CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS OR REGULATORS, APPLICABLE TO, STEAM ENGINES AND TO OTHER ENGINES USED FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PAUL
HANNUIC, of Paris, but now of Clements Lane, in the City of London, Solicitor,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Tenth day of September, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Paul
Hannuic, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Paul Hannuic, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, and such others as I,
the said Paul Hannuic, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GOVERNORS OR
REGULATORS, APPLICABLE TO, STEAM ENGINES AND TO OTHER ENGINES USED FOR
OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Paul Hannuic, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Paul Hannuic, do hereby declare the nature of the improvements which have
been communicated to me to consist in the construction and arrangement of a
new governor or regulator for equalizing and regulating the speed of steam
engines and other engines used for obtaining motive power, and the manner in
which the same improvements are to be performed and carried into effect are
set forth and described in the annexed Drawings, and the following descrip-
tion thereof.
But before I commence the description of the annexed Drawings, and
explain the nature and mode of constructing the new governor or regulator, I
shall make a few observations on the regulator now in general use, and point
out such imperfections as it is the object of my improvements to obviate. The
well known centrifugal governor, as invented by the celebrated James Watt,
has hitherto been considered to come nearest the intended purpose, (namely,) to
obtain regularity of movement in the engine, however variable may be the
resistance opposed. Nevertheless, if we examine its operation on a steam
engine when the work to be performed is of a variable nature, we shall soon
see that this apparatus does not produce the result we wish to obtain, and
when the nature and action of this centrifugal governor is considered, the
cause is sufficiently obvious. For instance, when work is suddenly taken.off
the engine, and the speed necessarily increased, the balls of the regulator are
displaced or expanded by the centrifugal force due to the increased felocity and
the supply of steam cut off by the throttle valve. But no sooner is this
effected and the engine brought back to its proper speed, than the. balls col
lapse to their original position by the decreased centrifugal force due to the
decreased speed and the throttle valve is again opened, producing the accele-
rated speed) which is again checked by the expansion of the vibrating balls.
In this way a constant vibration of the balls is produced and only a slight
approximation to regularity of speed obtained. The insufficiency of the cen-
trifugal regulator, as applied to water wheels, is too well known to need any
comment, the shuttle or water gate being in most cases too ponderous to be
affected by any force gained by the vibration of the balls. Such are the
principal inconveniences which the centrifugal régulator presents, and which
the Inventor has endeavoured to remedy by constantly regulating the requisite
supply of steam to the variable resistance of the work to be performed, and
finally to govern the generation of steam in the boiler by regulating the com-
bustion in the furnace, which he effects by allowing the chimney. the necessary
draft to produce a quantity of steam proportionate to the consumption of the
engine, so that the new governor not only acts on the engine by means of the

page_text: means of hanging water gates (as will be hereafter explained), which allow of
an immediate regulation whatever may be the weight of the water gate, and
however variable may be the pressure of the water upon it.
I shall now pro-
cced to describe the construction of the new regulator in its combination and
details, as set forth in the annexed, Drawings, and their application to steam
engines and hydraulic wheels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In Sheet 1, Figures 1 and 2 represent the exterior elevation and vertical
section of a regulator constructed on the improved principal. Figure 8 is a
plan, and Figure 4 an horizontal section of the same, taken a little above
the base of the apparatus. The parts A and B, which are formed of cast
metal along with the column C, form the framework or support of the
moving parts of the apparatus. The cylindrical reservoir D is a bellows
or elastic reservoir connected with the two similar bellows E and F, the whole
being formed of leather secured to the horizontal plates or bases by iron
straps a, a, a. These formations or plates bind together the three bellows,
and are represented separately in vertical sections and plan (see Fig. 5, 6, 7).
The plate in the middle H, is maintained in a stationary position by the
two uprights. c, e, which support this plate on the foundation or base A. The
two other plates G and I are moveable below, and firmly attached to the
base A are two supports b, b, which receive the journals of the shaft m
provided with a double crank, one of which stands out on each side of the
apparatus. The fast and loose pulleys n, n. carry a strap from any convenient
part of the engine or first mover to be regulated. The cranks on the shaft m
are provided with connecting rods o, o, which convey a reciprocating motion
to the perpendicular rod p, p, guided in the ears or loops of the fixed plate H,
and below in the socket 7, which is screwed upon the base or foundation A,
but these rods p, p, and p, p, remain fixed by pins in the ears of the plate I,
on each side of the machine, so that if an impulse be given to the axle m, the
connecting rods o, o, transmit a reciprocating movement through the guides p, p,
and the plate I receives an alternate movement upwards and downwards.
Now, in examining the Drawing, Fig. 2, it will be observed, that when the
moveable plate I lifts up, the air necessarily enters into the interior of the
bellows F by, the valve c, while by the same movement, the air which was
contained in the reservoir or middle bellows, E, will have been forced forward
through the valve d, into the upper or common reservoir D; and on the

