Improvements in Engine Governors.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engine Governors.
We, JOHN DAVIDSON, of 8, Trafford Road, Eccles, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and THOMAS REGINALD HAMPSON, of 20, Curzon Park, Chester, in the
County of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to governors for steam and other fluid pressure
engines; and more particularly to the type of centrifugal governors in which centri-
fugal weights control the position of an eccentric connected with the valve or valve
gear, by which the throw of the eccentric is altered.
According to this invention, in connection with a disc or wheel on the engine,
or other shaft, which carries the governor, there is an eccentric, provided or
mounted at one side to this disc; whilst on the shaft there is loosely mounted a
balanced inertia mass, and to a part of this mass the eccentric is connected, at the
uppermost side of the shaft to which it is connected to the disc or wheel, by a
suitable joint.
On a separate part of the disc, there is a centrifugal weighted arm, which
is hinged upon a pin or similar joint and this arm is connected to inertia
mass.
The position of the governor, due to the speed at which it is revolved, is
controlled by a spring, which is preferably attached to the centrifugal weight in
such a manner as to act in a line directly through the centre of the shaft,
whereby the weight pivot or joint is relieved of unnecessary pressure.
A governor having the characteristics described is powerful, and the pressure
on the joints and parts, due to centrifugal force, is obviated; and thereby its
action is rendered sensitive, and it possesses a high degree of effectiveness; while,
at the same time, a powerful drive to the gear can be obtained, and not at the
expense of great friction.
According to one construction, the inertia mass is composed of two equal bob-
weights joined together by a bar, for instance, the weights and bar may be cast
in one.
The mass is mounted or pivoted on the engine shaft, and is free to
oscillate through a fixed arc, the amount being determined by stops.
The centrifugal weight is connected to the inertia mass by a link extending
between a joint pin and the centre of the weight, and the pin or joint in connection
with which one end or part of the eccentric works. And, to the link pin in the
inertia weight, the spring above described is connected by a link.
In action, the power necessary to drive the valve gear and the engine is obtained
by means of the inertia of the weights revolving at the speed of the engine; and
when starting by the tension of the spring. The direction of running is such that
should the speed of the engine suddenly increase, the inertia mass being freely
pivoted on the shaft, will tend to lag back and so help the centrifugal force of
the centrifugal weight to move the eccentric towards the centre of the shaft, and
so reducing the travel, will cause the valve to cut off steam earlier in the stroke;
and vice versa. In other words, the path traversed by the eccentric, when the

page_text: governor, moves, is such as to vary the travel of the valve, the angle of the
advance and lead; the lead decreasing with the travel, and being decreased to nil
at the minimum of travel. The gear for speeding the governor consists of a
circular toothed rack which is moved axially in and out of a frame by a screw
gear; a worm wheel mounted on a threaded spindle carried on the governor
wheel, and meshing with the circular rack, and serving as a nut to the threaded
spindle; and a lever and other connections connecting this spindle with the
spring, also carried on the wheel.
To operate the governor, the circular rack is moved in or out by its hand screw
gear (which, say, works through the centre of it) and by this movement it rotates
the worm nut, and by the rotation of this nut, the threaded spindle receives
longitudinal movement, and this movement is transmitted to the spring and the
tension of this spring altered and set to produce the speed required.
Dated the 20th day of November 1898
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
pplicants' Patent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.
Improvements in Engine Gov
We, Jonx DAVIDSON, of 8, Trafford Road, Eccles, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and THOMAS REGINALD HAMPSON, of 20, Curzon Park, Chester, in the
County of Chester, 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 governors for steam and other fluid pressure
engines; and more particularly to the type of centrifugal governors in which centri-
fugal weights control the position of an eccentric connected with the valve or valve
gear, by which the throw of the eccentric is altered.
According to this invention, in connection with a disc or wheel on the engine,
or other shaft, which carries the governor, there is an eccentric, pivotted or
mounted on one side of this disc; whilst on the shaft there is loosely mounted a
balanced inertia mass, and to a part of this mass the eccentric is connected-at the
opposite side of the shaft to which it is connected to the disc or wheel-by a
suitable joint.
On a separate part of the disc, there is a centrifugal weighted arm, which is
hinged upon a pin or similar joint, and this arm is connected to the inertia
mass.
The position of the governor, due to the speed at which it is revolved, is
controlled by a spring, which is preferably attached to the centrifugal weight
in such a manner as to act in a line directly through the centre of the shaft,
whereby the weight pivot or joint is relieved of unnecessary pressure.
A governor having the characteristics described is powerful, and the pressure
on the joints and parts, due to centrifugal force, is obviated; and thereby its
action is rendered sensitive, and it possesses a high degree of effectiveness; while,
at the same time, a powerful drive to the gear can be obtained, and not at the
expense of great friction.
