IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Johannes Kesselmeyer, of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and Charles Augustus
Kesselmeyer, of the same Place, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES." Partly a communication from abroad by Emil Hermann
Nacke, residing at Alt Schönefeld, in the Kingdom of Saxony.
Sealed the 16th February 1869, and dated the 22nd August 1868.
the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd
August 1868.
5 We, WILLIAM JOHANNES KESSELMEYER, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, and CHARLES AUGUSTUS ĶESSELMEYER, of the
same Place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention

page_text: for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention is to render centrifugal governors more
perfect in regulating the speed of the engine. For this purpose we
connect a vessel containing mercury or other fluid to a moveable part
of the governor and it consequently moves therewith. There is also
another vessel containing fluid (and which we will now suppose to be
stationary) communicating with the first mentioned by a pipe or syphon.
As the balls rise a portion of the fluid will pass from the moveable into
the other vessel until the same level is attained in both vessels, or vice
versa if the balls sink, and it therefore follows that the balls become less
loaded as they fly out and more loaded as they sink. We propose to
form the interiors of the vessels in curves, by which means the quantity
of contained fluid is in proportion to every position of the balls; and in
order to facilitate a change of such curves we further propose to form
them on loose surfaces, which may be removed from the vessels for the
substitution of others. Instead of making one vessel stationary they may
both move, the one rising while the other is falling, whereby a counter-
balance is obtained; or the said counterbalance may be effected by the
use of an ordinary weighted lever. We have spoken of two vessels only,
but more may be employed if desired.
The details of our Invention may be varied by ordinary mechanical
parts, but in order fully to illustrate the same we will describe an
arrangement we propose to employ. The governor balls are as usual
mounted on levers connected at their upper ends to stationary joints,
and the, arms extending from the said levers are jointed to a socket
capable of moving upward and downward. To this socket is connected
a vessel containing mercury or other fluid, and it carries also a syphon,
one leg of which extends into the said vessel and the other into a second
and stationary vessel. As the governor balls and consequently the
aforesaid socket rise they carry with them the syphon, and a portion of
the fluid passes from the moveable to the stationary vessel, thereby
rendering the balls lighter as they fly out and the contrary effect will
take place as they collapse. It will be obvious that the arrangement may
be reversed by making the lower part of the governor stationary and
the upper part sliding.

page_text: filed by the said William Johannes Kesselmeyer and naries
Augustus Kesselmeyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
JOHANNES KESSELMEYER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and CHARLES AUGUSTUS KESSELMEYER, of the same Place,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, and in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said William Johannes Kesselmeyer
and Charles Augustus Kesselmeyer, Her special license that we, the.
said William Johannes Kesselmeyer and Charles Augustus Kesselmeyer,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Johannes Kesselmeyer and Charles Augustus Kesselmeyer, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," being
partly a communication to us from abroad, upon the condition, amongst
others, that we, the said William Johannes Kesselmeyer and Charles
Augustus Kesselmeyer, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Johannes Kesselmeyer
and Charles Augustus Kesselmeyer, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings, that is to say: -

page_text: The object of our Invention is to render centrifugal governors more
perfect in regulating the speed of the engine. For this purpose we
connect a vessel or vessels containing a fluid to a moveable part of the
governor, and ther is also another vessel or vessels containing fluid
communicating with that or those first mentioned. As the balls rise or
fall the fluid passes from one vessel to another until a common level is
attained and the balls therefore become less or more loaded. The vessels
which contain the fluid have curved interior surfaces, whereby the
quantity of fluid is in proportion to every position of the balls.
In the accompanying Drawing we have shewn our Invention in several
forms, which we will now proceed to describe.
In Fig. 1, a, a, represent the governor balls mounted on the usual
levers b, and connected to the sliding collar c by the links d. The
driving spindle is at e, formed hollow and containing a rod f, which rests
in a footstep formed in a cross bar g carried by the sliding collar c and
passing through a slot h in the hollow spindle e. Ati is the lever which
communicates motion to the ordinary throttle or other valve. Upon the
upper end of the rod f is a vessel k containing mercury, water, or other
fluid, and within this vessel is one leg of a siphon or pipe 1, the other leg
thereof being situate in the fluid contained by a vessel m, which in this
instance is supported by a bracket n affixed to the wall, and this
second vessel is therefore stationary. As the balls a fly out or collapse
the sliding collar c will by means of the cross bar g carry upward the
rod for allow it to fall, and the vessel k will therefore move upward or
downward. Supposing the balls to fly outward the vessel / will rise with
them, and part of the contained fluid will flow through the siphon into
the stationary vessel m until a common level exists in both vessels;
therefore just in proportion as the balls rise the fluid in the moveable
vessel will decrease, and consequently the weight pressing upon the
balls by means of the rod f will decrease in the same proportion. The
reverse will be the case when the balls collapse and sink, for then the
rod f and moveable vessel k will move downward, and therefore a portion
of the fluid in the stationary vessel m will flow through the siphon
into the moveable vessel k, and the balls will therefore become weighted
by the additional fluid and in proportion to their collapsed position. By
means of this arrangement the governor is enabled to regulate imme-
diately the speed of the engine as soon as it shall vary and maintain it
at a uniform speed or nearly so however much or little it may be loaded.

page_text: In order to explain this more fully, and to shew the defects which are
overcome as regards the ordinary governor, we will refer to Figs. 2,
3, 4, 5, the first of which represents three positions of the ordinary
governor, and the other three positions of our improved governor. At
the normal speed of the engine the balls of both these governors are in
a certain position which we will assume to be A. If the engine becomes
less loaded the supply of steam to the cylinder must be diminished by
the partial closing of the throttle or other valve. In our improved
governor, as well as in the usual arrangement, this is effected by the
flying out and rising of the balls, so that they will occupy a position
which we will assume to be B. In an ordinary governor however the
balls can only remain in this higher position so long as the governor
performs a greater number of revolutions than it would if the balls were
at A, and so soon as those revolutions decrease by the supply of steam
being partially cut off the balls will again sink and thus open the valve,
so that an ordinary governor will only imperfectly act as a regulator of
the speed of the engine. In our improved governor the balls will remain
in the position B, Fig. 4, until it performs its normal number of revo-
lutions, because through the flow of the fluid from the moveable vessel k
into the stationary vessel m the balls themselves are less weighted than
they were when in the position denoted by A, and this effect is attained
by regulating the quantity of fluid passing from the moveable vessel k
into the stationary vessel m, in the proportion which is required to
maintain the governor and engine at their normal speed. If, on the
other hand, the engine becomes more loaded the balls will sink both in
the common as well as in our improved governor, in which case they
increase the supply of steam to the cylinder; but the balls of the
common governor will remain only in this lower position c as long as
the engine performs a less number of revolutions than what it would do
when the balls are at A or B, so that, as above explained, it is impossible
for it to maintain the engine at its normal speed; but in our improved
governor the balls in their lower position c will be weighted so much
more by the overflow of the fluid from the stationary vessel m to the
moveable vessel k that they will remain in this lower position while
the governor is performing its normal number of revolutions. In the
arrangement we have described at Fig. 1 it will be best to attach the
siphon either to the stationary vessel mor to suspend it from the roof,
in order to prevent the weighting of the moveable vessel k on one side,
which would be the case were the siphon attached to it, and care must of

page_text: course be taken that it does not touch the bottom of the vessel when it
rises, for which purpose in this arrangement an elongation in the bottom
of the moveable vessel is formed, as shewn in the Drawing. The precise
regulation of the quantity of fluid passing from one vessel to another
we effect by forming the interior of the said vessels in curves so as to
give them a longer horizontal section in those places where a larger
quantity of fluid is required to flow from one vessel to the other; or by
another method we place a solid body in the vessel, as shewn at o, Fig. 1,
and which is formed of various diameters.
The method we adopt for arriving at the proper curves will be
explained when we shall have described some modifications which
may be made in the general arrangement of our improved governor ;
Fig. 6 represent one of these modification. In this instance the moveable
vessel is formed annular around the driving spindle e, upon which it
is capable of sliding. This vessel is provided with brackets carrying at
their upper ends centre pins, which project into a ring p mounted upon
the sliding collar c in such manner as to move upward and downward, but
not to revolve therewith. The solid body to regulate the flow of fluid from
the vessel k is in this instance a ring q formed in two or more parts for
facility of adaptation. The stationary vessel is at m, carried by brackets
on the framework of the governor, and of an annular shape so as to
surround the moveable vessel k. At 1, 1, are two siphons for passing the
fluid from one vessel to another, and attached to the moveable vessel k,
there being elongations in the stationary vessel m to allow the other legs
of the siphons to pass downward.
Fig. 7 represents another modification. In this instance the moveable
vessel is constructed spherical, and is carried by an elongation of the
lever i, which gives motion to the throttle or other valve. At m is the
stationary vessel provided with the curved solid body o, and the com-
munication between the two vessels is established by the flexible pipe
or hose 1. The moveable vessel is counterbalanced when in its middle
position by the weight 8, which is adapted adjustable for that purpose.
The centre of motion of the lever i is at i, and the said lever is provided
with a slot which embraces a pin attached to the sliding collar c; as,
therefore, the said collar rises or falls it turns the lever i upon its centre,
and elevates or depresses the moveable vessel k, so as to effect a change in
the quantity of contained fluid, as before described.
Fig. 8 shews another modification, there being in this case no stationary

page_text: vessel, but both are caused to move, but in unequal proportions. At fis
a rod mounted in the hollow spindle e, as in the case of Fig. 1, and
provided at its upper end with a slot, within which is a pin projecting
from a pipe . At one end of this pipe is that which has previously been
called the moveable vessel k, at the other end is the second vessel m,
also moveable, it being mounted so as to be capable of turning upon a
centret. As the balls rise or fall the rod f performs the same motions,
but without turning; and the pipe is thus caused to turn upon its
centre t, so as to allow the fluid to pass from or into the vessel m by
means of the pipe 1. Ato is the curved solid body placed in the vessel m,
for the purpose before mentioned. By mounting the pipe / upon a fixed
centre, and communicating motion thereto by means of the rod f, the
two vessels may be caused to move in opposite directions.
Fig. 9 represents another such arrangement, in which the two vessels
move in opposite directions, but motion is communicated to them in
another manner. In this instance the spindle e is not hollow, and the
rod fis dispensed with. The two vessels k, k*, are connected together
by a pipe l, which is capable of turning upon a centre t. To the vessel k
is jointed a connecting rod u, the lower end of which is jointed to an
extension of the cut-off lever i. In each of the vessels k, k*, is a curved
solid body for the purpose above described.
Fig. 10 represents a governor similar to Fig. 1, but with two stationary
vessels m, m*, fixed to the roof by means of rods n. The moveable vessel
is at k provided with the curved solid body o, and caused to move
upward or downward by connexion with the rod f, as in Fig. 1. The
siphons 1, 1, are attached to the lid of the moveable vessel k by means of
screws.
Figs. 11 represent another arrangement. At k, k*, are the two vessels,
the latter of which is hung on a chain t, and the two are connected
together for the passage of the fluid by a pipe l, and by another tube /*
for the passage of air. The rod f before described is provided with a
fork v, which carries the vessel k by means of pivots w; and after the
same manner the vessel k is carried by a fork p*, suspended from the
roof by a chain or rod t, so that it may move somewhat in the direction
of the vessel k. The lids of both vessels are made air-tight, so that they
always contain the same amount of fluid and air, the fluid passing by the
pipe and the air by the other pipe 1*. The air tube might be attached

page_text: to the lower part of the vessel, but in that case it must extend upward
above the fluid when at its highest level.
Fig. 12 represents an arrangement in which those previously described
are in one particular reversed, the links which extend from the arms of
the balls being adapted to a part fixed to the driving spindle, and the
arms of the balls being connected to the sliding collar. At c is the
sliding collar to which the forked ends of the arms 6 are jointed, and the
links d are jointed to a bar w, which is keyed upon the driving spindle e.
The sliding collar c is extended upward, and for a certain distance down-
I ward is formed hollow for the reception of a rod f, which carries the
moveable vessel k. The moveable vessel k is connected to the stationary
vessel m by a siphon 7, as in Fig. 1, therefore the effect produced by this
arrangement is that when the balls fly out the collar c sinks and becomes
more weighted, owing to the fluid which will consequently upon that
movement flow from the stationary vessel m into the moveable vessel k,
and when the balls collapse the collar c rises and becomes less weighted
on account of the fluid returning from the moveable vessel k into the
stationary vessel, so that by this arrangement the same principle of
complete regulation is attained although the mechanical arrangement is
reversed, the balls in this case being loaded when they fly out and
relived of load as they collapse, while in the arrangements previously
described the balls are less loaded when they fly out and more so when
they collapse; the result, however, will in both cases be the same. We
have in the foregoing description alluded to the irregularly formed
surfaces which afford varying horizontal sections as formed upon the
peripheries of simple vessels, but for convenience of manufacture and to
afford the opportunity of changing the curves the vessels above referred
to may be simply rectangular, cylindrical, or other regularly-shaped
shells, into which detached vessels or solid bodies of the required curved
form may be introduced.
Having thus described several mechanical arrangements by which our
Invention may be carried into effect, we will proceed to point out a
practical method by which the varying horizontal sections of the vessels
may be ascertained.
Instead of fixing a vessel on the top of the rod f, Fig. 1, we substitute
for it a plate or disc suitable for receiving weights; we then remove the
connexion between the governor and the throttle or other valve, and run
the engine without any load, regulating its speed by setting the valve

