IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS."-A communication from abroad
by Robert W. Gardner, of Quincy, in the County of Quincy, and
State of Illinois Tnited States of America.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th February 1878.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS," to be as follows:-.
The first part of this Invention relates to steam governors, in which
the valve is opened by a weight and lever, subject to the action of the
balls, and is closed by the balls, and it consists of a stop motion by which
the valve is closed down on its working seat when the governor belt
break instead of closing against another seat by the falling of the balls -

page_text: in the ordinary way, which necessitates the opening of the valve fully
before closing and a long movement, which are very objectionable. The
stop motion comprises a fulcrum for the weighted lever, which is arranged
to be let fall, and is tripped when the belt breaks and let fall so as to
close the valve.
The second part of the Invention is applicable to different governors,
and consists of a valve seat of hardened steel or other durable metal,
secured in a novel manner, also a facing of the valve with the samo, and
a mode of applying it.
E
The third part of the Invention consists of a hollow clamping or ]
fastening stem for securing the valve seat, arranged to receive a guide
stem for the lower end of the valve.
The governor comprises a hollow balanced valve, valve chamber, inlet
and outlet pipes, valve rod, weighted lever for opening the valve, the
balls, and rod for closing the valve, all of which parts, together with the 1
driving gear, are arranged as heretofore used; but as before used the
frame which supports the balls and the driving gear has been perma-
nently attached to the disc or plate which incloses the top of the valve
chest, and the weighted lever was pivoted to a permanent fulcrum.
Now according to this Invention I make the fulcrum vertically 2
movable, either by a tubular piece fitted on a cylindrical rod, arranged
so that the tube can fall, when required to do so, and when falling will be
regulated by an air cushion or by a rod fitted in a tube erected on the
plate which encloses the top of the valve chest. To hold the fulcrum
up in the required working position to cause the balls to regulate the 2
valve, I make the frame which supports the balls and driving gear so
that it can turn on the plate by a socket in its lower end fitting on a
stud of the plate, and provide an arm on the frame to hold the fulcrum
of the lever up to its place, either by resting against the rod or standard
under the end of the tube, or by a wedge under the end of the rod in a 3
mortise of the tubular standard. The arm and the wedge are constantly
borne in the direction to maintain the tube on the rod in the elevated
positions by the strain of the belt for driving the governor on the shaft
of the driving wheel, the belt being purposely arranged to cause such
strain. In case of a vertical engine, it will for that purpose be arranged 3
over suitable guide pulleys. The upper edge of the arm and the lower

page_text: end of the tube are bevelled, and the wedge is bevelled and the end of
the rod tapered, so that the gravity of the weighted lever will instantly
cause the arm to swing back and let the lever fall, and close the valve
when the frame is relieved of the strain of the driving belt by its
breaking or running off the pulleys. The arm may be reversed in its
application to the stand of the governor frame, so that the belt for
working the governor may be applied from either of the two opposite
directions.
To resist the tendency of the steam to cut, and near the valve seat, I
propose to bush or reinforce the casting by a hardened steel or American
sterling metal valve seat, and secure it in place without the use of screw
threads on it or the casting in which it fits by seating it in a rebate in
the casting, and clamping it therein by a hollow stem secured by a nut
to a spider fitted in a reverse rebate in the steam tube below. I also
reinforce the valve with a ring face of hardened steel, American sterling
metal, or other durable metal, and secure it by a clamp, which is screwod
up by a nut on a stem which I fit in the hollow stem of the valve seat
to guide the lower end of the valve. This ring may be reversed after
being worn out on one side and a new face presented. By having the
valve close for stopping the engine in this way on the same seat with
which it acts to regulate the quantity of steam, I not only save the cost
of the extra seat commonly used, but I avoid the opening of the valve
wider before closing, and the long movement it has to make in the said
common arrangement by which the engine races before being stopped.
By the common arrangement if a heavy load is thrown on with low
steam, the balls may fall to the stop plane, and stop the engine when
unnecessary, thus causing considerable trouble and delay, which cannot
occur when the valve is raised by a weighted lever, as in this case.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melvillo
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any timo
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, uso,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS," a communication to me from abroad
by Robert W. Gardner, of Quincy, in the County of Quincy, and State
of Illinois, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said. Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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 Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
The first part of this Invention relates to steam governors in which
the valve is opened by a weight and lever subject to the action of the
balls, and is closed by the balls, and it consists of a stop motion by
which the valve is closed down on its working seat when the governor
belt breaks, instead of closing against another seat by the falling of the
balls as in the common way, which necessitates the opening of the valve
fully before closing, and a long movement, which are very objectionable,
which said stop motion comprises a fulcrum for the weighted lever

