IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Silver, of Philadelphia, in the United
States of North America, now residing at Number 20, Bury Street, St.
James', in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES."
Sealed the 3rd October 1862, and dated the 4th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Silver at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
April 1862.
I, THOMAS SILVER, of Philadelphia, in the United States of North America,
now residing at Number 20, Bury Street, St. James', in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES,"
to be as follows:-
These improvements consistin novel combinations of the parts of governing
apparatus, by which simplicity of construction, fewness of parts, and accurate
performance may be combined in the same instrument or apparatus.
Governors constructed according to this Invention consist of two parts, one
part being rotated by the engine or machine to be regulated, and the other
part may either be rotated by an independent engine, or any other convenient
means of obtaining or producing uniform motion; or, when not rotated, may be
connected to any convenient arrangement for obtaining uniform power of
resistance. Wheel gearing is employed intermediately for converting the dif-
ference between the motions of the two parts composing the apparatus into a
movement, by which the throttle valve, or other means of regulating the
Price Sd.1

page_text: admission of power to the engine is effected. A fly wheel is employed, and it
may either be keyed fast upon the shaft when the shaft is free to revolve
in the driving pulley and other portion of the apparatus, or when the driving
pulley is keyed fast to the shaft, the fly wheel mounted thereon is, together
with its portion of the apparatus, free to revolve, and may revolve in one
direction or the other within the limits assigned to it.
Where a means of rotating both portions of the apparatus, the one part
at a uniform speed, the other by the revolution of the engine to be regulated,
is not available or adopted, but advantage is taken of any non-rotating means
of ensuring uniform resistance to the one part of the apparatus, whilst the
other is, as before stated, caused to revolve by the engine to be regulated,
then the non-revolving part or portion of the apparatus is either connected
to a spring steam pressure disc, or other elastic medium of resistance, or a
counterweight may be employed, and the fly wheel may be furnished with
vanes capable of regulation, or of self-adjustment. Instead of a fly wheel
with vanes, centrifugal weights may be employed for producing the necessary
resistance.
The vibrating cross head, upon a portion of which the wheel gearing is
mounted, serves to work the throttle valve; this cross head taking the place
of the ordinary sliding sleeve usually employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Silver in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 4th October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SILVER, of Philadelphia, in the United States of North America, now residing
at No. 20, Bury Street, St. James', in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Thomas Silver, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Silver, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Thomas Silver, 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

page_text: 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 FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM AND
OTHER ENGINES," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said
Thomas Silver, 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 monthis next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Silver, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say:-
These improvements consist in novel combinations of the parts of governing
apparatus, by which simplicity of construction, fewness of parts, and accurate
performance may be combined in the same instrument or apparatus.
Governors constructed according to this Invention consist of two parts, one
part being rotated by the engine or machine to be regulated, and the other
part may either be rotated by an independent engine, or auy other convenient
means of obtaining or producing uniform motion; or, when not rotated, may
be connected to any convenient arrangement for obtaining uniform power of
resistance. Wheel gearing is employed intermediately for converting the dif-
ference between the motions of the two parts composing the apparatus into a
movement by which the throttle valve, or other means of regulating the
admission of power to the engine is effected. A fly wheel is employed,
and it may either be keyed fast upon the shaft when the shaft is free to
revolve in the driving pulley and other portion of the apparatus, or when
the driving pulley is keyed fast to the shaft, the fly wheel mounted thercon
is, together with its portion of the apparatus, free to revolve, and may
revolve in one direction or the other within the limits assigned to it.
Where a means of rotating both portions of the apparatus, the one part at a
uniform speed, the other by the revolution of the engine to be regulated, is
not available or adopted, but advantage is taken of any non-rotating means
of ensuring uniform resistance to the one part of the apparatus, whilst the
other is, as before stated, caused to revolve by the engine to be regulated,
then the non-revolving part or portion of the apparatus is either connected to
a spring steam pressure disc, or other elastic medium of resistance, or a

