IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 68, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS."
-A communication from abroad by Léon Foucault, of 33, Boulevart
Saint Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 21st December 1866, and dated the 4th July 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of tho Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th July 1866:
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GOVERNORS," communicated to me from abroad by Léon Foucault, of 33,
Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This Invention, as communicated to me by the said Léon Foucault, is
described in the following terms:-In the Specification of a British Patent
obtained by me, numbered 3169, and dated 21st December 1864, I described
various arrangements of centrifugal action governors, all having for their object
to render the speed of rotation independent of the distance between the
weights, and I applied the term isochronism to the property or characteristic
common to these various arrangements; but in seeking to apply the new

page_text: "
principle of construction to steam engine governors with strictness I found
that the arrangement had a tendency to depart from a regular or uniform
motion, and to acquire a velocity sometimes greater and at other times less
than the moan velocity. In endeavouring to obviate this objection I have at
length ascertained that the real method consists in communicating motion to
the weights of the governor by the intervention of appliances capable of
being acted upon by the variation which precedes and effects change of velocity.
A governor thus constructed becomes what I call a "compounded speed'
acceleration governor, and by which I mean a governor acted on partly by
the effect of speed and partly by that of acceleration. As a speed governor
it tends continuously to a certain determinate velocity, and as an acceleration
governor it begins to work when acted on by the acceleration of speed and
before the velocity has undergone such alteration as would be necessary for
putting the ordinary governor in action. Whatever be in other respects the
construction of governor to which the new principle of construction is to
be applied, the means consist, first, in rendering the governor weights
independent of the axis which carries them and as free thereon as possible;
secondly, in communicating motion-to them by means of a bush, ferrule, or
tube having a spiral screw thread thereon, and fitted on a portion of the
axis, screw-threaded in like manner, so that the two take into each other
like a nut and screw. The direction of spiral curvature is so arranged
with respect to the direction of rotation of the governor that by the increase
of speed the reaction exerted on the bush in the direction of the axis will
tend to throw out or separate the weights, and decrease of speed will produce
a contrary effect.
.
Figure 1 represents an axis and bush or ferrule fitted or engaged together,
the screw has a right-handed thread, and the governor is supposed to turn in
the same direction as the hands of a watch laid flatwise. Figure 2 is a
section of the bush shewing its threaded internal surface; Figure 3 shows
the arrangement for suspending the weights, which is so contrived as to
leave them free to turn on the axis with the least possible friction. These
arrangements applied to the combination described in the Specification of my
Patent previously referred to under the designation of fixed plane governor
constitute the apparatus shewn in Figure 4; this governor is perfectly steady,
it will work at any required speed, and is strictly isochronous; but the
apparatus shown in Figure 5, though not so exact in theory, is sufficiently
effective practically, it is much simpler, and less expensive in construction.
A is the axis connected with the engine and screw-threaded spirally for a
portion of its length corresponding with the length of travel of the bush. The

page_text: top of the axis is fitted in and passes through the suspending bar S, which rests
freely on its end; this piece S is a cross bar to which the arms are jointed,
and it has at top an open frame or head through which the top of the axis
is seen; this suspending contrivance which is shown in plan, Figure 7, is made
double transversely, so that it may be jointed to the arnis at two distinct
ints O and O', situated as near to each other as practicable. The arms B', B,
are strengthened at their upper ends, Figure 6, and are jointed at these ends
with the piece S, while at their lower ends they carry two weighted or heavy
dises D, D', which are used instead of the balls of ordinary governors, and on
ench of these discs is a projection to which transverse springs are attached;
b, b, are connecting arms or links shown in the other direction in Figure 5,
they are jointed at one end to the arms and at the other end to the lugs on
the bush at the points c, c'. M is the bush or ferrule, it is scrow threaded on
the inside to correspond with the screw thread on the axis, so that the throw or
separation of the weights and the position of the bush on the axis cannot vary
without forcing the governor to turn at a certain angle with respect to its axis.
R is a spiral spring made of very hard brass; a similar spring is placed in
liko position on the other side of the weights. By the method of action of
these springs the governor acquires an increase of speed which is greater
when the weights are nearer to the axis than when they are thrown farther
out, therefore as the speed of the governor increases it tends to become
isochronous; for this purpose the springs must have a considerable amount of
initial tension, which when they are in a state of rest keeps their coils or turns
closely bearing against each other; this is effected by the mode in which the
wire is coiled round the mandril employed to give the required calibre or
diameter to the spring. The springs have staples at their ends, which catch
into grooves inade in small truck, or eyes having the axes fixed on the
projections on the weighted discs, Figure 6; the springs may be attached
excentrically to the weights, the whole constitutes an arrangement in which
the requisites of a good speed governor seem to be combined; by means of
the springs precision of motion is obtained corresponding with the increase
of capability of regulation, and moreover the action of the threaded
bush affords an amount of steadiness not heretofore obtained. Generally
speaking, this method of communicating motion by the threaded bush is
sufficient for rendering the governor steady enough to keep up an uniform
speed; however, as some engineers object to make fly wheels of very large
dimensions it may be necessary to adopt an expedient which moreover renders
the new arrangement even more effective, that is to say, a fly wheel having
its weight distributed as desired is mounted on the top of the governor,

