Improvements in Governors or Speed-regulators for Steam and other Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 21st Dec.. 1899-Accepted. 3rd Feb.. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors or Speed-regulators for Steam and other
Engines.
I. FRANCIS MARION RITES, of Ithaca, in the County of Tompkins, State of
New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows::
-
This invention relates to improvements in governors or speed-regulators for
steam and other engines, and more particularly to improvements in governors
of the type known as fly-wheel or automatic cut-off governors. My invention
may however be adapted for the regulation of throttle valves, or the trip gear
of Corliss engines, or any other device for the operation of which governors are
employed.
The chief objects of my invention are to provide a simple and comparatively
inexpensive governor having a weight structure, comprising few parts, balanced
as to gravity with respect to its supports partly or completely as may be desired,
and utilizing in its operation both the centrifugal force or effect of its members
and the inertia of its members at times when the speed of rotation changes.
My improved governor has less friction than the governors heretofore in use,
and it is quick acting, sensitive, reliable and not liable to derangement.
My invention consists in the employment in combination with a revoluble
carrier, such as a fly-wheel, of two weights, one carried by, or connected to, the
other, but movable with respect thereto. These weights have a common support
upon the carrier, and are so disposed as to practically balance one another in
respect of gravity. Means are provided for resisting movement of the weights
due to revolution of the carrier. The arrangement is such that the centres of
gravity of the weights are caused to move, during adjustment of the governor
when in operation, in substantially opposite directions, so that the gravity
balance is preserved.
According to one arrangement of my invention I employ two spring connected
weights one arranged to swing about a support, and the other to roll upon a
guide carried by the carrier, which may be, for instance, the fly wheel of an
engine. The first mentioned weight, which, for convenience of description, I
will term the primary weight, is secured to the fly-wheel by a leaf spring. This
weight has an arm extending across the centre of the fly-wheel, to which arm
the said leaf spring may be secured, the other end of said spring being secured
to a suitable boss on the fly-wheel. This spring preferably has a somewhat
wave- or S-like form when not in tension.
The other weight, which I will term the secondary weight, is arranged opposite
to the primary weight, and is connected to the arm by another leaf spring. This
secondary weight has a rolling contact with a guide surface on the fly-wheel;
and to prevent it from slipping on said guide, instead of rolling thereon, the
guide may be provided with a projecting stud similar to the tooth of a gear
wheel, adapted to enter a corresponding recess in the weight. One side of this
weight is provided with a segmental boss so that the centre of gravity of the

page_text: weight is displaced from the line connecting the point of contact of the weight
with the guide, and the centre of rotation, and consequently the weight tends to
roll upon the guide under the influence of centrifugal force. Upon the secondary
weight I provide an arm projecting toward the centre of the fiy-wheel and having
at its extremity a pin placed eccentric to the centre of the fly-wheel, to which
pin the device to be operated by the governor, such as a cut off valve, may be
connected.
When the fly-wheel is revolving, the primary weight tends to swing outward,
which tendency is opposed by the supporting spring. The motion of the weight
from the position of rest to the position required to maintain constant the
speed of the engine, is transmitted through the connecting spring to the secondary
weight, causing the latter to roll along its guide surface, thus bending the
connecting spring to some extent; and the centrifugal force of the secondary
weight itself causes said weight to roll upon the guide surface still further in
the same direction, thus still further bending the connecting spring. The
motion of the centre of gravity of the secondary weight is in a direction sub-
stantially opposite to the direction of motion of the centre of gravity of the
primary weight, so that at all speeds the weights are in substantial gravity
balance. The result of the motion of the secondary weight, due to these
combined influences, is to move the eccentric pin inward, so producing a shorter
cut-off in the engine cylinder.
If the speed of the fly-wheel increases, the inertia of the two weights causes
them to lag somewhat, thus moving the eccentric pin inward-and-supplementing
the effect of the increased centrifugal force. If the speed of the fly-wheel
decreases suddenly, the inertia of the weights assists the centripetal action of
the springs in moving the eccentric pin outward.
