Improvements in the Method of and the Apparatus for Controlling the Flow of Liquids in Pipes or other Conduits.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and the Apparatus for Controlling
the Flow of Liquids in Pipes or other Conduits.
I GRORGE THEODORE PARDOE 3 Selborne Place Littlehampton Sussex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
-
My invention relates to the methods & appliances for regulating the flow of
liquids such as water through pipes or other conduits when from any cause the
velocity or the amount of flow through the conduit either increases or decreases
respectively above or below a predetermined & designed velocity or amount of
flow.
The method by which I propose to effect this depends on the well known fact
that if an obstruction be placed in a stream of liquid flowing in any conduit, then
a difference of level, head, or pressure of the liquid will exist between the
upstream & downstream side of such obstruction, which difference of levol, head,
or pressure, varies with the velocity of flow of the liquid & the proportion which
the obstruction bears to the area of the stream of liquid.
In my invention I utilise this difference of level, head, or pressure, to control
the operation of certain mechanism which in turn controls the arrangements for
working gates or sluices or other convenient devices for regulating the flow of the
liquid.
To do this I place an obstruction of greater or lesser amount in the stream. In
the case of a pipe this obstruction may take the form of a diaphragm having an
aperture of any convenient size through it, or of a partially closed valve or any
other equivalent device obstructing the flow of the liquid to a known amount.
Connected to the up & downstream side of this obstruction are two pipes
connected one to the upstream & the other to the downstream side of the
obstruction (or an equivalent device may be used in place of the said pipes) so
that the liquid in the main pipe or other conduit can rise to the level corresponding
to the pressure existing in the main pipe or other conduit.
66
In each of these pipes which I call air pipes is a float or equivalent device each
connected in any convenient manner with a point on a floating lever," this
floating lever is capable of turning round or partly round a pivot & is also
capable of moving as a whole without moving round its pivot or may perform
both motious at one & the same time.
The floats or other equivalent devices are so connected to this lever that wheu
the pressure or head or level of liquid in the air pipes alters following the
variation of pressure or head or level of the liquid in the main pipe then since the
floats move together relatively to the pipes but not to each other, then the floating
lever will move as a whole but not round its pivot, but should a variation of the
difference of pressure, head, or level, existing between the upstream & the down-
stream side of the obstruction, occur owing to the velocity or amount of flow
through the obstruction varying, then the floats will move relatively to each other
& therefore one of the points of attachment of the floats to the floating lever will
move more than the other & the lever will therefore turn round its pivot.
Moving as one with the pivot of the floating lever is a catch or catches which
are rotained in position by the floating lever, eo that the cutch or catches are not
released by the movement of the lever as a whole but only by its motion round its
pivot the said motion being controlled by the floats as described.

page_text: This catch or catches prevents the operation of the arrangements for regulating
the flow of the liquid & their release allows the said arrangements to come into
operation.
In the case of a pipe or other conduit conveying liquid under considerable
pressure or head, when the previously described air pipes would become incon-
veniently high, I substitute for the said air pipes two cylinders having pistons
or rams working within them or other equivalent device the said cylinders & rame
or piutous or other equivalent device being connected to the main pipe & the
floating lever respectively in a substantially similar manner to the floats & the air
pipes & operating in a similar manner.
My invention is also applicable to open channels or those only partly filled with
liquid by letting the obstruction take the form of a weir or other equivalent
device or by completely damming back the liquid & allowing or causing it to be
discharged wholly or partially under the liquid through or over nay couvenient
sluices or valves or weirs. In this case the air pipes or equivalent device would
he connected with the channel above & below the weir or similar obstruction the
whole being connected & arranged substantially as described in the previous
examples.
Dated this October 18th 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and the Apparatus for Controlling
the Flow of Liquids in Pipes or other Conduits.
I, George Theodore Pardoe, of 3, Selborne Place, Littlehampton, in the
County of Sussex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described aud
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the method and appliances for regulating the flow of
liquids such as water through pipes or other conduits when froin any cause the
velocity or the amount of flow through the conduit either increases or decreases
respectively above or below a predetermined and designed velocity or amount of
flow.
