IMPROVE- MENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS AND VALVES
Year: 1867

page_text: Sealed the 8th February 1868, and dated the 23rd October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd October 1867.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53,. Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, .do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS AND VALVES." to be as follows:-
..These improvements relate to centrifugal ball governors for regulating the
motion of steam engines, water wheels, and otherwise, and they consist, first,
in a device for controlling the action of ordinary ball governors; so that they
shall more..perfectly -perform their function as regulators of machinery to make
the motion uniform and steady. This object is accomplished by providing a
lever in connection with the governor stem, which is actuated directly by the
pressure of the steam upon a small piston in a pipe leading from the. boiler,
and also other devices connected therewith, whereby the closing and opening
of the valve is exactly graduated and the steam cut off entirely by an instant
closing of the valve in case of accident- or interruption to the machinery.**
Price Sd1

page_text: Secondly. In a device to be applied to governors for the purpose of pre-
venting the joints and valves from gumming or becoming rough and dirty
with scale and oil, causing them to work stiff. This improvement consists
in stepping the governor spindle in the valve stem in such manner as to
produce a "bobbing
or saltatory motion which keeps all the parts moving
continuously, and thereby always in good working condition.
22
Thirdly. In forming the valves and valve seats with chilled robbing surfaces
to prevent cutting and wearing away. The lever before mentioned as con-
nected with the governor stem is operated by a piston and piston rod which
works in the upper end of a steam pipe on the valve chest. A stand is also
provided attached to the steam chest, the upper portion of which stand is
slotted; the lever passes through the slot, a spring attached to the lever bearing
against its upper end. The slot also contains an eccentric; this eccentric is
hung on a shaft which passes through it and through the stand. The outer
end of the shaft has a hand wheel on it, with short studs projecting from its
periphery. The shaft is rotated and the eccentric operated by this wheel when
it is desired to raise the lever by the eccentric and close the valve. A hanger
is attached to the governor stand; the lower portion of it is slotted, and the
lever passes through it, and the fulcrum of the lever is in the slot. The end
of the lever passes through the stem of the governor valve and rises and falls
with the stem. The piston and rod work steam-Light on the end of the steam
pipe before mentioned, there being a stuffing box for the piston rod arranged
. in the usual manner. When the steam increases in pressure the piston rod is
forced against the lever and assists in closing the valve without any increase in
the speed of the engine, and when the pressure is diminished the piston
decreases in its pressure on the lever and allows the valve to open without any
decrease in the motion of the engine. The spring is intended to bear upon
the lever, and to partly counteract the pressure of the steam on said lever. A
thumbscrew is provided by which the tension of the spring is increased or
diminished. The speed of the engine may be altered at any time by this
spring operating upon the lever. The eccentric may be used as a throttle by
turning it half round, thereby raising the lever and closing the valve. An
improved stop motion is also provided, which it is intended should operate when
the governor belt breaks or runs off the pulley and stops the engine. The
governor stand is constructed in two separate parts, one of which has the
gearing wheels and governor attached, the other is simply a stand attached to
the steam chest and intended for the support of the first part and the governor
spindle. The first part with the gearing and governor attached is so arranged
that its foot can drop into a recess, and thereby instantly close the valve.

page_text: The foot of said part stands in a shallow ring, but in the recess there is an
inclined offset. When the belt of the governor is on the pulley the strain of
the belt keeps the foot on the higher or inclined portion of the recess, in which
situation the gear wheels engage and the governor balls revolve. Should the
governor belt break or run off the strain is removed and the foot slips down
off the inclined shoulder or offset to the bottom of the recess, thereby closing
the valve and stopping the engine immediately. It will be noticed and under-
stood that when the stand drops the governor drops also with its spindle and
valve stem. The shaft upon which the pulley which drives the governor is
placed is supported by a sleeve bearing, which is attached to and projects
from the stand before described, on the other end of which shaft is the driving
gear wheel.
According to the second part of the Invention the governor spindle has a
toe bevelled slightly to fit a corresponding step in the valve stem, so that when
the spindle revolves it will rise and fall with every revolution, thus virtually
lengthening and shortening the spindle, and causing a "bobbin " or saltatory
motion of the working parts of the governor.
The third branch of the Invention, relating to the rubbing surfaces of the
valves and valve sents, consists simply in casting the iron valves and seats in
metal moulds for the purpose of chilling and hardening their rubbing surfaces,
whereby they are made very cheaply and rendered more perfect in their action
and more durable than ordinary valves and valve seats. They require only
grinding of their rubbing surfaces to finish them ready for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alexander Melville Clark. Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others

page_text: as I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GOVERNORS AND VALVES," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Francis Johnston Nutz, Philip Estes, De Forrest
Fairchild, and Edward Payson Willson, all of Leavenworth City, State of
Kansas, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Alexander Melville Clark. my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their. or one of their 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 1, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
These improvements relate to centrifugal ball governors for regulating the
motion of steam engines, water wheels, and other machinery, and they consist,
first, in a device for controlling the action of ordinary ball governors, so that
they shall more perfectly, perform their function as regulators of machinery to
make the motion uniform and steady. This object is accomplished by pro-
viding a lever in connection with the governor stem, which is actuated directly
by the pressure of the steam upon a small piston in a pipe leading from the
boiler, and also other devices connected therewith, whereby the closing and
opening of the valve is exactly graduated, and the steam cut off entirely
by an instant closing of the valve in case of accident or interruption to the
machinery.
Secondly. In a device to be applied to governors for the purpose of pre-
venting the joints and valves from gumming or becoming rough and dirty
with scale and oil, causing them to work stiff. This improvement consists in
stepping the governor spindle in the valve stem in such manner as to produce
a bobbing or saltatory motion, which keeps all the parts moving continuously,
and thereby always in good working condition.
Thirdly. In forming the valves and valve seats with chilled rubbing surfaces
to prevent cutting and wearing away.

