An improved Dectric Witch of Governor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 29th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1900
An improved Dectric Witch of Governor.
I, EDOUARD CROS, of 10, Avenue Carnot, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a centrifugal electric switch or governor for enabling
an electric circuit to be made or broken according to the speed of the shaft
carrying the same, the said shaft being in connection with an apparatus or
machine the variations in the speed of which are to control the making and
breaking of the circuit.
This switch or governor can be arranged either to close the circuit by a diminu-
tion of speed and to break it in the contrary case; or it can be arranged to make
the circuit as soon as its shaft attains and passes a predetermined speed; in the
latter case the circuit breaks of itself when the speed is sufficiently reduced.
My apparatus consists of two parts, that is to say, the electric part and the
centrifugal mechanical part.
The electric portion of the apparatus is fixed to a frame suitably arranged
supporting the shaft to which is to be fixed or connected the mechanical part of
the device adapted to be operated by centrifugal force. It is composed of two
metal rings the said rings being equal and parallel, of the same diameter, elec-
trically insulated from one another and which, when they are mechanically con-
nected by an arrangement of two keys or fingers close the accumulator circuit.
These rings are arranged concentrically around the shaft and their periphery is
at a distance from the periphery of this shaft sufficient to avoid any contact
between the rings and the shaft which might be brought about by oscillation or
by the play of the suspension springs in the case of the application of the
apparatus to a carriage.
Each ring is in connection with one of the insulated wires connected to the
circuit which provides the current between the accumulators and a lamp, for
example, through the medium of the rings and of the fingers or keys.
The centrifugal mechanical part of the apparatus consists of a centrifugal
device of special construction the object of which is to avoid friction between the
various parts during rotation, such friction always being present in ordinary
apparatus operating by centrifugal force.
This mechanical portion comprises essentially two pivoted arms symmetrically
mounted with respect to the rotating shaft upon a frame fixed to the said shaft.
The frame carries two bearings cast in one with it, the said bearings being
arranged to support spindles to which are fixed levers carrying weights.
Two antagonistic springs which are each connected on the one hand to one of
the arms and on the other hand to a ring, fixed to the spindle, are arranged in
such a manner that they oppose the centrifugal force which tends during rota-
tion to separate the levers.
Upon the spindles of the levers are fixed the hereinbefore described double
metal fingers forming a kind of fork: they are fixed in such a manner that when
at rest they touch, under the action of the said springs, the two electric rings

page_text: and thereby establish communication between the said rings and consequently
close the circuit.
The construction of the apparatus being thus set forth the operation thereof
will be easily understood. When the movement of rotation is imparted to the
shaft upon which the device is mounted, the masses of the weights by reason
of the centrifugal force, tend to separate from the rotating shaft; but the said
weights being solid with. the levers turn the said levers and their spindles in the
bearings and as the fingers are fixed to these spindles they participate in the
movement of rotation and separate from the two rings which they connect elec-
trically.
The springs can be regulated by turning them in the required direction or by
varying the distance of the weights from the axis of the spindle or the value of
the weights such that the centrifugal force only overpowers the antagonistic force
of the springs at a predetermined speed of rotation.
Suitably arranged stops limit the extent to which the weights can be swung out
under the action of centrifugal force by bearing upon the arms of the frame. It
will be seen that whilst the apparatus is in movement all the parts are absolutely
at rest relatively with one another which gives rise to the following results;
absence of friction between the parts, no wear, no necessity for lubrication nor
for repair, and no necessity for overlooking the parts for which the mere manu-
facture will be practically sufficient.
I
Furthermore, the whole of the apparatus can be enclosed in a jacket through
which only the ends of the shaft extend so that the mechanism can be protected
from dust and weather.
The arms of the levers, the weights, their position and the strength of the
antagonistic springs are all calculated on the basis that the said antagonistic
springs shall overcome the centrifugal force, as soon as the latter is rendered
weak by reason of the considerable diminution in the velocity of rotation of the
apparatus; the result being that the contact of the double fingers with the
rings is always effected a short time before the rotating shaft completely stops.
From this there result two important advantages:-
(1) The cleaning, before the stoppage of the rotating shaft, of the rings (a
kind of scouring) by the friction of the double fingers.
