IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDWARD WRIGHT of Worcester in the county of Worcester and state of
Massachusetts one of the United States of America Machinist do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS" to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in mechanism for governing or
regulating the flow of steam, air, gas or other fluid through pipes as the supply
of an engine or motor, and for other purposes of similar nature, and my invention
consists in a valve device constructed in peculiar manner, and mounted so as to
avoid unnecessary friction or binding of the parts when in action; and also in the
combination therewith of a peculiarly constructed centrifugal ball and spring
actuating mechanism adapted for operating in any position of axial location, for
controlling the valve in a quick and sensitive manner, according to the rotative
velocity of the mechanism, and having means for adjusting the tension of the
springs for regulating to different degrees of speed.
In this improved governor the cylindrical body, shell.or casing is made with
an annular chamber, that is separated from the interior or valve chamber by a
cylindrical valve seat provided with ports that lead from the outer to the inner
chamber, and bossed openings are provided for attachment of pipes that respectively
communicate with the outer and inner chambers as indicated.
The valve is found with open ends and sides and with bars of proper number.
and dimensions for covering and closing the several ports, said valve is fitted to
work freely within the valve seat.
A coupling piece attached to the valve spindle is furnished with projections that
engage slots or recesses at one end of the valve while at the opposite end the
coupling has bifurcated projections that embrace the cross head of the spindle,
the radial relation of the latter being at right angle or nearly so, with the former.
The valve spindle is made with a long and very slight taper and is fitted through
a correspondingly tapered bearing or bushing to the exterior of the casing without
packing or stuffing boxes. The outer end of the spindle is furnished with an arm
or other suitable connection for receiving motion from the actuating devices or ball
mechanism.

page_text: The bushing is screw threaded to the face plate of the casing so that it can be
adjusted in or out as required to bring the valve into proper relation to its seat.
The valve is opened and closed by the action of balls which are formed on angle
levers fulcrumed to the arms of a revolvable standard mounted on a hollow stud
that is fixed to a projecting part of the casing. The ends of the ball levers work
in the grooved head of a rod which passes down through the hollow centre of the
standard and connects with the arm or device on the valve spindle.
Flat bow springs are arranged about the fulcrum pivots of the arms which
springs press upon the outer sides of the ball-levers. The top ends of the springs
are seated in grooves on a cross head above the head of the rod and a bearing plate
and set screw are arranged in connection therewith for varying the tension and
pressure of the springs. The standard is provided with a pulley for the driving
belt, or if preferred a gear could be used in lieu thereof, for revolving the standard
together with the spring and ball devices.

page_text: Improvements in Governors.
I, EDWARD WRIGHT of Worcester in the County of Worcester, and State of
Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention for. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS
" 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 certain improvements in mechanism for governing or
regulating the flow of steam, air, gas or other fluid through pipes as the supply
of an engine or motor, and for other purposes of similar nature, and the invention.
consists in a valve device constructed in peculiar manner and mounted so as to
avoid unnecessary friction or binding of the parts when in action; and also, in the
combination therewith of a peculiarly constructed centrifugal ball and spring
actuating mechanisu, adapted for operating in any position of axial location, for
controlling the valve in a quick and sensitive manner according to the rotativo
velocity of the mechanism, and having means for adjusting the tension of the
springs for regulating to different degrees of speed, said mechanism being con-
structed and organised for operation substantially as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and as more fully hereinafter explained.
Figure 1 is a sectional view and
Figure 2 a side view of a governor constructed in accordance with the invention.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the valve and valve casing.
Figure 4 is a transverse section through the valve and casing.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views separately showing the valve, the valve
coupling and the valve stem.
Figure 8 is a view of one end of the valve and its coupling and
Figure 9 is a view of the opposite end thereof and the cross-head of the valve
spindle.
In the improved governor the cylindrical body shell or casing A. is made with
an annular chamber A', that is separated from the interior or valve chamber by a
cylindrical valve-seat B provided with ports b that lead from the outer to the inner
chamber, and bossed openings a and a are provided for attachment of pipes that
respectively communicate with the outer and inner chambers as indicated.
The valve C is formed with open ends and sides and with bars c of proper
number and dimensions for covering and closing the several ports b, said valve is
fitted to work freely within the valve seat B and is mounted upon a central stem
or spindle E to which it is connected by a loose locking coupling piece D for the
purpose of attaining a limited degree of diametric self-adjusting movement between
the parts to insure freedom of action under all circumstances.
The coupling piece D is furnished with projections & that engage slots or
recesses c³ at one end of the valve while at the opposite end the coupling has

