Improvements in Automatic Speed-regulating Gear for Steam Engines, Water Wheels, Turbines, Wind Mills, and similar Apparatus.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 24th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Nov., 1887
Improvements in Automatic Speed-regulating Gear for Steam
Engines, Water Wheels, Turbines, Wind Mills, and similar
Apparatus.
We, LLOYD HIGGINBOTTOM of 6 Slade Lane, Longsight Manchester in the county
of Lancaster and THOMAS MANNOCK of 17 Albert Grove, Longsight, Manchester in
the same county, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention consists in the construction of an improved form of apparatus for
automatically regulating the speed, under variations of load, steam pressure, head of
water, pressure of wind or other conditions, of steam engines, water wheels, turbines,
wind mills or other motors. To effect such purpose our said improved apparatus is
connected, in the case of a steam engine, with the expansion valve or valves, the
throttle valve, or the ordinary expansion link, or in the case of a motor other than a
steam engine, with the particular equivalent device with which such motor may be
provided.
According to one method of carrying out our invention, we construct our apparatus
in the following manner. A hollow shaft is mounted in suitable bearings, on a framing,
and is capable of end motion as well as rotation in the said bearings. A fast pulley is
mounted on the said shaft with a loose pulley on each side. The said loose pulleys
are driven in opposite directions by means of an open and a crossed belt from a drum
on a shaft worked by the motor. A rod with a swivel joint connects one end of the
hollow shaft with the governor of the motor, while the other end of the said shaft is
threaded internally to receive the screwed end of a rod connected with the expansion
valve or other equivalent device required to be operated. Fixed forks on the framing
keep the open and crossed belts on their respective loose pulleys, when the motor is

page_text: running at the required normal speed, and the apparatus then remains inoperative;
but any increase or decrease in the speed, will through the governor move the hollow
shaft end ways and directly affect the valve, while such motion will at the same time.
shift the fast pulley under either the open or crossed belt, thus rotating the hollow
shaft and lengthening or shortening by means of the screw the rod operating the
valve, and thus throwing, or tending to throw the belt back on its loose pulley, leaving
the valve in the required altered position.
According to a modified and more sensitive form in which we construct our
apparatus; a shaft, supported in bearings on a framing, and hereinafter referred to as
"the main shaft," has a fast pulley, with a loose pulley on each side, mounted thereon.
These pulleys are driven in opposite directions by means of an open and a crossed
belt from a drum on a shaft worked by the motor. A pinion is fixed on one end of
the main shaft and gears with a spur wheel, on the shaft of which are mounted one or
more chain wheels connected by endless chains with similar wheels, which by their
rotation affect the expansion valve, or other equivalent device required to be operated.
Any other suitable means may however be employed for connecting the main shaft
with the said valve or other device. The other end of the main shaft has a screw cut
upon it to receive a long nut, which carries the fulcrum of a double-ended lever;
but this fulcrum is caused to move on the said nut in the manner hereinafter explained.
One end of this lever is connected by any convenient arrangement of rods and links
with the governor of the motor, and the other end is jointed to a bar which carries
two forks embracing the open and crossed belts aforesaid. When the motor is
running at the required normal speed the belts are upon the loose pulleys on the main
shaft and the apparatus remains inoperative, but any increase or decrease in the speed,
will through the governor, shift either the open or crossed belt on to the fast pulley
and so rotate the main shaft and operate the valve. At the same time the long nut
carrying the lever fulcrum, will have been moved along the shaft in a direction to
throw, or tending to throw, the belt off the fast pulley again and leave the valve in
the required altered position.
In practice the movements above described are not found sufficiently delicate to
keep a motor at a given speed under varying loads, as the belt is apt to be thrown off
the fast pulley a little too soon. To counteract this tendancy, a second shaft is provided
in the apparatus parallel with the main shaft and capable of rotation and longitudinal
motion in its bearings in such a position that a screw which is cut on one end shall
regulate the position of the fulcrum on the long nut aforesaid. The said screw on the
end of the second shaft enters a tapped hole in an arm projecting from the long nut
aforesaid on the main shaft; just behind the screwed part, this second shaft is provided
with a long collar within which it can rotate, but which, by means of pins entering
circumferential grooves, or other suitable devices, is compelled to slide therewith, and
the lever fulcrum aforesaid is carried by this collar. Two friction wheels, preferably
formed in copper, and of bevel pattern, are mounted facing each other in key ways
upon the second shaft, so that they can slide upon, but must rotate therewith. They
are separated by a fixed collar on the shaft, but always tend to approach each other by
reason of small rollers mounted on levers and pressed against their outer faces by
means of weights or springs. A third shaft is mounted in bearings at right angles to
the second shaft and driven continuously by any suitable train of gearing from one of
the loose pulleys or other source of power.
It carries on one end a friction bevel wheel which comes just between the inner
faces of the aforesaid friction wheels on the second shaft, but these said wheels are so
arranged that when both are pressed against the separating collar aforesaid and the
engine is running at the normal speed, they are neither of them in contact with the
wheel on the third shaft.
The screw on the end of the second shaft is of finer pitch and cut the reverse way
to that on the main shaft. Now let it be supposed as before, that a variation of speed
has, through the governor, shifted a belt on to the fast pulley, the rotation of the
main shaft, will as explained, tend to pull the belt off again, but the friction wheel on
the third shaft, being in rotation, will by reason of the end motion of the second

page_text: shaft, caused by such shaft being screwed into the arm on the long nut on the main
shaft, have one or other of the copper friction wheels pressed against it, so that the
second shaft must revolve and be screwed through its nut, thus receiving an end
motion in the opposite direction to that imparted to it by the long main nut.
It will therefore be seen that the amount of motion imparted to the lever fulcrum
tending to throw off the belt, will only be the differential motion due to the difference
in pitch of the screws on the ends of the main and second shafts, or of the difference
in the speed of rotation of these shafts, or of a combination of both such causes.
And we find that in practice this arrangement gives very satisfactory results.
It will be understood that our improved apparatus may be placed in any convenient
position with regard to the engine or other motor to which it is applied.
DULL ORT
1000
AMBROSE MYALL, C.E.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Speed-regulating Gear for Steam
Engines, Water Wheels, Turbines, Wind Mills, and similar
Apparatus.
We, LLOYD HIGGINBOTTOM of 6 Slade Lane, Longsight Manchester, in the county
of Lancaster, and THOMAS MANNOCK of 17 Albert Grove, Longsight, Manchester, in
the same county, Engineers 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 :—
Our invention consists in the construction of an improved form of apparatus for
automatically regulating the speed, under variations of load, steam pressure, head of
water, pressure of wind or other conditions, of steam engines, water wheels, turbines,
wind mills or other motors. To effect such purpose our said improved apparatus is
connected, in the case of a steam engine, with the expansion valve or valves, the
throttle valve, or the ordinary expansion link; or in the case of a motor, other than a
steam engine, with the particular equivalent device with which such motor may be
provided.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in
section, of one form of our apparatus as applied to the throttle-valve of a steam engine.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of a modified and more sensitive form of our apparatus, as
applied to regulate the expansion valve of a steam engine. Fig. 3 is a plan, partly in
section, and Fig. 4 is an elevation, through the line X X in Fig. 3, of the said
apparatus to an enlarged scale.
Similar letters of reference are used to denote similar or corresponding parts
throughout the drawings.
In fig.
a hollow shaft S is mounted in suitable bearings S1, S2, on a framing A,
and is capable of end motion as well as rotation in the said bearings. A fast pulley C
is mounted on the said shaft, with loose pulleys B and D on each side. The said loose
pulleys are driven in opposite directions by means of an open belt B' and a crossed
belt D¹ from a drum on a shaft worked by the motor (the said drum not being shewn
in the drawing). A lever R connects one end of the hollow shaft S with the governor
of the engine, while the other end of the said shaft is threaded internally to receive
the screwed end of a rod M, connected with the throttle-valve P, or other equivalent
device required to be operated. Fixed forks V, V¹, on the framing A keep the open
and crossed belts B', D, on their respective loose pulleys when the engine is running
at the required normal speed, and the apparatus then remains inoperative; but any
increase or decrease in the speed, will, through the governor, move the hollow shaft S
end ways and directly affect the throttle-valve P, while such motion while at the same
time shift the fast pulley C under either the open or crossed belt, thus rotating the
hollow shaft S, and lengthening or shortening, by means of the screw, the rod M
operating the valve P and thus adjusting the supply of steam to the altered load,

page_text: which first caused the departure from the central position. As the length of the rod
becomes adjusted (by the action of the bolts and screws, as described) to the altered
load or steam pressure, the engine will be brought back to its normal speed and the
governor resume its central position, and when the governor has reached such central
position, the open and crossed belts will be again on the loose pulleys, and the rod M
will remain at its altered length until another change of speed occurs.
In the modified and more sensitive form of apparatus, shewn in Figs. 2. 3 and 4, a
shaft S supported in bearings on a framing A, has a fast pulley C, with loose pulleys
B and D on each side, mounted thereon. These pulleys are driven in opposite
directions by means of an open and a crossed belt from a drum on a shaft worked by
the engine. A pinion F is fixed on one end of the shaft S and gears with a spur
wheel K, on the shaft of which is mounted a chain wheel L, connected by an endless
chain M with a similar wheel L', which by its rotation affects the expansion valves P¹, P³.
