IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND MARINE ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I CUTHBERT BURNETT of 19 Moor Terrace Hartlepool in the County of Durham,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVED METHOD
AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND MARINE ENGINES "
to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient apparatus for
governing the speed of and preventing “racing” in marine engines than hitherto
in use.
Now according to my invention and as applied to compound engines whether
with two or more cylinders I cause direct communication between the exhaust of
high pressure cylinder and tho condenser to be established automatically by means
of some suitable governing apparatus actuated by the depth of immersion of the
propeller, that is to say I cause the exhaust from the high pressure cylinder to pass
into the condenser directly instead of into the expansion cylinder or cylinders, and
this I effect by a valve or valves fixed in passage leading from high pressure
cylinder to receiver or steam chest of low pressure cylinder, or the connection may
be inade between the receiver or slide valve chest of the low pressure cylinder and
the condenser the said valve or valves being actuated by the said governing
apparatus. By this means the low pressure cylinder or cylinders at once cease to
be effective while the high pressure cylinder is made "condensing" so that the
engine for the time being becomes a one cylinder condensing engine instead of
a compound cylinder condensing engine and without occasioning any compression;
the power being thus greatly reduced the racing of the engine is at once checked
without occasioning any extra strain on any part. The boiler pressure or steam
saved and accumulating momentarily is next made available for the engine to work
on the compound system again when the propeller meets with greater resistance
because of greater immersion.
To give an example I will describe the invention as it may be carried into effect
in an existing compound cylinder engine with two cylinders. To the exhaust
passage of the high pressure cylinder or the receiver or slide valve chest between
the high pressure cylinder and the low pressure cylinder I connect a pipe which
is carried to the condenser. In this pipe I provide a valve which is opened
A

page_text: automatically by suitable mechanical connection to a float constructed preferably
of light copper and open or closed at top and wholly or partially filled with water
or a piston which can work freely up and down in a vessel or cylinder that by one
or more holes is in connection with another outer vessel. This latter is by a pipe
and hole through the side of the ship in connection with the sea water and placed
in such a part of the vessel as to correspond closely with the depth of immersion
of the propeller; the deeper the propeller is immersed the higher the sea water
would raise the float or piston. The pipe to the ships side has a valve for
regulating the inflow and outflow of the water, and may have another valve for
shutting off entirely for cases of repair. The float or piston is connected to
a throttle or other valve provided with spring or weight and arranged in a pipe
connection provided between the condenser and the receiver between the high and
low pressure cylinder. For a new engine I provide a connection with the exhaust
direct. For large marine engines where the working of the governing valve would
be heavy I provide a small steam cylinder having its piston rod connected to the
governing valve and its slide valve rod to the governor Hoat or piston.

page_text: Compound Marine Engines.
I CUTHBERT BURNETT of 19 Moor Terrace Hartlepool in the County of Durham,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVED METHOD
AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND MARINE ENGINES
"
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient apparatus for
governing the speed of and preventing "racing" in marine engines than hitherto
in use.
Now according to my invention and as applied to compound engines whether
with two or more cylinders I cause direct communication between the exhaust of
high pressure cylinder and the condenser to be established automatically by means
of some suitable governing apparatus such as a float or piston actuated by the depth
of immersion of the propeller, that is to say, I cause the exhaust from the high
pressure cylinder to pass into the condenser directly instead of into the expansion
cylinder or cylinders.
To give an example I will describe the invention as it may be carried into effect
in an existing triple expansion cylinder engine, Figure 1 being a side elevation
showing the engine in outline, and Figure 2 a part plan; Figure 3 is a separate
view in part sectional elevation of my controlling valve. In this example I have
shown in full lines the controlling valve applied between the first or high pressure
cylinder and the next or middle cylinder but I have also as an alternative and in
dotted lines shown another such valve applied between the middle cylinder and the
third cylinder.
A is the first or high pressure cylinder; B the next or middle cylinder which
receives the exhaust steam from the cylinder A, and C the third cylinder which
receives the exhaust steam from the second cylinder. To the exhaust passago of
the high pressure cylinder A or the receiver or slide valve chest between it and the
second cylinder B I connect a pipe D. In the pipe D I provide a valve F the
outlet of which is connected to the exhaust pipe C₁ from the third cylinder C. This
valve is shown separately at Figure 3, and by preference made of the equilibrium
form as shown, but it might be of other suitable construction. This valvo is opened
automatically by suitable mechanical connection to a float or piston. At G I have
shown a float constructed preferably of light copper open or closed at top and
wholly or partially filled with water. This float G can work freely up and down
in a vessel or cylinder H that by an annular passage (or holes) is in connection
with a vessel or pipe I which by a sluice valve or Kingston valve and a bole
through the side of the ship is in connection with the sea water and placed in such
a part of the vessel as to correspond closely with the immersion of the propeller;
the deeper the latter is immersed the higher the float G would rise. The float G

