Improvements in Governors for Regulating the Motion of Machinery.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Regulating the Motion of
Machinery.
I, CHARLES THOMPSON GUTHRIE, of 9 Ash Grove Cricklewood and War Office
Horse Guards Whitehall both in the county of Middlesex Architect and Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The Governor is designed to work with extreme accuracy, in any position and
during any change of position. To be applicable to stationary engines, locomotives,
marine engines revolving lights, measurers of time, astronomical machinery &c., &c.
It consists of four nearly equal weights W, W, W₁, W₁, (Sheets 1, 2, 3,) coupled
together at the ends of equal rods R, R. (Sheets 2 & 3) which turn on a common
axle A₁, at right angles to the coupling rods R, R, and to the main axle A, of the
governor to which it is fixed; passing through the centres of gravity of each couple,
due allowance being made for the weights of two radius rods B, B; one end of each
rod being jointed to a collar C which slides freely on the main axle A; the other ends
jointed to the coupling rods R, R, and forming with them a rhombus.
Rotatory, motion is given to the governor weights and consequently to the main
axle A, by one weight of each couple, W₁, W₁, coming in contact with the surface of
a cone K (Sheet 2) which revolves on a fixed tubular axle T, through which the main
axle A passes freely without contact. Or by coming in contact with a wheel W
(Sheet 3) revolving on a fixed axle a in the axis of the main axle A.
The weights of one couple W, W₁, are attached to the weights of the other
couple W, W₁, by springs S, S, which tend to press the weights W, W₁, against the
cone K, (Sheets 1 & 2) or against the wheel w (Sheet 3); while the centrifugal
force caused by the rotation of the weights W, W, W₁, W₁, round the main axle A
tends to diminish the pressure. Hence the maximum rotatory velocity which can be
given to the weights W, W, W₁, W₁, however great the velocity of the cone K,
(Sheets 1 & 2) or of the wheel w, (Sheet 3) may be, is that which produces sufficient
centrifugal force in them to overcome the resistance of the springs S, S; so far as to
reduce the pressure on the cone K, (Sheets 1 & 2) or on the wheel w, (Sheet 3) to
an amount sufficient only to overcome the friction on the bearings of the main axle A,
aerial resistance &c.
A screw is cut on one end of the main axle A on which turns a pivion nut N.
Simultaneous motion is given to the pinion nut N and cone K, (Sheets 1 & 2) or to
the pinion nut N and wheel w, (Sheet 3) by toothed wheels D, D, fixed to a common
axle actuated by the engine to be governed. The toothed wheels D, D, are of different
diameters and the pinion nut N and pinion P which drives the cone K, (Sheets 1 & 2)
or the driving wheel w (Sheet 3) are correspondingly of different diameters; so that
the cone K (Sheets 1 & 2) or the driving wheel w (Sheet 3) may always revolve at
a greater rate than the pinion nut N. The pinion nut N (Sheet 2) is fitted with a
grooved collar and trunnion ring the trunnions passing into slots in the forked end of
the lever L; or otherwise. Or the pinion nut N (Sheet 3) has a projecting boss P.
When the engine is moving at the prescribed rate the pinion nut N rotates at the
same rate as the main axle A and consequently does not travel on the screw. When
the engine moves at any other than the prescribed rate the pinion nut does travel on
the screw, and thereby regulates the motion of the engine, either by moving the
lever L, (Sheet 2) or otherwise; or by inducing friction against the projecting boss P
(Sheet 3).
The resistance of the lever L (Sheet 2) to motion produces friction on the screw of
the main axle A which tends to accelerate or retard the velocity of the governor. If
to retard; the weights W₁. W₁, (Sheets 1 & 2) immediately press upon the cone K

page_text: and recover their velocity. If to accelerate they leave the surface of the cone K
and come in contact with the fixed conical guard Ğ and their velocity is immediately
reduced.
The governor and consequently the engine to be governed may be set to move at
any desired rate by causing the concentric cones K and G, (Sheets 1 & 2) to slide
along their tubular axle L by the screw worm V working the sectors S geering into
the racks, regulating the distance of the governor weights from the main axle. Or
(Sheet 3) the governor may be slightly adjusted by the screws a and b and nut N ;
compensation for variations of temperature is obtained by regulating the relative
lengths of the weights, of their coupling rods R, R, and of the metal sheaths E, E,
connecting them; according to the relative heat expansions of the metals of which
they are composed.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Regulating the Motion of
Machinery.
1, CHARLES THOMPSON GUTHRIE, 123 Room, War Office, Horse Guards, Whitehall 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 construction of apparatus for regulating or
governing the rate of motion of machinery with very great accuracy, so that the
slighest increase or decrease of speed beyond the normal will at once produce an
efficient retarding or accelerating effect. It consists mainly in causing two or more
weighted arms, similar to those used in an ordinary governor, pivotted to a spindle, to
bear upon a surface which is rotated by the machine, and which consequently imparts
a reduced rotation to the arms and spindle by frictional contact, the said arms being
howover so arranged that when the speed of the machine and consequently of the said
surface exceeds or falls short of the normal; the increased or diminished centrifugal
action upon the weighted arms consequent upon such increase or decrease of speed
causes them to bear with less or more pressure on the revolving surface. The spindle
of the weighted arms is screw-threaded and carries a nut which is also rotated by the
machine at such a rate that when the machine is revolving at the normal speed there
is no relative motion between the nut and spindle but when the normal speed is
exceeded or fallen short of, the velocity of the governor spindle remains practically
unchanged, owing to the arms bearing with less or more pressure against the revolving
surface, while the nut is rotated at the increased speed; a longitudinal motion of the
nut upon the spindle results, and this motion is then utilised in any suitable way for
retarding or accelerating the motion of the machine until it is reduced or increased to
the normal, and the relative motion between the spindle and nut ceases.
The apparatus can be constructed in a variety of ways for carrying out the above
described mode of action. Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying my
Provisional Specification shew respectively a side view and vertical section of one
arrangement.
The apparatus consists in this case of four nearly equal weights W, W, W¹, W',
coupled together at the ends of equal arms R R pivoted at A' to the spindle A. The
spindle A¹ passes through the centre of gravity of each couple, allowance being made
for the weighs of the radius rods B B and collar C. One end of each radius rod B B
is jointed to the collar C which slides on the spindle A; the other ends are jointed to
the weighted arms R, R, forming with them a rhombus.
Rotatory motion is given to the weighted arms R, K, and consequently to the
spindle A by one weight of each couple Wand W coming in contact with the surface
of the cone K which revolves on a fixed tubular axle T through which the spindle A
passes without contact. The weights of one couple W W' are attached to the weights