US340454A - Gas-regulator - Google Patents

Description

(N" Mmm A. F. oLDs.

y GAS REGULATOR.

No. 340,454. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

ATTEST.'

N, PETERS. Phowmhngnpmn waxhingm.-

lating-valves, one operated by the pressure of l IINTTno STATES PATENT Cerise.

ALONZO F. OLDS; OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO v CHARLES H. PHELPS, OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

ULATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming peut of Letters Patent No. 340,454, dated April 20,1886.

Application filed January 26, 1886.

To all whom t may concern: -T Beit known that I, ALONZO F. OLDs, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Regulators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this application. y

My invention relates to certain new and usev ful improvements .in gas-regulators, and has for its main object to provide for use a contrivance by means of which the gas-consumer may be able to use the gas usually supplied under a uniform pressure, so as to produce a perfectly steadyvlight at the burner, and with the minimum degree of pressure necessary to produce perfect combustion and develop the best eliminating results without any waste of the gas, and which contrivance at the same time shall be simple. durable, and efcientin its operations, and notliable to derangementiu its working parts; and to these main ends and objects my invention may be said to consist,l primarily, in the use in asingle regulator contrivance ot' two independently-operatiug reguthe gas within the regulator upon a reservoir of glycerine or other suitable liquid and a float immersed therein, and the other actuated through the medium of a flexible diaphragm acted upon by the gas-pressure, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained; and, secondarily, in the use, in connection with a gasregulator,of reilecting shields or ari-esters, against the surface of which the inflowing gas supplied to the regulator from the usual meter impiuges, and which serve to arrest and eliminate from the gas most, or all, of the tar contained therein, thus permitting the gas to pass through the regulators and to the burner in a condition to produce better results, and at the same time preventing any fouling or clogging ofthe valvular devices of the regulator by the deposits on any of the surfaces thereof of 'such tarry ingredients as are usually found in the ordinary coal-gas.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to make and use the same, I willnow proceed to more fully de- Serial No. 189,953. (No model.)

scribe the constructionand operation of a contrivance made according to my invention, referring by letters of reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specilcat-ion, and vin which I have shown my invention carried out in that form in which I have so far successfully practiced it.

In the drawings, Figure l is-a top view of I found `designated by the same letter offreference.

A is the main body or case of a gas-regnlator, which is about cylindrical in form, as shown, and which is provided at its bottom with a centrallylurranged upwardly-projecting tube, B, and with an auxiliary chamber,

AC, with the central bottom opening of which latter is connect-ed the ascending leg or portion of an ordinary pipe, D, which is supposed to extend thence to the gas-meter.

Over the upper open end of thetubular case A is arranged a covering or casting, E, which is securely bolted to the flange at the upper end of A, as shown, and which is formed with a laterally-projecting portion, E", and with a centrally arranged upwardly-proj ecting and perforated portion, J,in which latter is formed, as will be presently explained, a seat for one of the regulator-valves. Y.

L is a dome-shaped top or cover to the regulator,which at its perimeter is securely bolted, as shown, to the upper Hanged edge of part E, and which is formed with an extension,which also covers over the laterally-projecting portion E". This cover L is formed or provided with a central opening havinga screw plug or stopper, j, which is suitably perforated to permit a free ingress and egress of atmospheric air to and from the interior of the dome. Said dome or cover L is also formed with an upwardly-projecting pipe-joint, n, into which is secured the lower end ot' a suitable tube or pipe, N, which is supposed to pass thence tov ROO the pipes and burners of the dwelling or apartment to be supplied with gas through the "regulator, and between the coupled perimeters of said device L and the casting E is securely clamped the perimeterofa tiexible diaphragm, (preferably composed of leather,) M, to the center of which is secured, by means of suitable clamping disks, the stem lof the valve K.

