Improvements in Apparatus for Governing Steam Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Governing Steam Engines.
I, JAMES DIXON CHURCHILL, of 37, Alexandra Road, Finsbury Park, in the
County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for governing steam engines such as
marine engines and relates to improved means for controlling the main steam valve
and compound attachment valve from the engine governor; to an improved
arrangement of compound attachment valves; to an improved construction of such
valves; and to an improved arrangement of gearing for driving the governor from
the engine crank shaft.
According to this invention the compound attachment valve is operated by a link
and lever through a pin and slot attachment from a rod worked from the governor,
which may be of any suitable kind as for example that known as the Churchill
inarine governor, and controls the main high pressure valve, the arrangement being
such that the main valve can be closed to a predetermined extent before the
compound attachment valve will be opened, and this latter valve will be closed
during the earlier part of the opening movement of the main valve. In one
arrangement the two valves are operated from the piston or other controlling part
of the governor through a suitably guided and supported rod or link. In another
arrangement the slotted lever for working the compound attachment valve and the
main valve is worked from two levers that are connected together and to a third
lever directly controlled by the governor through flexible connections such as wire
ropes, supported and guided where necessary by pulleys. In such an arrangement
one arm of the third lever may be connected by a wire to one arm of a lever fixed
to the spindle of the main valve, the other arm of this lever being connected by a
second wire to one arm of the lever used for controlling the compound attachment
valve. The second arm of this second lever is connected by a third wire to the
second arm of the third lever. When using a compound attachment valve it is
usual to place it at the centre of the length of a connecting pipe by which the
upper and lower ends of the low pressure cylinder can be placed in communication
with each other when the speed of the engine becomes excessive. Stop valves are
provided for independently closing the communication between the cylinder and the
connecting pipe. According to this invention I employ two compound attachment
valves one placed near each end of the low pressure cylinder, and both attached to
the connecting pipe. By this arrangement stop valves are dispensed with and I
prevent steam passing into the pipe and being thereby lost when the said valves are
closed, as it does when a central valve with two stop valves are used and the stop
valves are open.
The two compound attachment valves are provided with lever arms connected
by a link worked from the governor, it may be in the manner herein before
described.
A compound attachment valve according to this invention consists of a valve case
within which is a depending taper slotted valve seat within which is a corre-
spondingly tapered slotted valve provided with means for adjusting its position to
compensate for wear.
In one arrangement I use for effecting this adjustment a screw nut journalled on
the valve stem and able to work through a correspondingly screw-threaded hole in
the end of that part of the valve body in which the valve seat is formed.
The governor is worked through an endless rope or band driven from a counter
shaft arranged below the flooring or starting platform of the engine room and

page_text: driven from the forward end of the main crank shaft through friction gearing that
may comprise a A shaped plate on the main shaft and a V shaped pulley on
the counter shaft, the latter pulley being carried by a lever whereby it can be
moved into contact with and removed from the first pulley. By this arrangement
the governor driving gear can be so arranged as not to cause an obstruction on the
starting platform and the governor being driven from the forward end of the main
shaft, will not be thrown out of action should the propeller shaft be broken.
Dated this 29th day of April 1890,
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Apparatus for Governing Steam Engines.
1, JAMES DIXON CHURCHILL, of 37, Alexandra Road, Finsbury Park, in the
County of London, Engineer, 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:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for governing steam engines such as
marine engines, and relates to improved means for controlling the main steam
throttle valve, (hereinafter called the throttle valve.) and compound attachment
valve from the engine governor; to an improved arrangement of compound
attachment valves and to an improved construction of such valves.
According to this invention the compound attachment valve is operated by a link
and lever mechanism through a pin and slot attachment or connection from a rod
worked from the governor, which may be of any suitable kind as for example that
known as the Churchill marine governor, and which controls the throttle valve, the
arrangement being such that the throttle valve can be closed to a predetermined
extent before the compound attachment valve will be opened, and this latter valve
will be closed during the earlier part of the opening movement of the throttle valve.
When using a compound attachment valve it is usual to place it at the centre of the
length of a connecting pipe by which the upper and lower ends of the low pressure
cylinder can be placed in communication with each other when the speed of the
engine becomes excessive. Stop valves are provided for independently closing the
communication between the cylinder and the connecting pipe. According to this
invention employ two compound attachment valves one placed near each end of
the low pressure cylinder, and both attached to the connecting pipe. By this
arrangement stop valves are dispensed with and I prevent steam flowing through
the pipe and being thereby last when the said valves are closed, as it does when a
central valve with two stop valves are used and the stop valves are open. This
arrangement also prevents loss of steam in the clearance spaces formed in the
connecting pipe at each side of the central single arrangement of compound
attachment valve.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front elevation; and
Fig. 2 a plan of so much of a triple expansion marine engine as is necessary to
illustrate the application thereto of governing apparatus according to this
invention.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a vertical section, and a plan, to a larger scale, of
part of the low pressure cylinder with two compound attachment valves.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the two valves and connecting pipe.
Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a side clevation, and a plan also to a larger scale
of a lever and rod with pin and slot connection.
The remaining figures are hereinafter referred to.

page_text: 1, 2, and 3 are the high pressure, intermediate, and low pressure cylinders
respectively of a triple expansion marine steam engine. 4 and 4* are two compound
attachment valves one placed near the upper end, and the other near the lower end
of the low pressure cylinder 3 and both attached to a connecting pipe 5, the
arrangement being such that when the valves are opened as hereinafter described,
they place the upper and lower ends of the cylinder in cominunication with each
other through the steam ports and passages 6 and 7 and connecting pipe 5 so as to
equalize the pressure per unit of surface at the opposite sides of the low pressure
piston. The spindle of each of these compound attachment valves is in the
arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 provided with a lever arm 8 connected by a
link 9 to an arm 10 fixed to a rock shaft 11 mounted in suitable bearings 12. This
rock shaft has fixed to its lower end, a lever arm 13 (see Figs. 6 and 7) formed
with a slot 14 into which projects a pin 15 carried by a rod 16. This rod, which is
arranged to slide in suitable bearings 16", is connected to one arm 17 of a three
armed lever pivoted at 18, and actuated from the piston rod 19 of the engine
governor 20, (which is of the kind hereinbefore mentioned,) through a connecting
rod 20 jointed to the arm 17" of the said lever, the other arin 17 being connected
by a rod 21 and lever arm 21° to the spindle 22 of the throttle valve. The left
hand end of the slot 14 is slightly enlarged as shewn at 14 to receive the 15
pin
when the same is at this end of the slot and to form a bearing against which the pin
acts to move the lever 13 to the right after having previously moved it to the left,
so as to close the compound attachment valves during the earlier part of the
movement of the rod 16 to the right to open the throttle valve.
With the arrangement described it will be seen that when the engine governor
actuates the three armed lever to close the throttle valve it will actuate the rod 16,
but this rod will not actuate the lever arni 13, to open the compound attachment
valves, until the pin 15 carried by the said rod reaches the left hand end of the
slot 14, so that these valves will not be opened until after the throttle valve has
been closed to a predetermined extent, depending upon the length of the slot 14.
By this means the compound attachment valves will not be opened, and steam will
consequently not be lost in the low pressure cylinder, unless the speed of the engine
rises excessively; and the speed of the engine will not be too suddenly checked.
When the governor acts in the opposite direction the compound attachment valves,
if these have been previously opened, will be closed by the action of the pin 15
upon the shoulder at 14 and the upper side of the slot 14 during the earlier part of
the opening movement of the throttle valve and will thus allow the low pressure
cylinder to resume work simultaneously with the high pressure cylinder thereby
ensuring smooth working of the engine. Means may be provided to automatically
lock the compound attachment valves in the closed attitude in the event of the
engine racing excessively or breaking down. A convenient arrangement for this
purpose is to provide the rod 16 with a collar 16 (see Fig. 1) having an inclined
surface upon which bears the hooked end of a lever 16, the length of the collar
being such that during the ordinary working of the engine the collar will not be
moved sufficiently to the left to permit the hooked end of the lever to full and
engage with the end of the collar, but will do so under the action of a spring or
equivalent when the governor reaches the maximum of its stroke. The lever and
collar can be disengaged by a wire or rod 16 attached to the other end of the
lever 16. As will be obvious, the means employed for connecting the compound
attachment valves to the engine governor may be variously modified. Thus in the
arrangement shewn in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the arms 8 fixed to the spindles of the two
valves, are connected together by a link 9 the lower end of which jointed to one
arm 13 of a lever, the other arm 13 of which is slotted and connected by a pin tc a
rod 16 as in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7. In Figs. 8 and 9, which are elevations at right
angles to each other and both partly in section, the rod 16 actuated from the engine
governor, carries a plate 23 to which is fixed a pin 15 that extends into a slot 14 in
the lever arm 13, which is fixed to the rock shaft 11 for actuating the compound

page_text: attachneut valves. The red 16 and plate 23 are guided vertically by a block 24
fixed to one end of the rock shaft and arranged to work in a slot 25 in the plate.
In the arrangement shewn diagrammatically in Fig. 10 and in plan in Fig. 10
the slotted lever arin 13 and rod 16 for operating the compound attachment valves,
are worked by a link 16 from two levers 26 and 27 that are connected together
and to a third lever 28, directly controlled by the engine governor 20, through
flexible connections such as wire ropes that are supported and guided where
necessary by pulleys 30 and are provided at suitable points with screw attachments
for tightening and adjusting them when necessary. In this arrangement as will be
seen, one arm of the lever 28 is connected by a wire 29 to one arm of the lever 27
which is fixed to the spindle 22 of the throttle valve, the other arm of this lever
being connected by a second wire 29 to one arm of the lever 26. The other arm
of this lever 20 is connected by a third wire 29º to the second arm of the lever 28.
By this arrangement when the governor causes the lever 28 to pull the wire 29' in
the direction of the arrow. it will actuate the lever 26, wire 29ª and lever 27 to
close the throttle valve, and will also actuate the rod 16 which will operate the
compound attachment valves as before through the pin 15 and slotted lever 13, the
reverse action taking place when the governor moves the lever 28 in the opposite
direction. Although I have shewn and described apparatus for governing steam
engines in which two compound attachment valves are ustal arranged as described.
because I consider this arrangement the best in practice, it will be obvious that in
cases where only one of such valves is used, it can be controlled in the manner
hereinbefore described from the governor through a pin and slot connection.
A compound attachment valve according to this invention consists of a valve ense
within which is a tapered slotted valve seat within which is a correspondingly
tapered slotted valve provided with means for adjusting its position to compensate
for wear.
Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively a vertical section and a side elevation illustrating
one construction of such valve. 31 is the tapered slotted valve seat formed with a
flange 31" by which it is secured between the upper and lower parts of the valve
case 32. 33 is a correspondingly tapered slotted valve carried by a spindle 34 and
the position of which, relatively to the valve seat, can be adjusted by means of a
screw nut 35 journalled on a redneed part 33 of the valve spindle and able to work
through a correspondingly screw threaded hole in the lower end 31 of that part of
the valve body in which the valve seat is formed.
Fig. 13 and 14 are similar views to Figs. 11 and 12 illustrating a modified
arrangement in which the position of the valve is adjusted by means of the stuffing
box 36 which is screw threaded externally and arranged to work through a corre-
spondingly screw threaded hole in the top of the valve case. The valve spindle is
formed with a collar 37 that is held between the stuffing box and a two part or split
ring 38 by a recessed nut 39 screwed to the lower end of the stuffing box the
arrangement being such that the spindle can rotate in the stuffing box but cannot
move endways therethrough. 40 is a lock mut for the stuffing box.
n
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for governing a steam engine in which a compound attachment
valve, or valves, on the low pressure cylinder is, or are, actuated through a pin and
slot connection from the governor that controls the main high pressure throttle
valve, the arrangement being such that the main valve can be closed to a pre-
determined extent before the compound attachment valve, or valves, will be opened,
and the latter valve, or valves, will be closed during the earlier part of the opening
movement of the main throttle valve substantially as hereinbefore described for the
purposes specified.
2. For governing a steam engine, providing the low pressure cylinder with two

page_text: compound attachment valves, one placed near each end of the said cylinder to
control the passage through a common connecting pipe and both worked from the
engine governor substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
3. My improved apparatus for governing steam engines, constructed arranged
and operating substantially as hercinbefore described with reference respectively to
and shown in Figs. 1, 14, 2, 6 and 7; or modified according to Figs. 3, 4 and 5; or
according to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings annexed.
4. My improved apparatus for governing steam engines in which the compound
attachment valve, or valves, and the main high pressure throttle valve, are
controlled in the manner set forth from the engine governor through levers and
suitably guided flexible connections substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figs. 10 and 104 of the drawings annexed.
5. In apparatus for governing steam engines, a compound attachment valve
consisting of a valve case within which is supported a tapered slotted valve seat
fitted with a correspondingly tapered slotted valve, and means for adjusting the
position of the valve relatively to its scat, substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 11 and 12; and in Figs. 13
and 14 of the drawings annexed.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
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