According to one construction, the inertia mass is composed of two equal bob-
weights joined together by a bar, for instance. The weights and bar may be
cast in one. The mass is mounted or pivotted on the engine shaft, and is free
to oscillate through a fixed arc, the amount being determined by stops.
The centrifugal weight is connected to the inertia mass by a link extending

page_text: between a joint pin in the centre of the weight, and the pin or joint in con-
nection with which one end or part of the eccentric works. And, to the link
pin in the centrifugal weight, preferably, the spring above described is connected
by a link.
the
the
In action, the power necessary to drive the valve gear of the engine is obtained
by means of the inertia of the weights revolving at the speed of the engine;
and when starting by the tension of the spring. The direction of running is such
that should the speed of the engine suddenly increase, the inertia mass being
freely pivotted on the shaft, will tend to lag back and so help the centrifugal
force
towards
eccentric
move
of the centrifugal weight to
cause the valve
centre of the shaft, and so reducing the travel, will
to cut off steam earlier in the stroke;
words, the path traversed by the eccentric, when the governor moves, is
such as to vary the travel of the valve, the angle of the advance and lead; the
lead decreasing with the travel, and being decreased to nil at the minimum of
travel.
and vice
versa.
In other
The gear for speeding the governor consists of a circular toothed rack which
is moved axially in and out of a frame by a screw gear; a wheel mounted on a
threaded spindle or worm carried on the governor wheel, and meshing with the
circular rack, and serving as a nut to the threaded spindle; and a lever and other
connections connecting this spindle with the spring, also carried on the wheel.
To operate the governor, the circular rack is moved in or out by its hand
screw gear (which, say, works through the centre of it), and by this movement it
rotates the wheel nut, and by the rotation of this nut, the threaded spindle receives
longitudinal movement, and this movement is transmitted to the spring, and the
tension of this spring altered, and set to produce the speed required.
Drawings illustrating this invention are annexed to this specification. In
them, Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing one arrangement of governor under the
invention; whilst Figures 2 and 3 show a modification in side elevation, and
cross section. Figures 4 and 5 are longitudinal section and outside view-partly
in section-shewing the speeder mechanism or gear under the invention.
Referring in the first instance to Figure 1, a is the carrier disc or wheel;
and 6 is the shaft-which generally will be the crank shaft--of the engine on and
in connection with which the several parts of the governor are mounted and
work. The loosely mounted inertia weight shewn, consists of two bob weights c
at equal distances from the centre of the shaft, on the end of arms c¹, carried
by a boss, which fits freely over and is carried by the end of the shaft b, and
about which it is free to move.
d is the centrifugal weight; and is the supporting or carrying pin for the
weight, mounted on the disc a. e is the eccentric sheave from which the cut off
valve of the engine would be driven, one part of which is pivoted on and carried
by the pin f, mounted on the disc a; and another part- viz., at a point on the
opposite side of the shaft is connected with the inertia weight arm c¹ by a pin g.
To this inertia weight, also the centrifugal weight d is connected; the connection
being by the link h, one end of which in the case shewn, is connected to the
inertia weight; by the same joint pin g; while the other is connected to the centre
of the centrifugal weight d by a pin da.
i is the spring by which the position of parts above specified is controlled, and
normally held the connection of the spring with the weights being by means
of the rod, one end of which is coupled up with the weight d by the central
pin while to the other end, which is in the form of a link, 22, for spanning
the shaft b, the spring is directly attached. The outer end of the spring i is
held by an arm j on the pin j', carried in the disc a and adapted to oscillate axially
in it. This arm j is controlled from the speeder gear hereafter described.
It will be seen that the spring is so disposed in relation to the centrifugal
weight as to act in a line directly through the centre of the shaft b. By this
disposition, in action, the pressure on the joint d is relieved, and the friction due

page_text: to the centrifugal force is largely diminished, or obviated, and its action rendered
sensitive.
In action, under normal conditions, when the engine is running at the rate
of speed required, the governor parts, namely, the inertia mass or weight c, and
centrifugal weight d, and eccentric sheave e would take the relative positions
shewn, the direction of revolution of the disc a being that indicated by the arrow
in Figure 1. When a change of speed takes place, say an increase, the weight c,
owing to the inertia of the mass, will not directly receive the increase of speed,
and will not therefore move so fast as a; that is, it will tend to lag behind;
whilst the centrifugal weight d will move outwards, about its supporting pin d¹
by the increase of centrifugal force. By these combined movements of the two
weights e and d, the eccentric sheave e, which drives the valve, is shifted—that is,
its centre is shifted in relation to the crank of the engine-and the speed reduced
in the well known way. If the speed of the engine, on the other hand, falls below
the normal, and that required, the mass c tends to over-run the disc a by the
inertia of momentum; and as the forces due to the centrifugal action of the
weight d become reduced, the pull of the spring i becomes greater than the oppos-
ing force of the weight; and this excess of force, coupled with that due to
the inertia mass c, moves the eccentric sheave e in the opposite direction, and so
alters the throw of the valve it works, in the opposite direction, and the speed of
the engine is increased in the well known way.
