Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Governing Steam Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1899
Complete Specification Loft 1st Mar 1900-ccepted. 1st Aug. 1900
Date of Application, 1st May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar
1900-ccepted. 1st Aug. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Governing Steam
Engines.
I, JOHN SALKELD, Marine Engineer, of 11, Laygate Terrace, South Shields, in
the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for governing steam engines, particularly
marine engines, and consists in providing a brake for use in conjunction with the
means controlling the steam supply whether such means are automatically or
manually operated as by a governor or hand-lever or the like respectively.
In
At present, marine engines are governed by shutting off the steam supply
when the propeller tends to leave or completely leaves the water and then
restoring same on the propeller resuming its normal position in the water.
this way, the engine is controlled, but it often happens that, notwithstanding
the steam supply being cut off, the momentum together with steam in the
cylinders continues the motion which frequently gives rise to fracture or damage
to the shaft or connecting parts; the object of my invention is to avoid this
disadvantage by retarding or braking the shaft concurrently with the interrup-
tion of the steam supply.
To attain my end, I employ a brake connected to actuating apparatus operatable
by or from the governor, hand-lever or the like controlling the steam supply,
the arrangement and operation being such that when the steam supply is shut
off the said apparatus is moved to apply the brake to the engine shaft and thereby
retard or stop its revolution, whilst on the steam supply being restored the
brake is returned to the inoperative position and free revolution of the shaft is
permitted.
In carrying my invention into practice when a governor is fitted, according
to one way I key on the engine shaft in convenient position a sheave: or I may
fix a sheave to the side of the engine turning wheel. Around the sheave I
arrange a strap or hand one end of which is secured to an appropriate fixed point
and the other adjustably connected directly to the piston rod of an auxiliary
single acting inverted cylinder steam engine having the steam directed to aci
upon the underside of the piston, the steam being supplied from the main steam
pipe or other suitable source and exhausting into the main or other condenser.
or to the atmosphere: to determine the fall or down stroke of the piston stops
or abutments may be furnished to co-act with its rod. The valve of this engine
may be of the slide or other type and it is united by a rod and bell-crank, or rods
and bell-cranks. or by other mechanism to that part or member of the governor
connecting with and controlling the throttle valve on the steam pipe and sub-
sidiary valves if such are used at or about one or more of the engine cylinders.
if desired, lost motion may be provided in this mechanism by slots at some of
the joints or equivalently."
In use, the operation of the arrangement described is briefly this:-
Assuming the propeller leaves the water wholly or partially, then the governor

page_text: acts to shut off the steam to the engine and simultaneously open the valve of
the auxiliary engine to admit the steam to the cylinder and thereby raise the
piston, whereupon the brake strap or band is tightened round the sheave thus
retarding rotation of the shaft. When the propeller becomes immersed again,
the governor re-opens the steam supply but closes the valve of the auxiliary
engine wherefrom the stenm now exhausts and the piston falls, slackening the
brake strap or hand and removing the impediment to the revolution of the shaft.
In applying my invention in instances where a governor is not employed. 1
suitably connect the valve of the auxiliary engine to the hand-lever controlling
the throttle valve so that the closing and opening of the latter shall be con-
current with the starting and stopping of the auxiliary engine operating as
before explained.
From the foregoing it will be seen that by my invention the revolution of
the shaft is simply and effectually controlled so that when racing tends to, or
does take place the risk of breakage or damage is considerably minimised if not
entirely obviated.
As will be obvious, the details for carrying out my invention may be variously
modified without departing from its nature. For example, instead of the
auxiliary engine being operated by steam, it may be under the influence of
vacuum for which purpose the upper side of the piston would be in connection
with the condenser, an appropriate valve or valves for establishing and breaking
the communication being fitted and adapted for operation by the governor ar
hand-lever as before described. Further, the engine may be of any other suitable
type besides that specified. Again the brake may be adapted to be wholly or
partially foot-operated.
11
1
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Governing Steam
Engines.
I, Jons SALKELD, Marine Engineer, of 11. Laygate Terrace, South Shields, in
the County of Durham, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for governing steam engines, particularly
marine engines, und consists in providing a brake for use in conjunction with the
means controlling the steam supply whether such means are automatically or
manually operated as by a governor or hand-lever or the like respectively.
In
At present, marine engines are governed by shutting off the steam supply
when the propeller tends to leave or completely leaves the water and then
restoring same on the propeller resuming its normal position in the water.
this way, the engine is controlled, but it often happens that, notwithstanding
the steam supply being cut off. the momentum together with steam in the
cylinders continues the motion which frequently gives rise to fracture or damage
te the shaft or connecting parts: the object of my invention is to avoid this
disadvantage by retarding or braking the shaft concurrently with the interrup
tion of the steam supply."

page_text: To attain my end, I employ a brake connected to actuating apparatus operatable
by or from the governor, hand-lever or the like controlling the steam supply,
the
arrangement and operation being such that when the steam supply is shut
off the said apparatus is moved to apply the brake to the engine shaft and thereby
retard or stop its revolution, whilst on the steam supply being restored the
brake is returned to the inoperative position and free revolution of the shaft is
permitted.
I will fully describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings
of which Fig. is an elevation, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation at right angles
thereto.
According to my invention, I key in convenient position on the shaft A of
the engine to be controlled the sheave a; or I may fix the sheave to the side
of the engine turning wheel. Around the sheave a I arrange the strap or band B.
one end of which is secured to the fixed point b-appropriately as shown an eye
bolted to the engine seating and the other adjustably connected directly in
the piston rod of an auxiliary single acting inverted cylinder steam engine C
suitably founded and having the steam directed to act upon the underside of
the piston.
Suitably the strap or band B may, as represented, be constituted as in a prony
brake, and its terminal attachments may be variously effected. As shown, the
connection to the point is made by the rods, and the buffer spring whose
use I recommend for minimising shocks to the strap or band: and the connection
to the piston rode is effected by the links which are fastened to the engine
cross head so as to admit of adjustment to take up wear in the strap or band.
The steam is supplied to the engine C from the main steam pipe or other suit-
able source through the stop valve e, and it exhausts by way of the stop valve
into the main or other condenser or to the atmosphere. To determine the fall
or downstroke of the piston, stops or abutments, such as ct. on the guides, are
best furnished to co-act with the rod c through the medium of the crosshead c.
The distribution valve of the engine C is represented as of the slide type.
though of course it may be of other types, and it is united as indicated ai
by a rod and bell crank, or rods and bell cranks, or by other mechanism, to that
part or member (assuming the use of a governor, say of the " Churchill kind)
of the governor connecting with and controlling the throttle valve on the steam
pipe and subsidiary valves if such are used at or about one or more of the engine
cylinders. The mode of making this union will be the same or practically the
same as is adopted in governors in general, and is well known, consequently
specific illustration or explanation is unnecessary.
With the object of using the vacuum to the most advantage. I prefer to arrange
and construct the valve as shown in Fig. 2 so that when steam is being admitted
to the underside of the piston, the topside is open to the exhaust: "and when
the supply is cut off the steam from below the piston can be quickly drawn off
so allowing the strap or band B to assume the inoperative position quickly.
For the latter purpose I may employ a cock disposed at the bottom of the cylinder
and adapted to be operated simultaneously with the valve by the means.
In use, the operation of the arrangement described is briefly this:-
Assuming the propeller leaves the water wholly or partially, then the
governor acts to shut off the steam to the main engine and simultaneously
through the connections exemplified at open the valve of the auxiliary
engine C to admit the steam to the cylinder and thereby raise the piston, where-
upon the brake strap or band B is tightened round the sheave thus retarding
rotation of the shaft A. When the propeller becomes immersed again, the
governor re-opens the main steam supply but closes the valve of the auxiliary
engine wherefrom the steam now exhausts and the piston falls, slackening the
brake strap or band B and removing the impediment to the revolution of the
shaft A.
In applying my invention in instances where a governor is not employed, I

page_text: suitably connect as aforementioned the valve of the auxiliary engine C to
the hand-lever controlling the throttle valve so that the closing and opening of
the latter shall be concurrent with the starting and stopping of the auxiliary
engine operating as before explained.
From the feregoing it will be seen that by my invention the revolution of
the shaft is simply and effectually controlled so that when racing tends to, or
does take place the risk of breakage or damage is considerably minimised if not
entirely obviated.
The arrangement described appears very effective but as will be obvious, the
details for carrying out my invention may be variously modified without depart.
ing from its nature. For example, instead of the auxiliary engine being operated
by steam, it may be under the influence of vacuum for which purpose the upper
side of the piston would be in connection with the condenser, an appropriate
valve or valves for establishing and breaking the communication being fitted and
adapted for operation by the governor or hand-lever as before described.
Further, the engine may be of any other suitable type besides that specified.
Again the brake may be adapted to be wholly or partially foot-operated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
נון
1. For governing steam angines, a brake connected to actuating apparatus
operatable by or from the governor, hand-lever, or the like controlling the steam
supply, the arrangement and operation being such that when the steam supply
is shut off, the said apparatus is moved to apply the brake to the engine shaft
and thereby retard or stop its revolution, whilst on the steam supply being
restored the brake is returned to the inoperative position and free revolution of
the shaft is permitted.
2. Apparatus for governing steam engines comprising a sheave a, a strap or
band B and an auxiliary engine C. all constructed, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved
apparatus for governing steam engines, substantially as herein before described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dain this 28th day of February 1900.
For the Applicant.
J. A. HARVEY.
Chartered Patent Agent.
3, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne.