AN IMPROVEMENT FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF MARINE STEAM ENGINES WHEN THE SCREW IS LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles de Ville Wells, of Marseilles, in the
Empire of France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT FOR
REGULATING THE SPEED OF MARINE STEAM ENGINES WHEN THE SCREW IS
LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER."
Sealed the 14th April 1870, and dated the 4th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles de Ville Wells
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th November 1869.
I, CHARLES DE VILLE WELLS, of Marseilles, in the Empire of France,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF MARINE STEAM ENGINES WHEN THE SCREW
IS LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER," to be as follows:-
This system of moderating the speed of the engines of screw propellers
simply consists in the action of using the force of the steam itself to
shut the steam valve of the engine instantaneously the moment that the
engine exceeds its usual speed. To obtain this result I interpose
between the action of any moderator already existing a small cylinder
with a piston and rod. The piston rod of this small cylinder is put in
communication with the steam valve of the large engine by means of

page_text: cocks. This slide valve is put into motion by the action of the moderator
itself.
The results of this combination are as follows:-
First. The slide valve of the little cylinder being of very minute
dimensions (a square inch being sufficient) can be put in motion by an
excessively small moderator, thereby causing a great saving of
material.
space and
Second. The action obtained is instantaneous, for a moderator having
a very small stroke or run, and having thereby accomplished the utmost
of its action in a very short time, is sufficient. A stroke of half an inch
is all that is requisite from the moderator to have a complete action on
the slide valve of this little steam cylinder, admitting thereby the steam
on one side of the piston to shut the valve when the speed of the large
engine is too great, and on the other side of the piston to open the
valve when the revolutions of the large engine are under or at the
usual number.
Third. Another convenience consists in the facility of easily regulating
the opening of the valve of the large engine, so as to obtain the number
of revolutions required, and the more important facility of regulating
also the shutting of the steam valve, so that the valve may be completely
closed when the sea is very rough and the screw comes out of the water
almost totally, and less completely when the screw comes only partly out
of the water. This result is easily obtained by adapting to the little
cylinder which acts upon the steam valve my means of regulating the
stroke of the piston, so as to be able to diminish the rising of the piston,
thereby regulating the opening of the valve and the falling of the piston,
so as to augment or diminish the closing of the valve according to the
state of the sea.
Though I have mentioned the small cylinder acting upon the valve
as being worked by the force of steam, steam being the readiest source of
force on board a steam ship, I may also at my own choice make use of
compressed air, or any other gas, as well as well as water to put this cylinder
in motion, provided the air, gas, or water have sufficient strength.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles de Ville Wells in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DE VILLE WELLS, of Marseilles, in the Empire of France, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles de Ville Wells, Her special
licence, that I, the said Charles de Ville Wells, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles de Ville
Wells, my executors, administrators, and 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 "AN-
IMPROVEMENT FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF MARINE STEAM ENGINES WHEN THE
SCREW IS LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles de Ville Wells, 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 Charles de Ville Wells, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof :-
This system of moderating the speed of the engines of screw propellers
simply consists in the action of using the force of the steam itself to
shut the steam valve of the engine instantaneously the moment that the
engine exceeds its usual speed. To obtain this result I interpose
between the action of any moderator already existing a small cylinder

page_text: communication with the steam valve of the large engine by means of
cranks and shafts, such as may be required by the arrangements of the
engines on board. The steam is admitted either on the top or on the
bottom of the piston of the little cylinder by a small slide valve, or by
cocks. This slide valve is put into motion by the action of the moderator
itself.
The results of this combination are as follows:-
1st. The slide valve of the little cylinder being of very minute
demensions (a square inch being sufficient) can be put in motion by an
excessively small moderator, thereby causing a great saving of space
and material.
2nd. The action obtained is instantaneous, for a moderator having a
very small stroke or run, and having thereby accomplished the utmost
of its action in a very short time, is sufficient. A stroke of half an inch
is all that is requisite from the moderator to have a complete action on
the slide valve of this little steam cylinder, admitting thereby the
steam on one side of the piston to shut the valve when the speed of the
large engine is too great, and on the other side of the piston to open
the valve when the revolutions of the large engine are under or at
the usual number.
3rd. Another convenience consists in the facility of easily regulating
the opening of the valve of the large engine, so as to obtain the number
of revolutions required, and the more important facility of regulating
also the shutting of the steam valve, so that the valve may be completely
closed when the sea is very rough, and the screw comes out of the water
almost totally, and less completely when the screw comes only partly
out of the water. This result is easily obtained by adapting to the little
cylinder which acts upon the steam valve my means of regulating the
stroke of the piston, so as to be able to diminish the rising of the piston,
thereby regulating the opening of the valve and the falling of the piston,
so as to augment or diminish the closing of the valve, according to the
state of the sea.
Though I have mentioned the small cylinder acting upon the valve as
being worked by the force of steam, steam being the readiest source
of force on board a steam ship, I may also at my own choice make use
of compressed air, or any other gas, as well as water to put this cylinder
in motion, provided the air, gas; or water have sufficient strength.

page_text: And in order that this my Invention may be clearly understood,
reference is made to the accompanying Drawings, the same letters
referring to like parts
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS,
shewing mechanism which I employ to arrive at the excessive degree of
sensibility required.
Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2, a section.
A is a small oscillating cylinder; this steam cylinder sets in motion
the shaft B, on which is fixed a four-threaded screw having a very long
pitch. On the screw runs a grooved pulley D; this pulley is connected
by a rope with another pulley fixed on the shaft of the large engine. E
is a second cylinder, the piston rod of which is connected with the steam
valve of the large engine; F is the slide valve of cylinder E, it is put in
motion by the pulley D running on the screw by means of the levers G.
The governor is provided with steam by a one inch pipe admitted by the
cock J; the waste steam escapes at K.
The governor acts in the following manner:-The shaft B is capable
of revolving rapidly, but it is held in check by its connection with the
large engine. If by any cause the large engine suddenly increases its
speed it forces the pulley to advance on the screw of the shaft B, which
bearing a relatively heavy fly wheel cannot follow the large engine on a
sudden increase of speed. In making this movement the pulley by
means of the levers G admits the steam on the piston of the cylinder E,
and the steam valve is instantaneously shut. As soon as the speed of
the large engine has diminished it retains the pulley D, and the little
engine continuing its movement draws the pulley D back, admitting
thereby the steam under the piston of the cylinder E, so as to re-open
the steam valve.
The following calculation proves that, as stated, an increase of one-
sixteenth of a revolution in the speed of the large engine is sufficient to
make the governor act :-The pitch of the screw on the shaft B is of
four inches. The run of the pulley on the screw is of half an inch.
Consequently, one-eighth of a revolution is sufficient for the complete
action of the slide valve F; but as the governor is regulated by the
pulleys so as to make twice the number of revolutions made by the
large engine, it is evident that the governor is, as stated, sensible to a
change in the speed of only one-sixteenth of a revolution.

page_text: As it seldom happens that the valve requires to be fully open, and as
it also seldom happens that the screw of the ship comes completely out
of the water by means of the two screws L, M, which check the stroke
of the piston rod of the cylinder E, the engineer has in his power to
regulate the opening of the valve so as to obtain the number of
revolutions required and the shutting off the valve to the necessary
degree, according to the state of the sea.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention I declare that what I claim, and desire to be secured by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements for
regulating the speed of marine steam engines when the screw is lifted
out of the water, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
on the Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles de Ville Wells, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Marsemes, Apru v
DW
MARK,
H.B.M. Consul.
Consulate
Seal.