An Electric Speed Regulator for Marine Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1889--Accepted, 19th Oct.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Speed Regulator for Marine Engines.
We, PETER WILHELM SOTHMANN, mechanician, and CARL OTTO HEINRICH KROLL,
machine-engineer of Glückstadt, in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To object of this invention is a speed regulator for marine-engines essentially
consisting of three principal parts viz. a sensitive apparatus each for starboard and
larboard, a system of electromagnets arranged on a common base plate, with armaturo,
and a commutator.
These parts are inserted in the circuit of a dynamo-electric machine, such as
employed on modern steamers for producing electric light, and are connected with
one another by means of conducting wiros, while the throttle valve is movably
attached to the armature of the electromagnet system, said armature having the shape
of a two-armed lever.
The improved device has for its purpose to allow of a possibly direct working of
the throttle valve and a more or less rapid opening or closing thereof according to
the movement of the sea.
The sensitive apparatus mentioned above consists of a cast iron cylindric casing
closed above by a cover and secured below by means of a flange to the inner side of
the wall of the ship on both sides of the stern tube.
At some distance above the respective opening in the wall of the ship, a corrugated
leaf spring secured by means of screws, divides the casing into an upper and lower
compartment. Said leaf spring is nickled to protect it from oxidation and provided
at four certain points of its upper side with platinum buttons and a pole screw for
attaching the positive conducting wire from the dynamo-machine. Immediately
above the loaf spring an indiarubber protective plate is provided serving to determine
tho upward expansion thereof. Above the protecting plate a mounting plate is
secured in the casing by means of screw thread, in which plate brass pivots are sunk
at four points corresponding to the position of the platinum buttons. These pivots
serve as nuts for four screws and are connected with the commutator by means of
conducting wires. Each of these screws is provided at its lower extremity with a
platinum spring extending through a corresponding opening of the protecting plate
and is nearly in contact with the respective platinum button when the regulator is
inoperative. The distance of the springs from the platinum buttons of the leaf spring
is adjustable by means of screws.
The electromagnet system consists of eight electromagnets arranged on a common
base plate of non-conducting material, four of them pertaining to the sensitive
apparatus of the starboard and four to that of the larboard. Above the magnets is
situated the longer arm of the armature provided with eight normally arranged iron
bars, while its shorter arm is connected with the throttle valve.
The following relations obtain between the apparatus and the magnet system :
Magnet 1 is in electric connection with contact screw
1.
II.
do. 2
do. 3
33 37
"
"
""
"
22 39
"
"
"
"
"
"
III.
do.
4
" "
"
23
"
"
"
IV.
The attractive force of the electro-magnets is so adjusted as to easily overcome the
resistance of movement of the throttle valve and the tension of a counter spring.
The commutator consists of a flat casing of non-conducting material containing
two indiarubber discs arranged on pivots and adapted to be turned by means of a key

page_text: according to a scale provided on the cover of the casing and bearing four terms
designating the movement of the water. Metal stripes are radially passed through
said discs for the purpose of electrically connecting each two opposite pole screws
for the conducting wires, while they are insulated by the indiarubber on a corre-
sponding revolution of the disc. Said pole screws are connected by means of
conducting wires with the respective electromagnets and the latter with the contact
screws of the sensitive apparatus.
Dated this 14th day of December 1888.
HUELSER & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Speed Regulator for Marine Engines.
We, PETER WILHELM SOTHMANN mechanician and CARL OTTO HEINRICH KROLL,
machine engineer, of Glückstadt, in the Empire of Germany, 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 relates to an electric speed regulator for marine engines essentially
_consisting of three principal parts viz. a sensitive apparatus, a system of electromagnets
with armature arranged on a common base plate and a commutator. These
constituents are inserted into the circuit of a dynamo-electric machine and connected
with one another by means of conducting wires, whilst the throttle valve is movably
connected to the armature of the electromagnet system, which armature has the shape
of a two-armed lever.
The improved device has for its purpose, besides influencing the throttle valve as
directly as possible, to allow the same to be opened and closed at a rate dependent on
the different movement of the sea.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 illustrates the sensitive apparatus A in vertical section along line aẞ
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, the cover being removed.
Fig. 3 shews the system of electromagnets with armature and commutator.
