IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING AND INDICATING THE SPEED OF PRIME MOVERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Durham, of Orford Road, Waltham-
stow, in the County of Essex, Chemist, and Henry Howse, of No. 2, Marian
Villas, Orford Road, Walthamstow, in the County of Essex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING AND INDICATING
THE SPEED OF PRIME MOVERS."
Scaled the 30th September 1876, and dated the 19th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William Durham
and Henry Howse at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th
May 1876.
FREDERICK WILLIAM DURHAM, of Orford Road, Walthamstow, in the County of
Essex, Chemist, and HENRY Howse, of No. 2, Marian Villas, Orford Road, Waltham-
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
stow, in the County of Essex, Gentleman.
GOVERNING AND INDICATING THE SPEED OF PRIME MOVERS."
Our Invention relates to apparatus for governing the speed of prime movers," with
which may be combined, when required, means of indicating the speed so governed.
We provide a tank or vessel containing liquid in which we cause to revolve
a fan or a set of arms or blades fixed to a vertical axis driven by the prime
mover. The driving gear of this axis has introduced into it at any convenient part
a sun and planet or double bevil wheel clutch gear such as is sometimes employed
in clutches for mill shafts, so that the fan axis is not rigidly connected to the driving
shaft, but is connected to it through the said clutch gear which is on a spindle
loaded by a weight or spring that can be adjusted to such degree of resistance as
may be desired. This spindle is connected to a throttle or shut-off valve in the
supply pipe of motors worked by fluid pressure, or it may be connected to a friction
brake in the case of motors otherwise worked. When the speed of the driving
shaft is such that the resistance of the fan in the liquid is less than the load on the
spindle of the clutch gear that spindle remains stationary, keeping open the supply
valve or keeping the brake released; but should the resistance of the fan be
increased by an increase of its speed beyond the resistance of the load on the clutch
gear, then the clutch spindle will be caused to turn partly round, closing or partly
closing the supply valve or applying the brake, and thereby caused the speed of
the motor to be reduced until the resistance of the fan again falls below that of the
load on the clutch gear. For indicating the speed as well as governing it wo intro-
duce into the tank vessel a second fan or set of arms or blades on an axis in the
r Price 21

page_text: same line with the axis of the governing fan, which for that purpose may be
tubular so that the second axis can pass through it longitudinally. On this second
axis, or on a spindle geared to it, we fix an index with a spring of helical or volute
kind resisting its movement. The liquid in the tank being put in rotary motion
by the governing fan tends to cause the second fan to revolve, but its rotation
being resisted by the spring the index is made to take a position such that the
spring resistance just balances the force on the indicating fan and so marks the
speed at which the liquid is driven by the governing fan.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick William Durham and Henry Howse in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th November 1870.
FREDERICK WILLIAM DURHAM, of Orford Road, Walthamstow, in the County
of Essex, Chemist, and HENRY HOWSE, of No. 2, Marian Villas, Orford Road,
Walthamstow, in the County of Essex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR GOVERNING AND INDICATING THE SPEED OF PRIME MOVERS."
Our Invention relates to apparatus for governing the speed of prime movers,
with which may be combined, when required, means of indicating the speed so
governed.
We provide a tank or vessel containing liquid in which we cause to revolve
a fan or a set of arms or blades fixed to a vertical axis driven by the prime :
mover. The driving gear of this axis has introduced into it at any convenient part
a sun and planet or double bevil wheel clutch gear, such as is sometimes employed
in clutches for mill shafts, so that the fan axis is not rigidly connected to the
driving shaft, but is connected to it through the said clutch gear which is on a
spindle loaded by a weight or spring that can be adjusted to such degree of resistance
as may be desired. This spindle is connected to a throttle or shut-off valve in the
supply pipe of motors worked by fluid pressure, or it may be connected to a friction
brake in the case of motors otherwise worked. When the speed of the driving shaft
is such that the resistance of the fan in the liquid is less than the load on the
spindle of the clutch gear that spindle remains stationary, keeping open the supply
valve or keeping the brake released; but should the resistance of the fan be
increased by an increase of its speed beyond the resistance of the lond on the clutch
gear, then the clutch spindle will be caused to turn partly round, closing or partially
closing the supply valve or applying the brake, and thereby cause the speed of the
motor to be reduced until the resistance of the fan again falls below that of the load
on the clutch gear. For indicating the speed as well as governing it we introduce
into the tank vessel a second fan or set of arins or blades on an axis in the saine
line with the axis of the governing fan, which for that purpose may be tubular
so that the second axis can pass through it longitudinally. On this second axis or
on a spindle geared to it we fix an index with a spring of helical or volute kind
resisting its movement. The liquid in the tank being put in rotary motion by the
governing fan tends to cause the second fan to revolve, but its rotation being
resisted by the spring the index is made to take a position such that the spring
resistance just balances the force on the indicating fan and so marks the speed at
which the liquid is driven by the governing fan.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section of our before described improved governor;
Fig. 2 shews a part plan; and Fig. 3 shews a front view of the lever that actuates

