Improvements in Governors for Motive Power Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Motive Power Engines.
I, JAMES CAMBELL STEVENSON of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in governors for motive power
engines. According to this invention à longitudinally movable shaft mounted in
bearings is rotated by suitable means such as a belt, toothed wheels or the like
from any convenient moving part of the motor to be governed. This shaft one end
of which is connected to the ordinary throttle or supply valve extends through a
suitable stuffing box into a closed cylinder containing water oil or the like and that
portion of the shaft which is within the cylinder is provided with one or more
spiral vanes or blades.
A by pass pipe or passage places the ends of the closed cylinder in communication
and is provided with a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through said pipe or
passage.
As the spiral vane or screw blade revolves, the fluid in the cylinder will be
caused to flow from one end of the cylinder to the other through the by pass pipe
or passage.
With this arrangement increase of speed of the vane or blade tending
to cause the fluid to flow through the by pass pipe or passage at a greater speed
will cause a greater pressure to be exerted on one end of the cylinder and on the
adjacent side of the vane or blade thereby causing the shaft to which the vane or
blade is attached to move longitudinally more or less and thus closing the throttle
or supply valve of the engine. By means of the valve in the by pass pipe or
passage the governor can be adjusted so to close the throttle valve when the speed
of the engine exceeds any desired limit. Suitable means such as springs may be
provided for returning the shaft to its normal position when the speed of the engine
has been reduced.
Between the front end of the cylinder and the driving mechanism a universal
joint may in some cases be provided. The shaft may be square or have keys
sliding in key ways therein to allow of the longitudinal movement thereof. Roller
or other bearings are provided near the driving wheel to take the strain off the
shaft.
The general arrangement may be modified to suit various constructions of engines
without departure from the essential features of my invention.
Dotod this 2nd day of Mo 1002
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Motive Power Engines.
I, JAMES CAMBELL STEVENSON of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster
Engineer, 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 has reference to improvements in governors for motive power
engines. According thereto a longitudinally movable shaft mounted in bearings is
rotated by suitable means such as a belt, toothed wheels or the like from any
convenient moving part of the motor to be governed. This shaft, one end of which
is connected to the ordinary throttle or supply valve, extends through a suitable
[I

page_text: stuffing box into a closed cylinder containing water oil or the like and that portion
of the shaft which is within the cylinder is provided with one or more spiral vanes
or screw blades, hereinafter referred to as a screw-blade.
A by-pass pipe or passage places the ends of the closed cylinder in communi-
cation and is provided with a valve for regulating the flow of fluid there-through.
As the screw blade revolves the fluid in the cylinder will be caused to flow from
one end of the cylinder to the other through the by-pass pipe or passage. With this
arrangement an increase of speed of the shaft and screw blade, tending to cause
the fluid to flow through the by-pass pipe or passage at a greater speed, will cause
a greater pressure to be exerted on one end of the cylinder and on the adjacent
side of the screw-blade, thereby causing the shaft to which the screw blade is
attached to move longitudinally more or less and thus close the throttle or supply
valve of the engine to any desired extent. By means of the valve in the by-pass
pipe or passage, the governor can be adjusted so to close the throttle valve when
the speed of the engine exceeds any desired limit. Suitable means, such as springs,
may be provided for returning the shaft to its normal position when the speed of
the engine has been reduced.
Between the front end of the said cylinder and the driving mechanism a universal
joint may in some cases be provided for coupling two lengths of shaft together.
The shaft may be square or be provided with one or more keys arranged to slide
in key-ways within a driving wheel or pulley so as to allow of its moving longi-
tudinally. Roller or other bearings are provided near the driving wheel to take
the strain off the shaft.
The general arrangement may be modified to suit various constructions of engines
without departure from the essential features of my invention.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation,
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section partly in elevation,
Fig. 3 a plan or top-view, and
Fig. 4 an end elevation, shewing a governor for a motive power engine,
constructed according to this invention.
A is a longitudinally movable rotary shaft, preferably of square form in cross
section. It is carried, in the example shown, by extended bosses formed on a
driving belt pulley B. driven from the engine the speed of which is to be con-
trolled, the said bosses being of sufficient length to take into suitable bearings or
pedestals C. C. secured to a base plate D. The ends of the bosses project through
the said bearings sufficiently to. admit of antifriction rollers E. E. being pivotted
thereto for taking the strain due to the transmittion of rotary motion from the
pulley B. to the shaft A. and to permit of a free longitudinal movement of the
shaft, in addition to its rotary motion. One end of the shaft A is provided with a
suitable swivelling coupling or connection F. whereby it can be connected with the
ordinary throttle or supply valve of an engine, uot showu, through suitable
mechanism such as rods, levers or the like, according to circumstances, and the
position of the lever on the said throttle or supply valve. The other end of the
said shaft is connected by a universal coupling G to one end of a shaft H.
the other end of which passes through a stuffing box J. into a closed cylinder K.
which is supported by the base plate D. Within the cylinder is a screw blade L.
fixed to the shaft H.
This screw blade is of about the same diameter as the internal diameter of the
cylinder aud is guided and kept central therewith by a fixed guide or bearing M.
through which the end of the screw shaft H. passes, the cylinder being of sufficient
length to admit of the shaft and screw blade moving longitudinally therein within
predetermined limits. The two ends of the closed cylinder K are connected
together by a by-pass pipe N. controlled by a pivotted disc valve P. provided with
a hand wheel P₁ Figs. 1. 3 and 4. A pointer R is secured to the valve spindle P²
50 as to rotate with it, and in connection with this pointer there is provided a
suitable index plate S, that may be marked in any convenient manner for indicating