Placing the eccentric-pin upon the secondary_weight has the advantage of
multiplying, as to the eccentric, the angular movement of the primary weight.
The said pin may, however, be placed on the arm of the primary weight.
The secondary weight, instead of having a rolling contact with the fly-wheel,
may be carried-by-a-connecting leaf spring, secured at one end to the primary
weight arm, and at the other end to the fly-wheel.
These connecting springs have a positive action to restore the governor weights
to their normal position, independent of the supporting spring.
The two weights with pivotal support may be disposed in similar positions to
those first described, the primary weight being pivoted to the fly-wheel and the
secondary weight, which is arranged to roll upon a guide surface on the fly-wheel,
being connected to the arm of the primary weight by a link. In this case means
are provided to hold the secondary weight in place when the action of gravity
tends to pull it away from the guide surface.
I may rely entirely upon a leaf spring connecting the two weights, similar to
that herein before described, for restoring the parts to their normal position,
and to resist the effects of centrifugal force. Such an arrangement consists of
two weights, riz, a primary weight and a secondary weight, connected by a leaf
spring. The arm of the primary weight is pivoted to the fly-wheel; and the
secondary weight, which bears against the bevelled end of the said arm, is so
connected by a link to the fly-wheel that said weight is limited to motion in a
substantially radial direction. In this governor, motion of the weights relatively
to each other, due to centrifugal force, produces bending of the spring which
therefore tends to bring the weights back to their normal position.
I sometimes dispense entirely with swinging weights and employ rolling
weights instead. According to this arrangement of my invention, I employ two
weights having a rolling contact with the rim of the fly-wheel, and connected
by leaf springs. Each weight is heavier on one side than on the other, so that
the centrifugal force tends to cause them to roll upon the rim of the fly-wheel.
The weights are connected by arms to a system of levers, adapted to give the
required movement to the device controlled by the governor.

page_text: It will be understood that the spring supports for the weight structures, and
the pivotal supports therefore with separate springs for opposing the effects of
centrifugal force, are mechanical equivalents; and that I may use either spring
supports or pivotal supports with any form of my improved governor.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1899.
Improvements in Governors or Speed-regulators for Steam and other
Engines.
I. FRANCIS MARION RITES, of Ithaca, in the County of Tompkins, State of
New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, 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 improvements in governors or speed-regulators for
steam and other engines, and more particularly to improvements in governors
of the type known as fly-wheel or automatic cut-off governors. My invention
may however be adapted for the regulation of throttle valves, or the trip gear
of Corliss engines, or any other device for the operation of which governors are
employed.
The chief objects of my invention are to provide a simple and comparatively
inexpensive governor having a weight structure, comprising few parts, balanced
as to gravity with respect to its supports partly or completely as may be desired,
and utilizing in its operation both the centrifugal force or effect of its members
and the inertia of its members at times when the speed of rotation changes.
My improved governor has less friction than the governors heretofore in use,
and it is quick acting, sensitive, reliable and not liable to derangement.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of governor having two spring-connected
weights, a portion only of the fly-wheel or carrier being shown.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the governor showing the fly-wheel or carrier
in transverse section.
Figure 2 is a detail view of the supporting spring.
Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2, showing a slightly
modified form of this governor.
Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 showing another
modification.
Figure 7 is an elevation of a further modification wherein the weight structure
of the governor consists of two spring-connected weights supported by a single
pivot pin.
Figure 8 is an elevation of a governor both of the weights of which are
rolling weights.
In all the figures the same letters and figures of reference indicate the same
or similar parts.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2, and 2, 1 is a revoluble fly-wheel or carrier
of suitable construction, and 2 is a weight, which, for convenience of description,
I will term the primary weight. This weight has an arm, extending across
the centre of the fly-wheel, and provided with two cross-arms 26 and 2º, to one of

page_text: which, 2, a spring 3 is secured, the other end of the spring being secured to a
boss 11 of the fly-wheel.
