IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING STEAM AND OTHER MOTORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter William Willans of Thames Ditton in the County
of Surrey for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING
STEAM AND OTHER MOTORS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter William Willans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th November 1883.
PETER WILLIAM WILLANS of Thames Ditton in the County of Surrey
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING STEAM AND OTHER MOTORS
נו
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for governing
steam and other motors.
year
1883
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me No 1184 in the
I have described an apparatus for governing engines employed to drive electric
generators.
The electric current, or a portion of it, is caused to pass through a solenoid and
the attraction of this upon its core is balanced against a spring. From the core of
the solenoid a rod passes to a lever which controls a small valve admitting water
under pressure to one or other side of a piston, which is directly connected with
the throttle valve.
According to my present Invention I actuate the throttle valvo directly by
means of a pair of powerful solenoids and I cause the first or governing solenoid to
establish electric currents, calling into action those which act directly upon the
valve.
The contacts are made by a lever, one end of which is moved by a part connected
with the core of the governing solenoid and the other with a part connected with
the cores of the motor solenoids.
A movement of the core of the governing solenoid in either direction brings the
lever into contact with one or the other of two insulated terminals, and the current
passes through one or the other of the pair of motor solenoids and the throtɩlo
valve is inoved either in a direction to cut off the steam from the engine, or to
admit of a freer flow as the case may be.
ר

page_text: The movement of the throttle valve tends to break the contact which was
established by the motion of the core of the governing solenoid.
In connection with the throttle valve I employ an auxiliary valve by which I
control the pressure on the two sides of the throttle valve so that the difference
may be maintained approximately constant or vary in a desired way and may
never be unduly great.
By this arrangement, which is applicable generally to throttle valves, I render
the working of these valves more regular, and if the throttle valve be a slide
moving upon a flat face I by this means reduce the pressure of the throttle valve
upon its face to any convenient amount. I cause the steam before it reaches the
throttle valve to pass this auxiliary controlling valve. I can use a piston valve
working in a cylinder. The valve is connected on the one side with a weight or
spring and on the other with a piston, the under side of which is constantly
exposed to the full pressure or that at which the steam is admitted.
Again steam is admitted to press on the upper side of the piston by a connection
with the pipe leading the steam from the throttle valve to the engine. The
pressure of this steam thus acts in aid of the weight or spring to open the auxiliary
valve; when the pressure of the boiler steam preponderates the auxiliary valve
closes.
Under these conditions the throttle valve will never have to be completely
closed by the governor unless the load upon the engine be so far reduced that its
speed can be maintained by a pressure of steam, less than that to which the
auxiliary valve has been set.

page_text: by the said Peter William Willans in the Patent Office on the 7th May
1884.
PETER WILLIAM WILLANS of Thames Ditton in the County of Surrey
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING STEAM AND OTHER MOTORS'
"
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for governing steam
and other motors.
In the specification of a former Patent granted to me N° 1184 in the year 1883
I have described an apparatus for governing engines employed to drive electric
generators.
The electric current or a portion of it is caused to pass through a solenoid and
the attraction of this upon its core is balanced against a spring. From the coro
of the solenoid a rod passes to a lover which controls a small valvo admitting water
under pressure to one or other side of a piston which is directly connected with
the throttle valvo.
According to my present invention I actuate the throttle valve directly by
means of a pair of powerful solenoids and I cause the first or governing solenoid to
establish electric currents calling into action those which act directly upon tho
valve.
The contacts are made by a lever, one end of which is moved by a part
connected with the core of the governing solenoid and the other with a part
connected with the cores of the motor solenoids.. A movement of the core of the
governing solenoid in either direction brings the lever into contact with one or the
other of two insulated terminals and the current passes through one or the other
of the pair of motor solenoids and the throttle valve is moved either in a direction
to cut off the steam. from the engine or to admit of a freer flow as the caso
may be.
The movement of the throttle valve tends to break the contact which was
established by the motion of the core of the governing solenoid.
