GAS GOVERNOR FOR GAS MOTOR ENGINES to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "GAS GOVERNOR FOR GAS MOTOR
ENGINES to be as follows:-
"
The object of the present invention is to counteract the influence of the irregular
consumption of gas in gas motor engines, upon the gas pressure in the main gas
pipe which manifests itself in a flickering of the flames fed from the main pipe.
The apparatus forming the subject of the present invention is intended to be
interposed in the main pipe leading to the gas motor engine and consists of a light
gas holder shewn at a Fig. 1. of the accompanying drawings, consisting preferably
of a cylinder with vertical sides floating in a liquid. The gas enters from the
main through a pipe b below the holder and passes off to the gas engine through a
pipe c. The holder is weighted in such a manner that the gas in the same is under
a lower pressure than the lowest pressure in the feed main.
An essential feature is that the vertical sides of the holder are thin and that
their lower edges are sharp and cutting.
When the engine draws gas through the pipe c the holder a will sink, and as
owing to its sides being thin, and cutting, it displaces only a very small quantity
of liquid and has only a very small resistance to overcome, this movement takes
place without any perceptible variation of the pressure in the holder and therefore
the gas enters the holder through the pipe b during the suction under unaltered
conditions. Thus the flickering of the flames fed by the pipe b or the connecting
main pipe is prevented.
The holder a sinks rapidly at each filling of the working cylinder of the engine
and rises slowly until the next filling is taken from the holder.
Hitherto in governing the speed of gas engines generally one of the two following
methods was used. According to one method the proportionate quantity of gas in
Drian 631

page_text: each charge was varied as required. According to another method, some of the
charges of the cylinder were made without any admixture of gas, and such
charges are known under the name of "dead charges." In using the apparatus
forming the subject of the present invention, the amount of gas remaining uncon-
sumed in the above described method of charging will gradually accumulate in and
lift the gas holder a.
The holder can of course only have a limited play. When the holder assumes
the highest position and is then stopped, the pressure would increase in the holder
and diminish on the next charge being taken therefrom; the flames must then
necessarily flicker. In this highest position moreover there would be no room for
any spare gas and the holder must then play in its highest position and thus cause
repeated flickering. To prevent this I regulate the feeding of the gas by any
suitable construction of check valve or trap or cock or similar devico.
This cut off with variable opening I combine with any suitable construction of
gear actuated by the holder so that while the holder is rising, the feeding will
diminish and will be entirely stopped just before the holder assumes its highest
position. When on the contrary the holder goes down in consequence of the
admission of gas being too slow the cut-off device will be gradually opened.
The connection of the holder with the valve must be such that the continuous
rising or sinking of the holder produces the above described effect, but that the
oscillation of the holder produced by a single charge of the working cylinder of
the engine will not actuate the cut-off valve when the admission and the con-
sumption of gas are equal.
In order to obviate the necessity of regulating at each dead charge, I increase
the dead play of the gear actuated by the holder so that the holder can rise more
and so that the regulation takes place in variable intervals according to the
irregularity of the working of the engine.
Hitherto in using the ordinary governors with rubber bellows each dead charge
changed the pressure in the conduit.
Fig. 1 shews a suitable form of apparatus constructed according to the present
invention. A rod e extends downwards through the tube d which also serves as a
guide for the holder. This rod e is provided at its lower end with stops f and g.
In the feed pipe ba throttle valve h is provided which is connected with the
lever i the other end of which is situated between the stops f and g.
The operation of this device is quite clear from what has been said above.
The distance between the stops f and g allows a free play to the holder within
certain limits without affecting the throttle. As the downward motion of the
holder is very rapid I prefer to provide the lever i at its end engaging with the
stops with suitable sliding surfaces in order to open the throttle only slowly
especially when the holder is near its highest position. A stop between the prongs
of a bifurcated lever may also be employed.
It is advantageous to provide the lever i with more than two prongs working
together with a corresponding number of stops whereby something like a rack and
pinion gear is obtained. By suitably forming the sliding surfaces or cams on the
lever i, it is possible to cause the throttle to be actuated at will in any position of
the gas holder. Fig. 2 shews such an arrangement with two prongs and three
stops, wherein one stop is worked upon after the other.
I have described this invention referring to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1.
and 2 in which the actuating mechanism is connected centrally with lever and
throttle because this is the simplest and most advantageous; but I may equally
well arrange the apparatus in such a manner that the gas holder actuates the gear
from any other point and I may equally well employ any known mechanism for
communicating motion to the valve. From the above description it is very easy for
any competent engineer to substitute a valve, or sliding valve or any equivalent:
mechanism for the throttle.
The holder may be provided with a counterbalancing weight.

