IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Hamilton at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th January
1861.
I, JOHN HAMILTON, of Glasgow, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED
OF STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in modifications of or
additions to those kinds or descriptions of governors dependent for their action
upon the combination of a fly wheel with a reacting spring, whatever the
form or arrangement of intervening parts or mechanism may be, for translating
or converting circular or rotary motion into longitudinal motion of the sliding
socket or sleeve, or vice versa; in addition to or as a substitute for vanes or
wings attached to or projecting from such descriptions of governors, and for
the purpose of counteracting or modifying in such the actions of the reacting
spring, as also for regulating, modifying, or governing the rotation of the
fly wheel, and the action of the governing apparatus upon the steam or other
throttle or admission valve of the engine to be regulated.
I introduce or employ a friction strap, friction blocks, or an equivalent
contrivance for "brakeing," or retarding, or regulating, by means of friction
applied to the rim of the fly wheel, or to any convenient surface in proximity
to or in connection with the fly wheel, so that the time during which the fly
wheel part of the governing apparatus is retarded or caused to hang back be

page_text: in relation to the motion of the other portion of the governor, or of the
reacting spring, and thus more perfectly prevent the overrunning of the fly
wheel portion of the governor, and regulate the duration and the amount of
frictional retardation, and the time during which such action is continued or
required. For this purpose I apply the frictional brake apparatus either in
the form of blocks mounted upon lever arms suitably weighted and vibrating
on studs or pins projecting from the side of the fly wheel, and two or more
such arms or levers with friction blocks may be arranged round the periphery
of the fly wheel, and be connected together by means of rods; the frictional
surface, against which the blocks are caused to act when extended or thrown
into action by acceleration of speed, may either be a fixed hollow ring or
cylindrical projection surrounding or by the side of the fly wheel. The
weighted vibrating brake arms may have a spring or springs to keep the
friction brakes out of contact, and to assist in regulating their action. Instead
of brake blocks mounted upon vibrating lever arms attached to the fly wheel,
an independent arm or lever having a brake attached to it may be so mounted
as to be brought in contact with the edge, rim, or other part of the fly wheel,
through a connecting rod, chain, or cord set in-motion by the forked lever
working in the sliding socket, or sleeve, or other lever working in concert
with such forked lever, and which means of connecting or acting upon the
brake lever or arm admits of the interposition of an elastic compensating
spring, as well as an adjusting screw. Or, instead of the fixed arm carrying
a brake block, a friction strap or band, with adjustable spring interposed, may
be made to surround the rim or periphery of the fly wheel in a groove formed
therein, and the connection or means of setting it in action be operated by
the sliding socket or sleeve in manner similar to that just described., In
place of the fly wheel being acted on directly by the friction strap or brake
blocks, it may be so geared with a separate shaft furnished with a brake
wheel or pulley, that the latter may be submitted to the action of the brakes.
after the manner described, as will produce a similar effect.