Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Controlling and Regulating the Speeds of Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct.,
1898
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Controlling and
Regulating the Speeds of Engines.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM WALKER, of Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;-
The three most usual ways for regulating an engine are; 1st. For the
governor to throttle the steam which is admitted to the cylinder; 2nd. For
the governor by suitable gearing to move expansion slides, thus varying the cut
off in the cylinder; 3rd. For the governor to move the eccentric forward on
the shaft, which also varies the amount of cut off.
I employ a governor as in the ordinary steam engine, but this governor is
applied differently.
By my arrangement the governor works in a valve which controls the exit from
the steam cylinder, the pipe or receiver between the exit branch and this valve
is in communication with the small cylinder which has a ram working in it.
When the engine is going too fast the governor checks the exit, thus raising
the pressure in the pipe above referred to. When this pressure rises to a pre-
arranged point, the ram comes out of its cylinder and in so doing turns a wheel
on the spindle of the expansion valves, thus moving the slides in and out. The
action is instantaneous, and as the ram can have any desired stroke in reason,
it is quite practicable to move the expansion valves out to such an extent that
the steam is entirely cut off for either one or more revolutions. In the case
of the compound engine, the valve above referred to is put in the pipe between
the high and the low pressure cylinders.
The advantages of this system are obvious. When an engine is governed
by the throttle on the inlet of the steam, obviously there is continuous wire
drawing which, with an engine whose load is very varying, makes it impossible
to get any approach to boiler steam in the steam chest. In my case there is no
obstruction to the inlet of steam, and therefore practically boiler steam can be
got in the chest. A further advantage is that, the expansion valves are moved
with a very much greater rapidity and certainty than is possible when they are
moved by direct action of a governor.
The steam used by the small ram to move the expansion valve is not, in the
case of a compound engine, wasted, as when the exhaust throttle valve is re-
opened the weight or appliance which turns the expansion valves back to their
original position also drives the steam out of the small cylinder back into the
receiver and thence to the low pressure cylinder. In a condensation engine
no effort is made to have a steam tight throttle valve in the exhaust pipe, but
enough steam is allowed to pass through, even when the governor is right up
to ensure proper condensation in the low pressure cylinder.
Dated this 6th day of December 1897.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Controlling and
Regulating the Speeds of Engines,
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM TANNETT-WALKER, formerly known as Frederick
William Walker, of Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire, 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:-
The three most usual ways for regulating an engine are: 1st. For the
governor to throttle the steam which is admitted to the cylinder: 2nd. For
the governor by suitable gearing to move expansion slides, thus varying the cut
off in the cylinder: 3rd. For the governor to move the eccentric forward on
the shaft, which also varies the amount of cut off.
I employ a governor as in the ordinary steam engine, but this governor is
applied differently.
By my arrangement the governor works a valve which controls the exit from
the steam cylinder, the pipe or receiver between the exit branch and this valve
is in communication with the small cylinder which has a ram working in it.
When the engine is going too fast the governor checks the exit, thus raising
the pressure in the pipe above referred to. When this pressure rises to a pre-
arranged point, the ram comes out of its cylinder and in so doing turns a wheel
on the spindle of the expansion valves, thus moving the slides in and out.
action is instantaneous, and as the ram can have any desired stroke in reason,
it is quite practicable to move the expansion valves out to such an extent that
the steam is entirely cut off for either one or more revolutions.
In the case
of the compound engine, the valve above referred to is put in the pipe between
the high and the low pressure cylinders.
The
The advantages of this system are obvious. When an engine is governed
by the throttle on the inlet of the steam, obviously there is continuous wire
drawing which, with an engine whose load is very varying, makes it impossible
to get any approach to boiler steam in the steam chest. In my case there is no
obstruction to the inlet of steam, and therefore practically boiler steam can be
got in the chest. A further advantage is that, the expansion valves are moved
with a very much greater rapidity and certainty than is possible when they are
moved by direct action of a governor.
The steam used by the small rain to move the expansion valve is not, in the
case of a compound engine, wasted, as when the exhaust throttle valve is re-
opened the weight or appliance which turns the expansion valves back to their
original position also drives the steam out of the small cylinder back into the
receiver and thence to the low pressure cylinder. In a condensation engine
no effort is made to have a steam tight throttle valve in the exhaust pipe, but
enough steam is allowed to pass through, even when the governor is right up
to ensure proper condensation in the low pressure cylinder.
The annexed drawings show the general arrangement of a compound engine
to which my system of governing is applied.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is an end elevation, and Figure 3 is a
plan.
A is the high pressure cylinder, B is the low pressure cylinder, and C is the
pipe which conveys the steam from the high pressure cylinder to the low pres-
sure cylinder.
At the entrance to the pipe C at D there is a throttle valve which is operated
by a centrifugal or other governor which may be of ordinary description; it

page_text: is not shown in the drawings. On the passage between the cylinder A and the
throttle valve Da ram F working in a cylinder G is provided and this cylinder
at its lower end is in communication with the passage by which the steam
passes from the cylinder A. to the pipe C. When the flow of exhaust steam from
the cylinder A is checked by the throttle valve its pressure within the ram
cylinder G is increased and the ram rises. A chain H which is fast at one end
passes over a pulley on the head of the ram F. This pulley is shown in two
positions in Figure 1. The chain H passes down from this pulley and is lapped
around a drum I on a shaft I then it passes over a guide pulley J and at its
lower end a weight is attached to it. This weight can be increased or diminished
as desired. The shaft I is geared by bevel pinions K with a spindle L which
by its rotation moves the expansion slides in or out and so controls the expan-
sion in the usual manner. The valves of both the high pressure cylinder and
the low pressure cylinder are controlled by the shaft I in the manner described,
so it will be seen that the checking of the passage of the steam from the high
pressure cylinder by means of the governor and throttle valve causes the ram F
in the ram cylinder G to rise. This movement of the ram causes the rotation
of the shaft I and this shaft turns the spindles of the expansion slides which
slides being thus operated the cut off is varied. When the speed of the engine
is reduced and the throttle valve at D gives free passage to the steam then the
ram F falls from its own weight and that of the weight suspended from the
chain H and so the parts are brought back to the position in which they are
shown in full lines in the drawing. It is obvious that my invention is applicable
to single cylinder engines as well as to compound. On compound engines also
it may be applied to the valves of one cylinder only but the arrangement shown
in which it is applied to both sets of valves is preferred.
In place of the ram F and the cylinder G it is obvious that like apparatus
moved by the pressure of the exhaust steam or fluid may be substituted.
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. The means herein described for controlling and regulating the speed of
engines consisting in throttling the exhaust steam or fluid thereby raising the
pressure thereof and causing it to give motion to a ram or its equivalent which
in turn operates on the expansion slides or valves substantially as described.
2. In a compound engine arranging the said throttle valve and the ram or
its equivalent in such position as to operate in conjunction with the steam
in its passage from the high pressure cylinder to the low pressure cylinder sub-
stantially as described.
3. Apparatus substantially as shown in the annexed drawings for controlling and
regulating the speed of engines.
Dated this ath of
L
1000