Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating and Controlling Steam Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
DRAVIOLONAT
LON
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating and Controlling Steam
Engines.
I, EDGAR CONISTON MILLS of No. 12, Victoria Buildings Manchester, Mechanical
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of a pneumatic apparatus operated by steam pressure and
itself operating the governing or variable distributing valve of the engine; its action
being under the immediate control of governors both as to direction of action, amount
or period of action, and rate of action.
Regulating or supplementary govorning appliances have hitherto had a rate of
correction which has been uniform, that is the correction has proceeded at only the
same rate for a large departure in the engine's speed from the normal as for a small
departure. Hence a medium rate has had to be adopted suitable to the average
circumstances. If the rate adopted be too low the mechanism is too slow to take up any
unusual or sudden variations in load and if the rate be too high the ordinary frequent
and slight variations set up too great a correcting action and the result is the well
known and objectionable "hunting."
My object is to provide a correcting or regulating appliance whose rate or speed of
action as well as amount shall always bear a definite and desired ratio to the amount
of departure of the engine from its normal speed.
I provide a cylinder within which a piston works. The piston-rod projecting
through a stuffing-box, actuates by rack and pinion and gearing, or by multiple chain
gear or other suitable mechanism or directly the regulating nut on the governor rod
or actuates the variable governing or cut-off gear in any of the well known ways.
The cylinder has ports at either end which communicate with suitable admission
and exhaust ports by means of a valve or valves which in medium or normal position,
close all ports, but a very slight departure in one direction admits steam pressure to
one side of the piston, opening the exhaust on the other side, and a departure in the
other direction admits steam to the latter side and opens the exhaust on the former
side. The said valve or valves are actuated by the governor or its rod so that by this:
means the direction of motion of the piston and hence of the corrective action is
determined.
as follows:-
:-
The control of the governors over the rate of action is
The cylinder is filled upon one or both sides of the piston with a suitable fluid such
as water, oil, mercury or glycerine. One of the ports leading from the cylinder to the
before mentioned admission and exhaust valve or valves is connected to a specially
constructed throttling or controlling valve in such a way that the fluid must pass such
valve on its way to and from that end of the cylinder. I also provide a secondary
vessel or an enlargement of the said portway and situated between the controlling
valve and the distributing valve or valves. Its capacity is somewhat greater than
that of the piston's sweep and its object is to contain the fluid ejected from the
cylinder and to return it thereto. When steam is admitted into the port leading to.
the last mentioned end of the cylinder it acts upon the surface of the fluid in the said
Vessel or enlargement.
The throttling or controlling valve is for the purpose of determining the speed at
which the piston shall move, and hence the rate of correction. I construct it in
various different forms. It may be a sleeve valve with single or double curved or
serrated lips whose curves shall give openings increasing in arithmetical, geometrical
or other desired progressive ratio for equal distances of travel of the valve from.
normal, position in which the opening shall be nil or a desired minimum.

page_text: In another form this valve is constructed as two valves in equilibrium on the well
known plan but the valve does not come to a seating but is of plug form with curved
or conical taper to give progressive ratio of opening, as before.
In this case as in the first form when single lips are used the motion of the valve
(obtained from the engine governors) is so arranged by means of a cam or link motion
that the normal governor position corresponds with the extreme, of stroke of valve
and in whichever direction the governors move the plug valve is withdrawn from its
orifice. Or in a modification of this form double plugs are used placed back to back.
In this case as in the first form when double lips are used, the middle or normal
position of governors corresponds with the middle of valve stroke or closed position.
In a third form this valve is constructed as a rotating plug with ports with suitably
curved edges, and in a fourth form it is simply a sliding or rotating plate covering ports
and having curved port edges for the same purpose as before described.
In all forms the motion of the valve is obtained directly from the governor or
its: rod.
The apparatus may be worked entirely full of the fluid including valves and port-
ways and when filled with water 1. provide a vessel on a higher level for the purpose
of condensing water to supply the apparatus, such vessel being practically an
enlargement of the steam supply pipe.
The cylinder may be vertical or horizontal and I may provide two of the secondary
or displacer vessels one for each end of the cylinder.
