IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR SELF-ACTING VARIABLE EXPANSION
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Kesseler, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the
Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR SELF-ACTING VARIABLE EXPANSION."
A communication from Albert Wever, of the Firm of A. Wever and Company,
and Frederic Knüttel, both of Barmen, in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 7th May 1880, and dated the 11th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Kesseler at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th November 1879.
CARL KESSELER, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of Germany,
Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor. " IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR SELF-
ACTING VARIABLE EXPANSION." A communication from Albert Wever, of the Firm
of A. Wever and Company, and Frederic Knüttel, both of Barmen, in the Empire
of Germany.
Steam-engine regulators have hitherto acted on a valve or valves of the steam
pipe or conduit from the boiler, by narrowing or widening the conduit as the speed
of the engine increased or diminished. For greater convenience the expansion
apparatus have as a rule been so set by the engineer, that when the greatest power
is required and the steam is lowest in the boiler, simultaneously nevertheless, the
At normal
machine will run at sufficient speed and develope the requisite power.
working with the most advantageous (viz., the highest admissible) pressure, the
regulator had to assist by partially closing the conducting pipe. Hereby the steam
pressure however is as is evident reduced, so that a considerable part of the
pressure generated in the boiler will not find its way into the cylinder and
consequently will be lost.
.
The "Corliss" engines were the first, disregarding a few older less successful
constructions, in which the regulator acted upon the degree of expansion in the
cylinder as the regulator measured out the quantity of steam to be admitted into
the cylinder for filling the same. The conduit for the steam remaining altogether
open, the steam entered the cylinder with the same pressure which it had in the
boiler, therefore its expansive power was made serviceable as much as possible.
That thereby great saving of steam and of coal was effected is well known, but it
had its faults also. It was for example difficult to keep the revolving slides steam-
tight. The loose connexion of the slides with eccentrics required weights or
springs and catches, which especially in fast going machines are likely to become
troublesome; it is applicable to machines built for the purpose, but is not adaptable
to other engines. Some of these faults have since been corrected or have been

page_text: reduced, for example, valves instead of knee levers and revolving slides have been
provided.
The regulator herein described however avoids all the faults of the "Corliss" or
other similar regulators that have from time to time been brought forward and
presents the following advantages
1. That the eccentric and slide are firmly connected that consequently springs
and catches are avoided, and that such compulsory motion of the slide absolutely
prevents the action from failing.
2. It may be fitted to most of the existing engines.
3. It will act on flat sides also which offer more facility for being kept tight
than the otherwise ingeniously devised round slides of "Rider."
4. The whole apparatus is easy of access and not hidden in the slide box, where
the wear is greater and the control more difficult.
5. It acts directly on the steam slide or regulator valve and not upon a special
expansion valve. In the latter case the steam contained between this valve and
the cylinder and tubes in the slide box, etc., is for the most part lost each time the
cylinder falls.
This present Invention therefore acts as follows:-
A pulley mounted on a short shaft working in bearings in the regulator pedestal
drives the governor balls by means of bevil wheels. To the first bevil wheel a
second bevil wheel is firmly connected, which turns two other bevil wheels which
are loosely placed on the shaft, so that one of the bevil wheels rotates in one
direction, and the other bevil wheel rotates in an opposite direction. On a spring
fixed on the shaft carrying the loose wheels a box slides, which box has a screw
thread on its periphery similar to a worm wheel in the middle of its length and
cones on the ends, which cones fit into friction boxes on the loose side bevil
wheels.
Furthermore, the cog wheel is wedged on to the axle which transmits the
working of the regulator to the regulator mechanism. A rod and lever transmit
by means of a toothed segment the motion of the sleeve to the conical ended and
screwed friction coupling box. If through increased speed of the engines the
governor balls and the sleeve rise, the box will be pushed towards the right by the
connection rod, lever, and toothed segment. The cone on its right-hand-side-end
comes into contact with the friction box of one of the loose bevil wheels, which
will cause the coupling box (hitherto stationary) to revolve. But the box revolving
will cause the screw thread to work and screw itself backwards in the toothed
segment, and will thus place one of the bevil wheels out of gear as soon as the
upward tension of the fly balls ceases. The coupling box therefore will turn whilst
the sleeve of the regulator rises and stops, as soon as that (the sleeve) rests in the
height corresponding to the speed of the engine. If the engine works slowly and
the balls and sleeve fall the coupling box is pushed to the left, and one of the conic
wheels comes into play, and the pulley with the axle and the cog wheel will be
turned in an opposite direction.
If the regulator is to act upon steam engines, as for example, upon such fitted
with "Meyers'" expansion apparatus, the cog wheel causes a second cog wheel to 4
revolve which is wedged on to the rod of the expansion slide, and thereby the
expansion slides are brought nearer to each other or their distance apart is
increased, which in older engines was done by the engine driver by means of a
hand wheel.
In valve regulators the slide box which lifts the valves will be displaced on the
length of the axle in the same way as above described for expansion slides.
It is clear by what has been said that the energy of the regulator can be
multiplied at will, that to every position of the fly-balls there is a corresponding
one of the expansion slides, and that the regulator is connected to the engine only
by the first cog wheel, and therefore can be fitted without interruption of the 5
working.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Carl Kesseler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th May
1880.
CARL KESSELER, of 63, Mohrenstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of Germany,
Civil Engineer and Patent Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATORS FOR SELF
ACTING VARIABLE EXPANSION." A communication from Albert Wever, of the Firm
of A. Wever and Company, and Frederic Knüttel, both of Barmen, in the Empire
of Germany.
Steam engine regulators have hitherto acted on a valve or valves of the steam
pipe or conduit from the boiler, by narrowing or widening the conduit as the speed
of the engine increased or diminished. For greater convenience the expansion
apparatus have as a rule been so set by the engineer that when the greatest power
is required and the steam is lowest in the boiler, simultaneously nevertheless, the
machine will run at sufficient speed and develop the requisite power. At normal
working with the most advantageous (viz., the highest admissable) pressure, the
regulator had to assist by partially closing the conducting pipe, whereby the steam
pressure is as is evident reduced, so that a considerable part of the pressure
generated in the boiler will not find its way into the cylinder, and consequently
will be lost.
The Corliss engines were the first, disregarding a few older less successful
constructions, in which the regulator acted upon the degree of expansion in the
cylinder, as the regulator measured out the quantity of steam to be admitted into
the cylinder for fillng the same. The conduit for the steam remaining altogether
open, the steam entered the cylinder with the same pressure which it had in the
boiler, therefore its expansive power was made serviceable as much as possible.
That thereby great saving of steam and of coal was effected is well known, but it
had its faults also. It was for example, difficult to keep the revolving slides steam
tight. The loose connection of the slides with eccentrics required weights or
springs and catches, which especially in fast going machines are likely to become
troublesome; it is applicable to machines built for the purpose, but is not adaptable
to other engines. Some of these faults have since been corrected or have been
reduced, for example, valves instead of knee levers and revolving slides have been
provided.
"
The improved regulator herein described however avoids all the faults of the
"Corliss or other similar regulators that have from time to time been brought
forward, and presents the following advantages
:-
First. That the eccentric and slide are firmly connected that consequently springs
and catches are avoided, and that such compulsory motion of the slide absolutely
prevents the action from failing.
Second. It may be fitted to most existing engines.
Third. It will act on flat slides also which offer more facility for being kept
tight than the otherwise ingeniously devised round-slides of "Rider."
Fourth. The whole apparatus is easy of access and not hidden in the slide box,
where the wear is greater and the control more difficult.
Fifth. It acts directly on the steam slide or regulator valve and not upon a
special expansion valve. In the latter case the steam contained between this valve
and the cylinder and tubes in the slide box, and other parts is for the most part
lost each time the cylinder fills.
This apparatus according to this Invention is constructed and acts as follows,
and reference is made to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings in order that the
same may be clearly understood :—

