IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS OR
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER
ENGINES." A communication from abroad by Jean Armand Callaud,
of Paris, France.
ealed the 18th March 1873, and dated the 4th October 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th October 1872.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS OR
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER
ENGINES," to be as follows:―
This Invention consists mainly in the application of a pendulum (such
as is usually employed for clockwork movements) for regulating or

page_text: governing the speed of motive power engines. The construction of this
kind of governor is founded upon the following principles-First, the
motive power engine itself transmits rotary motion to a ratchet wheel
by means of a click connected to a 'lever which is made to oscillate at a
speed corresponding to the speed at which the engine is going, so that
at each oscillation of the lever the click will drive round the ratchet
wheel one tooth. Second, an ordinary pendulum (the length of which
is determined according to the speed at which the engine is intended to
run) carries an escapement which at each oscillation of the pendulum
allows one tooth of the escapement wheel to pass. These two wheels
(the escapement and ratchet wheels) are mounted loosely on the
same axle, but are connected together by an arrangement of toothed
gearing which transmits the motion of one to the other, and which
gearing is mounted on another shaft placed parallel to the escapement
shaft, so that if one of these two wheels goes faster than the other by
reason of the increase or decrease of the speed of the engine (the vibra-
tious of the pendulum always remaining the same) a forward or back-
ward movement of the secondary shaft (which carries the intermediate
gearing) will take place. This lateral or oscillating movement of the
intermediate shaft (which is due to the alteration in the normal speed of
the engine) is made use of to uctuate a rod which works the throttle
valve or other valve of the engine. In order to insure regularity in the
motion of the pendulum and the proper balance of the mechanism, the
intermediate gearing and shafting which is mounted excentrically is
counterbalanced by a weight, so as to maintain all parts in equilibrio.
When an engine has very quick motions the regulator must be some-
what modified in some of its parts. For instance, the pendulum bob or
weight is raised to within about 20 inches of the point of suspension,
and a vertical spring is added. Behind this spring and parallel thereto
is a square bar of iron on which there is an adjustable cross bar provided
with a clip, through which the vertical spring passes. When the spring
is clamped to the parallel bar it of course will be rigid like it from its
lower end up to the clip, and as this is adjustable up or down the square
iron bar it will be evident that the action of the spring may be increased
or diminished at pleasure, by merely altering the position of the clip, and
thus lengthening or shortening the acting part of the spring.
The construction of regulator above-described is inapplicable for
marine or locomotive engines, for which purpose a vibrating vendulum

page_text: could not be employed. In order therefore to adapt the Invention to
marine or locomotive purposes the pendulum must be dispensed with,
and in place thereof a circular balance wheel acting upon the principle
of the balance wheel in watches, chronometers, or portable clocks is
employed.
The substitution of a balance wheel for a vibrating pendulum would
of course involve a modification of some of the parts, such as the escape-
ment and the mechanism for transmitting motion to the steam valve or
cock, but the principle of action of the apparatus remains the same as
in the case of stationary engines already explained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any tinie
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 GOVERNORS OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF
STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES," being a communication to me
from abroad by Jean Armand Calland, of Paris, France, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe

page_text: In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the
improved apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3
is a plan view, and Fig. 4 a side view of some of the working parts
detached and shewing the train of toothed gearing whereby they are
connected together.
A toothed wheel a is fixed to a ratchet wheel b, and both are mounted
loosely on the main axle of the apparatus. Another toothed wheel c
of the same dimensions as the wheel a gears into and is driven by this
latter, and is mounted on the secondary axle e, which is carried by a
block d fixed on the main axle l. At the opposite end of the axle e is
another toothed wheel f, which gears into an intermediate wheel
mounted loosely on a short shaft or stud h fixed in the side of the
block d. The intermediate wheel 7 gears into and drives a similar
wheelj on the main shaft I, which also carries the escapement wheel k.
A click m mounted on the stud n, fixed on the side standards, takes into
the teeth of the ratchet wheel b and prevents the latter from rotating in
the wrong direction. Another click or ratchet o mounted on the stud p,
fixed in the lever q, serves to push round the ratchet wheel b when the
lever q is depressed. A lever is fixed upon the shaft or some other
part of the regulating mechanism, and is connected to the rod t, whereby
the movements of the regulator are communicated to the valve of the
engine. The ratchet lever q is jointed at to the fixed framing, and at
its opposite end is provided with a ring u, whereby it is connected with
some of the working parts of the engine to be regulated.
The arms x
of the escapement y take into the pins of the escapement wheel k, the
action of which is regulated by the pendulum z, the bob or weight of
which is supported on the rod by the cross pin w. Below the framing X
which carries the principal working parts of the apparatus is a horizontal
bar A which is mounted on a stud in a drop bearing B, forming part of
the framing. The opposite end of the bar A is supported by a spring D.
A rack E is supported at one end by a bar F, and at the opposite end by
a rod G, so that as the pendulum vibrates a cross pin H fixed at the
lower end of the pendulum rod is prevented from coming in contact
with any of the teeth in the rack E. So long therefore as the rack E is
kept suspended as shewn in the Drawing the pendulum may vibrate in
front of it without let or hindrance, but immediately the rack is allowed
to fall it will come against the cross pin E and will hold back the
pendulum.

page_text: The operation of the several parts is as follows:-The toothed wheel a
being fixed to the ratchet wheel gears into the wheel c of the same
size and number of teeth, and which (as has been already mentioned) is
fixed upon an intermediate shaft e, which passes freely through the
block d, and carries at its opposite end the wheel, which gears into the
wheel on the stud of the block d. This wheel gears into the
wheel j, which is fixed on or to the escapement wheel. The motions of
the ratchet wheel 6 will therefore be transmitted to the escapement
wheel, but in the opposite direction. The framing X is composed of
two side standards of similar form and dimensions connected together by
four cross pieces tightened up by means of screw nuts. The shaft /
upon which the principal moving parts turn is mounted in the
framing X. The stopping click m is also mounted on the framing, and
is capable of turning freely on its stud n. The other or actuating click
or ratchet o also turns freely upon a similar stud carried by the lever q.
Both these clicks are pressed against the ratchet teeth by means of
springs. The motions of the engine to be regulated are imparted to the
lever by means of a rod adapted to the ring u at the end of the lever,
or to one or other of the holes made along its length, according to the
extent of the motion that can be obtained. When the lever q is set in
motion the click o which it carries acts upon the teeth of the ratchet,
and pushes the latter round tooth by tooth. The tendency of this will
be to cause the block d to rotate, and thus lift parts which are mounted
thereon, and thus actuate the toothed gearing, which will tend to rotate
the escapement wheel k, the pins of which will act alternately against
the arms of the escapement y, which is connected to the rod of the
pendulum . Influenced by the impulses given to the arms of the
escapement the pendulum will oscillate at a speed corresponding to its
length. As this speed depends entirely on the length of the pendulum
it can never vary except from variations of temperature for which it will
be unnecessary to compensate, but this may be done as in ordinary clocks
if considered desirable. The speed of the escapement wheel will be
regulated in this manner with sufficient accuracy, and its speed may be
altered when required. When therefore the speed of the engine exceeds
that for which the pendulum is set, the rocking portion of the mechanism,
that is, the block d and its accessories will be raised, and will carry with
it the lever or its equivalent, to which the rod t is connected, and will
thereby proportionately close the induction steam valve. If the engine
slackens speed this same rocking portion of the mechanism descends,
r

