IMPROVEMENTS. IN GOVERNORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest August Bourry, of St. Gallen, in the Republic of
Switzerland, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
GOVERNORS."
Sealed the 2nd May 1879, and dated the 7th March 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Ernest Augustus Bourry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th March 1879.
ERNEST AUGUST BOURRY, of St. Gallen, in the Republic of Switzerland, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS."
The improvements have for their object the regulation of the speed of motors
more spontaneously and with more energy than by any means known hitherto.
My Invention, to which I give the name of dynamometrical governor, reposes on a
new base, and consists in the employment of dynamometrical appliances for govern-
ing purposes, and in utilizing directly the variations in the load or resistance to
operate upon the throttle valve, cut-off gear, slides, sluices, cocks, and such-like
without resorting for governing purposes to the acceleration or retardation in speed
of the motor. The variations in the resistance can be made to manifest themselves
in two different ways, namely, in the circular and longitudinal direction of a shaft.
In the first case the continuity of the shaft is broken, and the secondary shaft
united with the prime shaft by elastic coupling, the play of which is converted into
an accessible motion, for its further communication to any of the known means for
altering the influx of the motive power. In the second case, commonly called
thrust, the shaft is allowed to slide somewhat in the direction of its axis, acting upon
elastic thrust-cushions, the compression and dilatation of which are brought to bear
upon said means, regulating the admission in such a way that with an increase of
the load or resistance, and the corresponding compression or tension of the inter-
posed elastic bodies, as the case may be, the afflux of the motive power is augmented,
and reduced again with a fall or diminution of the load or a relaxation of the elastic
contrivances employed. In order to show that the application of said novel base of
action for governing motors admits of innumerable combinations, I shall describe
several of them, strikingly different in their appearance and construction, yet all
embracing the same point of departure and the same office. Plate 1, Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
represent such a dynamometrical governor where the torsional play is made
utilisable for the purpose in question by a combination of levers, links, and springs.
A is the prime shaft, and B the secondary shaft; a is a sleeve which can slide on
its shaft, and carries a collar b, from where communication is effected with the
Duine S21

page_text: throttle valve, &c. through the lever c and rod c¹; D is a double crank fastened on
the prime shaft A; on the secondary shaft B is fixed the follower E holding two
rocking shafts d, d, of which each is provided with a lever f connected with a crank
pin of crank D by links g, g, and another lever h connected to the sleeve a by
means of the rods k. The follower E and the sleeve a are put into communication
by the springs e, e; the parts are made double to ensure equilibrium. Now if the
prime shaft A is made to turn in the direction of the arrow, the double crank D, by
means of its pins and links 9, g, will draw on the lever f, and cause the rocking
shafts d, d, to turn, and through the lever and rod the sleeve to recede until the
resistance of the springs e, e, is equivalent to the power applied. With the varia-
tions of the latter said springs will expand and contract, whereby the sleeve a is
slided to and fro in exact relation to the resistance encountered or the power to be
transmitted, which motion of the sleeve a by means of proper connections is made
to open or close more or less the orifices for the inlet or outlet of the motive power.
It is easy to see that the very moment the resistance increases the springs e, e, are
influenced, and the supply of motive power augmented in proportion, before a
retardation in the speed could take place; and in the other sense, with a fall of the
resistance the supply is instantaneously reduced, or the outflow checked, or both
together, and any acceleration in the speed prevented, however great the difference
of load may be the springs always accommodating themselves to the actual
load.
The combination on Plate I., Figs. 4, 5, & 6, produces precisely the same effect,
though it is composed of different mechanical means. A is again the prime shaft,
with a conical cog wheel F fast on it; on the secondary shaft B is fixed the nave G
provided with two truunions on which can turn the cog wheels 1, 7, with toothed
naves on which work the toothed rods m, m, suitably guided. The springs e, e,
unite the fixed nave G with the sleeve a. On the prime shaft being turned, as
shown by the arrow, the wheels 1, 1, will turn on their axis, driving the toothed
rods in the direction of the arrows until the springs e, e, oppose a proportionate
resistance, when the secondary shaft will follow the prime shaft, and the effect on
lever c and rod c' be exactly like the former case with the fluctuations in the load
on shaft B. On Plate II., Figs. 7, 8, and 9, is shown a connection on the hydraulic
principle, which works as follows:-The prime shaft A is again provided with a double
crank D, by the pins of which is held a strong ring H; on this two segments n, n,
of one-fourth the circumference have an increased section; the said ring fits with
its thicker part into the hollow segments o, o, provided with packing like hydraulic
presses, and making part with the follower E, which carries also two cylinders q, q.
Into these latter fit the pistons p, p, attached to the sliding sleeve a, which is tied
to the follower E by the springs e, e. By the rotation of the prime shaft A the
ring H presses with its large section, less the smaller one, on the fluid contained in
the hollow segments o, o, and drives it into the cylinders q, q, the pistons of which
move outward with the sleeve a on them until the springs e, e, resist a further
progress; consequently the function of the sleeve d, and its connections with the
throttle valve, &c., is again the same as with the other apparatus. It remains now
to explain how the same object is attained in taking up the varying load in the
direction of the axis of the shaft, or in the direction of the thrust. In Plate II.,
Fig. 10 is a plan, the two halves being a little different, Fig. 11 belonging to one,
and Fig. 12 to the other half. Taking, as example, the case of a screw steamer,
then A is the propeller shaft, L the main pillow block with an allowance to slide
somewhat on the bed plate, and having pistons M, M, secured to it to the right and
left, which enter into the cylinders N, N, filled with oil or other suitable liquid.
These are solid on the bed plate, and on their back is fastened another cylinder 7, of
smaller diameter and of greater length, which receives their respective piston s in
connection with the springs e, e, so as to constitute a powerful manometer. Sup-
posing the propeller to revolve, the shaft A, with the pillow block L and the pistons
M, M, will move inwards, whereby the liquid in the cylinders N, N, is pressed into
the cylinders, the pistons of which give way as much as the springs e, e, will allow.

page_text: The function of the load or resistance is finally identical with that of elastic coup-
lings. The adoption of a smaller cylinder on the large one produces an increase of
the sweep, which is advantageous if but a very short one can be allotted to the
screw shaft; the connection with the throttle valve or others is established by the
rod c. Instead of the said manometer, air in the vessel P may produce the neces-
sary elasticity; in this case the sweep may be multiplied by furnishing the
piston M with a rod u, actuating the lever v and rod c', or in any other convenient
way. For going astern, the same clastic contrivances could also be applied, but in
general they may be dispensed with, an india-rubber washer w being all that is
necessary. It is evident that in many cases, and particularly with small powers,
these hydraulic arrangements may be replaced by buffer springs or others, provided
the necessary play is produced to be utilised for the purpose in question. Lastly,
I would remark that iny dynamometrical governor not only exactly proportionates,
instantaneously and continually, the motive power with the resistance, but it may
also be used for constantly tracing a line on a travelling paper band, thereby
depicting the power transmitted at all times, and also detecting undue friction. It
will be seen from all that has been said that it is the discovery of a new and as yet
unrecognised agent, and of the key how to utilise it for governing purposes, which
is here the subject, and not the particular interposed details. Claim.-I claim as
my Invention the use of a governing medium derived from the variations in the
power itself actually transmitted, or the fluctuations in the resistance encountered,
by the interposition of elastic bodies, the play of which is made available to actuate
the throttle valve, cut-off gear, slides, sluices, cocks, &c., for regulating the admission
or the exit of the motive power, substantially in the manner described and
illustrated.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest August Bourry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of February, A.D. 1879.