In these actions a limit of movement of the balanced inertia weight c in either
direction is obtained by the stops a' on the disc a.
The modification of the governor shewn in Figures 2 and 3, consists in using
an eccentric pin e (i.e. eccentric to the centre of the shaft 6) outside the end of
the shaft b for working the valve of the engine, in lieu of an eccentric sheave,
and making this eccentric pin in one with the centrifugal weight. This weight is
coupled up with the inertia weight c, and adapted to be held in by a spring as in
the case above described.
In other respects it is the same as the above governor.
The gear for adjusting the governor so as to cause the engine to run at the speed
required is shewn in Figures 4 and 5. In this gear, is the circular toothed
rack. It is mounted in the hollow sleeve on the fixed stand , and moves in
and out of such sleeve by a screw spindle m, operated by the hand wheel m¹.
n is the toothed nut wheel, which meshes with the circular teeth of the rack k,
and has a threaded hole or bore through it; and o is the threaded shaft or worm,
which passes through this hole and gears with the thread thereof. The shaft o
is carried in a fitting p on the boss of the disc a, having brackets p'. The shaft o
is connected by a connecting rod q, with an arm r, mounted on the spindle ¹
carrying the holding arm j of the spring i.
In operation, by turning the screw wheel m¹ in either direction, the rack k is
moved in or out, (being suitably prevented from rotating), and this rotates
the nut wheel n, which, having a thread internally, where it fits over the shaft o,
and being prevented from turning by its connection with g, moves it longi-
tudinally in one or other direction; and so through the connecting rod q, arms r
and, it diminishes or increases the tension of the spring i.
As regards the movement of these parts due to the rotation of the engine shaft,
as the axis of the circular rack is coincident with that of the engine shaft, the
wheel a revolves bodily about this rack while in constant gear with it, and without
acting upon it.
As regards modifications of the invention, these may take place in several
directions. For instance, an eccentric sheave may be mounted on a pin on the
carrier disc between the shaft b and the pin d, shewn in the drawings, and have
an arm at right angles connected to the connecting link h, between the pin
and the pin g. Or as another modification, in lieu of the eccentric pin e in
Figures 2 and 3, an eccentric sheave can be used and directly connected or formed
in one with the arm of the centrifugal weight d.

page_text: A further modification consists in using spring arms, as connections_between
the centrifugal weight and its points of support and connections, viz., at d¹ and g;.
in which case, of course, these points of connections can be fixed, and not moving
joints.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. In a steam or analogous engine governor of the kind or type herein referrel
to, a carrier, such as a wheel or disc, fixed on the engine shaft; a balanced inertia
mass or weight loosely mounted on the said shaft; a centrifugal weight separately
carried on the said carrier, and connected with the inertia weight or mass; an
eccentric sheave or pin for operating the valve of the engine, mounted and carried
on the said carrier, and also connected to or formed on the centrifugal weight;
and a spring connected with and controlling the said weights; substantially as set
forth.
2. The herein described improvement in a steam or analogous engine governor
of the kind or type herein referred to, having an inertia and a centrifugal weight,
consisting of the arrangement of the regulating spring, substantially as described,
in relation to the weight and shaft; for the purposes specified.
3. A steam or analogous engine governor of the kind or type herein referred
to, comprising a carrier wheel or disc; an inertia weight or mass; a centrifugal
weight; an eccentric sheave, block, or pin; and a regulating or controlling
spring, arranged in relation to each other, and operating substantially as set forth
with reference to and shewn in the drawings.
4. The engine governor particularly as shewn in and set forth with reference
to Figure 1, and Figures 2 and 3, respectively, of the drawings.
5. In an engine governor of the kind herein referred to, a mechanism for
regulating or setting the governor, comprising a stationary rack with circular
teeth coincident with the axis of the engine shaft, and adapted to be moved
longitudinally; and a wheel carried by, or on the shaft, having teeth meshing
with the circular teeth of the rack, and adapted to operate through suitable
gearing, the spring of the governor; substantially as set forth.
6. In an engine governor of the kind herein referred to, a mechanism for
regulating or setting the governor, comprising a stationary rack with circular
teeth, co-incident with the axis of the engine shaft, and adapted to be moved
longitudinally; and a wheel carried by, or on the shaft, having teeth meshing
with the circular teeth of the rack and acting as a nut; and a threaded shaft on
which said nut wheel acts, and revolving therewith, and connected with the spring
of the governor; substantially as set forth.
7. In an engine governor of the kind herein referred to, a mechanism for
regulating or setting the governor, having parts adapted to operate particularly
as set forth with reference to and shewn in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1899
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicants' Patent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.