AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL ADJUSTMENT, REDUCTION, AND PRESSURES, EITHER OF FLUIDS, STEAM, OR GASES." REGULATION
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bennett, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC APPARATUS
FOR
THE DIFFERENTIAL ADJUSTMENT, REDUCTION, AND
PRESSURES, EITHER OF FLUIDS, STEAM, OR GASES."
REGULATION OF
Sealed the 29th April 1873, and dated the 4th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bennett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th November 1872.
I, WILLIAM BENNETT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL ADJUSTMENT, REDUCTION, AND
REGULATION OF PRESSURES, EITHER OF FLUIDS, STEAM, OR GASES," to be as
follows:-

page_text: supplied from a natural head or by mechanical means, the object
being that in cases where excessive prèssure exists and it is required
differentially to supply and distribute such pressure at various reduced
forces, for example, with an excessive pressure, the force can be reduced
and distributed differentially, as may be required.
An apparatus constructed according to this Invention may consist of
a tank or any suitable closed vessel. In the case of the reduction of
hydraulic pressure the vessel is supplied with water from a main, say
with an excessive pressure, and it is required to reduce such pressure
the supply pipe of the vessel is fitted with an apparatus inside the vessel
to open and close according to the pressure required. One form of an
apparatus consists of a lever which works a suitable cock or valve; this
lever carries a float which has a small tube or aperture at its lower end;
this float is dependent for its action upon its differential specific gravity,
which is obtained by the amount of water or other fluid which finds its
way into the float, according to the density of the air (inside the float),
which by its compressibility allows the water or other fluid to partly
enter the float when the pressure increases, and by its elasticity expels
the water when the pressure equalises; thus it will be seen that the
float acts on the apparatus in proportion to the pressure, and thus
equalises the supply to the discharge, which is regulated by the specific
gravity of the float or other apparatus, the discharge being taken from
any suitable part of the vessel. It is immaterial whether the vessel is
full of fluid or only partially so, as the action of the float is solely
dependent upon its own specific gravity, but it is necessary that the
vessel should be closed. The same result may be attained by using
plungers, springs, or other known mechanical means, but using the
excessive pressure over that required as the means of actuating such
apparatus.
In applying this apparatus to the reduction of steam or gas pressure,
a tank or reservoir is fitted with a vessel or well containing by pre-
ference mercury, which by its susceptibility of differential pressure will
sensitively effect the float, which rises or falls with the action of the
mercury.
In fitting an apparatus according to this Invention, the excessive
pressure may be still connected by suitable pipes and valves, so that
should sudden emergency for an increased pressure be required, the same
may still be supplied direct.

page_text: Some of the chief purposes of utility to which this Invention may be
applied are the reduction of pressures of towns' waters, as it is desirable
to supply water for domestic and other general purposes at a reduced
pressure, so as to mitigate the leakage and other evils caused by the
excessive pressure, as in many instances such excessive pressures are
obliged to be kept at a maximum for the emergency of fires and other
such like increased demands.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Bennett, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; WILLIAM
BENNETT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Bennett, Her special
licence that I, the said William Bennett, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Bennett, 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 AUTOMATIC
APPARATUS FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL ADJUSTMENT, REDUCTION, AND REGULATION OF
PRESSURES EITHER OF FLUIDS, STEAM, OR GASES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Bennett, 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

page_text: .
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Bennett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 the differential reduction of pressures such
as water or other fluid pressure, also steam or gas pressure, whether
supplied from a natural head or by mechanical means, the object
being that in cases where excessive pressure exists and it is required
differentially to supply and distribute such pressure at various reduced
forces, for example, with an excessive pressure, the force can be reduced
and distributed differentially as may be required.
An apparatus constructed according to this Invention may consist of
a tank or any suitable closed vessel. In the case of the reduction of
hydraulic pressure the vessel is supplied with water from a main, say
with an excessive pressure and it is required to reduce such pressure.
The supply pipe of the vessel is fitted with an apparatus inside the
vessel to open and close according to the pressure required. One form of
an apparatus consists of a lever which works a suitable cock or valve;
this lever carries a float which has a tube or aperture at its lower end;
.this float is dependent for its action upon its differential specific gravity,
which is obtained by the amount of water or other fluid which finds its
,way
into the float, according to the density of the air inside the float,
which by its compressibility allows the water or other fluid to partially
enter the float when the pressure increases, and by its clasticity expels
the water when the pressure decreases; thus it will be seen that the
float acts on the apparatus in proportion to the pressure, and thus
equalises the supply to the discharge, which is regulated by the specific
gravity of the float or other apparatus, the discharge being taken from
any suitable part of the vessel. It is immaterial for the working of the
apparatus whether the vessel is full of fluid or only partially so as the
action of the float is solely dependent upon its own specific gravity, but
it is necessary that the vessel should be closed. The same result may be
obtained by using plungers, springs, or other known mechanical means,
but using an excessive pressure over that required as the means of
actuating such apparatus...

