IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR WATER WHEELS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR WATER WHEELS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES." A communication from abroad by Henry
Turnbaugh Farnsworth, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, United States of
Anierica.
Sealed the 28th June 1878, and dated the 17th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th January 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR WATER
WHEELS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES." [A communication
from abroad by Henry Turnbaugh Farnsworth, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to control the speed of a wheel by regulating the
gates to the condition of speed, the latter depending on the flow of water through
the gateways or the steam from the boiler when applied to steam engines.
The said Invention comprises,-
1. The construction of the main frame, consisting of a base plate having a step
and a post curving horizontally at the top, terminated with a vertical journal
bearing, and centrally with regard to the post a horizontal journal bearing. The
step and vertical bearing receive the shaft by which the machinery is actuated,
and the horizontal bearing receives the shaft of a bevel friction wheel actuating
the closing or opening of the gate.
It comprises, secondly, the integral construction of a hollow spool and bevelled
friction wheels at both ends, and a collar for the fixed connection to the spool of the
toggle links of a governor. The said spool when actuated by the rising and falling
of the governor balls slides on the vertical shaft.
It comprises, thirdly, a horizontal shaft having a fixed lever to engage with the
lower end of the spool, and a toothed lever to engage with a worm wheel on or

page_text: connected with the gate stem, whereby by the rotation of the stem the levers are
automatically acted upon to lift the spool to counteract the gravity of the governor
balls when the steam or water is low, until the governor balls rise by centrifugal
motion to the required speed to automatically adjust the opening and closing of
the gate to the required inlet of steam or water. The said governor is driven
by a belt pulley on the vertical shaft by a belt from the water wheel or engine
shaft.
In a modification of this Invention I employ gearing adapted for gates operating
vertically in opening and closing, the object being to lift the stem, and for such
purpose the said stem is cut with a male and a bevelled pinion with a female screw.
The pinion is journalled to a bracket, and meshes with a bevelled gear wheel on a
shaft.
The adaptation of this Invention to various kinds of gates is effected by a change
of the gearing suitable for operating the stem, as for instance by spur gearing having
a pinion on a face wheel shaft, or a crank wheel and wrist pin, or a rack and pinion,
or by direct gearing to the face wheel for steam or other engines.
Should the water wheel be running at an excessive speed the governor balls will
be thrown out, and by means of the connection with the spool the latter will be
raised on the shaft, thereby operating the governor in such a manner as to impart a
closing motion to the gate. Should the water wheel be running at too slow a speed
the governor balls will fall, thereby actuating the governor to open the gate. When
the water is running at the proper rate an excess or diminution of speed will
actuate the governor as above described.
The bevelled surfaces of the cones are preferably recessed and filled with leather,
paper, gum, or other suitable material, to increase the friction and prevent slipping.
In some cases the stop lever may be placed to operate below the base of the
governor.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th July 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS FOR WATER
WHEELS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES." A communication
from abroad by Henry Turnbaugh Farnsworth, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.
The main object of this Invention is to control the speed of a water wheel by
regulating the gates to the condition of speed, the latter depending on the flow of
water through the gateways, but the said Invention may be adapted for regulating
the supply of steam from the boiler of a steam engine.
The said Invention comprises,—
First. The construction of a main frame, consisting of a base plate having a step
and a post curving horizontally at the top, terminated with a vertical journal
bearing, and also provided with a horizontal journal bearing. The said step and
vertical bearing receive the shaft by which the machinery is actuated, and the
horizontal bearing receives the shaft of a bevel friction wheel actuating the devices
for closing or opening the gate.
Second. The integral construction of a hollow spool with bevelled friction wheels
at both of its ends, and a collar for the permanent connection to the spool of the
toggle links of governor arms, the said spool when actuated by the rising and
falling of the governor balls sliding on the said vertical shaft.
Third. A horizontal shaft having a lever to engage with the lower end of the
said spool, and a toothed lever to engage with a worm on or connected with the
gate stem, whereby through the rotation of the said stein the levers are automati-
cally acted upon to lift the spool to counteract the gravity of the governor balls
when the steam or water is low, until the governor balls rise by their centrifugal
action and automatically adjust the opening and closing of the gate to the required
inlet of steam or water.
rotary operating gate.
Figure 2 illustrates the application of the same to a vertically operating gate.
A is the base of the frame, from which rises a post B, whose top curves hori-
zontally, and is terminated by a vertical journal box C¹, and centrally the post has
a horizontal journal bearing D. The box C receives the vertical shaft C, which
rotates in a step E in the base A. F is a hollow spool having the friction cones
cast therewith on both ends, and a collar to which to secure a sleeve G for con-
nection with the toggle bars H of the governor arms I carrying the balls J. These
arms I are attached to the head l' fixed to the shaft C which passes through the
spool F. L is a bevel wheel, with which the spool cones F" have frictional contact
when the speed is irregular. This wheel L is keyed on the end of a shaft M in the
journal bearing D. On the opposite end of the shaft M is keyed a worm N, which
meshes with a worm wheel M on the stem P of a rotary operating gate, whereby
the said gate will be opened or closed according to the direction of the motion
imparted to it by the wheel L, when the same is brought into contact with the
upper or lower cones F" by the raising or depressing of the said spool on the shaft
by the governor balls, but when the desired speed has been attained by the opening
of the gate, the wheel L will not engage with either of the cones. Q is a shaft

