Improvements in and relating to Speed and Power Regulators for Motors.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 23rd June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Speed and Power Regulators for
Motors.
1, HORACE BIGELOW GALE, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at 722 Lutter Street, in the City and County of San Francisco, and
State of California, one of the United States of America, Mechanical 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 that class of regulators by which energy is stored when
the quantity produced by the motor is in excess of that demanded by the load
upon it, and restored to the system whenever the demand of the load is greater
than the supply. In this respect the action of the device is analogous to that of a
fly-wheel. Fly-wheels, however, on account of the excessive weight which they
necessarily assume if designed to store large quantities of energy, are generally
useful only to absorb fluctuations of power extending over comparatively short
periods of time, such as occur during the different parts of the revolution or cycle
of an engine.
The main purpose of my invention is to produce a regulator applicable to any
form of motor, which, without having excessive weight in its moving parts, shall
render possible the storing and restoring of any desired quantity of energy, and
which may serve to neutralize fluctuations of power enduring for comparatively
long periods of time, for example for several minutes, or even hours.
To accomplish this purpose, I employ as a means of storing energy, any suitable
form of electrical storage battery, and as the moving or revolving body, which
replaces the fly-wheel of the older constructions, the armature of a dynamo electric
machine, constructed and connected to the storage battery in a manner to be more
fully explained hereafter, so that when revolving with the desired speed in a
constant direction it may act either as a generator, absorbing surplus energy from the
motor and charging the battery, or as an auxiliary motor drawing energy from the
battery and assisting the engine or prime mover, at times when the load exceeds
the average.
The principles and application of my invention are illustrated by the accom-
panying diagrams, of which-
Figure 1 shows the regulator in a simple form applied to a steam engine, and
Figure 2 illustrates an application of it to a water motor, together with some
additional features intended to secure finer regulation of speed, greater convenience,
and adjustability to different conditions.
In Figure 1, A is the motor whose speed and power are to be regulated, which is
represented in this case as a vertical encased steam engine, but which might be
equally as well any kind of heat engine, water wheel, or other motor adapted to
produce a rotary motion On the main shaft of the motor is shown a band wheel B,
from which a variable working load is supposed to be driven by the band C.
Attached to the opposite end of the motor shaft is the armature of the regulator D,
which is a dynamo of the so called direct current type, with commutator E,
brushes F and F' and field magnets G. H represents the principal magnetizing
coils of the field magnets, which are connected in shuut with the main circuit,
between the brushes and F. This method of connecting these coils I prefer as
the simplest, though they may if preferred, be energized from an independent source
of electricity. The main circuit I connects the brushes F and F with the two poles
or terminal plates J and J of the storage battery K. I prefer generally also to

page_text: give this circuit a few turns around the field magnets, as shown at L, though
this is not necessary. M represents a switch for opening the circuit I when it is
desired to stop the motor.
The operation of the regulator is as follows: Suppose the engine to be running
at its normal speed, and with the average load on the driving belt C. The electro
motive force of the battery K is such that under these conditions it balances that
generated in the regulating armature D, so that no current flows in the circuit I,
and scarcely any power is absorbed by the regulator. If now a portion of the load
on the belt C is taken off, the engine speed increases slightly, raising the electro
motive force of the regulating dynamo above that of the battery K, until enough
charging current flows in the circuit I to absorb the surplus power of the engine.
On the other hand, if a load exceeding the normal power of the engine is put on
the belt C, the engine speed diminishes, bringing the electro motive force of the
regulating dynamo down below that of the battery K, when the latter begins to
discharge, sending a reverse current through the circuit I, which converts the
regulating dynamo into an auxiliary motor, assisting the prime mover to carry the
increased load.
The change of engine speed necessary to produce the variation in electro motive
force between that of charging and that of discharging the battery, is too great for
very close regulation, unless some auxiliary means are used to assist in varying
the electro motive force of the circuit I. Various means may be used for this
purpose for example, a rheostat, or variable resistance, may be employed in the
shunt coils of the field H, or an auxiliary armature may be employed in the
circuit I; but I prefer to accomplish this object by a compound winding, that is,
by placing a certain number of the field coils of the regulating dynamo in series
with the circuit I, as shown. These series coils are so wound and connected, that the
magnetic effect of a current flowing in them, in the direction tending to charge
the batteries, is added to the effect of the current in the shunt coils, thus increasing
the strength of the field magnets and raising the electro motive force of the
dynamo. Conversely, a current flowing in the opposite direction, opposes its
magnetic effect to that of the shunt, and diminishes the electro motive force. By
properly proportioning the series coils, the change of speed required to produce
the required change in electro motive force may be reduced to any desired extent,
and an exceedingly close and sensitive regulation obtained.