page_text: which suplies the steam from the boiler so as to make the engine to run
at the speed which it is afterwards desired to maintain by the action of.
the govenor. When this is done the governor will be driven by the
engine in a regular and uniform manner, but does not at all act upon
the speed of the engine itself.
For the purpose of the method we now wish to describe it will at this
stage be necessary that when the engine goes at its normal speed the balls
be not only fully extended but also at a complete balance, which balance
may be obtained by a counterweight pressing upon the collar of the
governor for instance, as shewn at p, Fig. 9. When this has been
properly adjusted we place a weight on the disc which is attached to
the rod, which weight will cause the collar of the govenor to sink in
some degree, and both in this lower position will remain balanced and
stationary, the governor still performing the same number of revolutions.
We now note the weight put upon the disc and the exact depres-
sion of the collar of the governor produced by it; we then place
a second weight upon the disc, and again note the further depression
produced by it, and proceed in the same manner by placing additional
weights on the disc until the collar of the governor occupies its lowest
position, though all the time it will continue to revolve at the same
speed. The successive weights which have been placed on the disc
then indicate the successive weights of the fluid and its quantity,
according to its specific gravity, which will have to flow from the
stationary vessel m into the moveable vessel k in order to produce the
same effect which has been produced by the weights placed in the disc,
and the successive depressions of the collar c will indicate the sum of
the distances which in every instance the fluid will rise in the moveable
vessel k and sink in the stationary vessel m as the result of the depression
produced by the weights placed in succession on the disc. This whole
proceeding may also be reversed by weighting the disc named before to,
begin with, in such manner that the collar of the governor may occupy
its lowest position, and by then causing it to rise by the successive
removal of one weight after another until the disc is empty, noting
the distances which the collar rises by the removal of each successive
weight.
If it is intended, which is the most simple method, that the fluid is
always to rise as much in the moveable vessel as it is to sink in the
stationary vessel, then the half of the distance of depression of the

page_text: collar c, which has been noted down as the effect produced by the
corresponding increase of weight on the disc, will indicate the distance
which the fluid will rise in the moveable vessel and sink in the
stationary vessel, provided both vessels are of the same shape and
dimensions, which half distance we will call difference of height. All
that is then required is to calculate the diameter of an imaginary layer
of the fluid intended to be employed of the thickness of the "difference
of height" above named, and of the same weight as that which has pro-
duced the difference of height. The imaginary layers thus obtained
must be noted down and placed one upon another in regular succession
corresponding with the increase of weight originally placed upon the
disc, beginning with that of the smallest diameter, as shewn at Figs. 13^,
and thus a succession of layers a, b, c, d, e, can be obtained, whose
stair-like contour or outer configuration can be converted into a con-
tinuous curve, which curve indicates the inward form of the moveable
vessel, as shewn at A, Fig. 13. It will be necessary to add at the
bottom of the vessel the required elongation to provide for the dip of
the siphon, as before mentioned. The stationary vessel B will assume
exactly the reversed shape of the moveable vessel A, a¹, in the former
corresponding to a, in the latter, b' to b, and so on, so that the height
and contents of both vessels are exactly alike. It follows, therefore,
that the weight of the fluid in a is equal to that in a', and also equal to
the first weight placed originally on the disc on the top of the rod fin
the highest position of the sliding collar c. The depth of a is equal to
the depth of a', and also equal to one half of the first depression of the
collar c. The weight of the fluid in bis equal to
equal to the second weight placed on the disc.
equal to that of 6', and also equal to one half of the second depression
of the collar c, and so on. The weight of the fluid in e is equal to
that in e¹, and also equal to the last weight placed originally on the
disc on the top of the rod f in the lowest position of the sliding
colla c.
The depth of c is equal to that of e', and also equal to one half
of the last depression of the sliding collar c. In order to make allowance
for the separate weight of the moveable vessel k, exclusive of the fluid
which it contains, it is required that the disc placed originally on the top
of the rod f be fully as heavy as the probable weight of the moveable
vessel k. With a little practice this can easily be estimated, but in
order to arrive at it exactly it is only necessary to make the first trial
of the above-described proceedings with a very light disc, to make use of
that in ', and also
The depth of 6 is

