Improvements in Governors for Steam Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Steam Engines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN, RICHARD WRIGHT, and RICHARD WILLIAM
ALLEN, all of York Street Works, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to what are well known as automatic expansion or fly
wheel governors, in which pivotted weights carried by the fly wheel are operated by
centrifugal force as the former revolves, and are connected to an excentric the
position of which is accordingly varied as the speed of the fly wheel and the
resulting centrifugal force varies, the action of the centrifugal force being resisted
to the extent required by means of one or more springs of sufficient strength
connected to the weights.
In the methods heretofore ordinarily used of applying such fly wheel governors
it has been impossible to vary and regulate by hand the tension of the spring or
springs, and so to vary the determined speed of the engine when in motion, and our
present invention has for its object improved methods of construction by which the
tension can be very easily and accurately varied and adjusted by hand, whilst the
engine is in motion. For this purpose we use a helical spring of sufficient strength,.
the centre of which corresponds with the centre of the engine shaft. The inner
end of this spring abuts against a collar upon a central sleeve moveable endways
upon a support formed upon or attached to the fly wheel, by which it together with
the spring is carried round.
The outer end of the spring abuts against an adjustable ring or washer having a
central eye.
In each of the two weights pivotted to the fly wheel in the usual way,
to form the governor we arrange a small wheel or pulley round which the end of a
fixed chain, or wire or other rope, or link, is fixed, the chain or rope after leaving
the pivotted weight passing round a pulley carried by the support upon which the
central sleeve moves as already described, then along the centre of the spring and
round the eye in the washer at the outer end of the latter and back round a second
opposite pulley carried by the support and to the small pulley or wheel in the
second pivotted weight round which it is fastened. It will be seen that as the
pivotted weights move outward by centrifugal force the spring is compressed by
the chain or rope attached to them and to the eye in the washer against which the
outer end of the spring abuts, but there are no means of varying by hand whilst
the governor is in motion, the tension of the spring and the consequent movement
of the weights.
In order to provide such means we arrange in connection with the revolving
sleeve, against which the inner end of the spring abuts as already described, a
forked lever turning upon a fixed fulcrum upon the frame of the engine and
provided at its outer end with a screw and hand wheel by which its position can be
altered as desired so as to move the sleeve endways and compress the spring more
or less as may be desired.
The arrangement described may be varied more or less.
For instance we prefer to make the inner end of the spring abut against a fixed
collar carried by the fly wheel or the shaft, and we arrange a secondary separate
helical spring concentric with but outside the first one, the inner end of only this
secondary spring abutting against the moveable sleeve which is adjustable as
described by the handle and wheel. The outer end of both springs abut against
the ring or washer which carries the eye round which the chain or cord passes.
this way the pressure and friction against the end of the lever is greatly lessened,
being that of the supplementary spring only.
In

page_text: In cases where the shaft is carried through the fly wheel which is fitted with the
pivotted weights, the spring or springs may be arranged concentrically round it, the
several fixed abutments being carried by the shaft, and the sleeve also being
capable of moving endways upon the latter by the action of the adjusting lever and
handwheel.
Dated this 17th day of June 1891
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMFLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Governors for Steam Engines,
We, WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN, RICHARD WRIGHT, and RICHARD WILLIAM
ALLEN, all of York Street Works, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
Our invention relates to what are well known as automatic expansion or fly
wheel governors, in which pivotted weights carried by the fly wheel are operated
by centrifugal force as the latter revolves, and are connected to an excentric the
position of which is accordingly varied as the speed of the fly wheel and the
resulting centrifugal force varies, the action of the centrifugal force being resisted
to the extent required by means of one or more springs of sufficient strength
connected to the weights.
In the methods heretofore ordinarily used of applying such fly wheel governors
it has not been possible to vary and regulate by hand the tension of the spring or
springs and so to vary the determined speed of the engine, when the latter is in
motion, and our present invention has for its objects improved methods of construc-
tion by which the tension can be very easily and accurately varied and adjusted by
hand, whilst the engine is in motion. For this purpose we use one or more helical
springs of sufficient strength, the central axis of which corresponds with the centre
of the engine shaft. The inner end of this spring abuts against a collar upon a
central sleeve, moveable endways upon a support formed upon or attached to the
fly wheel, by which it, together with the spring, is carried round.
The outer end of the spring abuts against an adjustable disc or washer provided
with a central eye or bracket. In each of the two weights pivotted in the usual
way to the fly wheel (or to a separate wheel or disc provided for the purpose),
to form the governor, we arrange a small wheel or pulley round which a chain or
wire or other rope, or link is passed, the chain or rope after leaving the pivotted
weight passing round a pulley carried by the support upon which the central sleeve
moves as already described, then along the centre of the spring and round the eye
in the washer at the outer end of the latter and back round a second opposite pulley
carried by the support and to the small pulley or wheel in the second pivotted
weight round which it is fastened. The chain or rope may be made endless, suitable
pullies or rollers being provided for it to pass round.
It will be seen that as the pivotted weights move outward by centrifugal force
the spring is compressed by the chain or rope connected with them and with the
bracket or eye in the disc or washer against which the outer end of the spring abuts,
but there are no means of varying by hand, whilst the governor is in motion, the
tension of the spring and the consequent movement of the weights.
In order to provide such means we arrange in connection with the revolving
sleeve, against which the inner end of the spring abuts as already described, a
forked lever turning upon a fixed fulcrum upon the frame of the engine and
provided at its outer end with a screw and hand wheel by which its position can be
altered as desired so as to move the sleeve end ways and compress the spring more
or less as may be desired.