page_text: or the cylinder H is provided with guide ribs H. Besides the Kingston valve or
sluice valve (not shown) there may be another valve for regulating the inflow of
the water. The float G may be and is here shown connected to a throttle valve K
(or other valve for admitting steam from the boiler to the cylinder A) and the
valve F is fitted with a weight F (or a spring). The connection between the
float G and the throttle valve is in the case shown as a cord or chain passing over
guide pulleys and a weight is provided on the lever K' for hauling the cord
taut, or the connection might be by levers and rods. The throttle valve lever K¹
is by a rod K' connected to the bellcrank lever F' which operates the valve F.
The spindle of the latter is by preference connected to the lever F by nuts and
washers for easy adjustment. If I connect the float gear with the valve F
indirectly as here shown that is to say through connection with the throttle valve
gear I may as here shown provide a dead or lost motion between the rod K* and
the valve lever F' the connecting pin of the latter working in a slot in the rod K'
and by preference made to adjust for instance by a screw k as shown in fig. 3 so
that when for instance the stern of the vessel with the propeller rises and the
float G sinks in the cylinder H the throttle valve K. is first partly closed, and if
the propeller continues to rise the float will also operate the valve F. The con-
sequence of this mode of connection is that the steam is in the first instance, by
the action of the throttle valve, cut off from the boiler so that it momentarily
accumulates in the boiler while in the next moment the whole or a portion of the
exhaust steam from the high pressure cylinder A is caused to pass into the pipe C¹
and condenser E. If the valve F is fully opened the second cylinder B and the
third cylinder C will be ineffective while the high pressure cylinder A is made
* condensing" so that the engine for the time being becomes a one cylinder con-
densing engine instead of a compound cylinder engine and without occasioning any
compression of steam. Obviously however if the valve F is only partially opened
the cylinders B and C will be only partially effected by the valve F and by properly
apportioning the action of the throttle valve K and the controlling valve For valves
I may whilst reducing the power of the engine preserve the balance of the engine
or the distribution of the power of the engine on each crank. The power being
thus greatly reduced the racing of the engine is at once checked without occasioning
any extra strain on any part. The boiler pressure or steam saved and accumulating
momentarily in the boiler is next made available for the engine to work fully on
the compound system again, when the propeller meets with greater resistance
because of greater immersion.
#
Figure 2 shows in dotted lines another valve F× which is of a construction
similar to that of F and connected thereto and to the exhaust of the second
cylinder. When such a valve Fx is also used I operate the two valves by the same
weigh shaft but by preference so that the valve F* opens first and, the valve Fa
moment later if the propeller continues to rise out of water. I therefore in that
case first put the second cylinder B in connection with the condenser E and next
the cylinder A. Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view of such an arrrange-
ment of valves F Fx where the pin f works in a slot so as to act a little later than
the pin f. Figure 5 is a similar view of two such valves arranged one above the
other.
The valves and pipes may of course be arranged in a great variety of ways, to a
great extent depending upon the particular construction and arrangement of the
engines.
It is also evident that the application to an already existing engine will have to
be adapted to circumstances. For a new engine it will generally be convenient to
provide a direct connection with the condenser. For large marine engines where
the working of the governing valve F would be heavy I provide a small steam
cylinder having its piston rod connected by intervention of a cataract or other
suitable retarding gear, to the valve F and its slide valve rod to the float G or
piston. The governing valve F instead of being worked by a float or other

page_text: appliance actuated by the depth of immersion of the propeller may also obviously
be worked by any other governor such as a centrifugal marine governor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In a compound marine engine producing direct communication between
the condenser and the exhaust of the first or high pressure cylinder, or the exhaust
of the second cylinder in case of a triple cylinder, or both, by a valve or valves
worked by a float or other appliance actuated by the depth of immersion of the
propeller or by any other suitable governing appliance which appliance may also
work the throttle valve substantially as set forth.
Second. In a compound marine engine producing direct communication between
the exhaust of the first or high pressure cylinder, or the exhaust of the second
cylinder in case of a triple cylinder engine, or both, by means of a valve or valves
actuated by a governor which also actuates a throttle, valve for regulating the
admission of steain to the high pressure cylinder in such manner as to apportion
the work to be done by each cylinder as desired or required so that while the duty
of the first cylinder is reduced that of the second (or second and third) is also
reduced or wholly annulled substantially as set forth.
Third. The application of double-beat valves substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Fourth. The float governor in combination with the controlling valve or valves
and pipe connections on the engine and throttle valve substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings,