IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John MºIntyre, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 17th January 1873, and dated the 5th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McIntyre at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th November 1872.
I, JOHN M'INTYRE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS FOR STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to that class of governor wherein three or more
weights are mounted in radial guides round the crank shaft, and as the
centrifugal force due to the rapid revolution of the shaft causes these
weights to be driven off from the centre the motion thereby obtained is
transmitted to the throttle valve and thus the regulation or governing
of the speed of the engine is obtained.

page_text: The Invention consists,―
Firstly. In converting the rectilinear motion caused by the expansion-
of the weights by centrifugal force into a circular or circumferential
motion whereby the motion is increased about six fold. By such means
I construct a governor which has greater power and motion in a smaller
compass than other governors whose power is derived from centrifugal
force.
Secondly. The Invention consists in the application to such governors
of one or more spiral springs acting in a direction against the centrifugal
motion, such spring or springs being capable of being adjusted or
regulated to suit the speed of the engine whilst the governor is in
motion.
For the sake of illustration I will here describe a governor made
according to my Invention and having four weights, but it will be
evident that the same principle may be equally applicable to a greater or
lesser number of weights. Keyed fast upon the crank or the governor
shaft are two plates placed a suitable distance apart, which plates may
be in the form of a cross having four arms, each plate being provided
with four radial slots. Around the shaft and between the two plates
are arranged the four weights, which are each in the form of a segment
or fourth of a circle, and of such a breadth as will fit in between the two
plates, so that when placed together round the shaft they form a solid
mass of a "cheese" shape. Each of these weights or segments is provided
with a snug upon each side, and these snugs fit into the radial slots of the
plates so as to hold the weights or segments in their respective places
between the plates and to guide them when they are acted upon by the
centrifugal force. To the extreme end of one of the four arms outside
the weight a metal chain or rope is connected by means of a link, and
this chain or rope is carried once round and in contact with the circum-
ference of the weights, and its other extremity is attached to a lever
which has its fulcrum on the governor shaft, and it will hence be
evident that the expansion of the circumference of the weights or
segments caused by the centrifugal force will impart a motion to the
free end of the chain in a circumferential direction, such motion being
equal to about three times the increase in the diameter of the circle
formed by the segments or six times the direct travel of each weight
from the centre in its respective radial slot. This end of the chain being
attached as before stated to a lever on the governor shaft transmits its

page_text: circular motion thereto. The other end of this lever is connected by a
universal link to one arm of a bell-crank lever supported in bearings
carried by one of the four arms first named, and the other arm of the
bell crank is forked and embraces a neck of a sliding boss mounted
loosely on the governor shaft; and the movement of this sliding boss
transmits the said motion through other levers and rods to the throttle
valve of the steam engine so as to diminish the amount of steam admitted
to the cylinder.
A spiral or other spring or springs is or are connected to the sliding boss
(or to one of the levers in connection therewith) in such a way that it
acts in a direction contrary to the centrifugal force, and the result is that
as soon as the speed is diminished this spring forces the sliding boss in
the reverse direction causing the bell crank to pull the lever on the
governor shaft in the reverse direction also, and thus to pull upon the
free end of the chain and cause it to force the weights or segments inwards,
at the same time that the levers and rods connected to the sliding boss
open the throttle valve and admit more steam, and thus the speed of the
engine is constantly governed or regulated.
The spring is provided with a regulating nut and screw, by means of
which its power may at any time be increased or diminished without
stopping the governor or putting it out of gear, which regulating spring
is also an important feature of my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John M'Intyre in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 5th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
M'INTYRE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John McIntyre, Her special license that I,
the said John McIntyre, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John McIntyre, my executors, administrators,

page_text: proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be
or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that
the same may be clearly understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet
of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, and I may here remark that for the sake of
illustration I will here describe a governor made according to my
Invention and having four weights, but it will be evident that the same
principle may be equally applicable to a greater or lesser number of
weights.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a
side view of my improved governor; Fig. 3 shows the reverse side
to Fig. 1.
Keyed fast upon the governor shaft a, a, or connected to the same in
the manner herein-after described are two plates b, b, placed a suitable
distance apart, which plates may be in the form of a cross having four
arms, each plate being provided with four radial slots c, c, c, c.
Around
the shaft and between the two plates are arranged the four weights
d, d, d, d, which are each in the form of a segment or fourth of a circle,
and of such a breadth as will fit in between the two plates b, b, so that
when placed together round the shaft a, a, they form a solid mass of a
"cheese" shape. Each of these weights or segments is provided with
a snug e, e, upon each side, and these snugs fit into the radial slots c, c,
of the plates, so as to hold the weights or segments d, d, in their
respective places between the plates, and to guide them when they are
acted upon by the centrifugal force. To the extreme end of one of the
four arms of the plates b, b, outside the weights a metal chain or
rope is connected by means of a link g, g, or it may be connected
to one of the weights, as shown in dotted lines at h, in Fig. 1, and this
chain or rope is carried once round and in contact with the weights d, d,
and its other extremity is attached to a lever i, i, which has its fulcrum
on the governor shaft a, a, and it will hence be evident that the
expansion of the circumference of the weights or segments caused by
the centrifugal force will impart a motion to the free end of the chain
in a circumferential direction, such motion being equal to about three
times the increase in the diameter of the circle formed by the segments,
or six times the direct travel of each weight from the centre in its
respective radial slot. This end of the chain being attached as before

