Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating or Controlling the Speed of Steam or other Engines for Driving Dynamo- electrical Machines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating or Controlling the
Speed of Steam or other Engines for Driving Dynamo-
electrical Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to governors or devices for automatically controlling the
amount of current generated by a dynamo-machine, by governing or regulating
the position of the valve or other speed controlling device of the steam engine or
other motor, driving the dynamo.
The present invention consists in combining with the valve or device which
controls the speed and power of the motor, a centrifugal governor, and a secondary
governor mechanism controlled by an electro motive device actuated by the current
produced, which secondary governor mechanism has a yielding or spring connection
with the valve-stem, so that the centrifugal governor may, in case of accidents,
control the valve and maintain the normal speed of the engine. The secondary
governor mechanism is also arranged or adjusted to open the valve to only a certain
prescribed extent, after which limit is reached the valve is under the sole control
of the centrifugal governor. The centrifugal governor operates to regulate the
speed of the engine to the work required of it within certain limits; but the valve
is operated to regulate the speed of the engine and the dynamo driven from the
same to the requirements of the electric current generated by the dynamo, by means
of an electro magnet or magnets connected with the external circuit, the armature
lever of which carries on opposite sides of its pivot a pair of friction gears, con-
stantly driven in opposite directions, one or the other of which is brought in
contact with and operates the valve-stem moving mechanism according as the
armature lever is rocked in one direction or the other.
My invention also consists in employing two electro-magnets to operate the
rocking lever by which the oppositely driven wheels are brought in connection
with the valve adjusting mechanism. These two electro magnets are both normally

page_text: cut out of circuit and one or the other are put in circuit by a controlling magnet
in the circuit to be regulated, which magnet operates simply as a relay to open and
close the circuit through one or the other of the two operating magnets. By this
means the regulator is made very sensitive and quick to respond to very slight
changes in the current, as the controlling magnet has no work to do except simply
to open or close the circuits through the two operating magnets by which the
power driven gears or wheels upon the rocking-lever are held in engagement with
the mechanism by which the motion is communicated to the valve-stem.
When the required current is being generated by the dynamo and the armature
lever occupies its normal position, neither of the friction-wheels on the rocking
lever touch the valve stem operating wheel, and the valve of course remains
stationary. Motion is communicated from these two revolving friction wheels on
the rocking lever to the valve stem by means of an externally threaded non-
rotating sleeve which fits loosely on the valve-stem and abuts against collars or
stops above and below it secured rigidly to the valve-stem, and which threaded
sleeve works in a threaded bevel gear journaled on a stationary bracket and which
is operated by the friction wheels on the armature lever. A spring is inserted
between the threaded. sleeve and the upper stop or collar on the valve-stem.to
prevent any sudden or jumping movement, and by its compression permits the
valve-stem to respond to the centrifugal governor. The connection between the
valve-stem and the centrifugal governor, is such that when being depressed by
operation of the threaded gear and sleeve, the centrifugal governor will not impede
the movement. And thus not only the centrifugal governor, but the mechanism
set in motion by the electro-magnet can independently control the movement of
the valve-stem. The latter serves to alter the speed of the engine and dynamo to
.correspond to any material change in the amount of current required, occasioned
for example by the lighting or extinguishment of some or all of the lamps, or other
cause which increases or diminishes the resistance of the external circuit. And
the centrifugal governor is set or adjusted to take effect only when the speed of
the engine is increased above that required to produce the current necessary to
maintain the whole number of lamps, as in the case of an accidental breaking of
the circuit, in which the engine would "runaway" but for the centrifugal governor.
The threaded sleeve is made of a limited length, or its threaded portion is limited
'so that it will only operate to raise the valve to a certain and limited extent, after
which limit is reached the valve is under control of the centrifugal governor alone.