In the vertical form I sometimes place the displacer vessel as a jacket surrounding
the cylinder or a portion thereof.
I provide suitable adjustments for connecting the governor motion to the valves and
in the case of the distributing valve I fix a stop to its movement and allow for the
further free movement of the governors by a special spring arrangement.
In one form of my invention. I use tandem cylinders, one being the working or
steam cylinder and the other a resistance or cataract cylinder in which the fluid is
allowed to pass from one end of the cylinder to the other through a controlled throttle
valve as herein before described. In another form I place the two cylinders side by
side and connect the motion of their pistons by external racks and pinions.
The direction and variable rate of correction being determined as above the amount
or period is as is usual determined by the period during which the governors are
otherwise than in their normal position. By interposing the cataract controlling
appliances for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the fourth day of February
1888 and numbered 1678, I can reduce the period of corrective action as described in
the Specification attached thereto.
Dated this 19th day of September 1880.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating and Controlling Steam
Engines.
1.EDGAR CONISTON MILLS of No. 12 Victoria Buildings Manchester Mechanical
Engineer and Patent Agent 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 :—
My invention consists of a pneumatic apparatus operated by steam pressure and
itself operating the governing valve or the variable distributing or "cut-off" valves of
the engine; its action being under the immediate control of governors, both as to
direction of action, amount or period of action, and rate of action.
Regulating or supplementary governing appliances have hitherto had a rate of
correction which has been uniform, that is the correction has proceeded at only the
same rate for a large or sudden departure in the engine's speed from the normal as
for a small or gradual departure. Hence a medium rate has had to be adopted

page_text: suitable to the average circumstances. If the rate adopted be too low the mechanism
acts too slowly to take up any unusual or sudden variations in load and if the rate bo
too high the ordinary frequent and slight variations in the load, set up too great a
correcting action in the regulating mechanism and the result is the well-known and
objectionable hunting" or oscillations of speed.
#
My object is to provide a correcting or regulating appliance whose rate of action as
well as whose amount of action shall always bear a definito and desired ratio to the
amount of departure of the engine from its normal speed.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figs. 1. 1a and 16 show in sectional elevation and plan the construction of one
arrangement of the cylinder, pision and valves.
Fig. 2. shews in section the cylinder arranged horizontally and provided with two
secondary chambers and with a different construction of regulating and admission
valves.
Fig. 3 shews my apparatus as applied direct to the lever of an existing throttle-
valve, in this case performing the combined duties of governing and regulating or
compensating.
Figs. 4 & 4 a. show a special arrangement of throttlo-valve and governors combined
with my apparatus applied to govern and compensate and with index pointers to
indicate the variations of governors and of valve.
Fig. 5. shews the apparatus as applied to vary the position of the fulcrum of a
throttle-valve lever, in this case performing the function of a regulator only.
Fig. 6. shows my apparatus as applied by means of rack and gearing to actuate the
variable cut-off of an engine with Myer's cut-off gear.
In Figs. 1. 1a and 16 A is the pneumatic cylinder with piston B & rod b. The
upper part is surrounded with an annular vessel (which I call the secondary vessel.
Its capacity is somewhat greater than that of the piston's sweep and its object is to
receive and contain the liquid ejected from the cylinder A and to return it thereto.
By means of pipe C communication is established between the lower part of vessel C
and the lower end of cylinder A, but such communication is under the control of and
can be entirely closed by the valve d working within the box e. The pipe c opens to
port and communication by means of port g with the lower end of A is controlled by
valve d. Fig. 1a shews an elevation of valve d-the port being dotted. The curved
openings are formed so as to allow only a very slight passage past the valve when
there is only a small movement in either direction from the central position in which
it is shewn in the drawing and in which the passage is closed entirely. The curvature
of the sides of the openings d can be varied to give different ratios of increase of
opening for a given valve movement as may be desired.