page_text: and effects a gradual opening of the valve of the engine. The con-
struction and arrangement of these parts may be modified, for instance
the lever r may be dispensed with, and the rod t connected directly
to the block d by means of a pin or stud 8, or in any other suitable
to the block d by means of a pin or stud s, or in any other suitable
manner.
If the number of the teeth of the escapement wheel is equal to one-
half of the teeth of the ratchet wheel each tooth of the escapement
wheel will produce two oscillations of the pendulum, and every turn of
the engine will correspond to one motion of the pendulum, the length of
which will be one metre for an engine working sixty strokes a minute,
and one metre forty-four centimetres for an engine making fifty
strokes, and two metres for an engine regulated for forty-five strokes per
minuto. As for lower numbers a longer pendulum would be required,
and as this would be found inconvenient it is preferable for engines
working at from thirty to forty-five strokes to alter the number of teeth
in the gearing. In giving the wheel a forty-five teeth and the wheel c
thirty teeth the speed of the latter will increase 188, the escapement
remaining the same, and the dimensions of the pendulum will be that
mentioned for from forty-five to sixty strokes. If the apparatus be so
arranged as to allow two teeth of the ratchet b to pass at every motion
of the lever q (the wheels a and c having the same number of teeth) the
engine will make a revolution for every two oscillations of the pendulum.
This arrangement may be used for speeds from 22.5 to thirty.
The second arrangement of gearing just referred to in combination
with the passage of two of the ratchet teeth for every revolution of
the engine may be employed for speeds of from fifteen to 22.5 rc-
volutions. In this manner the same form and arrangement of regulator
may be employed for all cases, it being only necessary to change the
gearing to make it suitable for the various speeds that may be required
in the arts or manufactures. For speeds above sixty revolutions the
wheel which has the smallest number of teeth may be placed in the
centre of the apparatus, and then speeds of from sixty to ninety
revolutions can be made use of; these speeds however are not much
used. For speeds corresponding to numbers between those above
mentioned, and in order to admit of varying the speed of the engine
as may be required holes may be made in the pendulum rod to receive
the pin (Fig. 1), which supports the bob, so that the latter may be.

page_text: movca up or down the rod and пxed at the desired point, according w
the speed required.
In cases when the position of the vibrating or rocking picced by
rising higher and higher should happen to so far diminish the speed
of the engine that it cannot follow the motions of the regulating
wheelwork a device is adapted to the regulator for the purpose of
remedying this defect. It is composed of the horizontal bar A
(Fig. 1), connected by a spring and joint in the manner already
explained to the framework X. The horizontal bar A is connected to
the block d by means of a rod 1 provided with an oblong cyc or slot
through which the bar A passes. When the rocking part d of the
apparatus rises above its proper limits the rod 1 will descend and
rest upon the bar A, which being held up at one end only by the
spring D will yield to the weight, and the bar A and rack E will
drop down. The rack E will then come in contact with the pin I on
the pendulum rod which will thus be stopped. If the engine continues
working the rocking part of the apparatus will rise again, and after
some instants will lift up the rack E and disengage the pendulum.
This arrangement of apparatus may also be employed for setting in
action a signal bell or whistle to indicate that the engine is not at its
normal speed, and is liable to soon stop.
〃
The pendulum should be so arranged as to start easily of itself by
the action of the weight of the rocking part of the mechanism.
Should the valve be shut and the engine continue in motion the lifting
apparatus would be set in action, and thus the regulator would be
driven up to the end of its course and be liable to break the mechanism.
In order to prevent such an accident the block d is provided with
a finger I which is fixed on one side of the block. A lever J is
mounted on a stud K at the upper part of the framing, and is made
with two arms, one of which is arranged opposite to the finger I, and
the other opposite to the tail L of the stopping click m. The relative
position of these several parts is so calculated that when the induction
valve is closed and the train of wheels has reached the end of its course
the finger I will act upon the lever J and will cause its longer arm to
come against the tail L of the click m and lift the latter away from the
teeth of the ratchet, and will allow the latter to run back when it is
dragged round by the weight of the block d and its accessories.

