Improvements in and relating to Governors of Steam and other Motive Power Engines, and in the Control of the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Governors of Steam and other
Motive Power Engines, and in the Control of the same.
I WILLIAM CLARKE, of the firm of Ibbotson Brothers and Company Limited,
Globe Steel Works Sheffield in the County of York, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to steam and other motive power engines or their
equivalents in which the said engines or their equivalents, may be stopped by the cut
off of the motive power and is intended to minimise the risk and number of accidents
which occur in many cases attended with loss of life and damage to property and is
so designed that any persons, be they skilled in mechanics or otherwise, can in case
of need, and at a moment's notice, bring the said engines or the like to a standstill,
from any part of the building or works in which the said engines may be
working.
My invention relates more particularly to stationary engines, which are in
general use in engineers' shops, grinding wheels, cotton, woollen, rolling corn and
other mills etc. etc., and which from various causes break away from the control
of the governors. Cases are on record in which serious accidents might have been
averted, and lives saved, if means had been provided for stopping the driving engine
otherwise than on the engine itself, and as in every works there needs must be, many
workpeople who do not even know how to stop an engine in the ordinary way, this
invention is designed, so that the most ignorant on these matters may be enabled to
do so without any previous tuition.
According to my invention, I may bring into use any existing valve, either in
the engine itself, or in any part of the connections of the said engine or its
equivalent, or I may provide a special valve, and I preferably close the said valve
or valves, by any of the following means:-
I may, according to one form of my invention, close the aforementioned valves
by means of a falling weight.
According to another form of my invention, I may close the aforementioned
valves by releasing a spring.
I moreover employ levers and weights or a combination of both, or I may close
the aforementioned valves by means of rack and pinion.
It is obvious, that I may modify my invention, by introducing means to close the
aforesaid valves, otherwise than those mentioned, without departing from the nature
of my said invention.
According to my invention I may release the said falling weight, spring. rack
and pinion, or the like, either on the engine itself, or at any convenient distance
from the engine, electrically, automatically, by hand or otherwise, according to
circumstances.
I also introduce into my said invention, a combination of special valve and
governors for use with or without, the aforesaid falling weights springs or their
equivalents, by means of which combination I make the governor valve not only
act in its own capacity, but as an instantaneous stop valve, and to enable me to
carry out more effectually and rapidly the purpose for which this my invention is
designed I may automatically or otherwise apply a brake to the fly wheel.
Dated th: 02-1
1002
WILLIAM CLARKE.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Governors of Steam and other
Motive Power Engines, and in the Control of the same.
I WILLIAM CLARKE of the firm of Ibbotson Brothers and Company Limited,
Globe Steel Works Sheffield, in the County of York, 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 relates to steam and other motive power engines or their
equivalents in which the said engines may be stopped by the cut off of the motive
power and is so designed that any persons be they skilled in mechanics or otherwise,
can in case of need and at a moments notice bring the said engines to a standstill
from any part of the building or works in which the said engines may be
working.
I preferably control or stop the said engines or their equivalents by means
acting directly on the governor valves but I may, if it be found more convenient,
control or stop the said engines by means of any existing valve or by a valve
specially made and placed in the most desirable position.
According to one form of my invention I operate on the governor valve by
means of a falling lever and weight as shewn in Fig. 1. To any design of
governors AI attach a bracket or frame B in such a manner that it shall form at
the point C a suitable bearing or guide D through which the central valve pin E
of the governors A may be produced and revolve freely. Affixed to or in one
piece with the aforementioned bracket or frame B I form in the most convenient
position preferably as shewn in Fig. 1 the standards or guides F, G. By means of
the pin or bolt H I pivot or hinge to the aforementioned standard or guide Fa
lever I which passes through a slot J provided for the same in the aforesaid
standard or guide G as is shewn in Fig. 2. In such a position that it shall be
directly over the centre of the aforesaid central valve pin E I form on the
aforementioned lever I a boss K and to the unattached end of the lever I I affix
a weight L sufficiently large and in proper position to overcome by a combination
of leverage and its own weight all resistance which may be brought to bear against
the aforesaid lever I in its action resulting in the closing of the governor valve.
