Improved Centrifugal Governor or Speed Regulator for Steam Engines, Air Motors, and other Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
Improved Centrifugal Governor or Speed Regulator for Steam
Engines, Air Motors, and other Engines.
I, WILLIAM LOUIS TORBETT, of 26, Nether Hall Road, Doncaster, Apprentice,
Locomotive Works, Great Northern Railway, Doncaster, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The governor hereinafter described is placed on the flywheel, or if more con-
venient, on the shafting of the engine or other motor, which it is required to
regulate the speed of.
Firstly, in the case where the shafting is not continuous but ends at the
flywheel.
A short hollow spindle is attached to the end of the shafting or centre of Hy-
wheel, and two spindles are attached from this hollow spindle at or near the base,
along the diameter of the flywheel, and at right angles to the hollow spindle.
On the hollow spindle is a sliding collar, and on the spindles across the fly-
wheel are two weights free to move along the spindles, and connected to the
sliding collar by links.
Underneath the sliding collar is placed a spiral spring, tending to keep the
collar at one end, and also tending to draw the weights closer together.
The spindle on which the collar slides is made hollow, so that the spring may
be adjusted by a thumbscrew at the end of the spindle, and so the governor may
be made to act at higher or lower speeds as required.
Motion is transmitted to the throttle valve by means of a rod working on a
fulcrum.
The rod is suitably attached to the sliding collar at one end, and the throttle
valve at the other.
Instead of the spiral spring under the collar, springs may be attached to the
weights, tending to draw them together, and capable of adjustment for running
at higher or lower speeds.
Secondly in the case where the shafting is continuous. The sliding collar is
placed on the shafting, the sliding weights on the spindles, as in the first case,
which are connected to the sliding collar as before.
Springs are attached to the sliding weights tending to draw them together,
and capable of adjustment for running at higher or lower speeds.
If desired the spindles instead of being attached along the diameter of the fly-
wheel, may be fastened on any part of the shafting where most convenient,
opposite one another, and at right angles to the shafting.
The collar and sliding weights being attached by links as before, and springs,
tending to draw the weights together as in the second case.
Motion is transmitted to the throttle valve as before.
3000

page_text: Improved Centrifugal Governor or Speed Regulator for Steam
Engines, Air Motors, and other Engines,
1, WILLIAM LOUIS TORBETT, of 51, Nether Hall Road, Doncaster, late of 26,
Nether Hall Road, Doncaster, Apprentice, Locomotive Works, Great Northern
Railway, Doncaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to produce an improved governor or speed
regulator to act by centrifugal force which is capable of adjustment and which
essentially consists of weights sliding on a rod or rods, which are kept in posi-
tion by a spring or springs until overcome by the centrifugal force generated
by the speed of the flywheel or shafting to which they are attached.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, half section, half elevation and
Figure 2 in plan shew one method of application where the shafting is not con-
tinuous but ends at the flywheel.
A hollow spindle A, of iron or other metal is attached to the flywheel b, by
being screwed into the end of the shaft, and having a hole near the base at right
angles to its length through which passes a rod C, the ends of which are fastened
to the side of the rim of the flywheel by the two studs d, d. This rod passing
through the hollow spindle really forms two rods C, C, on each of which is a
weight E, E, which when the engine is in notion slide on the rods, C, C.
On the hollow spindle A is a collar of brass or other suitable metal f which
is connected to the weights E, E by the links, G, G, G, G.
Near the base of the spindle are two longitudinal slots H, H, half of one of
which is shewn by dotted lines.
A cap or washer I fits on top of the hollow spindle, and through this passes
a thumbscrew J which engages with a round nut K in the hollow spindle.
Two small screws or studs are screwed into the round nut K through the
slots H, H, one of which is shewn at L and which project through the hollow
spindle A.
A sleeve M rests on the two studs L, L, and a spiral spring S is placed on the
outside of the hollow spindle, one end of which bears on the sleeve M, and the
other on the underside of the collar f, tending to force the collar to the end of
the spindle A, and at the same time tending to draw the weights toward one
another..
Motion is conveyed to the throttle valve by the rod O which is forked at one
end and works on the fulcrum P. A link at the other end of the rod connecting
the throttle valve to the rod is capable of adjustment so that the valve may
throttle the steam, gas, or air, at any point of the position of the governor as may
be found most desirable.
On the forked end are two rollers Q, Q on studs, shewn only in Figure 2. These
rollers work in the groove round the collar f and minimise the friction.
As the speed of the engine or motor increases above that desired the
weights E, E, overcome the spring S and pull the collar f towards the flywheel
at the same time actuating the valve through the lever O. When the speed
decreases the spring reasserts its power and pushes the collar back nearer its
original position; at the same time drawing the weights toward one another.
The method of adjustment is as follows: If the velocity of the engine or
motor is not high enough, the thumbscrew J is turned so as to draw the round

page_text: nut K a little way up inside the spindle A, and at the same time the sleeve H
on the outside of the spindle is drawn up by the studs L, L, and so the spiral
spring is compressed until the centrifugal force of the weights E, E, is suffi-
ciently counteracted as to allow the engine or motor to run at the desired speed.
If the velocity of the engine or motor is too high the thumbscrew J is screwed
so as to lower the round nut K inside the hollow spindle, and so decreasing the
amount of compression on the spring S.
Another mode of adjustment is shewn at Figures 3 and 4 which is also suitable
for continuous shafting.
The weights E, E, are placed on the rods C, C, as before and the collar fon
the spindle or shaft A of the engine as the case may be; the collar and weights
being connected by links G, G, G, G, as before.
The weights at their outer end have knife edges against which rest the
plates H, H.
Each of these plates has a hole at each end through which pass
the rods J, J, J, J, and also a hole in the centre of the plate so that the plate
may slide on the rod C.
Two of the rods J, J, are screwed at one end and are fitted with thumb-
screws I, I.
Between these rods and attached to them are the two springs K, K.
A bell crank L fixed at O on the fulcrum M has a forked end with rollers on,
as on the rod in the other case. To the other end of the bell crank is fixed the
rod N which conveys motion to the throttle valve lever.
As the velocity of the engine or motor increases, the weights E, E, overcoming
the springs K, K, fly outwards on the rods, C, C, and so pull the collar down
towards the flywheel as before. The speed of the engine or motor is regulated
by means of the thumbscrews I, I, which either increase or decrease the tension
of the springs K, K, as required.
Motion is transmitted to the throttle valve as previously stated through the
bellcrank L and rod N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. An improved centrifugal governor or speed regulator, capable of casy
and accurate adjustment, which consists of weights sliding on rods. The weights
being connected to the collar sliding on a hollow spindle or shaft of the engine,
the centrifugal force controlled by a spring or springs, and motion transmitted
to the throttle valve by a rod working on a fulcrum or bellcrank, substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second. In the improved centrifugal governor or speed regulator, the weights
sliding on rods offer a large bearing surface to the rods, and as the velocity in-
creases or decreases the weights having the rods for a guide, have not the ten-
dency to twist on the pins connecting them to the collar, and so bind momentarilly
at the joints, as in the case of many other centrifugal governors.
Dated this 9th day of February 1899.
WILLIAM LOUIS TORBETT,
Applicant.