Improvements in and relating to Governors for Controlling the Speed of Machinery.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1896-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Governors for Controlling the Speed
of Machinery.
I, EDWARD THUNDERBOLT, of Drummond Street, Carlton, in the Colony of
Victoria, Australia, 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 on that for which Letters
Patent were granted to me No. 15481 of 1893.
The object of this Invention is to provide a quick and smooth acting governor
which is specially applicable for use in controlling the speed of marine engines,
land engines, steam or water turbines, by regulating the supply of motive fluids
to same. The governor is also applicable for controlling electric motors or
dynamos. It may in some cases be employed to regulate the speed of machinery
by operating brake gear.
To make my invention clear I will now refer to the accompanying drawings in
which-
Figure 1 shews an elevation of the air pumps employed in connection with my
governor.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the pumps.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the governing cylinder and its connections.
Figure 4 shews the electrical contrivance for regulating the air pressure upon
the piston in the governing cylinder.
Figure 5 is an alternative of Figure 4 which shews a mechanical arrangement
in place of the electrical portion of Figure 4.
In these drawings A and B represent duplicate air pump which contains
piston C having their rods C connected to a cross-head C³ mounted upon sliding
blocks so as to slide in the frame D of the pumps. These cross-heads are con-
nected by rods C to cranks C which are operated by a pulley wheel E set on the
crank shaft and placed in communication with a moving shaft of the engine so
as to transmit motion from the engine to the pump piston. This wheel may be
in the form of a pulley, spur or sprocket wheel or may be as illustrated in the
drawings in the form of a compound wheel, that is, having the central portion E
ercoved out to form a rope pulley, the periphery of the wheel on one side of such
groove being in the form of a spur or cog wheel as at E', the other side being in
the form of a chain sprocket wheel as at 3 so that with such wheel the means of
communicating motion from the engine to the pumps which is most convenient
to the employers of my governors may be used without alteration or addition
thereto.
I employ pumps with short strokes and large diameters in preference to long
strokes and small diameters. If a small diameter and long stroke is preferred
the piston rods of the air pumps, may be directly attached to the cross-head pin of
the engine or motor, but if a shorter stroke be required it may be, driven by an
eccentric placed upon the main shaft or any approved lever action or its equivalent.

page_text: F, F are inlet valves which are provided at both ends of the supply cylinders A
and B and are free to open and close agreeably with the movements of their
respective pistons C, C. These valves have rods extending outside of the
cylinders which are encircled by spiral springs F2 and have stop collars F. These
valves when drawn from their seat in their open position are stopped by the
collars Fagainst casing at F. These valves are enclosed in casings F provid-sd
with perforations Fe for the inlet of air.
G, G are outlet valves which control the openings from the cylinder of the
pumps to passages J, which are in communication with a pipe K common to
ali the passages. The valves G have their rods set in metal guide bushes G' and
have spiral springs G2 to keep same close upon their seats. These valves are
arranged in such a manner that whilst one is open and allowing a passage of air
from the cylinder to the passage K the valves at the opposite end of the cylinder
will be closed against their seat. The cover of the cylinders A B may be un-
rer wed when required for repairs or adjustment of some parts.
The air from the pumps flows by the pipe K to the governing cylinder L.
M is the piston having rod M within such cylinder which is encircled by a spiral
spring under compression, said spring being arranged to keep forward the piston
in the cylinder until its pressure is overcome by the force of air entering by the
pipe K, acting on the front area of said piston M. The piston rod M may, if the
design of the engine permit enter into the packing glands of a shut off valve
placed in the steam pipe of the engine, or if the governor has, owing to local
peculiarities, to be placed at any considerable distance from the steam pipe the
piston rod M' of the governing cylinder may have attached to it connecting links
and a crank action to operate any suitable kind of regulating valve placed in the
motive fluid passage of ine engine or motor or for operating brake gear, or a
switch lever in connection with an electric installation.
This cylinder L is connected by pipe O to a pressure regulating device which
in some cases is used in connection with my governor. O shews a safety valve
set in this pipe. Figure 4 illustrates the apparatus employed in connection with
the governor when same is required to control the speed of dynamos through the
medium of an engine of an electric light installation. This pressure controlling
device consists of a rigid frame P which supports. the pipe or passage O which is
in communication with K. This passage has an escape port or ports O¹ which are
triangular in form and said pipe terminates within a cylindrical box Q which
forms a slide valve. This valve is supported upon a rod Q' and the amount of
opening of the triangular port O is controlled by the said valve which slides with
its rod Q. The movement of this rod and consequently the escape of air through
the port is controlled by a lever R which has a fulcrum standard R' arranged to
slide at its top upon the fixed beam P and at its lower end along the lever R.