The method by which I propose to effect this depends on the well known fact
that if an obstruction be placed in a stream of liquid flowing into any conduit,
then a difference of level, head, or pressure of the liquid will exist between the
upstream and downstream sido of such obstruction, which difference of level, head
or pressure varies with the velocity of flow of the liquid and the proportion which
the obstruction hears to the area of the stream of liquid.
In my invention 1 utilize this difference of level, head, or pressure to control
the operation of certain mechanism, which in turn controls the arrangement for
working gates or sluices or other convenient devices for regulating the flow of the
liquid.
To do this I place an obstruction of greater or lesser amount in the stream.
the case of a pipe this obstruction may take the form of a diaphragm with an
aperture of any convenient size through it, or of a partially closed valve, or any
other equivalent device obstructing the flow of the liquid to a known amount.
Connected to the up and down stream side of the obstruction are two pipes,
conuected one to the upstream and the other to the downstream side of the
obstruction (or an equivalent device may be used in place of tho said pipes) so
that the liquid in the main pipe or other conduit can rise to the level corresponding
to the pressure existing in the main pipe or other conduit. In each of these pipes,
or other equivalent device on the up and down stream side of the obstruction is a
float or equivalent device each connected in any convenient manner with a point

page_text: on a floating lever, this floating lever is capable of turning round, or partly round,
a pivot, and is also capable of moving as a whole without moving round its pivot
or may perform both motions at one and the same time.
The floats, or other equivalent devices, are so connected to this lever that when
the pressure, or head, or level of the liquid in the air pipe alters, following the
variation of pressure, or head or level of the liquid in the main pipe, then since
the floats move together relativoly to the pipes but not to each other, then the
floating lever will move as a whole but not round its pivot; but should a variation
of the difference of pressure, head or level existing between the upstream and
downstream side of the obstruction occur owing to the velocity or amount of flow
through the obstruction varying, then the floats will move relatively to each other,
and therefore one of the points of attachment of the floats to tho floating lever
will more more than the other and the lever will therefore turn round its pivot.
Moving as one with the pivot of the floatig lover, is a catch or catches which are
retained in position by the floating lever, so that the catch or catches are not
released by the movement of the lever as a whole, but ouly by its motion round
its pirot, the said motion being controlled by the floats as described. This catch
or catches prevents the operation of the arrangements for regulating the flow of
the liquid and their release allows the said arrangements to come into operation.
In the case of a pipe or other conduit conveying liquid under considerable
pressure, or hend, when the previously described air pipes would become incon-
veniently high, I substitute for the said pipes two cylinders having pistons or
rams working within them, or other equivalent device, the said cylinders aud rams
or pistons being connected to the main pipe and the floating lever respectively in
a substantially similar manner to the floats and the air pipes and operating in a
similar manner.
My invention is also applicable to open channels or those only partially filled
with liquid, by letting the obstruction take the form of a weir or other equivalent
device, or by completely damming back the liquid and allowing it or causing it to
be discharged wholly or partially under the liquid through or over any convenient
sluices or valves or weirs.
In this case the air pipes or equivalent device would be connected with the
channel above and below the weir or similar obstruction, the whole being
connected and arranged substantially as described in the previous examples.
To render my invention perfectly clear I append hereunto a sheet of drawings
in which
Fig. I represents the aforesaid obstruction in the main pipe or conduit C.-
B represents a pipe connecting the main pipe C with the float or air pipes D.
Eropresents drums on the worms acting on the floating lever II, which is pivitted
at A on a pin projecting upwards from a nut on worm F. Fare worms working
respectively in nuts both at the extremity of the lever and also at the contro A,
on which the lever turus and concentric and coincidaut therewith, and at the centre
position, the centre A on which the floating lever turns, is an integral part of the
nut in which the worm works so that the action of the worm is to move the
centre A of the lever as well as the travelling base carrying the various parts
together as one in a lineal direction parallel to the guides shown, so that the base
(and with it the floating lover) can be moved lineally to any required extent
without altering the position of H with respect to a guide J which is fixed in any
convenient manner to the travelling base and on which the catch L slides when
not held by the lever. The chain or cord I, connecting L with the main valve or
gate catch, is passed round a small fair lead pulley K on the centre A and is
carried away to a sufficient distance to prevent the motion of the carriage and
lever causing a tension to any considerable extent on the chain or cord 1. The
cord or other connection with the floats in D are passed round the druins E being
led in any required direction by suitable fair lead pulleys, the object of the drums
and worms being to reduce the movement of the carriage relative to the floats.
