Improvements in Engine Governors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1892-Accepted, 9th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engine Governors.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER of 13 Bedford Row, London W.C.
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved mode of adjusting the spring or springs of
engine governors of the spring loaded type, and this invention may be readily
applied to any centrifugal governor. A second part relates to a mode of governor
construction applicable to gas engine governors.
The object of the first part of my invention is to enable the spring of the
governor to be readily adjusted while the governor is in motion without interfering
with its rotation, so as to screw down the spring and decrease its pressure or to
unscrew and diminish its pressure at will. By this means I vary the speed of the
engine.
In one arrangement construct a spring to rotate with the governor spindle and
so place it that it acts, against the expansion of the governor balls, on a sleeve
also on the governor spindle or other similar device.
I extend the governor spindle to carry a screwed sleeve which has a milled or
other disc arranged to be readily seized by hand. On the sleeve is screwed a
milled nut, and this nut screws against the governor spring. The screwed sleeve
fits easily on the governor spindle and is prevented from being thrust off by a
suitable collar on the governor spindle, which collar may be conical and sunk into
the end of the sleeve.
When the governor is rotating the screwed sleeve, nut and spring rotates with
it and the adjustment of the spring remains constant.
When it is desired to screw up the spring, the nut is grasped in the hand and
being prevented from rotating it screws on the screwed sleeve and further com-
presses the spring. The speed of the governor balls necessary to overcome the
spring is thus increased. When it is desired to release the spring or reduce its
pressure, the milled disc is seized and held, so that the screwed sleeve ceases to
rotate with the governor, then the friction of the spring against the milled nut
rauses the said nut to unscrew or move in such direction as to reduce the pressure
or action of the spring. The speed at which the governor balls overcome the
spring is thus reduced and with it the engine speed.
Instead of seizing or arresting the motion of either nut or sleeve by hand,
brakes may be arranged to act on nut or sleeve automatically or otherwise, in cases
where it is required to vary the speed of the engine to suit the requirements of
bumps, exhausters or other industrial appliances of an intermittent kind.
The varying pressure of water, or of gas in the case of an exhauster or com-
presser may be adapted to apply the brakes required to alter the engine speed as
lescribed so as to render the action automatic.
It will be readily understood that the direction of the screw right or left or the
lirection of rotation of the governor may be arranged so that the milled nut when
eld causes the spring to be relieved, and the milled disc attached to the screwed
leeve when held causes the spring to exert greater resistance."
The arrangement may also be applied when the spring is used in tension.
In constructing a gas engine governor in accordance with the second part of my
nvention, I dispense with the usual governor balls and adopt a weight pivotted at
ue side of the rotating part, and so balanced or proportioned, that a part projecting
n one side of the governor spindle acts by centrifugal force in conjunction with a
art extending over the end of the governor spindle; the whole forming one piece
nd the shape of the masses being arranged that the centrifugal force of both

page_text: masses co-operate. On the part projecting over the end of the axis of rotation I
attach a knife edge, cam, and the movement of the piece causes the cam to engage
or miss the gas valve stem or roller as determined. by variation of position.
Through the part of the governing mass which projects over the spindle, I
sometimes pass a projection from the spindle, upon which I place the screwed
sleeve, with milled disc, milled nut, and spring, as hereinbefore described. In this
case however I prefer to cause the spring so controlled to act simply as an adjusting
spring, the spring resistance to the centrifugal force being supplied by a more
powerful, or acting spring thrusting the governing mass outward from the end of
the rotating spindle with a constant pressure. The compression of the outer or
adjusting spring, presses against the said spring and so reduces the speed of the
engine, while the reduction of the pressure of the adjusting spring allows the said
acting spring to come more fully into action and so increase the speed of the
engine.
In this arrangement also, modifications may be applied to use springs in tension
instead of in compression.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1891
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham; Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engine Governors.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of 13 Bedford Row, London, W.C.
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved mode of adjusting the spring or springs of
engine governors of the spring loaded type, and this improvement may be readily
applied to any centrifugal governor. A second part relates to a mode of governor
construction applicable to gas engine governors.
The object of the first part of my invention is to enable the spring of the
governor to be readily adjusted while the governor is in motion without interfering
with its rotation, so as to screw down the spring and increase its pressure or to
unscrew and diminish its pressure at will. By this means I vary the speed of the
engine.
Referring to the two sheets of accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a centrifugal governor of a well known type to
which my invention has been applied.
Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1 and part in section.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a gas engine governor made according to the
second part of my invention.
Figure 4 is a plan corresponding to Figure 3.
In one arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 I construct a spring C to rotate
with the governor spindle and so place it that it acts, against the expansion of the
governor balls, on a sleeve D¹ also on the governor spindle or other similar
device.
I extend the governor spindle at K to carry a screwed sleeve A which has a
milled or other disc A¹ arranged to be readily seized by hand. On the sleeve is
screwed a milled nut B, and this nut screws against the governor spring C. The
screwed sleeve A fits easily on the governor spindle K and is prevented from being
thrust off by a suitable collar E on the governor spindle, which collar may be
conical and sunk into the end of the sleeve..
When the governor is rotating the screwed sleeve A, nut B and spring C rotates
with it, and the adjustment of the spring remains constant.
When it is desired to screw up the spring, the nut B is grasped in the hand and
'

