AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING OR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF GAS OR OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING OR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND
FLOW OF GAS OR OTHER FLUIDS." A communication from abroad by Moses G.
Wilder, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, Machinist.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th October 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING
OR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF GAS OR OTHER FLUIDS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Moses G. Wilder, of Brooklyn, New York, United States
of America, Machinist.]
This Invention relates to improvements in pressure-regulators in which a
diaphragm is used for regulating the supply of gases and fluids under pressure, so
as to diminish the supply under an increase of pressure, and to increase the supply
when the pressure is diminished. It is more especially designed to be applied for
regulating the pressure and supply of illuminating gas, in which case the said
regulator or apparatus is attached to the gas meter between the meter and the
burners to be supplied, and operates so as to deliver the gas to the burners at a
pre-determined degree of constant pressure, which said degree of pressure is by means
of this Invention maintained at all times, whatever changes may occur in the degree
of pressure under which the gas leaves the meter on its way to the burners. The
said Invention is applicable for other similar purposes, and to other kinds of appa-
ratus in which it is desirable or necessary to regulate the supply of gases or fluids
under pressure, so as to increase the supply under diminished pressure and diminish
the supply under increased pressure.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I combine a balance valve composed
of two discs fitted upon a hollow stem and made adjustable with an inlet chamber
and an outlet chamber, between which chambers the said valve is interposed, by
means of which construction and arrangement the valve is not acted upon by the

page_text: varying pressure of the gas in such a manner as to increase or diminish the tension
upon the diaphragm, but is balanced and remains in equilibrium in any position
necessary to deliver more or less gas at a constant pressure. I also provide improved
means for suspending or sustaining the said valve and adjusting the same in relation
to the said inlet and outlet chambers, so that the said valve will move freely and
without friction in any position of the regulator, whether perpendicular, horizontal,
or otherwise, which I effect by mounting the valve-stein at or near its ends upon
swinging or vibrating parallel carriers, so that the valve will move freely and without
restraint to and from its seat, but will not have any lateral or sidewise movement.
I also provide improved means for connecting the said valve with the diaphragm, so
that while the valve and the diaphragm will co-act in proper manner with each
other they are not rigidly connected, but are rendered capable of adjusting them-
selves to each other in case the diaphragm should slightly change its form by long
continued use, which I effect by mounting the hollow valve-stem above mentioned
upon a rod which passes lengthwise through the same, and is rigidly attached to
the diaphragın at one of its ends, and at its other end is provided with a screw nut
whereby the valve is suitably adjusted without restraining either the diaphragm or
the valve laterally. The said Invention also comprises a novel construction of the
said carriers and of the spring which actuates the same, the spring being made of
circular form and extending around the interior of the case, with its end bearing
against the inner side of one of the carriers near its lower end, so as to obtain a
leverage and cause an extensive movement of the valve as compared with the degree
of change of pressure, and the carriers being provided with knife-edges at all points
of contact so as to avoid friction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent med
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING
OR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF GAS OR OTHER FLUIDS." A com-
munication from abroad by Moses G. Wilder, of Brooklyn, New York, United States
of America, Machinist.
This Invention relates to improvements in pressure-regulators in which a
diaphragm is used for regulating the supply of gases and other fluids under
pressure, so as to diminish the supply under an increase of pressure and to increase
the supply when the pressure is diminished. It is more especially designed to be
applied for regulating the pressure and supply of illuminating gas, in which case
the said regulator or regulating apparatus is attached to the gas-ineter between the
said meter and the burners to be supplied, and it so operates as to deliver the gas
to the burners at a predetermined degree of constant pressure, which degree of
pressure is by means of this Invention maintained at all times, whatever changes
may occur in the degree of pressure under which the gas leaves the meter on its
way to the burners. The said Invention is moreover applicable for similar purposes
and to other kinds of apparatus in which it is desirable or necessary to regulate the
supply of gases or other fluids under pressure, so as to increase the supply under
diminished pressure and to diminish the supply under increased pressure.
