Improvements in Engine Governors
Year: 1894

page_text: Improvements in Engine Governors,
I, ARTHUR SAMUEL FRANCIS ROBINSON, of the Vale of White Horse Iron
Works, Wantage, in the County of Berks, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to a construction of engine governor of the type
known as a wheel or drum governor, such as enables me to dispense with
working joints and the consequent lubrication thereof, and such as can be run
silently and with practically no wear and tear. In my governor the position
of the shifting eccentric is controlled by weights carried by Hexible or spring
arms or blades each fixed at one end to the ny wheel, drum or disc in or on
which the governor is mounted, and at the other end to a flexible or spring
plate or blade that is fixed to the eccentric, other flexible or spring blades
fixed at their ends, and serving practically as a parallel motion, being provided
to guide the eccentric practically parallel with itself when its position is varied
by the centrifugal action of the weights.
An arrangement of governor according to this invention is as follows:-
The shifting eccentric is arranged at one side of a drum and connected
through distance pieces and bolts with a guide plate arranged at the opposite
side of the drum, the said eccentric and plate being slotted to permit of their
being shifted across the driving shaft, which they encircle and to which the
drum is fixed, and the opposite sides of the drum being also slotted to permit
of the corresponding movement of the distance pieces and bolts.
The flexible or elastic spring arms or blades carrying the governor weights
are each fixed at one end to the drum, preferably through the interposition of
a detachable bracket or plate. Their other ends are connected together by a
bolt and distance pieces between which is fixed a flexible or spring plate or
blade that is fixed to one of the aforesaid distance pieces and constitutes the
connection between the governor arms and the eccentric, and the free end of
which may be guided in a plate detachably fixed to the adjacent part of the
drum. The two distance pieces are provided with lugs or projections by which
they are attached, through any suitable means such as bolts and nuts to the
ends of other flexible or spring plates or blades that are arranged approximately
at right angles to the general direction of the flexible arms carrying the weights
and extend laterally in opposite directions from the distance pieces, and which
are fixed at their outer ends to lugs on the interior of the drum, the whole
forming a parallel motion without joints.
:
The flexible arms or blades carrying the governor weights may be each composed

page_text: of laminated spring steel, as also may the other Hexible connections herein-
before referred to.
By securing the fixed ends of the flexible arms carrying the weights, to a
bracket or plate detachably connected to the drum, such bracket or plate and
the plate guiding the free end of the flexible or spring plate or blade through
which the weighted arms are connected with the eccentric, can be caused to
change places for the purpose of adapting the governor to be run in a reverse
direction.
As will be obvious engine governors constructed according to my invention
can be variously modified. Also that some of my improvement may be used
without the others. Thus it will be evident that a governor comprising weights
carried by flat flexible or spring arms or blades in the manner herein described
may be used for adjusting the shifting eccentric in wheel or drum governors
of various constructions; and also that the carrying of the shifting eccentric
by means of flat flexible spring plates arranged to impart an approximately
parallel motion to the eccentric may be applied to wheel or drum governors
which in other respects differ from my improved engine governors.
Although I prefer to make the connection between the free ends of the
flexible arms or blades carrying the weights and the eccentric, and also the
parallel motion arms or bars, in the form of flexible or spring plates or blades
fixed at their ends as herein before described, because in this way all working
joints are obviated, such parts may be connected up by pin joints, but this
would not be so advantageous a construction as the former.
Dated this 27th day of June 1894.
Improvements in Engine Governors.
I, ARTHUR SAMUEL FRANCIS ROBINSON, of the Vale of White Horse Iron
Works, Wantage, in the County of Berks, 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:-
My invention has reference to a construction of engine governor of the type
known as a wheel or drum governor, such as enables me to dispense with
working joints and the consequent lubrication thereof, and such as can be run
silently and with practically no wear and tear. In my governor the position
of the shifting eccentric is controlled by weights carried by flexible or spring
arms or blades each fixed at one end to the fly wheel, drum or disc in or on
which the governor is mounted, and at the other end to a flexible or spring
plate or blade that is fixed to the eccentric, other flexible or spring blades
fixed at their ends, and serving practically as a parallel motion, being provided
to guide the eccentric practically parallel with itself when its position is varied
by the centrifugal action of the weights.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows partly in cross section, and partly in end elevation, and Fig. 2
partly in end elevation, and partly in longitudinal section, an engine governor
of the kind referred to, constructed according to this invention.
1 is a shifting eccentric arranged at one side of a drum 2, and connected
through distance pieces 3 and bolts 4, with a guide plate 5 arranged at the

