AN IMPROVED GOVERNOR FOR REGULATING AND CON- TROLLING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES, DADTICITE A DIY ADAPTED POR MARINE STEAM ENGINES." PROAL SPECIATION
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel John Wolfe, of the City and State of
New York, in the United States of America, but at present of 15,
Water Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED GOVERNOR FOR REGULATING AND CON-
TROLLING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES,
DADTICITE A DIY ADAPTED POR MARINE STEAM ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel John Wolfe,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th November 1871.
I, DANIEL JOHN WOLFE, of the City and State of New York, in the
United States of America, but at present of 15, Water Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED GOVERNOR FOR REGULATING AND

page_text: the engines by means of a pair of bevel, or friction wheels, so arranged as
to give the requisite increase of speed to the governor in excess of that of
the engines, as of course the action of the governor is more perfect at
high speeds, although it will not require to run as fast as those now in use.
In the case of very fast going engines, the governor may be mounted
vertically, direct on the main shaft, and geared direct to the throttle
valve. It can also, if deemed expedient, be worked by a rope or strap;
but such means is objectionable, as it gives trouble and inconvenience to
the engineers.
A modication of the arrangement of the governor consists in the use
of four round arms mounted on a boss, and taking the place of the disc.
These arms take into tubes mounted on and forming part of the
segments of the expanding wheel. These tubes are fitted with india-
rubber washers which take round the arm in the tube, and become a
substitute for the steel or metal springs, as the expansion of the wheel is
very slight, in ordinary cases about five-eighths of an inch; it will be
found that this method will give very good results. The weight of the
segments of the expanding wheel and the strengths of the retaining
springs, also the strengths of the springs on the expanding strap, must
bear relative proportion to the speed of the engine. The centrifugal
force of the expanding wheel, regulated by the retaining springs, as
described, being the subject of my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel John Wolfe in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
JOHN WOLFE, of the City and State of New York, in the United States
of America, but at present of 15, Water Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, 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 Daniel John Wolfe, Her special licence

page_text: that I, the said Daniel John Wolfe, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel John Wolfe, 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,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
GOVERNOR FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER
MOTIVE POWER ENGINES, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR MARINE STEam Engines,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Daniel John
Wolfe, my executors or administrators, 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Daniel John Wolfe, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of my Invention for Improvements in governors, is to get
a more correct and speedy action on the throttle valve than is arrived at
by the governors now in use, and particularly so in the case of the
engines of screw steam ships, which in a heavy sea run very irregularly,
and the action on the throttle valve is required to be immediate, and the
governor therefore very sensitive; also this governor can be worked
direct from the main shaft, or other moving part of the engines, instead
of requiring to be worked by a rope, straps, and pulleys, as is the
practice with governors now in use. This governor also is very sensitive
and works satisfactorily driven at much slower speeds than is the case:
with governors now in use.
A governor constructed according to my Invention consists of a disc,
which in the case of slow speed engines is mounted on a vertical shaft.
This disc is fitted with four slots, which form guides, and run from the
centre to the extremity of the disc at right angles to each other. In
some cases the disc may be dispensed with, and in lieu thereof four arms
springing from one common boss at right angles to each other form the

page_text: force of the expanding wheel regulated by the retaining springs as
described being the subject of my Invention.
In lieu of using the expanding strap, a sleeve and connecting links
may be used, the sleeve sliding on the shaft and the links connecting
the sleeve to the expanding segments of the wheel. In some cases the
springs on the disc may also be dispensed with, and in lieu thereof a
spring may be placed between a collar on the shaft and the sleeve.
In order that the nature and action of my Invention may be
more readily seen and understood I have hereunto attached a Sheet of
Drawings illustrating a governor constructed according to this Invention,
as will enable any mechanical engineer to carry the same into practical
effect. Like letters and figures on the Drawings are used to denote
similar parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a governor constructed according
to my Invention, fitted with sleeve motion. Figure 2 is a plan of the
same, showing disc and springs. Figure 3 is a plan of disc, and Figure
4 is a plan of segment of wheel. Figure 5 is a section of connexion of
sleeve link to segment of wheel. Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of
slide block, connexion of segment of wheel and disc, fitted with anti-
friction rollers. Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of slide block con-
nexion of segment of wheel to disc fitted with anti-friction rollers.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are drawn to a scale of three inches to the foot.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 are drawn full size.
A governor constructed according to my Invention consists of a disc
a, with a boss b, which is mounted on a shaft c. The disc a is fitted with
four slotted arms d, d¹, d, and d³, which form guides and run from the
boss b to the extremity of the disc a at right angles to each other. At
the extremity of the guides d, d, d³, and d³, there are lugs or projections
e, e¹, e³, and e³, which are so arranged as to receive steel or other
suitable springs, ƒ, ƒ³, ƒ³, and f³. On the top of the disc is mounted a
wheel g, which is cut into four segments, g¹, g³, g³, and g'. These
segments spring from a segmental boss h, h¹, h³, and h³, and are carried
by the arms h, h³, hº, and h³. The segments are respectively fitted with
slide blocks i, 2, 1, and , and k, k¹, k, and k³, which take into the
guides or slots d, d³, d³, and ď³. The slide blocks i, ¹, ³, and ³, respec-
tively take the other ends of the springs f. The springs are of such
strength and so arranged as to keep the segments of the wheel in

page_text: position. The segmental wheel is fitted with four links, 1, and ³, one
to each segment. These links are at their other ends attached to the
sliding sleeve m, which sleeve is connected by clutch, or other suitable
gear to the throttle valve of the engines.
According to the momentum and centrifugal force of the wheel 7, the
segments g¹, g³, g³, and gʻ, fly out from the centre as the speed increases,
and are brought back to their normal position as the speed decreases by
means of the springs f, f¹, f*. and f³. As the segments fly out, the
sleeve m is drawn in, and thus acts on the throttle valve; as the
segments resume their normal position, the sleeve is thrown out acting
again on the throttle valve. The springs f,ƒ³,ƒ³, and ƒ³, are made of
sufficient strength to close the segments and to open the throttle valve,
and give the engine steam after "racing." In lieu of steel springs,
india-rubber rings may be used round the slide blocks i, 2, ³, and ³,
which may be fitted with suitable hooks for this purpose. The segmental
boss h, h¹, h, and h³ may in some instances be carried up and fitted with
a strap, which strap is in two halves held together by springs, and so
made that it will expand and contract with the segments. From this
strap the gear to work the throttle valve is carried, and when the strap is
used the sleeve m and links are dispensed with. The segments of the
wheel g are dovetailed or lapped together at o, o¹, o³, and o³, in such a
manner that their surfaces always bear on each other. The governor
may be carried on any suitable bracket fitted to the shaft c. The shaft
c may be driven from the main shaft of the engines by means of bevel
or friction wheels, or by a strap and pulley so arranged to give the
requisite increase of speed to the governor in excess of that of the
engines, as of course the action of the governor is more perfect at
high speeds, although it will not require to run as fast as those
now in use.

page_text: varied without departing from my Invention, the centrifugal force of
the expanding segmental wheel, regulated by the retaining springs, being
the principle of the governor, and what I claim is, the combination of
the disc a, accessory springs f, segmental expanding wheel g, working
sliding sleeve m (or an expanding strap) in a centrifugal governor, all
arranged substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel John Wolfe, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness-
FREDERICK J. CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.
DANIEL JOHN (L.s.) WOLFE.