Any other suitable means may however be employed for connecting the shaft S with
the said valve or other device. The other end of the shaft S has a screw S¹ cut upon
it, to receive a long nut E, which carries the fulcrum Q of a double-ended lever T, but
this fulcrum is caused to move on the said nut in the manner hereinafter explained.
One end of the lever T is connected by any convenient arrangement of rods and
links R, with the governor of the engine, and the other end is jointed to a bar U,
which carries two forks V, V¹, embracing the open and crossed belts aforesaid.
When the engine is running at the required normal speed the belts are upon the
loose pulleys B, D, on the shaft S and the apparatus remains inoperative, but any
increase or decrease in the speed, will through the governor, shift either the open or
crossed belts on to the fast pulley C, and so rotate the shaft S and operate the.
valves P, P. At the same time the long nut E, carrying the lever fulcrum Q, will
have been moved along the shaft in a direction to throw, or tending to throw, the belt
off the fast pulley again and leave the valve in the required altered position.
In practice the movements above described are not sufficiently delicate to keep a
motor at a given speed under varying loads, as the belt is apt to be thrown off the fast
pulley a little too soon.
To counteract this tendancy a second shaft G is provided in the apparatus, parallel
with the shaft S and capable of rotation and longitudinal motion in its bearings, in
such a position that a screw G', which is cut on one end, shall regulate the position
of the fulcrum Q on the long nut E. The said screw G¹ enters a tapped hole, in an
arm El projecting from the nut E, on the shaft S, just behind the screwed part, this
shaft G is provided with a long collar Y, within which it can rotate, but which by
means of pins Y, Y², entering circumferential grooves, or other suitable devices, is
compelled to slide therewith, and the lever fulcrum Qis carried by this collar. Two
friction wheels H, H¹, preferably formed in copper and of bevel pattern, are mounted
facing each other in key-ways upon the shaft G, so that they can slide upon, but must
rotate therewith. They are separated by a fixed collar G on the shaft, but always
tend to approach each other by reason of small rollers N, N1, mounted on levers a¹,
and pressed against their outer faces by means of weights or springs W, W¹. A
third shaft 6 is mounted in bearings at right angles to the shaft G, and driven con-
tinuously by spur gearing c, d, and bevel gearing e from the loose pulley B, though
any other suitable train of gearing may be employed for this purpose. The shaft b
carries on one end a friction bevel wheel J, which comes just between the inner faces
of the friction wheels N, N³, on the shaft G, but these said wheels are so arranged
that when both are pressed against the separating collar G³, and the engine is running
at the normal speed, they are neither of them in contact with the wheel J on the
shaft b.
a
The screw G¹ on the end of the shaft G is of finer pitch and cut the reverse way
to the screw S¹ on the shaft S. Now let it be supposed as before, that a variation of
speed in the engine has, through the governor, shifted a belt on to the fast pulley C,
the rotation of the shaft S will, as explained, tend to pull the belt off again, but the
friction wheel J on the shaft b; being in rotation, will by reason of the end motion of
the shaft G, caused by such shaft being screwed into the arm E³ on the long nut E,

page_text: have one or other of the copper friction wheels H, H', pressed against it, so that the
shaft G must revolve and be screwed through its nut, thus receiving an end motion in
the opposite direction to that imparted to it by the nut E. It will therefore be seen
that the amount of motion imparted to the lever fulcrum Q tending to throw off the
helt, will only be the differential motion due to the difference in pitch of the
screws G¹, S, on the ends of the shafts G, S, or of the difference in the speed of
rotation of these shafts, or of a combination of both such causes, and we find that in
practice this arrangement gives very satisfactory results.
Although in practice we prefer to employ the system of open and crossed belts and
fast and loose pulleys, as shewn and described for driving the shaft S, on account of
its offering no resistance to the movement of the governor, we may employ a system
of bevel wheels, friction wheels, or other suitable devices, actuated by or from the
rod U for this purpose.
It will be understood that either form of our improved apparatus may be placed in
any convenient position with regard to the engine, other than that shewn in the
drawings, and that although the said drawings shew them in connection with steam
engines, they are equally applicable to the other forms of motor, hereinbefore
enumerated, the means of connecting the apparatus with the motor being modified as
required to suit the particular circumstances of each case.
When applied to a water wheel or turbine the apparatus would be connected by any
suitable means to the sluice or other device employed to regulate the flow of water
to the said wheel or turbine; and in the case of a windmill the apparatus would be
connected to the device employed for altering the angle of the louvre boards of the
sails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :
(1) The improved automatic speed regulating apparatus, wherein a shaft carrying
one fast and two loose pulleys is capable of receiving end motion from the governor
of a motor to shift either one of two belts, guided by fixed forks, on to the fast pulley,
constructed substantially as herein described and shewn with reference to Fig. 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
(2) The improved automatic speed regulating apparatus, constructed substantially
as herein described and shewn with reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1887.