As the valve-stem slides freely through the threaded sleeve, and as the connection
between the threaded sleeve and the valve-stem is through a compressible spring,
the centrifugal governor may act whenever called into play, and all that is
required to completely disconnect the electrical part of the governor, and leave the
engine under the sole control of the centrifugal governor is to simply remove the
belt which communicates motion to the pair of friction wheels on the armature
lever. It will be understood that the same regulator mechanism may be used to
control the current when a water-wheel or other motor is employed to drive the
dynamo-machine. In such case, the regulator mechanism will be connected by
suitable mechanism to adjust the position of the water supply gate of the water
wheel and thus control its speed. And my regulator mechanism is also applicable
'for use upon dynamo electric machines for the purpose of adjusting the position of
the collecting brushes, and thus regulating the amount of current.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co., 5
For the Applicant.

page_text: electrical Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents;
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
My invention relates to governors or devices for automatically controlling the
amount of current generated by a dynamo machine, by governing or regulating
the position of the valve or other speed controlling device of the steam engine or
other motor, driving the dynamo.
The present invention consists in combining with the valve or device which
controls the speed and power of the motor, a centrifugal governor, and a secondary
governor mechanism controlled by an electro motive device actuated by the current
produced, which secondary governor mechanism has a yielding or spring connection
with the valve-stem, so that the centrifugal governor may, in case of accidents,
control the valve and maintain the normal speed of the engine. The secondary
governor mechanism is also arranged or adjusted to open the valve to only a certain
prescribed extent, after which limit is reached the valve is under the sole control
of the centrifugal governor. The centrifugal governor operates to regulate the
speed of the engine to the work required of it within certain limits; but the valve
is operated to regulate the speed of the engine and the dynamo driven from the
same to the requirements of the electric currents generated by the dynamo, by
means of an electro magnet or magnets connected with the external circuit, the
armature lover of which carries on opposite sides of its pivot a pair of friction.
gears, constantly driven in opposite directions, one or the other of which is brought
in contact with and operates the valve-stem moving mechanism, according as the
armature lever is rocked in one direction or the other.
My invention also consists in employing two electro magnets to operate the
rocking lever by which the oppositely driven wheels are brought in connection with
the valve adjusting mechanism. These two electro-magnets are both normally cut
out of circuit, and one or the other are put in circuit by a controlling magnet in
the circuit to be regulated, which magnet operates simply as a relay to open and
close the circuit through one or the other of the two operating magnets. By this
means the regulator is made very sensitive and quick to respond to very slight
changes in the current, as the controlling magnet has no work to do except simply
to open or close the circuits through the two operating magnets by which the
power driven gears or wheels upon the rocking lever are held in engagement with
the mechanism by which the motion is communicated to the valve stem.
When the required current is being generated by the dynamo and the armature
lever occupies its normal position, neither of the friction wheels on the rocking

page_text: lever touch the valve stem operating wheel, and the valve of course remains
stationary. Motion is communicated from these two revolving friction wheels on
the rocking lever to the valve stem by means of an externally threaded non-
rotating sleeve which fits loosely on the valve stem and abuts against collars or
stops above and below it secured rigidly to the valve stem, and which threaded
sleeve works in a threaded bevel gear journaled on a stationary bracket and which
is operated by the friction wheels on the armature lever. A spring is inserted
between the threaded sleeve and the upper stop or collar on the valve stem to
prevent any sudden or jumping movement, and by its compression permits the
valve stem to respond to the centrifugal governor. The connection between the
valve-stem and the centrifugal governor, is such that when being depressed by
operation of the threaded gear and sleeve, the centrifugal governor will not impede
the movement. And thus not only the centrifugal governor, but the mechanism
set in motion by the electro magnet can independently control the movement of
the valve stem. The latter serves to alter the speed of the engine and dynamo to
correspond to any material change in the amount of current required, occasioned
for example by the lighting or extinguishment of some or all of the lamps, or other
cause which increases or diminishes the resistance of the external circuit. And the
centrifugal governor is set or adjusted to take effect only when the speed of the
engine is increased above that required to produce the current necessary to main-
tain the whole number of lamps, as in the case of an accidental breaking of the
circuit, in which the engine would "runaway" but for the centrifugal governor.
