IMPROVEMENTS IN SPEED GOVERNORS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Havelock, of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the
County of same name, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SPEED GOVERNORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Havelock at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1881.
MICHAEL HAVELOCK, of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the County of same name,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPEED GOVERNORS."
My Invention has for its object to provide simple and effective apparatus on the
centrifugal principle for regulating the speed of steam and other engines. It
consists in employing a small high speed revolving disc with balanced centrifugal
anti-friction slides working therein, said disc being driven either by frictional
contact from a sheave on the main or. other suitable shaft or by an endless chain or
rope from said sheave as may be most convenient, and capable of being put into
or out of gear without stopping or even easing the engine. The. centrifugal slides
operate through a hollow shaft by means of a chain, cord, or other suitable
attachment, so that their centrifugal force in one arrangement, by suitable
connecting mechanism, acts directly upon a lever or arm upon the throttle valve
spindle, to which lever is also attached a spring balance definitely loaded and a
weight which is capable of adjustment. In another arrangement this lever is made
to operate a valve of peculiar construction working almost without friction on one
end of an auxiliary cylinder, the piston rod head of which acts directly upon the
throttle valve spindle. The piston in this cylinder is driven forward by steam
admitted behind it by the valve and opens the throttle valve, and is driven
backward by the valve shutting off the steam and opening the back of piston to
condenser, thus closing the throttle valve instantly, the front of the piston being
always open to the atmosphere. The piston is cushioned towards each end hy
springs, which renders it extra sensitive to commence its stroke either way and
prevents the throttle valve being moved either full open or full shut unless;
the speed of the engine has altered so suddenly as to require an extreme
movement.

page_text: In the case of non-condensing engines (when the auxiliary cylinder is required)
the steam is discharged from the back of piston into the atmosphere, the
cushioning spring being made strong enough to drive the piston back and close the
throttle valve. In some cases I introduce a spring direct upon the spindle of the
revolving centrifugal disc, placing the weighted adjustable lever at some suitable 5
point.
My Invention provides for the high speed bearing of the disc being stationary,
so that it can at all times be easily lubricated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Michael Havelock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st January
1882.
'
MICHAEL HAVELOCK, of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the County of same name,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPEED GOVERNORS."
My Invention has for its object to provide simple and effective apparatus on the
centrifugal principle for regulating the speed of steam and other engines.
It consists in employing a small high speed revolving disc with balanced
centrifugal anti-friction slides working therein, said disc being driven either by
frictional contact from a sheave on the main or other suitable shaft, or by an
endless chain or rope from said shaft, as may be most convenient, and capable of
being put in or out-of-gear-without-stopping-or-even-easing-the-engine.. The
centrifugal slides operate through a hollow shaft by means of a chain, cord, or
other flexible attachment, so that their centrifugal force in one arrangement, by
suitable connecting mechanism, acts directly upon a lever or arm upon the throttle
valve spindle, to which lever is also attached a spring balance definitely loaded and
a weight which is capable of adjustment. In another arrangement this lever is
made to operate a valve of peculiar construction working almost without friction
in one end of an auxiliary cylinder, the piston rod head of which acts directly
upon the throttle valve spindle. The piston in this cylinder is driven forward by
steam admitted behind it by the valve and opens the throttle valve, and is driven
backwards by the valve shutting off steam and opening the back of piston to
condenser, thus closing the throttle valve instantly, the front of the piston being
always open to the atmosphere. The piston is cushioned towards each end by
springs, which render it extra sensitive to commence its stroke either way and
prevent the throttle valve being moved either
full open
or full shut," unless
the speed of the engine has altered so suddenly as to require an extreme
movement.
"
In the case of non-condensing engines (when the auxiliary cylinder is required)
the steam is discharged from back of piston into the atmosphere, the cushioning
spring being made strong enough to drive the piston back and close the

