Improvements in or relating to Centrifugal Governors.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Centrifugal Governors.
I, CHARLES HOWE STOCKS of 213 Deansgate, Manchester, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to governors for steam engines and the like and refers
more particularly to governors of the type in which a torsion device is used for
regulating the degree of centrifugal force required to operate the throttle valve.
Hitherto this device has consisted of a spiral spring, mounted on a rod supported
froin the governor body, and on which rod one end of a lever is mounted the other
end of said lever being connected to the valve spindle. One end of the spring
engages with the said lever whilst the other end engages with a small worm wheel
and on turning this worm wheel a torsion is set up in the spring which acting on
the lever increases the resistance of the valve spindle to the centrifugal action of
the governor balls.
The rotation and adjustment of the worm wheel is effected by a worm or endless
screw fitted immediately above the said wheel, but such worm is a frequent source
of annoyance, in that the vibrations of the engine alter its position and consequently
alter the torsion of the spring. Furthermore the screw, being formed with a
thumb piece for turning purposes, is often tampered with, and the spindle of the
screw being of slender proportions is also liable to break off. By reason of the
peculiar movement of the worm or screw the torsion of the spring can only be
applied in one direction and therefore can only serve to increase the resistance of
the valve spindle.
Now my invention has for its object to dispense with the worm and worm wheel
and to substitute therefor a device much stronger more durable and more effective
for adjusting the spring and having the advantage of requiring a special tool to
alter the torsion of the spring, and to obtain a much greater range of speed at
which the engine can be run by allowing of a negative as well as a positive"
torsion, or a torsion above "zero" and below " zero.
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And in order that my said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 an end elevation of a centrifugal governor
with my improvements applied thereto, and I will now proceed to describe the
same with the assistance of the various figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
(A) designates the torsion spring encircling the shaft (B). One end of this
spring (A) engages with the lever (C) which makes the connection with the valve
spindle (D) and the other end of said spring engages with the "capstan" formn of
wheel (E) (see enlarged detail view Fig. 3).
In the wheel (E) a series of holes (F) are formed as illustrated and above this
wheel is a bracket (G) branching from the governor body, through which bracket
a set screw (H) passes. The centre of this screw, coincides with the line of holes in
the wheel (E) and it will therefore be obvious that by turning the wheel (E)
round, to the extent required, and either to the left or right, which is done by the
use of a "tommy' or similar tool placed in one of the holes and bringing the
screw (H) down, the point of said screw can be made to take into the particular
hole corresponding to the degree of torsion required.
In this way, whilst obtaining the same facilities of the worm and worm wheel
for regulating the torsion spring, I obtain a device much stronger and more durable,
PD 017

page_text: and a device which requires a special instrument as aforesaid to alter its adjustment.
If desired one or more of the holes may be marked or numbered to afford an
indication of any change from the point at which it was set.
Instead of the screw (H) a loose fitting pin or stopper may be used capable of
being raised out of and lowered into the holes (F).
It is preferred to space the holes in the proportions shewn in the drawings, but
if a finer adjustment is required I may either form intervening holes, or slightly
widen the face of the wheel and form two sets of holes alternating with each
other.
By turning the wheel (E) in the direction of the arrow (✗) the torsion of the
spring causes the valve rod to resist the centrifugal action of the balls, whilst on
turning such wheel in the direction of the arrow (Y) the torsion of the spring
decreases the resistance and helps to bring the valve spindle down and thus I get
what may be called "negative" and "positive" torsion as aforesaid.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In governors of the centrifugal and other similar types the use and employment
of the wheel (E), bracket (G), screw (H) or their equivalent for regulating the
amount of torsion on the spring (A) when mounted and operating substantially as
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 15th day of March 1894.
JOHN G. WILSON & Co.,
55, Market Street, Manchester, Agents.