This method of regulation I believe to be more economical in cases of extremely
variable load than that of adjusting the quantity of steam or other working fluid
supplied to the motor, because most motors run most economically at a certain
definite rate of work, falling off greatly in efficiency if that rate is considerably
departed from. For example, in the case of a steam engine having automatic
cut-off regulation, and employed in such work as driving electric railway generators,
the power usually fluctuates so continually and extremely that the steam is very
seldom cut off near the best point in the stroke; whereas, with the form of
regulator shown in Figure 1, the engine could be run always at its most economical
rate, which should conform to the average load upon it. As the fluctuations of
load in the case referred to are mostly sudden and of short duration, a battery of
small storage capacity would suffice for regulation in such a case; where the
variations extend over longer periods, a larger battery would be needed; but the
capacity of the battery can in any case be adjusted to fit the requirements.
am aware that storage batteries have been used heretofore as a means of
storing a surplus of current supplied to an electrical circuit, and of paying out that
current again to the circuit when the supply from the dynamo has been cut off,
or is insufficient to meet the demand; but their use on a special circuit in con-
nection with a reversible electric generator-motor as a means of storing and
restoring power, and thereby regulating the speed and power of a prime mover,
I believe to be new; and it is on the combination of these devices in the manner
described for the purposes specified that I base my claim to the invention of a new
and useful improvement in regulators for motors.

page_text: In Figure 1 the regulating armature is represented as attached directly to the
prime-mover shaft, but a less direct connection may be employed where it is more
convenient. Figure 2 illustrates a case where the regulator is driven indirectly
through a combination of mechanical and electrical connections with the prime
mover, which, in this case, is represented as a water wheel. Indirect driving of
the regulator is often advantageous where power is transmitted by any method to
perform a variable work at a considerable distance from the source, as it neutralizes
fluctuations in the power transmitted, as well as in that generated by the prime
mover.
In Figure 2, A is the prime mover whose speed and power are to be regulated,
to wit, a tangential water wheel driven by a jet of water issuing from the nozzle N.
In the case illustrated this motor is employed to drive a dynamo O by means of a
band C. The variable working load consists of lamps P, motors Q, or other
translating devices in the circuit R, supplied with current by the dynamo O. D is
the regulating dynamo, which is connected by the belt U to the jack shaft T,
driven by the motor Q through the belt S. The brushes F and F of the regulator
are connected with the terminals J and J' of the storage battery K, by means of
the circuit I, in a manner similar to that of Figure 1.
It will be seen that in the case illustrated by Figure 2, power is transmitted
between the prime mover A and the regulating armature D through the intervention
of the belt C, electrical connection R, belt S, jack shaft T and belt U. The jack
shaft T may be used also to drive other machinery; or, instead of the jack shaft
and belts, the armatures of the motor Q and the regulator D may be united on a
single shaft. The special power-transmitting devices between the prime mover
and the regulator are of no importance, these being chosen as an illustration of the
numerous indirect connections that may be used. The current in the main
circuit R, may be either alternating or direct; and the dynamo O and motor Q
may be of any type suitable to the current desired to be used. In case the
external current is alternating, the armatures Q and D may be united if desired,
forming a "rotary transformer;" but the regulation" is better when they are
wound separately.
The operation of the regulator, as arranged in Figure 2, may be explained as
follows: When the prime mover is running under its normal, or average, load, the
electro motive force generated in the armature D balances the electro motive force
of the storage battery K, and no current flows in the circuit I. The regulator
consequently consumes but very little power. If now a part of the working load
be removed, as for example by cutting out a portion of the lamps P, or other
translating devices in the circuit R, or by reducing the working load driven by the
jack shaft T, the effect will be a tendency to accelerate the speed of the prime
mover A, of the motor Q, and of the armature D, raising the electro motive force
of the latter until a sufficient charging current flows in the circuit I to absorb the
surplus power of the prime mover A.
If, on the other hand, a load is put on the circuit R in excess of the normal
capacity of the motor A and dynamo O, a slight reduction of speed results, which
canses the battery to discharge through the circuit I reversing the current through
the armature of the regulator D and causing it to act as an auxiliary motor,
assisting the motor Q, and the prime mover A in driving the jack shaft T. If the
excess of load is in the external circuit R, the motor Q may be made to act as a
dynamo driven by the regulator D, and to assist in supplying current to the
circuit R.
Auxiliary series windings L on the field magnets G of the regulator D are
employed, as explained in connection with Figure 1, in order to reduce the change
of speed necessary to produce the required compensating effect to as small an
amount as may be required.
In Figure 2, a rheostat or variable resistance V, is inserted in the shunt coils H
of the field magnets G, by means of which the normal speed of the prime mover
may be varied or set at any desired rate, and the electro motive force on the

page_text: working circuit R controlled, independently of that on the battery circuit I. A
second rheostat W is shown connected as a shunt around the series coils L of the
field magnets G, which provides a convenient means of varying the magnetizing
effect of these series coils, and permits a close adjustment of the sensitiveness of
the regulator. Neither of these rheostats is necessary to the successful operation
of the regulator but add to its convenience and adjustability to different conditions.
A third adjunct to the regulator, which may or may not be used, is the
electrically controlled valve X, by which the supply of working fluid to the prime
mover may be diminished or increased. The object of this device is to prevent
injury to the storage battery K by overcharging or undue exhaustion, and its
principle of operation is to reduce the supply of working fluid to the prime mover
whenever the electro motive force of the battery exceeds a certain limit, thus
causing the battery to be drawn upon to a greater extent; and to increase the
supply of working fluid whenever the electro motive force of the battery falls
below a certain other limit, thus producing sufficient surplus of power for charging.
A great variety of electrical devices are applicable to control the operation of
the valve X in the manner described, one of the simplest of which is shown in the
drawing; but I do not confine myself to the use of the special device shown. a is
an electric motor mechanically connected with the valve X, as shown, so that
rotation in one direction will reduce the supply of working fluid to the motor, and
rotation in the opposite direction will increase it. The polarity of the field magnets
is constant, so that the armature will be turned in either one direction or the other,
according to the direction of the current traversing it.
b is an electro magnet wound with a coil of high resistance, and connected
between the terminals of the battery J and J. The armature c of this magnet is
electrically connected to one of the brushes of the motor a, the opposite brush
being connected to the battery circuit at the point d. The magnetic armature c
is capable of movement between the electrical contacts e and f, connected
respectively to the terminals J and J¹, and the pull of the magnet upon it is
balanced by a spring g of such strength that when the electro motive force of the
battery is between its allowed limits of variation, the armature c occupies an
intermediate position between the contacts e and f. No current then flows through
the armature of the motor a and the valve X remains in its fixed position. If the
electro motive force of the battery reaches its upper limit, the armature c touches
the contact, and a current is sent through the armature of the motor a in the
direction, tending to close the valve X. If the electro motive force reaches its
lower limit the armature o touches the contact e, and a current is sent through the
armature of the motor a in the opposite direction, tending to open the valve X.
It is evident that the successful operation of my invention does not depend upon
the particular means of connecting the shaft of the motor to be regulated with the
armature of the regulator. For this purpose, any of the known means of
transmitting a rotary motion may be employed; neither does it depend always
upon the employment of auxiliary series coils on the field magnets of the regulating
dynamo, as a sufficiently close regulation for some purposes is obtained without
these coils; but the essence of the invention consists in the combination, with a
prime mover, of a reversible electric generator-motor and storage battery on a
special circuit, for the purpose of regulating the speed or power of the prime
mover, by alternately absorbing and giving out mechanical energy.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a regulator for a motor or prime mover, the combination of a dynamo-
electric machine, a secondary battery whose positive and negative poles are
electrically connected respectively to the corresponding poles or terminals of the
armature of the said dynamo-electric machine, so as to complete the external
circuit thereof, and power-transmitting devices connecting the motor or prime

page_text: mover with the said dynamo-electric machine, which acts alternately as a current
generator, charging the battery, and as an auxiliary motor, driven by a reverse or
discharge current from the battery, thereby absorbing any surplus mechanical
energy generated by the prime mover in excess of that required by the work, and
restoring such energy when the power used exceeds that exerted by the prime
mover, substantially as set forth and for the purposes described.
2. In a regulator for a prime mover, the combination of an auxiliary reversible-
current electric generator or motor having a constant direction of rotation, suitable
power transmitting devices connecting the said auxiliary generator and the prime
mover, so that the auxiliary generator may either oppose or assist the prime mover
as may be required, and a secondary battery with its positive and negative terminal
plates in electrical connection respectively with the corresponding terminals of the
said auxiliary generator, which battery is charged when the power exerted by the
prime mover is in excess of the working load, and discharged through the said
auxiliary generator when the load opposing the prime mover exceeds the power
exerted thereby, in such a manner as to neutralize or diminish the fluctuations of
power of the prime mover, substantially as set forth, and for the purposes
described.