The said Invention cousists, firstly, in the combination of a balanced valve com-
posed of two discs fitted upon a hollow stem and made adjustable with an inlet-
chamber and an outlet-chamber, between which chambers the said valve is inter-
posed. By reason of this construction and arrangement the valve is not acted upon
by the varying pressure of the gas in such a manner as to increase or diminish the
tension upon the diaphragm, but is balanced and remains in equilibrium in any
position necessary to deliver more or less gas at a constant pressure.
The said Invention consists, secondly, in improved means for suspending or
sustaining the said valve and adjusting the same in relation to the said inlet and
outlet chambers, so that the said valve will move freely and without friction in any
position of the regulator, whether perpendicular, horizontal, or otherwise. I effect
this object by mounting the valve-stem at or near its ends upon swinging or vibrating
parallel carriers, so that the valve will move freely and without restraint to and from
its seat, but will not have any lateral or sidewise movement.
The said Invention consists, thirdly, in improved means for connecting the said
valve with the diaphragm, so that while the valve and diaphragm will co-act in
proper manner with each other they are not rigidly connected, but are rendered
capable of adjusting themselves to each other in case the diaphragm should slightly
change its form by long-continued use. I effect this object by mounting the afore-
said hollow valve-stem upon a rod passing lengthwise through the same; this rod
is rigidly attached to the diaphragm at one of its ends, and at its other end is pro-
vided with a screw-nut whereby the valve is suitably adjusted without restraining
either the diaphragm or the valve laterally.
The said Invention consists, fourthly, in a novel construction of the said carriers
and of the spring which actuates the same, the said spring being made of circular
form and extending around the interior of the case, with its end bearing against the
inner side of one of the carriers near its lower end, so as to obtain a leverage and
cause an extensive movement of the valve as compared with the degree of change
of pressure, the said carriers being provided with knife-edges at all points of contact
to avoid friction.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved pressure-regulator, parts thereof
being broken away to shew the interior arrangements, and
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of a modified construction of my improved regulator hereinafter
described.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the inner side of one of the carriers employed in the
same, and
Figure 5 is an elevation partly in section of the said carrier.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the inlet which is connected to the meter or to the service-pipe through
which the gas or fluid is supplied, and B is the outlet at the opposite end of the
apparatus through which the gas passes on its way to the place or point where it is
to be used or consumed. C is an inlet chamber into which the gas or fluid first
enters, and in the sides of which, at its farther end, the valve seats a are located. D
is the outlet chamber of the regulator into which the gas or fluid enters through the
valves from the chamber C. E is a balanced valve interposed between the chambers
Cand D; this valve is composed preferably of two discs f,f, fitted and secured upon
a hollow stem h, one of the said dises (or plugs) fitting to its seat on the inside and
the other on the outside of the chamber C. A rod or pin n passes loosely through
the stem h lengthwise, one end of the said rod being provided with screw-threads
and a screw-nut k by which the valve is adjusted; its other end is secured to two
plates or washers m, between which the centre of the diaphragm e is clamped.
This diaphragm may be formed of thin sheet metal, or of leather, or other suitable
material, and may be clamped at its edges between the body of the apparatus and
the outer shell b, as shewn in the Drawing, or in any other suitable manner. The
valve E is mounted upon two parallel vibrating carriers i, i, the lower ends of which
are connected to the sides of the chamber C. These carriers i, i, are of thin sheet metal,
and allow the valve to move freely to and from its seat, but at the same time pre-
vent any sidewise or lateral motion of the said valve. F represents a spring which
bears against the outermost plate m acting in a direct line with the line of motion
of the valve E, and held or located in a hollow arın H secured to or forming part of
the outer shell or plate b; this spring is removable, so that a stronger or weaker
one may be inserted, according to the average degree of pressure under which the
gas or fluid enters the apparatus. The said spring is so adjusted that when the
pressure on the gas or fluid entering the regulator rises above the degree of pressure
for which it is adjusted it will be pushed back by the pressure of the gas upon the
diaphragm, and thereby partially or wholly close the valve, according to the degree
of pressure to which it is subjected; in other words, a spring of such strength is
employed as will remain passive under a certain predetermined degree of pressure,
but will commence to recede whenever that degree of pressure is exceeded.
