IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS OR REGULATORS FOR STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1858

page_text: Sealed the 8th February 1859, and dated the 30th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th August 1858.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS OR REGULATORS FOR STEAM
ENGINES," a communication from William W. W. Wood and John Rice, both
of the City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrangements of
governors or regulators, applicable to either marine or stationary engines,
whereby the action of the governor is rendered more sudden, sensitive, and

page_text: powerful than that of the ordinary description, whilst the governor itself will
work equally well in a horizontal, vertical, or oblique position. These improve-
ments consist in regulating the throttle valves of marine or stationary engines
by means of radial weighted rotating rods, carried in a suitable revolving box
or casing, and connected with the periphery of a pulley or its equivalent,
carried in the centre of the revolving casing. The weighted rods are so
guided that when acted upon by centrifugal force they can move only in a
straight line, radiating from the centre. round which. they revolve. These
weighted rods are connected to the periphery of the pulley or its equivalent in
such a manner that when they move or slide outwards by the action of the
centrifugal force they will cause the pulley or its equivalent to turn slightly on
its axis in a path at right angles to that in which the governor balls or
weights on the rods rotate. The pulley or its equivalent is also connected at
its periphery by means of a link to a sliding rod which actuates the throttle
valve, a similar link and sliding rod (the latter bearing upon a spring) serving
to draw the weights inwards when not in motion, by imparting a slight
rotatory motion to the pulley or its equivalent in the contrary direction to that
imparted to it by the outward motion of the weighted rods. These connections,
with the pulley, are so arranged that a force constantly increasing as the
weights fly out may be obtained to compensate for the constantly increasing
resistance of the spring, which tends to draw them in again. This is accom-
plished by arranging the connections of the regulating rod and the rod acted
upon by the spring on the principle of the well-known knee or "toggle")
joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance, of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, .I, JOHŃ
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman;
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the a
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry

page_text: Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS OR REGULATORS FOR STEAM ENGINES," a com-
munication from William W. W. Wood and John Rice, both of the City of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and 'to the.
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
The said Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrange-
ments of governors or regulators applicable to either marine or stationary
engines, whereby the action of the governor is rendered more sudden, sensitive,
and powerful than that of the ordinary description, whilst the governor itself
will work equally well in a horizontal, vertical, or oblique position. These
improvements consist in regulating the throttle valves of marine or stationary
engines by means of radial weighted rotating rods, carried in a suitable
revolving box or casing and connected with the periphery of a pulley or its
equivalent, carried in the centre of the revolving casing. The weighted rods
are so guided, that when acted upon by centrifugal force they can move only
in a straight line, radiating from the centre round which they revolve. These
weighted rods are connected to the periphery of the pulley or its equivalent in
such a manner that when they move or slide outwards by the action of the
centrifugal force they will cause the pulley or its equivalent to turn slightly on
its axis in a path at right angles to that in which the governor balls or
weights on the rods rotate. The pulley or its equivalent is also connected at
its periphery, by means of a link, to a sliding rod which actuates the throttle
valve, a similar link and sliding rod (the latter bearing upon a spring) serving
to draw the weights inwards when not in motion, by imparting a slight.