The sliding standard R is secured in the desired position on the lever and fixed
beam by means of thumb screws R2, R. The lever R turns upon pins R5 which
are set in the bifurcated end of the standard R¹ and bear against the sleeve R
The lever R has adjustably connected thereto a magnet core S which is connected
by a universal joint at S¹ to a screw rod $, the height of such core is adjusted by
the thumb screw S³. The core S is arranged to depend partially into a coil S+.
This coil is supported upon a base plate $5 which carries the terminals S6, So, to
which the wires from the general circuit or shunt of dynamo are connected. The
coil S is provided with a magnetic plug S7 which assists to attract the core S
and which has its distance from the said core adjustably arranged by the thumb
screw S8 and screw pin S9 which passes through frame $10.
The lever R has a safety appliance connected therewith which will automatically
act to operate the lever R rod Q and valve Q so as to close tae port 0¹ and prevent
the escape of air from the pumps and so increase the pressure upon the piston M
within the cylinder L and force said piston forward and close or shut off the
steam to the motor engine. This safety appliance consists of a spring T which
is adjustably secured to the lever R by a screw rod and thumb screws.
The

page_text: opposite end of the spring is secured to a slotted frame T, a pin or hook T is
arranged to project into the slot of this frame and so support the lever through
the medium of the spring. This hook is pivotted at the end of the fixed beam P
and has a projecting arm T. A vertical rod T is adjustably secured to the
lever R and is arranged to engage with the projecting arm T, its distance from
such arm being adjustable by the thumb screws T.
The opposite end R of the lever It is bifurcated, a fork passing at either side
of a tube or sleeve Q2 which encircles the rod Q. This tube is connected at one
end to the nut or thumb screw Q whilst its opposite end passes into a groove in
the nut Q, the bifurcated end of the lever may thus be adjusted at the required
height by screwing the nut Q to the desired position on the screw rod and screw-
ing the nut Q down upon the tube. P, P are arms projecting from the frame l'
and through which the screw rod Q' passes. 12 is a screw pin which carries a
block 1 said block has a threaded face and is arranged to be screwed tightly upon
the screw rod Q so as to lock same when required such as when not under control
of the lever R.
By locking the rod with the port O partially open the appliance may be
employed to control any desired uniform speed in motors or engines generally.
Referring now to Figure 5 such view shewa the pressure controlling device
designed particularly for use in marine engines and which is arranged in such a
manner that it may be adjusted so as to obtain efficient action under altered con-
ditions, such as when a vessel is travelling against a head sea or through beam sea
or with following sea.
In such arrangement the appliance consists of the following-
03
A cylinder U which is in communication with the pipe K. A slide valve U
is set within such cylinder U and controls the opening to the passage 0. The
valve U has attached a pipe U2 which passes through a bore in the cover U³ of
this cylinder. This pipe between the cylinder cover and valve U has a spiral
springs U encircling it which keeps the said valve in its forward position until
overcome by the air pressure from the pumps. U are stops to limit the travel
in either direction of the said valve. The pipe U has a port U of triangular form,
the amount of opening of said port being regulated by a plug U
This plug is connected by a rod U9 to the plug thumb screw U
which screws into the open end of the pipe. Us shews an opening for the exhaust
air when the valve U is in its forward position. This contrivance is employed on
marine engines when vessels provided with the governor are travelling through
beam or with following sea, but when the vessel is travelling against a head sea
an appliance having parts similar to those described in connection with my
electric contrivance is employed. This consists of the branch pipe 0 which is
in communication with the cylinder and has a triangular escape port O' the open-
ing of which is controlled by a slide valve as already described in the electrical
appliance. A sliding fulcrum is employed similar to that described and marked It'
to R. It has the addition of a hanging rod W which is suspended from the lever R
and has a weighted ball W. This rod W is arranged to slide upon the lever with
the sliding fulcrum standard so as to decrease or increase the range of travel of
the bifurcated end of the lever and consequently the motion of the slide valve Q. The
ball W is vertically adjusted upon the screw portion of its rod by the nut W
The ball and rod is arranged to form a pendulum which will oscillate with the
motion of the vessel and so move the bifurcated end of the lever up and down
thus operating the rod Q and valve Q so as to open or close the escape port O.