page_text: A pulley R mounted on a short shaft working in bearings in the regulator
pedestal drives the governor balls by means of bevil wheels A, Figs. 2 and 3, and D
in Fig. 1. To the first bevil wheel a second bevil wheel E is firmly connected,
which turns two other bevil wheels B and C which are loosely placed on the
shaft W, so that the bevil wheel B rotates in one direction, and the other bevil
wheel Ċ rotates in an opposite direction. On a spring fixed on the shaft W
carrying the loose wheels the box K slides, which box has a screw thread or a
worm on its periphery in the middle of its length and cones on the ends, which
cones fit into friction boxes on the loose side bevil wheels B and C.
Furthermore, the cog wheel F is keyed onto the axle W which transmits the
working of the regulator to the regulating mechanism. The rod S and lever H
transmit by means of the toothed segment Z the motion of the link piece N to the
conical ended and screwed friction coupling box K. If through increased speed of
the engines the governor balls and the link piece N rise, the box K will be pushed
towards the right by the connection rods, lever H, and toothed segment Z. The
cone on its right hand side end comes into contact with the friction box of the
bevil wheels B, which will cause the coupling box K (hitherto stationary) to
revolve. But the box revolving will cause the screw thread or worm on K to
work and screw itself backwards in the toothed segment, and will thus place the
bevil wheel B out of gear as soon as the upward tension of the governor balls
ceases. The coupling box K therefore will turn whilst the link piece N of the
regulator rises, and will stop as soon as that (the link piece) rests in the height
corresponding to the speed of the engine. If the engine works slowly and the balls
and link piece N fall, the coupling box K is pushed to the left and the conical
wheel C comes into play, and the pulley box R with the axle W and the cogwheel
F will be turned in an opposite direction.
<<
If the regulator is to act upon steam engines, as for example, upon such fitted
with Meyers" expansion apparatus, the cogwheel F causes a second cogwheel to
revolve, which is keyed on to the rod of the expansion slide, and thereby the
expansion slides are brought nearer to each other, or their distance apart is
increased which in older engines was done by the engine driver by means of a
handwheel.
In valve regulators the slide box which lifts the valves will be displaced on the
length of the axle in the same way as above described for expansion slides.
It is clear by what has been said that the energy of the regulator can be
multiplied at will, that to every position of the governor balls there is a corre-
sponding one of the expansion slides, and that the regulator is connected to the
engine only by the cogwheel F, and therefore can be fitted without interruption of
the working.
For heavy steam-engines which have alternately to do much and little work, to
run at high speed and at low, as is the case in rolling mill engines, the trans-
mitting mechanism of this apparatus may be used without the swinging ball
governor; also in such engines it is too difficult to set the expansion slide by hand,
but by lowering or raising the lever H the engineer can give the required degree of
expansion without any effort.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention
I claim,―
First. The combination of a centrifugal regulator with an indirect transmitter,
which multiplies the energy of the regulator and transmits the movement of the
unchanged, as herein described.
Second. An indirect transmitter for centrifugal regulators consisting of the
toothed segment E on the lever H and the worm sleeve K, which gears frictionally
with the bevil wheel B or C according to the speed of the engine, and is thereby
enabled to turn the shaft W in one or the other direction, which movement is then
transmitted by the wheel F to the regulating valve mechanism of the engine, all
as herein described and shown in the Drawings.

page_text: Third. The application of the transmitting mechanism of this apparatus without
the use of a swinging ball regulator for regulating the degree of expansion in
heavy steam engines by means of the lever H, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Kesseler, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
CARL KESSELER. (L.S.)