Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Governing Steam Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Governing
Steam Engines.
I, NICHOLAS POPOFF, of 30, Jagarinsky Quay, St. Petersburg, Russia, College
Secretary, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The system of governing steam engines forming the object of the present invention
is intended to solve the problem which has hitherto been met by directly connecting
a centrifugal governor either to the distributing slide as in a Rider engine or to the
valve as in a Tangye engine, or by other methods.
It is well known that the problem of regulation consists in maintaining uniform
speed in the engine notwithstanding variations in the load. This problem is some-
times complicated by another not less important condition, viz.: that of preserving
the normal speed of the engine with variations in the pressure.
The centrifugal governors generally in use are in themselves good but are not so
when used for controlling the adinission of steam.
The system forming the subject of the present invention has for its object to
establish a more perfect system of regulation, by means of an indirect electric
connection between the centrifugal governor and the apparatus for controlling the
admission of steam.
Illustrating the invention with reference to a Rider distributing valve which is
in the form of a hollow cylinder, having an angular movement given it whilst
the engine is in motion. This is accomplished by fixing a worm wheel to the
cylindrical valve into the teeth of which gears a worm.
The worm is fixed on
the shaft of an electro motor which may be of any type provided it can start with a
load from rest.
A commutator connected to any source of electricity serves to close the circuit to
the motor in one direction or the other as soon as the centrifugal governor departs
from its normal position that is to say when the speed of the engine increases or
decreases. The rotation of the motor will continue until the speed of the engine
again becomes normal when the governor breaks the circuit.
The commutator consists of two metallic arcs mounted upon an insulated axis.
Prolongations of the arcs extend to the other side of the axis and are acted on by the
governor. Movement therefore of the latter causes corresponding simultaneous
movement to the two arcs.
Above and below these two arcs are four contact springs. The metallic support
for the springs, from which they are insulated, pivots freely on the axis of the
apparatus and carries a worm wheel gearing with a worm operated by a hand
wheel. The springs rest at one end on regulating screws thus allowing the
distance between the arcs and the contact springs to be regulated.
If it be desired to change the normal rate of the engine, as is often required in
electric lighting stations, the hand wheel is rotated and the positions of the contact
springs thus altered.

page_text: It may be remarked that the direction of rotation may be changed in another
manner namely by changing the direction of the magnetic field. In this case by
giving to the magnets a second winding, the commutator may be of more simple
construction, only one are and two contact springs will then be necessary.
Dated this 24th day of April 1899
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Governing
Steam Engines.
I, NICHOLAS POPOFF, of 30, Jagarinsky Quay, St. Petersburg, Russia, College
Secretary, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The system of governing steam engines forming the object of the present inven-
tion is intended to solve the problem which has hitherto been, met by directly con-
necting a centrifugal governor either to the distributing slide as in a Rider engine
or to the valve as in a Tangye engine, or by other methods.
It is well known that the problem of regulation consists in maintaining uniform
_speed in the engine notwithstanding variations in the load. This problem is some-
times complicated by another not less important condition, viz. that of preserving
the normal speed of the engine with variations in the pressure.
The centrifugal governors generally in use are in themselves good but are not so
when used for controlling the admission of steam.
The system forming the subject of the present invention has for its object to estab-
lish a more perfect system of regulation, by means of an indirect electric connection
between the centrifugal governor and the apparatus for controlling the admission of
steam.
The invention is illustrated with reference to the Rider distributing valve shown in
Figure 1.
A is the rod actuating the main valve. B is a spindle projecting from the bush C
of the hollow cylindrical expansion valve. S is a worm wheel fixed to the spindle B.
The hollow cylinder has an angular movement given it whilst the engine is in
motion. This is accomplished by fixing a worin wheel S to the cylindrical valve into
the teeth of which gears a worm. The worm is fixed on the shaft of an electro
motor M which may be of any type provided it can start with a load from rest.
A commutator connected to any source of electricity serves to close the circuit to
the motor in one direction or the other as soon as the centrifugal governor departs
from its normal position that is to say when the speed of the engine increases or
decreases. The rotation of the motor will continue until the speed of the engine
again becoines normal when the governor breaks the circuit.
Figures 2, 3 and 4 show respectively a side elevation, a plan and a front elevation
(from the side of the lever N) of the commutator actuated directly by a centrifugal
governor.
The commutator which is enclosed in a box provided with doors d d' consists of
two metallic ares C¹ C² mounted upon an axis supported on pillars n' n² insulated by
means of bushes a¹ a². Prolongations m¹ m² of the arc extend to the other side of
the axis and are acted on by the governor through the lever N which is connected
to the prolongations m² m² by an insulated plate t. Movement therefore of the
governor causes corresponding simultaneous movement of the two arcs.
Above and below these two arcs CC2 are four contact springs p₁ p² p³p. The
metallic support for the springs from which they are insulated by plates f¹f pivots

page_text: freely on the axis of the apparatus and carries at the end of a lever L a worm wheel F
gearing with a worm operated by a hand wheel v. The springs pl p² p³ p+ rest at one
end on regulating screws 13 thus allowing the distance between the arcs C¹ C²
and the contact springs to be regulated.
If it be desired to change the normal rate of the engine, as is often required in
electric lighting stations, the hand wheel is rotated and the positions of the contact
springs pp2 p³ p+ thus altered.
The screws e¹ serve as terminals for
arcs CC2 to the terminals P1 P2 of the box.
to the conductors which connect the contact springs pl p² p³p to the terminals D¹ D²
of the box. The conductors of the outer circuit pass into the box through the
sleeves h¹ h² h³ ht.
binding the conductors which connect the
The screws q q² q³ q' serve as terminals
Figure 5 is a diagrain showing the connections with the source of electricity and
with the electro motor.
When the sleeve H of the governor falls the rod G lowers the lever N, this move-
ment causes electric contact to be made at K¹ K² and the motor will be rotated in the
direction for increasing the admission of steam.
When the sleeve H is raised it will also raise the lever N thus causing electrical,
contact to be inade at K2 K3 and as will be seen in Figure 5 the simultaneous contact
of the arcs CC2 with p³ p will cause the current to be sent into the armature of the
motor in the reverse direction and the motor will be rotated in the direction for
lessening the admission of steam.
The auxiliary rheostat R serves to regulate the speed of the arinature.
It may be remarked that the direction of rotation may be changed in another
nanner namely by changing the direction of the magnetic field. In this case by
giving to the magnets a second winding the commutator may be of more simple con-
struction, only one arc and two contact springs will then be necessary.
The application of this system has the following advantages
―:
1. It may be applied to any type of distributing arrangement.
2. It allows the working of each part to be separately controlled.
3. It does not require a governor of great weight with a small co-efficient of
variability and with great power of displacement.
4. The sensitiveness of regulation exclusively depends upon that of the governor.
5. Although very sensitive it allows considerable variations in speed.
6. The working of the centrifugal governor does not depend on the varying position
of the distributing parts when at rest or when in motion.
7. The working of the governor does not depend upon the variations in pressure of
the steam in the boilers, inasmuch as this pressure is generally sufficient to produce
the work required of the engine.
Having now 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 :-
1. Actuating the parts regulating the admission of steam such as valves, slides,
distributing cylinders, eccentrics and the like for governing the speed of steam
engines by means of an electro motor and special commutator operated by a centri-
fugal governor.
2. An electric cominutator operated by the centrifugal governor of a steam engine
which produces the alteration in the direction of rotation of an electro motor and so
actuates the part admitting the steam.
Dated this 16th day of January 1900.