Improvements in Governors for Gas Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Gas Engines.
I, HENRY NIELD BICKERTON, of 6, Richmond Street, Ashton-under-Lyne,
Gas 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 :-
The improvements relate to governors for gas engines, and have for object the
more sensitive action of the same, by simple means.
To accomplish this, and to effect my improvements, I employ a reciprocating
or oscillating, or it may be a revolving weighted lever, which in held in position,
during its motion, by means of a counter-spring, in such manner that when there
is any increase or decrease in the speed of oscillation or revolution of the weighted
lever, the inertia of the weight tends to influence the spring in a greater or 'less
degree, and thus, by shifting the relative position of such weighted lever, alters,
by means of special intervening sensitive mechanism, hereinafter described, the
opening in the gas valve, or causes a temporary cessation of such valve's action,
as the case may be, and thereby regulates or governs the speed of the engine.
But that the improvements may be better understood, I will, with the aid of the
accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.
Figs. 1. and 2. shew a side elevation and plan view of apparatus arranged as a
governor in accordance with my improvements in the case of a reciprocating or
Oscillating weighted lever; while
Figs. 3. and 4. shew views, partly in section, and partly in elevation, of apparatus
arranged as a governor in accordance with my improvements in the case of a
revolving weighted lever.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
The reciprocating arrangement is most suitable for engines for ordinary speeds;
whereas the revolving apparatus is more especially adapted for high speeded
engines.
In Figs. 1. and 2. a. a. is the weighted lever, fulcrumed at a¹, and held in
position, relatively to the reciprocating cam lever d. d. by a counter spring b. b,
which may be adjusted to the required tension, for the speed, by means of the
wing nut c. It will be seen that while the reciprocating cam lever d. d. and
cam e. e. give a speed to the weighted lever a. a. which allows the spring b. b.
to balance the inertia of the weight, one relative position is preserved; but if
any increase of speed takes place, the effect will be the same as if the spring
were weakened, or the weight were added to, thus causing the weighted lever
to sink lower. This will in turn, by acting on the short leg of the lever f.,
cause a sensitive displacement of the point or catch f¹, so as to throw it out
of gear with the corresponding catch or dovetail in the valve spindle g. g, and
thus prevent the valve opening during that revolution, and such operation will
be repeated until the speed has slowed down to the normal, whereupon the
spring will regain the ascendancy, and allow the light spring h. to bring
back the lever catch f. 7, into gear with the spindle catch g. g. when the gas
valve will be again opened, and another explosion take place.
In this valve
In Figs. 3 and 4. a revolving valve j. j. for high speeds is shewn.
a small plug or secondary valve k. k. is fitted. To this oscillating plug or secondary
valve the weighted lever a. a. is attached, and is kept in its position by means of

page_text: the plate spring b. b, which bears on a stud a², placed, by preference, near the centre
of rotation of the valve j.j.
The spring is adjusted in strength for a certain speed, when it will balance the
revolving weight so that the port k¹ k¹ in the small valve will be opposite the corre
sponding port in the larger valve j. j.
When the speed of revolution of the valve increases, the effect is similar to the
action of the reciprocating lever, that is to say, the spring is partially overcome by
the weight, and the port k¹k will tend to overlap the port in the larger valve and
so reduce the amount of gas allowed to enter. The gas
allowed to enter the valve
passes through the opening k² to the cylinder in the engine.
In the case of the reciprocating lever, the actuating cam e. e. is carried by the
ordinary revolving side shaft, or other convenient revolving shaft of the engine;
while the revolving valve j. j. carrying the revolving weighted governor lever a. a. is
geared up with the engine in any suitable manner.
m. m. are stops which, by preference, form the extremities of variation in position
of the governor lever.
Variations in detail may be made, such as the from, size, position and arrange-
ment of the various parts without departing form the peculiar character of the
invention.
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 gas engines, the reciprocating or oscillating weighted lever a. a, balanced
in position by the spring b. b, differentially operating the secondary lever and
catch f. f, and valve spindle g. g, as the speed of the engine varies, for the purpose
and in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
2. In gas engines, the revolving weighted lever a. a. attached to the plug k. k.
capable of oscillating in the revolving valve j. j. which lever is balanced in position
by the spring b. b, differentially opening the valve port as the speed of the engine
varies, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 6th day of January 1891.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.