IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moses Poole, of Avenue Road, Regent's
Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
"
A communication
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moses Poole at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th July 1858.
I, MOSES POOLE, of Avenue Road, Regent's Park, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS REGULATORS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of means of working the cut off valves of gas
regulators. It is preferred that such valves should consist of an
inverted hollow cylinder of thin metal, though other forms of valves
may be insed.
The valve is attached by a wire to the yasometer
formed regulating disc, which is in the branch to which the gas passes
from the supply main; the pressure on the regulating disc causes the
valve to rise, and more or less to close the opening from the main into
the branch. Circular valves may be used in the main, turning on axes,
so as to form partitions across the gas mains when standing across

page_text: them; and such valves, by reason of being balanced on their axes, may
readily be acted on by regulating discs, such as above mentioned; and
such regulating discs may be pressed on by graduated springs, or by
weights, or by conical or wedge formed floats working in a fluid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Moses Poole in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 17th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J,
MOSES POOLE, of Avenue Road, Regent's Park, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Moses Poole, Her special
licence that I, the said Moses Poole, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Moses Poole, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GAS REGULATORS," (communicated to me from abroad,) upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Moses Poole, by an
iustrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Moses Poole, lo hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):

page_text: This Invention consists of means of working the cut off valves of gas
regulators. It is preferred that such valves should consist of an in-
verted hollow cylinder of thin metal, though other forms of valves may
be used. The valve is attached by a wire to the gasonieter formed
regulating disc, which is in the branch to which the gas passes from the
supply main; the pressure on the regulating disc causes the valve to
rise, and more or less to close the opening from the main into the
branch. Circular valves may be used in the main, turning on axes, so as
to form partitions across the gas mains when standing across them, and
such valves, by reason of being balanced on their axes, may readily be
acted on by regulating discs such as above mentioned; and such regu-
lating discs may be pressed on by graduated springs, or by weights, or
by conical or wedge formed floats working in a fluid.'
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the means of performing the same.
It is well known that light from gas is produced with the greatest
economy when the gas is delivered at the burners at a low uniform
pressure, considerably lower than the average pressure of the gas in the
main.
It has been a desideratum to discover efficient self acting apparatus
and means of regulating the delivery of gas at the burners, so that it
may be consumed at the most economical pressure.
In gas regulators heretofore it has been proposed to regulate the
supply and delivery of gas at the burners by means of moving a valve
placed in the pipe or channel which conveys the gas to the burners;
and it is customary to call that portion of the pipe or channel between
the valve and the place of production of the gas the main, and to call
that portion of the pipe or channel between the valve and the burners
the branch. The valve separates that which is called the main from
that which is called the branch. And in all gas regulators at present in
use regulation is attempted, and with greater or less certainty effected,
by means of a valve moved to or from its seat in, or nearly in, the line
of the direction of the flow of the gas from the main, and subject to
pressure of the gas in the line of its motion in some cases, as in the
gas regulator called the Scotch or Milne's Machine, the valve in

page_text: noving towards its seat moves in a direction opposed to that of the
flow of the gas from the main; in other cases, as in the well known gas
regulator called Clegg's Machine, the valve in moving towards its seat
moves in a direction with that of the flow of gas from the main..
It is evident that as the regulating valve moves in the direction of
the flow of the gas from the main, and is subject to pressure of the gas
in the line of its motion, au increased or diminished pressure of the
gas in the main would tend to open or close the valve, and thus
increase or diminish the supply of gas to the branch, so that the regu-
lating power having been adjusted to any pressure of the gas in the
main would require to be readjusted in order to work accurately and
efficiently at any other pressure of the gas in the main,-a consideration
of importance, inasmuch as the variations of the pressures of the gns
the main are very great.
in
In the gas regulators mentioned the regulating force of the pressure
in the branch is obtained and augmented by means of a gasometer
formed hood or disc floating in water or mercury (used as packing),
and acted upon so as to be raised or lowered by the varying pressure of
the gas in the branch; the gasometer formed hood being, in fact, an
expansion of the branch.
The accompanying Drawing, Figure 1, shews a section through.
the ordinary well-known or Clegg's gas regulator, in which the valve.
or surface V, obstructs the passage of the gas through the aperture
a, a, and is moved by the rising and falling of the gasometer formed
hood G; M, is the main pipe which conducts the gas from the source
of production; B, is the branch pipe which conducts it to the burners;
P, is the packing of mercury, water, or other liquid, in which
the gasometer formed hood floats; R, is the rod which connects the
valve V, with the hood; H, H, is the valve seat or inlet pipe. In this
machine the regulation is produced by the pressure of the gas in the
branch operating on the hood G, which by its movement causes. the
surface V, to approach or recede from the pipe H, H, which is perma-
nently connected in this case with the diaphragm E; but the accuracy
of the regulation is impaired by the fact that the surface V, is subject
to the varying and disturbing pressure of the gas in the main, and is