In connection with the throttle valve I employ an auxiliary valve by which L
control the pressure on the two sides of the throttle valve so that the differenco
may be maintained approximately constant or vary in a desired way and may
never be unduly great.
By this arrangement which is applicable generally to throttle valves I render
the working of these valves more regular and if the throttle valve be a slide
moving upon a flat face I by this means reduce the pressure of the throttle valve
upon its face to any convenient amount I cause the steam before it reaches the
throttle valve to pass this auxiliary controlling valve. I can use a piston valve
working in a cylinder. The valve is connected on the one side with a weight or
spring and on the other with a piston the under side of which is constantly
exposed to the full pressure or that at which the steam is admitted.
Again steam is admitted to press on the upper side of the piston by a connection
with the pipe leading the steam from the throttle valve to the engine. The
pressure of this steam thus acts in aid of the weight or spring to open the auxiliary
valve; when the pressure of the boiler steam preponderates the auxiliary valve
closes
Under these conditions the throttle valve will never have to be completely
closed by the governor unless the load upon the engine be so far reduced that its
speed can be maintained by a pressure of steam less than that to which the
auxiliary valve has been set,

page_text: In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shews my improved governor in its simplest form.
T is the throttle valve connected by a rod to the core M of the two motor
solenoids. A B. When the current passes through the coils of the lower solenoid B
the core M and the throttle valve rod move downwards and the throttle valve T is
opened. When the current passes through the upper coils A the core M is drawn
upwards and the throttle valve T is closed.
G is the regulator solenoid as described in my former specification N° 1184–1883.
The pull on the core of this solenoid is balanced by a spring S in such a manner
that when the desired current is flowing through the coils of G. the coro may be
moved throughout its desired stroke without materially affecting the balance of
forces.
X Y is a straight bar connected to the throttle valve spindle at the point X
and to the rod of the core of the regulating solenoid at the point Y. On this
bar X Y is a piece of insulating conducting material F and to this I lead a wire
from one of the terminals of the dynamo machine or from some point in the circuit
called hereafter the positive conductor.
One end of each of the coils A B is connected to the other terminal of the
machine or to some other part of the circuit called hereafter the negative
conductor.
'
I place two other fixed insulated pieces of conducting material C. D. above and
below the point F in the bar X Y.
I place these in such a position that a very slight upward movement of F is
sufficient to make contact with C and a very slight downward movement of F is
sufficient to make contact with D..
I connect the terminal C with the end of the coils of motor solenoid B and
I connect D with the coils of motor solenoid A =
The action is as follows:-If the current through the coils of the regulating
solenoid G is greater than that which .I wish to maintain its, coro and the end Y
of the bar X Y move downwards, F makes contact with D F being connected to
the positive conductor and D to the negative conductor by way of the coils A a
current flows through A and the core M is drawn upwards towards the coils A.
By means of the rod connecting the core M with the throttle valve that valve is
partially closed and continues to close until the current through G is so far reduced
that the balance between the pull of the coils G and that of the spring S is
re-established and the downward motion of the end Y of the bar X Y is arrested.
The coro of tho motor solenoid M then only continues to move upwards until the
contact between F and D is broken when the mechanism will come to rest until
another disturbing influence acts upou the current. If the current becomes too
weak the action is reversed.
Figure 2 shows a modification of the arrangement in which the insulated contact
pieces C and D are carried by the rod leading from the core of the motor solenoids
to throttle valve T.
The insulated,contact piece F is carried by the rod of the regulating solenoid G.
The throttle valve in this is closed by a downward and opened by an upward
movement of the core M.
The action is as follows:-When the current through G becomes from any cause
weaker than desired the pull of the spring S overpowers tho pull of the current on
the core and the core moves upwards.
As it moves it carries with it the contact piece F which by making contact
with C establishes a current through the coils B the core M is drawn upwards and
the throttle valve T is opened as soon as its opening is sufficient to bring up the
current in G to the proper standard G's core ceases to move upwards and as soon

page_text: as M's upward movement has broken the contact between C and F M also ceases -
to move until another disturbing influence acts on the current.