page_text: Figures 5, 6, and 7, represent modifications of certain parts of the
apparatus, whereby its construction is somewhat simplified. The
rocking block d is dispensed with, and all the mechanism is mounted
on one or two iron plates M which carry sockets for the axles or shafts
of the wheels of which the regulator is composed.
In cases where the rod which acts on the induction valve is required
to operate in the opposite direction to that shewn, it will only be
necessary to attach it to a prolongation of the lower part of the
piece M, Figures 5, 6, and 7. To this part also is connected the
O slotted rod 1 which acts on the horizontal bar A, which effects the
automatic stopping of the pendulum in the manner already explained,
or the sounding of an alarum, as above mentioned.
I would also remark that instead of employing the slotted rod 1 to act
on the bar A to produce the effects above set forth, a small chain pro-
vided with an eye at one end and a counterbalance weight may be
attached to the stud 8 of the block d. If the bar A be passed through
the eye at the end of this chain the same effects will be produced as those
above described.
When an engine has very quick motions the regulator must be some-
what modified in some of the parts, as shewn at Figures 8 and 9;
Fig. 8 is a front view, and Fig. 9 a side or edge view of a pendulum
constructed expressly for this purpose. The pendulum bob or weight is
raised to within about twenty inches of the point of suspension (which
is not shewn in the Drawing) and a vertical spring a is added below to the
length of the pendulum rod. Two small lateral springs a¹, a', are added
to prevent the breakage of the main spring. Behind this spring a, and
parallel thereto is a square bar of iron B, on which there is an adjustable
cross bar provided with a clip C, through which the vertical spring a
passes. When the spring a is clamped to the parallel bar B it of course
will be rigid like it from its lower end up to the clip, and as this is
adjustable up or down the square iron bar B it will be evident that the
action of the spring a, and consequently the length of the pendulum may
be increased or diminished at pleasure by merely altering the position of
the clip 0, and thus lengthening or shortening the acting part of the
5 spring a.

page_text: The number and extent of the oscillations of the pendulum arc
governed by mathematical rules, whereby the speed which it is desired
to impart to machines or engines to which the regulator is to be applied
may be determined beforehand.
The construction of regulator above described is inapplicable for
marine or locomotive engines, for which purposes a vibrating pendulum
could not be employed. In order, therefore, to adapt the Invention to
marine or locomotive purposes the pendulum must be dispensed with,
and in place thereof a circular balance wheel, acting upon the principle
of the balance wheel in watches, chronometers, or portable clocks
is employed. The substitution of a balance wheel for vibrating
pendulum would of course involve a modification of some of the parts,
such as the escapement and the mechanism for transmitting motion to
the steam valve or cock, but the principle of action of the apparatus
remains the same as in the case of stationary engines already explained.
In Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings Fig. 10 is a front elevation,
and Fig. 11 a side view of an apparatus, in which a balance wheel is used
in place of the pendulum shewn in Figures 1 and 2, and above described.
The working mechanism is enclosed between two plates or frames A and
B which are connected together by six metal pillars. Midway between
these two plates is a transverse bar C. The two plates A and B are of
an oval form, one is plain and the other has an opening cut out so that
the mechanism behind it may be seen. This opening may be closed in
by a glass or metal cover, and a thin sheet metal envelope encloses the
mechanism at the sides. The central axle is pivotted on the plate A and
cross bar C and supports as in the pendulum regulator the three
following parts, viz., first, the ratchet wheel D with the internal cog
wheel d; second, the escapement wheel E and a toothed wheel; third,
the regulating lever F carrying a pinion ; these parts act in the same
manner as in the former instance.
The ratchet is set in motion by the action of the lever G, only in this
case the moveable click or pawle is doubled, and the stopping click or
pawle is dispensed with. Two levers H., H', mounted on the central axlo
carry the two clicks or pawles h, h', and two other levers jointed to the
middle of the lever G, G, are connected to the levers H, H³, so that all
the motions of the lever G are imparted to the levers which carry the
clicks. The governing lever F mounted on the central axle carries on

