A Centrifugal Governor Operating with Liquid, also applicable as Resistance Governor.
Year: 1893

page_text: A Centrifugal Governor Operating with Liquid, also applicable as
Resistance Governor.
We, JOSEPH IGNAZ RÜSCH, Manufacturer and OTTO SENDTNER, Engineer,
both of Dornbirn, Vorarlberg, Austria 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 a centrifugal governor in which the operative medium
is a liquid.
For this purpose a vane wheel, rotated by the motor engine the speed of
which is to be governed, is situated in a casing filled with liquid and com-
municating with a cylinder in which a column of liquid is maintained proportionate
to the liquid pressure due to the speed of rotation of the vane wheel. This liquid
column is made to act upon a loaded piston which is connected to the regulating
device (slide valve, lift valve, throttle valve &c.) so that according as the piston is
made to rise or fall owing to the increase or decrease of the height of the liquid
column, it is made to actuate such regulating device, closing the same more or less
when rising and opening the same when falling.
The accompanying drawing shews a centrifugal regulator constructed according
to this invention; Fig. 1 shews a vertical section of the same and Fig. 2 a
horizontal section through part of the vane wheel and its chamber.
On the vertical shaft w which may either be the motor shaft itself or a shaft
driven therefrom, is fixed a vane wheel consisting of a disc with vanes or ribs c on
each side thereof, and which revolves within a casing 6 filled with liquid. This
casing, which may have its inner surface made either smooth, or with ribs a as
shewn, communicates by a pipe d at its periphery with a cylinder f, the passage of
the pipe d being by preference regulatable by means of a cock h or other device.
In the cylinder is a piston e, either with or without packing, and loaded by a
weight and which is connected in any suitable manner such as by a link k and
lever 1, with the spindle m of the regulating device, the change of position of
which effects either an increase or a decrease in the speed of the motor engine, and
consequently of the shaft w.
If the casing b is filled with liquid and the shaft w and vane wheel c be rotated,
the liquid will be forced by the centrifugal action against the inner periphery of
the casing band will flow through pipe d'into the cylinder f, where it will exert a
corresponding upward pressure upon the loaded piston e. The weight is so
proportioned that with the normal speed of revolution of the vane wheel, the
piston e will be held supported by the liquid in a certain position. If now the
speed of the motor engine and consequently that of the vane wheel increases,
the pressure under the piston e will also increase, causing this to be raised, and
consequently to turn the regulator spindle m so as to reduce the supply of motor
fluid to the motor engine to a certain extent. The speed of the engine is thus
reduced and as this effects a corresponding reduction of speed of the vane wheel c,
the consequent reduction of the pressure beneath the piston e will cause this to sink
again, and thus by actuating the regulating device, it will again increase the supply.
of motor fluid to the engine.
If the speed sinks below the normal, the reverse results will take place, so that
every variation of speed will at once produce a movement of the regulating
device, and consequently a regulation of the speed of the engine.
If on the other hand the motor runs at the normal speed, no movement of the
governor will take place.
The liquid which is forced past the piston, owing to its loose fit, during the

page_text: upward or downward motion thereof, is continuously conveyed by a pipe n back
into a central receptacle 6' of the casing b, so that no waste of liquid takes place,
and no attendance is required for keeping the apparatus in working order.
The apparatus can also be employed as resistance governor, in which case, the
outer space of the vane wheel casing, that is, the pipe d, is connected by a pipe g
with the central part 6 of the casing, while the lever instead of actuating a
regulating spindle m, is made to actuate a cock or valve p in the pipe g by means
of the rod o and lever o¹. When the speed is too slow, the cock p is more or less
closed in consequence of the sinking of the piston e so that little or no liquid can
flow from the pipe d back into the vessel through pipe g. The velocity of the
liquid will consequently be decreased and therefore a less amount of power will be
consumed in overcoming the reduced resistance resulting from the reduced velocity.
The more the cock is opened, the greater will be the quantity of liquid accelerated
in a given interval of time, and as this acceleration is afterwards neutralised again,
there will be a proportionately greater amount of power consumed, or converted
into heat.
As shewn on the drawing, the apparatus may also be employed for governing
both by actuating the spindle m or other part of the regulating device and by
opening and closing the cock on the pipe g, as last described, so that the apparatus
serves simultaneously as a liquid-centrifugal governor and as resistance governor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
1-A liquid-centrifugal governor consisting of a vane-wheel rotated by the
motor engine and contained in a casing 6 filled with liquid, and a loaded piston e
contained in a cylinder into which the liquid is forced by the vane wheel, so that
the variations in the speed of the vane wheel produce corresponding variations in
the positions of the piston, which motion is transmitted to the regulating device
of the motor engine substantially as described.
2 In apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claim, the provision of
means whereby the liquid which is forced past the piston in the cylinder in con-
sequence of its loose fit, is transferred back to the casing of the vane wheel,
substantially as described.
3-In apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, the provision of a
communication between the periphery of the vane wheel casing and the central
vessel thereof, such communication having a cock or valve so that by closing the
same more or less by the motion imparted to the piston of the apparatus, the
resistance to rotation of the vane wheel is increased or decreased according to
the increase or decrease in the speed of the engine, the arrangement 'being
applicable either separately from or in combination with the device for actuating
the spindle m of a regulating device, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of March 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.