An Adjustable Automatic Heat Regulator.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Adjustable Automatic Heat Regulator.
I CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL of Hockley Heath Warwickshire Apiarian
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an instrument or apparatus constructed in the manner
hereinafter described by the use of which a room or apartment or liquids heated by
the combustion of gas can be maintained at an approximately uniform temperature.
My invention may also be applied to the regulation of heating effected by the
burning of oil or by the use of steam. The apparatus permits of the normal or
required temperature being varied between such limits as are required for different
purposes such as the heating of dwelling or bed rooms conservatories hot-houses
liquids and the like. I will describe my invention in connection with heating by gas.
My adjustable automatic heat regulator is constructed as follows:-The gas by the
combustion of which the heating of the room or place is effected is conducted by a
pipe into a small chamber in the axis of which is a tube closed at its outer end which
protrudes from the chamber and open at its inner end which protrudes into a second larger
chamber. This tube by a screwing motion can be made to advance or recede its screwing
motion being effected by means of its protruding outer end which is made angular
for the reception of a key. In the side of the adjustable tube is a slot or opening
and the gas from the ingress pipe passes from the small chamber through the said slot
into the said adjustable tube and from its open end into the larger chamber and from
thence into the egress pipe to the burner. In line with the adjustable tube is a conical.
plug or valve carried by a spindle. By the advance of the said valve towards the open
end of the adjustable tube the said end is more or less closed and the quantity of gas
passing out more or less diminished. By the withdrawal of the valve from the open
end of the adjustable tube the passage of the gas is less impeded and "the supply to
the burner increased.
The advancing and retiring motions of the valve for reducing or increasing the flow
of gas are effected as follows:-The spindle of the valve is fixed to the centre of one
side of a flat circular closed chamber containing air or other elastic or non-elastic
fluid. The sides of this chamber are preferably corrugated like the chamber of an
aneroid barometer. As the temperature of the room or place rises the said chamber
expands and the spindle of the valve and the valve advance towards the open end of
the adjacent adjustable tube thus diminishing the flow of gas. When the temperature
falls below the normal temperature the contraction of the chamber withdraws the
valve from the adjustable tube and thereby permits an additional flow of gas. Where
great sensitiveness is required two or more of the said elastic chambers may be
employed.
The normal temperature of the room or place to be warmed or heated is determined
by screwing or unscrewing the adjustable tube.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Adjustable Automatic Heat Regulator.
I CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL of Hockley Heath Warwickshire Apiarian
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to
5 be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention consists of an instrument or apparatus constructed in the manner

page_text: hereinafter described by the use of which a room or apartment or liquids heated by
the combustion of gas can be maintained at an approximately uniform temperature.
My invention may also be applied to the regulation of heating effected by the burning
of oil or by the use of steam. The apparatus permits of the normal or required
temperature being varied between such limits as are required for different purposes
such as the heating of dwelling or bed rooms conservatories hot houses liquids and
the like. I will describe my invention in connection with heating by gas.
My adjustable automatic heat regulator is constructed as follows. The gas by
the combustion of which the heating of the room or place is effected is conducted by
a pipe into a small chamber in the axis of which is a tube closed at its outer end,
which protrudes from the chamber, and open at its inner end which protrudes into a
second larger chamber. This tube by a screwing motion can be made to advance or
recede, its screwing motion being effected by means of its protruding outer end which
is made angular for the reception of a key. In the side of the adjustable tube is a
slot or opening and the gas from the ingress pipe passes from the small chamber
through the said slot into the said adjustable tube and from its open end into the larger
chamber and from thence into the egress pipe to the burner. In line with the
adjustable tube is a conical plug or valve carried by a spindle. By the advance of
the said valve towards the open end of the adjustable tube the said end is more or
less closed and the quantity of gas passing out more or less diminished. By the
withdrawal of the valve from the open end of the adjustable tube the passage of the
gas is less impeded and the supply to the burner increased.