page_text: into the internal teeth d of the
When the motion of the driving
is carried round by the internal
its boss a small pinion ƒ which gears
ratchet D, and also into the wheel e.
lever actuates the ratchet D the pinion
teeth and causes the governing lever to rise, and its weight will start
the escapement, the action of which will tend to cause it to descend,
and thus establish a kind of antagonistic action between it and the
speed of the engine that is to be regulated, as the lever F by rising
tends to shut the induction valve and to open it when the lever
descends. The escapement is of novel construction. The escapement
wheel is provided with pins, as shewn at Fig. 11, and the cylinder is
mounted upon a plate 1. The ends of the notched part which is cut
away form two inclined planes, and when the train of wheels presses one
of the pins of the escapement against one of these inclined planes it
drives it back, and the pin which follows falls upon the circular part
which comes before the inclined plane, and the balance wheel L is
carried by its momentum until the spring J which acts like the air
spring of watches brings it back, when the notched part comes round
and allows the second pin to escape, and causes the balance wheel to
move in the opposite direction. The spring J is carried by a moveable
block J. At its upper end is a small block j to which is jointed the
rod k, which is connected at its opposite end to a bridge picce M on the
boss of the balance wheel, and as this latter oscillates in either direction
it acts on the spring J, which will always tend to force it back to a state
of rest unless it be overcome by its own momentum or the action of the
pins of the escapement wheel. When it is desired to quicken the speed
of the regulator, this is effected by turning the handle N of the
regulating screw, whereby the tension of the spring can be modified,
and the vibrations of the balance wheel rendered faster or slower. By
combining this mode of acting upon the speed with the number of teeth
of the ratchet, which may be allowed to pass for each movement of the
lever the desired number of revolutions per minute which it is wished
the engine shall produce may be obtained.
In order to change at will the extent of motion of the driving lever G,
this lever is lengthened, and this prolongation is curved, as shewn at
Fig. 10. An additional lever P is jointed to the apparatus, and receives
motion at p from the engine to be regulated. About midway of its
length a bar or lever O is jointed to the lever P. The arc of the curved

page_text: part of the lever G is produced or struck from the centre of tho stud
of this lever or bar O, which at its upper end carries a spring click or
latch which takes into either of the notches on the upper edge of the
lever G. The motion of the lever P is always the same, as it is acted
upon by the engine, but if the lever O is moved to the end of the
driving lever G it will be made to describe or short arc of a circle.
Supposing then that this short are causes one tooth of the ratchet to
pass at each movement of oscillation it will be evident that if the
piece O is brought nearer the centre of motion of the lever G as by
placing it in the second notch the arc will be extended, and will cause
two teeth to be acted upon, and so on until the last notch is reached,
when six teeth or a space equal to one quarter of a revolution of the
ratchet will be acted upon for each motion of the lever. In this balance
wheel regulator (as in the pedulum regulator) it has been considered
advisable to stop the action of the apparatus when the engine is liable
to keep it going after the valve is closed. A finger or click R secured
to the lever F is so arranged in reference to the pawle of the ratchet
wheel that when the lever R is raised to a certain point the finger R
will come against a projecting pin on the click ', and will lift the
latter away from the teeth of the ratchet, and thereby prevent it from
acting on the wheel D and rotating the same. The double pawle arrange-
ment is sometimes adapted to the pendulum regulator.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the application (for regulating the
speed of engines) of the ordinary pendulum in combination with an
arrangement or train of gearing for transmitting the differential move-
ments, in which train of gearing the auxiliary shaft for transmitting
such motions itself receives an oscillating or rocking motion, (round the
principal shaft or axle of the apparatus), in proportion to the difference
of the speeds which take place between the oscillations of the pendulum
(which remain isochronous) and the impulsions produced by each stroke
of the piston of the engine, these oscillating motions of the intermediato
shaft serving to transmit with precision a regulating or governing action
on the valve of the engine.
It must be understood that I reserve to myself the right of varying
or modifying as practice may succest the arrancament and detaile of

page_text: the improved regulator, while at the same time preserving the principles
of construction above set forth, and which constitute the basis of the
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
three