page_text: rotatory motion to the pulley or its equivalent in the contrary; direction to that
imparted to it by the outward motion of the weighted rods. These connections
with the, pulley are so arranged that a force constantly increasing as, the
weights fly out may be obtained. to compensate for the constantly increasing
resistance of the spring, which tends to draw them in again. This is accom-
plished by arranging the connections of the regulating rod.and.the. rod
acted upon by the spring on the principle of the well-known knee or "toggle"
joint.
1
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood,. I shall now?
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed;.the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures!
...
.
Eigure 1. of the annexed Sheet of Drawings is a face view, illustrating. tlie
interior of the improved direct-action compensating governor. Figure 2 is a
section on the line 1-2 (Figure 1); Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-4,
(Figure 1); Figures 4 and 5 are Diagrams illustrating the peculiar action and
advantages of the governor; and Figures 6, 7, and 8, are modified arrange:
ments of parts of the instrument..
The body of the governor consists of a central box or casing A, from which
project in contrary directions, but in a line with each other, the two arms a
and a', and, at right angles to the latter, two other arms 6 and 6. The two
arms, a and a form the shafts or trunnions; turning in suitable bearings on
frames or standards. C is a pulley secured to or forming a part of the
spindle D, which turns freely. in the opposite sides of the central box or
casing A, a recess being formed in the latter for the reception of the pulley
and its appendages. The centre of rotation of the spindle D coincides with
the point where, a line drawn through the centre of the arms a and a¹ intersects
a line drawn through the centre of the arms 6 and 6. Two rods c and d are
connected to pins attached to the pulley C, at opposite sides of and at equal
distances from the centre of the spindle D. The rod c is jointed to a spindle e,
which passes through and is guided by the arm a', the end of the spindle
being furnished with a disc fitting into the cylinder h, attached to the end of
the arm a', and between the end of this cylinder and the disc intervenes a
spiral spring. The end of the rod d is jointed to a spindle f, which passes
through and is guided by the arm a, and to which is fitted a sleeve k. The.
sleeve is. furnished with the usual groove l, for receiving the projections on the
end of the lever, through which the motion, of the sleeve is communicated to
the regulating valve of the steam engine.
;

page_text: A weighted rod m fits into the arm b, and a similar rod n into the arm b',
both being arranged to slide freely backwards and forwards in their respective
arms. To the end of the rod m is a band or chain p, which partially
surrounds and bears against the periphery of the pulley C, to which the end of
the chain or band is attached, the end of the rod n being connected by a
similar band or chain p to the opposite edge of the pulley.
When the above-described instrument is stationary, the operating parts will
be in the position shown in Figure 1, the spring i having forced the rod e
inwards, partially turned the pulley C and imparted a simultaneous inward
movement to the rods m, n, and f. When the governor is caused to revolve;
which may be effected by a pulley B', or by any suitable system of gearing or
straps, the several parts will remain stationary until the centrifugal force
gained by the rotation of the weights attached to the ends of the rods m and n,
overcomes the resistance of the spring i, when the weighted rods will fly-out,
and, through.the bands or chains p and p¹, partially turn the pulley C in the
direction of the arrow, thereby forcing outwards the rod f, and with it the
sleeve k, the motion of which is communicated to the regulating valve of
the steam engine.
It will thus be seen that the opening and closing of this valve is dependant
upon two forces, one tending to counteract the other, namely, the force of the
spring i, and the centrifugal force acquired by the revolving weights. The
amount of opening and closing of the regulating valve must therefore depend
upon the extent to which one of these forces exceeds the other, and, conse
quently, the speed of the governor and power of the spring must be regulated
to suit the speed at which the engine is required to move.
The tendency of revolving weights is to move outwards in a straight line,
radiating from the centre, round which they revolve. In ordinary governors
this tendency is restrained, as the weights must move in a curve of more or
less length, before they can arrive at that point, which, had they been
unrestrained, they would have reached by moving in a-straight line over much
less space.
. Now in the above-described governor, the natural tendency of the weights
to move in a straight line is unrestrained. In fact, the spindles to which they
are attached coincide with that line. The action of the weights; therefore;
must be much more prompt by flying out in this straight radial line than if
they took the circuitous path in which the balls of ordinary governors traverse.
Hence the name "direct action," as applied to the improved governor.
It is well known that a spring does not increase in. resistance in an equal.
ratio to the distance to which it is compressed. Thus, if. the spiral spring i

