Improvements in Air Pump Governors.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1891-Accepted; 3rd Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Pump Governors.
I, CRAVEN ROBERT ORD, of 40 Law Street, West Toronto Junction, in the
Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, Locomotive Inspector, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to governors for air brakes.
The casing of the governor has at its lower part a steam inlet communicating
with the boiler in the usual manner and connected by a port in a partition with the
steam outlet leading to the pump. The port is adapted to be closed by the
reduced end of a cylindrical main valve fitted to slide freely in a cylinder formed
on the casing. The upper part of the valve is hollow so as to receive one end of a
coiled spring which presses with its other end against a plug screwing in one end of
a second cylinder or valve chamber of somewhat less diameter than the cylinder
and arranged in line therewith. This valve chamber is formed in a casing
screwing into the main casing and its upper end is formed with a valve seat
adapted to be closed by an auxiliary valve held on the reduced end of a stem fitted
to slide in a cylinder formed in the upper part of the casing and somewhat less in
diameter than the second cylinder or valve chamber previously mentioned. The
smaller cylinder or valve chamber is connected by a port with the steam inlet and
a port leads from above this valve to the upper end of the cylinder of the main
valve. The upper end of the stem of the auxiliary valve extends into a chamber
formed in the extreme upper end of the casing and in the said chamber is held a
disc against the under side of which the upper end of the valve stem abuts. The
disc is secured on the lower end of a stem and on the top of the said disc is
arranged a diaphragm held in place on the said disc by a nut screwing on the stem.
The diaphragm is held in place in the chamber by a cap screwing into the upper
end of the casing. The stem projects into this cap and also into a second cap
which is provided at its upper end with an opening connected with the air-pipe of
the air-brake on which the device is to be applied. The upper end of the stem is
quite slack in the opening so that the air passes down into the cap where it presses
on the top side of the diaphragm. On the stem there is a coiled spring which rests
with its lower end on the cap and with its upper end against the under side of a nut
screwing on the stem and locked in place by a jam nut. The lower part of the
chamber is connected by an opening with the outside, the said opening serving as a
drip for any water of condensation which may accumulate in the chamber.
The operation is as follows;-Supposing the diaphragm to be depressed by air
pressure applied on its top side, the auxiliary valve is pushed off its seat so that
live steam from the inlet will pass through the port into the smaller cylinder or
valve chamber and from the latter past the auxiliary valve into the lower end of
the cylinder above it, from which the steam passes into the upper end of the main
cylinder and presses the main valve downwards so that its reduced end closes the
port thus shutting off communication between the inlet and the outlet.
It is understood that the total pressure on top of the main valve is greater than
the total pressure on the bottom owing to the spring and the weight of the valve
which keeps the pressure greater on the inlet side than on the outlet; and the
initial pressure on the shoulder or that portion of the valve which does not cover
the port being less than the initial pressure which acts on the top of the valve the
total pressure on the bottom will be less than the total pressure on the top so that
the valve starts and moves downward towards its seat as soon as the auxiliary
valve is pushed off its seat by the diaphragm. Now as this main valve approaches
its seat the opening through the port is reduced so that the volume of steam will be

page_text: slightly checked and the pressure on the outlet side thereby lowered and at the
same time the pressure acting on the shoulder or that portion of the valve which
does not cover the port will be also lessoned and consequently the downward move-
ment of the valve is accelerated until the valve reaches its seat. When the valve
has finally reached its seat and the port is thereby closed the pressure is only on
the extreme lower end of that portion of the valve which covers the port and its
area being less than, the whole top area of the valve, the valve will be firmly held
to its seat until the pressure on the top is reduced. The moment the air pressure
is reduced or taken off the spring draws the stem and the diaphragm upward so that
live steam entering the cylinder containing the auxiliary valve seats the latter, thus
shutting off the communication of the cylinder with the port leading to the main
cylinder. The steam pressure in the inlet now acts on the reduced end of the
main valve so that the latter slides upward and the port is opened to establish
the communication between the inlet and the outlet.
'It will be seen that when the auxiliary valve is closed by a reduction of the air
pressure on the diaphragm then the steam confined in the upper end of the main
cylinder reduces the pressure gradually by escaping between the sides of the main
valve into the outlet, so that this reduced pressure together with the pressure of
the spring will at last be overcome by the steam pressure in the inlet which will
force the main valve upward and open the port.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1890.
C. R. ORD.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Pump Governors.
I CRAVEN ROBERT ORD of 40 Law Street, West Toronto Junction, in the
Province of Ontario, and Dominion of Canada, Locomotive Inspector 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:-
This invention relates to governors for air brakes, and its object is to provide a
new and improved governor which is simple and durable in construction, and very
effective and positive in operation.
The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same,
as will be hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of
this Specification, in which the figure represents a sectional elevation of the
improvement.
