IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER MOTORS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES
AND OTHER MOTORS."-A communication from abroad by Charles
Waters, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 5th December 1871, and dated the 3rd October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd October 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM
ENGINES AND OTHER MOTORS," a communication, to be as follows:-
-

page_text: gear wheels on the outside of the frame, and admits of finish and ease in
cleaning. To this body or barrel are secured two U shaped springs of
thin flat steel, to one of whose ends the balls (which are lighter than
usual) are secured. No friction is caused in revolving the balls by this
arrangement, and the springs supply the force which gravity does in
other cases, the balls always revolving in the same plane. Motion is
imparted from the balls to the arms through small steel hooks, and is
communicated from the arms directly to the valve. The arms are
forked on their short ends to receive a square bar of hardened steel,
which turns freely on a pin through its centre and travels in a grooved
composition collar, which slides freely up and down in the stationary
centre or bearing. This collar is kept from revolving by a key, and is bored
through the centre to receive the valve stem, which is furnished with a
screw on its upper end and a milled head and check nut. By screwing
this up or down the speed is instantly changed. By this arrangement
the speed of the engine may be varied from 30 to 50 per cent., which is a
great convenience. The valve is perfectly balanced and is protected
from the current of steam as it enters the chamber, thus causing it to
wear equally, as it is not forced off to one side as common valves are.
No change, however sudden or violent, is too quick for these governors,
and the entire load may be thrown off the engine with perfect safety
under any pressure; at the same time they are capable of changes so
delicate that it requires the closest observation to detect them. They
run perfectly steady unless the engine is very heavily loaded, when if
the belt be tight they will show every admission of steam to the
cylinder. They also run very light and do not require an extraordinary
high speed.
The said Invention has two parts, one relating to an improvement in
the centrifugal regulator and the other relating to improvements by
which the valve worked by the regulator may be set or adjusted to
conform to great changes in the amount of work to be done or in the
pressure of the steam or other motive fluid.
In the ordinary pendulum regulator two pivoted arms are commonly
used whereon are suspended weights in the form of balls, which cause
considerable friction upon the pivots and joints of the said arms, and this
friction renders the regulator less sensible to slight changes of speed of
the engine than is desirable. In other words, it requires quite a per-
ceptible change in the speed of the engine to overcome the friction on the

page_text: pivots and joints of the weighted arms before the change in the centrifugal
force of the weights causes them to change their position or plano of
rotation. And one part of this Invention consists in so connecting
the weights to the arms that they are no longer supported by the pivots
of the arms, but are sustained and rotated by the aforesaid springs or
jointed rods or other means, though connected with the pendulum arms
and moving them as the weights change their position.
Another part of the said Invention consists in provision for altering
the relation of the governing valve with reference to the steam passage
or passages which it controls, so that the normal area of the steam
passage past the valve may be enlarged or diminished. For example, if
the amount of work to be performed by the engine is very large, it is
desirable to have the area of the steam passage controlled by the valve
larger than is required for a smaller amount of work, and it is desirable
to change such area by mere adjustment, instead of by actual change in
the construction of the parts. "For this purpose the valve is formed
with a screw thread, whereby it may be raised or lowered on its stem."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
s
ง

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for ".IMPROVEMENTS
IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER MOTORS," a communication
to me from abroad by Charles Waters, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, t
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said 1
Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying 1
Drawing, forming a part of this Specification.
The said Invention relates to a new construction of governors for
steam engines and other motors.
In this improved governor the shaft or spindle is stationery and the
body of the governor revolves upon it. This arrangement brings the 2
gear wheels on the outside of the frame and admits of finish and ease
in cleaning. To this body or barrel are secured two U shaped springs
of thin flat steel, to one of whose ends the balls (which are lighter than
usual) are secured. No friction is caused in revolving the balls by this
arrangement, and the springs supply the force which gravity does in 2
other cases, the balls always revolving in the same plane. Motion is
imparted from the balls to the arms through small steel hooks, and is
communicated from the arms directly to the valve. The arms are
forked on their short ends to receive a square bar of hardened steel,
which turns freely on a pin through its centre and travels in a grooved 3
composition collar, which slides freely up and down in the stationary
centre or bearing. This collar is kept from revolving by a key and is
bored through the centre to receive the valve stem, which is furnished
with a screw on its upper end and a milled head and check nut.
By screwing this up or down the speed is instantly changed. By 8
this arrangement the speed of the engine may be varied from 30 to
50 per cent., which is a great convenience. The valve is perfectly