page_text: throttle valve. In some cases I introduce a spring direct upon the spindle of the
revolving centrifugal disc, placing the weighted adjustable lever at some suitable
point.
My Invention provides for the high speed bearing of the disc being stationary,
so that it can at all times be easily lubricated.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
In describing this Invention by the aid of accompanying Drawings, Figures 1
and 2 shew the governor A keyed on hollow shaft B revolving in bearing C, which
(in arrangement shown) is the loose end of lifting arm D, but such bearing C may
also be a fixed bracket or a sliding block, or such similar design as may be required
for the varying positions in which the governor A may be applied. The bearing C
is fitted as shewn with an oil syphon by which the shaft B can at all times be
readily lubricated. In the governor A the antifriction sliding blocks E operate by
their centrifugal force through a chain or cord F round the guiding pullies G and
act on the head of internal spindle H, which is guided by antifriction pullies I, and
operates against the spring J upon the tappet lever K, which latter is also in
connection with adjusting lever handle N in Figure 3, through the connection of
levers L and M by suitable rods, chain, or cord, as may be desirable.
Figure 4 shows the antifriction valve O fitted to intermediate single acting
stean cylinder P, the piston rod head Q of which acts on lever of throttle valve
spindle; the antifriction valve O has a branch R to the boiler steam, and a branch S
to condenser, the drain pipe T being always open to atmosphere.
Figure 5 shows a practical arrangement for fitting governor complete to a
marine engine (the same letters denoting corresponding parts, as in Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4,) but in all cases the governor may be fixed in position where most con-
venient, and the cylinder P also, without any reference to where governor A is
placed, while the adjusting lever handle N can always be placed where workable
from starting platform.
The working of governor is as follows:-The governor A being put into gear
with friction sheave X on main shaft Y, and the steam turned on to valve O
(which in its normal position is open to cylinder) the steam drives the piston
forward against the spring U and opens throttle valve. As soon as there is the
least increase of speed in the engines above what adjusting lever handle N is set
at, the antifriction slides E fly out by their centrifugal force and cause the internal
spindle H to operate upon tappet lever K and levers L and M and on valve O, closing
it to steam and opening cylinder to condenser, the vacuum of which along with
spring U in cylinder (and the front of cylinder being always open to atmosphere)
drives the piston back cushioning it on spring V, and closing throttle valve till
speed is the least reduced below the revolutions at which adjusting handle is set
to, when handle falls and valve O is closed to condenser, and steam is admitted to
cylinder driving forward piston and opening throttle valve. The speed of engine
can be varied according to the position of weight W placed on hand lever N, or by
an adjustable spring attached to it, as may be most convenient. It will be observed
that when governor is working, the throttle valve can be instantly closed by hand
by lifting the lever handle N or by leading a cord from it to any part of engine
room or deck, thus placing throttle under hand control at all times and from all
parts.
I have thus at length described my Invention with an intermediate cylinder in
combination with governor, which will almost be invariably the case in practice.
In applying the governor without intermediate.cylinders I use the same arrange-
ment as with cylinder, up to and including the adjustable weighted lever N, the
only difference being that it must be heavier weighted to open throttle valve, with
heavier antifriction blocks E, as more power will be required.
Having now fully described and illustrated my Invention and the manner in
which it may be carried into practical application, I would have it understood

page_text: that I do not restrict myself to the details of mechanical arrangement, as many
other methods of applying my Invention practically will suggest themselves, but
what I consider novel and therefore claim as secured to me by Letters
Patent are,-
First. The construction and application of a governor operating by the centrifugal
action of antifrictional slides or weights upon an antifrictional spindle, controlled
by a spring or springs and keyed to a shaft revolving either in a fixed or moveable
bearing, substantially as shewn and described.
Second. In combination with an intermediate single acting steam cylinder, the
application of an antifriction valve constructed and operating substantially as
shewn and described.
Third. The combination of parts constituting the governing apparatus as a whole,
either operating the throttle valve direct or through an intermediate cylinder, and
in such a manner that the throttle valve may be operated by hand (in the latter
case through the action of the intermediate cylinder) without disconnecting the
governor, substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Havelock, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
T. J. DANSON,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Newcastle on Tyne.
MICHAEL HAVELOCK: (L.S.)