IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CON- TROLLING THE SPEED OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CON-
TROLLING THE SPEED OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES." A commu-
nication from abroad by James A. Rigby, of Carson, Ormsby County, State
of Nevada, United States of America, Manufacturer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the Sth August 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS
FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE SPEED OF MARINE AND OTHER STEAM
ENGINES." A communication from abroad by James A. Rigby, of Carson, Ornisby
County, State of Nevada, United States of America, Manufacturer.
My Invention relates to an improvement in steam engine governors, and a
novel method of employing the same, by which I am enabled to regulate the
speed of all classes of steam engines, particularly those that are subjected to
severe and sudden changes in the resistance to the power they supply.
My Invention consists in a novel construction for a main governor valve, and in
combination with it an operating engine, the valve of which is controlled and the
admission of steam regulated by a revolving ball governor. This governor is mounted
upon a spindle having a pulley upon its outer end, which is driven by the frictional
contact of another pulley, and this latter pulley is so mounted that the breakage of
a belt allows it to immediately swing out of contact with the first pulley. A spring
upon the governor spindle then acts to draw it back, and with it the valve stem
and valve, so as to shut off steam from its cylinder; and this allows the main
eteam valve to be closed, so as to stop the engine or reduce its speed.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a view of iny governor.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a section of the valve, globe, operating cylinder, and valve
chamber.
Fig. 3 is a section taken transversely through the main valve and its chamber;
Fig. 4 is an end view showing driving pulleys.
A is the main valve chamber, having steam ports B, B, and a passage for steam
around the outside of the vertical valve seat; C is the main steam valve made with
two pairs of wings to act as a counter balance to the draft of steam when the
valve is open, as the steam in passing from the valve chamber has a tendency to
make the valve cover the ports; D is the main valve stem turning in a step at
bottom, and it extends out through the top, having a vibrating crank E secured to
its upper end. This crank is moved by means of a crank pin and sliding box F that
is secured to the end of a piston rod of the small engine or governor cylinder G;
steam is admitted into this cylinder by a piston valve H, which is perfectly balanced;
but a rotary or any other form of valve might be used.
The valve which I use in the present case is operated by a small revolving ball
governor having spiral springs I, I, arranged as shown, for the purpose of overcoming
the centrifugal force of the balls. The springs are attached to the governor balls by
thumbscrews K, K, and can be tightened or loosened, thus increasing or diminishing
the speed of the engine at will.
The stem of the valve H has a deeply grooved wheel or pulley J upon the end,
and the arms J' extend inward from the angle at which they as a part of the bell
crank governor arms are pivoted, so that their ends are retained in the groove as
shown, and as the balls and spindle revolve they will revolve within this groove,
and by their action they will move the valve backward and forward.
The valve stem is prevented rotating by means of a pin N which extends
from the wheel J into a hole in the end of the valve chest or metal of the
cylinder, so that the wheel and valve. stem will not be rotated by the action
of the rotating arms, but will only receive from it a reciprocating motion.
The governor_balls are small and rotate rapidly, being driven by a pair of
friction wheels L, L', held in contact by the governor belt in such a manner
that when the belt breaks or becomes slack, the lower wheel swings free from
the upper, being mounted upon a crank arm R, so as to allow the upper wheel
to be pushed away from the frame or standard supporting the governor by a
spiral spring M on the governor spinale. This lowers or pushes the ball governor
and its spindle so far back as to close the valve H of the governor cylinder,
thus producing a simple and perfect stop motion.
N is a metalic finger at the end of the piston rod, that moves a shifting bar O,
and by an automatic movement shifts the governor belt on the cone pulley P,
thus increasing or decreasing the motion, as required, and by its own action it will
be seen that when the pulleys L, L', are out of contact, the pressure of the spring M4
forces the pulley L¹ out of line with the pulley L, and this draws the governor
spindle, and by means of the arms J the valve stem back, so as to close the valve.
When the pulleys are brought into contact, their V shaped groove and edge serve
to draw the pulley L' into line, and of course this compresses the spring M, and
moves the spindle and valve stem so as to open the valve H. This admits steam 4
to the cylinder G and moves its piston so as to turn the crank arm E, and this turns
the valve C so as to open it. The action of the governor balls is then transmitted
through the arms J to the valve H, and the amount of its opening and through it
that of the main valve is determined.
I overcome a tendency of the governor to over act in several ways,―
First. By using very small induction ports to the governor cylinder, so that a
little vibration of the governor balls shuts off steam from the governor cylinder.
This port is governed and its size regulated by a screw T, which operates to enlarge
or diminish the size of the opening, and this prevents too free an admission of
steam to the cylinder G, which would open the main valve C too suddenly.
Secondly. By a spring bumper q arranged as shown. When the engine has
arrived at the requisite speed, and the main steam valve is about half way closed,
E

page_text: the said spring bumper will act immediately, and cause the valve to begin opening.
It also shuts off steam from the governor cylinder by acting upon the shifting bar O
and the belt on the cone pulley P so as to prevent the engine from running above
speed when relieved of its work. This spring bumper, however, is only required
when the main valve is balanced, and has a tendency to close of itself.
Thirdly. By a light spring that will open the main a little more than sufficient to
keep the engine at speed when running light. I also use an elliptical pulley on the
main shaft for the governor belt which gives a slight vibrating motion to the balls,
thus tending to prevent the pistou of the governor cylinder from going too far
either way.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is,-
1st. The rotating balanced valve C with its stem D and crank arm E in
combination with the steam cylinder G with its piston and rod for the purpose
of operating said valve, constructed and arranged as shown, substantially as
herein described.
2nd. The balanced piston valve H with its stem and grooved wheel J in
combination with the governor having the arms J¹ entering the groove, so as to
give the valve a reciprocating motion by its action, substantially as shown and
herein described.
3. The pulley L mounted upon the crank R, so that the tension of the driving
belt will retain it in contact with the pulley L, but will allow it to swing out of
contact when the belt breaks, substantially as shown and herein described.
4. In combination with the horizontal sliding governor spindle controlling the
valve H, the corresponding V shaped pulleys L, L', constructed as shown and
described, and acting to hold the valve open while driving the governor, but allowing
it to be closed by a spring when the pulleys are out of contact.
5. The shifting bar O operated directly from the main valve by a finger N,
so that a change in the valve openings will move the driving belt upon the
cone pulley P, substantially as shown and herein described.
6. The spring bumper q acting against the crank arm E, so as to open the
valve promptly when the pressure from the cylinder G is reduced, substantially as
shown and herein described.
7. A governor consisting of the rotating valve C with its operating engine G, the
valve of said engine being controlled by the governor balls and pulleys L, L', sub-
stantially as shown and herein described.
8. The main valve spindle D having the ground joint at D' in combination with
the spring U to hold the joint to its bearings and prevent leakage, substantially as
shown and herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.