Opposite the main portion of the weight 2 is another weight, 4, which I will
term the secondary weight, and which is connected to the arm a by a leaf spring 5,
so that said weight is supported from the weight 2. This secondary weight
has a rolling contact with a guide surface on the fly-wheel; and to prevent it
from slipping on said surface, instead of rolling thereon, the guide is provided
with a projecting stud 7, similar to a tooth of a gear wheel, adapted to enter a
corresponding recess in the weight. One side of this weight, riz.: that to the left
in Figure 1, is the heavier, being provided with a segmental boss 4ª. The centre
of gravity of the weight, therefore, does not lie in the line connecting the point
of contact of the weight with the guide surfaces, and the centre of rotation, but is
on one side thereof; and consequently the weight tends to roll upon the guide
under the influence of centrifugal force. The approximate positions of the
centres of gravity of the weights 2 and 4 are indicated, in each case, by the
letters C G.
Upon the secondary weight 4 I provide an arm 4b projecting inwardly or
toward the centre of the fly-wheel, and carrying an eccentric pin 8. To this pin
the device to be operated by the governor, such as the valve gear of an engine,
may be connected."
The spring 3, when not under tension, has a wave-like form, as shown in
Figure-
In Figure 1 the parts are shown in the positions occupied-when the fly-wheel
is revolving and the engine cutting off steam early in the stroke. The spring 3
serves both as a means for supporting the weight structure in such manner
as to leave the parts free to move under the influence of centrifugal force and
inertia, and as a means for resisting-the-effect_of_centrifugal force.
The operation of the governor is as follows:
When the fly-wheel is revolving, the weight 2 tends to swing outward, which
tendency is opposed by the spring 3. The motion of the weight 2 from the
position of rest-to-the-position_required_to_maintain constant the speed of the
engine is transmitted through the leaf spring 5 to the weight 4, causing the latter-
to roll along the guide surface 6, thus distorting or bending the spring 5 to some
extent; and the centrifugal force of the weight 4 itself causes said weight to
roll upon the surface 6 still further in the same direction, thus still further
bending the spring 5. The motion of the centre of gravity of the weight 4 is
in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of motion of the centre of
gravity of the weight 2, so that at all speeds the weights are in substantial
gravity balance. The result of the motion of the weight 4, due to these combined
influences, is to move the eccentric pin 8 inward, so producing a shorter cut-off
in the engine cylinder.
If the speed of the fly-wheel increases, the inertia of the two weights causes
them to lag somewhat, the primary weight 2 swinging outward and the secondary
weight 4 rolling along the guide surface G, thus moving the eccentric pin inward,
and supplementing the effect of the increased centrifugal force. If the speed of
the fly-wheel decreases suddenly, the inertia of the weights assists the action of
the springs in moving the eccentric pin outward.
Placing the eccentric pin 8 upon the weight 4 has the advantage of multiplying,
as to the eccentric, the angular movement of the weight 2. The said pin may
however be placed on the arm 2 of the primary weight, as is the case in the
similar governor shown in Figures 3 and 4.
It will be seen that, the weights 2 and 4 being opposite each other, and the
latter being supported from the former, they balance each other as to gravity,
partly or completely, as may be desired, the mass of the weight 4 being propor-
tioned accordingly. In general it is not desirable to have the primary weight
balanced completely.
In the form of governor shown in Figures 3 and 4, the secondary weight 4,

page_text: instead of having a rolling contact with the fly-wheel, is carried by a leaf
spring 9, secured at one end to the arm 2 of the primary weight and at the
other end to the fly-wheel. The weight 2 is substantially the same in construction
as the corresponding weight shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that, as before
stated, the eccentric 8 is carried by the arm 2ª of this weight.
In the operation of this governor the weight 4 swings outward by distorting
or bending the spring 9, the path of the centre of gravity being very nearly the
same as that of the centre of gravity of the weight 4 in the first described
governor. The operation of this governor is substantially the same as that of
the former governor.
In the governor shown in Figures 5 and 6 the primary weight 2 is pivoted to
the fly-wheel, and the secondary weight 4, which is arranged to roll upon a guide
surface 6 on the fly-wheel, is connected to the arm 2 of the weight 2 by a link 13.
