A Steam Engine Governor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1890
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
A Steam Engine Governor.
We JOHN WILLIAM BROWN residing at 42 Decatur Street, a Marine Engineer
and WILLIAM Wilson Sutcliffe, of 42 Decatur Street, a Contracting Engineer
both of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America, do bereby declare the
nature of our invention for GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described, and ascertained, in and
by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to an improvement in Governors for Steam Engines in which
a chamber having ports or passages in its annular wall for the admission of steam
operates in conjunction with a wheel placed therein, said wheel being forced to rotate
by pressure of steam upon the blades of the wheel, as the steam flows to the engine,
and the objects of our improvements are to adjust a wheel within a chamber in such
a manner as to control the flow of steam to an engine, so as to increase or diminish
its speed, and working pressure. We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1, is a view in elevation of a governor, embodying said invention.
Figure 2, is a central vertical section of the parts shown in fig. 1.
Figure 3, is a vertical section of the portal chamber.
Figure 4, is a cross section of the wheel-chamber upon the line xx, fig. 1.
In the drawing the reference numeral 1, denotes the portal chamber, which is
provided with a flange 2, by which it is bolted to the steam chest of the engine.
Within the said chamber, are steam ways and 4, having the usual construction and
arrangement, the entrance thereto being controlled by valves 5 and 6, said valves
being mounted upon a vertical stem 7. This stem passes up through a diaphragm 9,
through which it is packed by a gland 10.
Above the portal chamber is arranged the intermediate chamber 12, the two being
connected by means of bolts passing through flanges 13, and surmounting the latter
chamber is the circular wheel chamber 14, which is provided with a live steam
port 15. The wheel chamber consists of a space enclosed by two concentric, circular
walls 16 and 17, separated by an annular passage 18, into which the port 15 opens. The
inner wall 18 is provided at suitable intervals with passages 19 for the steam which
enters the wheel chamber in the direction of rotation of the wheel 20, which is
provided with blades, or wings 21, having an approximately radial arrangement, but
slightly curved to present concave surfaces to the entering jets of steam.
The hub of the wheel 20, consists of a sleeve 22, lying in the top of the wheel
chamber. Through this sleeve passes a pipe 23, which is slipped over the valve-
stem 7, and extends entirely through the wheel and down into the intermediate
chamber 12. The hub or sleeve 22 of the wheel is connected to the pipe 23, by means
of a set bolt 24, tapped through the sleeve and bearing against said pipe whereby the
wheel sustained within its chamber, and whereby also, the pipe is compelled to
revolve with it. A sleeve 22" is tapped into a plate 25, arranged just above and
forming the top of the wheel chamber to which it is fastened by bolts 26, said sleeve
surrounding the pipe 23, and forms a close joint between the same and the upper end
of the sleeve.
Rising from the sides of the plate 25 is a yoke-frame 28, the three members
thereof approaching each other as they rise and uniting with a pedestal 29, which 'is
firmly supported by said yoke-frame. Upon this pedestal rests a disk 30, having a
boss 31, both disk and boss, as well as the pedestal being provided with a central
opening through which the pipe 23, together with the valve stem 7, passes.
screw 33 tapped through the boss 31 and bearing upon the pipe causes both to rotate
A set

page_text: in unison. At a suitable distance above the disk 30, is a second disk 33, provided
with a sleeve 34, which is mounted upon the upper portion of the pipe 23, a collar-
nut or packing nut 35 being mounted on the end of the pipe 23 above the top of the
upper disk through which the end of the pipe may pass, while the valve stem 7 passes
through the packing nut and is prolonged to extend above the same.
The two disks 30 and 33, are connected by two, three or more tension springs
of metal, the preferable number being five. Each connection thus composed of a
series of plates of spring metal has its respective ends bolted to the edges of the
disks 30 and 33, at suitable and uniform intervals. Upon these spring connections 36;
midway between the disks, are nounted the centrifugal governor balls 36*. Between
the end of the sleeve 34, which drops from the disk 33, and a collar 37, rising from,
or resting on the boss 31, a powerful spring 38 is coiled, its tension being so adjusted
that when the governor is not in motion it will separate the disks 30 and 33 far
enough to draw the centrifugal governor balls 36, toward, the axis of rotation, or
against the coiled spring 38.
Mounted, upon the upper disk 33 is an arched yoke 39 which spans the central
portion of the disk, rising above it as shown in fig. 1. This yoke is provided with a
sleeve or thimble 40, which receives a thimble 41, provided with a collar 42, resting
against the lower end of the sleeve 40 and baving an externally threaded end rising
above said sleeve.
The valve stem 7, passes through the thimble 41, and its sleeve, being adjustably
connected with the same by a nut 43, turned on the threaded end of the stem, above
the thimble which is fastened by a nut 44.
When live steam is admitted through the port 15 it flows into the annular space 18,
whence it enters the wheel chamber through the passages 19, whereby rotation is
imparted to the wheel 20, the steam passing from the wheel chamber through the
intermediate chamber to the portal chamber. The rotary movement of the wheel is
communicated from the sleeve or stem, 22 of the wheel to the pipe 23, and from the
latter to the disks 30 and 33, thereby whirling the centrifugal weights or balls mounted
on the spring connections between the disks.
As the rapidity of the movement increases, the governor balls 36 are separated
radially from the axis of the valve stem, by the centrifugal force, which is in a certain
ratio to the speed. This separation of the centrifugal balls necessarily causes the
disks 30 and 33 to approach each other but as one of these disks is fixed, save as to its
rotary movement, it is evident that the other must have a compensating vertical
movement, and the valve stem 7, being attached to or connected with the movable
disk, it is evident that the displacement of the latter produced by the variations in
speed, must cause a rise and fall in the valve stem, proportioned to such variations.
Now, inasmuch as the valve stem 7, projects for a certain distance above the end of
the pipe 23, it is evident that, by adjusting the nut 41, and lever nut 42 either upward,
or downward on the threaded portion of said stem, the position of the valve carried by
the stem may be varied while the governor is at rest, and thus the centrifugal devices
may be caused to respond to any special requirements as to the working speed, or head
of steam to be carried.
I may use any desired number of steam passages 19 as well as any preferred number
of wings or blades upon the wheel, I prefer, however, to use an even number of such
passages, or ports, such as four, six, or eight, and an odd number of wings or blades
on the wheel, such as seven &c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim, is
1st. In a steam governor such as described, a wheel adjusted within a chainber the
annular wall of said chamber having ports for the admission of steam, whereby steam
flowing to the engine enters said ports, and by pressure thus placed upon blades causes
the said wheel to rotate, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2nd. In a steam governor, the combination with the centrifugal devices controlling
the valve-stem, of a wheel arranged in a wheel-chamber, and means whereby the steam
passing to the engine shall communicate to said wheel, substantially as described.
3rd. In a steam governor, the combination with a valve stem, of a pipe surrounding
the same, a wheel keyed or secured to said pipe and having wings, or blades, centri-
fugal balls mounted on expansible and collapsible supports which are rotated by the
pipe, an adjustable connection between the upper support and the valve stem, and
means whereby the steam passing to the engine shall rotate said wheel by its direct
action, substantially as described.
4th. In a steam governor, the combination with a wheel revolved by the impact of
the steam flowing to the steam chest, of a valve stem surrounded by a pipe on which
said wheel is mounted, centrifugal devices responding to the speed of rotation, and
carried by connections attached to disks one of which is movable upon the pipe sur-
rounding the valve stem, a tension spring interposed between said disks, and means
for varying the position of the valve stem, substantially as described.
5th. In a steam governor, the combination with a wheel chamber having an annular
wall provided with openings which deliver the steam toward points between the center
and circumference of the wheel, of a wheel having blades receiving the impulse of the
steam, a portal chamber, a valve stem carrying the portal valves, a pipe surrounding
the stem and locked with a sleeve or hollow stem on the wheel, a pair of disks rotated
by the said pipe, spring connections between said disks, each connection composed of
a series of spring plates carrying the governor balls, a spring separating the disks,
and means for varying the position of said valve stem, substantially as described.
6th. In a steam governor, the combination with a wheel rotated by the impact of
the steam and having a sleeve or stem, locked to the valve stem passing therethrough,
of a disk rigid upon said pipe, a disk movably mounted thereon, leaf springs con-
necting said disks and carrying the governor balls, a coiled spring separating said
disks, and means for varying the position of the valve-sten, substantially as
described.
7th. In a steam governor, the combination with a wheel rotated by the direct action
of the live steam upon its wings or blades, of a pipe rigid with the axis of said wheel,
a rigid support through which said pipe passes, a disk resting on said support and
locked with the pipe, an upper disk separated from the lower disk by a spring and
movable on the pipe, tension springs connecting said disks and carrying the governor
balls, a yoke mounted on the upper disk and having a sleeve, and a valve stem passing
up through the pipe and having its threaded projecting end adjustably fastened in
said sleeve by nuts above and below, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of February 1890.
JOHN WILLIAM BROWN.
WILLIAM WILSON SUTCLIFFE.
Per Huelser & Co.,
Attorneys.