page_text: were compressed to the distance of two inches, it would offer much more than
double the resistance than that which it would do when depressed to half that
distance; and so on. It is certain, therefore, that the action of the spring i
cannot be equal in every position to which it may be compressed by the flying
out of the weights, and, consequently, it is desirable that sonie means should be
adopted to compensate for this variation in. its resistance. It is true, that as
the weights fly out,. their centrifugal force must increase according to the
extent of the path in which they move, and this increased force will, in some
measure, compensate for the increasing resistance of the spring. The increased
force thus obtained, however, is insufficient for the purpose, hence the adoption
of. the peculiar devices illustrated; through the intervention of which, the
centrifugal force of the weights is transmitted to the regulating or throttle
valve.
...It should be understood that, in order to impart the desired movement to
the latter, the pulley C has to move over one quarter of its circumference only.
The force exerted by the out moving weighted rods to turn the pulley to this
extent, is through a never varying leverage the leverage, however, through
which the pulley transmits the force it has thus attained, diminishes as the
pulley turns. Thus the pin a, to which the end of the rod e is connected, is
exactly the same distance from the centre of the pulley as the band or chain p:
Consequently, when the pulley is in the position shewn in Figure 1, the
leverage, through which power is transmitted to the pulley, is identical with that
delivered by the pulley to the spring. But when the pulley has been moved
round in the direction of the arrow to the extent of one-eighth of its circum-
ference, as seen in Fig. 4, the leverage, through which the power is transmitted
from the pulley, has diminished, and will continue to diminish as the pulley
moves, and until it completes the desired quarter of a revolution, and assumes
the position represented in Figure 5, the leverage exerted to turn the pulley
remaining the same throughout this movement..
It will now be seen that: the centrifugal force, of the revolving weights is
exerted on the spring i with a leverage constantly increasing to an extent
sufficient to assist in counteracting the increasing resistance; hence the name
compensating," as applied to the improved governor. The medium, in fact,
through which the centrifugal force of the weights is transmitted to the spring
and to the sleeve is analogous to the ordinary and well-known knee or toggle
joint. This knee joint effect is obtained by the modified arrangements illustrated
in Figures 6 and 8. In Figure 6 a lever with four arms is substituted for
the pulley C, the pins by which the rods p and p¹ are attached to the lever
being in such a position as regards the pins for receiving the ends of the

page_text: rods c and f, that, while the leverage exerted to turn the arms remains nearly
the same throughout one quarter of their revolution, the leverage exerted to
force out the rods c and f diminishes, so that the result will be the same as that.
described in reference to Figure 1. Precisely the same knee joint effect is
obtained by the modification illustrated in Figure 7, in which teeth on the--
periphery of the pulley Cwork into racks on the weighted rods m and n.
The operation of this modified device will be readily understood without further
description.
It will be, evident that the whole of the above-described governor may be
changed in the form and arrangement of its parts, without departing from the
principles above alluded to, and without any alteration in the result. For
instance, the spring may be applied direct to the rod f, or to the rods m and n
separately, as shewn in Figure 8, where the rod e is dispensed with. The
motion of the rod f may be conveyed to the throttle valve also through mediums
other than the sleeve k.
I will be readily seen also, without further description, that a governor
constructed on the above-described principles can operate as well when the
weights revolve in a horizontal or an inclined path, as when in a vertical one,
and consequently that it is as applicable to the regulating of the throttle valves
of marine as to those of stationary engines.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I con-
sider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general construction and arrangement of governors or regulators,
as herein-before described.
Second, regulating the throttle valves of steam engines by means of the
weighted rotating rods m and n, in combination with the pulley C or its
equivalent, the said weighted rods being so guided that, when actuated by
centrifugal force, they can move only in a straight line, radiating from the
centre round which they revolve, and the rods being so constructed and
arranged in respect to the said pulley or its equivalent, that, on the flying out
of the said rods, the pulley or its equivalent will turn on its axis in a path at
right angles to the path in which the said rods rotate, as herein described and
illustrated by the Drawings.
;

page_text: Third, applying the force obtained by the centrifugal action of revolving
weights to the regulation of the throttle valves of steam engines, through the
intervention of the pulley C or its equivalent, when the said pulley is connected
to the revolving weights and to the rod for operating the valve by the devices
herein described, or their equivalents; whereby a force, constantly increasing
as the weights fly out, may be obtained to compensate for the constantly
increasing force applied to draw the weights inwards, as herein-before.
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, 'have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)