page_text: being prevented from rotating it screws on the screwed sleeve A and further com-
presses the spring C. The speed of the governor balls necessary to overcome the
spring is thus increased. When it is desired to release the spring or reduce its
pressure, the milled disc A' is seized and held so that the screwed sleeve A ceases
to rotate with the governor, then the friction of the spring C against the milled
nut B causes the said nut to unscrew or move in such direction as to reduce the
pressure or action of the spring. The speed at which the governor balls overcome
the spring is thus reduced and with it the engine speed. Instead of seizing or
arresting the motion of either nut or sleeve by hand, brakes may be arranged to
act on nut or sleeve automatically or otherwise in cases where it is required to vary
the speed of the engine to suit the requirements of pumps, exhausters or other
industrial appliances of an intermittent kind.
The varying pressure of water, or of gas in the case of an exhauster or com-
presser may be adapted to apply the brakes required to alter the engine speed as
described so as to render the action automatic.
It will be readily understood that the direction of the screw right or left or the
direction of rotation of the governor may be arranged so that the milled nut when
held causes the spring to be relieved, and the milled disc attached to the screwed
sleeve when held causes the spring to exert greater resistance.
The arrangement may also be applied when the spring is used in tension.
In constructing a gas engine governor in accordance with the second part of my
invention as shown at Figures 3 and 4, I dispense with the usual governor balls
and adopt a weight F, F1 pivoted at G on one side of the rotating part or shaft L
and so balanced or proportioned that a part F' projecting on one side of the
governor spindle acts by centrifugal force in conjunction with a part F extending
over the end of the governor spindle; the whole forming one piece and the shape
of the masses being arranged that the centrifugal force of both masses co-operate.
On the part projecting over the end of the axis of rotation I attach a knife edge
cam F and the movement of the piece causes the cam to engage or miss the gas
valve stem or roller as determined by variation of position. This is indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 3.
Through the part of the projecting mass which projects over the spindle I pass
a projection K from the spindle upon which I place the screwed sleeve A, with
milled disc A', milled nut B and spring C' as herein before described. In this case
however, I prefer to cause the spring C₁ so controlled to act simply as an adjusting
spring, the spring resistance to the centrifugal force being supplied by a more
powerful or acting spring C thrusting the governing mass outward from the end of
the rotating spindle with a constant pressure. The compression of the outer or
adjusting spring C' presses against the said spring C and so reduces the speed of
the engine, while the reduction of the pressure of the adjusting spring C₁ allows
the said acting spring C to come more fully into action and so increases the speed
of the engine.
In this arrangement also modifications may be applied to use springs in tension
instead of in compression.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. An adjusting arrangement for engine governors comprising:-A screwed
sleeve having a milled or other suitable disc, a nut on the said screwed sleeve, the
nut and disc being arranged so that when one is grasped while the governor is
rotating, the governor spring is compressed, and when the other is grasped the
governor spring is released so that the speed of the engine may be readily adjusted
w.thout stopping the governor substantially as bereinbefore described.
2. A speed adjusting device for engine_governors arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated at Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Irawings,

page_text: 3. A gas engine governor having adjusting disc, screwed sleeve, and nut with
or without an additional adjusting spring, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. A gas engine governor as herein before described with reference to Figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1892.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.