The oscillating motion of the pendulum will thus control the air pressure upon
the piston M and cause it to act upon the throttle valve lever so as to anticipate
and prevent any racing of the engine and propeller during the pitching motion of
the vessel when travelling against a head sea.
The modus operands of the invention is as follows-
Assume the governor to be employed to control the engine or motor of an
electric lighting plant the pressure controlling device illustrated on Fig. 4 would

page_text: be employed and connected with the governor. The air pumps will take in a
supply of air through the valves F and discharge same through the valves G into
the pipe or passage K, thence to the governing cylinder. The amount of escape
through the port O and consequent pressure of the air upon the piston M being
controlled with the increase or decrease of the amount of load or number of lights
in the system, for instance if a number of lights in the circuit be suddenly switched
on a decrease of current will pass through the coil S and consequently less attrac-
tive force will be exerted on the core S thus allowing the spring T to act to raise
one end of the lever so as to lower the valve Q and open the port O'. An increased
escape of air thus takes place through the port 01 and consequently a reduced
pressure is exerted upon the piston M, the piston will thus move forward owing to
the pressure of the spring N which encircles its rod al' thus actuating the said rod
to open the throttle of the engine or motor and cause an increase of speed of such
engine which will be communicated to the dynamos.
With a switching off of lights the reverse action will take place.
If the current be suddenly cut off from the circuit owing to breakage of belting
or circuit or any other cause the safety appliance will come into operation so as to
prevent the racing away of the engine in such case the pull of the core would be
relaxed and the spring would cause one end of the lever to jump up and with it
the rod T causing such rod to strike arm T3 and release the hook T from the
frame T thus causing that end of the lever to drop by the force of gravity and ->
close the port 04, the air pressure upon the piston AI will thus be increased so
forcing piston and rod M¹ back and completely shutting the throttle valve so as
to stop the engine.
When my governor is employed on marine engines the pressure controlling
appliance illustrated on Figure 5 is employed. If the vessel is travelling through
a beam sea or with a following sea the port 01 will be closed by the valve Q and
the valve rod Q locked by the locking pin P. The air from the pumps will enter the
cylinder by the pipe K, the plug U having been previously adjusted to allow
the escape of an equivalent quantity of air through the port L to that generated
by the air pumps when working with the engine at the predetermined maximum
speed. The valve U is at the same time held forward by the spring U so as to
keep the passage to the pipe O and cylinder L closed. If the engine be increased
beyond such speed more air will be immediately generated by the air pumps than
the escape at the port will allow so that the air acting against the plug and
valve will force backward the slide valve so as to open the passage to the pipe 0,
the air produces a pressure upon the face of the piston M in the governing cylin-
der L and pushes said piston M and its rod backwards so as to completely close
the throttle valve controlled by the said piston rod M¹ and on every occasion if
the engine attempts to race the piston in the governing cylinder will be
immediately forced right back in such a manner as to close completely the throttle
valve in the steam pipe.
The tension of the spring U should be adjusted so that the slide valve will
resist a greater pressure to the square inch than the spring N in the governing
cylinder L. On the engine returning to a normal speed the slide valve will return
forward owing to reduced air pressure in cylinder so opening the passage from
the pipe O to the exhaust port Us which allows of the escape of air in cylinder L.
If the vessel be travelling against a head sea, the escape port is closed by
the plug and the locking pin 12 is released from the valve rod Q-the
pendulum W is now free to oscillate when the vessel is pitching so as to actuate
the slide valve Q and control the opening of the escape port O'. For instance,
if the stern of a vessel rise out of the water the pendulum will assume such
position as to operate the lever R to close the port 01 thus checking the escape of
air and causing it to operate so as to close the throttle valve in the manner
described and with the return motion of the vessel the pendulum will act to reopen
the port 01.

page_text: . It will thus be seen that the action of the pendulum W and W synchronously
operates the piston M and with it, by M, the throttle valve of the engine, thus
anticipating and preventing the racing of the engines when the propellor is
insufficiently immersed.
"When my governor is employed on land or stationary engines of any description
so as to control any desired uniform speed I employ a part only of the pressure con-
trolling appliance with the governing cylinder and pumps, the part consisting of
the slide valve Q and its rod Q to control the port in the passage ().
escape opening is controlled at will by adjusting the position of the slide valve Q
and screwing down the locking pin P
The
I do not confine myself to the employment of air in the said governor, as water
or any other liquid or fluid may be used in lieu thereof, but. I prefer the air on
account of its quickness and softness in action, and I do not confine myself to
the employment of any particular number of pumps, or to such pumps being either
partly or wholly singie or double acting.
