IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Byrne, of Dublin, in the County of Dublin,
in Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Byrne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd December 1864.
I, JAMES BYRNE, of Dublin, in the County of Dublin, in Ireland, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GOVERNORS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of an adjustive governor applicable to steam-engines
or other motive-power engines and machinery. The principle of this governor
is that the centrifugal force of the balls at the extremities of the revolving
pendulums is equilibriated at any required speed by the force of gravity of an
adjustable counterweight, or the tension of a spring, by which means a valve
may be actuated or machinery controlled. The principle is not affected by
the number of pendulums, but four obviously have double the power of two,
besides presenting a better appearance, while a greater number would be
attended with practical inconvenience. For these reasons I prefer to adopt
four pendulums, but my principle can be carried out with only one or any

page_text: other number of pendulums. Each of the pendulums is constructed with a
crank fixed at any convenient angle, say at a right angle with the pendulum,
the said cranks being connected by rods with a vertically-sliding cylinder
working on the main spindle, and furnished with a steel centre or steel fric-
tion surface fitted into the top, the said centre being submitted to the constant
pressure of the corresponding centred end of the steel rod which communicates
motion to the valve or machinery. By these means the divergence of the pen-
dulums raises the sliding cylinder and with it the steel centre, which so com-
municates motion to the valve or machinery, the facility with which the same
is actuated depending upon the point at which the counterweight is fixed on
its carrying arm, which by preference I affix to the valve spindle. The four
pendulums, with, their cranks, are connected to the main spindle by a quad-
ruple joint, and I prefer to manufacture the main spindle in two portions,
connected by a disc joint, so that the governor arrangements may be detached
or fixed, as occasion may require.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Byrne, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BYRNE, of Dublin, in the County of Dublin, in Ireland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Byrne, Her special licence that I, the said James Byrne, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Byrne, 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
GOVERNORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Byrne, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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

page_text: 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 James Byrne, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention consists of an adjustive governor applicable to steam engines
or other motive-power engines and machinery. The principle of this governor
is that the centrifugal force of the balls at the extremities of the revolving
pendulums is equilibriated at any required speed by the force of gravity of an
adjustable counterweight or the tension of a spring, by which means a valve
may be actuated or machinery controlled. The principle is not affected by
the number of pendulums, but four obviously have double the power of two,
besides presenting a better appearance, while a greater number would be
attended with practical inconvenience. For these reasons I prefer to adopt
four pendulums, but my principle can be carried out with only one or any
other number of pendulums. Each of the pendulums is constructed with a
crank fixed at any convenient angle, say at a right angle with the pendulum,
the said cranks being connected by rods with a vertically-sliding cylinder
working on the main spindle, and furnished with a steel centre or steel fric-
tion surface fitted into the top, the said centre being submitted to the constant
pressure of the corresponding centred end of the steel rod which communicates
motion to the valve or machinery. By these means the divergence of the
pendulums raises the sliding cylinder and with it the steel centre, which so
communicates motion, to the valve or machinery, the facility with which the
same is actuated depending upon the point at which the counterweight is fixed
on its carrying arm, which by preference I affix to the valve spindle. The four
pendulums with their cranks are connected to the main spindle by a quad-
ruple joint, and. I prefer to manufacture the main spindle in two portions,
connected by a disc joint, so that the governor arrangements may be detached
or fixed as occasion may require.
Having thus far explained the nature of my Invention, I shall now proceed
to more particularly describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
Drawings accompanying this Specification and to the letters of reference
marked thereon, like letters denoting similar parts throughout all the Figures
respectively, as follows:-
Fig. 1 shows a complete elevation of my adjustive governor with the valve
connections and other adjustments; Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of the
revolving part, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section at the base.

page_text: a is a wrought-iron spindle or stalk, having a disk m at the base with holes
in it, as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby it may be bolted to a similar disc on
a vertical shaft of a length dependant on circumstances. By this arrangement
the governor arrangements may be detached or fixed as occasion may require.
b is a bulb forged on the spindle a, having two through mortices in it crossing
each other at right angles. In these mortices the four crank pendulums n, n,
&c. are secured by bolts with split pins and washers. The arrangement of the
pins in these joints gives mutual security, for even if the split pin and washer
of any one of them flies out, the joint pin cannot come out, as the bead will
come in contact with the point of its successor, which must be backed con-
siderably before it can pass. c is a cylinder, which I prefer to make of brass,
though it can be made in steel or iron; it is moveable vertically on the spindle
which is made hexagon at this part in preference to feather keys. d is an oil
hole in the cylinder, which must be left open, as it answers for an air passage
a'so, e'is a steel-concave centre driven into the top of the cylinder. f is a spindle,
the lower end of which fits the concavity of the centre e, and is made to slide
vertically through the guide s, which may be bolted to a bracket or stay from
any convenient place. 9, 9, 9, 9 are four balls, each fixed on its pendulum n
by a nut fitted into a recess in the ball. h, h, h, h, are four guides for the
pendulums forged on. a centre ring, which is keyed on to the disc m. The
pendulums may be made wider at that part where they pass through the
guides, so as to present a good bearing surface. is a strap bolted to the
steam pipe, and forming a bearing for one end of the throttle valve spindle.
j is a regulating lever, which I prefer to make and adjust so as to have an arc
of traverse of the same number of degrees as the arc of one of the revolving
pendulums. k is an adjustible counterweight on the lever j, whereby the
different speeds may be controlled, the weight being placed higher up the
lever for slow speeds, and vice versa, intermediate points controlling inter-
mediate speeds. A spring balance niay be substituted for the counterweight
by attaching it to the regulating lever and a fixed point at any convenient
distance. By using the spring balance my adjustible governor can be applied
to marine engines. The governor is evidently instantaneous in its action, for
the counterweight maintains a constant pressure on the steel centres, and tho
intermediate gear is always maintained tight, so that the slightest alteration in
the speed is instantly communicated to the valve.
Having now fully described and illustrated the nature and object of my
said Invention for " Improvements in Governors," together with the best
ameans I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would observe in conclusion that I do not confine myself to the exact di.neu-

page_text: sions, proportions, and details of construction herein-before mentioned, illus-
trated, or referred to, but what I claim is, the general arrangement and con-
struction of governors as herein-before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Byrne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 17th day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
PETER BYRNE.
JAMES BYRNE. (L.S.)