The improved air pump governor A is provided with a suitably constructed
casing B having a steam inlet C connected by the port D, in the partition D' with
the steam outlet E leading to the pump. The steam inlet C is connected in the
usual manner with the boiler. The port D is adapted to be closed by the valve F¹,
which is held on the stem F2 which slides freely in a cylindrical recess in the piston
valve or main valve F, which latter has a greater cross sectional area than the
valve Fl, and slides freely, and not steam tight, in the bore G' of cylinder G, the
said cylinder being integral with the case B, and its bore being in line with
the port D. The lower end of the main valve F is made hollow as stated, to
receive the stem F2, and a spiral spring H, which spring presses the piston valve F
up to the upper end of the cylinder &, and the valve down toward its seat on
the partition D'.
A disk I forms a cap to the cylinder G, as well as part of the body of the
governor. In the upper side of said cap is a recess J, and on top of the cap I,
a casing B' is bolted, bolts e, e passing through said cap and casing into the

page_text: cylinder Gr. The cap I facilitates the construction of the governor.
it is formed with ground faces.
In practice
In the casing B¹ is formed a cylinder or cylindrical bore L, in line with recess J
at the lower end of which cylinder a valve seat is formed against which seats the
upper side of a valve K. The valve K is held on the end of the stem K³, which
near its lower end is of reduced diameter and has guides, ribs or webs K', the upper
end of the stem K2 having a good working fit in the cylindrical bore L of casing B'.
The recess J is somewhat larger than the bore L and contains the valve K,
previously mentioned and a coiled spring j, which normally holds said valve to
its seat.
The recess J is in communication with the inlet C, through a port a formed
through the casing B, cylinder casing G, and disk I, and a port b establishes com-
munication between the upper end of bore G¹ of main cylinder G, and the bore L,
at a point in the latter wherein moves the reduced end of the stem K². The
stem K2 is axially bored to form a port c which by lateral branches also communi-
cates with the bore L, at the chamber formed by the reduced end of said valve
stem, above the upper end of which port c is a second auxiliary valve X. The
valve X is held on the lower end of the stem X' which has a working fit in the
cylinder L above the stem K².
On the upper end of stem X' is a head X2, which is located at the bottom of a
chamber N, and in said chamber, beneath said head X2 is a spiral spring W, which,
acting on the head X' normally keeps the valve X off its seat at the upper end of
the port c.
The valve X being of less diameter than cylinder L, forms an annular
space or chamber at about the centre of the latter, at the adjacent ends of the
valve stems K2, X2, and a port d, establishes communication between said annular
chamber and the steam outlet E.
'
The spring W, above mentioned in addition to lifting the valve X off'its seat,
also maintains the head X2 against the underside of a disk O', which is secured on
the lower end of a stem O, and on said disk is secured a diaphragm P, which is
secured in place on said disk by a nut 02. At its periphery, the diaphragm P'is
clamped between the upper end of cap B', and a screw cap B².
The stem O projects into the cap B2 and also into a cap Q screwing on the
cap-B2, and provided at its upper end with an opening Q, connected with the air
pipe of the air brake on which the device is to be applied. The upper end of the
stem O is quite slack in the opening Q' so that the air passes down into the cap-B*
where it presses on the top side of diaphragm P.
On the stem O is a coiled spring R, which rests with its lower end on the cap B²,
and with its upper end against the under side of a nut S screwing on the stem O,
and locked in place by a jam nut S'. The lower part of the chamber N. is, con-
nected by an opening N¹ with the outside, the said opening serving as a drip for
any water of condensation which may accumulate in the chamber N.
The operation is as follows:
When the diaphragm P, is depressed by the fluid, or air pumped, which comes
through opening Q', the second auxiliary valve X, is pushed on to its seat, on the
upper end of port c, thereby closing said port, then by further depression of
diaphragm P, the first auxiliary valve K, is unseated so that steam from inlet C,
can pass through port a, into recess J and from the latter past auxiliary valve 'K,
into lower end of cylinder L, from which latter steam passes into port b, and into
upper end of cylinder G, to press the piston F, downward, compressing spring-H,
till the lower side of piston F bears on the shoulder of valve F, forcing valve! Fi
to its seat thus shutting off communication between the inlet C, and the outlet E.
It is understood that the total pressure on top of piston F is greater than the
total pressure on the bottom, owing to spring H, and the weight of piston and valve
which keeps the initial pressure greater on the inlet side than on the outlet, and
the initial pressure on that lower area of piston, F, which exceeds the area of
valve F', being less than the initial pressure which acts on the top of piston F, the
total pressure on the bottom will be less than the total pressure on the top, so that
I

page_text: the piston F starts and moves downward when the auxiliary valve, K, is pushed off
its seat, by pressure on diaphragm P. Now as this piston F moves downward it
causes valve F¹ to approach its seat, thus contracting the opening through port D
and checking, or reducing the volume of steam, thereby lowering the pressure on
outlet side, and at the same time the pressure acting on that area of lower part of
piston F which is in excess of area of valve F¹ will also be lowered, consequently
the downward movement of piston F will be accelerated until valve F¹ reaches its
seat and piston F bears on shoulder of valve F¹.