I represents a cap which fits over the arm H; the head of this cap forms a bearing
for the outer end of the spring F, and can be adjusted so as to increase or diminish
the tension of the spring. r is a clamping device by which the said cap is secured
upon the arm H, but if preferred it may be secured upon the same by screw-threads.
p is a small opening through which the outer air is freely admitted into the air
chamber D¹.
By the above described construction of my improved apparatus the valve is not
acted upon by the varying pressure in such a manner as to increase or diminish
the tension upon the diaphragm, but remains evenly balanced to deliver more or
less gas at the constant pressure; the valve moreover is suspended and sustained in
relation to the valve-seat so that it will move freely and without friction, and also
without being affected in its operation by change of position of the regulator, and
the mode of attaching the valve to the diaphragm insures the valve resting fairly

page_text: upon its seat, and prevents any disarrangement of the same by reason of the
diaphragm changing its form by continued use.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5 I have shewn a modified construction of my improved appa-
ratus, in which a spring F¹ of the form shewn in Figure 3 is employed instead of the
spiral spring F in the hollow arm H above described; this arrangement permits the
employment of knife-edges at all points of contact between the carriers and tho
parts connected therewith, and also admits of an extensive movement of the valve
as compared with the degree of change of pressure. In this case the said spring is
made circular or elliptical in form, its butt end being secured to the outer side of
the chamber C, and its other end bearing against the inner side of one of the carriers,
so as to open the valve when the pressure on the diaphragm is diminished. A
leverage is thus obtained to produce the said extensive movement of the valve,
which may be increased or diminished at pleasure by moving the free end of the
spring along the carrier further from or nearer to the valve. The arrangement of
the knife-edges may be varied, but a convenient construction and arrangement of
the same is shewn in Figures 3, 4, and 5, in which i represents the carrier, which
consists of a flat piece of metal having sharp edges o, o, at the centre of each end.
The edge at the upper end of the said carrier enters a slot in the valve-stem h, which
latter is sustained thereby, and the edge at the lower end rests on a pin t secured to
the outer surface of the chamber C. A bracket u is secured to the projecting end
of the valve-stem, and a similar bracket u³ is secured to the end of the pin t; tho
horizontal portions of these brackets formn bearings for arins w¹, w¹, at each end of
the carrier, having knife-edges which rest on the said brackets. By this con-
struction the valve-stem is supported by the knife-edge on the carrier, and there are
knife edges at each point of contact of the carrier with its bearings, so that the
movements of the valve are not attended with any appreciable amount of friction.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,―
First. In a pressure-regulator the balanced valve, composed of two discs fitted
upon a hollow stem and made adjustable by the screw-nut, in combination with the
rod n, the inlet-chamber, and the outlet-chamber, as above set forth and for the
purpose specified.
Second. The combination of the balanced valve, constructed as heroin described,
with the carriers, the rod n, and the inlet and outlet chambers, as above set forth
and for the purpose specified.
Third. The valve E, composed of the two discs fitted upon the hollow stem, in com-
bination with the rod n, the screw-nut, and the diaphragm, as above set forth and
for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination of the circular or elliptical spring fitted within the
regulator to operate in connection with the carriers and the valve, the said carriers
being provided with knife-edges at all points of contact, substantially as herein set
forth and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. The apparatus constructed substantially as shewn in the accompanying
Drawing, and operating to regulate or control the flow and pressure of gas or other
fluid, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)