page_text: whereby the momentum of inertia is increased to the required extent, and
consequently its function of acceleration is made to prevail over that of speed.
By suitably weighting the wheel in proportion to the pitch of the screw the
governor will be rendered more delicate in action and steadier; the wheel may
be placed in such position as to work parallel with the plane of the weights.
Figure 9 shows the governor when such a fly wheel is used.
To resume,
the object of this application is to claim generally a new mode of
communicating motion from the engine to the governor weights in such manner
as to prevent the production of periodical velocities, that is to say, to prevent
them from losing their regular or uniform motion and acquiring velocities greater
or less than the mean velocity; such mode consists, first, in working the weights
by a bush, ferrule, or tube, and in mounting them so that they may be indepen-
dent on the axis at the ordinary point of suspension; second, in forming spiral
screw threads on the corresponding surfaces of the bush and axis for the
purpose of obtaining from the rotary motion of the axis a reacting force
parallel to the axis, and which becomes positive or negative according to the
sign (+or) which marks the the variation of the speed.
I also claim the new governor having a high rate of speed, in which the
preceding arrangements are used, and the weight of the governor weights is
combined with the elastic force of transverse springs fixed on the weights
excentrically, thereby producing approximate isochronous action and obtaining
the greatest regulating or governing capability with the least expenditure.
As aforesaid I sometimes combine with the said governors a fly wheel for
resisting the action of the fly wheel of the engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said Michel Henry, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Michael

page_text: Henry, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS,"
.communicated to me from abroad by Léon Foucault, of 33, Boulevart Saint
Martin, Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Michael Henry, 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 Michael Henry, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference being had to tho
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
The Invention, as communicated to me by the said Léon Foucault, is described
in the following terms:-In the Specification of a British Patent obtained by
me, numbered 8169, and dated 21st December 1864, I described various
arrangements of centrifugal action governors, all having for their object to
render the speed of rotation independent of the distance between the weights,
and I applied the term "isochronism" to the property or characteristic
common to these various arrangements; but in seeking to apply the new
principle of construction to steam engine governors with strictness I found
that the arrangement had a tendency to depart from a regular or uniform
motion, and to acquire a velocity sometimes greater and at other times less
than the mean velocity. In endeavouring to obviate this objection I have at
length ascertained that the real method consists in communicating motion to
the weights of the governor by the intervention of appliances capable of being
acted upon by the variation which precedes and effects change of velocity.
A governor thus constructed becomes what I call a compounded speed and
acceleration governor, by which I mean a governor acted on partly by the
effect of speed and partly by that of acceleration. As a speed governor it
tends continuously to a certain determinate velocity, and as an acceleration
governor it begins its work when acted on by the acceleration of speed, and
before the velocity has undergone such alteration as would be necessary for

