IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNING STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES AND MEANS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES MORTON HALL, of 29 Milton Street, Patricroft, near Manchester, in
the county of Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNING STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER
ENGINES AND MEANS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the means of governing or regulating
the speed of steam engines and other prime movers wherein the power applied to
the same is to be directly controlled by the resistance met with or the work to be
done and the invention has for object the prompt and positive control of steam
engines and other prime movers when by reason of part or of the whole of the
resistance being removed, or vice-versâ, such engines or other prime movers require
more or less steam or other motive-force to maintain the same speed as when fully
loaded.
In the many forms of the well known "ball-governor" this object can only be
attained after the piston-speed of the engine has been somewhat accelerated or
retarded an objection which my invention is intended to remedy. And further,
this invention is applicable to marine-engines to prevent what is known as
racing" an effect due to the propeller being at times only partially immersed and
consequently the resistance or part of the resistance being removed.
In carrying my invention into practice I require that where the flywheel of the
engine transmits the power, or where a separate driving-pulley transmits the
power, the same shall be loose upon the crankshaft and free to revolve in each
direction, but be restrained from sliding sideways by bearing against a fixed collar
on one side and having on the other side a boss; the same being provided with two
or more V shaped projections pointing in the direction of the crankshaft axis, and
two or more V shaped recesses into which fits a sliding sleeve piece or collar
mounted upon a feather key and having motion in the direction of the crankshaft
axis only; the face of the same having similar projections and recesses and fitting
accurately into the aforesaid projections and recesses of the flywheel boss; and the
back of the same bearing upon a strong spiral or other suitable spring, which
spring encircles the said crankshaft and bears in turn upon a fixed thrust-collar
the whole revolving on and with the shaft.
It is obvious therefore that the whole being confined between the two fixed
collars and the spring being somewhat compressed the projections on the sleeve
piece will press into the recesses on the flywheel boss and vice versa, and will
remain thus in their normal state until the tortional strain between the crank and
the rim of the flywheel exceeds the pressure of the spring when the inclined
planes formed by the alternate projections and recesses slide upon each other to a
greater or less extent as the tortion varies; that is to say the flywheel being

page_text: partially rotated, by resistance, in the opposite direction to the crank, presses with
its inclined-planes upon the opposite inclined-planes of the sliding-sleeve picce
which sleeve piece or collar being prevented from rotating with it by the feather-
key is driven backwards against the spring which is thereby compressed more or
less thus measuring the amount of tortion. This movement of the sliding sleeve
piece is communicated to a throttle valve, or to an expansion-link situated between
the excentric rod and valve spindle of the engine or to any other known device
for controlling the admission of steam or other motive-force to the cylinder of an
engine or other prime mover. This is accomplished through a forked lever having
suitable projections running in a groove which groove moves with the sleeve-piece
and so communicates its motion to any suitable series of levers whereby the range
of such motion may be increased as inay be desired.
Thus far the said Invention relates more particularly to the governing and
correcting of such irregularities in speed as arise from the sudden addition or
reduction in the resistance or load on the engine and not from increased steam
pressure, and is especially applicable to marine engines, in which case the fly-wheel
is to be replaced by a coupling which is secured to the coupling usually found at
the end of the crankshaft of such engines all other parts of the said invention
being arranged and actuated as before described.
For correcting such irregularities of speed as arise from variations in the pressure
of steam or other motive force. I provide over the before mentioned spring an
annular casing one end of which overlaps the fixed thrust-collar the opposite end
encircling the sleeve piece and partaking of its sliding motion but being free to
revolve around the said sleeve by reason of a groove and collar connection. Upon
this casing are four pairs of snugs, each pair carrying a segment of an annular
weight four or more of which segments completely encircle the said casing, laying,
when at rest, close to it on their inner circumferences, and being free to move from
it on their respective pivots but being prevented from doing so by the before
mentioned collar which is kept close up to the tapered ends of such weights, by a
light spiral spring; the said spring serving when the crankshaft revolves, to
measure the centrifugal force due to the tendency of the said weights to fly
outwards; in which case the collar is thrust back in the direction of the crank,
the amount of such motion being communicated through the before-mentioned
lever to the throttle valve or other device.