page_text: the size of the vessel thus obtained as a base for calculating its weight,
aud place a corresponding weight upon the disc to represent the weight
of the vessel before making the final trial. The more weights that
are employed, and the smaller they are for the purpose of ascertaining
the successive layers of fluid a, b, &c., as described, the nearer will be
their assemblance of their stair-like contour to the right curve, but from
four to six weights will suffice to obtain a sufficiently accurate curve
to answer the required purpose.
If it is intended to construct vessels of cylindrical form, into which a
solid body o with a curve. surface is to be placed, as shewn in Fig. 13 c,
in order to obtain the required variations of the horizontal sections of the
vessels, as before described, it will only be necessary to calculate the
weight of the fluid in ring-shaped layers of equal outward diameters
instead of solid layers, as before stated, so that the solid layer a in A will
be equal to the ring-shaped layer a³ in C, the solid layer b in A will be
equal to the ring-shaped layer 62 in C, and so on.
For the construction of our improved governor with two moveable
vessels it will be necessary to place a flat disc on both places in which
the moveable vessels will have to work, and place all the weights
employed for making the trial at first upon the disc which occupies the
lowest position when the balls occupy the highest, as represented by the
vessel k (see Fig. 9), then remove one weight after another from k to k*,
and note the depression produced thereby on the sliding collar c, and
then make the calculation precisely in the same manner for both vessels,
as before stated. The curve of the annular-shaped body q in D, Fig. 13,
has to be calculated in precisely the same manner as B with respect to
the layers of fluid named before, and the vessel D itself only serves as a
receptacle for the annular-shaped body q.
Our improved governor may be weighted by additional weights
pressing on its collar and moving round with it, as shewn at p, Fig. 9,
or in any other manner usual with various kinds of centrifugal governors,
and be made. to turn on its axis at any required speed, as in any
may
case it will act as a comparatively perfect regulator of the speed of the
engine. It is immaterial what kind of fluid is employed, but the most
useful are water, glycerine, or mercury, but the dimensions of the vessels
will of course depend on the specific gravity of the fluid employed. If
water be adopted, we prefer to pour sufficient oil on the surface to
prevent evaporation when the vessels are open at the top. In cases

page_text: where the communication between the vessels is established by means of
pipes or flexible tubes or hose, the said vessels may be rendered air-tight
after their having received their required quantity of fluid by adding a
second communicating pipe or tube to establish an air communication
between the upper parts of the two vessels, as described in reference
to Figs. 11.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we
desire it to be understood that we have shewn our Invention under
several modifications, in order to explain its capability of being adapted
to various arrangements of governors, and to shew that the said
Invention may be considerably modified in form; but we do not limit
ourselves to the modifications shewn, for it will be evident to all
competent mechanics that other forms may be adopted based upon the
same general principles, that which we claim as secured to us under
the above in part recited Letters Patent, and for the purposes above set
forth, being the use of vessels containing fluid capable of passing from
one or more of such vessels to another or others, so as to load the
governor balls or remove a load therefrom; also forming the said vessels
with curved surfaces to regulate the quantity of contained fluid for the
various positions of the balls.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Johannes Kesselmeyer
and Charles Augustus Kesselmyer, have hereunto set their hands
and seals, the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM J. KESSELMEYER. (L.S.)
CHARLES A. KESSELMEYER. (L.S.)