page_text: other hand, when the moveable plate I descends, the air which has been
received into the interior of the bellows F, will be forced forward through the
leather pipe f, into the reservoir D, whilst a fresh supply of air will be received
into the interior of the bellows E, by the horizontal canal upon the plate I.
By this means the air is alternately forced forward by each of the bellows
E and F into the interior of the common reservoir D. Thus the principal
function of the regulator is to accumulate in a common reservoir the air of
two or more bellows, in order that the plate G, forming the top of this
reservoir, lifted by the pressure of this air, may communicate (according to the
variation of the speed of the engine to be regulated) an ascending or
descending movement to the central shaft R, which is carried through chains,
cords, straps, or levers in the ordinary manner, to the throttle valve of the
steam engine or to the shuttle or water gate of the hydraulic wheel. In the
upper plate G of the reservoir D, (see details of this plate Fig. 5,) is a
little opening r, provided below with a copper valve S, for the purpose
of intercepting the passage or escape of the air, which is constantly blowing
off through the opening in the upper plate G, the position of which is
regulated and determined by the opening or closing of the valve s against
the opening by means of two set screws t, t, the position of which is
maintained by means of divisions and spring plates, when the valve has
been properly regulated. Another modification of this part of the Invention
is represented at Fig. 8, Sheet 2. In this Figure D is the same reservoir,
but the frame is a little changed, and the upper plate G is provided
with a stirrup A, which is connected with the rod R, already explained
in the former Figure. A copper tube B is placed above the plate G, and
traversed in its length by the conical rail C; spring plates are placed in
the interior of this tube, keeping it constantly suspended along the rail
at a given distance from the surface of the plate G. The upper part of
this (extinguisher) is provided with two screws d, d, and the lower flange
is also provided with similar screws 9, 9, which only permit a small rise
and fall of this part. By this arrangement, when the moveable plate G
descends, the heads of the bolts d, d, press upon the upper part of the
extinguisher and cause it to descend along the rail, and the space which
was previously between the base of the extinguisher and the surface of the
plate G is increased, so that the air which escapes by the space left between
the conical rail C, and the interior cylindrical opening L, from the reservoir D,
receives more liberty, whilst during the re-ascent of the moveable plate G,
the lower surface of the extinguisher and the surface of the plate G approach
each other, and interrupt a great part of the air passage, which facilitates

page_text: the ascent of the plate G, and consequently accelerates its action on the engine
to be regulated, while the regular adjustment is provided for by means
of two small screws g, g, which determine the proper distance between
the extinguisher and the plate G. This extinguisher is in effect the same
as the copper valve s (of Fig. 5, Plate 1,) and is a very important accessary
for obviating the difficulty presented by the compressibility of the air, which,
without this, would necessarily oppose the regular movement of the reservoir
in which it acts, as it can by its natural compressibility pass in large
quantities, where it should pass in a regular and equal quantity, so that
any excess of air supplied by an increased speed of the engine should lift
the reservoir D, and consequently arrest the motive and bring it back to
the limits proposed and required by the governor. Another appendage
by which the moveable plate G of the reservoir D is surmounted, consists
(see the Drawing Plate 1, Fig. 2) is a conical screw M, serving to
graduate the opening of an aperture made upon this plate for the greater
or lesser escape of air so as to slacken or quicken the speed of the engine
submitted to the action of the regulator. Such is the detailed description
of the new regulator, but I must observe, that I am not confined to the
form of the apparatus. The form of the bellows may be cylindrical,
oval, rectangular, and it is the same in the secondary parts of this apparatus,
as well as the framing, which are arranged generally with metallic plates
for securing the interior mechanism. The different pieces may be made
of metal or other material, and of all dimensions, and the means of conveying
the necessary movement from the engine to the governor may be effected by
pullies, excentrics, wheels, straps, or any other mechanical agent; finally, the
form; the dimensions, the materials of which the regulator is composed,
allow of various modifications which do not change the principle in any
way or its distinct character, which is to accumulate the air supplied from
one or more bellows in a common reservoir, the motion of which is applied
or used to regulate the opening of the shuttle or water gate of hydraulic
wheels, or the registers or throttle valves of the steam engines. It is
also manifest, that a metallic air pump would produce the same effect,
and may be substitued for the leathern bellows.
I shall now proceed to show the application of the new regulator to the
shuttle or water gate of hydraulic wheels, and to the steam machines on
which it acts, both on the throttle valve and the register of the furnace.
(Fig. 9, Plate 2) represents a view of the apparatus reduced to a smaller
scale, shewing its application either to a steam engine or an hydraulic wheel;
the central shaft R is united with a chain or cord passing over the pulley 1, .