page_text: putting the ordinary governor in action. Whatever be in other respects the
construction of governor to which the new principle of construction is to be
applied the means consist, first, in rendering the governor weights independent
of the axis which carries them and as free thereon as possible; secondly,
in communicating motion to them by means of a bush, ferrule, or tube
having a helicoidal or spiral screw thread thereon, and fitted on a portion
of the axis, which is screw threaded in like manner, so that the two take into
cach other like a nut and screw. The direction of spiral curvature is so
arranged with respect to the direction of rotation of the governor that by
the increase of speed the reaction exerted on the bush in the direction of the
axis will tend to throw out or separate the weights, and decrease of speed
will produce a contrary effect.
Figure 1 represents an axis and bush or ferrule fitted or engaged together;
the screw has a right-handed thread, and the governor is supposed to turn
in the same direction as the hands of a watch laid flatwise. Figure 2 is a
section of the bush shewing its threaded internal surface; Figure 3 shows tho
arrangements for suspending the weights, which are so contrived as to leave
them free to turn on the axis with the least possible friction. These
arrangements applied to the combination described in the Specification of my
Patent previously referred to under the designation of fixed plane governor
constitute the apparatus shown in Figure 4; this governor is perfectly steady,
it will work at any required speed, and is strictly isochronous; but the
apparatus shown in Figure 5, though not so exact in theory, is sufficiently
effective practically, it is much simpler, and less expensive in construction.
A is the axis connected with the engine, and screw-threaded helicoidally or
spirally for a portion of its length corresponding with the length of travel of
the bush. The top of the axis is fitted in and passes through the suspending
bar S, which rests freely on its end; this piece S is a cross bar, to which
the arms are jointed, and it has at top an open frame or head, through which
the top of the axis is scen. This suspending contrivance, which is shown in
plan, Figure 7, is made double transversely, so that it may be jointed to the arms
at two distinct points O and O¹ situated as near to each other as practicable.
The arms B, B, are strengthened at their upper ends, Figure 6, and are
jointed at these ends with the piece S, while at their lower ends they carry
two weighted or heavy discs D, D', which are used instead of the balls of ordinary
governors, and on each of these discs is a projection to which transverse
springs are attached. b, b', are connecting arms or links shewn in the other
direction in Figure 8; they are jointed at one end to the arms, and at the
other end to the lugs on the bush at the points c, c. M is the bush or

page_text: ferrule; it is screw-threaded on the inside to correspond with the screw thread
on the axis, so that the throw or separation of the weights and the position
of the bush on the axis cannot vary without forcing the governor to turn at a
certain angle with respect to its axis. R is a spiral spring made of very hard
brass; a similar spring is placed in like position on the other side of the
weights. By the method of action of these springs the governor acquires
an increase of speed, which is greater when the weights are nearer to the
axis than when they are thrown farther out, therefore as the speed of the
governor increases it tends to become isochronous; for this purpose the
springs must have a considerable amount of initial tension, which when they
are in a state of rest keeps their coils or turns closely bearing against each
other; this is effected by the mode in which the wire is coiled round the
mandril employed to give the required calibre or diameter to the spring. The
springs have staples at their ends which catch into grooves made in small
trucks or eyes having the axes fixed on the projections on the weighted discs
Figure 6; the springs may be attached excentrically to the weights. The
whole constitutes an arrangement in which the requisites of a good speed
governor seem to be combined; by means of the springs precision of motion
is obtained corresponding with the increase of capability of regulation, and
moreover the action of the threaded bush affords an amount of steadiness not
heretofore obtained. Generally speaking, this method of communicating motion
by the threaded bush is sufficient for rendering the governor steady enough
to keep up an uniform speed; however, as some engineers object to make
fly wheels of very large dimensions it may be necessary to adopt an expedient
which moreover renders the new arrangement even more effective, that is
to say, a fly wheel having its weight distributed as desired is mounted on the
top of the governor, whereby the momentum of inertia is increased to the
required extent, and consequently its function of acceleration is made to prevail
over that of speed. By suitably weighting the fly wheel in proportion to the
pitch of the screw the governor will be rendered more delicate in action and
steadier. The fly wheel should be fitted in such manner as to move with the
vertical plane of the weights. Figure 9 shows the governor when such a fly
wheel is used.
To resume, the object of this Patent is to claim generally a new mode of
communicating motion from the engine to the governor weights in such manner
as to prevent the production of periodical velocities, that is to say, to prevent
them from losing their regular motion and acquiring velocities alternately
greater or less than the mean velocity. Such mode of construction which I
claim under the Patent consists,-

page_text: First, in working the weights by a bush, ferrule, or tube, and in mounting
them so that they may be independent on the axis at the ordinary point of
suspension.
And, secondly, in forming belicoidal or spiral screw threads on the corre
sponding surfaces of the bush and axis for the purpose of obtaining from the
rotary motion of the axis a reacting force parallel to the axis, and which
becomes positive or negative according to the sign (+ or -) which marks
the variation of the speed.
I also claim the new governor having a high rate of speed, and in which
the preceding arrangements are used and the weight of the governor weights
is combined with the elastic force of transverse springs fixed on the weights
excentrically, thereby producing approximate isochronous action and obtaining
the greatest regulating or governing capability with the least expenditure or
cost.
As aforesaid I sometimes combine with the said governors a fly wheel to
combat the special influence of the fly wheel of the engine, and I claim the
employment of a fly wheel mounted in connection with the suspending piece
by which the vertical plane of the weights is determined, such fly wheel being
employed in combination with the screw threaded bush or ferrule, and
increasing at pleasure the intensity of action produced by the screw threading.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.
Witness,
ERNEST DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street,
London.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)