IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF MOTIVE POWER ENGINES AND FOR RECORDING VARIATIONS THEREIN
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Norman Macbeth of Bolton-le-Moors in the County of
Lancaster Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REGULATING THE SPEED OF MOTIVE POWER ENGINES AND FOR RECORDING
VARIATIONS THEREIN
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Norman Macbeth at the
Office of the Commissionors of Patonts on the 11th August 1883.
NORMAN MACBETH of Bolton-le-Moors in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF MOTIVE POWER
ENGINES AND FOR RECORDING VARIATIONS THEREIN
>>
My Invention relates in the first place to engine governors and particularly to
compensating apparatus for correcting or reducing the variations in the speed of
the governor in order to obtain greater uniformity of speed of the engine. To this
end I transmit the regulating action of the governor through a levor and I shift
the fulcrum of this lever by means of apparatus worked by a supplementary
governor so as to obviate the necessity for the main governor to maintain an
increased or decreased supply of steam or other medium by a decreased or increased
speed. In one form of the apparatus the said fulcrum is carried by a part which
is revolved so as to raise and lower or to shift tho position of the fulcrum. The
supplementary governor turns tho fulcrum carrier in one direction or the other
as the speed of the engine varies. One or the other of two friction wheels are
brought into gear with a third wheel which is upon a worm shaft which drives a
worm wheel which is secured to or connected with the said fulcrum carrier. This
arrangement may be varied as for example a ratchet wheel or ratchet wheels and
pawls or grip wheels and dogs may be used or the worm shaft may be actuated by
means of cross and open straps or bands shifted by the supplementary governor.
I may carry the said fulcrum by means of a lever or slide but I prefer the revolving
carrier as at the stopping and starting of the engine it may be allowed to revolve
completely without risk of derangement and without the necessity for disconnecting

page_text: any of the parts. I may use other means than a worm wheel for rotating or
rocking the fulcrum carrier as for example a grip wheel may be actuated by a
vibrating and rocking lever furnished with biting screws or parts which are
brought into action to turn the said wheel in either direction by moving the axis
of the actuating crank or excentric by means of the supplementary governor. In
some or in all cases I employ the apparatus in connection with a weighted lever so
arranged as that the movement of the load in an arc below or above the fulcrum
shall have a compensating effect upon the main governor.
My Invention relates in the second place to apparatus for recording the variations
in the speed of engines or of revolving shafts. The index of a simple clock is arranged
to revolve once in twenty four hours and carries around a marker which is kept in
contact by means of a spring or weight with a strip or sheet of paper which is held
in position around the axis of the said index. The spindle of the said index or of
the marker is arranged to slide or to inove endwise and is connected with a revolving
pendulum apparatus which is driven by the engine or shaft. The deviations of the
lines made by the marker from what would be a straight line or from a straight line
previously marked upon the paper indicate the variations in speed. I may arrange for
the stoppage of the engine or shaft to cause the cessation of the marking upon the
paper. I prefer to use a strip of paper wide enough to serve for several days or for a
week or more and to shift it each day inside a cylinder or cylindrical segment or to fix
the paper within a cylinder or segment which can be moved end wise each day. I
may drive the governor by means of a friction disc and-wheel in order that tho
apparatus may be readily adjusted to suit the speed of the engine or shaft. Tho
clockwork may consist-of-a-simple-arrangement-of-integrating gearing. which will
move the index once round in twenty-four hours. I may employ a special
apparatus for winding up an actuating weight. Below the barrel arbor and in
line therewith I mount a hollow spindle which can be turned by bevel or spur
gearing by means of a handle outside the case. A wheel upon the said spindle
carries an arm on which is a pulley and a cord from the barrel passes over the
pulley and over a second pulley and through the spindle to the weight. The cord
can be wound upon the barrel by turning the outsido handle which causes tho said
arm to be carried around the barrel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Norman Macbeth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st December 1883.
NORMAN MACBETH of Bolton-le-Moors in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF MOTIVE POWER
ENGINES AND FOR RECORDING VARIATIONS THEREIN
"
My Invention relates to apparatus for recording the variations in the speed of
engines or of revolving shafts. The index of a simple clock is arranged to revolve
once in twenty-four hours and carries around a marker which is kept in contact
by means of a spring or weight with a strip or sheet of papor which is held in
position around the axis of the said index. The spindle of the said index or of
the marker is connected with a revolving pendulum apparatus which is driven by
the engine or shaft. The deviations of the lines made by the marker from what
would be a straight line or from a straight line previously marked upon the paper
indicate the variations in speed. I. prefer to uso a strip of paper wide enough to
serve for several days or for a week or more.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have attached hereunto
a sheet of drawings to which I will proceed to refer. In the said drawings Fig 1
drawn to a scale of about three inches to the foot represents a vertical section of
my improved apparatus for recording the variations in the rotatory speed of engines
and other apparatus. Fig 2 represents the upper part of the apparatus drawn to
a larger scale and modified in respect of some of the details, Fig 3 being a plan of
the parts represented in Fig 2. In Fig 1 a is a hollow column which enclosos the
revolving pendulum or "governor" and part of the driving apparatus and sorvos
as a base to support the cylindrical case b in which is the clockwork and recording
apparatus. A vertical shaft c is mounted to revolve in bearings d, d and carries a
governor e which may be of any suitablo description so long as it is adapted to
raise and lower the spindle as the velocity of revolution increases and decreases.
Although I term this part of the apparatus the governor as such term clearly
indicates its naturo it will be understood that it does not fulfil the object of the
ordinary engine governor. The shaft is connected by bevel gearing with a
horizontal shaft g which is mounted in a bearing and extends to the outside of the
column a. On the outer end of the last named shaft is fixed a pulley h which
receives motion in any suitable manner according to the circumstances in each
case from a part of the engine or from a revolving shaft. The guide pulley i or
any other means for guiding the belt or band or for regulating the degree of
tightness of the same may or may not be applied to the apparatus. In some cases
the driving pulley may be fixed on the shaft c. In such a caso the band or belt
would pass through an opening or through openings in the column a. Other
modifications in the method of transmitting the motion to the governor or in the
form of the casing or framing of the apparatus may be made. The sleeve k of the
governor is formed with a cup in which rests the lower end of the spindle f which
is fitted to slide freely up and down in a bearing formed in the central pillar so
that when the governor sleeve is lowered the said spindle will descend so as to
keep its end always in contact with the upper end of the sleeve. This descent of
the spindle may be due to the weight of the spindle and attachments or may be
aided by a spring. Upon the upper end of the spindle is fixed an index arm m
which carries a marker at its outer end. The inside of the upper part of the drum
or case b is bored or turned to be a suitably true hollow cylinder and is lined or
partly lined with a strip of paper which can readily be placed in position or be
removed therefrom. In the example this paper is held in position against the
.
.

