IMPROVE- MENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR PRIME MOVERS, AND IN VARIOUS DETAILS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Rigg, Engineer, of 1, Fenchurch Street, in the
City of London, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR PRIME MOVERS, AND IN VARIOUS DETAILS TO BE
USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
Sealed the 20th February 1880, and dated the 3rd September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Rigg at the Office of.
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September 1879.
ARTHUR RIGG, Engineer, of 1; Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR PRIME MOVERS, AND
IN VARIOUS DETAILS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
When it is desired to govern the speed of a reciprocating engine automatically.
by regulating the quantity of an expansive fluid admitted to drive it, I employ*
generally a directing acting governor. This consists essentially of a block of metal
moving towards or from the centre of a shaft by which it is driven upon a spindle,.
which has an elongated thread cut thereon, and is attached firmly to the shaft
Thus, as the block moves it is also compelled to turn round and its outward motion
is due to centrifugal force, and its return is caused by a spring of suitable strength;
or this arrangement may be modified so that as the block moves it shall cause
another mass to turn round instead of turning itself.
By a lever, screw, or otherwise a connection is established between this moveable>
block and a variable excentric, which drives a valve to regulate where steam, if
steam be used, shall be cut off and expansion commence.
- 1
It is most desirable that any such valve acted on by the governor shall be
balanced, and although a single valve may be employed yet I prefer to use a
"slide" and," expansion valve" both balanced, one driven by a fixed excentric
and the other by the variable excentric under the control of my governor.
Double balanced valves, according to my Invention, specially adapted to my
direct acting and some other combinations of governor and links, consist of two
cylindrical valves working accurately one within the other and within suitable
ports. These valves are driven by spindles passing out from one end of their valve
chest not necessarily either of them central with the valve to which they respec-
tively communicate motion.
-

page_text: In these and other forms of balanced valves it is necessary to provide for the due
discharge of water from the cylinder, and even with the ordinary, slide valve
provision of this kind is desirable. This I accomplish by the application of special
relief valves and by the condensing arrangements.
My self-acting relief valves are placed at each end of the cylinder, opening out-
wardly therefrom, and communicating with a closed chamber which has a passage
from the jacket or valve chest when convenient, and from which chamber any water
accumulated within it may be discharged by hand valve or in any other convenient
manner.
Where a condenser is required I place it at a lower level than the cylinder,
driving the air pump from an independant excentric and passing the exhaust steam
first through a jacketted pipe or surface condenser.
In the governor described in the first paragraph there is a mass moved outwardly
by centrifugal force and inwardly by a spring of suitable strength, and this mass
is caused meanwhile to turn round by those forces as distinguished from the
original driving power which acts as it were indirectly. The inertia of this mass,
which corresponds to an ordinary governor ball, thus opposes sudden changes in the
position of the governor and performs the part of a "dash pot," imposing a delay
in its sensitive action.
•
This feature of my Invention I apply to other forms of governor, in the conical
peudulum type, for example, the balls themselves may be compelled to rotate on
their suspending arms while swinging in or out, and in the case of a loaded
governor the load may be caused to roll round as it rises and falls, and these and
other forms of governors to which this part of my Invention is applied can be used
with a throttle valve or with suitable types of automatic expansion gear.
To govern the speed of that class of prime movers known as "turbines," whether
driven by an elastic fluid, as steam, or an inelastic fluid, as water, I provide a
sluice surrounding their inlet orifices, and regulating the amount of opening by a
movement in the direction of the axis of rotation.
I regulate the position of this sluice to start, stop, or govern the turbine by
connecting it with a piston or plunger which is moved by the admission, alter-
nation, or emission of pressure. This can be done by the hand to start or stop the
turbine when desired, and a governor regulates the supply and position of the
plunger, thus controlling the sluice, the inlet openings, and rate of motion.
Another method I employ for regulating a cylindrical sluice constructed to
surround the supply orifices is to place it on a screw or inclines, and turn it round
in one direction or the other to open or close the inlet.
To start or stop the turbine the necessary rotation is given by hand, but its
regulation is accomplished by fixing vanes upon the sluice set at suitable inclinations
to receive streams which leave the turbine. When these streams pass along the
normal line of the vanes no rotation of the sluice ensues, but otherwise the sluice
is turned round and screwed along the axial line of the turbine, so enlarging or
diminishing the area of inlet opening.
When the sluice moves vertically its operation is facilitated by a counterbalance
.or float to support it.
These general descriptions explain the main outlines of my Invention, but many
of the details mentioned can be modified without interfering with its essential

