Improvements in Centrifugal Governors for Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Governors for Engines.
We OSCAR LUDWIG KUMMER, EMIL FISCHINGER, and HEINRICH LECK, all
three of Nieder Sedlitz near Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony and German
Empire, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
A centrifugal governor constructed according to this invention consists of a
flanged disc forming a cylindrical casing, which is mounted on the main shaft.
Inside this casing two weighted levers are pivotted, the said levers being connected
together by links. These levers are controlled by springs connected thereto, and
to the inner periphery of the casing.
One of the weighted levers is connected by a link to a pin which projects
through a slot in the disc, and forms the pivot for an excentric.
This excentric is formed with a boss at the back, which slides in guides
provided on the outer face of the disc.
As the speed of rotation of the main shaft increases or diminishes, so the
weighted ends of the levers will more or less fly outwards, rocking the levers on
their pivots, and thereby, through the link arrangement, changing the position of
the excentric, so that its excentricity will be less or greater as the case may be,
and the movement of the steam valve with which the excentric is connected will
be regulated accordingly.
Instead of coupling the weighted levers directly together, they may be connected
to a disc or wheel mounted loosely on the main shaft.
The springs are connected to the weighted levers at a point between the pivot
and the centre of gravity, and the levers are arranged so that the centre of gravity
is in front of the pivot in the sense of rotation of the governor.
Dated this 29th day of April 1891.
NEWTON & SON,
Applicants' Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Governors for Engines.
OSCAR LUDWIG KUMMER, EMIL FISCHINGER, and HEINRICH LECK, all three
of Nieder-Sedlitz, near Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire,
Electrical Engineers, 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 :-
Centrifugal governors constructed on the pendulum or fly lever system, hitherto
in use, it is well known, act in such manner on the excentric, that the traverse of
the weight of the pendulum is distributed equally or uniformly divided.
By this method of regulating or governing, it follows, that within the limits
of the larger charges or admissions, a larger swing of the pendulums or centri-
fugal masses, is required, for regulating a given increase or a given decrease in
the HP effect, than within the limits of the smaller charges or admissions of steam.
This is made more clear by the diagram in the annexed drawing Fig. 14, which
diagram shews the proportion between the effect in HP and steam admission in a
given engine. If, for example, the charge or admission of steam is successively
17

page_text: and uniformly reduced by 10%, commencing at 60%, the following reduction in
the effect will result:-
Admission reduced from 60% to 50% will result in a decrease of effect of
"
"2
"
"
50% to 40%
40° to 30%
51.5 45.5 =
45.5 37.5 =
6 HP.
8 HP.
33
"
"
"
27
دو
""
"
"
30% to 20%
-
37-5-27
-
= 10.5 HP.
- 11 615-4 HP.
From this it results, that with a uniform reduction of the admissions of steam,
the effective HP will be decreased, or be reduced unequally, and not uniformly ;
in fact, they will be reduced quicker (or more accelerated), and in larger
proportions.
This method of governing or regulating steam, gas, or air engines, has the dis-
advantage that with full or nearly full load on the engine, the governor loses its
power over the engine, regulating in such case without the result of maintaining
an equal number of revolutions, whereas with no load, or nearly no load on the
engine, the regulating effect is too coarse, thus allowing the engine to race, or to
run at an irregular quick speed.
Now the object of the present invention, is the construction of a governor in
which the travel, or swing, of the weight of the pendulums or fly levers, is equally
distributed over, or divided into the actual effects of the engine, but not into the
admission of steam to the engine. This we desire to be understood in this way:
If, for example, the engine runs unloaded with 102 revolutions per minute, but at
98 revolutions per minute her effect is 60 HP, then this engine will have an effect
at 101 revolutions per minute of 15 HP; at 100 revolutions per minute, of 30 HP;
and at 99 revolutions per minute, of 45 HP; or to put it more concisely and in the
form of a table :-
In other words, the decrease in the number of revolutions will be as nearly
as possible proportionate to the effect of power, which result will only be obtained
if the travel or swing of the pendulum weights is proportionately transferred to
the governing apparatus, the pendulum weights, as is well known, always assuming
their position according to the decrease or diminution of number of revolutions.
By this arrangement, the governor will exert the same control over the engine
at each change of load.