The threaded sleeve is made of a limited length, or its threaded portion is limited
so that it will only operate to raise the valve to a certain and limited extent, after
which limit is reached the valve is under control of the centrifugal governor alone.
As the valve-stem slides freely through the threaded sleeve, and as the connection
between the threaded sleeve and the valve-stem is through a compressible spring,
the centrifugal governor may act whenever called into play, and all that is required
to completely disconnect the electrical part of the governor, and leave the engine
under the sole control of the centrifugal governor is to simply remove the belt
which communicates motion to the pair of friction-wheels on the armature lever.
In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in
which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1, is a side elevation
of a device embodying my invention, showing also a diagram of the circuits.
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the mechanism employed to
communicate motion in one direction or the other to the valve-stem. Figure 3 is
a section on line 3, 3, of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a detail rear view of the
operating magnets.
In said drawing A, may represent the valve-chamber of a steam-engine and a the
valve-stem, A¹ the dynamo machine which is driven by the engine controlled by
the valve A, and C is the external circuit supplied with current by said dynamo,
and the amount of current on which is to be governed or regulated. B is a con-
trolling or relay, magnet connected with the circuit C, and preferably included
directly therein in series with the arc lamps or other working resistances on said
circuit. D and D¹ are two electro magnets by which the rocking lever E is tilted
in one direction or the other, so as to bring the constantly revolving wheels e e¹,
journaled thereon on opposite sides of its fulcrum, in engagement with the friction.
wheel F, on the shaft f, which communicates the motion to the valve stem. The
magnets D and D¹ are both normally out of circuit, but the circuit through one or
the other of these magnets may be closed by the relay magnet B, according as the
current through said magnet B is greater or less than its normal or proper amount.
The magnet B has an armature or switch lever b, which makes connection with the
contact piece 6¹, or the contact piece 62, or neither of said contact pieces, according
as the current on the circuit C is greater or less than its normal amount or at its
normal amount. A spring b³ and its adjusting screw b*, serve to pull the switch or
armature b into connection with the contact piece 69 when the current through the
controlling.magnet B falls below its normal or proper strength.
+

page_text: The shaft of the friction-wheel F, is journaled in a suitable standard F¹ and
provided with a beveled gear f¹, which meshes with a hollow, beveled gear f
journaled on a bracket Få attached to the standard F¹.
This hollow beveled gear has an internal thread which engages an external
threaded sleeve f³ surrounding the valve-stem, and through which the valve stem
can freely play. A stop fo secured rigidly to the valve-stem, holds this sleeve in
position at one end, while a stop f° serves the same purpose at the other. A coil
spring is inserted between the stop or collar f and the end or head of the
externally threaded sleeve f³, so as to prevent too sudden a movement of the
valve and to permit the valve stem to be depressed or moved by the centrifugal
governor H, after the valve stem has reached a certain limit of movement, or in
case the electric governer mechanism should fail to act for any cause, as for
example the opening of the main circuit. The threaded sleeve f³ is prevented from
revolving by an arm or projection f8 thereon which moves up and down in a vertical
slot or groove f in the bracket F¹.
The sleeve for rather its threaded portion is of limited length, so that it will
operate to raise the valve-stem only to a certain prescribed extent, after which limit
is reached the further revolution of the beveled gear f', will, of course, have no
effect upon the valve, which will then be under the sole control of the centrifugal
governor. The upper end of the valve-stem a rests loosely in the vertically moving
socket peice R of the centrifugal governor, so that when the valve stem is being
depressed by action of the threaded sleeve f³ and revolving nut f³, the centrifugal
governor will not impede the movement of the valve-stem.