Cases sometimes occur in which tho auxiliary valves employed in governors
constructed under my Patent No 1184-1883 are so large or requiro so much
power to move them that their direct actuation as described by me in that
specification can not be performed without seriously deranging the action of the
regulating solenoid-one condition of the satisfactory working of this latter being
that the power required to move the auxiliary valve should be small as compared
with the total pull of the spring. In such cases I employ the motor solenoids to
actuate the auxiliary valves controlling the supply of fluid to one side or other of
the piston which actuates the throttle valve or expansion gear.
Figure 3 shews such an arrangement. In this case K is the auxiliary piston
and L the piston valve consisting of two pistons the fluid pressure entering between
them by pipe P the two ends of the chamber in which this valve works being
connected with the exhaust pipe for the water or other fluid used. If. this valve
be moved upwards the fluid pressure acts on the upper side of the auxiliary
piston K and K moves downwards opening the throttle valve and if the piston.
valve L be moved downwards the auxiliary piston K moves up closing the throttle
valve.
I so arrange this valve in combination with suitable springs or weights that if
it is left to itself it comes to rest in its central position-this may be done in many.
ways. In the plan shewn in Figure 3 it is done as follows:
Two columns Q. Q. fixed to the casting in which the valve L works carry a
plate Z and bave stops R R at convenient points in their length.
The spindle of the piston valve L has a stop V fixed at a convenient point in its
length. When the piston valve is at the contre of its travel the latter stop is.
opposite the two stops R on the columns Q.
Two washers W. W. loose on the valve rod are pressed against the stops R R ou
the columns Q. Q. by springs N N¸unless the spindle of the piston valve be forcibly
moved and so move one or other washer by the pressure of the stop V overpowering
the springs N.
If the force applied to the valve rod be removed the valve is brought back to its
central position by the pressure of the spring acting until the washer W again
comes up against the stop R.
I connect the end of the valve rod with the core M of the two small motor
solenoids B A carried by the plate Z.
When the current passes through the coils B the core M is raised when tho
current passes through A the core M. is drawn down when there is no current
passing through either A or B or through both the core and valve come to their
central position.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the pull of the current on the core of the regulating solenoid G overcomes
the pull of the spring S contact is inade between F and D and a current passes
through A the core M and piston valve are drawn down admitting the fluid
pressure to the under side of piston K.
K moves upwards closing the throttle valve und reducing the speed of engine
until the downward motion of the core of the regulating solenoid is arrested when'
the contact between F and D is broken and the piston valve moves back at once to
its central position until another disturbing influence acts on the current.
When the current falls and the spring overpowers the pull on the coils F makes
contact with C and the action is reversed.
In some cases and especially in those where a large part of the current is allowed
to flow round.tho motor solenoids A B the sparking at the contact pieces F: C. D.
may be such as to cause practical inconvenience and in such cases an auxiliary pair
of motor solenoids.may be used the bar X Y for instance may be used to make and
break contact from the auxiliary solenoids-in which a very small current will suffice!
and the core of these latter may travel through a considerable distance in order to

page_text: make and break contact from and call into action the pairs of motor solenoids
which act on the throttle valve this distance being in fact such as to preclude the
possibility of an arc being formed. The core of the auxiliary pair of motor solenoids
is arranged to come back to its central position when the current ceases to pass
through its coils in the same way as described in Figure 3.
Sometimes to avoid sparking I arrange the contacts C. D. F. in the manner
represented by Figure 3* C and D are spring contacts and one or other of them is
at all times in contact with F. In this case the main current flows constantly
through one or both of the motor solenoids A. B. The solenoids or electro magnets
may be made in a variety of forms that which I have shown I consider the most
suitable.
In describing my invention I have referred to the throttle valve as the means by
which the regulation of the speed of the engine or motor is effected. I use this
term to include any valve which controls the passage of steam to the engine. It
is clear that the governor may be combined with any known arrangement by which
the amount of steam or other fluid supplied to an engine or motor can be regulated.