page_text: is fixed a bevil wheel D in gear with another hevil wheel E on the short tubular
spindle F, carried by the bracket G, and having a second bevil wheel El on its
other end. Through the spindle F passes another spindle H, on the end of which is
fixed a block H carrying two bevil wheels J, I', in gear with the wheel E¹, and
with another wheel K₁ on a spindle K, to which rotary motion is imparted through
the pulley K² from the motor engine of which the speed is to be governed. The
inner end of the spindle is made to run loose in the block H, the other end of the
spindle H is carried in a bracket G, and has fixed thereon a small pulley L, on which
is coiled one end of a cord or chain M, the other end of which is drawn downwards
by the helical spring N inside the casing N¹ fixed to A. The spindle H has also
fixed upon it a notched disc O, in the notches of which engages the spring catch of
a lever P loose on the spindle and connected by a rod Q to the throttle valve or
other controlling mechanism of the motor engine.
From the above described arrangement it will be seen that if rotary motion be
imparted to the spindle B and vanes C from the spindle K through the bevil
gearing, the resistance to such motion offered by the liquid in the casing A will
cause the wheels I, I', in revolving to travel partially round the wheel E¹, thus
making the spindle H to turn to a certain extent. By such partial rotation of
this spindle the cord M will be wound up so as to compress the spring N until the
resistance offered by the latter balances the resistance offered by the vanes C, where-
upon the spindle H will become stationary. Assuming this to take placo when the
normal speed of the motor engine is attained, it will be seen that on an increase
of speed taking place the increased resistance of the vanes will again cause the
spindle H, and with it the disc O and lever P, to turn somewhat against the action
of the spring N, thus causing the rod Q to actuate the throttle valve so as to reduce
the speed of the engine. If on the other hand the speed of the engine falls below
that required, then the decreased resistance offered by the vanes will allow the
spring N to turn the spindle H in the contrary direction, whereby the rod Q will
be made to open the throttle valve to a greater extent.
In order to increase the resistance of the fluid to the rotation of the vanes it is
preferred to provide in the casing fixed vanes C", which prevent the entire body of
liquid from partaking of the rotary motion. Should it be desired to alter the normal
speed of the engine, this is effected by withdrawing the spring catch of the lever P
from the notch of the disc O, and turning it by the handle P¹ into a different position
relatively to the disc, whereby the rod Q will be made to hold the throttle valve
in a more open or more closed position in relation to the equilibrium position of the
governor.
To facilitate this adjustment the disc O may have divisions on its circumference,
as shewn, indicating the position into which the lever has to he moved for work-
ing at a certain normal speed, the lever being provided with an index P² for this
purpose.
The apparatus may also be made to indicate the actual speed of the engine at
any moment by providing at any point of the circumference of the disc O an
index O' projecting over a graduated arc O fixed near the circumference of the
dire, so that as the disc turns as before described when the speed increases or
diminishes it, the index in moving over the scale will indicate the number of revo-
lutions corresponding to the position assumed. Or the scale may be formed on the
disc and the index be fixed at the side.
Or in place of this arrangement that previously described may be employed,
wherein a second set of vanes are provided in the casing A below the vanes C, and
connected to a spindle passing up through the spindle B, which is made hollow for
this purpose, the upper end of the first-named spindle being connected to the one
end of a volute spring, the other end of which is fixed to the casing. To the
upper end of this spindle is also fixed an index moving over a fixed dinl.
liquid in the casing having a partial rotary motion imparted to it by the vanes C
it will tend to carry the second set of vanes round against the action of the
volute spring, until the increased tension of the latter balances the impulso
The

page_text: imparted to the vanes, whereupon the index on the spindle will remain stationary
at a division on the dial corresponding to the speed of the engine.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, we claim-
First. The use of apparatus for governing the speed of prime movers, wherein a
set of vanes or blades revolving inside a casing containing liquid is so arranged in
combination with a spindle, through which rotary motion is imparted to the vanes
from the prime mover, and with a second spindle acted on by a weight or spring,
and connected by a lever to the throttle valve or other controlling mechanism,
that the increased or decreased resistance of the vanes consequent on an increase
or decrease in the speed of the prime mover will cause the spindle acted on by the
spring or weight to revolve partially, and thereby to actuate the throttle valve or
other controlling mechanism, substantially as herein described.
Second. In combination with the apparatus above referred to, the employment
of means for indicating the speed of the prime mover, substantially as hercin
described.
In witness, wc, the said Frederick William Durham and Henry Howsc,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourteenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.