Improvements in Engine Governors.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engine Governors.
We, GEORGE HEPBURN, of 11, Redcross Street, Consulting Engineer, JOIN
TAYLOR, of 7, Strand Street, Engineer, and DAVID HENRY EVANS, of 41, Stanhope
Street, Engineer, all in Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, 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 governors for steam engines, for controlling the
speed of same; but it has special reference to governors for marine engines (or
engines where the conditions of work may be analogous) for the prevention of
racing of such engines, in heavy weather, owing to the lifting of the propellers
more or less out of the water, or variation of depth of inmersion thereof, and in
case of breakdowns, such as breaking of the propeller shaft, crank shaft, propeller,
or otherwise.
.<
The species of marine governor to which it belongs is that supplied by Aspinall's
Patent Governor Company," the main characteristics of which is, the employment
of a weight or mass, mounted upon, and moved up and down by, a reciprocating
lever of the engine, or an arm or lever worked by the engine; and constructed and
adapted to move the steam governing valve actuating mechanism out of a normal
position (viz. a position of rest when the engine is moving at the normal rate of
speed), to a position in which it will actuate the steam supply or controlling valve
when the engine moves above the normal rate of speed. Generally, the devices
moved by this weight when the governor acts, consist of hinged pawls which work
in connection with, and actuate a lever, connected with the throttle or other govern-
ing valve on the steam supply pipe of the engine or other steam pipe, as may be
desired.
The object of the present invention is, mainly, to provide in connection with
this species of governor, improvements by which a large range of different speeds
of the engine at which it may be caused to come into play, or active operation,
is provided. And further, to enable the adjustment or setting of the governor to
accomplish this object, to be performed with facility, while the engines are running,
that is, without having to slow down or stop the engines.
According to this invention, the object and effect is attained by the employment
in connection with the reciprocated weight, of a resistance, such as a metal or air
spring resistance which tends to prevent the weight from coming into operation,
and so prevents the steam governor valve actuating devices from being moved out
of their normal or inactive position; such resistance being capable of being varied
in degree or intensity, and the speed of the engine at which the governor would
come into action, may be varied at will, and over a large range of variation. And
further, the spring adjusting part of this resistance device has a mechanical gear
on it, which is connected by a flexible shaft or connections leading to a part or

page_text: point which is convenient, whereby, while the engine is at full speed, the resistance
may be varied, and the speed at which the governor is set to come into active
operation can be changed at any moment.
There is also employed in connection with this weight a supplementary weight
or device, so adapted as to come into action only when a very abnormal speed of
the engine takes place, as in the breaking of the propeller shaft or crank shaft, or
the propeller; and which acts in connection with the main weight, so as to hold
and lock this weight in the position to which it has been moved at the instant of
coming into action on the racing of the engine taking place.
One form or construction of resistance for effecting the purposes of this inven-
tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawing; as well as the means of adjusting
its variable controlling action while the engine is in motion.
In these drawings, 'Figure 1 is a front elevation. shewing the governor, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Whilst Figures 3 and 4 illustrate
the means of adjusting the resistance while the engine is running.
65
The governor shewn is, in all its main points, similar to the governor made by
the Aspinall's Patent Governor Company"; that is to say, it comprises the rain
governor inertia weight a, hinged and adapted to rock upon a bearing spindle b
on the frame c of the governor; an arm & extending out from either side of the
weight, and having slotted ends; upper and lower actuating pawls or catches e
mounted on hinge pins e', and having studs e on either side fitting in the slots
of the forked ends of d; a hooked arm f projecting out from one end of a; and
a locking and releasing pawl g engaging with f; and a releasing lever h connected
with g. The arrangement of these parts, and their actions, are, precisely similar
in the Aspinall Governor as now commonly made and supplied; and, therefore,
being well known and understood, their functions and actions need no description.
With regard now to the resistance device, that shewn comprises a hollow tubular
case i, having trunnions ¹ mounted and adapted to rock axially in bearings on
the frame plate c; and this case supports a spindle k, part of which works within
the case, whilst the lower end projects through the bottom of the case, and rests
in a socket hole or recess in the upper side of the weight a. The spindle k has
a collar k¹ within the case ; and a spring is fitted over the spindle; and rests at
its lower end on this collar, and at its end bears against the screw adjusting plug m,
which screws into the mouth of the case i, its lower end pressing on the upper
end of the spring. This plug m is bored out centrally, and the end of the
spindle k enters this bore, so that the plug can be moved down over k, and serves at
the same time as a support for the upper end of this spindle. A lock nut or ring n
fits over the screw plug m, and when screwed up holds the plug in position, after
the plug has been set.
It will be seen that in action the amount of resistance which will be offered to
the weight a in its upward movement will depend upon the degree of compression
under which the spring will be placed; and this degree is regulated and varied by
the pressure exerted by the plug m on it. That is, accordingly as this plug i
is screwed or turned further into and out of the case i, and compresses the
spring more or less, so will the resistance against the movement of the weight
be larger or smaller; and this spring resistance affords a large range of speeds of
engine at which the governor may be adapted to come into active play. The
greater the resistance, of course, the higher the speed of the engine will be, at
which the action of the governor takes place; and vice versa.
this kind, it will be plain, that in lieu of a metallic spring, a rubber vessel, con-
taining air at a suitable pressure may be employed within the case, and adapted to
act upon a spindle projecting through the lower end of the case, as the lower end
of k; in which case, of course, by pressing upon the air more or less by screwing
the plug m in or out, the resistance will be varied.
In a resistance of
The smaller weight referred to for holding up the weight a, in the case of a very
rapid increase of speed of the engine, due to a break down taking place, for keeping