page_text: balanced and is protected from the current of steam as it enters the
chamber, thus causing it to wear equally as it is not forced off to
one side as common valves are. No change, however sudden or violent,
is too quick for these governors, and the entire load may be thrown off
the engine with perfect safety under any pressure; at the same time
they are capable of changes so delicate that it requires the closest
observation to detect them. They run perfectly steady unless.the engine
is very heavily loaded, when if the belt be tight they will show every
admission of steam to the cylinder. They also run very lightly and do
not require an extraordinary high speed.
The said Invention has two parts, one relating to an improvement in
the centrifugal regulator, and the other relating to improvements by
which the valve worked by the regulator may be set or adjusted to
conform to great changes in the amount of work to be done, or in the
pressure of the steam or other motive fluid.
In the ordinary pendulum regulator two pivotted arms are commonly
used, whereon are suspended weights in the form of balls, which cause
considerable friction upon the pivots and joints of the said arms, and this
friction renders the regulator less sensible to slight changes of speed of
the engine than is desirable. In other words, it requires quite a
perceptible change in the speed of the engine to overcome the friction
on the pivots and joints of the weighted arms before the change in the
centrifugal force of the weights causes them to change their position.
or plane of rotation; and one part of this Invention consists in so
connecting the weights to the arms that they are no longer supported
by the pivots of the arms, but are sustained and rotated by the afore-
said springs or jointed rods or other means, though connected with
the pendulum arms and moving them as the weights change their
position.
Another part of the said Invention consists in provision for altering
the relation of the governing valve with reference to the steam
passage or passages which it controls, so that the normal area of the
steam passage past the valve may be enlarged or diminished. For
example, if the amount of work to be performed by the engine is very
large it is desirable to have the area of the steam passage controlled
by the valve larger than is required for a smaller amount of work, and
it is desirable to change such area by mere adjustment instead of by

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the said improved governing
mechanism. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same from a different
point of view. Figure 3 is a plan of the said mechanism.
a is the valve case, having an entrance nozzle 6 and an outlet nozzle c.
The said case contains a sleeve or valve cylinder d, in which the action
of the regulator moves a valve vertically, there being a steam passage c,
extending entirely around this sleeve, the inlet 6 opening directly into
this passage, but the outer surface of the tube being so formed and
disposed as to shield the valve from the direct pressure of the steam.
The top of the case a is closed and covered by a casting f, which serves
to sustain the regulator, the upper part of said casting being made as a
stud, on which the regulator sleeve g fits and turns, said casting is
centrally bored to receive a tube or bearing h, in which a composition
collar i plays vertically; the bearing being stationary and the collar
being prevented from rotating by a key k. The collar is centrally.
bored to receive the valve stem 1, which is packed where it enters
the caso a.
.
In the Drawing the regulator is represented as at rest, and con-
sequently the regulator valve is wide open. The gear wheel m, which
gives rotation to the regulator, is secured to or forms an integral part of
the sleeve g, which carries at its upper end two brackets n, to which are
pivotted the arms or bent levers o, whose short arms are connected
through the grooved collar i to the valve rod 7, and the long arms to the
weights or balls p by means of links q. The balls, instead of being hung
upon arms as usual to bring their weight upon pivots r, are supported
upon the free ends of springs 8, the other ends of the said springs being
connected to the rotating sleeve g.
Though the springs are preferred for the purpose of supporting
the balls a system of jointed arms may be employed in place of the

page_text: caused to rotate the balls will move outward, and by the connections
described will lower the valve and check the flow of steam; and
also that if the rotation of the balls slackens they will move inward
and open the valve more or less in proportion to such movements
of the balls.
While in the Drawing the axis of rotation of the governing weights is.
shown as vertical, it may be horizontal, and if the weights are mounted
on and are rotated by jointed arms taking the place of the springs 8, then
the preferable arrangement of the axis of rotation is horizontal. With
the jointed arms which may be made to take the place of the spring 8,
there must be some arrangement of a spring or springs to act against.
centrifugal force to retract the weights toward the axis of rotation
whenever the rotations of the governor diminish.
The connection of the arms o with the groove u of the collar i is
preferably effected by making the upper end of each arm o as a fork,
between the branches of which extends a square steel bar v, turning
freely on an axial pin w, each bar entering the groove u, as seen
in Figure 1.
The valve y is a hollow cylinder having an annular peripheral port %,
which connects with an annular port a³ around the inside of the cylinder
(the said port a communicating with the steam space e by passages
b) and with an annular port c³ that connects with steam passages d
extending through the valve. When the position of the valve and the
steam ports is such that an equal area exists for the passage of steam
into the space from the space e, and from the connecting space c³
through the openings & there will be an equal pressure of steam upon
all sides of the valve, and the valve will be balanced. I form the upper
part of the valve (above the port =) slightly larger in diameter than the
part below, and as the valve closes down toward the opening c the
pressure of the steam acting through the ports a³ tends to lift the valve
and keep it from entering the mouth of the opening, the steam acting as
a cushion and easing the valve. And at all times when the valve
descends from its wide open position, the area for entrance of steam into
the port is less than the area for the escape of steam through the
ports do, so that the valve is practically balanced.
By reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that the cylinder d is so
11

page_text: freely into the opening 6 and through the opening c, it does not press
laterally against the valve and cannot therefore force the valve on one
side, the said valve being shielded by the cylinder d. To regulate the
position of the valve with reference to the outlet the valve stem has
screw threads at its upper end, the screw working through a nut thread
in the collar i, so that by turning the valve stem the valve is raised or
lowered, a check. nut eª securing it in position. The valve may be
connected with the foot of the stem by a screw thread f" and nuts g².
.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the 1
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
A regulator for steam engines and other motors constructed and
operating substantially as described.
Also, a regulator valve y and valve cylinder d, provided with steam
ports or passages arranged to control the pressure of the motive fluid
upon the valve substantially as described.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two
Witness,
W. J. Lowe.
W“. ROB". LAKE.. (L.S.)