page_text: opposite side of the drum, the said eccentric and plate being slotted at 1" and 5"
respectively, to permit of their being shifted across the driving shaft 6, which
they encircle, and to which the drum is fixed by its boss 2", the opposite sides
of the drum being also slotted at 2b, to permit of the corresponding movement
of the distance pieces 3 and bolts 4. The arrangement is such that the eccentric
and guide plate are a sliding fit on the sides of the drum. 5* and 1* are stop
pins between the distance pieces 3 and the guide plate 5 and eccentric 1
respectively, to prevent twisting or straining of the distance pieces.
7 are flexible or spring arms or blades (hereinafter called for brevity spring
blades) carrying the governor weights 8. They are each fixed at one end to
the drum 2 by set screws 9, preferably through the interposition of a detachable
bracket or plate 10. Their other ends are rigidly connected by a bolt 11 and
distance pieces 12, to a flexible or spring plate or blade 13, which is fixed by
a screw bolt 14, to a lug 3" on one of the aforesaid distance pieces 3, and
constitutes therewith the connection between the governor arms 7 and the
eccentric 1. This spring blade or plate 13 may advantageously be guided in
a plate 15, which is detachably fixed to the adjacent part of the drum, and
serves to keep the adjacent connected ends of the spring blades 7 in proper
position laterally, whilst permitting them to move towards and from the shaft 6.
The two distance pieces 3 are provided with other lugs or projections 3b, by
which they are fixed, through any suitable means, such as bolts and nuts 16,
to the ends of two pairs of spring plates or blades 17, which are arranged
approximately at right angles to the general direction of the spring blades 7,
extend laterally in opposite directions from the distance pieces 3, and are fixed
at their outer ends by bolts and nuts 18 to lugs 19 on the interior of the drum,
the whole forming a parallel motion without working joints. As will be seen,
the arrangement is such that the eccentric 1 is suspended by the spring blades 7
and 17, so as to become in effect a floating eccentric.
The spring blades 7 and 17 may each consist of one or more strips of spring
steel, according to the stiffness of spring desired, the strip or strips, which is
or are normally straight, being bent approximately to the form shown, and
retained in a bent condition by fixing it or them at the ends as shown. In a
governor for an 8 to 10 brake horse power engine, designed to run normily
at 450 revolutions per minute, I have obtained satisfactory results by making
each spring blade 7 of seven laminations or strips of spring steel, each nd inch
thick, and 1 inches wide, each of the spring blades 17 consisting of three
strips of spring steel of 32nd inch thickness, and 1 inch wide, and each
weight 8 weighing about 7 pounds.
The weights 8 may conveniently be each fixed to its spring blade 7 by a
screw 20, the inner end of which passes through a hole in the blade as shown.
21 is a piece of yielding material, such as india rubber, carried by a socket
piece 22 on the outer end of the screw 20, and serving, in conjunction with
an adjustable stop 23 on the drum, as a buffer to limit the outward movement
of the weight, under the action of centrifugal force. 24 is another piece of
yielding material, such as india rubber, carried by the weight, to serve as a
buffer between the said weight and the boss 2 of the drum, when the governor
comes to rest.
:
By securing the fixed ends of the spring blades to a bracket or plate 10
detachably connected to the drum as shown, such bracket or plate, and the
detachable guide plate 15, can be caused to change places for the purpose of
adapting the governor to be run in a reverse direction, in which case, the
plate or blade 13 is detached from the lug 3" on the one distance piece 3, and
secured to that on the other distance piece.
The drum 2 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with openings 2b to admit
of the parts of the governor being inserted in place, and removed or reversed
in position.
To enable the resistance to motion of the eccentric and connected parts,,