When the valve F' has finally reached its seat and the port closed, the pressure
is only on the extreme lower end, or on that portion of valve F¹ which covers
port D and its area being less than the whole top area of the piston F, the valve F¹
will be held firmly on its seat until the pressure on top is reduced.
The moment the fluid pressure on diaphragm P is reduced the spring R draws
the stem O, and the diaphragm P upward thus allowing auxiliary valve K to
become seated and shutting off communication between inlet C and upper end of
cylinder G, through ports a and b.
The steam pressure in the inlet C now acts on the valve F1 pushing it off its seat,
when the steam pressure returning to the lower excess area of piston F together
with pressure of spring H, will push piston F to top end of cylinder G.
It will be seen that when the auxiliary valve K is on its seat by a reduction of
fluid pressure on diaphragm P, the steam confined in the upper end of the
cylinder G reduces pressure gradually by escaping between the sides of piston F,
into outlet E till it can no longer resist the pressure against the lower side of
valve. F' which will lift and open the port D.
Now should the auxiliary valve K fail to seat owing to dirt or other defect, as
wear, so that the escaping steam down the side of piston F would not exceed the
volume which would leak under seat of auxiliary valve K, the pressure, on top of
piston F, would not then become reduced and that valve F' would be held down
and the pump would not start, consequently the pressure of fluid pumped would
lower also, thus allowing spring R to raise diaphragm still higher which
would unseat second auxiliary valve X, by which a greater communication would
be established between top end of cylinder G, and outlet E, through the ports b. c, d,
thus reducing the pressure on piston F till the pressure on valve F¹ could overcome
it and open port D, when pump will start working. The special object of this
second auxiliary valve X is to give a perfectly reliable governor at all times even
when the valve K, fails to work properly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is―
1. In a fluid pump governor, the combination with a passage way provided with
a partition having a port therein and a cylinder opening into the outlet, of a main
valve fitted to slide freely in the said cylinder and adapted to close the said port,
the portion of the valve which closes the port being of less cross sectional area
than the part fitting in the cylinder, a spring acting on said valve to retain a greater
pressure on the inlet than on the outlet side, and an auxiliary valve operated by
air pressure and controlling the admission of steam to the first named valve,
substantially as described.
2. In a fluid pump governor, the combination with a passage way provided with
a partition having a port therein and a cylinder opening into the outlet and
communicating through ports with the inlet, of a main valve fitted to slide freely in
the cylinder and having its lower end which closes the port of less cross sectional
area than the part fitting in the cylinder, a spring acting upon the upper end of the
valve and an auxiliary valve for closing the ports leading to the said cylinder, said
auxiliary valve being operated by air pressure, substantially as herein shown and
described.
3. In an air pump governor, the combination with a passage way divided by a

page_text: partition having a port therein, a cylinder above the port and opening into the
outlet side of the passage way and a second cylinder of less diameter than the first
named cylinder and communicating therewith and with the inlet of the passage way,
of a spring pressed valve in the first named cylinder and adapted to close the port
of the passage way, and auxiliary valve in the second named cylinder and adapted
to establish and close communication between the inlet of the passage way and the
cylinder containing the spring pressed valve through the cylinder, of the auxiliary
valve, and a diaphragm adapted to be acted upon by air pressure to operate the
auxiliary valve, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a fluid pump regulator, the combination with the spring pressed stem O,
provided with the diaphragm P adapted to be acted upon by air pressure, of a
passage way divided by a partition having a port therein, the cylinder G above the
port and opening into the outlet of the passage way, the spring pressed valve F, F¹,
in the cylinder, the cylinder J, above the cylinder G, and connected by a port a,
with the inlet of the passage way, and provided with a valve seat, the cylinder L,
connected by port b, with the cylinder G, and the auxiliary valve K provided with
the stem K2, having the reduced portion K', and adapted to be engaged by the
lower end of the stem O, substantially as described.
5. In a fluid pump governor, the combination with a passage way, provided with
a partition having a port, of a main valve for said port, an auxiliary valve for
admitting steam to the main valve for closing the said port, the auxiliary valve
being controlled by the pressure of the fluid being pumped, and a second auxiliary
valve, also controlled by the pressure of the fluid being pumped, and serving to
establish increased freedom of communication between the main outlet of the main
passage way and the steam space or cylinder of the main valve, substantially as
described.
6. In a fluid pump governor, the combination with a passage way provided with
a partition having a port therein, and a cylinder containing a main valve for closing
said port, an auxiliary valve controlling communication between said cylinder and
the main steam inlet, and a second auxiliary valve controlling a port which
establishes communication between the said cylinder and the main outlet, said
auxiliary valves being controlled by the pressure of the fluid being pumped,
substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1901.
C. R. ORD.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.