Improvements in Engine Governors.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1895-accepted, 7th Sept.. 1895
Improvements in Engine Governors.
I, ARTHUR SAMUEL FRANCIS ROBINSON, of the Vale of White Horse Iron
Works, Wantage, in the County of Berks, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of engine governor of the wheel
or drum type in which the position of the shifting eccentric is controlled by weights
carried by flexible or spring arms or blades (hereinafter called spring blades) each
fixed at one end to the fly wheel, drum or disc (hereinafter referred to as a drum)
in or on which the governor is mounted and connected at the other end through
suitable means, as for example a flexible or spring plate or blade, to the eccentric
which is guided practically parallel with itself, when its position is varied by the
centrifugal action of the weights, by other Hexible or spring arms that serve
practically as a parallel motion, and an object of this invention is to enable such a
governor to be readily adjusted from time to time to enable the engine to which it is
applied to be run at approximately the same speed for different engine loads, or at
different speeds for a practically constant load. For this purpose the governor is
provided according to this invention with speed regulating mechanism whereby the
stiffness of the spring blades carrying the weights, or the resistance to motion of
the weights or a part or parts connected thereto, under the action of centrifugal
force, can be adjusted from time to time, the arrangement being such that by
increasing the stiffness of the springs or the resistance to motion of the connected
parts of the governor, the point of cut off for a given speed of engine will be
delayed and the governor thus adjusted for a heavier engine load, and by decreasing
the stiffness of the springs or the resistance to motion of the said connected parts,
the point of cut off will be earlier for a given engine speed and the governor thus
adjusted for a light engine load; or if the engine load be maintained practically
constant, the engine speed will be increased and decreased respectively under the
circumstances mentioned. The construction and arrangement of the regulating
apparatus is preferably such that it can be conveniently operated whilst the governor
to which it is applied, is in motion.
Spred regulating mechanism for the purpose mentioned can be constructed in
various forms.
An arrangement of regulating mechanism according to this invention is as
follows:-
-
The normally fixed ends of the spring blades are connected to adjustable supports
mounted on the drum carrying the governor and capable of being moved towards
or away from each other by a right and left handed screw carrying a toothed
wheel or segment in gear with a rack adapted to be operated, as through a sliding
disc on the governor shaft, or a lever, from a hand wheel that is mounted to slide
end ways on the said shaft but is preferably not keyed or otherwise fixed thereto
so that it can be held in the hand whilst adjusting the stiffness of the spring blades.
The movable supports may conveniently be each in the form of a lever arm pivoted
at one end by a pin to a lug on the drum and recessed at the other end to receive a
nut having a convex bearing surface and with which the adjusting screw engages,
endways movement of the said screw being prevented by a bifurcated piece
mounted on the said pins and in which the toothed wheel on the screw works.
The governor and speed regulating mechanism are or may be so arranged that they

page_text: can be reversed in position on the drum to enable the engine to be run the
reverse way.
To enable the resistance to motion of the eccentric and connected parts, under
the action of the governor, to be varied to suit the particular type of cut off valve
used, there is combined with the said eccentric and connected parts, au adjustable
device adapted to act as a brake. Thus in an arrangement in which the shifting
eccentric is arranged at one side of a drum and is connected through distance
pieces and bolts with a guide plate arranged at the opposite side of the drum, the
said eccentric and plate being slotted to permit of their being shifted across the
driving shaft, and the opposite sides of the drum being also slotted to permit of
the corresponding movement of the distance pieces and bolts, the said guide
plate is made of circular form and screw threaded at its outer periphery, and
upon it is screwed an adjustable friction ring that can be caused to bear against
the adjacent side of the drum with any desired degree of pressure for the
purpose mentioned, and the sliding face of which can be readily lubricated if
desired.
In another arrangement the friction ring which may be continuous, split or in
segments, is arranged in a recess in the guide plate and is forced into frictional
contact with the adjacent side of the drum by springs that may conveniently be
arranged in spring boxes carried by the said guide plate and the action of which may
be made capable of adjustment, as for example by set screws. In each case, suitably
arranged oi! holes may be formed in the friction ring to enable lubricant to be fed
to the working face thereof.
