Improvements in Shaft Governors, for Motive Power Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1900
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Shaft Governors, for Motive Power Engines.
$
We, WILLIAM REAVELL, EDMUND BRUCE BALL, and REAVELL & COMPANY, of
the Ranelagh Works, Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that well known class of centrifugal
or inertia governors used in controlling steam or other motive power engines
which are mounted upon and rotate with the driving or crank shaft, and operate
by modifying the relative position of the eccentric from the normal, thus affect-
ing the point of admission or cut-off of the steam or other pressure agent to the
cylinder.
The governing apparatus consists of a pulley shaped casting secured upon
the crank shaft, and turning with it. This casting forms the frame of the
governor, most of its parts being enclosed within the rim thereof, and a web or
arm connecting the rim and central boss of the casting is placed at or towards
the inner edge of the govenor frame, to give room within the outer edge for
inost of the governor parts.
Two studs having bearings at their outward extremities, and projecting out-
wards, are screwed or otherwise attached to the frame, one being screwed to the
boss, and the other a short distance from it to the web, and a short shaft is
mounted in the bearing ends of the studs in a plane parallel to the aforesaid
web, or to the face of the frame.
The short shaft carries two short arms or bell crank levers each turned ball
shaped at its end, one extending inwards and the other extending downward so
that the centre of its ball end coincides with the axial line of the crank shaft,
and situated at a short distance from the end thereof.
A rod, having two cup shaped ends, is fitted at one end upon the ball end of
the inwardly turned arm, and at the other end to another ball-ended stud which
is screwed into a heavy ring that forms the governor. The ring governor is
eccentrically mounted in relation to the axis of rotation of the crank shaft,
having its centre of gravity always outside the centre of rotation, and in addition
to its connection with the governor frame through the studs and a linkwork, is
also pivoted to the web of. the frame, while a further connection to the web is
made by a spiral spring attached at one end to a pin or hook in the governor
ring, and at the other end to a stud, with means for adjusting the tension of
the spring. The ring governor thus surrounds the boss of the governor frame,
within its rim; and the form of the ring together with the disposition of the
weight and arrangement of the parts within the frame, causes the ring to act
both by inertia and centrifugal force to keep the speed of the engine constant,
through connections described hereinafter. That is to say, the centrifugal force
acting on the pivoted ring will tend to extend the spring, and upon any increase
over the normal speed of the engine, the mass of the ring tends to lag behind,
and this inertia together with the effect of centrifugal force, acting together at
•

page_text: the instant of increased speed, producing a radial movement of the ring upon
its pivot, lifts the rod, and through the aforesaid linkwork causes the centre of
the ball end of the arm to move also on a slight arc towards the end of the
crank shaft. Conversely on a decrease of speed, the inertia of the ring assists
the spring to act on the instant in the same direction as the reduced centrifugal
force, so that the governor responds immediately to the alteration in speed,
the force of the inertia just referred to being thus available to overcome the
friction in the cut-off and connecting gear; the movement of the parts, including
the ball end of the arm, being in the opposite direction to that described above.
It is to be understood that the position of the governor frame, and the length
of the crank shaft are so arranged that the ball end of the arm overhangs the
end of the crank shaft sufficiently to give it the free motion towards and from
the shaft required; and in addition to this to and fro axial motion, the ball
end has a true movement of rotation upon the axis of the shaft. The ball
end is fitted into a corresponding cup-shaped short rod, placed horizontally on
the axial line of the crank shaft, thus not only causing it to revolve with the
shaft, but imparting to it the to and fro or endways motion of the ball end.
The outer end of the short rod (or end farthest from the crank shaft) is also
turned spherically, and fitted to a cup shaped arm in which it revolves. The
arm is keyed upon a vertical shaft, suitably arranged in bearings to communicate
the axial or endways motion of the rod and arm in turn to an additional arm
or lever secured to the top of the vertical shaft.
From this additional arm a rod connects with a lever, adapted to control the
throttle valve or expansion gear, through its spindle. An adjustable speed
regulating device is adapted to act on the vertical shaft by means of a lever,
and a stay is made to extend from any suitable part of the engine to carry
the upper end of the vertical shaft.
In another form, the governing apparatus consists of a pulley shaped casting
secured upon the crank shaft, and turning with it. This casting forms the frame
of the governor, most of its parts being enclosed within the rim thereof, and a
web or arm connection between the rim and central boss of the casting is placed
at or towards the inner edge of the governor frame, to give room within the
outer edge for most of the governor parts.
A ring attached to which is an eccentric which encircles the crank shaft
without touching it, and being free to move with the ring as part of the same,
the plane of the ring lies parallel to that of the web of the casting, and is
eccentrically mounted in relation to the axis of rotation of the crank shaft, having
the centre of gravity always outside the centre of rotation, and is also pivoted
to the web of the frame, while a further connection with the web is made by a
spiral spring attached at one end to a pin or hook in the governor ring, and at
the other end to a stud, with means for adjusting the tension of the spring.