By means of the pin or bolt M I hinge or pivot to the aforementioned standard
or guide G a swing or other catch N which is so formed that in its inoperative
position it will support the aforesaid lever I so that the same may not in any way
interfere with the free and independent working of the aforesaid governors A.
It will thus be seen that presuming the lever, I to be in its supported and
inoperative position and that from the many known causes the governors A should
cease to perform their work and the engines should (what is technically known as)
run away, it will only be necessary to release the aforesaid catch Ň when the
lever I will fall and the boss K bearing upon the central valve pin E, and
the lever I being as before mentioned weighted to overcome all resistance,
the said lever I will immediately close the governor valve and consequently shut
off the motive power, when it must follow that the engine or its equivalent will be
brought to a standstill.
According to another form of my invention I close the governor valve by means
of a falling weight acting directly on the central valve pin as shewn in Fig. 3.
To.a suitable bracket or frame B I attach or nake in one piece with a case or
frame O, preferably cylindrical enclosing a weight P which is free to be raised
or lowered at will. A bolt or pin Q is made to pass through the weight P and
through suitable slots S. S' provided in the case or frame O and extending beyond
the aforesaid case or frame O to any desirable length. By means of the pin or
bolt TI hinge or pivot the swing or other catch N which is so placed that while
engaged with the aforesaid pin or bolt Q it will support the weight P in its

page_text: inoperative position so as to allow of the free and independent working of the
governors.
It will thus be seen that by releasing the aforesaid catch N the weight P will be
free to fall and coming in contact with the central valve pin E will operate on the
governor valve as heretofore described for the arrangement shewn in Fig. 1.
For convenience in raising the weight P when it is desirable to restart the
engine or its equivalent I provide suitable means either by hand lever U or
otherwise as may be found most convenient.
It is obvious that I may prefer to operate on the valve by other means than
those herein illustrated, for instance I may, instead of using the lever I or the
weight P, release in the same manner or otherwise a spring which will have the
same effect in closing the valve without departing from the nature of my said
invention.
According to my invention I may release the said operating weights, levers,
springs or their equivalents, either on the engine itself or at any distance from the
said engine, preferably by means of chain, cord, or wire communicating with all
parts of the works where it may be considered necessary, and being operated by
hand, or I may employ means, either electrical, automatic or otherwise without
departing from the nature of my said invention.
While preferring to operate directly on the governor valves I do not by any
means limit myself to the said method, but may suspend a suitable valve in any
convenient position in the connections or piping of the said engines or their
equivalents which may be released in a similar manner to that already described
herein.
I also introduce into my said invention a combination of special valve and
governors as shewn in Fig. 1. for use with or without the aforesaid falling weight,
springs or their equivalents by means of which combination I make the governor
valve not only act in its own capacity but as an instantaneous stop valve and to
enable me to more effectually and rapidly carry out the purpose for which this
invention is designed I may automatically or otherwise apply a brake to the fly
wheel, but for this 1 make no claim.
Fig. 1. is an elevation of a special form of governors with my apparatus for
controlling the engine or its equivalent by means of lever and weight shewing the
said lever in its inoperative and operative positions.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3. is a part elevation of a special form of governors with my apparatus for
controlling the engines by means of direct falling weight shewing the weight in its
inoperative position.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the same shewing the weight in its inoperative
position.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same shewing the weight in its inoperative
position.
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
The closing instantaneously by any means of the governor valves, special, or
existing valves, either on the engine itself or at any distance from the said engine
for the purpose of effectually shutting off the motive power of the said engine or its
equivalent.
Dated this 18th day of April 1893.
WILLIAM CLARKE.