The arm 2 has in its end a recess 14, into which the weight 4 fits, and which
serves to hold said weight in place when the action of gravity tends to pull it
away from the guide surface 6. In this governor the weight 4 counterbalances
the weight 2 as to gravity. A spring 12 is provided to resist the influence of
centrifugal force on the weights.
The springs 5 and 9 of the two forms of governor shown in Figures 1 to 4
have a positive action tending to restore the governor weights to their normal
position independent of the springs 3. In Figure 7 I have shown a governor in
which such a spring as 5 is relied upon entirely to restore the parts to their
normal position, and to resist the effects of centrifugal force. It consists of
two weights, riz., a primary weight, 2, and a secondary weight, 4, connected by a
leaf spring 51. The weight 2 is pivoted to the fly-wheel 1 at the point 10 on the
arm of said weight; and the weight 4, which bears against the bevelled end
of the arm 2, is so connected by a link 15 to the fly-wheel that said weight 4 is
limited to motion in a substantially radial direction. The said bevelled end of
the arm a forms a guide on which the weight 4 rolls relatively to the weight 2.
In this governor, motion of the weights relatively to each other, due to centrifugal
force, produces bending of the spring 5¹, which therefore tends to bring the
weights back to their normal position.
I sometimes dispense entirely with swinging weights and employ rolling
weights instead. Une form of my invention embodying such an arrangement
is shown in Figure 8, in which 41, 41, are two weights having a rolling contact
with the rim of the fly-wheel, and connected by leaf springs 17. Each weight is
heavier on one side than on the other, so that centrifugal force tends to cause
them to roll upon the rim of the fly-wheel. The weights are connected by
arms 18 to a system of levers 19, adapted to give movement to an axial stem 8¹.
It will be understood that the spring supports for the weight structures of
the governors shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, are the mere equivalents of
pivotal supports with separate springs for opposing the effects of centrifugal
force; and I do not limit myself to the use of either spring supports or pivotal
supports in any of the forms of governor herein described. Nor do I limit
myself to the particular construction and arrangement of the parts described,
as such parts are capable of many modifications without departing from the
nature of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A governor or speed regulator comprising spring connected weights provided
with means in common whereby they are mounted on a revoluble carrier: said
weights being movable with respect to each other and to said carrier, and adapted
to operate an actuating device, substantially as described.
2. A governor or speed regulator comprising two spring-connected weights,
one movably supported upon a revoluble carrier and the other supported from

page_text: the first weight and movable with respect thereto, and means for opposing
movement of said weights due to revolution of the carrier, substantially as
described.
3. A governor or speed regulator mounted upon a revoluble carrier, and com-
prising either in combination with a swinging weight or alone, one or more
rolling weights confined to motion in a definite path, substantially as described.
4. A governor or speed regulator, comprising a primary weight movably
supported upon a revoluble carrier, and a secondary weight supported from or
connected to the primary weight and having an inwardly-extending arm carrying
an actuating device which is adjusted by the movement of said weights sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
5. A governor or speed regulator mounted upon a revoluble carrier, and com-
prising relatively movable weights one or all of which is or are loaded upon one
side substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
6. In a governor or speed regulator mounted upon a revoluble carrier and
having one or more of its weights adapted to roll upon a suitable guide, the
means substantially as described for preventing the said weight or weights
from slipping.
7. In a governor or speed regulator, the combination with a revoluble carrier,
of a weight structure containing a primary weight, a secondary weight, and a
Jeaf spring connecting said weights, all mounted upon the carrier by a single
pivot or equivalent device, and means-for-confining one of the weights to motion
in a direction other than about said pivot, thereby causing distortion of the spring
when the carrier is revolved, substantially as described.
S. A governor or speed regulator mounted upon a revoluble carrier and com-
prising two oppositely arranged weights adapted to roll upon a guide surface or
surfaces on the said carrier, and means for opposing the motion of said weights
due to centrifugal action, substantially as described.
9. A governor or speed regulator having its parts constructed, arranged and
combined to operate substantially as described with reference to any one of the
forms or modifications illustrated in the accompanying-drawings-for-the-purposes
specified.
Dated this 21st day of December 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.