page_text: When the consumption of gas is great I feed the gas to the engine through
a number of apparatus placed side by side, or I use one or more larger apparatus
which being of stronger construction have a less easy play and then connect the
said larger apparatus with a small one which compensates the small variations of
pressure left by the large apparatus. The pressure in the small apparatus should
be greater than that in the large apparatus.
I may arrange a set of apparatus in the course of the main pipe one behind the
other, I prefer however the connection shown in Fig. 3.
Feed regulators for the large apparatus A and B may be dispensed with although
their use is preferred.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "GAS GOVERNORS FOR GAS MOTOR
ENGINES," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of the present invention is to counteract the influence of the irregular
consumption of gas in gas motor engines upon the gas pressure in the gas main
pipe which manifests itself in a flickering of the flames fed from the main-pipe.
The apparatus forming the subject of the present invention is intended to be
interposed in the main pipe leading to the gas motor engine and consists of a light
gas-bolder a, Fig. 1, preferably a cylinder with vertical sides floating in a liquid.
The gas enters from the main through a pipe b below the holder and passes off to
the gas engine through a pipe c; the holder is weighted in such a manner that
the gas in the same is under a lower pressure than the lowest pressure in the
feed main.
An essential feature is that the vertical sides of the holder are thin and that
their lower edges are sharp and cutting.
When the engine draws gas through the pipe c the holder a will sink and, as,
owing to its sides being thin and cutting it displaces only a very small quantity of
liquid and has only a very small resistance to overcome, this movement takes place
without any perceptible variation of the pressure in the holder and therefore the
gas enters the holder through the pipe b during the suction under unaltered
conditions. Thus the flickering of the flames fed by the pipe b or the connecting
inain pipe is prevented. The holder a sinks rapidly at each filling of the working
cylinder of the engine and rises slowly until the next filling is taken from the
holder.
Hitherto in governing the speed of gas engines generally one of the two following
methods was used.
According to one method the proportionate quantity of gas in each charge was
varied as required. According to another method some of the charges of the
cylinder were made without any admixture of gas and such charges were known
under the name of dead charges. In using the apparatus forming the subject of
the present invention, the amount of gas remaining unconsumed in the above
described methods of charging will gradually accumulate in and lift the gas
holder a.
The holder can of course only have a limited play.
When the holder assumes the highest position and is then stopped, the pressure
would increase in the holder and diminish on the next charge being taken
therefrom, the flames must then necessarily flicker. In this highest position
moreover there would be no room for any spare gas and the holder must then
play in its highest position and thus cause repeated flickering.
To prevent this I regulate the feeding of the gas by any suitable known
construction of check valve or trap or cock or similar device.

page_text: This cut off with variable opening, I combine with any suitable construction of
gear actuated by the holder so that while the holder is rising, the feeding will
diminish and will be entirely stopped just before the holder assumes its highest
position. When, on the contrary the holder sinks in consequence of the admission
of gas being too slow, the cut off device will be gradually opened.
The connection of the holder with the valve must be such that the continuous
rising or sinking of the holder produces the above described effect, but that the
oscillation of the holder produced by a single charge of the working cylinder of the
engine will not actuate the cut off valve when the admission and the consumption
of gas are equal.
In order to obviate the necessity of regulating at each dead charge, I increase the
dead play of the gear actuated by the holder, so that the holder can rise more and
so that the regulation takes place in variable intervals according to the irregularity
of the working of the engine.
Hitherto in using the ordinary governors with caoutchouc bellows, each dead
charge changed the pressure in the conduit.
Fig. 1 shews a suitable form of apparatus constructed according to the present
invention.
A rod e extends downwards through the tube d which also serves as a guide
for the holder. This rod e is provided at its lower end with stops of and g. In the
feed pipe ba throttle valve his provided which is connected with the lever i, the
other end of which is situated between the stops f and g.
The operation of this device is quite clear from what has been said above. The
distance between the stops ƒ and g allows a free play to the holder within certain
limits without affecting the throttle valve.
As the downward motion of the holder is very rapid I prefer to provide
the lever at its end engaging with the stops with suitable sliding surfaces in
order to open the throttle only slowly especially when the holder is near its highest
position.
A stop between the prongs of a bifurcated lever may also be employed.
It is advantageous to provide the lever i with more than two prongs working
together with a corresponding number of stops whereby something like a rack and
pinion gear is obtained. By suitably forming the sliding surfaces or cams on the
lever i it is possible to cause the throttle to be actuated at will in any position of
the gas holder. Fig. 2 shews such an arrangement with two prongs and three
stops, wherein one stop is worked upon after the other. I have described this
invention referring to the arrangement shewn in figs 1 and 2 in which the driving
mechanism is connected centrally with the lever and throttle valve, because this is
the simplest, and most advantageous arrangement; but I may equally well arrange
the apparatus in such a way that the gas holder drives the gear from any other
point and I may equally well employ any known mechanism for communicating
motion to the valve. From the above description it is very easy for any com-
petent engineer to substitute a valve or slide or any equivalent mechanism for the
throttle.
The holder may be provided with a balance weight.
When the consumption of gas is great, I feed the gas to the engine through a
number of apparatus placed side by side, or as shewn in fig 3, I use one or more
larger apparatus A B, which being of stronger construction and greater weight
have a less easy play, and I connect the said larger apparatus A B with a small
one C which compensates the small variations of pressure left by the larger
apparatus, caused by the greater weight of the parts in motion.
The pressure in the small apparatus C must be greater than that in the large
apparatus A and B.
Feed regulators for the large apparatus A and B may be dispensed with, although
their use preferred.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim in respect of apparatus for counteracting the influence of intermittent gas
supply to gas motor engines upon the pressure in the gas main, is
1, The use of a floating gas holder with thin vertical sides in combination with
a gas feed regulator which, within certain limits, allows a free play of the holder,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2, The combination of two or more large apparatus A B with a smaller one C in
which latter a greater gas pressure is maintained, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein described and shewn in fig 3 of the drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1885.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings
London, W.C.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings
London, W.C.