The ring governor thus surrounds the boss of the governor frame, within its
rim and the form of the ring together with the disposition of the weight, and
arrangement of the parts within the frame, causes the ring to act both by inertia
and centrifugal force to keep the speed of the engine constant, through con-
nections described hereinafter. That is to say, the centrifugal force acting on
the pivoted ring will tend to extend the spring, and upon any increase over the
normal speed of the engine, the mass of the ring tends to lag behind, and this
inertia, together with the effect of centrifugal force acting together at the instant
of increased speed, producing a radial movement of the ring upon the pivot,
decreases the radius of the eccentric, at the same time moving it further away
from the crank pin centre, and through an eccentric strap and rods which,
directly coupled to the slide valve, decreases the travel of the same.
Conversely, on a decrease of speed, the inertia of the ring assists the spring
to act on the instant in the same direction as the reduced centrifugal force, so
that the governor responds immediately to the alteration in speed, the force of
the inertia just referred to being thus available to overcome the friction in the

page_text: cut-off and connecting gear; the movement of the parts increasing the travel of
the valve, being opposite to that described.
Dated this 29th. day of November 1899.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, London. W.C.
Agents for the Applicants.
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED),
Improvements in Shaft Governors, for Motive Power Engines.
We, WILLIAM REAVELL, EDMUND BRUCE BALL, and REAVELL & COMPANY, of
the Ranelagh Works, Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in that well known class of centrifugal
or inertia governors, used in controlling steam or other motive power engines,
which are mounted upon and rotate with the driving or crank shaft, and operate
by modifying the relative position of the steam admission valve from the normal,
thus affecting the point of admission or cut-off of the steam or other pressure
agent to the cylinder.
In the further description of this invention reference is made to the accom-
panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a general elevation of a shaft governor,
looking towards the end of the crank shaft, Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the
same upon the line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same
partly in section, taken on the vertical line C-1) of Fig. 1; Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
and 9 are detail views of certain parts of the link work, as explained more fully
hereinafter.
In these drawings the governing apparatus shown consists of a pulley shaped
casting a secured upon the crank shaft b, and turning with it. This casting forms
the frame of the governor, most of its parts being enclosed within the rim
thereof, and a web or arm a¹, connecting the rim and central boss a² of the
casting, is placed at or towards the inner edge of the governor frame, to give room
within the outer edge for most of the governor parts.
Two studs c, c, having bearings at their outward extremities, are screwed or
otherwise attached to the frame so as to project outward, one being screwed to
the boss of the casting a, and the other a short distance from it to the web a¹,
or to an extension of the boss, while a short rocking shaft d is mounted in the
bearing ends of the studs in a plane parallel to the aforesaid web or face of
the frame a¹.
The short rocking shaft carries two short arms or bell crank levers and d²,
each turned ball shaped at us end, one (d) extending inwards, and the other
(d) extending downward, so that the centre of its ball end coincides with. the
axial line of the crank shaft, and is situated at a short distance from the end
thereof. The said working shaft d, in its stud bearings c, el, together with the
arms d', d, and connections therewith, constitute a linkwork as shown.
A rode having two cup shaped ends, is fitted at one end upon the ball end
of the inwardly turned arm d', and at the other end to a ball-ended stud f
which is screwed into a heavy ring g that forms the governor.
The ring
governor 9 is eccentrically mounted in relation to the axis of rotation of the
crank shaft, having its centre of gravity always outside the centre of rotation,
and in addition to its connection with the governor frame through the
studs c, c, and linkwork .d, d, d², e and f, is also pivoted at gl
to the web a¹ of the pulley frame 17, while al further connection
to the web is made by a spiral spring attached at one end to
a pin or hook, in the governor ring, and at the other end to a stud h¹
secured to the web a', with a screwed eye bolt and nut for adjusting the tension

page_text: of the spring. The ring governor g thus surrounds the boss a² of the governor,
frame, within its rim; and the form of the ring, together with the disposition of
the weight and arrangement of the parts within the frame, causes the ring to
act both by inertia and centrifugal force to keep the speed of the engine constant,
through further connections described hereinafter. That is to say, the centrifugal
force acting on the pivoted ring will tend to extend the spring, and upon any
increase over the normal speed of the engine, the mass of the ring tends to lag
behind, and this inertia together with the effect of centrifugal force, acting
together at the instant of increased speed, producing a radial movement of the
ring upon its pivot gl-lifts the rod-e, and through the aforesaid linkwork-causes
the centre of the ball end of the arm de to move also on a slight are towards the
end of the crank shaft as shown in Fig. 3. Conversely on a decrease of speed,
the inertia of the ring assists the spring to act on the instant in the same direction
as the reduced centrifugal force; so that the governor responds immediately
to the alteration in speed, the force of the inertia just referred to being thus
available to overcome the friction in the cut-off and, connecting "gear; the
movement of the parts, including the ball end of the arm 2, being in the opposite
direction to that described above, and both upon the axial line of the crank
shaft. b.