page_text: the position of the valve P. corresponding to any given position of the pointer
To one end of the cylinder K may be screwed or otherwise secured a supply
pipe T provided with a tap not shown by means of which the cylinder K and
by-pass pipe N can be filled with a liquid such as water oil or glycerine, the highest
part of the said by-pass pipe being provided with an air outlet T¹ to allow of the
said cylinder and by-pass pipe being fully charged. The air outlet is afterwards
closed by a suitable device such as a screw cap. When the closed cylinder K as
well as the bearings C. C. are firmly bolted onto a stiff base plate D, the universal
coupling G may be dispensed with.
The end coupling or connection F. may be provided with antifriction balls as
shown in Fig. 2 for reducing any tendency it may have to revolve with the
shaft A.
By the construction described it will be seen that when the speed of the engine
from which the governor is driven increases, the speed of the screw blade L. will
be increased also with the result that the screw blade will tend to cause the liquid
within the cylinder K and by-pass pipe to circulate more quickly, but as the rate
of flow of the liquid is determined by the position of the valve P, if this valve has
been previously moved into a position to partly close the by-pass pipe, the result
of the increase of speed of the screw blade will be to cause a greater pressure to
be exerted on one side of the screw blade than upon the other which will cause
the screw blade and shaft to move longitudinally to an extent depending upon the
amount of the increase of speed and simultaneously close to a greater or less
extent, the supply valve controlling the admission of motive fluid to the engine to
be governed.
By suitably adjusting the position of the controlling valve P. the normal speed
of the motor can be altered to suit requirements and the sensitiveness of the
governor will be correspondingly varied.
A spring, tension cord or equivalent device not shewn is attached in any convenient
position to and between the coupling or connection F. and the levers connecting the
same with the supply valve or other suitable moving part affected by the governor,
in order to bring the screw-blade back to its normal position as the speed of the
governor is reduced to the normal. The supply valve is thus gradually opened
until the engine has again acquired its normal speed, the screw blade simul-
taneously moving back longitudinally until the end ways pressure thereon is sufficient
to balance the pull of the tension cord; it will then remain in its normal position
shewn in Fig. 2, until the speed is again varied, when it will again act as before
to operate the supply valve."
For increasing the speed of the engine the valve P. is opened to allow the
liquid to flow past it more freely, thereby reducing the pressure on one side of the
screw blade and causing a less amount of pull on the tension cord or spring which
acts to open the supply valve. Thus the supply valve can be automatically opened
or closed by opening or closing the valve P. on the by-pass pipe.
Governors constructed as described are specially applicable for use with marine
engines because, owing to the fact that their action does not depend upon gravity
they can be placed in any desired position without affecting their proper working.
In some cases, as in large governors, the screw blade and shaft may be driven by
toothed gearing instead of by a belt and pulley. ·
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A governor for motive power engines, comprising a closed cylinder having
its ends connected in such a way that liquid can be caused to circulate from one
to the other and an endways movable screw blade or blades arranged to rotate in
the said cylinder and adapted to be driven from the engine the speed of which is
to be controlled and to be connected with the motive fluid supply valve of such
engine, the arrangement being such that when the said cylinder with the connecting

page_text: -
pipe or passage between its ends is filled with a liquid and the governor is in
action, then upon the speed of the engine with which the governor is used, varying
from the normal speed, a greater fluid pressure will be exerted upon one side of
the screw blade or blades, than upon the other side so that the said screw blade or
blades will be caused to move end ways and adjust the position of the said supply
valve and thereby bring the speed of the engine to the normal substantially as
herein described.
2. A governor of the kind referred to in the preceding claim in which the ends
of the cylinders containing the screw blade or blades are connected by a by-pass
pipe or passage provided with an adjustable controlling valve substantially as
herein described for the purpose specified.
3. The improved governor for motive power engines, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 11th day of October 1892
JAMES CAMBELL STEVENSON.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.