page_text: bifurcated projections that embrace the cross-head e of the spindle E, the radial
relation of the latter being at right angle, or nearly so, with the former. Each of
the connections are arranged in a manner to confine the valve longitudinally and
to permit its free movement in directions lateral to the axis of the spindle while
preventing any independent rotative action between said parts, so that the valve C
while it is controlled by the movement of the spindle E is free to rock, incline or
take position eccentric to the axis of said spindle within a limit sufficient to insure
its free action without cramping or binding, thus giving a perfectly smooth
working valve without requiring extreme accuracy in the construction and
adjustment of the mechanism.
1
The valve spindle E is made with a long and very slight taper and is fitted
through a correspondingly tapered bearing or bushing E to the exterior of the
casing without packing or stuffing boxes. The outer end of the stem E is furnished
with an arm for other suitable connection, for receiving motion from the actuating
devices or ball mechanism. The larger end of the spindle is at the interior so that 1
the pressure of steam will tend to force the stem E as a wedge into its bearing and
a set screw F is arranged in a suitable stationary support bracket, as shown, the
point of which screw centres against the end of said spindle and serves to force it
back against the steam pressure. By means of said screw the spindle can be
adjusted so that it will turn freely while maintaining a steamtight joint within
its bearing.
The bushing E' is screw threaded to the face plate of the casing so that it
can be adjusted in or out as required to bring the valve into proper relation to
its seat.
The valve is opened and closed by the action of the balls G which are formed on
angle levers fulcrumed at m to the arms of a revolvable standard H mounted on a
hollow stud that is fixed to a projecting part of the casing A as shown. The ends
of the ball levers work in the grooved head I of a rod 11 which passes down through
the hollow centre of the standard H and connects with the arm or device f on to
the valve spindle E.
Flat bow springs J are arranged about the fulcrum pivots of the arms which
springs press upon the outer sides of the ball levers G and tend to force the balls
inward against the standard in opposition to the centrifugal action. The top ends
of the springs are seated in grooves on the cross-head K above the head of the.
rod I' and'a bearing plate L and set screw L' are arranged in connection therewith 3
substantially as shown, for varying the tension and pressure of the springs J. By
thus adjusting the pressure of the springs, the governor is adapted for regulating
different speeds. The standard H is provided with a pulley M for the driving belt,
or if preferred a gear could be used in lieu thereof, for revolving the standard H
together with the spring and ball devices.
When in operation the centrifugal force of the revolving weights or balls G acts
in opposition to the force of the springs J and to a greater or less degree overcomes
the pressure thereof. The swinging outward of the ball levers depresses the rod. I'
which moves the arm and spindle E and effects oscillative action of the valve C
so that the bars c close the ports b to a greater or less extent according to the 4
extent of action of the ball levers thus giving greater or less passage for the flow
of the steam or gas through the apparatus. The valve being constructed and
mounted in its seat with the loose coupling and tapered spindle as shown, all
binding or cramping of the bearing surfaces is obviated and the friction is reduced
to an inconsiderable minimum, so that the moving the valve is easily effected by
the slightest change in the relative forces of the springs and balls, consequently
the governor readily and in a most positive and sensitive manner responds to slight
variation of speed in the revolution of the standard and balls.
This governor will operate equally well with the ball standard H vertical,
horizontal, or in any position of axial relation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The governor valve fitted to rotate within the cylindrical valve seat, mounted
and confined on a centre stem or spindle by an interlocking coupling piece con-
necting said parts as described, to allow lateral self adjustment of the valve while
preventing rotative movement thereof independent of the spindle substantially as
set forth.
2: The valve C, the interlocking coupling piece D and the long tapered spindle E,
in combination with the chambered casing A provided with a valve seat B having
ports, as b the bearing or bushing sleeve E' correspondingly tapered to match and
receive said spindle and the adjustable step or screw.F, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the chambered casing A provided with the valve seat B
having ports b the long tapered valve spindle E, the valve C, the loose connecting
coupling D, the bearing sleeve E¹, the revolving standard H, the ball-levers G, the
flat bow springs J, the tension adjusting device LL' the rod I, I, and connecting
device f, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 6th day of August 1885.
WM P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and
323, High Holborn, London,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.