The valve d is actuated by the valve spindle which is moved by a suitable connection
from the engine governors. It is arranged to be in the central or closed position
when the governors are at normal running height and it is faced to make a good joint
with either internal valve box surface, though it is not necessary that it should do so
with both simultaneously. By means of two grooves shewn dotted at d" in Fig. 1a
I establish free communication between the spaces in the valve box above and below
the valve.
The portion of cylinder A. below the piston, the valve box e, passages g and f, pipe c
and vessel C are all filled with the liquid,-condensed steam water being in most cases
sufficient.
Steam pressure from any suitable source is allowed access to the surface of the
liquid in the pressure being transmitted thence through the liquid to the underside
of the piston B-or to the upper side of the piston direct, and its admission and exhaust
is controlled by the valves i working in the valve box F', divided as shown in Fig. 16
into two compartments F' having the steam supply pipe connected to it and F
having a free exhaust pipe connected to it. The valves i. are small piston valves
worked by levers 7, and spindles m. m³ passing through stuffing boxes n. n'. The
spindles are rigidly connected together externally by the bridle o so as to move

page_text: the
together and are actuated by lever p which is connected to and moved by the engine
governors. By means of suitable steam ports and g and exhaust ports and
valves allow the steam to enter chamber C or the top of cylinder A and open the
corresponding exhaust from the other whenever the engine governors depart in either
direction from their normal position.. The result is that the piston Band rod b will
be moved by steam pressure in one direction for a full of the governors and in the
other direction for a rise, and as they cannot move at all except in accordance with
the amount of opening of valve d, their rate of movement will he in proportion to the
amount or degree by which the governors shall depart from their normal position, and
the said proportion may be simple. arithmetical, geometrical or have any desired rate
of increase according to the curve of the openings of the lips of valve d.
In the above arrangement it is obvious that one regulating valve d applied to one
end only of the cylinder A is sufficient unless there be some exterior force applied to
piston rod in an upward direction sufficient to lift the piston and cause a vacuum
under it at times when the governors are at normal height, and the valves of my
apparatus all closed. For on the upward stroke the steam pressure can only cause
motion as the liquid is able to force its way through the aperture of valve d and on
the downward stroke though the steam itself may have access to the top of the
piston, it can only move it as the pressure, transmitted through the piston to the
liquid below is able to force it through the same aperture in an opposite direction.
I do not confine myself to the form shewn and described for the distributing valve
or valves as I may use an ordinary slide valve, or a plug or other suitable form of
valve the object being merely with a slight movement of the valve to admit steam to
ong or other of the sides of the piston and to open the exhaust from the other.
In Fig. 2. the cylinder A is horizontal two secondary chambers C. & Care shewn
though this is not essential as C might be dispensed with, and the right hand end of
cylinder could be connected with a pipe or portway to the steam port.g².
A different construction of admission valve and also of regulating or cataract välve
is also shewn though the same as shewn in Fig. 1. 1a and 16 might be used.
The general action is the same in principle as has been described for the vertical
cylinder. The regulating valve d in this case is of the equilibrium" type, having
two conical or conoidal valves d and d¹ which, when in their lowest position corre-
sponding in this case to the normal position of governors-close entirely the passages
by which alone the liquid can flow from A to C or vice versa. As tlie spindle / rises
the area of passage through the valves increases at a rate dependent upon the form of
the conoidal plugs d&d. S is the governor rod or rod connected therewith. It is
pivotted to levert which carries a cam against which the roller bears. ≫ is carried
by the top of spindle / which is forced upwards by the spring w. By this arrange-
ment an upward movement of valvo d is caused whether the rod S moves upwards or
downwards from its normal position. I sometimes make the slide valve of the type
described in connection with Fig. 1. with only one set of lips instead of two as shewn,
and in this case I operate it by lever, cam, roller and spring as shewn in Fig. 2.
The steam admission and exhaust valve is shewn in this case as of the ordinary
"D" type as used for steam engines etc. T is the steam chest, the steam inlet
pipe, the valve which has little or no "lap," g and g the ports communicating
with C and C, is the exhaust port in valve and y the exhaust outlet. This valve
can be actuated in any suitable way by the governors, but I prefer the arrange-
ment as illustrated. The arm = takes into a suitable recess on the back of the valve.