page_text: connected by the rod R, with the regulating hood, to which it neces-
sarily communicates all the perturbations which disturb it. By making
the regulating hood very large, in proportion to the surface V, the loss
arising from this source may be reduced; but the expence and many
inconveniences attending the enlargement of the regulating hood beyond
a certain and altogether insufficient limit are so great, that it is
desirable to effect or perfect the regulation by some other means.
In Mr. Kidder's Invention it is proposed to overcome the difficulty
by balancing the valve or surface V, Figure 1st, against the pressure of
the gas in the main by means of a small gasometer formed hood or
lisc, which receives pressure from the gas in the main; and by this
additional apparatus the inherent defect of the kind of valve used by
him and Clegg, and in common use, is to a certain extent remedied.
By the present Invention this difficulty is avoided altogether.
The chief part of the Invention consists in regulating the flow of gas
by means of a force derived from the pressure of the gas in the branch
applied to a valve or valves, or equivalent apparatus, not liable to be
opened or closed or disturbed by the varying pressure of the gas
in the main. Thus is avoided the necessity of using too large a
regulating hood in Clegg's Machine, or of using the balancing apparatus
proposed by Kidder.
I will now proceed to describe what is considered a good form of this
part of the Invention, and a good mode of putting it into operation.
See Drawing Figure 24, which represents a vertical section of a gas
regulator, in which the same letters represent the same corresponding
parts as in Figure 1st. S, is a standard which supports the surface V,
and keeps it immoveable at any point at which it is set; this point may
be adjusted at pleasure, and the standard may be connected with any
fixed point; c, c, are arms or braces, say of wire, which connect the
rod R, with the pipe H, H, which for the purpose of this combination
must be detached from the diaphragm E, so that it can be moved up
and down by the action of the regulating hood G, and the connecting
rod R, and made to approach or recede from the surface V; the pipe or
hollow cylinder H, H, is made of thin metal and of a convenient length,
say two inches, more or less, prolonging it downwards below the surface

page_text: V, which enters into its lower part. It is evident that the cylinder
H, H, thus surrounding the surface V, with its lower part, obstructs the
flow of the gas from the main M, through the aperture a, a, into the
branch B, and that the motion of the cylinder H, E, downwards,
causing it to recede from the diaphragm E, will enlarge the orifice
above the cylinder H, H, through which the gas flows from the main
into the branch; and the rising of the cylinder H, H, causing it to
approach the diaphragm E, will diminish the orifice and diminish the
supply of gas from the main to the branch. The leakage of gas
around V, at x, x, may, if desired, be prevented by liquid packing, say
mercury, in a cup fixed to the bottom of V, as shewn in the dotted
lines y, y. Figure 8, represents a horizontal section of the machine
represented by Figure 2, through the line z,, and the same letters
represent the same parts as in Figure 2. Figure 4th, represents a hori-
zontal section made through the line W, W, Figure 2, and the same
letters represent the same parts as in Figure 2. It is evident that in
this machine, Figure 24, the pressure of the gas in the main is received
upon the immoveable surface V, or upon the moveable cylinder H, H.
But as the cylinder or valve apparatus H, H, which regulates by its
motion the flow of gas, can only be pressed upon by the, gas in the main
in a direction or directions transverse to the line of motion of H, H, it
is obvious that the valve or apparatus H, H, is not liable to be opened
or closed or materially disturbed by the varying pressure of the gas in
the main, but is at all times free to obey the impulse of the regulating
power; and the machine being once adjusted in the well known manner
by means of the proper weight placed upon the hood or elsewhere will
work with uniformi pressure at the burners, no matter how variable may
be the pressure in the main.
Having thus described what I believe to be the best form of valve
and apparatus I am acquainted with, I would remark, that almost any
valve which in its motion cuts the current of gas as it passes from the
main at right angles (or nearly so) to the direction of the current will
answer, care being taken to use the well known means adapted to the
various forms to avoid or diminish friction and liability to clog.
Instead of the cut off valves before described as part of this Inven-