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Rigg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th February
*1880:
ARTHUR RIGG, of No. 1, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR PRIME MOVERS, AND IN VARIOUS DETAILS TO
BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
Figures 1 to 7 illustrate methods of applying one form of my Invention to vary
the rate of expansion in the cylinder of a steam engine.
A block of metal B, Figures 3 and 5, is constructed so that it can move radially
as regards the engine shaft S on a spiral screw C, and at the same time while
moving radially inwards or outwards it is caused to turn round upon the said spiral
screw, which may be fixed as shown, or in any other convenient manner.
A spring
R, Figures 3 and 6, resists any outward movement of the block B until centrifugal
force developed by the engine's motion suffices to overcome the spring's resistance,
and the block B returns home whenever centrifugal force decreases to a point below
such pressure exercised by the spring. A rectangular frame marked A, shewn in
section by Figure 5, contains the block, or nut B, moves with it, and is connected with
one end of a lever G, F, H, which is centred on a fulcrum F, and arranged in any.
desired proportion so far as the length G, F, and F, H, are concerned. This lever
connects A and B with an eccentric E which is placed on a slide shewn by Fig. 7,
and drives the valve which cuts off steam.
This eccentric has its stroke shortened by an outward movement of B, but a
corresponding final result can be obtained when using a different description of
valve, if the eccentric stroke lengthens while the governor ball extends. Where
one valve only is used without a separate expansion valve, the eccentric is placed
on a slide not radial to the engine shaft, and a movement of the weight not only
alters the eccentric stroke, but also changes its angular position relatively to that
of the crank.
The spring R which resiste the effect of centrifugal force may act directly on the
eccentric.ou the lever, or on the frame A as preferred, and by a proper proportion
it may be so arranged that the ball B shall occupy any desired position radially
with regard to the main shaft at any given number of revolutions per minute.
The eccentric, has a corresponding change of position impressed upon it, and the
valve it drives cuts off steam accordingly.
"
Several descriptions of valves may be actuated by this system of governor and
eccentric, but in practice I prefer separate "slide
and " expansion valves"
generally constructed in a manner now to be described.
To illustrate the connections throughout, T represents an engine cylinder, Figs. 1°
and 2, having steam and exhaust ports which lead into the valve chamber and are
covered, firstly, by a cylindrical slide valve V driven by its own independent
eccentric marked K, Fig. 6. This valve V rules over the inlet, final closing, and,
exhaust of steam, while a cylindrical expansion valve within it marked x regulates
where steam is cut off.
The proportions of these two valves and their ports are determined by rules
familiar to engineers, and it is only necessary to arrange the variation in stroke of
the eccentric E that it shall cause the valve X to cut off steam within such limits
as the designer may think fit to decide upon, and the revolving weight, spring,
eccentric and valves together form an automatic governor.
Another construction is shewn by Figs. 3 and 4; here the ball B, spiral screw C,
spring R, and engine shaft S. correspond with the previous description, but instead
of moving the expansion eccentric E directly, the lever G, F, H, moves a slide D
upon which there are inclines M, N, and these slides fit into projections O and O'
upon the eccentric E

page_text: Any movement of the ball causes a corresponding movement of the eccentric set
in a slide, but at right angles to the direction in which the ball itself travels.
Another form of ball is illustrated by this Figure. Instead of being made in two
parts, as shewn by Fig. 6, the ball is constructed in one piece, and rotates altogether
as it moves in or out; the spring R may act on the lever, or on the frame D, or on
the ball B, as preferred. Either of these constructions of weights can be used
indiscriminately, or the design may be so far modified that the weight is attached
directly to the eccentric and restrained by a spring, so that eccentric and weight
move together. In connection with this latter arrangement there would need a
spiral screw and nut, so arranged that the nut should turn round as the eccentric
moves. Either governor shewn by Figs. 3 or 6 can be used with the valve X, and
numerous other modifications are admissible in details of construction. The
cylindrical valves V and X, such as are shewn in horizontal section by Fig. 2, and
in elevation by Fig. 1, being immovable from their seats afford no certain relief to
condensed water in the cylinder, and in order to guard against any disaster from
this cause, I place at both ends of the cylinder and in suitable positions valves
P and Q which open inwardly, and communicate with a closed chamber L, Fig. 1,
from which there is an outlet regulated either by hand or by self-acting water
discharge valve. The valve chest and steam jacket may also be placed in con-
nection with the chamber L.
So long as steam pressure in L exceeds or is about equal to that in the cylinder,
so long do the valves P and Q remain closed, but whenever an excess of pressure
occurs in the cylinder, then these valves open and freely admit condensed water
into the chamber L from whence it can be discharged.
An essential feature of my governor consists in the rotation of the ball B during
its revolution with the engine shaft, and simultaneous progression under the
influence of centrifugal force. The effect of this secondary rotation is to delay.
movement of the balls without destroying their sensitiveness as a governor, and
this feature can be modified in various ways in application to the arrangement
already described. This feature I also apply to other forms of governor of which
applications two descriptions may suffice.
Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a high speed loaded governor with balls B, B', and load
L usually made in an ornamental form surrounding the vertical spindle. In
applying my Invention to a governor of this description the load may conveniently
be divided into two wheels or discs L, L', one on each side of the central spindle,
both discs connected together and resting upon the sleeve S which receives the lower
ends of governor links. A spur pinion P is attached to the load, and a rack R
forms part of the vertical spindle, as shewn by Fig. 8.
As the load L rises and falls through the action of gravity and centrifugal force
exerted by the balls B, B', it is also caused to roll round by the rack and pinion R
and P, and so oppose the inertia due to this rolling motion to any sudden action of
the balls B B¹.
Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate an application of the device to a cross-arm governor.
Each ball B and B¹ has a wheel W attached to it; these wheels gear into segmental
racks R, R¹, and so while the balls are extended or depressed they are caused to roll
and offer the resistance due to the inertia of such rotation to any too rapid action of
the governor.
These and other modifications of the same plan may be used with a throttle
valve, an expansion valve, link, Corliss gear, or other system for regulating the speed.
of engines to which ordinary governors are applicable, and the spiral screw shewn
in Figs. 3 and 6 may be replaced by a rack and rolling motion similar in general
construction to the plan illustrated by Fig. 8.
The foregoing governors are all described as acting directly upon the valves by
which they regulate inlet, but there are cases where an amount of power is required
to move regulating valves which cannot be obtained directly from governors without
detriment to their efficiency.
In regulating the sluice of a turbine, for example, it is proper to use a governor