The advancing and retiring motions of the valve for reducing or increasing the
flow of gas are effected as follows. The spindle of the valve is fixed to the centre
of one side of a flat circular closed chamber containing air or other elastic or non
elastic fluid. The sides of this chamber are preferably corrugated like the chamber
of an aneroid barometer. As the temperature of the room or place rises the said
chamber expands and the spindle of the valve and the valve advance towards the
open end of the adjacent adjustable tube thus diminishing the flow of gas. When
the temperature falls below the normal temperature the contraction of the chamber
withdraws the valve from the adjustable tube and thereby permits an additional flow
Where great sensitiveness is required two or more of the said clastic
chambers may be employed.
of gas.
The normal temperature of the room or place to be warmed or heated is determined
by screwing or unscrewing the adjustable tube.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in side elevation and Figure 2
in plan an adjustable automatic heat regulator the parts of which are constructed and
arranged according to my invention: Figures 3 and 4 represent elevations of the
same taken at opposite ends of the regulator; Figures 5 and 6 represents sections
of the same taken at right angles to one another, Figure 5 being taken in a vertical
plane on the line x, x Figure 4 and Figure 6 being taken in a horizontal plane on the
line y y Figure 4 and Figure 7 represents the regulator with a modified valve.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawing.
The apparatus represented is specially fitted for use in connection with the heating
of a room or apartment by the combustion of. gas.
a is the inlet or ingress pipe by which the gas by the combustion of which
the room or apartment is heated, is conducted to the apparatus and 6 is the
egress pipe by which the gas is conducted from the apparatus to the burner
or burners. The said ingress and egress pipes a and b open into the rectangular
chamber of the apparatus; d is an adjustable axial tube closed at the outer
end d² and open at the inner end. The said tube d is screwed externally and
works in the screwed stuffing box e. By turning the said tube d by a key
applied to its square or angular end d² it may by a screwing motion be advanced
into or partly withdrawn from the body of the apparatus. The gas from the ingress
pipe a enters the chamber c and passes into the axial tube d through the side slot f
(see Figures 5 and 6) and from the open end of the said tube the said gas passes into

page_text: the larger chamber 9 and from thence into the egress pipe b to the burner or
burners. The manner in which the gas is conducted through the apparatus is best
seen in the horizonta! section Figure 6 where the course of the gas is indicated by the
arrows: h is the conical (or other) valve in a line with the adjustable tube d. This
conical valve h is fixed by its stem to the closed chambers ii the said chambers being
partly enclosed by the case or cover k to which the periphery of the outer chamber
is affixed. By the advance of the valve towards the open end of the adjustable
tube d the said end is more or less closed and the quantity of gas more or less
diminished and by the withdrawal of the valve from the open end of the adjustable
tube d the passage of the gas is less impeded and the supply to the burner or burners
increased. By adjusting the position of the protruding inner end of the tube d
the normal temperature of the room place or thing to be warmed or heated is
determined.
Instead of fixing the valve rigidly to its stem or spindle it may be so connected
that it is made capable of yielding when pressure is put upon it. This modification
is represented in Figure 7. The valve h in this modification is loose on its stem but
is held in its normal or advanced position on the stem by the coiled spring represented
one end of the spring bearing against a collar on the valve stem and the other end
of the spring being fastened to the valve. This spring acts as a cushion and prevents
derangement of the expansive chambers ii should the adjustable tube d be driven
inwards too far.
The advancing and retiring motions of the valve h for reducing or increasing the
flow of gas are effected by the flat circular chambers i, i attached to the stem of the
valve h. These chambers are corrugated preferably as represented and contain air
or other elastic or inelastic fluids as hereinafter particularly explained. It will be
understood that as the temperature of the room or place rises the said chambers i
are expanded by the expansion of their contents and the valve advances towards the
open end of the adjustable tube d and thereby diminishes the flow of gas passing to
the burner or burners. When the temperature falls below the normal temperature
the contraction of the chambers withdraws the valve h from the adjustable tube d
and thereby permits an additional flow of gas to the burner or burners.