3. In a regulator for a motor or prime mover, the combination of a dynamo-
electric machine having shunt and series field windings and a constant direction of
rotation, power transmitting devices connecting the same with the motor whose
speed or power is to be regulated, an electrical circuit traversing the armature of
the said dynamo-electric machine and the said series field windings, a secondary
battery in the said circuit, having its positive and negative poles connected
respectively to the terminals of like polarity of the said dynamo-electric machine,
which battery is charged by reason of the superior electro-motive force generated
in the said armature when the power exerted by the prime mover exceeds what is
required for other purposes, and which assists the prime mover by discharging a
reverse current through the said armature, when the power required exceeds that
exerted by the prime mover, substantially as set forth and for the purposes
described.
4. In a regulator for a prime mover, the combination of an auxiliary dynamo-
electric machine having a constant polarity and direction of rotation, suitable
power-transmitting devices connecting the armature of the said dynamo-electric
machine with the prime mover, an external circuit traversing said armature, a
secondary battery in said circuit having its positive and negative terminal plates
connected respectively to the terminals of like polarity of the said armature, the
said battery serving to absorb any excess of energy exerted by the prime mover,
and to supply, through the motor action of said armnature, any deficiency in the
power of the prime mover, and a rheostat or equivalent device in the field circuit of
the said dynamo-electric machine whereby the strength of its magnetic field is
adjusted, for the purpose of regulating the speed or power of the prime mover,
substantially as described.
5. In a regulator for a motor or a prime mover, the combination of a reversible-
current rotary electric generator or motor, having shunt and series field windings
and a constant direction of rotation, suitable power-transmitting devices connecting
the armature of the said generator or motor with the prime mover, a secondary
battery whose positive and negative poles are connected respectively to the
corresponding poles or terminals of the said generator, which absorbs any excess of
energy exerted by the prime mover, and assists the prime mover by discharging a
reverse current through the said armature when the power required exceeds the
power exerted by the prime mover, and a rheostat or variable resistance connected
in shunt with the said series windings, substantially at set forth, and for the
purposes described.
6. The combination of an engine or prime mover, an auxiliary reversible-current
dynamo-electric machine having its armature on the same shaft or otherwise
connected therewith, so as to run at a speed corresponding or proportionate to that

page_text: of the prime mover, a storage battery, and an independent electrical circuit
including the armature of said auxiliary dynamo, and the said storage battery, for
the purpose of regulating the speed or power of the prime mover by alternately
absorbing and reproducing mechanical energy, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of an engine or prime mover, an auxiliary rotary eléctric
generator or motor having shunt and series field windings, suitable power-
transmitting devices connecting the same with the prime mover, an electrical
circuit traversing the armature of the said generator or motor and the said series
field windings, a secondary battery in said circuit having its positive and negative
poles connected respectively with the terminals of like polarity of the said auxiliary
generator or motor, which battery is charged by reason of the superior electro-
motive force of the auxiliary generator when the power exerted by the prime
mover is greater than that used in other ways, and which assists the prime mover
by discharging a reversed current through the said circuit when the power required
exceeds that exerted by the prime mover, thereby steadying the operation of the
prime mover, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of a primary motor, an auxiliary rotary electric generator
or motor, having shunt and series field windings, power-transmitting devices
connecting the same with the primary motor, an electric circuit traversing the
armature of the said auxiliary generator or motor and the said series field windings,
a storage battery in the said circuit, having its positive and negative poles
connected respectively to the terminals of like polarity of the said auxiliary
generator, which battery, through the medium of the auxiliary generator alternately
absorbs any excess and supplies any deficiency in the power of the primary motor,
a rheostat or variable resistance in circuit with the shunt coils of the said field
windings, by which the rate of the primary motor may be set or controlled, and a
rheostat connected in shunt with the series coils, by which the allowed variation in
the rate of the primary motor may be adjusted, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of a prime mover, a dynamo electric machine driven thereby,
an external electric circuit energized by the said machine, one or more motors or
other translating devices in the said circuit, supplying a variable demand for
power, an auxiliary rotary electric generator driven by power derived from said
circuit, a special circuit traversing the armature of the said auxiliary generator,
and a storage battery in the latter circuit, which, through the medium of the said
auxiliary generator, alternately absorbs the excess of energy exerted by the prime
mover, and restores the same to the system, in such a manner as to regulate the
power or speed of the prime mover, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination of a motor or prime mover, an auxiliary electric generator
and a secondary battery connected as set forth for regulating the speed or power
.thereof, and electrically operated valves controlling the supply of working fluid to
the said motor or prime mover, substantially as set forth and for the purposes
described.
D
PHIL
10th day of Apr 1034.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.