Improvements in Pressure Regulators or Reducers for Gases, Liquids, or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
COULD DIUIFICATION.
Improvements in Pressure Regulators or Reducers for Gases,
Liquids, or the like.
A communication by HEINRICH LOUIS FUGE, of 4, Fernroderstrasse, Hanover,
in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The pressure regulators or reducers hitherto employed for gases, liquids or steam
under pressure working by means of a diaphragm and which are fitted with a valve
for admitting the gas, such valve being operated by the diaphragm by means of
levers or other suitable mechanism, have all the drawback that the valve itself, and
the mechanism operating the same, easily become oxidised owing to the moisture
contained in the gas or steam and their effectiveness is thereby impaired. In order
to remove this drawback, the diaphragm pressure regulator, which forms the
object of this invention, is so arranged that the diaphragm itself forms the valve
for the admission of the gas, steam or liquid so that the oxidation of the valve and
the interruption of working resulting therefrom are entirely obviated. For this
object, the case of the pressure regulator is arranged in such a way that the
diaphragm is divided into two, or even more, parts, one of which, in fact always
the larger part of the diaphragm, is invariably employed for the chamber of the
pressure regulator in which (chamber) the pressure of the gas or steam is reduced,
and the remaining smaller portion (or portions) of the diaphragm is utilised for
closing the inlet apertures for the admission of the gas or steam. Several forms of
construction of this sort of improved pressure regulator are shown more in detail on
the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figures 1 and 2 are a vertical section and plan view respectively of the
apparatus.
a is an oblong case which is covered by a lid 6 and which is divided by means of
a perforated partition a¹ into two compartments. A diaphragm formed of leather,
indiarubber or a combination of indiarubber and metal, or of other suitable elastic
material is clamped between the case a and the lid 6 in such a way that it covers
the chamber, which is divided into two parts by means of the partition a³ of the
case a and the diaphragm is thus divided into a larger part M and a smaller
part M. This diaphragm is provided with an upper arm d movably pivoted on
the partition a¹ and a lower arm d¹ in such a manner that both parts M and M' of
the diaphragm are connected with one another by means of the arms d d'and
oscillate leverwise towards one another on the fulcrum a of the arms.
The two ends and the fulcrum of the arms are each weighted by means of
compressed springs g 1h and k respectively, one of these springs g engages in a
case c of the lid 6 and may be adjusted and regulated by means of a screw fin
order to maintain the equipoise between the springs h and 1; the spring k presses
the fulcrum of the arms firmly on its seat in order to allow of no back lash
during the oscillating movement.
There are also arranged on the case a, an outlet opening A for the gas or steam,
an opening B for the attachment of a manometer and an up or down adjustable
nozzle E for the admission of the gas or steam. In a similar way there is provided
on the bottom of the case another nozzle C in which a safety valve is arranged and
.

page_text: adjusted to a given pressure so that a discharge of gas.from the case a may take
place as soon as the maximum pressure under which the pressure regulator is
intended to work is exceeded. This safety valve consists in this case of a
diaphragm t held by the closing cap p of the nozzle, in which diaphragm the valve
seat m is suitably fastened and by a spring o arranged in the cap which is provided
with an opening, which spring presses the valve seat m firmly against the washer
plate arranged in the bottom of the case a. The holes r made in the bottom
of the case a form the connection between the interior of the case and the valve m,
or the outside air.
The pressure regulator or reducer works in the following manner--
In a normal condition, the seat of the inlet nozzle E for the gas or steam is
closed by means of the smaller portion M' of the diaphragm. If the tap which
closes the nozzle E be then opened, the pressure of the gas lifts the smaller part M'
of the diaphragm and the other part M of the diaphragm descends and gas enters
the interior of the case a until the pressure in the latter has become so great that
the larger part M of the diaphragm again rises, overcomes the pressure on the
smaller part M¹ of the diaphragm and again closes the inlet nozzle E. If the
-pressure diminishes by the discharge of the gas or steam through the opening A,
the part M' of the diaphragm is again lifted off its seat and gas again flows into the
interior of the case A by which the part M of the diaphragm is again raised
and M¹ again pressed down on the inlet. This operation is again constantly
repeated at short intervals.
If, for any reason, the pressure of the gas or steam in the interior of the case a
and its attached pipes should suddenly become too great, the safety valve t m opens
and allows the over pressure to blow off.
Figures 3 and 4 show a somewhat modified form of the pressure reducer herein-
before more particularly described, in vertical section and plan view respectively.
Similar parts are indicated by the same letters as in the form of construction
previously described.
This form of construction only differs from that shown in Figures 1 and 2 in
that the two arms d and d' are mutually interchanged, but show no other alteration
so that the effect and mode of working remain precisely the same.
The pressure reducer shown in vertical section in Figure 5 differs from the one
shown in Figures 3 and 4 in that the fulcrum z of the arm & consists of a flåt
hinge y and the smaller part M² of the diaphragm is provided with an extra washer
plate e which is formed of hard and not easily adhesive material and which is
attached to a screw e suitably arranged in the part M¹ of the diaphragm in such a
way as to allow of the washer plate e being slightly adjusted.
On Sheet II of the accompanying drawing, Figures 6 and 7 show a vertical
section and plan view of a pressure reducer, in which a number of small chambers
are arranged in a circle round the large chamber a so that a number of small
parts M' of the diaphragm are systematically grouped round the part M. The
same parts are again indicated by the same letters as in the forms of construction
previously described.
The armature of the larger part M of the diaphragm is here so arranged as to
form above and below a bar or rod d" which rests against the bottom of the case a
and is supported at the top in the spring case c, the separate arms d of which
armature radially extend to the small parts M' of the diaphragm. These latter
are movably connected with the armature & d¹ of the larger part M of the
diaphragm in order to transfer leverwise the up and down movements of the part M
to the parts M' and to simultaneously open or close all the inlet nozzles E. The
inlet nozzles E are fed from the common supply tube D.
This last described form of pressure reducer is more particularly employed
where it is a question of reducing the pressure of large quantities of high pressure
gas or steam. This form of construction may also be easily so arranged that the
various parts of the armature of the parts of the diaphragm which are here
arranged above may be placed beneath the same.

page_text: It may also be mentioned that safety valve nozzles may easily be applied to all
the forms of construction of the pressure reducer shown in Figures 3 to 7. It is
also evident that any other suitable form of safety valve may be employed with
any of the forms of construction hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. A pressure regulator or reducer in which a diaphragm is employed,
characterised by the case having one or more small chambers for the inlet, and a
large chamber for the outlet of the gas, etcetera, and having the various chambers
covered by a diaphragm, which, fitting over the inlet nozzles, forms the inlet valve,
and at the same time is provided on the side which is not exposed to the pressure
of the gas, with a weighting arrangement and lever arms for the object of protecting
by means of the diaphragm the movable parts from the liquid or gas under pressure
substantially as described.
2. A pressure reducer of the kind described in which a special valve plate e is
arranged on a set screw which has the thread of its nut in a holder attached to the
diaphragm and which may be adjusted during the working of the apparatus by
means of an opening formed in the lid of the case substantially as set forth.
3. The general combined arrangement or construction of parts forming the
improved pressure regulator or reducer substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of December 1893
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.