page_text: counterweight may be employed, and the fly wheel may be furnished with
vanes capable of regulation, or of self-adjustment. Instead of a fly wheel
with vanes, centrifugal weights may be employed for producing the necessary
resistance.
The vibrating cross head, upon a portion of which the wheel gearing is
mounted, serves to work the throttle valve; this cross head taking the place
of the ordinary sliding sleeve usually employed.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a
governor constructed according to this Invention, in which the independent
engine is made to rotate the horizontal shaft B, upon which the fly wheel Cis
keyed fast. There is also a mitre pinion D keyed to the shaft, and taking
into gear with an intermediate mitre pinion E turning loosely on the
vibrating arm F. The arm F has an eye or boss, in which or through
which the shaft B rotates. The one end of the vibrating arm F is shown
as connected to a spiral reacting spring G, whilst the opposite end of the
arm F is connected to the throttle-valve lever H. The spring G in this
case forms no material part of the regulating apparatus, but is employed as
a safety spring, being intended for closing the throttle valve in case of any
part of the machinery breaking down. The pulley J, or means of receiving
the rotary motion of the main engine, has connected to one face a mitre
pinion K gearing with the intermediate mitre pinion E. The pulley J and
the pinion K run loosely upon the horizontal shaft B.
Thus upon a
difference arising between the speed of rotation of the independent
engine and the main engine, the intermediate mitre pinion is made to move
around the shaft, and thus act upon the throttle valve.
Figure 2 exhibits a modification of Figure 1, by the substitution of spur
wheels and pinions instead of mitre or bevel wheels employed for the purpose
oftaking advantage of the difference of speed between the independent engine,
and the main engine. The vibrating ar F has two eyes or bosses, one in
the centre and the other at one end thereof; the eye at the outer end of
the vibrating lever carries a short shaft, one end of which is keyed a spur
wheel, and the other a spur pinion. The pulley has a spur pinion upon one
face, and they are free to revolve together upon the main shaft or axis.
Figure 3 exhibits another modification, in which the position of the spur
gearing upon the main shaft or spindle is changed, and the fly wheel, which
is shown as being fitted with vanes, is not keyed fast upon the shaft, but is
free to turn thereon to a limited extent, motion being communicated to the
apparatus from the main engine by means of a pulley, wheel, or other gearing;
the pinion receiving the motion is keyed upon the main shaft, the retardation

page_text: offered to the rotation of the fly wheel beyond the velocity to which it is
regulated creates a difference between the revolutions of the two parts of
the apparatus. Upon such difference arising the two spur pinions which
are mounted upon a stud projecting from the face of a disc (which is here
substituted for the vibrating arm shown in the previous illustrations) is
made to travel partially around the spur pinion keyed fast to the main shaft
close to the boss of the fly wheel.
Instead of the vibrating arm employed in the previous arrangements I
have substituted two circular discs upon a tube or hollow shaft, the one disc
carrying a stud with the spur pinion, and the other having upon the one
side a connection with the throttle-valve lever, and on the opposite side a
spiral or other spring capable of adjustment. The spring may be attached
at any other convenient point, say, the throttle-valve lever, if desired.
Instead of employing spiral springs in the ordinary way I employ, when
desirable, to use the re-active force of a metal spring coiled upon the main
or rotating shaft or spindle of the apparatus, one end of such coiled spring
being attached to the fly wheel, and the other to the spindle, so that upon
any change of motion between the two the spring is caused to coil or
uncoil, instead of its expanding or being elongated under strain, and
shortening or returning when relieved. When the independent engine,
which I have described, is employed to rotate one part of the apparatus,
it should be caused to rotate at a higher speed than that of the pulley
which receives motion from the main engine.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Governors for
Regulating the Speed of Steam and other Engines," and having illustrated
the same by some of the modes in which the same may be carried into effect,
what I claim is, arranging and constructing governors as herein described,
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Silver, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
FREDERIC ROBERTS,
19, Salisbury St., W.C.
THOMAS SILVER. (L.S.)