page_text: In illustration of the first branch of this Invention I now refer to the accom-
panying Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents an elevation of the governor
with these improvements attached; Figure 2 is also an elevation of the appa-
ratus, partly in section, as through the line z, z, of Figure 1; Figure 3
represents a section of the lever, with a view of the eccentric and a portion of
the spring; Figure 4 shows the foot of one of the governor stands with its
recess. or the stop motion arrangement taken in the line y, y, Figure 2,
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
A is the valve chest; B, the steam pipe; C is the lever; D is a steam
pipe, which has a piston and piston rod which works in its upper end;
E is the rod; F is a spring which is attached to and operates on the
lever C; G is a stand which is attached to the steam chest. The upper
portion of this stand is slotied, and the lever C passes through the slot, and
the spring F bears against the upper end. The slot also contains the
eccentric H; this eccentric is hung on a shaft which passes through it and
through the stand at a. The outer end of the shaft has a hand wheel on it
with short studs projecting from its periphery. The shaft is rotated and the
eccentric operated by this wheel when it is desired to raise the lever by the
eccentric and close the valve. J' is a hanger which is attached to the
governor stand; the lower portion of it is slotted, and the lever C passes
through it, and the fulcrum of the lever is at c in the slot; the end of the
lever passes through the stem of the governor valve and rises and falls with
the stem. The piston and rod work steam-tight in the end of the steam
pipe D, there being a stuffing box for the piston rod arranged in the usual
manner. When the steam increases in pressure the piston rod E is forced
against the lever and assists in closing the valve without any increase in the
speed of the engine; and when the pressure is diminished the piston decreases
in its pressure on the lever and allows the valve to open without any decrease
in the motion of the engine. The spring F is intended to bear upon the lever
and to partly counteract the pressure of the steam on the lever C; J is a
thumbscrew, by which the tension of the spring is increased or diminished.
The speed of the engine may be altered at any time by this spring operating
upon the lever. The eccentric H may be used as a throttle by turning it half
round, thereby raising the lever and closing the valve.
The Drawing (Figure 2) has more particular reference to this stop motion.
which it is intended should operate when the governor belt breaks or runs off
the pulley and stops the engine. The governor stand is constructed in two
separate parts m and n; n has the gearing wheels and governor attached;
m is simply a stand attached to the steam chest, and intended for the support

page_text: of and the governor spindle. The part
with the gearing and governor
attached is so arranged that its foot can drop into a recess, and thereby
instantly close the valve. The foot of stands in a shallow recess g, but in the
recess there is an inclined offset. When the belt of the governor is on the
pulley the strain of the belt keeps the foot of a on the higher or inclined part
of the recess, in which situation the gear wheels engage and the governor
balls revolve. Should the governor helt break or run off the strain on n is
removed, and the foot slips down off the inclined shoulder or offset to the
bottom of the recess, thereby closing the valve and stopping the engine imme-
diately. It will be noticed and understood that when the stand drops the
governor drops also, with its spindle and valve stem. The recess with the
inclined offset or shoulder is represented in Figure 4. O is the shaft upon
which the pulley which drives the governor is placed; P is the pulley. The
driving gear wheel is on the other end of this shaft. The shaft. O is supported
by a sleeve bearing R, which is attached to and projects from the stand n.
In illustration of the second branch of this Invention, Figure 5 represents
the governor spindle and valve stem partly in section. The governor
spindle M has a toe bevelled slightly to fit a corresponding step in the valve
stem N, so that when the spindle revolves it will rise and fall with every
revolution. thus virtually lengthening and shortening the spindle, and causing
a bobbing or saltatory motion of the working parts of the governor.
The third branch of this Invention relating to the rubbing surfaces of the
valves and valve seats requires no Drawing. It consists simply in casting
the iron valves and seats in metal moulds for the purpose of chilling and
hardening their rubbing surfaces, whereby they are made very cheaply and
rendered more perfect in their action and more durable than ordinary valves
and valve seats. They require only grinding of their rubbing surfaces. to
finish them ready for use.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-.
First. The governor valve operated upon by the pressure of the steam
pressing upon the piston and rod E and lever C, producing an effect sub-
stantially as described for the purpose specified.
Secondly. claim the spring F with its regulating thumbscrew J arranged
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Thirdly. I claim the arrangement of the eccentric H, whereby the governor
valve can be entirely closed and the steam throttled, substantially as
described

page_text: Fourthly. We claim the stop motion substantially as shown in Figure 2,
whereby the steam is shut off and the engine stopped by the breaking or
running off of the governor belt, substantially as set forth.
Fifthly. Producing a bobbing or saltatory motion of a steam governor by
means of a bevel toe to the spindle fitted in a corresponding step in the valve
stem, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Sixthly. Chilling the rubbing surfaces of iron valves and valve seals by
casting them in metal moulds as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)