page_text: and attached to the sector 2, which is provided with a counter weight 3
so that any vibration of the sector opens or shuts the throttle valve, and
governs the distribution of steam; a second chain or cord 5, also attached
to the shaft R, is then carried over the pullies 6, 7, 8, and 9, and transmits
to the vertical shaft 10 and the register 11, a rotation opening or shutting
the flue of the furnace according to the rise or depression of the reservoir D
and thereby regulates the furnace in proportion to the amount of steam
consumed. This movement is facilitated by the counter weight 12
suspended over the pully 9, but the exact arrangement for transmitting
the action of the regulator to the flue of the furnace may undergo any
modification according to the locality and nature of the engine to which
it is to be applied. I have already remarked that the centrifugal regulator
was inapplicable to the shuttles or gates of hydraulic wheels, owing to their
weight and the pressure of the water exceeding the force such governors are
capable of supplying; to obviate this inconvenience, and render the unequal
pressure of the water of no importance upon the shuttle or water gate, let it
be rectangular or curved. Fig. 10 represents an arrangement of a shuttle or
water gate held by four horizontal rods parallel to each other, and capable of
moving in loops or eyes fixed against the wall or side of the water reservoir, or
brought to a common centre as at o (Fig. 11). These rods may be constructed
of any convenient form, as will be seen at Fig. 9, where the application of the
regulator to hydraulic wheels is seen. The rod R, connected by chains or cords
which pass over the pullies 13 and 14, governs the position of the curved gate
P, which vibrates on the centre S, and obviates the friction incident to shuttles
and water gates of the ordinary construction. A slight inspection of Figure 9
will show how the passage of the water may be regulated by the least
movement of the regulator, which is transmitted by chains, cords, or
other means of transmission which connect the regulator with the shuttle
or water gate. Fig. 12 represents another arrangement of the rectan-
gular water gate Q, which by the various letters of reference will be sufficiently
clear without any further explanation. Fig. 13 is an application of the regu-
lator to the water gate of an overshot wheel; in this figure T is the moving
shuttle or water gate, governed by the position of the lever u, the opposite
extremity of which is connected to a band or chaiu which communicates with
the central shaft R of the regulator. This same lever u moves on its centre,
and allows more or less water to escape through the opening V. Fig. 14
represents a cylindrical shuttle or water gate founded upon the same principal,
in all which arrangements the regulator acts on the shuttles or water gates of
hydraulic wheels, by means of lowering the shuttle or water gate when the

page_text: speed of the apparatus is too rapid, and opening or unclosing it when the
speed is too slow, and keeping it stationary when the requisite speed is
obtained; and it is also obvious that these moveable shuttles or water gates
may be constructed of various other forms than those represented in the
Drawings, and may be supported by other means than those already described,
all such variations of construction depending on the locality and nature of the
hydraulic wheel to which they are to be applied. In all cases it must be
observed, the moveable plate G of the reservoir D must always be charged with
a counter weight N, (see Figs. 9, 12, and 13,) equal to the weight of the gate,
with the addition of about 44 pounds, which is required to press upon the
plate. The plate should always be charged with a weight varying according
to the force of the steam required for distribution by the throttle valve, and the
force required to revolve the register in the flue of the furnace.
Having now described the nature of the Invention communicated to me by a
Foreigner residing abroad, and shewn the manner in which the same inay
be performed and carried into effect, together with the mode of applying
the same to steam engines and hydraulic wheels, I wish it to be understood
that I do not claim any separate or well known part of such Invention, nor
any particular form or make of the apparatus herein-before set forth and
described. But what I do claim as the Invention protected by this Patent,
to which this Specification refers, is,―
First, the construction and arrangement of an inflated reservoir cylinder
or receiver supplied with atmospheric air, gas, water, or other liquid, by means
of the moving power which it is designed to govern or regulate, as already
explained.
Second, the combination of such inflated reservoir cylinder or receiver or
other governor with a vane or damper in the furnace flue or chimney, by
which the intensity of the fire is governed and regulated according to the speed
of the engine or the supply of steam, which vane or damper may be variously
constructed and placed in the position as represented in the Drawings, or in
front of the furnace, according to the convenience or locality of the engine to
be governed.
And, thirdly, the peculiar construction of the moveable shuttle or water gate
for the hydraulic wheels, as set forth and described at Figures 9, 10, 11 12,
13, and 14, together with such modification of the same as may be required
in peculiar localities, by which the operation of this or other regulator or
governor is rendered available by hydraulic wheels, all which being, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, new, and never before used in that part of Her

page_text: WEBSTER, Extra.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid Paul Hannuic came before our said Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-one.