AN IMPROVEMENT IN GOVERNORS OF MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alban Anderson, of Lancaster, State of Ohio, United
States of America, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN GOVERNORS
OF MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES." "
Sealed the 24th April 1860, and dated the 28th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alban Anderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
February 1860.
I, ALBAN ANDERSON, of Lancaster, State of Obio, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for. "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN GOVERNORS OF MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of "An Improvement in Governors. of Motive-power Engines"
consists in a machine which sets in regular motion a disc and the frame which
supports it, and obtains therefrom a force which is of. considerable power, and
sufficient to work the regulating valves of an engine, and is very sensitive to an
increase or diminution of the velocity. The Invention also relates to the
adjusting and regulating the force or power so obtained, so that it may be
applied as a governor to steam or other engines or machinery, and to control
and regulate valves for cutting off steam where it is used expansively, and.to
other analogous objects and purposes.
The rotating disc is provided with a universal joint, so that it may while
rotating incline from its normal position, which, when the engine is going at

page_text: its proper speed, is a vertical position. This disc is also provided with a yoke,
and is connected by means of an arm or arms to a joint on a rod connected
with the valve of the engine. This joint is also acted upon by a spring, the
force of which is overcome by rotation of the disc, and when the engine is
exceeding its proper speed, the increased velocity of the disc will cause it to
incline forwards from the vertical line, and consequently draw down the joint of
the valve rod, and thereby cut off the steam. Upon the speed of the engine
and consequently of the disc diminishing, the disc will rise to its normal
vertical position, in which it will be assisted by the force of the spring. The
rotating disc is set in motion by bevil gearing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alban Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBAN
ANDERSON, of Lancaster, State of Ohio, United States of America, send
greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alban Anderson, Her special. license that I, the said Alban
Anderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alban Anderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 IMPROVE-
MENT IN GOVERNORS OF MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alban Anderson, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Alban Anderson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a machine which sets in regular motion a disc and
the frame which supports it, and obtains therefrom a force which is of power
sufficient to work the regulating valves of an engine, and is very sensitive to
an increase or diminution of the velocity of the engine. The Invention also
relates to a means of adjusting and regulating the force or power so obtained,
that it may be applied as a governor to steam or other engines or machinery,
and to control and regulate valves for cutting off steam where it is used expau-
sively, and to other analogous objects and purposes.
The following is a description of the construction and operation of the
machine, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1
is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is an elevation of the governor.
The machine moves upon a base, which may be formed to suit convenience.
C is a bevil wheel, supported by a suitable number of arms extending from a
hub or nave at bottom; B, B, are arms of a revolving frame; H, a joke; K,
the driving shaft that turns in a bearing D, and carries a bevil pinion; L is a
shaft moving with the disc G, and connected by a universal joint R, with the
driving shaft K. In Fig. 2, O is a sliding bush, which receives the pivot of
the shaft L. The disc G is rotated by the universal joint from shaft R; Q is a
joint for connecting the governor with the valve of the steam engine, which
connection may be effected by means of a rod or lever; I, I, is the attachment
of the yoke II to the joint Q; V is a flat counteracting spring, the object of
which is to bring the disc G to its normal position; the extremities of this
spring are supported by arms X, X. It may be remarked that a spring or its
equivalent is a necessary part of the machinery, but the particular manner of
adapting or placing it must be determined by the convenience of the position
of the several parts; thus it may be attached to a different part of the engine,
or directly to the valve, or a weight may be substituted for it.
When the machine is at rest, the spring V, acting upon and through the
arms I, I, inclines the disc G toward the side to which the yoke II is attached,
as shewn by the dotted line a, a, so that it lies at an angle of about forty-five
degres to the perpendicular. But when the frame B and disc G are put in
motion by the rotation of the pinion P (which derives its motion from the
engine under regulation), the disc G rises to a vertical position, at which it
should be adjusted to remain while the engine is working at a regular and
proper speed.
If the motion of the engine be increased, it increases the velocity of the

page_text: frame B and disc G, which tends to turn the disc from its vertical. position to
the side opposite the yoke, as shown by the dotted line y, y, and by reason of
the leverage given by the attachments I, I, which connect the yoke H with the
joint Q, the rod which connects the joint Q with the valve is drawn upon and
moves the valve and cuts off the supply of steam. to the engine.. When the
speed is sufficiently reduced the disc G gradually moves back to its normal
position, which it is assisted to regain by the spring V.
It will be evident that an apparatus such as that above described. may be.
adapted either to act on the supply valves of a steam, air, or gas engine, or to
cut off or regulate the supply of any other motive agent whereby motive-power
engines are or may be actuated.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improvement in
Governors of Motive-power Engines," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood, that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim the arrangement of machinery above described,
or any mere modification thereof, for regulating the movement of motive-power
engines."
In witness whereof, I, the said Alban Anderson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
ALBAN ANDERSON. (L.S.)