The annular casing with its weights may be made in one piece with the sleeve
in which case it will revolve at the same speed as the crankshaft; but I prefer
that the same should be separate and connected to the sleeve in the manner
already described, so that being free to revolve independently it may be driven by
suitable gearing at such a speed as shall render it most sensitive and efficient.
When applied to marine engines, where as a rule the difference of speed due to
varying steam pressure is of little consequence compared with that due to varying
resistance caused by the "pitching" of vessels in heavy seas and the consequent
"racing" of the engines the weights and annular casing may be dispensed with
and the whole apparatus reduced to three parts, viz: the coupling, the sleeve piece,
and the spring. A cotter-bolt is provided in case of any accident to the governing
apparatus, when by placing it in position the propeller shaft is rendered rigid and
the governor put out of use.
It is obvious from the foregoing description that this latter arrangement inay
with advantage be applied to water wheels, turbines and the like the movement
of the lever in this case being communicated to suitable mechanism for raising and
lowering the sluices or sills in connection with the same.

page_text: 4
I JAMES MORTON HALL of 29 Milton Street, Patricroft near Manchester in the
county of Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNING STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
AND MEANS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in the means of governing or regulating
the speed of steam engines and other prime movers wherein the power applied to
the same is to be directly controlled by the resistance met with or the work to be
done and the invention has for object the prompt and positive control of steam
engines and other prime movers when by reason of part or of the whole of the
resistance being removed or vice versâ, such engines or other prime movers require
more or less steam or other motive force to maintain the same speed as when fully
loaded.
In the many forms of the well known "ball governor" this object can only be
attained after the piston speed of the engine has been somewhat accelerated or
retarded an objection which my invention is intended to remedy. And further
this invention is applicable to marine-engines to prevent what is known as
racing" an effect due to the propeller being, at times only partially immersed and
consequently the resistance or part of the resistance being removed.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1, is a longitudinal
sectional elevation shewing my improvements applied to a stationary engine;
figures 2, and 3 are transverse vertical sections on lines A B and C. D respectively
of figure 1. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation shewing my improve-
ments applied to a marine engine; figure is a transverse vertical section on line I J
of figure 4. Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
In carrying my invention into practice in cases where the fly wheel E figure 1
of the engine transmits the power, or where a separate driving pulley transmits the
power the same is arranged to run loose upon the crank shaft and is free to revolve
in each direction, but is restrained from sliding sideways by bearing against a fixed
collar X on one side and having on the other side a boss; the said boss provided
with two or more V shaped projections or inclined planes F, pointing in the
direction of the crank shaft axis and two or more V shaped recesses or inclined
planes G, into which fits a sliding sleeve piece or collar H mounted upon a feather-
key K, and having motion in the direction of the crank shaft axis only; the face
of the sliding sleeve piece or collar H has similar projections and recesses and fits
accurately into the aforesaid projections and recesses of the fly wheel boss; the
back of the sleeve piece or collar H, bears upon a strong spiral or other suitable
spring L (or springs) which spring encircles the said crankshaft and bears in turn
upon a fixed thrust collar M, the whole revolving on and with the shaft.
It is obvious therefore that the whole being confined between the two fixed
collars X and M and the spring L, being somewhat compressed the projections F,
on the sleeve piece H will press into the recesses G, on the fly wheel boss and vicé
versa and will remain thus in their normal state until the tortional strain between
the crank N N and the rim of the fly wheel E, exceeds the pressure of the spring
when the inclined-planes formed by the alternate projections and recesses slide

page_text: upon each other to a greater or less extent as the tortion varies; that is to say, the
fly wheel being partially rotated, by resistance in the opposite direction to the
crank, presses with its inclined planes F upon the opposite inclined planes of
the sliding-sleeve piece H, which sleeve piece or collar being prevented from
rotating with it by the feather key K, is driven backwards against the spring L
which is thereby compressed more or less thus measuring the amount of tortion.