page_text: tion, circular or other shaped valves may be used in the main pipe,
turning on axes, so as to form partitions across the gas mains when
standing across them; and such valves being pressed upon equally on
each side of the axis by the gas in the main are not liable to be opened
or closed or materially disturbed by the varying pressure of the gas in.
the main, and obey readily the regulating power. Or, for similar
reasons, the form of valve called the butterfly valve, (or the double
valve, or balanced valve.) being composed of two parts compensating
each other, may be used. It is superfluous to represent by Drawings
gas regulators in which these valves are used. The valves themselves
are well known; and the means of connecting with them the regu-
lating power are herein-before sufficiently described, or are well known
to mechanics.
Another part of the Invention consists in counteracting the dis-
turbing effects produced by the varying pressure of the gas in the main
upon the common valves of gas regulators heretofore used, called poppet
valves, by menus of graduated weiglits, or graduated springs, or other
similar graduated contrivances, such as partially submerged wedge-
shaped floats, which, being more or less withdrawn from the liquid in
which they are immersed, act as graduated weights.
Suppose the machine represented by Figure 1st; let the pressure
of the gas in the main be increased; the increasing pressure acting
upon the surface V, would tend to close the valve and diminish the
supply of gas to the burners too much. It is proposed to place over
the regulating hood G, a number of weights, which will be taken up
successively by the hood G, as it rises higher and higher beyond a
certain point, the weights resting respectively upon supports until
they are successively reached and lifted from their supports by the
rise of the regulating hood. Or the weights may be arranged around
the rod R, in the form of rings of metal, resting upon supports until
successively taken up by projections attached to the rod R. In
like manner the falling of the regulating hood or rod R, will succes-
sively deposit the graduated weights upon the supports, and thus reduce
the weight opposed to the decreasing pressure of the gas in the main.
If the upper surface of the poppet valve V, Figure 1, he exposed to

page_text: the pressure of the gas in the main, as is sometimes done, then the
increasing pressure of the gas in the main will tend to open the valve
and increase the supply of the gas to the burners too much. In this case
I interpose a small horizontal lever between the graduated weights and
the top of the regulating hood or rod R, and so arrange the graduated
weights that they. shall be successively taken up by one arm of the lever
as the other arm. connected with the top of the hood falls or is pulled
down by the falling hood. It is evident that when the free arm of the
lever reaches the weights successively, the tendency of the hood to fall,
and of the valve to open, will be counteracted.
So, instead of graduated weights, graduated or successive springs
may be used, by means of which a gradually increasing or decreasing
resistance to the rising or falling of the regulating hood may be opposed,
and thus the supply of gas be in some degree regulated.
It is considered superfluous to enter into any more minute description
of this part. of the Invention, or to illustrate it by Drawings. From
what has been said any skilful mechanic acquainted with gas inachinery
will know how to put it in operation. But I consider this part of-the
Invention to be less advantageous. in use than that described in respect
to Figures 2, 3, and 4.
}
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the mode of
putting it into operation, what I claim is,―
First, the construction and use of gas regulator, in which the regu-
lating power is applied to a valve or valves, or equivalent apparatus,
of a form and arrangement not liable to be opened or closed or dis-
turbed by the varying pressure of the gas in the main, substantially as
herein described.
Second, the construction and use of gas regulators, in which the
regulating power is applied to a valve or valves, or equivalent apparatus,
so constructed and arranged as to cut transversely the intercepted
.current of gas from the main, substantially as herein described.
Third, the construction and use of gas regulators, in which the regu-
lating hood is disconnected from the surface, which in other gas
regulators using the hood receives the disturbing effects of the varying
pressure of the gas. in the main, substantially as herein described.

page_text: Fourth, the use in gas regulators of graduated weights or springs
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
12, Cursitor Street,
Chancery Lane.
MOSES POOLE. (L.S.)