AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO ACT AS A GAS VALVE
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sweet Willway, of the City of Bristol, Gas
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO ACT AS A
GAS VALVE."
Sealed the 1st April 1858, and dated the 2nd October 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sweet Willway
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd October 1857.
I, JOHN SWEET WILLWAY, of the City of Bristol, Gas Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO
ACT AS A GAS VALVE," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of an apparatus eonstructed and working in the
manner hereafter explained. I cause the mouth of the gas-supply pipe to
screw into a ferrule or collar which rises inside a metal cup containing
mercury. The ferrule receives a cone carried by a separate piece, the cone
entering into the mouth of the ferrule, or it may be surrounded by a cylinder
with part of the edge cut away. Outside the cone or the cylinder is a ring,
which enters the mercury in the metal cup and forms a sealed joint when
lowered into it. The upper part of the piece which carries the cone or the
cylinder is in the form of a cup, also for containing mercury, and from this
piece there rises a rod or piston. Over the metal cup is fitted a cover, in which
there is an aperture for the passage of gas to the burners, or otherwise. The
bottom part of this cover enters the mercury in the cup, while the flange rests

page_text: upon the upper rim thereof, and the two parts are held together by screws, or
otherwise.
From the top of the cover descends a pipe through which the valve rod
passes, and the lower end of this pipe entering the mercury in the cup of the
valve piece prevents any escape of gas through it. By raising and lowering
the valve through the valve rod the supply of gas can be shut off, opened fully,
and regulated at will. I provide for the filling in of mercury through an aper-
ture in the cover which leads into the cup in the valve piece; the mercury
overflowing from this cup, when full, runs down into the lower cup, fills it, and
indicates its height therein by a gauge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Sweet Willway in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SWEET WILLWAY, of the City of Bristol, Gas Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Sweet Willway, Her special licence that I, the said
John Sweet Willway, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Sweet Willway, 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 IMPROVED APPARATUS TO ACT AS A GAS VALVE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Sweet Willway, 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 John Sweet Willway, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, 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:
My Invention consists of an apparatus constructed and working in the
manner hereafter explained. I cause the mouth of the gas-supply pipe to
screw into a ferrule or collar, which rises inside a metal cup containing
mercury, or other suitable fluid, or any suitable elastic material, such as
india-rubber, for example. The ferrule receives a cone carried by a separate
piece, the cone entering into the mouth of the ferrule. Outside the cone is a
ring or cylinder which enters the mercury or other fluid, or which presses
against the elastic material in the metal cup and forms a sealed joint. The
ring or cylinder may have part of the edge cut away, in which case the cone
may be dispensed with. On the upper part of the piece which carries the
cone (or the piece which carries the ring or cylinder with part of its edge cut
away) is a cylinder in the form of a cup, also for containing mercury or other
suitable fluid, and from this piece there rises a rod or piston. Over the metal
cup is fitted a cover, in which there is an aperture for the passage of gas to
the burners or otherwise. The bottom part of this cover enters the mercury
or other fluid, or presses against the india-rubber or other elastic material in
the cup, while a flange rests upon the upper rim thereof, and the two parts
are held together by screws, or otherwise.
From the top of the cover descends a pipe through which the valve rod
passes, and the lower end of this pipe entering the mercury in the cup of the
valve piece prevents any escape of gas through it; or an ordinary stuffing box
may be used to effect this purpose. By raising and lowering the valve
through the valve rod, the supply of gas can be shut off, opened fully, and
regulated at will. I provide for the filling in of mercury through an aperture
in the cover which leads into the cup in the valve piece, the mercury over-
flowing from this cup, when full, runs down into the lower cup, fills it, and
indicates its height thereon by a guage.
b
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed is a side elevation, and
Figure 2 a vertical section of my improved apparatus to act as a gas valve.
a is the ferrule or collar into which the mouth of the gas-supply tube screws,
and which rises inside the metal cup 6 containing the mercury or india-rubber.
The ferrule a receives the cone c carried by the valve d; outside the cone is a
ring e, which enters the mercury or which presses against the india-rubber,
forming a tight joint. f is the second cup for containing mercury, and g is
the rod which rises from it; h is the cover in which is the aperture i, for the
passage out of the gas to the burners or elsewhere. The bottom part; of this

page_text: cover enters the mercury or presses against the india-rubber in the cup b,
while its flange k rests upon the upper rim l, and the parts are held together
by the screws m, m. From the top of the cover h descends the pipe n,
through which the rod g passes, and which dips into the mercury in the cup f
to prevent the escape of the gas. By raising and lowering the valve d by
means of the rod g, the supply of gas through the outlet i can be shut off, fully
opened, or regulated at will, as before explained.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the improved
apparatus to act as a gas valve, herein-before described and represented in
the Drawings hereunto annexed, together with the modifications thereof before
mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sweet Willway, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JNO. S. WILLWAY. (L.S.)