(2) The apparatus becomes practically a tachometer provided that when
arranging the weights upon the length of the arms of the lever the device can be
regulated so that the antagonistic springs do not overcome the centrifugal force
until the speed is below a limit which can be fixed very approximately.
By inverting the position of the keys or fingers, as has been herein before
explained, the apparatus can be specially adapted for charging a battery of
accumulators in such a way that it interrupts the charging current when the
tension drops below a predetermined value; that is to say, when the speed of the
dynamo has fallen below the corresponding speed.
The two fingers, therefore, only come into contact with the two rings when
a predetermined speed has been attained and the centrifugal force is of the
requisite strength.
The apparatus herein before described is capable of many applications as for
example:-
(1) The automatic and intermittent external lighting of railway carriages
during the stoppage of the trains at stations and on the line at night time.
(2) The governing of the speed of automobile vehicles by the breaking of the
ignition current when the speed of the motor increases.
(3) The charging of accumulators by a dynamo by inverting the keys; thereby
replacing the very delicate apparatus now in use for this purpose.
Dated the 1st day of December 1899.

page_text: I, EDOUARD CROS, of 10, Avenue Carnot, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil
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:--
This invention relates to a centrifugal electric switch or governor for enabling
an electric circuit to be made or broken according to the speed of the shaft
carrying the same, the said shaft being in connection with an apparatus or
machine the variations in the speed of which are to control the closing and
breaking of the circuit.
This switch or governor can be arranged either to close the circuit by a diminu-
tion of speed and to break it in the contrary case; or it can be arranged to make
the circuit as soon as its shaft attains and passes a predetermined speed; in the
latter case the circuit breaks of itself when the speed is sufficiently reduced.
The apparatus consists essentially of a kind of governor operating by centri-
fugal force and the weights of which are each mounted upon a pivoted arm fixed
to a rotary shaft and also carrying a metal fork which can apply each of its arms
to a fixed ring; the two rings being in connection respectively with the two
conductors to be joined.
The position of the forks with respect to the counterweights of the apparatus is
determined by the condition that the rubbing contacts should be applied to the
rings at the moment when the speed diminishes or when the said speed increases;
it is independent of the direction of rotation.
This type of switch may be applied for example to the external lighting of a
train when stopping or when running at a reduced speed; in which case it
closes the circuit the moment the speed diminishes; it can also serve for feeding
the accumulators of a battery coupled to, or in connection with, the motor or the
dynamo; the circuit does not close until the speed has become sufficiently high;
it is then a true make and break.
The accompanying drawing represents several views of a switch device of the
kind above described the said switch being arranged to close the circuit when its
shaft slows down or stops.
In the said drawing:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus:
Figure 2 is a section on the line A--B Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a section on the line C--D Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is a plan.
My apparatus consists of two parts, that is to say, the electric part and the
centrifugal mechanical part.
The electric portion of the apparatus is fixed to a frame suitably arranged
supporting the shaft to which is to be fixed or connected the mechanical part of
the device adapted to be operated by centrifugal force. It is composed of two
metal rings a, b the said rings being equal and parallel, of the same diameter,
electrically insulated from one another and which, when they are mechanically
connected by an arrangement of two keys or fingers c, c, close the accumulator
circuit. These rings a, b are arranged concentrically around the shaft d and
their periphery is at a distance from the periphery of this shaft sufficient to avoid
any contact between the rings and the shaft which might be brought about by
oscillation or by the play of the suspension springs in the case of the application
of the apparatus to a carriage.
Each ring is in connection with one of the insulated wires e, e connected to the

page_text: circuit which provides the current between the accumulators and a lamp, for
example, through the medium of the rings a, band of the fingers or keys c, c.
The centrifugal mechanical part of the apparatus consists of a centrifugal
device of special construction the object of which is to avoid any friction between
the various parts during rotation, such friction always being present in ordinary
apparatus operating by centrifugal force.
This mechanical portion comprises essentially two pivoted arms f, f symmetri-
cally mounted with respect to the rotating shaft d upon a frame g fixed to the
said shaft.
The frame g carries two bearings h cast in one with it, the said bearings being
arranged to support spindles i, i to which are fixed levers k, k carrying
weights 1, 1.