page_text: stated to a lever i, i, on the governor shaft transmits its circular motion
thereto. The other end of this lever is connected by a universal link
to one arm of a bell-crank lever 1, 1*, supported in bearings j, j, carried
by one of the four arms of the plate b, b, and the other arm 1* of the
bell crank is forked and embraces a neck of a sliding boss m, m, mounted
loosely on the governor shaft, and the movement of this sliding boss m
transmits the said motion through any suitable arrangement of levers
and rods to the throttle valve of the steam engine, so as to diminish the
amount of steam admitted to the cylinder.
Spiral or other springs n, n, and o, o, (see Figs. 1 and 2), are connected
to the levers p, p, and i, i, acting on the sliding boss m, m, in such a
way that they act in a direction contrary to the centrifugal force, and
the result is that as soon as the speed is diminished the spring o, o,
forces the sliding boss m, m, in the reverse direction, causing the bell
crank 1, 1, in unison with the spring n, n, to pull the lever i, i, on the
governor shaft in the reverse direction also, and thus to pull upon
the free end of the chain f, f, and cause it to force the weights or
segments d, d, inwards, at the same time that the levers and rods
connected to the sliding boss m, m, open the throttle valve and admit
more steam, and thus the speed of the engine is constantly governed or
regulated.
The spring o, o, is provided with a regulating nut and screw o*, o*,
by means of which the resistance to the centrifugal force may at any
time be increased or diminished without stopping the governor or
putting it out of gear; the manner in which such spring or springs are
applied is also an important feature of my Invention. q, q, are the
standards which carry the governor shaft.
I may here remark that instead of keying the plates b, b, fast on to
the governor shaft, as described in my Provisional Specification, I now
find it perferable to have the frame loose on the shaft. When this is
the case the plates are connected at their exteme ends b, b, Fig. 2, to
the ring, which serves as a safeguard when the weights are expanding,
and the frame and weights now depend on the disc s, s, and links t, t,
Figs. 2 and 3, for its motion, the frame being between the collar u and
discs, Fig. 2, is kept in its proper place on the shaft. The disc s is
solid on the shaft. The collar u is made fast to the shaft by a pin v.
The benefit to be derived from this arrangement over that first described
is due to the inertia of the frame and weights when shutting off the

page_text: steam, and the momentum of the same when opening the valve to the.
admission of steam. The principle is the same when the speed of the
shaft is increased; its action tends to turn round the frame carrying the
weights with the same increased speed, it being only through the.
links t, t, connected to the disc and weights that the frame carrying.
the weights receives its motion. This inertia of the frame and weights
combined with the increased centrifugal force of the weights pulling the
lever i, i, in the opposite direction to that in which the governor shaft.
is revolving will cause the force which is acting on the throttle valve
to be very powerful and quick. Again, the frame and weights having
acquired an increased velocity, if the speed of the shaft be now
diminished, the momentum of the frame and weights will cause it to
turn round on the shaft, till by the aid of the links combined with the.
reverse action of the springs n. n, and o, o, the weights are brought back..
again to their respective places in the frame, and the valve is again full
open to the admission of steam.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 shows another simple way of constructing this
governor. In lieu of the rocking shaft 1*, 1, and lever i, i, also the
spring n, n, the clutch or sleeve a, Fig. 5 on the boss b, b, (Figs. 4
and 5,) may now be worked directly by the chain c, c, which is connected
to the weight at d or d* above the end. The free end e. is led through
one of the arms of the frame on a loose pulley ƒ, f, and attached to the
loose sleeve a, as shown at Fig. 5. b, b, is a boss cast on one side of the
frame, and turns freely with the frame on the governor shaft g, g. Cut
in this boss is a longitudinal slot which suits a pin i in the sleeve a;
by this means the sleeve a is. kept in a direct line with the chain c.
The sleeve has a groovej which the lever k embraces. To this lever the
spring 1, 1, is attached, which has also a regulating nut and screw m, m,
by which its power may at any time while the governor is in motion be
increased or diminished, also instead of four weights as before there are
three now, 1, n. Each weight has eight antifriction pulleys o, o, which
serve in place of snugs. These pulleys are placed as near to the outer
edge of the weights as practicable, which causes the inertia and
momentum to be greater. These pulleys embrace the arms p, p, of the
frame which are now parallel.
Instead of using the links in combination with the disc, it may be
done with the disc alone, and a pin s projecting from each weight.
The disc has three slots t, t, one for. each weight. These slots recede

page_text: from the centre, as shown in Fig. 6, till they have the throw required
for the expanding of the weights. This disc is also solid on the shaft.
The frame is kept in its proper place by butting against the disc and
bearer.
u, u, Fig. 4 and 5 is the bracket for the loose pulley for the
chain; is the pin for the same.
It will be seen that if the chain be led twice or oftener round the
weights before connecting it to the lever i, i, or sleeve a, the motion of
the sleeve will be about twelve times the direct travel of the weight, or
in proportion to the number of times the chain be led round, I prefer
however to use it once round.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that
I do not desire to limit myself to the particular details represented
by the Drawings and herein-before described, as they will necessarily
have to be varied to suit the circumstances under which the governor
is to be employed, but I claim as my Invention, the conversion of the
rectilinear motion caused by the expansion of the weights (in this class
of governor) by centrifugal force into a circular or circumferential
motion, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
more particularly set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John McIntyre, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.