Instead of filling the chambers ii with air they may be filled partly with ether or
alcohol and partly with air. For temperatures up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit I prefer
to employ ether to the extent of part of the capacity of the chamber and for
temperatures up to 240 degrees Fahrenheit I prefer to employ absolute alcohol to the.
extent of 5 part of the capacity of the chamber. The other part of the chamber is
filled with air.
When I use liquids or so called inelastic fluid such as oil, water and the like, I
fill the chamber or chambers with the said inelastic fluids and effect the regulation by
the expansion of the said fluids instead of by the expansion of a gas or vapour. As
the expansion of liquids or so called inelastic fluids by heat is much more limited
than the expansion of gases or vapours by a like increment of temperature it is
necessary when liquids are used to make the chamber or chambers of inuch greater
capacity than when gases or vapours are used. I prefer when using liquids to employ
chambers of not less than ten times the capacity of those represented and to use
liquids only when great nicety of adjustment is required.
Although I prefer to employ two elastic chambers ii where great sensitiveness is
required in the apparatus yet a single elastic chamber may be employed or more than
two elastic chambers may be used according to the distance which it is required
the valve shall travel. And although I prefer to make the tube d through which the
ncoming gas passes adjustable yet the said tube may be fixed and the head of the
apparatus carrying the valve h and elastic chambers i, i may be made adjustable for
rranging the valve at the proper distance from the open end of the tube to determine
he normal temperature of the room or place.
For the purpose of preventing the complete shutting off of the gas to and the
naintenance of a minute flame at the burner or burners should the end of the pipe d
be fully closed by the valve h, a by-pass is used between the two chambers c and g

page_text: which by-pass is regulated by the adjustable screw plug or valve mas-represented
in Figure 6.
When oil or other liquid combustible is used in place of gas for heating the room
place liquid or air, the said liquid combustible is supplied under pressure to the
ingress pipe a and the quantity passing through the apparatus to the burner or
burners is regulated in the manner before described with respect to gas; and when
steam or hot water is the heating medium its passage to the steam or hot water pipes
or steam or hot water heating apparatus is similarly regulated.
In applying the regulator to a room or apartment in which a gas fire or gas stove
is used the said regulator may be fixed by a clip to the wall or other convenient
position about three feet from the floor the circular head of the regulator hanging
downwards. Two short pipes or tubes are necessary one from the gas supply to the
regulator and another from the regulator to the burner or burners.
The regulator may be applied to urns vats or other vessels containing liquid and
also to Japanning stoves by unscrewing the circular head i, k from the regulator_case
and passing the neck of the regulator through a hole in the side of the vessel. From
the inside of the vessel the circular head is screwed to the other part of the regulator
and a tight joint formed. The circular head of the regulator is thus arranged inside
and the regulator case and adjusting tube d outside the vessel.
When used with lacquering stoves the regulator is placed with the face upon the
top of the stove so as to come into contact with the surface, the heating of which is
to be controlled, the connections before described being used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention :-
First The combination in an adjustable automatic heat regulator of an elastic
closed chamber or chambers containing air gas or vapour or containing air and a
volatile liquid such as ether or alcohol or a liquid only such as water or oil, the said
chamber or chambers being capable of expanding and contracting by the expanding
and contracting of its or their contents as the temperature of the room or place or
article rises or falls, the said chamber or chambers carrying a valve by the advancing
or receding of which the regulation of the flow of the gas or liquid combustible on
its way to the burner or burners or steam or hot water on its way to the steam or hot
water pipes or steam or hot water heating apparatus is effected substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly―The combination in an adjustable automatic heat regulator of the pipes,
passages, chambers and adjustable or fixed axial tube arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing through which
pipes passages chambers and tube the gas or liquid combustible or steam or hot
water is conducted and its quantity regulated substantially as described and
illustrated.
Thirdly The general arrangement of the parts of the adjustable automatic heat
regulator herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Dated the Twenty second day of August 1889.
CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL.