AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING MARINE SCREW-PROPELLER ENGINES
Year: 1886

page_text: GEORGE THOMAS GREY, 91 West Holborn South Shields in the county of
Durham, engineer, and GEORGE BURNETT, Marine Approach South Shields in the
county of Durham, engineer do hereby declare the nature of their invention for
AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING MARINE SCREW-PROPELLER ENGINES and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention has for its object the governing of marine screw-propeller engines.
Firstly, by the natural law of gravitation; secondly, by suitable apparatus to work
a slide valve connected to an auxiliary cylinder, whose piston rod is in direct
communication with the throttle of main engines. We will now more particularly
describe the govenor and its mode of action. According to our invention, a suitable
sized pipe is placed vertically in the after part of the ship, its length being
preferably about one half the diameter of the propeller: the lower end is put into
communication with the external sea or water by means of 'a cock fastened to the
ships side at about the centre line of the shaft: and the upper end is connected to
a stop valve, from which is lead a small pipe, whose end terminates at the under-
side of a hollow float contained in a cistern partly filled with water or other liquid;
and on the top of the float, rests the slide spindle of the auxiliary cylinder. Now,
as the stern of the ship rises or falls; the level of the water in the vertical' pipe
will corrospondingly change: and the air contained within the pipe, and the
underside of float, will be rarefied, or compressed, and the float will rise or fall
accordingly, and so give the neccessary movement to the slide valve of the auxiliary
cylinder: by which, the throttle of main engines will be opened or closed. Steam
power from the main boiler may be conveniently used to actuate the said cylinder ;
or if preferred, compressed air, water, or other fluid may be employed. A cock or
valve is provided on the pipe connected directly under the cistern and leading aft
to the vertical pipe, so that the quantity of air contained, and also the head of
water within the vertical pipe, can be regulated, to determine the point at which
the throttle valve shall be closed. And in order that our said invention, and the
manner of performing the same, may be properly understood, we hereunto append
a sheet of explanatory drawings, to be hereafter referred to, and representing our
[Price B11

page_text: improved apparatus. Figure 1, in the accompanying sheet of drawings is vertical
section of the part of the apparatus which is in the engine room, and figure 2, is a
plan of the same part. Figures 3 and 4, are vertical sections of the part which is
at the ship's stern. The pipe 4, fitted at the stern of the ship has its bottom end
put into communication with the external sea or water by the cock 5 which is
fitted to the ship's side. On the top of pipe 4 is fitted the valve 6. When the
cock 5 is open to the sea, the water will rise in pipe 4 to the same level as outside.
Should the ships stern be submerged so as to cause the top of pipe 4 to be under
the level of the external sea or water; the corrosponding rise of water in pipe 4
upon reaching valve 6 would force this valve against its seat 7 and thus prevent an
overflow into the small pipe 8. In addition to the valve 6 we may also use a
syphon pipe to prevent an overflow of water into the small pipe 8. From valve 6
the small pipe 8 is lead and attached to the cock 9 on the bottom of figure 1, from
the cock 9, the small pipe is continued up through the bottom of the cistern 10 to
near the underside of the top of the float 11. The float is here provided with
cushons 12 and 13 so that as the ships stern rises out of the water, the level of the
water in the vertical pipe 4 will corrospondingly change, and the air contained
under the float 11 will be removed so that the float will fall until the cushon 12
rests upon the end of the pipe 8 and prevents the water contained in the cistern 10
from overflowing: and when the ships stern is submerged, the water rises in the
pipe 4, and the air is replaced under the float 11 which is thereby lifted up and the
cushon 13 is brought in contact with the edge of the connecting piece 14 and it is
through the centre of this connecting piece 14 that the slide spindle 15 of the
auxiliary cylinder rests on the head of the float 11 and always follows the movement
of the float. The hole 16 in the cock 9 figure 1, is to regulate the quantity of air
contained in pipe, and the head of water in vertical pipe 4 and so determine the
point at which the throttle valve shall be closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we have to state that
we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details herein described or delineated,
but that what we believe to be novel and original and claim as the invention
secured to us by and in terms of the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
The combination in governing apparatus for marine screw-propeller engines, of a
float acted on by the varing head of water communicated from a pipe, with the
valve of an auxiliary cylinder, substantially and in the manner, and for the purpose
herein before described.
In witness thereof we the said George Thomas Grey and George Burnett have
' hereunto set our hand and seal this 23rd day of January 1886.