The proportionate transfer or transmission of the swing of the pendulum weights
upon the regulating organs, is ensured by the increase in the length of the levers,
with increasing degrees of admission effecting a more than proportionate shifting
of the excentric.
With a governor of the present invention, in which the swing of the pendulum
weights is equally distributed over or divided into the actual effect of the engine,
a nearly equal number of revolutions is attained with varying loads on the engine,
as has been shewn by experiments with a steam engine provided with a governor
of this description. The engine being of five HP., and making 475 revolutions per
minute, there was only an increase or decrease of from 3 to 42 per minute, if the
engine was suddenly unloaded from 5 to 0, or loaded from 0 to 5 HP.
There has never to our knowledge been obtained in any construction of governor
hitherto known such a near approach to exactness of the governor, for the reason
that the governors, especially with a small load on the engine, acquired periodically
an oscillating, or to and fro motion, thereby imparting to the engine an unsteady
motion.
'

page_text: A governor according to the present invention is furthermore characterised by
the peculiarity, that, in its revolution, the pendulum's weight always precedes, or is
in advance, of its point of suspension. The effect of this is, that on any sudden
increase of load on the engine, the momentum of the inert mass of the governor
pendulum will at once contribute to the opening of the steam admission port, which
is not the case in former governors, in which, in consequence of the inertia of the
pendulum mass, the pendulum first moved outwardly, contrary to the diminished
centrifugal force, and thereby decreased the admission of steam, instead of increasing
the same, and only later on approached the centre of the axle; in other words,
increased the admission of steam.
The same effect may also be obtained, without being limited to a certain direction
of rotation of the governor, if the pendulums or fly levers or masses are arranged
the reverse way, that is to say, by arranging the point of suspension nearer the
periphery of the governor, and the weight of the pendulum or lever nearer the
centre of it, so that in this instance the point of gravity follows the point of
suspension. This governor may revolve in the same direction as the one above
described, with the weights in advance of the points of suspension, or in the opposite
direction, and the momentum of the inert mass of the governor pendulums will at
the same time assist in the opening of the steam admission ports.
In order to further ensure, with our governor, the nearest possible approach to
exactitude, with the greatest possible effect, that is to say, a great power of dis-
placement, the springs are connected in such manner with the pendulums, that,
with the increasing tension of the springs, a corresponding shortening or reduction
of the length of the levers (from the suspension points to the connecting points of
the springs) takes place, by which means we obtain the greatest possible power of
displacement of the governor with a casing of given dimensions as to diameter and
width, and with a given variation in the number of revolutions. In order to
explain this, we state, as is well known, that (without regard to the admitted
changes of the number of revolutions), the power of displacement or shifting of a
governor, expressed in metre-kilogramme, increases proportionately with the
centrifugal masses, and proportionately with the swing of the pendulum weights.
If, now, these two factors are made as large as possible, a powerful and heavy
spring must be employed, there being, however, very limited space in the governor
casing for a heavy spring. Now, the possibility of suspending the spring in such
a manner that, with an increase of its tension, a reduction of the length of the
lever will take place, will ensure the fulfilment of the above three conditions, to
wit, a large mass, a large swing of the pendulum weights, and the possibility of
mounting the necessary springs within a limited space.
A governor fulfilling all the foregoing conditions, is represented in the annexed
drawings, in which-
Fig. 1 shews a governor with its parts in the position they would take when the
engine is fully loaded.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in the position when the engine runs
unloaded.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the casing and outer parts.
a a are the fly levers or pendulums, connected together by links 6 b¹. c c¹ are
springs, each of which is connected, at one end, to the governor casing at d and d;
the other ends rest, at e and e', in brass bearings carried by the pendulum. To one
of the pendulums (the upper pendulum a¹ in the drawings), a link f is pivoted,
transmitting (in a manner to be hereafter described) the displacement of the
pendulums to the excentric g. The excentric is formed with two square or
rectangular pieces 92, sliding behind guiding bars h¹ h2, which are fixed to the back
of the casing h. The above-named link is suitably secured to a pivot ³
(Figs. 1, 2 & 3) on the excentric g, said pivot g³ passing through a slot k provided
for it in the governor casing h. If the pendulums, by centrifugal force, are thrown
from the position shewn in Fig. 1 into that shewn in Fig. 2, the excentric will also
be transferred from the one position into the other; the centre point of the

page_text: excentric, in consequence of the straight guides, will be shifted in a straight line.