page_text: simply to determine when a power shall come into play to move the regulator. To
carry out this part of my Invention I employ a governor G, Fig. 12, to regulate the
position of an equilibrium valve E communicating with a plunger P, in such a manner
that water under pressure can be admitted when the balls are down, retained when
the balls are in. an intermediate position, and discharged when they are up. The
position of this plunger P regulates that of an inlet sluice S, opening or closing it as
required.
When the starting cock T is closed to inlet, and opened to outlet, as in the position
shewn by the Figure, then the governor is standing, its balls are down and the valve
E is placed to admit water from the inlet to P, or from P to the outlet O. But all
inlet is at present closed by the double cock T. On turning it the inlet through the
valves E to P is opened, and the open outlet O closed at the same time, thus admit-
ting water and raising the plunger P. By raising, the plunger acts through suitable
levers, lowers the sluice S admitting the supply and starting the turbine into motion.
When speed has increased so that the governor balls rise they lift the valve E
closing the lower port and preventing further inlet to or egress from under the
plunger P. When however speed still increases, either through reduction of load
or other cause, until the governors approach the upper limit of their range, then the
valve E rises so high as to open a new egress F underneath. The plunger falls by
its own weight, at the same time raising and closing the main sluice S until a
sufficient decrease of speed takes place to cause the governor balls to fall and reach
their mean position. When required to stop the machine the cock T is turned into
the position shewn in Fig. 12, and at once the inlet is closed, the outlet opened, the
plunger falls and sluice closes.
Another method of governing the speed of this class of motors is shown by Figs.
13 to 16.
Figs. 13 and 14 sketch a steam turbine having the usual buckets B and fixed
orifices O, O, &c., for the supply. Surrounding these orifices is a sluice, marked S,
fitted accurately to turn round upon the screw D, and by advancing or receding to
open or close them. Attached to and surrounding the revolving sluice S are vanes
V, as shewn both in plan and elevation, and these vanes stand opposite the orifices
of the turbine wheel T, T, and are fixed radially or nearly so. Their inclination is
such that streams leaving the wheel only impinge against the vanes when it runs
too fast or too slow, and the general plan is so arranged that when running too fast,
turning the sluice shall diminish the orifices O, O, and while, if the machine runs too
slowly, the opposite result occurs.
In Figs. 15 and 16 a modification of the same arrangement is shewn applied to a
water driven turbine. In this case the sluice S turns round upon a screw D, which
may be provided with a float F to buoy it up and render its upward movement easy.
It is also surrounded by a spur wheel W into which a pinion P gears; this pinion is
connected by a vertical spindle with a hand wheel H, and by turning it the sluice
may be opened or closed and the turbine started, regulated, or stopped. To render
this arrangement self-acting vanes V are added, as described under Figs. 13 and 14,
and the whole contrivance permits currents to act obliquely and turn the vanes and
sluice whenever the turbine T runs too fast or slow. Thus the sluice S turns round
upon the screw or incline D, and rises whenever the speed is too great, or sinks
whenever the speed is too little. These arrangements can be readily modified so as
to be fitted to turbines of other descriptions, and details of their construction can be
varied without affecting the essential features of my Invention.
Having now described and illustrated the nature of my Invention and the manner
in which it may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do not bind
myself to the exact details of construction shewn, nor to the use of all parts
described together in a single machine, nor do I make any special claim for moving
eccentrics by the direct action of centrifugal force, nor for the use of cylindrical
valves, but I do claim :-
I. Causing a mass or weight to rotate or roll through the action of centrifugal
force generated in itself in whole or in part, or generated by an independent body

page_text: and the application of such rotating or rolling mass to retard the action of sensitive
governors.
II. Governors fixed on engine shafts acting upon eccentrics which determine the
position of valves to regulate the supply of steam. These governors having a mass
or weight turning or rolling to retard their sensitiveness, as described under the
first claim:
III. The entire combinations of governors, eccentrics,and valves, as described under
Figs. 1 to 7.
IV. The combination of governor, plunger, and valves, for purposes where power
is required to work regulating valves, as shewn by Fig. 12.
V. The application of screw, pinion, and hand wheel with or without the
addition of vanes for governing the supply to turbines, Figs. 18 to 16.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Rigg, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
DATIN