page_text: The arrangement described may be varied more or less. For instance we prefer
to make the inner end of the spring abut against a fixed collar carried by the fly
wheel or the shaft, and we arrange a secondary separate helical spring concentric
with but outside the first one, the inuer end of only this secondary spring abutting
against the moveable sleeve which is adjustable as described by the handle and the
wheel. The outer end of both springs abut against the disc or washer which carries
the eye or bracket round which the chain or cord passes. In this way the pressure
and friction against the end of the lever is greatly lessened, being that of the
supplementary spring only.
In the accompanying drawing which is in illustration of our invention, the
method of arrangement last described is shewn, in which two concentric springs are
used.
Figure 1 is a front view partly in section of part of the governor.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, are upon a smaller scale, Figure 3 being a plan of the
entire apparatus, Figure 4 a front view, Figure 5 a section shewing the guiding
pullies, and Figure 6 a back view of the wheel and excentric.
a is the wheel, keyed upon the shaft b, and c, c', are weights pivotted to the
inside of the wheel a at d, d', and connected together by the pivotted bar e. A
connecting rod is pivotted to one of the weights which it connects to the excentricy,
so that the position of the latter and the travel of the engine valve are altered as
the weights move in or out by the centrifugal force varying with the speed of the
engine.
To the inside of the wheel a is fixed a hollow bracket h carrying guide
pullies i, i, i, i, (as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 and 5) the outer end of the bracket
being formed with a disc or collar and hollow cylinder l. Inside this cylinder is
fitted freely the helical spring m the outer end of which is compressed by the disc
or plate n which also carries at its centre the adjustable joint or bracket o provided
with pullies p. round which is passed the wire or other cord or rope which after
leaving the pullies p is passed round the guide pullies i, i, i, i, and thence into
openings or passages in the weights c, c', and round pullies s, s pivotted in the
weights. It will be seen that the weights are drawn together by the spring m
acting upon the cord or rope r, the tension of which can be regulated by the nut t
upon the bracket o. This regulation is effected when the apparatus is at rest, but
in order to vary the tension upon the weights, whilst the engine and apparatus are
running, we make the spring m of less strength than would be required if it were
used alone, and we fit outside the cylinder a second supplementary spring u, the
outer end of which abuts against the same disc or plate n which supports the main
spring m, whilst its inner end rests against a flange vin a cylinder w which fits
freely round the cylinder and round the disc m.
The inner end of the cylinder w is embraced by a loose ring a which can be
moved in either direction by the lever y turning upon a fixed centre
2, and provided
with a regulating screw 1 and hand wheel 2, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4. By
forming the ring outward the cylinder w is also forced outward, compressing the
supplementary spring u and increasing the tension upon the cord or rope and
holding the weights together with greater force and so reducing their action upon
the excentric and valve, whilst by moving the lever in the other direction the opposite
result is obtained, and in both cases whilst the engine and governor are in
motion.
In cases where a single spring only is to be used, as first described, it is evident
that the inner spring m may be omitted and the outer spring " of sufficient strength
used alone, being adjusted by the ring and lever y as in the arrangement already
described. The use of two springs as shewn is however desirable, as the friction of
the ring against the cylinder w is itself greatly reduced, being due to the pressure
of the supplementary spring only.
Instead of a cord or rope, suitably proportioned and arranged jointed levers and
rods may be used.

page_text: In cases where the shaft is carried through the fly wheel which is fitted with the
pivotted weights, the spring or springs may be arranged concentrically round it,
the several fixed abutments being carried by the shaft, and the sleeve also being
capable of moving endways upon the latter by the action of the adjusting lever and
hand wheel.
Our invention may be applied to all existing forms of automatic expansion or
fly wheel governors, in which the pivotted weights are held together by springs,-
the supplementary spring described only being used for the purpose of varying the
tension upon the weights in the manner described.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details and method of arrangement of
apparatus constructed according to our invention, which may be varied more or less
as may be found advisable in different circumstances but
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. In what are known as fly wheel governors, the method of arranging the spring
or springs by which the pivotted weights are held together, in such manner that the
tension of the springs may be varied more or less from time to time whilst the
governor is in motion, substantially as described.
2. The combination, in a fly wheel governor, of the pivotted weights c, c¹,
bracket h, cylinder 1, pullies i, i, springs m, u, flange v, disc or plate n, bracket or
eye o, cord or chain, ring, and lever y, arranged and operating substantially in
the manner described and illustrated.
3. The combination, in a fly wheel governor, of the pivotted weights c, c¹,
bracket h, pullies i, , spring u, flange v, disc or plate n, bracket or eye o, cord or
chain r, ring, and lever y arranged and operating substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of March 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.