page_text: under the action of the governor, to be varied to suit--the particular type. of
cut off valve used, there is combined with the said eccentric-and connected parts,
an adjustable device adapted to act as a brake. Thus, in the arrangement
herein before described, the guide plate 5 connected with the eccentric 1, is made
of circular form. and screw threaded at its outer periphery, and upon it is screwed
an adjustable friction ring 25, as shown in the sectional detail view Fig. 3:
This friction ring can be caused to bear against the adjacent side of the drum 2
with any desired degree of pressure for the purpose mentioned, and the
sliding tace of such-ring can be readily lubricated if desired.
In another arrangement, shown in longitudinal section and end elevation
respectively in Figs. 4 and 5, the friction ring 25, which may be continuous;
split or in segments, is arranged in a recess 5* in the guide plate 5, and is
forced into frictional contact with the adjacent side of the drum 2, by springs 26,
that may conveniently be arranged in spring boxes 27, carried by the said
guide plate, and the action of which may, if desired, be made capable of
adjustment as for example by set screws. In each case, suitably arranged oil
holes may be formed in the friction ring to enable lubricant to be fed to the
working face thereof.
It is however to be understood that I do not claim such brake devices as
constituting part of my present invention as such devices, together with means
for regulating the action of the governor from time to time to enable the
engine to which the governor is applied to be run at approximately the same
speed for different engine loads, or at different speeds for a practically constant
load, constitute the subject matter of another application for Letters Patent
filed by me, dated 1 Nov. 1894, No. 20960.
As will be obvious, engine governors constructed according to my invention
can be variously modified. Also some of my improvements may be used without
the others. Thus it will be evident that a governor comprising weights carried
by spring blades 7, in the manner herein described, may be used for adjusting
the shifting eccentric in wheel or drum governors of various constructions;
and also that the carrying of the shifting eccentric 1 by means of flat flexible,
spring plates 17, arranged to impart an approximately parallel motion to the
eccentric, may be applied to wheel or drum governors which, in other respects,
differ from my improved engine governors.
Although
prefer-to-make-the-connection-between-the-free-ends of the spring
blades 7 and the eccentric, and-also-the-paru!!el motion-arms or-burs,-in-the-form-of
Hexible or spring plates or blades 13-and-17-respectively, fixed at their ends, us
hereinbefore-described, beenuse in this way a!! working-joints-are obvinted, such
parts may be connected-up-by-pin-joints; but-this-would-not-be-so-advantageons-n
construction-as the-former:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. An engine governor of the drum or disc type wherein the shifting eccentric
is controlled by weights carried by flexible or spring arms or blades each fixed
at one end to the fly-wheel, drum or disc in or on which the governor is mounted,
and at the other end to a flexible or spring plate or blade that is fixed to the
eccentric, other flexible or spring blades, fixed at their ends, and serving prac-
tically as a parallel motion, being provided to guide the said eccentric practically
parallel with itself, when its position is varied by centrifugal action of the
weights, substantially as herein described for the purpose specified.
2. In an engine governor of the drum or disc type, the combination with
the governor wheel, drum or disc, and a shifting eccentric, of a pair of spring
blades arranged to extend past and on opposite sides of the axis of said wheel,
drum or disc, and each carrying a weight, these spring blades being connected
at one end to the wheel, drum or disc, and their other ends being connected

page_text: together and to the said eccentric, and constrained to move in a direction
toward and from the central portion of the drum or disc, substantially as
described and shown.
:
3. In an engine governor of the drum or disc type, the combination with
a shifting eccentric, of flexible or spring plates or blades extending in opposite
directions from the said eccentric, and connected with the governor wheel, drum
or disc and with the said eccentric, so as to support--and guide the latter,
substantially as herein described.
4. An engine governor comprising a drum, a slotted eccentric and guide
plate arranged to slide against opposite sides of the said drum, and connected
together by distance pieces and bolts passing through slots in the sides of the
said drum, spring blades connected at one end with the said drum and each
provided with a weight, a plate or blade fixed to one of said distance pieces
and to the other ends of said spring blades, a guide wherein said plate or blade
works, and flexible or spring plates or blades extending laterally in opposite
directions from the said distance pieces and approximately at right angles to
the general direction of the weighted spring blades, and connecting the said
distance pieces with the said drum, substantially as herein described.
5. My improved engine governor constructed, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1
and 2 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 26th day of March 1895
ARTHUR S. F. ROBINSON.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agent for the Applicant.