From the under surface of the casting E there depends a hollow cylinder or tube, e, the lower end of which is located, as shown, slightly above the bottom surface of, the main case A of the regulator, and within the lower portion of this cylindrical device e is located and works the annular hollow lloat F, which, by means of upwardly-branching armsf, supports thehollow check-valve G. The upwardly-projecting and hollow stem -like portion H, which is formed or provided with a depending tubular flange, y, is arranged in andworks up and down within (during themovements of the valve G) an annular cup-likereceptacle, h, which is formed at the lower portion of the tubular device I, and in which is kept a suitable supply of glycerine to form a seal or packing, and also to act as a lubricator to the parts having relative motion, the said device I being securely held in place concentrically with the valve-stem II by means of arms or brackets 11, depending from t-he casting E and securely fastened at their lower ends to said device I. The upper end of the tube B is beveled inwardly and downwardly,as clearly shown, to l'orm a perfect seat for the valve G,v

which rests upon said tube when in its lowest position or closed, while the valve K,which is connected, as before mentioned, with the diaphragm M, closes upwardly against the tapering seat formed, as shown, in the device marked J.

The tubular device J is preferably made, as

shown, with itspclosed upper end or head depressed to the proper extent and in the proper shape to form a seat orsupport for the conveX bot-tom of the valve K,whenever the latter may be permitted to descend and rest by gravity upon said device.

m is a illing and vent tube,\vhich is provided with a suitable screw-cap, mi, and which has two or more holes, p, (see Fig. 4,) near its upper end and located at ditl'erentelevations, for a purpose to be presently explained; and O is another tube provided with a suitable cap or screw-cover, and also with a stop cock or key, s, which tube and cock constitute the usual means by which a pressure-gage may be applied to the regulator for the purposes ot' testing the gas-pressure therein,and adjusting or setting the parts of the regulator for proper operation.

b and c are respectively an inverted-dishshaped solid and a similar dish-shaped perforated receptacle or arresters for receiving upon their surface and discharging therefrom onto t-he bottom ofthe auxiliary chamber C, and in a liquid condition, the tarry ingredient contained in the supply of gas which comes from ing upwardly from the coupling a of the chamber C, while the upper one, b, is supported by posts u, connecting` it with the other one. Both the shapes and the arrangement, as Well as the mode of supporting these delectors or tararresters, may of course be varied without departing from the spirit or" my invention.

The bottom of the chamber C is preferably made in the form of an annular dish, for the purpose of more efficiently collecting and coucentrating the liquid tarry matter which drips from the detiectors or arresters b and c, and to permit the ready discharge -of any accumula'- tion through an exit-hole provided (in the case shown) with a screw stopper or plug, d. The lower portion of the case A is supplied and is kept supplied with the proper quantity of a suitable liquid material, preferably glycerine, for the purpose of properly supporting and acting upon the annular float l", in a manner well understood.

At Fig. 2 the arrows indicate the directions in which the supply of gas enters from the pipe D, passes through the valve and other portions of the regulator, and makes its exit into and through the pipe N, which is supposed to supply the gas-burners to be regulated. The broken lines in said figure illustrate the supplies ofglycerine both in the lower portion ofthe main case A and inthe cup-like device l1, and in this ligure the contrivance is illustrated as it would appear with reference to the relative positions of,its working parts when in operation, regulating the gas supplied to the burners in use, while at Fig. 3 the valves G and K are represented as both closed, as they would be only whenever the burners might all be shut oit' and the supply from the gas-lnain exercising its full or undiminished pressure within the case A.