The magnet D is included in the circuit or wire d which leads from the lower
contact piece b¹ through magnet D to a binding-post N, connected to the main
circuit by a wire n. The magnet D¹ is included in a circuit or wire & which leads
from the upper contact piece b³ through said magnet D¹ and thence to binding
post N and wire n to the main circuit. The friction-wheels e and e¹ may be con-
stantly driven in opposite directions in any suitable manner, but preferably by
means of intermeshing gears e² on the shafts of said friction wheels, one of which
gears e meshes with the gear e on the shaft es of the driving pulley e. This
driving pulley et may receive its motion from any suitable power or moving part
of the engine or dynamo. The friction wheels e and e' should preferably have
beveled or inclined faces, and the friction wheel F should have a corresponding
V shaped groove on its periphery.
The operation is as follows-As long as the normal or proper amount of current
is being generated by the dynamo machine, and flows through the controlling
magnet B on the circuit C, the switch or armature 6 will occupy its normal
position, and thus make connection with neither contact peice 6¹ nor 68, so that
both the operating magnets D and D¹ will remain out of circuit. The moment
however any excess of current is generated, or any change occurs in the external
resistance, the controlling magnet B will pull its armature or switch lever b into
connection with the contact piece b¹ and thus close the circuit d through the
operating magnet D, and thus pull that end of the rocking lever E down and bring
its constantly revolving friction-wheel e into connection with the friction-wheel F,
and thus revolve the threaded nut f' in the direction necessary to depress the
valve stem and thus diminish the speed of the engine until a proper amount of
current is restored, when the armature 6 of the controlling magnet will again
resume its central or normal position and open the circuit d through the operating
magnet D. When, however, too little current is being generated or flows through
the controlling magnet B, the switch or armature b will be raised by the spring b³
into connection with the contact 62, and thus close the circuit through the opposite
magnet D, and move the opposite friction-wheel e¹ into connection with the
wheel F and thus move the valve stem in the opposite direction and increase the
speed of the engine until the normal current has been again restored.
I have here shown my invention as applied to the valve of a steam engine,
it will however be understood that the same regulator mechanism may be used to

page_text: control the current when a water wheel or other motor is employed to drive the
dynamo machine. In such case, the regulator mechanism will be connected by
suitable mechanism to adjust the position of the water supply gate of the water
wheel and thus control its speed. And my regulator mechanism is also applicable
for use upon dynamo electric machines for the purpose of adjusting the position of
the collecting brushes, and thus regulating the amount of current. For such use
a pulley or sprocket wheel may be placed on the shaft instead of the bevel
gear and a chain or belt thereon connect directly with the brushes or their
supporting ring.
(
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The electric steam governor consisting of the combination with the valve
stem of a steam engine, of a controlling relay magnet B connected with a circuit
supplied with current by a dynamo driven by said engine, two operating
magnets D, D¹, normally out of circuit, said controlling or relay magnet operating
to close the circuit through one or the other of said operating magnets according
as the current. is less or greater than its normal amount, a rocking lever E
furnished with two oppositely driven wheels, and connecting mechanism for
communicating the motion of one or the other of said wheels to said valve stem,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with a valve-stem of a steam engine driving a dynamo
machine, of relay magnet B- included in the external circuit of said dynamo,
operating magnets D and D¹, included in normally open circuits adapted to be
closed by said relay, rocking lever E furnished with constantly and oppositely
driven wheels e and e¹, wheel F, shaft f, gear f¹, hollow internally threaded
gear f, and externally threaded sleeve f³. connected with said valve stem, sub-
stantially as specified.
3. The electric current regulator consisting in the combination with a controlling
relay magnet connected with the circuit, the current on which is to be regulated,
two operating magnets included in normally open circuits adapted to be closed by
said relay, a lever, as E, furnished with two oppositely power driven wheels,
as e, e', and a third wheel, as F, to which the motion of one or the other of said
wheels e,
el
may be communicated according as said lever E is moved by magnet D
or magnet D¹, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with a relay controlling magnet B connected with the
circuit, the current on which is to be regulated, of two operating magnets D
and D included in normally open circuits adapted to be closed by said relay,
rocking lever E, friction wheels e and el, friction wheel F, shaft f, gear f¹, hollow
internally threaded gear f3, externally threaded sleeve f³, stops fo and f6, spring f"
and valve stem a, substantially as specified.
