Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Engines of Steam-ships.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Engines of
Steam-ships.
I, JOHN TURNELL AUSTIN, of Irchester, Wellingboro, in the County of North-
ampton, Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for regulating the engines
of steamships, and is designed to enable the supply of steam to be varied automati-
cally according to the depth of immersion of the screw or screws, in such a manner
that the full supply of steam passes to the engines only as long as the screws are
at a proper depth, such steam supply being shut off when from any cause the
screw or screws come to the surface into a position where racing would take place.
An important feature of the invention consists in providing means whereby
the steam is cut off gradually and in successive stages, so that the power of the
engines is reduced approximately in proportion as the resistance of the screw or
screws diminishes.
A further feature of the invention consists in providing a series of electrical contacts
for controlling the regulating apparatus. These contacts are operated by the
pressure of the water and are conveniently so arranged that when operated each
of them serves to cut off through the medium of the said apparatus, a certain pro-
portion of the steam supply.
According to one arrangement I provide preferably in or near the stern of the
vessel, a vertical or approximately vertical series of contact boxes or chambers,
in free communication with the water, the series covering a space equal to the
diameter of the screw, and each box or chamber serving to carry a contact or set
of contacts. These contact-boxes are provided with water-tight elastic diaphragms
upon one side of which the water pressure acts and which by their yielding serve
to open the contacts. The arrangement is such that the contacts are open only,
as long as the diaphragms are subjected to the water pressure, while as soon as the
contact boxes rise above water, the elasticity of the diaphragms or the tension
of the contact springs closes the contacts. The current for the contact may
advantageously be derived from storage batteries.
Each contact or set of contacts is situated in the circuit of a magnet or solenoid
which serves to operate a small valve controlling the supply of steam to one or
other of a series of small cylinders forming part of an arrangement for graduating
the cut-off of the steam from the main engines. This arrangement comprises
also a series of toggles fixed at one end and at the other end connected with the
means for working the throttle valve of the engines. Each toggle has its knee
connected with the piston of one of the aforesaid cylinders, and the toggles are
normally kept in their contracted position by a spring in which position they
allow the throttle valve to open fully. When however the motion of the vessel, or

page_text: of the water, causes one or more of the chambers or casings to come above the
surface, the contact or contacts thereof close and steam is allowed to pass by the
magnetically controlled valves into one or more of aforesaid small cylinders. As each
of these small cylinders is charged with steam, its piston is forced out and extends
the toggle connected with it, and this motion is transmitted through the rest of
the toggles to the apparatus for working the throttle valve, the total amount of
motion depending upon the number of cylinders charged and therefore upon the
number of contact boxes above water.
The throttle valve may conveniently be actuated by the piston of a steam
cylinder having an admission valve consisting of two parts, one of which is operated
by the toggles to open the admission or exhaust passage, and the other of which
moves with the piston in such a manner as to stop the admission or exhaust, so
that the movements of the piston correspond in extent and direction to the move-
ments of that part of the valve connected with the toggles. Thus the travel of the
piston, and consequently the extent of the closing of the throttle valve, depends
upon the number of the toggles which have been extended, and this number
depends upon the number of the aforesaid contact boxes that have risen out of
the water. The arrangement is such that when all the toggles are extended the
throttle valve is just enough open to drive the engines at the normal speed when
the screw is out of the water. Obviously however the throttle-valve may be opera-
ted by the toggles either directly or through the medium of other apparatus than
that described.
With twin-screw vessels a series of contact chambers are arranged on each
side of the stern of the vessel to control one engine independently of the other,
thus ensuring perfect regulation to each engine during rolling of the vessel.
Dated this 27th day of April 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Engines of
Steam-ships.
I, JOHN TURNELL AUSTIN, of Irchester, Wellingboro, in the County of North-
ampton, Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is intended to prevent the screw of vessels from racing as a
result of the action of the waves in a high sea, where the screw is liable to be at
times partly or entirely out of the water.
In carrying out my invention I make use of a fluid motor, the conditions of rest
or movement of which in one direction or the other are controlled by a valve. This
fluid motor I suitably connect with the valve which admits the motive agent to
the engine, which turns the screw so that the fluid motor controls the motive
power of the engine.
The valve which controls this fluid motor is in turn controlled by a governor
and my invention involves the novel use of electricity for the purpose.
To this end employ another fluid motor, the conditions of rest or movement
of which depends upon the opening or closing of a valve, or valves, each of which
is under the control of an electro-magnet in a normally open circuit, which
includes à circuit closing device arranged in the walls of the vessel in proximity

