IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM OR OTHER MACHINERY "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Mellor of Oldham in the County of Lancaster
Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM OR
OTHER MACHINERY
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Mellor at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1883.
WILLIAM MELLOR of Oldham in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM OR OTHER MACHINERY
"
My Invention relates to the governors principally used in the regulation of the
velocity of movement of steam engines and has for its object to render such
governors more sensitive so as to obtain a greater uniformity of speed. In the first
place I fix two ratchet wheels upon a sliding spindle which is connected with the
governor and is thereby moved endwise in one direction or the other according to
the variations in speed. The teeth of one wheel are reversed with reference to the
teeth of the other and the two reverse pawls are mounted upon a spindle which is
carried by a vibrating frame or are suitably mounted to vibrate. The said pawls
are formed with elongations or with fingers or surfaces which are acted upon by the
beveled or suitably shaped edges of a collar or disc or of collars upon the said
sliding spindle the arrangement being such as that when the engine is running at
its normal speed both pawls are kept out of gear but when the speed varies one or
other of the pawls is permitted to engage with one of the ratchet wheels so that the
sliding spindle is rotated in one direction or the other. This rotation is used to
turn a screw spindle within a nut to shorten a rod or link or otherwise to regulate
the supply of steam or acting medium by means of a lever or levers or of a cam or
by other suitable means. If preferred the part or parts acting on the pawls may
be on a sleeve sliding on the spindle instead of the spindle sliding. In the second
place I employ bosses or cylindrical parts rotating in contrary directions to impart
motion to a disc or wheel which is raised and lowered by the action of the
governor. The said bosses or parts may be driven by means of straps or cords or
gearing or by an arrangement of three bevel or mitre wheels

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Mellor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th September
1883.
WILLIAM MELLOR of Oldbam in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR STEAM OR OTHER MACHINERY
"
My Invention relates to the governors principally used in the regulation of the
velocity of movement of steam engines and has for its object to obtain a greater
uniformity of speed. In the first place I fix two reversed ratchet wheels upon a
sliding spindle which is connected with the governor and is thereby moved endwise
in one direction or the other according to the variations in speed and I bring one
or the other of two vibrating pawls into gear by the movement of the said spindle.
This rotation is used to turn a screw spindle within a nut to shorten or lengthen
the rod which connects the governor with the cut-off apparatus or with the
apparatus used to regulate the supply of steam. In modifications I cause the
sliding of the said spindle to bring a wheel into contact with one or the other of
two frictional drivers revolving in reverse directions or one or the other of two
bevel wheels is brought into contact with a third wheel.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached hereunto a
sheet of drawings made to a scale of about three inches to the foot and marked
with letters of reference. In the said drawings Fig 1 represents a side elevation
of my improved apparatus Fig 2 being a cross sectional view taken on the
line A A. In the said Figs a is the aforesaid spindle which is fitted to slide in
bearings formed in a frame b which is secured to the governor stand or to any
suitable fixed part. The upper end of this spindle is connected by means of a
swivel or of an universal joint c to a rod d which is moved to and fro by the
governor. One ordinary method of connecting the said rod with the governor is
indicated in Fig 3 wherein e is the sleeve of the governor which acts upon a lever f
to which the rod d is jointed. The effect of such an arrangement is that supposing
the apparatus to be vertical as in the drawings the 'variations in the speed of the
governor will cause the spindle a to slide up or down in its bearings. The lower
end of the said spindle is screwed and works in a nut g which is connected by
links g¹ with a lever, rod or part which is connected with the cut off apparatus or
steam regulator in any ordinary or suitable manner. It will be seen that the
spindle a takes the place of the ordinary rod which transmits the action of the
governor to the cut off apparatus or regulator. A frame his fitted to vibrate
partly around the axis of the spindle a being actuated by means of a rod which
connects the arm h¹ with a suitable reciprocating part of the machinery or being
vibrated by any suitable means. Upon a rod i fixed in this frame are mounted
two long pawls k and k. Upon the spindle a is fixed a smooth edged collar or
wheel and also two ratchet wheels n and n¹ which are reversed with relation to
each other so that one of the pawls can turn one wheel in one direction and the
other pawl turn the other wheel in the contrary direction. The pawls are pressed
towards the ratchet wheel and collar by means of springs k². The collar is
beveled or rounded at its edges and is a little larger in diameter that the outside
diameter of each ratchet wheel so that when either of the pawls is resting against
the said collar such pawl has no action upon the corresponding ratchet wheel.