On comparing the Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that in consequence of the
suspension of the springs, the length of the acting lever A', B, Fig. 1, is reduced
to the length A', B¹, Fig. 2.
The governor is mounted in such manner on the crank shaft or fly wheel centre,
that the points of gravity S S₁ of the pendulums a a are always in advance of, or
are preceding the points of suspension A, A'; therefore the direction of rotation of
the governor must be that of the indicating arrows.
According to the shifting or displacement of the excentric, its excentricity and
the lead will be changed in such manner that the swing of the pendulum weights
will be equal to the actual effect of the engine.
The construction of governor, as above specified, has proved to be highly efficient
for engines of great velocity, say, for example, 500 revolutions per minute.
If a
governor of or about the dimensions suitable for such engines is employed for larger
engines making a less number of revolutions (the governor being provided with no
heavier pendulums, and with no stronger springs, for which heavier pendulums and
stronger springs there would be no room in the given dimensions of the casing), the
governor is modified, and this modification must be made for the reason that, in
larger and more slowly revolving engines, the reaction of the excentric during the
reversing of the slide valve motion is a heavier one, whereby the governor
pendulums will easily get into an oscillating motion. The modification of the
governor in such a case is represented in Figs. 4 and 5. Instead of coupling the
pendulums a and a¹ together by the links in a direct manner, as in Figs. 1 to 3,
the coupling is effected by means of links b¹ in an indirect manner, through a
movable inert mass, which, in the illustration, is represented by a disc H, loosely
mounted on the pivot g³. The connection of the pendulums with this disc is
arranged in such manner that when the pendulums are moved outwardly by
centrifugal force, the disc H is forced to make a small rotary movement in a
reverse direction to the rotary movement of the fly wheel.
By this arrangement of the disc H, and the mode of connecting it to the
pendulums, the disc at any variation of speed of the fly wheel, due to increase or
decrease of the load, will act by means of its inertia in such a manner on the
pendulums, that it supports the increasing or decreasing centrifugal action of said
pendulums. It may be stated, as an example, that if the load of the engine is
decreased, and the velocity of the fly wheel increases, the disc in the first instance
will maintain its velocity, and will therefore (relatively to the fly wheel) turn in
a reverse direction to the fly wheel, or, in other words, it will not follow or partake
instantaneously of the increased velocity of the fly wheel, the pendulums thereby,
by their special connection with the disc, being pushed outwardly by the links. In
this case it is obvious the commencement of the required decrease of admission of
steam is supported by the vis inertia, that is, the disc H. The vis inertia of the
disc H acts advantageously in both ways upon the governor's work; it suppresses
any to and fro (vibrating) motion of the pendulums, created by the reaction of the
excentric during reversion of the slide valve motion, and it supports the increase or
decrease of centrifugal action of the pendulums.
If the advantages just named of the inert mass, by which mass the fly levers of
the governor are coupled, are attained with compound steam engines of con-
siderable dimensions, in which separate regulation of the high pressure and of
the low pressure slide valves are desired, the governor may be varied in such
manner that the changes in the positions of the excentrics for the slide valve
rods, which changes become necessary if the speed of the engine varies, are
nct transmitted directly by the fly levers, as in the instances illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2, and 4, but such changes are transmitted by the inert mass, which in
this instance is coupled at one side to the fly levers, and at the other side to the
excentric straps, so that changes in the position of the fly levers are transmitted
through the inert mass unto the excentric strap.
Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the annexed drawings, in

page_text: a compound steam engine. Here the casing hembraces or includes two separate
governors independent of each other, each governor acting on the excentric of the
slide valve for the high pressure cylinder, and for the low pressure cylinder
respectively. Of course, a separate casing may be provided for each governor.
The casing, common to both governors, is divided by a vertical partition wall,
the hub of which is keyed onto the fly wheel or main shaft of the steam engine.