page_text: journalled in the post B, and to another post on the base A. The said shaft carries
a lever R, which engages with the under side of the lower cone F', and a toothed
lever S, which engages with a worm T on the said gate stem; this stem passes
through a projection U on the post B.
The lever R is devised to lift the spool so that the upper friction cone F¹ will not
be in contact with the wheel L when not needed. For instance, should the water
or the steam pressure be low, and not sufficient to produce the required motion, the
balls bearing down the spool would cause the wheel L to run, though the gate
might be fully opened, till some portion of the machinery should break; but by con-
necting the lever R, shaft Q, lever S, and the gate stem by the worm T, the spool is
lifted out of gear with the wheel L when the gate is fully opened, and will thereby
prevent any breaking of the machinery or the gate. The governor is driven by a
belt pulley V on the shaft C by a belt from the water wheel or engine shaft.
In Figure 2 is shown a modification of the gearing, adapted for gates operating
vertically, to open and close the same, the object being to lift the stem, and for such
purpose the stem P is cut with a male screw, and a bevelled pinion W with a female
screw. The said pinion is journalled to the bracket b, and meshes with a bevelled
gear wheel Z on the shaft M.
The adaptation of this Invention to various kinds of gates is effected by a change
in the gearing to render it suitable for operating the stem, as for instance, first, the
gearing shown in Figure 1 for rotating gates; secondly, in Figure 2 for vertical
gates; thirdly, by spur gearing having a pinion on a face wheel shaft; fourthly, by
a crank wheel and wrist pin; fifthly, by a rack and pinion; and, sixthly, by direct
gearing to the face wheel for steam or other engines.
Should the water wheel be running at an excessive speed the governor balls will
be thrown out, and by means of the connection with the spool the latter will be
raised on the shaft, thereby bringing the lower friction cone into contact with the
wheel L, and the upper friction cone will be moved away from the same. The
wheel L will then rotate in the proper direction to impart a closing motion to the
said gate. Should the water wheel be running at too slow a speed the governor
balls will fall, and bring the upper friction cone into contact with the wheel L, and
will impart a reverse motion thereto, thereby actuating the apparatus to open the
gate. When the water is running at the proper rate both friction cones are out of
contact with the wheel L, and the same will stop, and then any excess or diminution
of speed will actuate the governor as above described.
The bevelled surfaces of the cones F¹ are preferably recessed and filled with
leather, paper, gum, or other suitable material, to increase their friction on the
wheel L, and prevent their slipping on the same.
In some cases the stop lever R may be arranged to operate below the base A, and
when so used the lever S can be connected directly to the lever R, and thus dispense
with the shaft Q.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my.
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. The construction of the main frame, consisting of the base provided with a
step, and with the post curving horizontally at the top, and terminated by a vertical
journal bearing, and having a central horizontal bearing for mounting the operating
machinery, as above set forth.
Second. The integral construction of the hollow spool with a friction cone at each
end thereof, and a collar at the top for the connection of the same to the governor,
as above set forth.
Third. The hollow spool sliding on the shaft C, the friction wheel engaging there-
with, and the horizontal shaft M provided with suitable gearing for actuating the
gate stem in combination with a governor, as above set forth.
Fourth. The horizontal shaft having a lever R engaging with the lower friction
cone, and a toothed lever S engaging with a worm on the gate stem, in combination

page_text: with the spool, the wheel L, and the governor balls and links, as above set
forth.
Fifth. The lever S engaging with the worm on the gate stem, and having con-
nection with the lever R to operate as and for the purpose set forth..
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WH DODT LAKE
"
(a)
WH RODT LAKE (L.S.)