previously referred to, the opposite end of this box is connected with
a pipe e supplying gas thereto the interior of the box is divided by the partition d,
in which an opening and seating for the valve e is formed, the valve e opening or
closing this orifice is provided with a spindle or rod supported in suitable
bearings ff, on one end of this spindle is fixed an armature g which is attracted by
the electric magnet b. for closing the valve when contact is made by the electric
contact making Thermometer and the valve is again opened by the spring e' when
electric contact is broken as according to Fig 2 or the spring may be employed
for closing the valve and electro magnet and armature for opening it as
according to the arrangement shewn at Fig 1 the Gas being allowed to flow from
the box at h on the opposite side of the valve partition d to that at which it
enters or in lieu of the spring employed for closing or opening the valve when
the superior force of the electric magnet ceases to act the Gas pressure itself may
be employed or the Gas pressure supplemented by the Spring. Another modification
of the regulating valve will be seen at Figs 3 and 4 in which Fig 3 represents in
side elevation an arrangement of valve in which the Electro magnets are balanced
and steadiness of position obtained when the Valve is opened or closed by means
of a moveable weight the side of the box containing the magnets and valve being
removed
In these Figs b is the opening coil of valve & closing coil of valve the coils
are supported by the centre screws and blocks bª b³, seen at Fig: 4 this method of

page_text: -
suspending the magnets enables the friction of support to be regulated so as to
check the valve if too lively and apt to rebound, but if required trunnions or other
inethods of support may be employede is the valve plug fitting the seat of the
pipe c through which the Gas leaves the box a. The entrance pipe being shewn
ath The valve plug e at one end of the balanced coils b and b¹ is counterbalanced
at the opposite end of the coils by the stop i preferably carrying a knob of sealing
wax on the end. The armature g which may be single or double in two pieces
ending at the dotted lines is shewn as having its ends turned up by this means
the magnetism from the coil heads is utilized and greater power obtained as well
as a longer stroke the coil head being always kept close to its armature it can use
its full power throughout its stroke and so move over a much greater weight of
mercury or other weight for giving steadiness to the position of the coils when the
valve is open or closed the moving weight in this view being mercury it is shewn
in dots, the electric wires from Battery and Thermometer being shewn at k. k
Figs 3 and 4. Another modification of the same class of valve is shewn as ad
example at Fig: 5 in which the coils are fixed and the armature balanced. The
moving weight in this arrangement for giving steadiness being a ball k, the valve
supports for balancing armature stop to prevent rebound and other parts being
similar to the parts and arrangement shown at Fig: 3.
A further modification of my improved Gas regulating valve is shewn at Figs : C
and 7 Fig: 6 represents a sectional elevation of what I call the flotation
arrangement in which the valve is caused to oscillate on its centro spindle by tho
action of the magnets seen at Fig 7 the said oscillating valve being kept to its
seat by Hotation.
In these views a is the upper chamber forming an annular space round the
centre box a¹ enclosing the valve spindle f, the chamber a is provided with the
pipe h through which the Gas flows to the burners and in the part of the
Chamber L is fixed the Gas entrance pipe h'-the spindle box a' is always cut
off from the Gas the valve spindle is secured to and forms part of the fixed valve
plate d. the spindle and valve plate are also provided with the floats fimmersed
in the water, oil, or other fluid contained in the Vessel . The Gas enters by the
pipe and then passes through the regulating orifice of the valve d when
actuated by the arrangement of magnets shewn at Fig 7 in which bb' are the
electro magnets soldered to metal plates by which they are secured to the cheeks kl.
The armature g is secured to the valve spindle fa funnel with an air tight screw
top M by which the height of the liquid may be regulated and examined and the
lower chamber L filled is placed where most convenient, the movement for regu-
lating the passage of the Gas through the said valve being obtained by the
attraction and movement of the said armature between the magnets bb' stops i of
non magnetic material being employed to prevent contact between the arinature
and electro magnets, thus it will be seen that by the employment of valves of the
description herein described actuated by electro magnets the electricity will
according to arrangement either close the valve against the admission of Gas to
the burners or vice versa for example when the valve is closed by the action of the
electric magnet the Gas is shut off from the burners until the temperature of the
room or place where the Thermometer is fixed falls below a given point when
contact is again made (or broken as in Fig 2) when the valve is again opened.
Having now described the best methods with which I am acquainted for
carrying my invention into practico I wish it to be understood in conclusion that
what I claim as new and as of my invention is,
Firstly the arrangement construction and combination of the valve and apparatus
in connection therewith shown at Figs and 2 of the Drawings to be
employed in the manner and for the purpose as herein substantially described
Secondly the arrangement construction and combination of the balance valve shewn
at Figs: 3, and 4, and 5 in which a moveable weight solid or liquid is used
for holding the valves steadily in position whether open or closed when the

page_text: electric current is not running the whole to be operated substantially as
shewn and described, and
hirdly the arrangement construction and combination of parts forming what I
term the flotation valve which keeps the Valve up to its sent by flotation
together with the spindle chamber or box a¹ whereby the valve is kept
Gas tight without the use of bearings the whole to be used in the manner
and for the purpose as herein substantially described set forth and illustrated
in the Drawings annexed
In witness whereof I the said John Formby have hereunto set my hand and
seal the twenty seventh day of April One thousand eight hundred and
eighty three.
JOHN FORMBY (L.S.)