page_text: inner surface of the drum by means of a steel or metal spring ring n which when
the paper is placed within the case is sprung into position to keep the paper in
close contact with the wall of the drum. Such a ring is seen moro clearly in
Figs 2 and 3. If desirable a second ring may be applied at or near the top of the
strip of paper. The marker which may be similar to the marker in a "Richards"
or other similar indicator is held in a rod which is fitted to slide in a hole which is
bored in the arm a spiral spring tonding to thrust out the said rod so as to cause
the end of the marker to bear upon the paper with a suitable degree of force.
The construction of this part of the apparatus is more clearly represented in
Figs 2 and 3 wherein o is the said rod but the details may be varied so long as
the marker is caused to bear with a yielding pressure upon the paper. A spur
wheel pp is mounted to revolve upon an axis which is common with that of the
spindle f. With this wheel gears a pinion r which is driven by means of clock-
work which is contained in the space 8. Any ordinary or suitable arrangement of
clockwork actuated by means of a weight or spring may be employed so long as it
is adapted to cause the wheel p to make one revolution in twenty-four hours
as for example the spindle might ropresent the minute hand arbor of
the clockwork and the wheel and pinion be "twenty-four to one." In the
wheel p is fixed a driving pin t which as the wheel revolves carries around the
arm ma spring a keeping the arm in contact with the said driving pin. In Figs 2
and 3 the arm m is formed with a boss which is bored and fitted to slide upon the
upper end of the spindle f which is notched or recessed. A spring catch v shown
also at Fig 4 can be caused to engage with any one of the notches or recesses in
the spindle to retain the arm in any position into which it may have been moved.
Supposing for example six recesses be formed in the spindle the arm can be changed
in position every working day during a week or if more than six recesses bo
provided the changes may extend over a longer period. The object of this
formation is that a single strip of paper when once fixed in the apparatus may be
made to serve for more than one day or for a week or longer without having to be
readjusted it being only necessary to change the vertical position of the arm before
the commencement of each days indications. Fig 5 shows a modification wherein
the arm m'is rendered adjustable by screwing the spindle f and causing it to pass
through a split boss on the arm m. A key may be applied to the squared end of
the spindle and by turning it in one direction or the other the arm m may be
raised and lowered. To obtain a similar result I may adjust the position of the
paper each day or I may arrange the drum to be movable in a vertical direction.
The numbers seen in Fig 3 on the rim of the drum b indicate the hours of the day
and night. The paper may or may not be ruled and marked with indications of
time or such indications may be obtained by the application of a scale to the paper
after removal from the apparatus. It is not necessary in all cases that the paper
Bhall extend all around the inside of the drum. If for example the engine or shaft
is in operation for not more than twelve consecutive hours in every twenty-four it
is only necessary that the paper shall extend about half way round the said drum
and in such a case a segment of a drum or cylinder might be used. When the
governor is in action the upward and downward movements of the spindle f
derived from the governor cause the marker to make such marks upon the paper
as indicate the variations in the speed of the machinery. An extended diagram
indicating the parts of a revolution in which the variations in speed take place
and the extent of such variations can also be obtained. For this purpose I apply a
sector such for example as indicated by Fig 6 to the spindle and I connect the
sector by means of a cord w with a reciprocating part of the engine whereby the
marker is caused to vibrate to and fro horizontally and to mark the required
diagram upon a piece of paper which has been fixed in position for the purpose.
My provisional specification was divided into two parts the first part relating to
engine governors but as since filing the specification I have discovered that tho said
first part of my Invention was not so novel as I then supposed I have not included
it herein and therefore make no claim in respect of the same.

page_text: Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect I would have it to be
understood that I claim :-
First. The combination of parts forming the apparatus substantially as and for
the purpose set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying
drawings.
Secondly. In apparatus for registering variations in rotatory velocity a spindle
raised and lowered endwise by a so termed governor and carrying a marker which
marks the indications upon a piece of paper or material which is applied to the
inside of a cylinder which is concentric with the axis of the said spindle substantially
as set forth and indicated.
And lastly. In such apparatus the arrangements whereby such indications
extending over two or more days can be obtained side by side upon a single piece
of paper substantially as set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof I tho said Norman Macbeth have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twentyeighth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eightythree
Signed, sealed, and delivered'
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON
41 John Dalton St, Manchester.
NORMAN MACBETH. (L.S.)