It is fixed upon a rock-shaft m passing through a stuffing box and having externally
the lever secured to it. This lever is actuated by the governor rod s in like
manner and simultaneously with t.
In Fig. 3. G. are the governors, R the governor rod whose function is simply to
actuate the valves of the cylinder apparatus A whose piston rod b alone actuates the
lever of throttle valve T. This arrangement shews one method of applying my
apparatus to an existing throttle-valve-there being no direct connection at all between
the governors and the throttle-valve. In the case of "Corliss" or other variable

page_text: "cut-off" motions which are controlled by the governors through a governor rod or
lever, the same application can be made, in which case the lever I will represent the
said cut-off motion lever or rod.
.52
In Fig. 4. the governors G throttle valve T and my apparatus A are combined
together in compact form. Fig. 4 a shews a plan of this arrangement. The governors
as they rise and fall actuate by means of the usual sleeve 1-the two levers 2. 2 (see
plan) which are pivotted to the forked bracket 3 at their common fulcruin and at their
outer ends to the vertical rods 4 and 4'. The rod 4 actuates the controlling or cataract
valve d and 4' the steam admission and exhaust valve or valves i contained in box F.
The piston rod of the cylinder A is connected by link 5 to a central lever & also
pivotted at its fulcrum end to the bracket-3 as shewn in the plan and at or about its
mid-length pivotted to a vertical rod 7 which actuates by means of lever 8 and
spindle the throttle-valve T. In all these arrangements heretofore described the
governors themselves do not act directly upon the valves ("throttle or "cut-off")
but only through the intermediary of the pneumatic cylinder and piston apparatus.
There is no mechanical connection between the governor sleeve and the engine valve
or valves and therefore the governors are relieved of all duty except that of moving
the small valves of my apparatus as described, while the full force of steam pressure
exerted upon any desired area of piston is available to perform the actual duty of
moving the engine governing valve or valves, or of varying the position of "release"
in cut-off motions of the "trip" or "Corliss" type or of varying the relative positions
of cams or eccentrics by helical grooves or differential toothed gearing, to all of
which and other methods of varying engine distributing or
.st cut-off valves my
apparatus is applicable.
I am aware that steam power as an accessory to the main governors is not novel but
in previous arrangements the action has been such as to produce for each position of
the governors a corresponding position of the engine valve or valve mechanism, so
that although thero has been no direct connection between the governors and engine
valve, the resulting actions has been merely that known as governing" as dis-
tinguished from "regulating" or compensating, meaning thereby the maintenance
of an uniform speed in spite of variations of load on the engine or of steam pressure
which as is well-known cannot be accomplished by any mere direct governing action.
I am also aware that a regulating or compensating motion has been previously added
to such arrangements in which steam pressure has so been used, but in my invention
the actions of governing" and "regulating" or "compensating" are combined in
the one apparatus without any need of further exterior mechanism.
In Figs. 1. 2. 3 and 4 the action is as follows:-
Assuming the engine to be running at normal speed and the governors at normal
-which should also be their central-position, I will suppose a variation either slight
or great and either gradual or sudden all of which cases my apparatus is designed
to meet to take place in the load. Let the variation be one of reduction in load. A
proportionate momentary increase in speed results causing the governors to com-
mence to rise. The immediate result is to admit steam by the valve i to the upper
side of piston B-in the arrangement as shewn in Fig. 3-and to the under side as
shewn in Fig. 4. At the same time the cataract valve d is opened to an amount
bearing as herein before described a desired ratio to the amount of governor's departure
from normal whereby the speed of travel of piston B is determined. Thus in Fig. 3.
the piston-rod draws down the lever L closing the throttle-valve T to an amount
and with a speed proportionate to the amount and suddenness of the variation of load.
Such closing will continue until, by the resultant immediate reduction of the engine's
speed, to normal the governors also return to their normal position., So long as the
given reduced load obtains the valve T will remain in this new position relatively to
the governors.