At each side of said wall, two fly levers or pendulums a a' are arranged (see Fig. 7),
which swing outwardly against the tension of the coiled springs cc'. Said springs
are fixed at one end to the casing, and at the other end to the fly levers. These
fly levers are connected by links or connecting rods to the discs H (the inert
masses), which are mounted loosely on the fly wheel shaft. On the other side, each
disc H is connected by a hub to the excentric disc g, all these parts, disc H, the
hub and the disc g, being mounted loosely on the fly wheel shaft. The excentric g
is surrounded by the two halves of a ring g', and this ring again is surrounded by
the ring of the connecting rod y³. In order to make the excentric ring g' inde-
pendent, in its normal revolutions, of the revolution, of the disc H, or, in other
words, not to drive the excentric ring by means of the inert mass or disc H,
there is mounted and keyed at the side of each excentric on the fly wheel shaft,
a crank arm m, with a radial slot, into which a pin n takes, which projects laterally
from the ring g
The fly wheel shaft imparts, by means of the arm m and pin ", a positive rotary
motion to the excentric ring g', but the connection between crank arm m and ring g
does not prevent a displacement or change of position of the excentric disc g and
its ring g', which is caused by the disc or inert mass H, thereby shifting the position
of the slide valves.
The governor just described may be constructed single instead of double, as
specified, and illustrated in Fig. 6, and instead of acting directly on the distributing
and expansion slide valves, it may act upon any device for admitting or distributing
steam.
We may remark, that the devices for admitting or distributing steam may be
controlled by two dise or inert masses H, which are governed by one pair of fly levers
and one pair of springs only, instead of each disc H being governed by one pair of
fly levers and one pair of springs.
We referred in the former part of this Specification, to the different methods of
suspending the fly levers in governors of the kind described in this Specification,
and it was said that the weight of the pendulums is always in advance of, or
precedes the point of suspension in the direction of rotation. This arrangement is
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, and we have also shewn, at Fig. 8, a diagrammatic view of
such a way of suspending the fly levers. In this instance, the direction of rotation
of the governor is limited to that indicated by the arrow. It was also stated, that
the arrangement might be reversed with the same result, by suspending the levers
nearer the periphery, and by arranging the point of gravity of such levers, or the
pendulum balls, nearer to the centre. In this instance, there is no limitation of the
direction of rotation of the governor; this arrangement is diagrammatically shewn
in Fig. 9, and the governor may rotate in the direction of the arrow, or in the
reverse way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A governor in which the coupled pendulums or centrifugal fly levers are
connected by a link f with the stud ping of the excentric, for the purpose of
shifting the latter in a straight line at any change in the speed of rotation of the
engine, for the purpose of obtaining the proportionality between the swing of the
centrifugal masses and the actual effect or work of the engine.
2. A governor in which the springs c c¹ are connected at one end with the casing
and at the other end with the pendulums at a point between the point of suspension

page_text: and the point of gravity of the pendulums, in such a manner that the distance
(A-B, Fig. 1) between the point of connection of the spring and the point of
suspension of the pendulum will be shortened by the centrifugal or outward motion
of the latter (A-B', Fig. 2) for better utilising the power (tension) of such springs
in their limited dimensions.
3. A governor in which the pendulums are so arranged that their point of gravity
is situated in front of, or in advance of their point of suspension, in the sense of
the direction of rotation of the governor.
4. The modification of the centrifugal governor in such a manner, that in place
of coupling the pendulums direct by the links b b, the links are connected to an
inert mass H mounted loosely on the central shaft of the governor, so that the
vis inertia of such mass is opposed to the action of the pendulums, when any change
in speed or velocity takes place.
5. The modification of the arrangement claimed under Claim 3, in such a manner
that the point of suspension of the fly levers is nearer the periphery, and the point
of gravity of fly levers is nearer the centre of the governor, in which case the
governor will work with equally good result in either direction of rotation.
6. Modification of the arrangement claimed under Claim 4, in such a manner
that the fly levers or pendulums of the governor do not transmit their motions
directly to the excentrics of the slide valves, but through an inert mass or loose
disc, which is connected to such levers or pendulums, and to the excentrics of the
slide valves.
7. The arrangement of governors for regulating the positions of slide valves, as
specified above with reference to Figs. 6 and 7 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 29th day of January 1892.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.