IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF REGULATING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND OR HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE MARINE ENGINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Meriton, of Hamburg, Engineer and
Shipbuilder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
REGULATING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND OR HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE MARINE
ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Meriton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st August 1872.
I, THOMAS MERITON, of Hamburg, Engineer and Shipbuilder, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS OF REGULATING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND OR HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE
MARINE ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the more efficient regulation of the
speed of combined high and low pressure or compound marine steam
engines, the present governor arrangements not being found in all cases
absolutely reliable for that purpose in very heavy weather.

page_text: race.
This Invention consists in admitting the steam to the vacuum side of
the low-pressure cylinder at such times as the engines would otherwise
In this way an equilibrium of pressure will be created between
the top and the bottom of the low-pressure cylinder which will effectually
prevent any sudden or dangerous increase of speed. I effect this either
by means of a Cornish valve and cock connected to the top and bottom
steam passages, the Cornish valve and cock being connected by means of
rods or otherwise with a fly wheel regulator in such manner that upon
any sudden increase of engine speed the regulator shall by the inter-
vention of the rods, valve, and cock admit steam to the vacuum side as
before stated of the low-pressure cylinder. Or I may place the Cornish
or equilibrium valve on the exhaust passage with a pipe connecting the
top and bottom of the cylinder to the valve box, the connection with the
fly wheel regulator being maintained as in the former case.
Instead of these plans I may sometimes find it more convenient to
take steam from some other part, my object being in all cases to admit
steam so as to destroy the vacuum to a certain extent, and thus prevent
racing in heavy weather. I purpose using a valve or valves, cock or
cocks, or valve and cock, according to circumstances.
The regulator I prefer to use with the arrangement for admitting steam
as herein-before mentioned is that for which I received Her Majesty's
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the 22nd day of July 1862 (No. 2077),
but I do not confine myself thereto, but purpose applying my Invention
in connection with either that or any other regulator.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Thomas Meriton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MERITON, of Hamburg, Engineer and Shipbuilder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Meriton, Her special licence.

page_text: that I, the said Thomas Meriton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Meriton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time 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 THE MEANS OF REGULATING THE SPEED OF COMPOUND OR HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE
MARINE ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Meriton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Meriton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 has for its object the more efficient regulation of com-
bined high and low pressure or compound marine steam engines, the
present governor arrangements not being found in all cases absolutely
reliable for that purpose in very heavy weather.
This Invention consists in admitting the steam into the vacuum sido
of the low-pressure cylinder at such times as the engines. would other-
wise race. In this way an equilibrium of pressure will be created
between the top and bottom of the low-pressure cylinder which will
effectually prevent any sudden and dangerous increase of speed. I effect
this either by means of a Cornish valve and cock connected to the top
and bottom steam passages, the Cornish valve and cock being connected
by means of rods or otherwise with a fly wheel regulator in such manner
that upon any sudden increase of engine speed the regulator shall by
the intervention of the rods, valve, and cock admit steam to the vacuum
side, as before stated, of the low-pressure cylinder. Or I may place the
Cornish or equilibrium valve on the exhaust passage with a pipe con-
necting the top and bottom of the cylinder to the valve box, the con-
nection with the fly wheel regulator being maintained as in the former
case.

page_text: .
Instead of these plans I may sometimes find it more convenient to
take steam from some other part, my object being in all cases to admit
steam so as to destroy the vacuum to a certain extent, and thus prevent
“racing” in heavy weather. I purpose using a valve or valves, cock
or cocks, or valve and cock, according to circumstances.
The regulator I prefer to use with the arrangements for admitting
steam as herein-before mentioned is that for which I received Her
Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the 22d day of July, A.D.
1862 (No. 2077), but I do not confine myself thereto, but purpose
applying my Invention in connection either with that or any other
regulator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what I
claim as my Invention is, the admitting of the steam to the vacuum side
of the low-pressure cylinder at such times as the engines would other-
wise race, by the action of a fly wheel regulator, through the intervention
of rods or other connections, upon valves or cocks in pipes connecting
the steam and vacuum sides of low-pressure cylinder, or admitting steam
from some other part to the said vacuum side, so as to create an equi-
librium of pressure between the top and bottom of the low-pressure
cylinder, and thus prevent any sudden and and dangerous increase of
speed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Meriton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
THOMAS MERITON. (L.S.)