Suitable indicating means may, if desired, be provided to facilitate accurate
adjustment of the speed regulating mechanism, or brake device, or both.
Engine governors according to my invention may be constructed with a single
weight and spring blade if desired, but I do not consider this construction so
advantageous as that in which two weights and spring blades are provided.
Dated this 1st day of November 1894
Improvements in Engine Governors.
I, ARTHUR SAMUEL FRANCIS ROBINSON, of the Vale of White Horse Iron
Works, Wantage, in the County of Berks, 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 has reference to improvements in engine governors of the kind
described in the Specification of my Patent No. 12496 of 1894 according to
which the position of the shifting eccentric is controlled by weights carried by
flexible or spring arms or blades (hereinafter called spring blades) each fixed
at one end to the fly wheel, drum or disc (hereinafter referred to as a drum) in
or on which the governor is mounted, and connected at the other end through
-suitable means, as for example a flexible or spring plate or blade, to the eccentric
which is guided practically parallel with itself when its position is varied by the
centrifugal action of the weights, by other flexible or spring arins that serve
practically as a parallel motion, and an object of this invention is to enable such
a governor to be readily adjusted from time to time to enable the engine to
which it is applied, to be run at approximately the same speed for different
engine loads, or at different speeds for a practically constant load. For this

page_text: purpose the governor is provided according to this invention with speed regulating
mechanism whereby the stiffness of the spring blades carrying the weights, or
the resistance to motion of the weights or a part or parts connected thereto,
under the action of centrifugal force, can be adjusted from time to time, the
arrangement being such that by increasing the stiffness of the springs or the
resistance to motion of the connected parts of the governor, the point of cut off
for a given speed of engine will be delayed and the governor thus adjusted for
a heavier engine load, and by decreasing the stiffness of the springs or the
resistance to motion of the said connected parts, the point of cut off will be
earlier for a given engine speed and the governor thus adjusted for a light engine
load or if the engine load be maintained practically constant, the engine speed
will be increased and decreased respectively under the circumstances mentioned.
The construction and arrangement of the regulating apparatus is preferably such
that it can be conveniently operated whilst the governor to which it is applied, is
in motion.
Speed regulating mechanism for the purpose mentioned can be constructed in
various forms.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows partly in cross section and partly in end elevation, and Fig. 2
partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, an engine governor of
the kind herein referred to, provided with regulating mechanism according to this
invention, the parts of the governor shown, in these figures corresponding to similar
parts of the governor shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of my said former Specification,
being so far as is necessary, indicated by corresponding reference characters.
In the arrangement of regulating mechanism shown, the normally fixed ends of
the spring blades 7 carrying the governor weights S are connected to adjustable
supports 25 mounted on the drum 2 and capable of being moved towards or away
from each other by a right and left handed screw 26 that carries a toothed
wheel 27, (or it may be a segment) in gear with a rack 28, which may conveniently
be operated through a sliding disc 29 on the governor shaft 6, from a hand wheel 30
that is mounted to move end ways on the said shaft, but is preferably not keyed or
otherwise fixed thereto, so that it can be held in the hand whilst adjusting the
stiffness of the said spring blades 7. In the example shown, the hand wheel is
mounted to turn upon an extension 29 of the disc 29 on which it is retained
endways by a ring 29 fixed to the extension by a set screw 29". The inovable
supports 25 may conveniently be each in the form of a lever arm as shown, pivoted
at one end by a pin 30 to a lug 31 on the drum, and recessed at the other end to
receive a nut 32 having a convex bearing surface and with which the adjusting
screw 26 engages, endways movement of the said screw being prevented by a
bifurcated piece 33 mounted on the said pins 30* and in which the toothed wheel 27
is arranged to work. As will be seen, the arrangement is such that by moving the
hand wheel 30 along the shaft 6 towards the drum, the lever supports 25 will be
caused to turn away from each other and sɔ reduce the stiffness of the spring
blades 7, and upon moving the hand wheel in the opposite direction, the said lever
supports will be caused to turn towards each other so as to stiffen the said spring
blades for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned. The rack 28 may be pressed
against and kept in gear with the toothed wheel 27 by a spring 28 fixed to the
drum and having its free end provided with a tooth 28 arranged to engage serra-
tions on the side of the rack against which it bears. The drum is provided with
additional lugs 31ª arranged opposite to the lugs 31, so that the governor and
speed regulating mechanism can be reversed in position on the drum to enable the
engine to be run the reverse way.