5. The combination of relay magnet B having armature or switch lever b,
contacts 61 and 62, with magnets D and D¹, rocking lever E, wheels e and el
intermeshing gears e³ and e³, and wheel F engaging one or the other of said
wheels e, e¹, according as said lever E is tilted in one direction or the other,
substantially as specified.
6. In an electric current regulator the combination of a relay controlling magnet
included in the circuit to be regulated, two operating magnets, as D and D¹,
circuits through which are adapted to be closed by said relay, and suitable
connecting mechanism operated by said magnets D, D', for communicating the
motion from the driving power to its speed 'controlling device, substantially as
specified.
7. The combination, with a valve-stem, of a centrifugal governor having a loose
connection with said valve-stem, so that it may be moved independent thereof,
'mechanism for operating the valve stem having a yielding or spring connection
4
し

page_text: therewith, and an electro magnet actuated by the current produced for putting
said mechanism in operation, substantially as specified.
8. The combination, with the valve-stem, of a centrifugal governor, and a
secondary governor mechanism put in operation by an electro-motive device
actuated by the current produced, said secondary-governor mechanism having a
yielding or spring connection with said valve-stem, substantially as specified.
9. The combination, with a centrifugal governor, of a valve-stem actuated in
one direction thereby, but not in the other, a spring for moving the valve-stem in
the opposite direction and a secondary governor controlled by an electro-motive
device in the current produced, connected with the valve-stem through said spring
for moving the valve in one direction, and rigidly with the valve-stem for moving
it in the opposite direction, substantially as specified.
10. The combination in a motor, of its speed or power regulating stem, with a
centrifugal governor, and a secondary governor actuated or set in operation by an
electro-motive device in the current produced, said secondary governor having a
yielding or spring connection with said regulating stem to move it in one direction,
and a fixed connection in the opposite direction, substantially as specified.
11. The combination of a valve-stem with a centrifugal governor, a non-rotary
externally threaded sleeve fitting loosely on said stem, stops or collars secured to
said valve-stem to limit the movement of said sleeve thereon, a spring between
one of said stops and said sleeve, an internally threaded hollow gear working on
said sleeve journaled in a stationary bearing, a pivoted armature-lever provided
with oppositively-driven gears on each side of its pivot, and gears or mechanism
for communicating the motion of one or the other of said oppositely-driven gears
to said internally-threaded hollow gear, substantially as specified.
12. The combination, with valve stem a, provided with shoulders or collars ƒ³, ƒª,
of externally threaded sleeve f³, spring f*, internally threaded hollow gear f2, an
electro-motive device, and mechanism put in operation by said electro-motive
device for revolving said internally threaded gear in opposite directions, sub-
stantially as specified.
13. The combination, with a centrifugal governor, and a reciprocating valve-
stem fitting loosely in the movable socket-piece of said governor, of an externally
threaded-sleeve fitting loosely on said valve-stem above and a fixed connection
below said sleeve, and means for imparting motion in opposite directions to said
threaded sleeve from an electro-motive device, substantially as specified.
14. The combination with a centrifugal governor, of a valve-stem, a sleeve
fitting loosely on said valve-stem, a yielding connection or spring to prevent or
limit its longitudinal movement on said stem, and an electro magnet connected
with said sleeve, substantially as specified.
15. The combination of a centrifugal governor with a valve-stem provided with
stops or shoulders f5 f, spring f', sleeve ƒ³, having a limited screw-threaded
portion and threaded gear f, and a secondary governor mechanism controlled by
an electro magnet for operating said threaded sleeve and gear, substantially as
specified.