page_text: In applying this apparatus to the reduction of steam or gas pressure
the tank or reservoir may be so fitted that other fluids besides water can
be used as a motive power, such as, by preference, mercury, oil, glycerine,
or other like fluids, which by their susceptibility of differential pressure
will sensitively effect the float, which rises or falls by their action.
In fitting an apparatus according to this Invention the excessive
pressure may be still connected by suitable pipes and valves, so that
should sudden emergency for an increased pressure be required the same
may still be supplied direct.
Some of the chief purposes of utility to which this Invention may be
applied are the reduction of pressures of towns' waters, as it is desirable
to supply water for domestic and many other general purposes at a
greatly reduced pressure so as to mitigate the leakage, waste, and other
evils caused by excessive pressure, as in many instances such excessive
pressures are obliged to be kept in the large mains at a maximum for
emergency of fires, the use of hydraulic hoists, and other such like
demands.
In the case of water, steam, and gases, it is often required to supply
several pressures from one main, which can be effected by the use of
these apparatuses, as hercin-before described.
The before going being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention, I will now procced to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried out into practical effect, and for that purpose I have
hereunto attached two Sheets of Drawings illustrating apparatus con-
structed according to this Invention. Like letters and figures marked
thercon are used to denote similar parts throughout the various views.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a sectional side elevation of a closed tank or
vessel showing the general principle of my Invention; Figure 2, Sheet 1,
is a sectional side elevation of a tank or vessel fitted with apparatus and
mountings serving to illustrate the principle of my Invention; Figure 3,
Sheet 1, is a plan of same; Figure 4, Sheet 2, is a sectional side elevation
of a valve and apparatus constructed according to my Invention;
Figure 5, Sheet 2, is a plan of same; Figure 6, Sheet 2, is a front
elevation of valve; Figure 7, Sheet 2, is an outside view of valve, box,
and cylinder; Figure 8, Sheet Sheet 2, is a plan of piston guide.
Referring to Figure 1, Sheet 1, A is a tank or vessel which is supplied
with water at an excessive pressure from a main pipe B; C, is a valve or

page_text: cock fitted inside the vessel A on to the pipe B; D is a lever which
carries a float E; this lever and float actuate the valve or cock C. The
float E has a tube or aperture at its lower end F; G is a discharge o
outlet cock; and G₁ a discharge pipe which delivers the water at a
reduced pressure.
The principle of action of the float E is based upon
its differential specific gravity, which is obtained by the amount of water
or other fluid which finds its way into the float through the pipe or
aperture F, according to the density of the air inside the float, such air
by its compressibility allowing the water or other fluid to partially enter
the float when the pressure increases; again the air by its elasticity
expels the water when the pressure decreases. It will thus be seen that
the float E actuates the supply cock C, and regulates the supply of
water in proportion to the pressure to which it has been adjusted,
thus equalising the supply in the tank or vessel to the discharge through
the pipe G', which discharge is regulated by the specific gravity of the
float E; the float sinks as the pressure of water in the tank increases,
and by the lever D shuts off or reduces the supply; as the pressure
decreases the float rises and again opens the supply. The difference of
pressure between the supply and the discharge is regulated by the weight
of the float, which may be carried out by any suitable mechanical
means of adjustment, or by regulating the amount of air inside the
float.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 1, for the purpose of explanation
it will be seen that the tank or vessel A is fitted with an apparatus
consisting of a bell-shaped float E working on guides H. The bell or
float being open at its bottom or lower end F, and having a pipe F¹ fitted
with a cock F² to supply and regulate the amount of air inside the bell
or float. I is a pressure guage showing the pressure inside the tank or
vessel, which equals the pressure through the discharge pipe G; K, is a
tap for emptying or drawing off water from the tank A if requisite ;
D' is an adjustable weight on the lever D; the lever D rests on the cross
piece L on the top of the bell or float E. In the working of this
apparatus take for an illustrative example:-The pressure of water
through the pipe B is equal to fifty pounds to the square inch, and
that it is required to supply water through the pipe G at a reduced
pressure of say twenty pounds. To effect this object the float E is
regulated by means of the weight D', or by the air pipe F¹, so that it
will shut off the supply from the valve C when the pressure in the tank

page_text: reaches the amount required, which amount is indicated on the guage I;
the float E in its action governs the discharge through the cock G to the
pressure indicated on the guage I. Should it be required to vary or
alter the pressure of the discharge, this can be done by admitting or
withdrawing air from the float or bell E through the pipe F, or by
altering the weight. In the Drawing the float or bell E is shown down,
and the valve C closed, the valve opening as the float rises.
Referring to Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Sheet 2, M is a valve box
which is fitted with N a valve seat, and O a slide or cut-off valve. This
valve O is worked or actuated by a plunger or piston P, which works in
the cylinder R; S is a piston rod which carries weights T, or in lieu
thereof a spring or lever; U, a guide to piston rod. The action of this
regulating valve is similar to that of the apparatus before described in
the tank or vessel, namely, the excessive pressure of the supply being
used as the power for reducing the pressure of the discharge; namely,
the water or other fluid, steam, or gas, flowing at an excessive pressure
through the pipe B, fills the valve box M, and actuates the piston or
plunger P, which piston or plunger actuates the slide valve O, thereby
cutting off the discharge through the pipe G, the pressure of the
discharge being governed by the weights T on the plunger P.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and how the same may be carried out
into practical effect, I would have it clearly understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact proportions, relative dimensions, or general
design of the apparatuses shown and described in the Drawings, as it
will be readily seen and understood that the same may be considerably
varied without departing from my Invention; but what I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,―
Firstly. The improved automatic apparatus for the differential adjust-
ment, reduction, and regulation of pressures either of fluids, steam, or
gases, consisting of a tank or vessel fitted with apparatus so that the
excessive pressure of the supply is used as the medium of reducing or
adjusting the pressure of the discharge, as shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3,
Sheet 1, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described and
set forth in the before going Specification.
Secondly. The improved automatic apparatus for the differential
adjustment, reduction, and regulation of pressures cither of fluids

page_text: steam, or gases, consisting of the combined valve and cylinder fitted with
apparatus so that the excessive pressure of the supply is used as the
medium of reducing or adjusting the pressure of the discharge, as shown
at Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Sheet 2, substantially in the manner and for
the purposes described and set forth in the before-going Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bennett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three..
Witness,
WILLIAM (L.S.) BENNETT:
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.