This movement of the sliding sleeve piece H is communicated to a throttle valve A²,
or to an expansion link situated between the excentric rod and valve spindle of the
engine or to any other known device for controlling the admission of steam or
other motive-force to the cylinder of an engine or other prime mover. This is
accomplished through a forked lever O having suitable projections running in a
groove P which groove moves with the sleeve piece H and so communicates its
motion to any suitable series of levers whereby the range of such motion may be
increased as may be desired.
Thus far the said invention relates more particularly to the governing and
correcting of such irregularities in speed as arise from the sudden addition or
reduction in the resistance or load on the engine and not from increased steam
pressure and is especially applicable to Marine Engines in which case the fly wheel
is to be replaced by a coupling E, as shewn in figure 4 which shews the herein-
before described improvements as applied to the propeller shaft of a Marine engine;
the said coupling is secured to the coupling B', usually found at the end of the
crankshaft C, of such engines all other parts of the said invention being arranged
and actuated as before described.
For correcting such irregularities of speed as arise from variations in the pressure
of steam or other motive force I provide over the spring L as shewn in figure 1 (or
springs) an annular casing R one end of which overlaps the fixed thrust collar M,
this annular casing being attached to or being an extension of the sleeve piece H
and partaking of its sliding and rotary motion or partaking of its sliding motion
only and being free to revolve around the said sleeve independently. Upon this
casing are four pairs of snugs, each pair carrying a segment of an annular weight T
four or more of which segments completely encircle the said casing lying, when at
rest, close to it on their inner circumferences, and being free to move from it on
their respective pivots Z, but being prevented from doing so by the before
mentioned collar P, which is kept close up to the tapered ends of such weights T,
by a light spiral spring D1; the said spring serving, when the crankshaft revolves,
to measure the centrifugal force due to the tendency of the said weights to fly
outwards; in which case the collar is thrust back in the direction of the crank, the
amount of such motion being communicated through the before mentioned lever O
to the throttle valve A¹, or other device.
The annular casing R with its weights may be made in one piece with the
sleeve H in which case it will revolve at the same speed as the crankshaft; but I
prefer that the same should be separate and connected to the sleeve H, in such a
manner that being free to revolve independently it may be driven by suitable
gearing at such a speed as shall render it most sensitive and efficient.
When applied to marine engines where as a rule the difference of speed due to
varying steam pressure is of little consequence compared with that due to varying
resistance caused by the "pitching" of vessels in heavy seas and the consequent
"racing" of the engines the weights and annular casing as seen in figure 4, may be
dispensed with and the whole apparatus reduced to three parts, viz. the coupling E,
the sleeve piece H and the springs L. A cotter bolt not shewn in the drawing is
provided in case of any accident to the governing apparatus, when by placing it
in position the propeller shaft E, is rendered rigid and the governor put out
of use.
It is obvious from the foregoing description that this latter arrangement may
with advantage be applied to water wheels, turbines and the like the movement
of the lever in this case being communicated to suitable mechanism for raising and
lowering the sluices or sills in connection with the same.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
:-
(1) The herein described automatic governors for steam and other motive power
engines constructed, arranged and operating substantially as herein-before described
and represented in the accompanying drawing.
(2) In a governor for steam and other motive power engines the arrangement
of a sliding sleeve piece or collar having V projections and recesses or inclined
planes on one of its faces corresponding with similar projections and recesses or
inclined planes on the fly wheel (or on the pulley or coupling E) of the engine in
combination with a spring or springs bearing on the other face of the sliding collar
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the
several figures of the accompanying drawing.
(3). In a governor for steam and other motive power engines the sliding collar H,
projections and recesses F, and G, and springs or spring L, in combination with a
weight such as T, spring D¹, and collar P all arranged and operating substantially
as herein before described and represented in figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying
drawing.