When the engine is running at its normal speed the parts are so adjusted as that.
the collar will be in a central position in the space seen between the ends of the
pawls the corners of the collars just bearing against the two pawls sufficiently to
keep both out of gear with the ratchet wheels or it might be that both pawls
would gear so that the spindle would simply be vibrated on its axis but this I do

page_text: not recommend. The action of the apparatus is as follows. Supposing the speed
to increase the spindle a would be lowered and the cut off would be altered in the
usual manner. By the lowering of the spindle the collar would leave the pawl
which would then act upon the ratchet wheel and turn the spindle in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Fig 2 whereby the screwed end of the spindle would
turn back in the nut so as to raise the spindle and thereby restore the collar to its
normal central position without interfering with the cut off apparatus or the steam
valve or regulator. A lowering of the speed and consequent lifting of the spindle
permits the pawl k¹ to act whereby the lower end of the spindle is screwed further
into the nut and the collar is lowered into its normal position. When the collar is
thus brought into its central position the normal speed of the governor is restored.
In the modification illustrated by Fig 3 the ratchet wheels are dispensed with and
a friction wheel o secured upon the spindle is turned in one direction or the other
when the engine speed varies by means of friction drivers p, p, which are mounted
upon a dead or fixed spindle q. The said drivers. are cylindrical in form and are
provided with bevel teeth which gear with a bevel or mitre wheel r which is upon
a shaft which is driven by means of a belt or cord acting on a pulleys so that
the drivers are revolved in contrary directions. So long as the engine continues to
run at its normal speed the wheel o remains out of contact with both of the drivers
but on the spindle a sliding in its bearings the said wheel is brought into contact
with one or the other of the drivers and the spindle is rotated in one direction or
the other the result being the same as in the example first described. I may
arrange the spindle q to be capable of having a slight movement to and from the
spindle a and apply springs so that the drivers shall exert a yielding pressure upon
the wheel o. Any suitable means other than the bevel gearing may be used to
actuate the drivers as for example cross and open belts or cords may be used.
Fig 4 illustrates a further modification wherein bevel gearing takes the place of
the friction gearing or ratchet wheels. In this example two reverse bevel wheels t, t
are mounted upon the spindle a, a key or stud in each wheel sliding in a slot in
the spindle so that the wheels are free to slide upon the spindle but are compelled
to rotate with it. A spiral spring tends to keep the lower wheel up to a collar u¹
upon the spindle the upper wheel resting upon a corresponding collar u. When
the spindle slides up or down one or the other of the wheels is brought into gear
with a continuously revolving bevel wheel r and the spindle is turned in one
direction or the other. Should the sliding movement of the spindle continue after
the wheels are in gear the spindle slides in the wheel which at the time may be in
gear with the wheel r. When the engine is running at its normal speed the
wheel runs clear of both of the wheels upon the spindle. Fig 5 illustrates a
variation in the method of connecting the spindle a with the governor this
arrangement being applicable to any of the examples in place of the arrangement
illustrated in Fig 3. In Fig 5 the spindle a is above the governor and in line
with its axis. The lower end of the said spindle is connected by means of a swivel
joint with the upper end of a rod v which extends down the hollow spindle of the
governor to the sleeve as in some forms of governor. In such a case the upper end
of the spindle a would be screwed and would work in the nut. I do not confine
the application of my Invention to steam engines.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect I would have it to be
understood that I claim :-
First. The apparatus for application to governors of motors wherein a sliding
spindle which connects the governor with the cut off or regulating apparatus is
turned in one direction or the other when the speed of the engine varies by means
of vibrating pawls acting upon reverse ratchet wheels or of continuously revolving
frictional or toothed drivers, wheels or parts whereby a screw forming part of the
connection is turned in a nut so as to lengthen or shorten the connection substan-
tially as set, forth and indicated herein before and in and by the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: And Secondly. The spindle connected by means of a swivel joint with the
governor and by means of a screw and nut with the cut off or regulator apparatus
and the arrangements whereby the spindle when moved endwise out of a normal
position is turned in one direction or the other substantially as and for the purpose
set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof I the William Mellor have hereunto set my hand and seal
this fourth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and eighty-three
Signed, sealed, and, delivered, }
=
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON
41 John Dalton S, Manchester.
(Agent for the Patentee)
WILLIAM MELLOR (L.S.)