It will be readily understood by every engineer that my invention can be easily
attached to or removed from every kind of land br marine engines without
causing any alteration or damage to the machinery.
Further that its merits must prove of special service on both marine and Electric
Lighting Engines, as a powerful and sensitive governor, which can be adjusted
any time at will while such engines are in motion so as to regulate any desired
uniform speed, and prevent the racing of engines owing to the variations of loads.
It will be understood that the action of the governing devices above described
is dependent partly upon variations in the supply by pumps driven at a speed
depending upon that of the engine to be governed, of operating fluid to the
governing or controlling cylinder, and partly upon variations in the area of the
outlet for such fluid from the said governing or controlling cylinder, effected,
in the one case, by variations in the electric current, and in the other by the fore and
aft inclination of the vessel relatively to a pendulum suspended therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to have it under-
stood that I am aware that it is not novel to employ as a governing device for
motive power engines an air or other pump, a controlling cylinder connected with
the said pump, a piston in such controlling cylinder connected with the throttle
valve of the engine, and a valve controlling the outlet from the controlling
cylinder, and that I do not claim broadly such a governing device that I am also
aware that it is not novel to employ an electro-magnet for operating, at the same
time, both an inlet and an outlet valve in connection with the controlling cylinder
of such a governing device, and that I do not claim an electro-magnetic device
acting in that manner, but only an apparatus in which the electro-magnet operates
the outlet valve alone, because I have found that better results can be obtained
by leaving the area of the inlet opening to the controlling cylinder unaltered by
variations in the electric current, after the said inlet opening has once been
properly proportioned, and by varying the area of the outlet opening only by
variations in the electric current; and that I am likewise aware that it is not novel
to employ in connection with marine engines a pendulum suspended in the ship
and adapted to move the throttle valve of the engine direct or through the inter-
vention of atmospheric pressure in conjunction with the condenser vacuum, or by
admitting steam from the boiler to a relay evlinder the piston of which acts upon
the throttle valve, and that I do not claim the use of a pendulum in such manner,
but that what. I do claim is :-
First. In connection with engines for the dynamical production of electricity,
a governing device consisting of an air pump worked at a speed dependent upon
that of the engine to he governes, a controlling cylinder connected with the said
air pump, a piston in the said cylinder connected with the throttle or other valve
controlling the supply of motive fluid to the engine, a valve controlling an outlet

page_text: from the said controlling cylinder, and an electro-magnet operating the said out-
let valve all combined and operating in the manner described both by changes in
the speed of the engine and by changes in the electric current produced.
Second. In connection with marine engines, a governing device consisting of an
air pump worked at a speed dependent upon that of the engine to be governed,
a controlling cylinder connecte with the said air pump, a piston in the said
cylinder connected with the throttle or other valve controlling the supply of motive
fluid to the engine, a valve controlling an outlet from the said controlling cylinder,
and a pendulum operating the said outlet valve, all combined and operating in the
manner described both by changes in the speed of the engine, and by changes in
the fore and aft inclination of the vessel.
Third. In a governing device of the kind herein described, the combination with
the controlling cylinder of such device of a pipe or passage O having a port O¹,
a slide valve Q, a lever R connected with such valve and having a sliding ful-
crum, and a controlling electro-magnet or solenoid $, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Fourth. In a governing device of the kind herein described, the combination
with the controlling cylinder of such device of a pipe or passage 0, a slide
valve Q, a lever R, a spring T, a slotted frame T', a pivotted arm T3 carrying a
hook T, an adjustable rod T, and an electro-magnet or solenoid S4, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
itfh. In a governing device of the kind herein described, the combination
with the controlling cylinder of such device of a pipe or passage O, a cylinder U,
a slide valve U provided with a pipe C2 having a port L, a spiral spring U,
and an adjustable plug U, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Sixth. In a governing device of the kind herein described, the combination
with the controlling cylinder of such device of a pipe or passage 0, a port 01. a
slide valve Q, a lever R having a sliding standard R', a pendulum W and a fixed
beam P, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Seventh. In a governing device of the kind herein described, the combination
with the controlling cylinder of such device of a pipe or passage O, a port 01, a
slide valve Q, a rod Q, a frame P, and a locking pin 12 and block P3, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
ighth. The general combination and arrangement of the several parts sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated on the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 20th day of October 1896.
E. THUNDERBOLT.
Per W. H. Beck, Agent.