In the operation of my improved regulator the gas supplied through the pipe D comes first into contact with the lower surfaces of the tar-arresters b and c, and is by them deflected in two currents laterally, as illustrated, by which deflective action of the iniiowing gas the said devices b and c receive as a sort of deposit on their under surfaces a certain quantity of tarry liquid matter which would otherwise pass on and upwardly through the valvular devices of the contrvance or machine, and thence partially to the gas-pipes and burners. The arrest or elimination of this ingredient of the as in the simple manner shown I consider to be an important and novel feature of my improved machine, since thereby I am enabled not only to prevent fouling ofthe valvular and other working parts of the machine, but also etfect the final discharge of the gasy for consumption in a better condition for illuminating purposes. As the gas passes upwardly through the tube B, and thence out beneath the open valve G, it fills the interior of the tubular ICC chamber formed by the depending cylinder e, exteriorlyof the device I, and escapes between the top of the valve K and its seat into the chamber or space comprised between the casting E of the regulator and the lower surface ofthe eXible diaphragm M, from which space the gas flows into the supply-pipe N, leading to the burners.

In adjusting or setting the machine for operation or use, the supply of glycerine and the condition of the float F should be such, relatively totheinitial gas-pressurein the machine, as to cause the valve G to permit the escape through it of the gas at about a pressure of seven-tenths of an inch by the gage, while the adjustment of the valve K (by weighting the diaphragm in the usual manner) should be such as to permit the escape through this valve at a pressure, say, about five-tenths of an inch, thus producing the relationship of about seven to five in the pressures at the Alocalities of the two valves, which relative pressures I have found to produce the most desirable results and practically a perfect regulation of the flow of gas to the burners supplied, so as to produce a perfectly steady light, with the minimum degree of gas necessary to perfect combustion and illumination.

By the use of the two indepcndently-operating valvular devices, substantially as shown and described, I produce for use, it will be seen, a duplex regulator, in which,while each ofthe valves works independently ofthe other, and is in itself, to a certain extent, a complete regulator, the two regulators, so to speak, effeet a sort of compensation for any fluctuation or irregularity in the pressure of the gas snpplied to the machi'ne, and thus I am able lo produce results which would be impossible of accomplishment in any regulator containing only a single valvular means of regulation. It will be seen that just in proportion as the valve G may rise to permit an increased iiow or passage of gas will the increased supply of gas therefrom admitted to the interior of the cylinder e (and thence to the diaphragm M) iimnediately operate to partially close the valve K, thus preventing the escape through the burners ofthe surplus supply which entered beneath the valve G,and vice versa. Therefore, as experience has demonstrated in the practical operation of my invention, a gas regulator or governor made as shown and described,with a duplex. or double valvular mechanism, in which each valve operates independently of and counter to the other, will effect a perfect uniformity at atxed standard yofpressure in the supply of gas to the burners ,connected with such governorirrespective of any iiuctnations of pressure which may occur in the gas main or supply from the meter.

Of course many changes and modifications, both in the form and in the arrangements of the devices shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, so long as the novel principle of construction and mode of operation described be retained, the gist of my invention consisting, as I have explained, rst, in a gas regulator or governor provided, as shown, with two independently-operating valves or checks acting counter to each other and in a compensatory manner; and, second, in the use or employment of any suitably shaped and arranged deflectol's, against which the current of inflowing gas from the supply-pipe must impinge, and by which said current will be bodily dedected in substantially the manner and for the purposes explained.

Having now so fully explained my invention and the best mode now known to me of carrying out the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-r l. In a gas regulator or governor, the combination of two valvular devices or mechanisms acting independently of each other and in a compensatory manner, as shown and described, and operated upon respectively by the pressure of gas in the supply-main and by the reduced pressure of gas within the main chamber of the regulator, so that in proportion as the valve first acted upon by the incoming gas will be opened will the valve through which the gas has next to pass be closed by the in creased pressure within the chamber of the regulator, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

g 2., In a gas regulator or governor, the cornbination, with the gas-induction passage, the gas-eduction passage, and the main chamber of the regulator, of one or more deectors arranged or located between the gas-induction passage and the main chamber of the regulator, and operating, as described, to arrest or deprive theinflowing gas of its tarry ingredients and cause the same to collectio a suitable receptacle beneath the arresting devices, from which chamber such matter may be drawn off from the regulator, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of January, 1886.

ALONZO F. OLDS.

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