Year: 1887

page_text: 1, GEORGE EDWIN Dow, of No. 114 Beale Street, in the city and county of
San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United States of America,
Machinest, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved speed-governor or regulator, and is adapted to
control the admission of steam, gases, or fluids, such as may be employed in operating
different kinds of engines of the reciprocating-piston type for the purpose of main-
taining a uniform speed under variations in pressure or resistance of the load.
The device consists, mainly, in a pair of inverted single-acting plungers, operated
by the engine to be governed, the action of said plungers being employed through
the medium of a liquid fulcrum, to elevate a weight to which the engine-valve is
connected, the arrangement being such that the speed of the engine becomes
dependent upon a regulated resistance to the alternate reciprocations of the plungers.
It also consists of certain details of construction, in a novel and effective means of
controlling the action of the governor, all of which will be more fully explained by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of iny improved governor, shown, in the present case,
connected direct to a balanced steam-valve R.
Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the cylinder A, showing actuating
mechanism through line C, D, Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a cross-section of the cylinder A, through the line A, B, Figure 1,
showing partial section of the weighted piston B, passages Y, Y, port or cavity Z,
passages L', and plan of plunger-chambers C, C.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the cylinder A, showing the piston B, plungers D, D,
and links E, E, removed.
Figure 5 shows one form of its application to a direct-acting steam pump.
Figure 6 is a modification, showing the plungers operating in a reverse direction.
A is a cylinder, preferably placed in a vertical position and partially filled with oil
or other suitable liquid, as may be indicated by the glass tube M, said cylinder being
provided with a weighted piston B, which is fitted to slide freely up and down within
certain limits, as hereinafter described.
The piston B contains two chambers C, C, within which the plungers D, D,
alternately reciprocate, through the medium of the links E, E, double-arm crank F,
and vibrating arm G, connected to some reciprocating part of the engine to be
governed, so that the connected parts G, F, E, E, and D, D, may be operated
coincident with the main piston of the engine.

page_text: The plungers D, D, contain valves H, H, opening upward, so that the plunger
descending will allow the oil or other medium to pass freely through, allowing the
weight of the plunger to be utilized to overcome the friction of the liquid through the
induction-passage of the valves H, H; thus providing a compensation for wear, and
allowing no possibility for lost motion to exist, as the strains upon the internal
wearing journals do not reverse.
The space I, below the piston B, which contains the moving parts that are operated
from the outside through the stuffing-box J, has an upwardly-opening valve K,
Figure 2, the underside of which communicates freely with the space L above the
piston B, by means of the passage L'.
The object of the valve K, being to allow the piston B, perfect freedom to rise, so
that it has no resistance to a quick closing movement when the conditions demand it,
as will be hereinafter described.
The piston B, has an upwardly-extended projection B', which, in this case, is shown
fitted to slide freely through the cover N, and connect with the external cross-head P,
supporting by means of the rods Q, Q, the weight 0, which is connected to the
engine-valve R.
Between the chambers C, C, is a communicating passage S, in which the valve or
screw-plug T is employed for the purpose of adjustment. From each of the
chambers C, C, are circulating passages U, U, communicating with the space L.
These passages have screw-plugs V, V, for the purpose of adjustment, though not
required except for extreme ranges of speed, and to compensate for an uneven piston-
movement of the engine to be governed, as hereinafter described.
A passage W, through the piston B, connecting the top space L, with the bottom
space I, is also provided, and has a screw-plug X, for the purpose of controlling, in
point of time, the descending or admission movement of the governor.
The ports or passages Y, Y, are provided, leading from the chambers C, C, to the
exterior turned or fitted portion of the piston B, for the purpose of engaging with
the stationary cavity Z, which, at a certain point in the upward movement, establishes
a supplementary communication between the chambers C, C, so that the piston
cannot rise beyond the desired limit.
The operation of the apparatus may be described as follows:-
Assuming the cylinder A, to be partially filled with oil or other suitable liquid so
that the piston B, is submerged, filling the space I, chambers C, C, all passages
employed in its operation, together with the chamber L, until the glass tube M
indicates the cylinder to be nearly full, the vibrating arm G, is to be connected to
some reciprocating part of the engine to be governed, so that the plungers D, D,
alternately reciprocate in their chambers C, C, said plungers having a positive
mechanical connection to the engine-piston, or suitable connections therefrom, so that
a coincident movement may be maintained between the engine and the plungers of
the governor.
The weighted piston B, when not being sustained by the influence of the liquid
medium forced by the plungers will remain seated upon the internal flange or
shoulder A', and in this position, the engine-valve R, connected thereto, as shown,
will be opened to its fullest extent.
When, however, one of the plungers D, D, operated by the engine, is pressing
upward, the valve H, prevents the oil or other liquid from escaping from the
chamber C, except by means of the passages U, and S, while the other plunger is
descending freely, its chamber C is filled through the combined orifices U, S, and the
upwardly-opening valve H in the plunger.
The passages U from each of the plunger-chambers are maintained as separate
constant openings, each one of which may be adjusted independent of the other when
desired.
When the speed of the engine has reached a point where the resistance of the
combined orifices U, and by-pass S, is sufficient to overcome the weight or closing-
power of the governor, the piston B will rise, closing the valve and cutting off any
excess of power that would tend to run the engine faster than desired; and if, on the