In Fig. 4 the piston-rod 6 is moved upwards in the case supposed whereby, by means
of link 5 lever 6, link 7 lever 8 and spindle 9 the throttle-valve T is as before closed to
the exact degree and with the exact rapidity required to compensate for the change'

page_text: which has taken place. The return of the governors to normal position, not only
closes the steam admission through valve but also locks the piston B fast in its new
position by closing the cataract valve d and hence the throttle-valve T is similarly
locked.
It will readily be understood that a corresponding action in the opposite direction
takes place for an increase of load, and the apparatus compensates in a similar way
for increase or diminution of steam pressure.
The index plate 10 having gradations marked upon it is carried by the governor
pillar. The pointer 11 is a continuation of the lever 2 and the pointer 12 is carried
by the lever 6. Thus as 11 indicates always the position and variations of the
governors and 12 indicates the position of the piston B and the consequent position of
the throttle-valve, the positions of each can be noted at a glance both with reference to
one another and also with reference to their own normal positions..
In Fig. 5 the rod b of my apparatus is shewn pivotted to the fulcrum of an ordinary
throttle valve lever L, and merely varies the position of this fulcrum, the governor
rods actuating the throttle-valve direct by means of lever Las usual. The controlling-
rod 4 operating the valves of my apparatus is actuated by the bracket 13 which is
rigidly attached to the rod s. The dotied parts on the other side denote the arrange-
ment when the lever L is of the second order, ile fulcrum being at one end and
varied by rod b as before. In these cases my invention is applied merely as an
adjunct to existing governors and performs the function of regulating or com-
pensating only, the ordinary governing being performed by the existing
governors.
35.0
In the arrangements hitherto described, it will be understood that my invention is
equally applicable to those "cut-off" motions which are under the control of the
governors by means of rods or levers varying the timing of trip or "Corliss." valves.
In Fig. 6A is the cylinder of my apparatus carried by bracket 14. s is the con-
trolling rod from the governors actuating the valves and the piston-rod which has
attached to it the rack 15 gearing into a pinion on centre 16. Rigidly attached to.
this pinion is the spur wheel 17 gearing into pinion 18 which actuates by means of a
sliding feather key the cut-off valve spindle 19 thus varying the point of cut-off by
means of the well-known "Myers" or "Ryder " cut-off valves.
Bevil or other suitable gear or multiple chains may he used in this application, and
the horizontal form of my apparatus can be used when suitable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the manner in which it is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In pneumatic governing or regulating appliances in which the duty of varying
the steam-admission or throttling-valves is performed by the steam itself, acting upon
a piston, I claim the interposition of a body of water or other liquid between the
surface acted upon by the steam and the said piston, and in combination with this the
throttling or controlling valve regulating an aperture and hence the rate of flow of
the said liquid, for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. The slide or sleeve valve with serrated and curved lips to give the desired ratio
of increase of flow for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
III. The controlling valve formed so as to entirely close the aperture and so
prevent the flow of liquid entirely when the governor is at normal position by
which means the piston is locked in the position it had arrived at during previous
corrective action, for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
IV. The horizontal cylinder with one or two secondary chambers for the purposes.
and substantially as hereinbefore, described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: V. The double equilibrium förm of controlling valve, without seatings, and with
curved bodies for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
VI. The pneumatic cylinder governing apparatus applied direct to the lever of a
throttle-valve or to the lever or rod of any "cut-off," "Corliss" or other trip-
gears, for the purposes and substantially as fiereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
VII. The pneumatic cylinder governing apparatus applied to the fulcrum of a
throttle-valve lever or of a lever of any cut-off," Corliss or other trip-gears, for
the purposes and substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
VIII. The combined throttle-valve, governors and pneumatic cylinder governing
apparatus substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
IX. The double index and pointers shewing the relative positions at any one time
of the governors and the throttle or other valve for the purposes and substantially as
bereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
X. The pneumatic cylinder governing apparatus applied to cause rotation of the
cut-off valve spindle of an engine with what is known as Myer's or other cut-off
gear, for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
XI. The pneumatic cylinder apparatus applied direct to the sliding motion of cams
operating variable cut-off valves or to the moving wheel of differential gears or to the
block of a slot-link for the purposes and substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of June 1890.