page_text: When
the steam shut off when it has been so cut off by the weight a, is designated u
It is disposed at the tail end of the weight a, and hinged at u¹ in the bearings .
The normal position of this weight is that shewn in the drawing, and it is held in
this position, that is prevented from falling lower, by a projection u², which comes
against a stationary pin u³ projecting from one of the bearing brackets v.
a very great increase of speed takes place, from causes such as referred to, not
only will the weight a move about its hinge b, at the upper end of the first stroke
of the lever on which the governor is carried; but this weight u will also move up
owing to its inertia of momentum, and will stand vertically over its axle pin u¹,
and directly under the lower side of the weight a. Thus the weight a cannot
fall down when the end of the down stroke of the governor lever
is reached or at any time; and hence the governor valve lever connected
with the governor remains in the position it will have been moved to by the
governor, and the steam will be kept off, and the engine brought to a standstill.
To ensure of this action, of holding up the weight a, it is preferably provided
with the recess at a², corresponding with the form of the head of the weight u, by
which a firm engagement of these two weights, under the circumstances named,
takes place.
Reference is now made to Figures 3 and 4 which illustrates the means of adjusting
the plug m, and varying the resistance, while the engine is in full movement. In
this case, at the head of the plug m there is a worm wheel o; and engaging with it
is a worm p, connected by flexible or suitable jointed shaft 4, of any known kind,
to a point which is convenient for manipulating or working the mechanism. At
this point, the outer end of the flexible shaft is supported, preferably, by a fixed
bearing; and has upon it an actuating wheel or handle s, and also a screwed locking
stud t screwed into r, and adapted to jam the spindle of the shaft when the
governor has been set.
The worm is fitted and carried in a suitable bracket p',
supported loosely on the plug m, this bracket and the worm p being prevented
from turning by the legs 22 which pass down through openings in the lugs on
the case i.
These improvements are especially serviceable in connection with quick running
engines, but they may be also employed with engines which are not quick running.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim
is:-
1. The herein described improvement connected with governors, consisting of a
steam engine governor having a weight or mass operated by reciprocation, and a
variable resistance connected with and adapted to operate against the weight or
direction of movement of said weight, whereby a comparatively large range of
speeds of an engine at which the governor may be set or adjusted to come into
active operation, is afforded; for the purposes set forth.
2. In a steam engine governor of the type herein referred to, a spring resistance
in connection with the reciprocating weight or mass, a, of the governor; arranged
and adapted to operate substantially as herein described.
3. In a steam engine governor of the type herein referred to, the spring resistance
comprising a case i, a spring within the said case, screw plug m adapted to act
on the back end of the spring, and a spindle k acting upon the upper side of the
reciprocating weight or mass a, as herein set forth with reference to the drawings.
4. A governor of the type herein referred to, having a reciprocating actuating
weight or mass a; a spring resistance device, the degree of resistance or pressure of
which, acting on the weight, is effected through a screw device; and a flexible
or jointed shaft or connection, connecting the said screw, with a convenient point
on or near the engine, said screw device being operated by gearing connected with
it, and the said shaft or connection; for the purposes set forth.
5. In a governor of the type herein referred to, having an adjustable or variable

page_text: resistance connected with the reciprocating weight thereon, the means of effecting
the adjustment or variation thereof; as set forth with reference to Figures 3 and 4
of the drawings.
0711
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicant's Patent Agents,
15, Water Street, Liverpool.