Two antagonistic springs m, m which are each connected on the one hand to
one of arms and on the other hand to a ring n, fixed to the spindle i are arranged
in such a manner that they oppose the centrifugal force which tends during
rotation to separate the levers k, k.
Upon the spindles i of the levers k, k are fixed the herein before described
double metal fingers c, e forming a kind of fork: they are fixed in such a
manner that when at rest they touch, under the action of the said springs m, m
the two electric rings a, b and thereby establish communication between the
said rings and consequently close the circuit.
The construction of the apparatus being thus set forth the operation thereof
will be easily understood. When the movement of rotation is imparted to the
shaft d, upon which the device is mounted, the masses of the weights 1, 1, by
reason of the centrifugal force, tend to separate from the rotating shaft; but the
said weights being fixed to the levers k, k turn the said levers and their
spindles in the bearings, h, h and as the fingers e are fixed to these spindles
they participate in the movement of rotation and separate from the two rings
which they connect electrically.
The springs m can be regulated by turning them in the required direction or
by varying the distance of the weights, from the axis of the spindle i or the
value of the weights such that the centrifugal force only overpowers the antago-
nistic force of the springs at a predetermined speed of rotation.
Suitably arranged stops o limit the extent to which the weights can be swung
out under the action of centrifugal force by bearing upon the arms of the frame g.
It will be seen that whilst the apparatus is in movement all the parts are abso-
lutely at rest relatively with one another with the following results, namely,
absence of friction between the parts, no wear, no necessity for lubrication nor
for repair, and no necessity for overlooking the parts for which the mere manu-
facture will be practically sufficient.
Furthermore, the whole of the apparatus can be enclosed in a jacket through
which only the ends of the shaft extend so that the mechanism can be pro-
tected from dust and weather.
The arms of the levers, the weights, their position and the strength of the
antagonistic springs are all calculated on the basis that the said antagonistic
springs shall overcome the centrifugal force, as soon as the latter is rendered
weak by reason of any considerable diminution in the velocity of rotation of the
apparatus the result being that the contact of the double fingers with the
rings is always effected a short time before the rotating shaft completely stops.
From this there result two important advantages:-
(1) The cleaning, before the stoppage of the rotating shaft, of the rings (a
kind of scouring) by the friction of the double fingers.
(2) The apparatus becomes practically a tachometer provided that when
arranging the weights upon the length of the arms of the lever the device can be
regulated so that the antagonistic springs do not overcome the centrifugal force
until the speed is below a limit which can be fixed very approximately.
By inverting the position of the keys or fingers, the apparatus can as has been

page_text: herein before explained, be specially adapted for charging a battery of
accumulators in such a way that it interrupts the charging current when the
tension drops below a predetermined value; inat is to say, when the speed of the
dynamo has fallen below the corresponding speed.
The two fingers, therefore, only come into contact with the two rings when
a predetermined speed has been attained and the centrifugal force is of the
requisite strength.
The apparatus hereinbefore described is capable of many applications as for
example:
(1) The automatic and intermittent external lighting of railway carriages
during the stoppage of the trains at stations and on the line at night time.
(2) The governing of the speed of automobile vehicles by the breaking of the
ignition current when the speed of the motor increases.
(3) The charging of accumulators by a dynamo by inverting the keys; thereby
replacing the very delicate apparatus now in use for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
1. In an electric switch operating by centrifugal force the arrangement of
counterweighted levers pivoted to arms mounted upon a rotating shatt and pro-
vided with springs, the said levers being fixed to spindles which partake of
their movement and upon which are fitted keys or fingers in the form of forks,
in combination with fixed rings connected respectively to the two conductors of
the circuit, the forks establishing communication between the fixed rings when
the device is at rest or is rotating at a low speed and being separated from the
fixed rings when the shaft is rotating above a predetermined speed thereby
breaking the electric circuit, substantially as described.
2. In the arrangement described in Claim 1 the inversion of the keys or con-
tact forks to close the circuit on the attainment of a predetermined speed, the
forks being held separated when the apparatus runs at a low speed or is at rest,
substantially as described.
T
ليوم
1
P
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.