AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES, THE SAME BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER KINDS OF MACHINERY.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Lambert Willis, junior, of Brewery Place,
Felton, in the County of Northumberland, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES, THE SAME BEING
ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER KINDS OF MACHINERY.
Sealed the 24th November 1874, and dated the 30th May 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Lambert Willis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th May 1874.
I, GEORGE LAMBERT WILLIS, junior, of Brewery Place, Felton, in the
County of Northumberland, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES, THE SAME
BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER KINDS OF MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of an improved hydraulic
governor which possesses great advantages as compared with the ordinary
centrifugal governor from its capability of being readily adjusted to any
amount of pressure, so as to overcome the friction of the throttle valve,
and also from its combination with an indicator, by means of which it

page_text: can be changed instantaneously from one rate of speed to another. A
great additional advantage consists also in the applicability of the
apparatus to any rotating part of an engine or machine, whatever may
be the motive power employed, as will be well understood by per-
sons conversant with machinery and mechanical arrangements and
appliances.
"
In the following description the application of this Invention to steam
engines will be referred to :-A force pump provided with a piston rod
and plunger is placed in connection with a tank supplied with a suitable
quantity of water, the piston rod and governor being connected with and
actuated by the eccentric and connecting rod and slide motion, or to any
part of the rotating portion of the engine, as will be well understood.
Upon the force pump being put into action a portion of the water is
raised thereby out of the tank through valves provided for that purpose
into a receiving space and into a connecting pipe, by means of which
the water passes to an accumulator," at which point it is checked by a
regulator furnished with a dial, the steam being regulated by the greater
or lesser discharge of water through the regulator, such water passing
back to the tank. The regulator dial is properly graduated, so as to
indicate the amount of outlet of water from the accumulator. Upon the
engine being started the water is forced into the accumulator, and by
means of suitable connections acts by means of a connecting rod upon
an arm attached to the throttle valve, which latter is opened or shut
according to the discharge of water through the regulator. The friction
of the throttle valve is overcome by a balance weight, which can be
proportioned so as to correspond to the power of the engine. When the
apparatus is in action the said piston and plunger and the valve in the
accumulator are suspended by a column of water through the before-
mentioned connecting pipe at a definite amount of speed.
In the use of this Invention the flow of water is constant, and the
least diminution in the speed of the engine causes the plunger at the
head of the piston rod to give way, and thereby open the throttle valve,
a regular speed being thus maintained, however the resistance of the
rotating part of the engine may from time to time be varied. For
instance, supposing the speed of the engine to be reduced, or even if the
engine be stopped, the regulator is turned back, when the plunger in the
accumulator immediately rises and cuts off the steam, until the speed is
reduced at whatever the regulator has been set at. The water which is

page_text: checked from passing through the regulator makes its escape by the
relief valve placed therein into the upper portion of the accumulator,
and thence by suitable pipes to the tank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Lambert Willis in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 30th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
LAMBERT WILLIS, junior, of Brewery Place, Felton, in the County of
Northumberlond, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty.
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Lambert Willis, junior, Her
special licence that I, the said George Lambert Willis, junior, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Lambert Willis, junior, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GOVERNOR FOR STEAM
ENGINES, THE SAME BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER KINDS OF MACHINERY," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Lambert Willis,
junior, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Lambert Willis, junior, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
annexed Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say:-
My said Invention relates to the construction of an improved hydraulic
governor which possesses great advantages as compared with the ordinary
centrifugal governor, from its capability of being readily adjusted to any
amount of pressure so as to overcome the friction of the throttle valve,
and also from its combination with an indicator, by means of which it
can be changed instantaneously from one rate of speed to another. A
great additional advantage consists also in the applicability of the
apparatus to any rotating part of an engine or machine whatever
may be the motive power power employed, as will be well understood
by persons conversant with machinery and mechanical arrangements and
appliances.
In the following description the application of this Invention to steam
engines will be referred to:-A force pump provided with a piston rod
and plunger is placed in connection with a tank supplied with a suitable
quantity of water, the piston rod and governer being connected with
and actuated by the eccentric and connecting rod and slide motion, or
with any part of the rotating portion of the engine, as will be well under-
stood. Upon the force pump being put into action a portion of the
water is raised thereby out of the tank through valves provided for that
purpose into a receiving space and into a connecting pipe, by means of
which the water passes to an "accumulator," at which point it is checked
by a regulator furnished with a dial, the steam being regulated by the
greater or lesser discharge of water through the regulator, such water
passing back to the tank. The regulator dial is properly graduated so
as to indicate the amount of outlet of water from the accumulator.
Upon the engine being started the water is forced into the accumulator,
and by means of suitable connections acts by the agency of a connecting
rod upon an arm attached to the throttle valve, which latter is opened
or shut according to the discharge of water through the regulator. The
friction of the throttle valve is overcome by a balance weight, which can
be proportioned so as to correspond to the power of the engine. When
the apparatus is in action the said piston and plunger and the valve in
the accumulator are suspended by a column of water passing through
the before-mentioned connecting pipo at a definite amount of speed.

page_text: In the use of this Invention the flow of water is constant, and the
least diminution in the speed of the engine causes the plunger at the
head of the piston rod to give way, and thereby open the throttle valve,
a regular speed being thus maintained, however the resistance of the
rotating part of the engine may from time to time be varied. For
instance, if it be desired to reduce the speed of the engine, or even to
stop the same, the regulator is turned back, when the plunger in the
accumulator immediately rises and cuts off the steam until the speed is
reduced to whatever the regulator has been set at. The water which is
checked from passing through the regulator makes its escape by the
relief valve placed therein into the upper portion of the accumulator,
and thence by suitable pipes to the tank.
The before-mentioned relief. valve is provided with a strong spring, by
which pressure is exerted to shut off the steam.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more fully understood.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus; Figure 2, a side elevation ;
Figure 3, a transverse section; and Figure 4, a plan view of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several
Figures.
a¹ is the plunger and piston rod in the force pump a by which the
water is raised out of the tank A through the valves B, B, into the
receiving space C and into the connecting pipe D. The water
passes to
the accumulator and is checked by the regulator E, which regulates
the steam by the greater or less discharge of water through the
same, the water passing back through the pipe n to the tank A. The
engine in starting forces the water into the accumulator F, which raises
the ram and relief valve G, and also raises the lever H, which passes
through the upright I to the connecting rod J attached to the
throttle valve arm and joint K, the throttle valve being opened or
shut according to the pressure exerted by the water passing through the
connecting pipe D. The friction of the throttle valve is overcome by
the balance weight L. When in operation the plunger and relief valve
in the accumulator are suspended by a. column of water which passes
through the connecting pipe D at a set speed, the flow of water is
constant, and the least diminution of speed immediately causes the
plunger to give way and open the throttle valve, a regular speed being

page_text: thus maintained. For instance, if it be desired to reduce the speed of
the engine, or to stop the same, the regulator is turned back, when the
plunger in the accumulator immediately rises and cuts off the steam
until the required result is produced. The water which has been pre-
vented from passing through the regulator escapes through the relief
valve Ginto the cover M. of the accumulator by the pipe N, and thence
through the pipe n into the tank A. The valve G is provided with a
spring, which exerts sufficient pressure to cause the steam to be shut off.
The dial and dial handle of the regulator are shown at O and o².
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the
said herein-before in part recitéd Letters Patent is the combination and
arrangement of parts and mechanism substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before set forth and described, or any mere modifications
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Lambert Willis, junior,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
GEORGE L. WILLIS, JUN³. (L.S.)