The drum 2 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided with a removable annular
portion 2 arranged between the drum rim and the slotted flange 2d at one end of
the drum boss 24, in order to admit of the parts of the governor being inserted in
place, and removed or reversed in position.
To enable the resistance to motion of the eccentric and connectel parts, under

page_text: the action of the governor, to be varied to suit the particular type of cut off valve
used, there is combined with the said eccentric and connected parts, an adjustable
device adapted to act as a brake. Thus in the arrangement shown, the guide
plate 5, which is connected with the eccentric by distance pieces 3 and bolts
extending through slots 2 in the drum as described in my said former Specification,
is made of circular form and screw threaded at its outer periphery, and upon it is
screwed an adjustable friction ring 34, as shown in Fig. 2, that can be caused to
bear against the adjacent side of the drum with any desired degree of pressure
for the purpose mentioned, and the sliding face of which can be readily lubricated
if desired.
In the modified arrangement shown in horizontal section and end elevation
respectively in Figs. 3 and 4, the friction ring 34, which may be continuous, split
or in segments, is arranged in a recess 5 in the guide plate 5, and is forced into
frictional contact with the adjacent side of the drum 2 by springs 35 that may
conveniently be arranged in spring boxes 36 carried by the said guide plate and
the action of which may, if desired, be made capable of adjustment, as for example
by set screws arranged to extend through the back of the spring boxes and act
against the ends of the springs therein. In each case, suitably arranged oil holes
may be formed in the friction ring to enable lubricant to be fed to the working face
thereof.
Suitable indicating means may if desired be provided to facilitate accurate
adjustment of the speed regulating mechanism, or brake device, or both. Scales
suitable for this purpose are shown at 37 and 38 in Figs. 2 and 1 respectively.
Engine governors according to my invention may be constructel with a single
weight and spring blade if desired, but I do not consider this construction so
advantageous as that in which two weights and spring blades are used which
halance each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an engine governor, the combination with a rotary carrier or drum, a
shifting eccentric and one or more weighted spring blades arranged between and
connected to the said carrier and eccentric as set forth, of regulating mechanism,
whereby the freedom of movement of the weighted spring blades under the action
of centrifugal force can be varied or controlled substantially as herein described for
the purpose specified.
2. An engine governor of the kind herein specified, in which the weighted spring
blades are connected to adjustable supports that are mounted on the governor drum
or carrier and are provided with means whereby they can be moved to and from
each other so as to vary the stiffness of the said spring blades, substantially as
hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with a wheel or drum governor, of an adjustable brake
adapted to control the regulating movement of said governor and consisting of
an adjustable body arranged to be pressed against and to work in frictional
contact with a relatively fixed part of said governor, substantially as herein
described for the purpose specified.
4. In an engine governor, the combination with a rotary drun or carrier, a
shifting eccentric, and weighted spring blades connected at their respective ends to
the said carrier and eccentric as set forth, of a friction brake adapted to control
the resistance to movement of the connected parts of the said governor, and
consisting of a friction body arranged to be pressed against and to work in
frictional contact with a relatively fixed part of the governor, substantially as
berein described for the purpose specified.
5. An engine governor of the kiud herein specified, provided with regulating
mechanism constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed.

page_text: 6. An engine governor of the kind herein specified, provided with an adjustable
brake-ring 34 constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefor..
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed,
or modified according to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings annexed.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved engine
governor hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 31st day of July 1895.
ARTHUR S. F. ROBINSON.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.