Thus if the circumference of E is 1 ft., the worms boing of 10 threads por inch

page_text: and the total travel allowed by the guides: =2 inches, then the two inches travel
of the carriage and lever represents 20 feet variation of the water level in the pipes D.
If the total travel required by the floats is very slight then the floats may be
connected direct to the points on the lever shown as acted on by the worms. The
catch L has a hooked end which is held by the end of the floating lever and
prevents the catch L from sliding inwards on the guide J and by means of the
connection I holds in the main catch on the sluice or gate holding open the said
sluice or gate controlling the pipe or other conduit C.
It is evident that the excess of motion of one float over the other will (causing
greater rotation of one drum over the other) cause the lover H to be deflected
relative to L, and if this exceeds a certain predetermined amount will cause
release of L.
It should be understood that the main catch on the main gate or sluice is
provided with a weight or spring constantly acting to pull out the said catch and
that this is preventeil by the catch L through the medium of the connection I.
Figure I represents the proposed method for dealing with considerable pressures
but where the water level does not vary as a whole. C are two cylinders one on
each side of the obstruction (or diaphragm) D, and in each of which works a
plunger or piston B, the two plungers or pistons being connected by lover F keyed
on a suitable spindle, and supported on suitable bearings. Keyed on the same
spindle is the detent arm A which maintains the whole arrangement in its central
position by controlling springs E, and also retains the trigger lever H in position
which latter takes the place of the catch L in Fig. 1. J is a conuection to inain
gate catch. A change of the difference of pressure between the two sides of the
diaphragm causes the plungers to alter their position relative to each other causing
compression and extension of springs E and should the motion of A. exceed a
predetermined limit H is released permitting the release of the main gate.
It should be remarked that the plungers or pistons B are prevented from being
blown out by the rocking lever F, and that by this device the springs E may be
very light, and therefore sensitive, since they have only to resist the pressure due
to the difference of pressure between the up and down stream side of the
diaphragm. But I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement shown. The
cylinders C, for example, may lie longitudinally in one line and have a plunger or
equivalent device common to both cylinders, thus doing away with the rocking
lever F, whilst either arrangement may be entirely separate from the main pipe and
connected thereto by pipes.
Figure 111 shows an arrangement similar to the last in all respects except that
the cylinders and plungers or pistons are replaced by corrugated cylinders as shown,
the corrugations being of such a pitch and depth with respect to the thickness of the
metal as to give a considerable degree of elasticity longitudinally. There may he
any convenient arrangement of this design as in Fig. II. For example, the
corrugated cylinders may be opposite each other on one straight line and connected
by a rod, or other equivalent device, thus doing away with the rooking lover F.
I prefer to make the corrugated cylinders of copper formed by spinning, or any
couvenient method, the cap B carrying the jaw being fixed either by a nut inside
or by brazing or any suitable and convenient method.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in whint manuer the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In the case of a widely varying water level, as near a reservoir, the com-
bination of an obstruction in the main pipe or other conduit with two vertical
pipes in which the water can reach its natural level the said pipes being one above
and the other below the obstruction, the two floats rising or falling with the water
within the same, the said floats being connected to a floating lever travelling on a
guide the whole as described in the Specification and drawings for the purpose
of controlling the opening or closing of gates controlling the main stream.

page_text: 2. In the case of an unvarying water level as at an intermediate point on a pipe
line, the combination of an obstruction in the main conduit, two cylinders having
pistons or plungers working therein connected above and below the obstruction
one each side, the whole substantially as described in the Specification and
drawings and for the purpose of controlling the opening or closing of gates con-
trolling the main stream.
3. Covering the use of the corrugated metal cylinders.
4. Covering the use of the apparatus for controlling the flow past a weir in an
open channel by allowing the opening or closing of gates in the said weir.
Dated this 10th day of January 1896.
GEORGE THEODORE PARDOE.