Improvements in or relating to Regulating Devices for Gas Burners.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Regulating Devices for Gas
Burners.
We, FRANK LITHERLAND TEED, D.Sc., Analytical Chemist, of 15 Victoria
Street in the County of Middlesex, and HARRY WILLIAMSON TEED, Civil
Engineer, of 188 Camberwell Grove, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the controlling of gas lights of various descriptions
from a tap or controlling device at a distance from the burner; for example in the
case of incandescent and other burners where a bye-pass is employed, we are able
to control both the bye-pass and the main supply from a tap or valve at a distance
from the burner, using only one pipe between these two points.
In carrying out the invention we have the main tap at a suitable part of the
room or building and arrange it so that when it is turned off only sufficient gas
passes to supply the bye-pass or more than one, if more than one burner is
controlled by the same tap.. In the usual way when such an arrangement is
employed two separate pipes for each burner are required, one to take the main
supply and the other to take the bye-pass; by our arrangement we dispense with a
separate pipe for the bye-pass.
We allow the gas for the bye-pass when the tap is turned off to flow through the
same pipe which supplies the burner when in use, and employ a movable diaphragm
or other controlling device, controlling two valves, one for the bye-pass only and
the other for the whole burner, the valves being so arranged that when one is open
the other is closed. A convenient way of arranging this is to take a small pipe
for the bye-pass out of a chamber, closing the inner end of this pipe with a small
valve controlled by the diaphragm and the other end of the pipe being taken to
the burner at a suitable part, it being understood that the valve controlling
mechanism is in close proximity to the burner or may form part of the burner
itself. The diaphragm may carry a circular valve making contact with the seating
around the previously mentioned chamber so that when the diaphragm falls, which
it does when the chief supply of gas is reduced, the large valve is closed and the
small bye-pass valve is opened so that the gas passes to the bye-pass only.
the gas is again turned on the pressure raises the diaphragm thus opening the large
valve and closing the bye-pass valve and the gas goes direct to the burner. The
construction of these valves, and diaphragm or equivalent may be greatly varied
without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example instead of having
the large circular valve previously described, a small perforation or passage may be
provided in the centre of the diaphragm and a stop within the casing so that when
the diaphragm rises the stop enters or otherwise closes the perforation thus cutting
off the bye-pass, the main valve being in this case below the small valve.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1896.
BOULT & WADE.
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Regulating Devices for Gas
Burners.
We, FRANK LITHERLAND TEED, D.Sc., Analytical Chemist, of 15 Victoria
Street, in the County of Middlesex, and HARRY WILLIAMSON TEED, Civil
Engineer of 188 Camberwell Grove, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a gas-regulation device comprising main and pilot
valves arranged to be operated by varying the gas pressure to cause or permit one
valve to open and the other to close, and vice versa, the object of this invention
being to enable a single tap or equivalent, which can be at a distance from said
device, or a series of such devices and connected to it or them by only a single
pipe, to be employed to control the pair of valves or a series of such pairs by
suitably raising or lowering the pressure of gas delivered to them, the pressure
being raised to cause the main jet or jets to ignite and the pilot jets to be
extinguished or lowered, and being lowered to cause the main jets to go out and the
pilot jets to be re-ignited, or turned up.
Each main valve controls an exit passage leading from the gas-regulation device
to the main burner, or to a series of main burners, and each pilot valve controls an
exit passage leading from the gas-regulation device to a corresponding pilot
burner or series of pilot burners; the tap or equivalent above referred to as being
employed to control the pressure of gas delivered to the improved regulation-device
may be an ordinary tap, or, more conveniently one which when nominally turned
off allows just sufficient gas to pass to supply the requirements of the pilot jet
or jets.
By this invention separate control apparatus and supply pipes are dispensed with
for pilot burners employed in conjunction with main burners.
In the regulation-devices constructed according to this invention a small
continuous flow of gas is allowed to pass to each pilot burner while the main
burner is alight and the supply to the pilot, burner nominally cut off, by employing
a valve which is intentionally make leaky, or by otherwise permitting a slight
flow of gas thereto in order that loss of the gaseous contents of the pilot jet and
passages by diffusion shall be compensated so that the pilot jet may not fail to
ignite upon extinction of the main jet; this slight flow of gas is not intended to be
sufficient to keep the pilot jet burning.
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are perspective vertical sections of three constructions of gas-
regulation device according to this invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings."
With reference first to Fig. 1, A. is the main chamber or body of the device
provided with a nozzle A' to which the supply pipe containing the tap or
equivalent herein before referred to, is to be connected A' being the passage way
by which the gas enters the chamber A. B is a flexible diaphragm secured within
the chamber A by rings C C which engage respectively with the circumference
of the diaphragm, and with the margin thereof around a central opening therein.
A is an exit opening by which gas passes from the chamber A to the main
burner. A is a central passage through a plug A' in the exit opening A³ by
which gas can flow from the space below the diaphragm in the chamber A to the
main exit A; the central portion of the diaphragm is caused by the ring C¹
. aforesaid to make a gas-tight joint with the lower end of the plug A' as well as

page_text: with the side of the chamber A. D is a pilot burner or supply pipe therefor;:"
D is a tubular connection leading through the plug A' from the space below the
diaphragm in the interior of the chamber A, to the pilot pipe D, the lower end D
of this connection D' having its mouth extended downward as shown. F is.