page_text: of the, screw and operating by hydrostatic pressure, whereby upon the recedence
of a wave and the consequent diminishing (or entire removal) of the hydrostatic
pressure upon the circuit closer the electric circuit is closed and the fluid motor
of the governor, being set in motion changes the condition of rest of the regula-
ting motor and starts the same to reduce or shut off the supply of the motive agent
to the engine till the normal condition of working for the screw has been restored
which also restores the parts to their normal condition of rest.
Instead of a single motor for the governor I preferably employ two or more
connected together for joint operation, each motor being controlled by an inde-
pendent circuit, and the circuit closers which control these circuits I locate at
different heights in the wall of the vessel near the screw so that they will become
operative one after another according to the degree at which the vessel, that is
the screw, is lifted out of the water, the amount of regulation being thus pro-
portioned to the requirements. In this way the regulation may be made as close
as desired.
In the drawings which accompany this specification, Fig. 1 is an elevation
representing my invention in diagramatic form, partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a cross section on line x x Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a. cross-section on line y y Fig. 1 and
Fig. 4. is an elevation of the stern of a vessel showing the location of the hydro-
static circuit closers.
A is the cylinder of the regulating fluid motor, B is the piston thereof, and C
is a piston rod, the latter passing through suitable guides and is suitably con-
nected to the arm D of the throttle valve of the engine, all in such manner as to
turn the throttle valve in one direction or another by the movement of the piston.
The cylinder is provided with a valve chest E, into which the supply pipe F
for the motive agent is attached. G is a slide valve secured to a valve stem H,
which is pivotally secured to a lever I, one end of which is fulcrumed at J to the
end of the link K, and the other end is pivotally connected by a connecting rod L
to the arm M of the piston rod.
N is a pilot valve controlling the valve G and being operated by means of a
valve stem O.
The parts being arranged as shown and described, the motor is of that well
known character wherein the condition of rest or movement of the pilot valve N
produces a similar condition of rest or movement in the piston B, the movement
of the latter thereby effecting the regulation of the throttle valve and keeping
the same in any adjusted position, as long as the pilot valve N is maintained in
its condition of rest.
The position of the pilot valve N is controlled by a governor which comprises
one or more fluid motors, a corresponding number of electric circuits and a corres-
ponding number of hydrostatic circuit closers P for independently controlling
each of the motors.
In the drawings there are shown three of such fluid motors in which a are the
cylinders, 6 the pistons and c the piston rods which are pivotally connected at
their lower ends to the piston and at their upper ends to a pair of links or toggles e e.
These toggles are pivotally connected with each other, with the links f, the
end of the valve rod O and with the fixed abutment g in such manner that they
form a lengthening or shortening device for the valve rod O in which the move-
12nts of each toggle joint by reason of the movement of its piston imparts a
definite degree of movement to the pilot valve N.
The cylinder a communicates at the bottom with the passage h which at one
end communicates into the valve chest i and at the other end into the atmosphere.
Within this valve chest is an armature ; which carries below it a valve k adapted
to seat on the top of the passage h and this valve through the stem 7 carries an
exhaust valve m which controls the outlet from the passage h into the atmosphere.
Above the valve chest is an electric magnet n, the poles of which are in such
proximity to the armature j as to attract the same when the magnet is energized,

page_text: whereby the valve k admits the motive agent from the valve chest through the
passage into the cylinder and simultaneously closes the exhaust port by the
valve m.
The electro-magnet n is included in circuit with a suitable electric source and
with one of the hydrostatic circuit closers.
The hydrostatic circuit closer comprises an open-ended casing o, one end of
which is extended through the wall of the vessel and the other end of which is
closed by a diaphragm p, all in such manner that the water from the outside has
access to the diaphragm and a valve 9 is preferably interposed to shut off the
access of the water in case of damage to the diaphragm. Upon the diaphragm is
secured an insulating baser which carries the movable and fixed contacts s and t
respectively, being the terminals of the electric circuit of the magnet.
The movable contacts is adjustably connected to the diaphragm by a pin u
in such manner that the pressure of the water upon the diaphragm will normally
hold the contacts apart.
In practice, these hydrostatic circuit closers are arranged in the wall of the
vessel in proximity to the screw and are placed below the normal water line at
different points of immersion and in such relation to the screw that if in a high
sea the screw is lifted out of the water, one or more of the circuit closers will
simultaneously therewith close an electric circuit and by energizing the magnet
of that circuit will admit the motive agent to the motor, raising the piston and
correspondingly therewith expanding the toggle and producing an expansion of
the valve rod O, shifting the pilot valve N and producing a corresponding move-
ment of the piston B.
The degree of expansion of the valve rod O and the corresponding degree of
movement of the piston B and throttle valve depends upon the number of hydro-
static circuit closers which have become operative.
As soon as the normal condition of pressure is restored at each hydrostatic
circuit closer the corresponding circuit is opened, the magnet releases the armature,
the valve controlled thereby permits the fluid agent to exhaust and the piston
returns to its normal position by the action of a spring R.
my
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In marine governors for the purpose described, the employment of an electric
circuit closer attached to the vessel and having its contacts held normally open
by the hydrostatic pressure of the water, whereby when said pressure is diminished
or removed an electric circuit is closed which controls the operation of the governor.
2. In marine governors for the purpose described, the employment of a series of
circuit closers attached to the vessel below the normal water line in proximity to
the screw and at different depth of immersion, each circuit closer having contacts
held normally open by the hydrostatic pressure of the water and each arranged in
an independent circuit the closing of which controls the operation of the governor.
3 The general arrangement and construction of apparatus, by means of which
the supply of the motive agent to the engine which turns the screw is automatically
regulated by a fluid motor, the condition of rest or movement of which in one
direction or the other is electrically controlled through the medium of circuit
closing devices arranged in proximity to the screw at different depths of immer-
sion and each controlling an electric circuit which is closed when the hydrostatic
pressure upon its circuit closer is removed and operates to change the condition
of rest of the fluid motor.
4. In a marine governor, the arrangement and construction of apparatus by
means of which the supply of the motive agent to the engine which turns the
screw is automatically regulated by a fluid motor, the condition of rest and move-
ment of which is controlled by a slide valve, a series of fluid motors arranged to
operate said slide valve, and an electric circuit for controlling the condition of

page_text: rest and movement of each fluid motor, said electric circuit including a circuit
closer operating to close the circuit when the water recedes from the screw.
Dated this 27th day of January 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.