For instance the apparatus described and shown in Figure 3 may be used in
combination with any of the well known forms of expansion gear usually regulated
by ordinary governors. In cases also where ordinary governors are so arranged
that the speed of the engine can be readily varied by hand as for instanco where
the loading of an ordinary governor is effected partially or entirely by means of a
weight which can be shifted along a lover so as to increase or decrease the weight
which is lifted by the revolving balls. This shifting of the weight may be effected
by the piston K in Figure 3 or by the motor solenoids A B shown in Figure 1 and
Figure 2 the position of the weight and consequently the speed of the engine being
automatically decided by the position of the coro of the regulating solenoid G.
The current required for actuating the motor solenoids need not necessarily be
taken from the circuit which the governor regulates but may be generated by
batteries or obtained from any convenient source.
DESCRIPTION OF BALANCING REGULATING VALVE
In connection with the throttle valve I sometimes employ an auxiliary valve by
which I control the pressure on the outside of the throttle valve so that the difference
of pressure between the two sides of the valve may remain approximately constant
or in some cases may vary as desired and can never be unduly great. By this
arrangement which is applicable generally to throttle valves and not only to those
used for governing engines driving dynamos, I render the working of these valves
more regular and if the throttle valve be a slide moving on a flat face or any form
of valve in which the pressure of the steam determines partly or wholly the power
which is required to move the valve I by this means reduce the pressure of the
throttle valvo on its face to any convenient amount.
Before the steam enters the throttle valve the position of which decides the
amount of steam actually admitted to the engine I cause it to pass this auxiliary
controlling valve.
A convenient way of constructing such a valve is shown in Figure 4. In this
case the controlling valve is a trunk piston B working in a cylinder A; in the sides
of the piston B are two openings C. C. leading to its underside and from this under
side leads a pipe E to the ordinary throttle valve. The difference of pressure
between the two sides of which is desired to be kept approximately constant.
At a convenient part of the cylinder A the steam pipe from the boiler D enters.
To further ensure the regular working of this valve I increase the size of the
cylinder A at the parts where the pipe D enters it so that the pressure of the boiler
steam acts equally all round the piston B.
I lead a small pipe F to the upper side of piston B from some convenient
part of the steam cheat of the engine or from some part of the pipe between the
ordinary throttle valve and the steam chest.
W.

page_text: The upper side of the piston has consequently the steam chest pressure on it
and the under side the boiler pressure on it or such lesser pressure as the position
of the valve B may determine by partially moving the holes C. C. above the swell
in cylinder A and so diminishing their area.
A rod G passes through a stuffing box in the lower end of the cylinder A and on
it is placed a suitable weight or spring W-in the drawing a spring is indicated.
This weight or spring acting in conjunction with the steam pressure on the upper
side of the piston B and in opposition to the pressure on the lower side ensures that
the pressure on the lower side shall always exceed (by an amount dependent on the
pressure of the spring or the weight W) the pressure on the upper side. If the
steam pressure in the boiler is insufficient to maintain this constant excess of
pressure the holes C. C. remain full open. If on the other hand the difference
between the boiler pressure and the steam chest pressure is greater than that desired
the piston B rises until by the closing of the holes C. C. the pressure on the upper
side of B acting in conjunction with the weight or spring W balances the reduced
pressure on the lower side.
Having thus described the nature of my invention I would have it to be
understood that I claim :-
First The combination of a regulating solenoid and a motor solenoid or solenoids
with a throttle valve or mechanism controlling the engine in such mannor that the
motion of the throttle valve or other regulating mechanism which alters the speed
of the motor to be governed breaks the contact which the motion of the regulating
solenoid has previously established substantially as described.
Second-The combination with a throttle valve of a preliminary and rough
governing valve by which the difference of pressure between the two sides of the
throttle valve is kept practically constant or is controlled substantially as described.
Third The combinations of governing mechanism substantially as herein
described and shown on accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Peter William Willans have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Sixth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
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