page_text: which is arranged to be let fall, and is tripped when the belt breaks, and
let fall so as to close the valve.
The second part of the Invention is applicable to different governors,
and consists of a valve scat of hardened steel or other durable metal
secured in a novel manner, also a facing of the valve with the same, and
a mode of applying it.
The third part of the Invention consists of a hollow clamping or
fastening stem for receiving the valve seat, arranged to receive a guide
stem for the lower end of the valve.
Figure 1 of the Drawing is a sectional elevation of a governor con-
structed according to the improvements; Figure 2 is a horizontal section
taken on the line x, x, of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detail; Figure 4 is a
sectional elevation; and Figure 5 a horizontal section of a modification
of some of the details of the tripping mechanism. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the hollow balanced valve; B, the valve chamber; O, the
inlet pipe; D, the pipe to the engine; E, the valve rod; F, the weighted
lever for opening the valve; G, the balls; and H, the rod for closing the
valve, which, together with the driving gear, being arranged as hero.fore
used, are not now claimed; but as before used the frame I, which
supports the balls and the driving gear, was permanently attached to the
disc or plate J, which incloses the top of the valve chest and the lever F,
was pivoted to a permanent fulcrum K. Now I make the fulcrum
vertically movable either by a tubular piece L, fitted on a cylindrical
rod M, arranged so that the tube can fall when required to do so, and
when falling will be regulated by an air cushion in the chamber N, or by
a rod O in a tube P crected on the plate J. To hold the fulcrum up in
the required working position to cause the balls to regulate the valve I.
make the frame I so that it can turn on the plate J by a socket in the
lower end Q, fitting on a stud R of the plate, and provide an arm S on
the frame to hold the fulcrum of the lever up to its place, either by
resting against the standard M under the end of the tube, or by the
wedge T under the end of the rod O in the mortise U of the tubular
standard P, the arm and the wedge being constantly borne in the direc-
tion to maintain the tube on the rod in the elevated positions by tho
strain of the belt for driving the governor on the shaft of the driving

page_text: wheel V, the belt being purposely arranged to cause such strain. In
case of a vertical engine it will for that purpose be arranged over suitable
guide pulleys. The upper edge W of the arm S, and the lower end X of
the tube are bevelled, and the wedge T is bevelled, and the end of the
rod O is tapered, so that the gravity of the weighted lever will instantly
cause the arm S to swing back and let the lever fall and close the valve
when the frame I is relieved of the strain of the driving belt by its
breaking or running off the pulleys. The bar S may be reversed in its
application to the stand Q of the governor frame, so that the belt for
working the governor may be applied from either of the two opposito
directions.
a represents a hardened steel or American sterling metal valve seat
with which I propose to bush or reinforce the casting to resist the
tendency of the steam to cut and wear the seat, and I propose to secure
it in place without the use of screw threads on it or the casting in which
it fits by seating it in a rebate in the casting, as shown in Figure 1, and
clamping it therein by the spider b, fitted in a reverse rebate in the
steam tube below, and stem d passing down through the spider, and
having a nut e screwed on the lower end. I also reinforce the valve A
with a ring face f of hardened steel, American sterling metal, or other
durable metal, and secure it by the clamp g, which is screwed up by the
nut / on the stem i, which I fit in the hollow stem d of the valvo seat a
to guide the lower end of the valve. This ring may be reversed after
being worn out on one side, and a new face presented. By having the
valve close for stopping the engine in this way on the same seat with
which it acts, to regulate the quantity of steam, I not only save the cost
of the extra seat commonly used, but I avoid the opening of the valve
wider before closing, and the long movement it has to make in the said
common arrangement by which the engine races " before being
stopped.
"
By the common arrangement if a heavy load is thrown on with low
steam the balls may fall to the stop plane and stop the engine when
unnecessary, thus causing considerable trouble and delay, which cannot
occur when the valve is raised by a weighted lever, as in this case.
By another arrangement, represented in sido elevation in Figure 6, in
ectional clevation in Figure 7, and in horizontal section in Figure 8, I

page_text: said arm, mounted on an oscillating support independent of the frame,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
HENRY W. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)