'the main valve, a ball valve in this instance, controlling the flow of gas from the
passage A into the exit opening A³. It is important that the distance between
the main valve. and the main burner should be reduced as much as possible, in
gas-regulation devices according to this invention. This renders ignition of the
main burner certain by reducing to a minimum the amount of air to be displaced
from that space by the gas issuing just after the opening of the main valve so that
this gas very rapidly comes into contact with the pilot flame before the latter is
extinguished. F' is a rod whereby the main valve is connected to the diaphragm B.
by way of a rod G¹ and washers B1 B2 hereinafter referred to. G is a pilot valve
controlling the passage of gas from the chamber A into the passage D₁ and pilot
burner D. G is a rod by which the pilot valve is connected to two aunular
washers B B which grip between them the diaphragm B, being connected to each.
other by screws B³ passed through the diaphragm.
To the construction illustrated in Figure 2 the description of Figure 1 just given
will apply, except that there are slight differences in the construction of certain
of the details; for instance, the gas is led in Fig. 2 from below the diaphragm in
the chamber A by passages A* A to the main exit, the passage A₁ being formed
in the wall of the chamber A; and the rod F of the valve is directly connected to- '
washers B B in the centre of the diaphragm, and passes from the diaphragm
to the valve through a central perforation in a disc H of oiled leather which is..
retained in place by a fixing ring H' secured by screws H2 to the body A. This,
leather disc serves as a gas-tight packing for the rod F¹ upon which it is found to
exert very little friction.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the main and pilot valves F and G are
both connected to the diaphragm B and are so disposed that when one is closed,.
the other is open, and vice versa, the main valve being shut and the pilot valve open...
in the modifications illustrated.
A further modification is illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the valve F is of disc
form and is carried at the underside of the diaphragm B so as to make joint with
an annular seating A formed in the interior of the chamber A as shown; the ball
valve F and its rod F' are not needed in this modification.
When gas at sufficient pressure is admitted by way of the passage A³ into the
chamber A in either of the modifications shown it will raise the flexible
diaphragm B (Figs. 1 and 2) which thereupon will raise the valves F and G, or
the valve F (Fig. 3) will be raised by the direct action of the gas thereon, the
raising of the former (F) permits the incoming gas to flow from the inlet A
through the passage A, or passages A and A, and out at the exit A³, and the
raising of the latter (G) closes the passage D¹ by which gas previously flowed to
the pilot burner D. Conversely if the pressure in the chamber A be sufficiently
lowered the main and pilot valves F and G will simultaneously descend, the
former stopping the exit of gas to the main burner or burners at A³, and the latter
re-opening the passage D¹ for gas to the pilot jet, which will be turned full on as-
the main jet goes out.
In the constructions hereinbefore described, the descent of the valves is effected
by gravity upon the occurrence of a diminution of pressure in the gas supply; if
desired the diaphragm or the valve may be worked by a spring. In either case
the weight of the parts or the strength of the spring could be regulated to suit the
working conditions existing at the point or level at which the device is installed ;
with this object the spring or weight may be made adjustable, and a screw or tap
may be fitted to the pilot exit and to the branch leading to the inlet A. By-
differently adjusting such control apparatus for burners which are situated at.
different levels and all governed by the same principal tap, they can all be made
to act alike and at the same moment, both as regards the opening of the main.

page_text: valve and the provision of pilot flames of like size in all the burners, although they
may be at different pressures owing to differences of level.
Springs or counterpoises can be used to assist or overcome gravity in its action
upon the movable parts of the apparatus.
The pilot valves G are shown as having a facing G2, preferably of unoiled
suede kid leather, which when the pilot valve G is closed does not entirely cut off
the flow of gas through the pilot jet exits, but enables sufficient to pass to
compensate for diffusion in the open jet D and passage D' as aforesaid.
If desired the valve G may be made perfectly gas-tight, and a small perforation
with or without a controlling-screw may be made in the connection D instead of
employing the porous leather facing G².
J is a small orifice extending through the top of the chamber A to keep the
space above the diaphragm B in constant communication with the external air to
enable the air in the space above the diaphragm to flow freely in and out, so as not
to impede the free movement of the diaphragm.
The improved regulation-device may if desired form part of the burner and
have the jets or nozzles directly attached thereto; in any event the burner or
burners should be in close proximity to it. Instead of a diaphragm, other
appliances movable by fluid pressure in like manner can be adopted.
The construction and arrangement of apparatus according to this invention may
be considerably varied if desired, for the invention is not limited to the three
examples herein before illustrated by way of example.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a gas-regulation device of the kind described, having a pilot valve
operated by variation of gas pressure, the provision of a "leak," for the purpose
described.
2. In a gas-regulation device of the kind described the combination with the
burner of a main regulating valve situated close to it for the purpose specified.
3. In a gas-regulation device of the kind described the combination with a
main valve of a pilot valve such as G moving therewith and operating substantially
as and for the purpose described.
4. In a gas-regulation device of the kind described the combination with a
main valve and a diaphragm, of a pilot valve such as G moving therewith and
operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In a gas-regulation device of the kind described the combination with the
body A and the rod F' of a packing disc such as H substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete gas
regulation device substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in
Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.