It is..to be understood that the position of the governor frame, and the length
of the crank shaft are so arranged that the ball end of the arm overhangs the
end of the crank shaft sufficiently to give it the free motion towards and from the
shaft required and in addition to this to and fro axial motion, the ball end has a
true, movement of rotation upon the axis of the shaft. The ball end is fitted
into a corresponding cup-shaped short rod i, placed horizontally on the axial line
of the crank shaft, thus not only causing it to revolve with the shaft, but imparting
to it the axial to and fro or endways motion of the ball end.
The outer end of the short rod i (or end furthest from the crank shaft) is also
turned spherically; and fitted to a cup-shaped arm in which it revolves. The
arm. is keyed upon a vertical shaft, suitably arranged in bearings to com-
municate the axial or endways motion of the rod and arm in turn to an additional
arm or lever (not shown) secured to the top. or other convenient part of the
vertical shaft 2.
From this additional arm a rod connects with a lever, adapted to control the
throttle valve or expansion gear, through its spindle. An adjustable speed
regulating device (not shown) may be adapted to act on the vertical shaft by
means of a lever and a stay is made to extend from any suitable part of the
engine to carry the upper end of the vertical shaft 2.
The ring governor g, as shown in Fig. 1, is not truly concentric, the curve:
outline being struck from more than one centre so as to produce a varying curve
resembling a volute, but with the larger and smaller radial curves.connected by
an inner and outer step or projection. In each of these projections an elastic or
spring buffer is inserted, and adapted to act upon the stop and stud ', in one
direction, and upon the stop a in the other direction. Furthermore, the peculiar
shape of the ring governor concentrates a large proportion of its weight at
the greatest radial distance from the point g¹, upon which it is pivoted, without
unduly increasing its size or weight; and in addition, it affords sufficient space
for inserting the spring in a convenient and guarded position.
The rocking shaft & may be integral with its bell cranked arms 1, 2, and
journal ends or the latter may be fitted as an axle in the stud bearings and c²,
while the rocking shaft d, together with the arms d², may be formed as a
sleeve working on the said axle, as indicated in Fig. 2. The rod e is made in
two halves, longitudinally, and, bolted together as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7;
to allow of the cup-shaped ends being bored and fitted to the ball ends and f
Similarly, the short rod i, (Figs. 8 and 9), and lever arm (Figs. 4 and 5), have
caps fitted at their cup-shaped ends and bolted together, the ball end of being
tapped and screwed on the rod, and capable of adjustment.

page_text: The arrangement and support of the shaft 2, together with the connection
between the same and the throttle valve or expansion gear, will necessarily vary
according to the character of the engine to which the improved governor is
applied, and need not therefore be shown.
We are aware that many shaft governors have been devised to operate a throttle
or valve controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the engine by means of a
rotary carrier or plate having pivoted thereon one or more bars, levers, and
weights, which, upon a variation in the speed of the engine, and the action of
inertia and centrifugal force, and by a spring, operates the said valve through
various forms of transmitting gear, such as a shaft mounted in bearings on the
carrier or plate and having its axis in a plane at right angles to the axis of
rotation of said plate, to regulate the speed of the engine, and therefore make
no claim thereto; but having now particularly described and ascertained the
nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
we declare that what we claim is:-
-
In a shaft governor for controlling the speed of a motive power engine
having linkage for transmitting the governing movement in an axial direction,
the combination of a circular flanged frame a, mounted upon and secured at
the end of the engine shaft; a governor ring g, pivoted at g to the said frame,
adapted to act under inertia, centrifugal force, and the effect of a pivoted and
adjustable spring bearings c, c', secured to the said frame and turning there-
with a rocking shaft, having arms and adapted to work in the said
bearings, a stud f secured to the said governor ring and connected to the arm
by a rod e, adapted and operating to communicate any movement of the governor
ring when under the influence of the said inertia, centrifugal, or spring forces to
the rocking shaft d; and a link work such as i, and, with suitable connections
adapted and operating to transmit the aforesaid motion of the governor ring
from a point in the spherical end of the arm, overhanging the end of the
engine shaft and on the axial line thereof, to the throttle or other valve controll-
ing the pressure agent to the engine, substantially as and for the purpose described
herein and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 29th. day of August, 1900.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicants
37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C.