Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Gas to Water Heating Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Gas to
Water Heating Apparatus.
We, CHARLES LLOYD BRAITHWAITE, and EDWARD O'BRIEN, of the Firm of
Isaac Braithwaite and Son, of Kendal, in the County of Westmoreland, Merchants
and Engineers, 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 an improved apparatus or valve for regulating the supply
of gas to apparatus in which water is heated by the combustion of gas by which
as the pressure of water is reduced consequent upon the flow of water from the
heater or in other words when the draw off or outlet tap is opened-the gas supply
is augmented to heat the water and when the pressure is increased-or the draw
off tap closed-the gas supply is decreased or shut off.
Our invention consists in the application to a heater in which gas is employed as a
fuel of a gas controlling valve so attached that two different pressures are maintained
as the water is being drawn which will open and close as the water outlet or
service tap is turned on or off and in a valve constructed with two water chambers
connected respectively to the water system of the apparatus at either side of a check
valve or other pressure reducing device the chambers being separated by a
corrugated rubber or other flexible membrane carrying a plate or diaphragm to
which is attached a rod or spindle carrying a valve which opens and closes the gas
passage.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2. Sectional elevation of improved valve (enlarged).
Fig. 3. Sectional plan of same on line a-y Fig. 2.
Fig. 4. Sectional elevation of modified form of valve.
The apparatus A may be of any ordinary construction for heating water supplied
with burners for burning gas. The water is supplied through an inlet pipe Band
is drawn off through an outlet pipe C and the gas is supplied by a gas inlet
pipe D to the burners which are situated inside the casing of the apparatus.
In the outlet pipe Cor in some other convenient place in the water system we place
an automatic check valve E weighted or halanced to open against any desired degree
of pressure so as to maintain a slightly higher degree of pressure at one side than
at the other.
The improved regulating valve F is constructed with an external casing G which
internally is divided into two water chambers H and K by an expanding or flexible
casing Land into a third or gas containing chamber M by a metallic or fixed wall
or division plate N. The water containing chamber K is formed inside the
chamber H by a corrugated or bellows shaped rubber casing L which is secured
to the internal flange y of the metallic casing G. Over the end or side of the
flexible casing L is placed a stiff plate of metal or other material so that the
end or side may be kept flat.
To the end or side and plate l' of the flexible casing L enclosing the
chamber His attached the spindle P of the valve R which opens and closes
the outlet pipe m of the gas containing chamber M. The spindle P passes through
the sleeve n attached to the fixed division plate N and a water and gas tight joint
is obtained by the use of a flexible corrugated rubber sleeve or casing S one end

page_text: of which is attached to the fixed sleeve n and the other to the spindle P. If
desired the fixed sleeve n may be dispensed with and the rubber sleeve either
made longer or attached to the spindle P at a point further away from the end
or side of the casing L. In this latter case a flange will he provided in the
plate N to which to secure the corrugated rubber sleeve S. The gas passes to
the chamber M through an inlet pipe m¹.
The valve is provided with a light spiral or other suitable spring T or is weighted
to any desired degree.
The corrugated rubber casing L and the corrugated rubber sleeve S are
respectively secured in position at their ends by a cord or band p tied round
them.
The water containing chambers are each provided with pipes and k by which
they are connected with the water system of the apparatus one at one side of the
check valve E or other pressure reducer and the other at the other side of it. A
small aperture or bye pass is formed in the end and plato l' to permit of the water
flowing slowly from the chamber K to the chamber H to equalize the pressure therein
and allow the valve R to close as soon as the draw off taps are closed.
D' is a small gas supply pipe to maintain a small burner or pilot light always
burning and B is the cold water supply pipe.
In operation when the service tap or valve F is opened to draw off water
the pressure in the pipe C at that side of the check valve E is less than at the
other side of the valve equivalent to the weight put upon the valve E.
Consequently as soon as the service or draw off tap F is opened the pressure in the
water containing chamber H is reduced below that in the water containing
chamber K the greater pressure in K acting upon the end and plate l expands
the casing L and raises or opens the valve R allowing gas to flow down the pipe D
to the burners. When the tap F is closed the check valve E or other pressure
reducer being in equilibrium also closes and the action of the spring T forces the
valve R down again and closes it the water in the chamber K slowly flowing
through the aperture into the other chamber H.
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. A regulator or gas controlling valve for water heaters constructed with two water
chambers one formed inside the other by a flexible corrugated rubber casing attached
at one side to a flange or lip on the casing of the external chamber and at the
free end to a valve spindle by the movement of which the valve is opened and
closed substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. An improved regulator or gas controlling valve for water heaters constructed
and arranged substantially as described and shown with reference either to Figs. 1, 2
and 3 or Fig. 4 of the drawings.
3. In apparatus for regulating the supply of gas to water heating apparatus the
combination with the outer casing G of a flexible rubber casing L attached
thereto forming an inner chamber a division plate N forming a third chamber M
through which the gas passes and a valve R to regulate the flow of gas the spindle of
which is connected to the free end of the flexible chamber and a flexible rubber
sleeve or casing S attached to a flange of the division plate N and to the valve
spindle to prevent communication between the gas chamber and the water chamber
substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 29th day of September 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.