IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF STEAM FROM THE BOILER TO THE CYLINDER OR PIPES OF STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO GASES OR FLUIDS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Squire Farron, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County
of Lancaster, Watch Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF STEAM FROM THE
BOILER TO THE CYLINDER OR PIPES OF STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO GASES OR FLUIDS."
Sealed the 25th September 1862, and dated the 9th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Squire Farron at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
April 1862.
I, SQUIRE FARRON, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster,
Watch Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF STEAM
FROM THE BOILER TO THE CYLINDER OR PIPES OF STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVE-.
MENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO GASES OR FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the employment of a small cylinder closed at the
bottom, and having in its interior a piston exposed at the top to the pressure
of the atmosphere, and also to the action of a lever and weight. The steam,
gas, or fluid is admitted to the small cylinder through two internal apertures
and passes into the interior of the piston through two corresponding apertures,
and from thence through a larger aperture to the exit pipe of the small
cylinder leading to the steam engine, cylinder pipes, or other requirements.

page_text: At the front of the larger aperture of the piston there is a thoroughfare leading
to the under side of the piston, so that the steam, gas, or fluid may raise it
according to their pressure and the resistance of the lever and weight, so that
when the apertures of the small cylinder are fully open to the apertures of the
piston the supply of steam, gas, or fluid is at its maximum, but as the piston
rises from its under pressure the apertures of supply are being closed exactly
in proportion to the weight upon it, and thereby regulate the supply in a self-
acting manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Squire Farron in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SQUIRE
FARRON, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster, Watch Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Squire Farron, Her special license that I, the said Squire Farron, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Squire
Farron, 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 MACHINERY
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF STEAM FROM THE BOILER TO THE
CYLINDER OR PIPES OF STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLI-
CABLE TO GASES OR FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Squire Farrou, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Squire Farron, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: Tormed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in the employment of a small cylinder closed at the:
bottom, and having in its interior a piston exposed at the top to the pressure;
of the atmosphere, and also to the action of a lever and weight. The steam,;
gas, or fluid is admitted to the small cylinder through two internal apertures,
and passes into the interior of the piston through two corresponding apertures,.
and from thence through a larger aperture to the exit pipe of the small
cylinder leading to the steam engine cylinder, pipes, or other requirement.
At the front of the larger aperture of the piston there is a thoroughfare
leading to the under side of the piston, so that the steam, gas, or fluid may:
raise it according to their pressure and the resistance of the lever and weight,
so that when the apertures of the small cylinder are fully open to the apertures
of the piston, the supply of steam, gas, or fluid is at its maximum, but as the
piston rises from its under pressure the apertures of supply are being closed
exactly in proportion to the weight upon it, and thereby regulate the supply in
a self-acting manner.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried.
into effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying two Sheets of Draw-
ings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1, is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a section of my improved
apparatus, for regulating the supply or pressure of steam or other fluid; a is
the cylinder or casing provided with the ingress branch band egress branch c;
dis the bottom lid, and e the top lid, furnished with a guide bush f, through
which passes the spindle g of the piston h, which is packed so as to fit steam.
gas, and fluid-tight in the cylinder a. The piston his weighted by the links i,
connected above to a cap on the spindle g, and below to the weighted lever j,
the prop hinged to the lever j is to bear on the lid e when it is requisite to
close the apertures. The steam, gas, or fluid entering at the branch pipe b
passes through the side pipes a¹ and corresponding apertures in the piston h,
to the interior of the cylinder a, and from thence through the passage a² to the
exit branch c. The area of the passage a² should be about equal to the area
of the two apertures h¹ in the piston h.
k
The apparatus above described is particularly suitable for a diminishing
valve for reducing the pressure of steam, and it operates in the following
manner: When the apertures h¹ coincide with the openings of the side
pipes a', as shewn in Fig. 2, the steam passes freely through the apparatus,
being of equal pressure, or nearly so, at the ingress and egress. To retain the
parts in this position the pressure of steam on the under side of the piston h

page_text: must correspond to the weight of the lever j; in order to diminish the pressure
of steam escaping through the branch c the weight on the lever j must be
reduced according to the pressure required; the steam, air, or fluid then
acting on the under side of the piston h causes it to rise in the cylinder a, and
the apertures h¹ are thus brought partially above the openings of the side
pipes a', thereby contracting the orifices for the passage of the steam and
reducing its pressure to the required extent..
In Figs. 3 and 4, I have shewn a modification of my improvements; in this
arrangement the piston h is made in two parts, which are held in equilibrium
by the escaping steam, gas, or fluid; the parts marked a, b, c, d, e, f, g, i, j,
and are similar to those before described, the side pipe or passage a¹ is taken
all round the lower part of the piston h, which works in the shell a', forming a
lining to the cylinder a, the shell has orifices for the steam, gas, or fluid to pass
through. The passage a², forming a communication between the egress branch
c and the under side of the piston h, is provided with a-set screw a³ to regulate
the orifice and to keep the piston steady. To the lid d is screwed the end of a
pipe communicating with the indicator 1, by which the pressure of the
escaping steam, gas, or fluid can be ascertained.
When this apparatus is in operation and the pressure of the lever i over-
comes the pressure of the steam, gas, or fluid under the piston h, the piston
is lowered in the cylinder a, and the steam, gas, or fluid escapes to the egress
branch c through the orifices in the shell a, under a pressure due to the
weight on the lever j and the diameter of the piston h.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 5, is a section of another modification of my improvements.
In this view the corresponding parts are marked with similar letters of refer-
ence; in the upper part of the piston h are two or more orifices h', and in the
upper shell a are corresponding orifices a; the lower part of the piston h in
rising covers the orifices a' in the lower shell a', and in lowering it uncovers
the same.
The orifices a and a are shewn covered, consequently when the
pistons are in these positions, the valve is closed, but as soon as the weight
on the lever overcomes the pressure under the lower part of the piston h, the
pistons descend, and the steam, gas, or fluid passes through the orifices h¹, in
the upper part of the piston h, and above the lower part thereof to the exit
branch c.
I wish to remark that my improved apparatus may be employed for regu-
lating the supply of steam from the boiler to the eylinder or pipes of steam
engines, or as a diminishing apparatus for steam pipes, for dressing frames and
cooking apparatus, and as a fountain tap or water plug, or for any other pur-
pose where a steam, gas, or fluid tap is or may be used.

page_text: I would also remark that my Invention may be modified by closing the
piston h, shewn in Fig. 2, below as well as above, and by making passages for
the escape of the steam, gas, or fluid in the piston h, and in the cylinder a,
opposite the egress pipe c; in this arrangement a passage similar to a² in
Fig. 4 is required to admit the steam, gas, or fluid to the under side of the
piston, which is thus raised according to the pressure and the resistance of the
weighted lever, so that when the apertures of the cylinder are fully open to
the apertures of the piston, the supply of steam, gas, or fluid is at its maximum,
but as the piston rises from its under pressure the apertures of supply are
being closed in proportion to the weight on the piston, thereby regulating the
supply in a self-acting manner.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim the piston or pistons h, working
in a cylinder, when used in the manner and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof I, the said Squire Farron, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
SQUIRE FARRON. (L.S.)