Fig. 4 illnstrates the whole of the enumerated parts shewn as arranged in the
tunnel and engine room of a steamer.
The sensitive apparatus A consists of a cylindric casing closed at the top with a
cover and secured below by means of a flange to the inner side of the wall of the
vessel below the water line near the stern tube. An aperture in the side of the vessel
serves to give the water access to the interior of the casing.
At some distance above said aperture a corrugated loaf spring a secured within the
casing divides the apparatus into two superposed compartments, said spring being
protected from oxidation by a coat of nickel and provided at four determined points
of its upper surface with platinum buttons b and the pole clamp c. The latter serves
for receiving the positive conducting wire from the dynamo-machine D. Above the
leaf spring is provided the protecting plate d of indiarubber which serves to upwardly
determine the vaulting of said spring, while, above it the mounting plate e is secured
in the casing by means of a scrow thread. The plate e is fitted at four places corre-
sponding to the position of the platinum buttons with brass pivots which serve as
nuts for four screws g¹ g³ g³ g* and are connected through conducting wires h with
a commutator. The lower extremity of each of these screws is provided with a
platinum spring which extends through a corresponding aperture in the protecting
plate d and, while the regulator is inoperative, is nearly in contact with one of the
platinum buttons b. The distance of the springs from the platinum buttons of the
leaf spring a is determinable by means of the screws g. The whole of the conducting
wires proceed at k from the casing.
The electromagnet system B consists of four electromagnets arranged on a joint

page_text: base plate and made from material having ro electric conductivity. Above these
electromagnets is situated the longer arm of the two-armed lever having its
fulcrum in m and its shorter arm movably connected with the throttle valve.
Corresponding to the four electromagnets an equal number of armatures o are pro-
vided which, according to the extent to which the throttle valve is opened, are
attracted by the electromagnets thereby lowering the lever l. To allow the latter to
assume the position indicated by dotted lines Fig. 3, the armaturos o are so arranged
as to be movable therein and are shifted back in succession as soon as they have been
placed on their appurtenant electromagnets. When the current is disengaged, the
longer arm of the lever rises by the action of the spring and the armatures
resume their original position, Fig. 3, by means of springs provided within the bent
tubes p.
The commutator (consists of a disc of material of no electric conductivity, in
whose centre is lodged the commutating lever s revolvable about a shaft and having
five arms, four of which serve to establish electric connection between the contact
screws gggg and the electromagnets, through a sliding rod to the lover t. Said arms
are different in length and have at their free extremities brass segments corresponding
to the respective circles they describe and being relatively of a length dependent on
the electric connection which the respective arm is to have for opening the throttle
valve to a certain extent.
As soon as an arm comes in contact with two pole clamps, the respective magnet
engages its armature thereby opening the throttle valve, the extent of such opening
being indicated on the degree segment of the valve.
The following relations obtain between the apparatus A and the electromagnet
system: Electromagnet I comes in conducting connection with the contact screw g¹,
electromagnet II with contact screw g³, electromagnet III with contact screw g³ and
electromagnet IV with contact screw g*.
The regulator is operated as follows: The leaf spring a is vaulted inwardly by
the pressure of the water, whereby the contacts between the platinum springs and
platinum buttons are established-beginning in the middle of the leaf spring-and the
electromagnets supplied with current. When the pressure of the water increases, the
throttle valve is opened correspondingly and vice versa.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1) A speed regulator for marine engines actuated by water pressure and consisting
of the sensitive apparatus A, the electromagnet system B and the commutator Ü
substantially as illustrated and described.
2) The sensitive apparatus A consisting of a cylindric casing with leaf spring a,
protecting plated, mounting plate e and screws g¹ g³ g³gʻ provided with platinum
springs, the whole arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposo
set forth.
3) The commutator (consisting of a disc of electricity-non-conducting material
carrying four pairs of pole clamps and having revolvably arranged in its centre the
five-armed lever s, four arms of which serve for establishing electric connection
between the contact screws of the sensitive apparatus and the electromagnets I to IV,
Dated this day of September 1005.
P. W. SOTHMANN.
C. O. H. KROLL.
Per Huelser & Co.,
142, Fleet Street, London, their Attorneys.