page_text: other hand, any additional load is placed on the engine of a reduction of the pressure,
the weighted piston B will descend, opening the valve to supply the required
additional amount of power.
The by-pass passage S, between the chambers C, C, being regulated by means of the
screw-plug T, serves to adjust the speed of the engine when desired; closing to run
slower and opening to run faster.
If the engine is suddenly relieved of its load, as in the case of a main belt breaking,
bursting of a pump or force-main, or in the case of a propeller-engine in rough weather
at sea, racing" is prevented, as the closing movement of the governor is positive and
practically instantaneous; the plungers act directly to raise the piston B from its
normal position of working, with any slight acceleration of the speed of the engine,
as the orifices U, and S, create additional resistance in proportion to the squares of
the velocities.
The valve K permits the liquid to enter the chamber I freely, so as not to oppose
the closing or upward movement of the governor. The passage W through the
piston B, with screw-plug X, serves to regulate the opening movement, giving a
steadiness to the apparatus while working in a normal condition.
If the governor is connected to an engine that has an uneven movement, such as
an unbalanced vertical, or some kinds of pumping engines, where the inward and
outward movement is run on different average piston-speeds, the passage U from the
chamber C, into which the plunger D is working in time with the stroke, having the
lesser speed, may be adjusted by the screw-plug V, diminishing the discharge orifice,
so as to suit the reduced velocity of its plunger, and thus maintain a steady normal
action to the governor, without interfering with its sensitiveness, but avoiding the
pulsations that would otherwise follow.
As a precaution against accidental injury to the governor, or unusual strains being
brought upon any of its parts, the ports Y, Y, are employed, leading from the
chambers C, C, to the turned or sliding surface of the piston, as shown, together with
the stationary cavity Z, suitably placed in the bored surface of cylinder A, so that by
no possibility of imperfect adjustment, or from any other cause, can the piston B rise
more than to cause these passages to meet the cavity Z, when a supplementary
communication is effected between the chambers C, G.
The cavity Z is intended to be placed so that the engine-valve will be closed before
the ports Y, Y, communicate ordinarily.
The apparatus here described is simple in construction, not liable to lost motion
through excessive use, or other derangements by careless or unskilled management.
It will be seen that the operation of the governor is controlled, principally, by the
valve or screw-plug T, and that the valve X, or passage W, prevents fluctuation while
working in a normal condition, and regulates the speed of the opening movement,
without in either case affecting the possible instantaneous closing action which is so
much to be desired.
Although I prefer the general arrangement of parts, and method of operation herein
shown, I do not wish to limit myself to this precise construction, as there are many
other arrangements of details that may be easily substituted without departing from
the essential features of the invention.
In Figure 6, I have shown the piston B fitted in the lower part of the chamber A,
and the pistons or plungers D), fitted to move in chambers formed in the main
chamber A, above the piston B.
The extension or elongation of the piston B, passes up through the top of A, and
connects with the governor-valve in the same manner, as before described.
The passages, valves, and chambers are only changed in position to suit the different
positions of the parts; but in this as in the other forms, the total reaction-force of
the governor is sustained by and controlled through the direct reciprocation of the
plungers operated by the engine to be governed.
It will be manifest that this governor may also be so constructed as to operate
horizontally instead of vertically, a few simple changes being made to suit the changed
positions of parts.

page_text: By the construction of this apparatus with the reciprocating pistons or plungers
working in connection with the main piston, and the regulating passages through
which the liquid is forced, it will be seen that when the engine runs at a certain rate
of speed, the flow of the liquid through these passages will be maintained at such a
rate that the main piston will be suspended in a certain position against the pressure
of the counterbalancing weight or equivalent spring, and will remain in such position
as long as the engine runs at that rate; but if by any sudden decrease of load, or for
other reason the engine should begin to run faster, the pistons in the small cylinders
would be moved at a correspondingly greater speed, and as the passages could not
accommodate the increased flow of liquid, it will be seen the the very first movement
of one of these pistons at a greater rate of speed would act to raise the main piston
bodily through the medium of the liquid confined above the smaller piston and inside
the chamber in the upper part of, or connected with the main piston, as this liquid
could not escape through the discharge-passages fast enough to allow the small piston
to complete its stroke.
The main piston thus raised quickly, would act through its connections, and partially
close the valves by which steam is admitted to the cylinder, and would thus regulate
the speed of the engine instantly, and before it could even complete a full revolution.
As the weight of the main piston, and the connected weight O is supported directly
upon the links or pitmen E, which operate the pistons in the smaller cylinders, it will
be seen that there can be no lost motion, even although the pins be smaller or become
considerably worn, as the whole weight always rests upon the top of these vertically-
moving pitinen, and consequently there will be no reverse motions, and no wear on
these parts, which is very important for the perfect operation of this 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-
1. A governor, consisting of the weighted piston connected with the steam inlet-
valve of the engine, and moving within a liquid-containing cylinder, supplemental
pistons moving in corresponding chambers within the main piston or cylinder, and
mechanism whereby these supplemental pistons are caused to reciprocate in unison
with the movements of the main engine-piston, and a stationary cavity and passages
leading from the chambers of the supplemental cylinders to the stationary cavity, so
that when the latter is raised to a certain point, communication is opened between the
chambers through the stationary cavity, substantially as herein described.
2. A governor, consisting of a cylinder containing liquid, a piston fitted therein and
connected with the supply-valve of the engine, and smaller alternately reciprocating
pistons, operating in corresponding chambers in connection with the main piston, in
combination with the inlet-valves and the escape-passages of the actuating chambers,
substantially as herein described.
3. In a governor, a cylinder or chamber containing liquid, a piston fitting therein
and connected with the supply-valve of the engine, and smaller alternately reciprocating
pistons operating in corresponding chambers, in the main piston, and by which means
the reaction-force of the governor is sustained and controlled, together with the inlet-
valve K, and passage L, communicating with the reservoir-space L, and return-
passage W, substantially as herein described.
Dated this Twenty eighth day of June 1887