Patent GB-1066471-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to control systems
Inventor: DRESSLER ROBERT LEONARD
IPC: B63H21/22
Filed: 1964-01-31
Abstract: 1,066,471. Starting. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Ltd. April 29, 1965 [Jan.31, 1964], No. 4236/64. Heading F1K. [Also in Division G1] A system for controlling an internal combustion engine comprises a single control member coupled electrically to at least two of the engine controls which are both varied to produce the required operating condition. The system is described with reference to the control of a marine diesel engine from the bridge of a ship, Fig. 1 (not shown), and comprises a bridge control lever (7) linked to a 'Magslip' transmitter (9), and pneumatically operated linkages to the fuel control (1), starting air control (3) and fuel pressure control (5) of the engine. A tachometer (11), direction indicating switches (12), and a fuel pressure transducer (49) are provided on the engine, and the position of the fuel control (1) is measured by a 'Magslip' transmitter (10). Normal running. The output from the bridge transmitter (9) and the fuel control transmitter (10) are applied to the input of an amplifier (39), the error voltage being used to correct the position of the fuel control. Starting. When the engine is at rest the fuel control (1) is in the 'off' position and operates a microswitch (31). When the bridge control lever (7) is moved to the 'ahead' position a voltage is applied to an amplifier (43) which applies a signal to an input of a 'sequence and interlock' circuit (45) and since switch (31) is operated an output is generated to permit the pneumatic system to move the air control to the 'ahead' position which allows the normal equipment of the engine to turn it in the 'ahead' direction. Circuit (45) closes a contact (40) to apply a reference signal to the input of the fuel control amplifier (39) to move the fuel control to an appropriate starting position. The air supply is maintained for a time long enough for the engine to fire after which the air is cut off and the fuel control amplifier (39) is connected to the signal from bridge control (7) by contact (38). If the engine fails to fire, indicated by a low output from tachometer (11), the starting procedure is automatically repeated. If the bridge control lever (7) is moved to the 'astern' position instead of the 'ahead' position the starting operation is identical except that the phase of the output from transformer (9) is reversed and this is detected by amplifier (43) and the control system moves the air control to the 'astern' position. Reversing. If when the engine is running the bridge control lever (7) is moved from an 'ahead' to an 'astern' position switch (38) is opened by circuit (45) to allow the fuel control 1 to move to the 'off' position. When the engine speed has dropped to a pre-set value circuit (45) produces a signal which operates air control (3) to reverse the direction of the engine. An emergency override button may be provided on the bridge to enable the air control to be operated before the engine speed has dropped to the pre-set value. Pressure control. The output from tachometer (11) is also applied to a 'reference pattern circuit' (51) the output of which is compared with the signal from fuel pressure transducer (49), the resulting error signal being applied to the pressure control (5) so that optimum fuel pressure is obtained for the speed of the engine. The bridge control may be combined with the normal telegraph transmitter and the control linkages are arranged so that they may be manually operated. In a modification of the system, Fig. 2 (not shown) the fuel pressure control is omitted and a selector switch (59) is provided on the bridge so that the engines may be controlled from the bridge or the engine room. The fuel control lever (2) is provided with a rack (58) for use on manual control and this is lowered manually when bridge control is desired to permit free movement of the lever. The rack is held disengaged by an electromagnet (78) so that if there is a power or air supply failure the rack is released and retains the lever in position. The pneumatic arrangement of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment, and means are provided in the fuel control system to enable fast and slow movements of the linkage to be selected by the control system. Various indicators, alarms, and safety devices are incorporated in the system.