AN IMPROVED MODE OF CONTROLLING OR GOVERNING THE SPEED OF MACHINERY, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO MACHINES FOR PAYING-OUT SUB- MADING TELEGRAPH CARLES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Silver, of the City, County, and State of New
York, United States of America; now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, fortheInvention
of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF CONTROLLING OR GOVERNING THE SPEED OF
MACHINERY, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO MACHINES FOR PAYING-OUT SUB-
MADING TELEGRAPH CARLES"
Sealed the 14th September 1866, and dated the 24th March, 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Silver at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
March 1866.
I, THOMAS SILVER, of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America, now of No. S Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,in
the County of Middlesex; Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF CONTROLLING OR GOVERNING THE
SPEED OF MACHINERY, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO MACHINES FOR PAYING-
OUT SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES," to be as follows:―
The principal object of my Invention is to supply the means for more
effectually and safely controlling the paying out of ocean telegraph cables;
and the said Invention consists chiefly in making use of pneumatic resistance
for that purpose, which resistance is applied through the medium of gov-
erning devices possessing extraordinary differential properties, enabling the
cable to be restrained so long as is consistent with its safety; and released
......

page_text: when its further restraint would be injurious. This improved mode of
governing therefore, though applicable under circumstances wherein it is
desirable that the speed of the cable in leaving the vessel should be main-
tained at a uniform rate, is from its peculiar compensating features more
advantageously employed when the said cable is being laid in rough seas
and is subjected to temporary strains of great severity arising from the
motion of the ship, the violence of the waves, or other causes.
One method of carrying my Invention into practice consists in employing
a vane governor in connection with the paying-out machinery. The surface
area of the vanes of this governor, or the speed at which they are driven, must
be so calculated that sufficient atmospheric resistance will be encountered to
exercise the necessary control over the cable as it runs out. The said vanes
are supported excentrically and in such a manner that their angular position
will vary with every change of speed, and the greater their velocity the more
fully will their surfaces be turned in the direction of their motion. The vanes
are held against the resistance of the atmosphere by springs. Under ordinary
circumstances this atmospheric resistancewill prevent anygreat irregularities
in the speed of the machinery, but when any undue strain arises from the
motion of the vessel or other causes the springs will yield and release the
śaid machinery from the control of the governor; the cable will then run
freely out till the tension thereon is reduced to its ordinary condition. Instead
of making the vanes self-adjustable, as above described, the said vanes may
be fixed upon a central axis and adjusted by hand to any required angular
position. A differential combination is provided which consists in so con-
structing the governor that its central portion, though having a general
tendency to run uniformily with the vane portion thereof, is capable of
running at a speed varying from that of the said vaue portion when irregular
strains occur in the paying-out of the cable. A connection consisting of a
spring or number of springs is provided, by the yielding of which the cable
will be temporarily released from the control of the governor; when subjected
to strains of more than ordinary severity the force of the said spring or springs
serving to return the said cable to its normal position, when thestrain thereon
is reduced. The gearing by which the required velocity is communicated
from the machinery to the vane part of the governor is arranged within the
instrument, and exerts its influence between the vanes and thespindle thereof.
If required an adjustable fusee may be provided for operating the springs
when arranged according to either of the above described methods. In
paying-out very heavy cables under some circumstances, the large area of
vane surface or the arrangement of wheel gearing required to obtain the

page_text: proper speed of the said vanes might be objectionable. It may therefore be
more advantageous to obtain the pneumatic resistance by means of force
pumps constructed and arranged to control the action of the machinery by the
resistance of the compressed air to the pistons of the said pumps; these
pumps are connected to an air chamber or reservoir, which is provided with
an escape valve, whose resistance is regulated by a spring or equivalent device
which will yield and allow the air to escape when the tension on the cable
causes the pistons to travel at more than the ordinary speed. The drum or
barrel over which the cable passes from the vessel into the water is firmly
secured upon the crank shaft of any form of engine which will serve either
as a motive-power engine or force pump; to the cranks of this shaft the
pistons are connected by suitable rods. When this shaft is set in motion by
the passage of the cable over the drum, air will be forced into the air chamber
or reservoir by the pistons and will offer an elastic resistance to the weight
of the cable suspended from the vessel; this resistance is regulated by
adjusting the spring of the relief valve fixed on the reservoir, the latter being
also provided with a pressure gauge for ascertaining the weight of the cable
overboard. Iu case of repairing, if it should be necessary to draw in a portion
of the cable payed-out, the engines can be worked by steam; to enable this
to be done a connection is provided on the pipe leading from the cylinders to
the air chamber. A steam hose is attached to this connection communicating
with a steam boiler, and by closing the passage between the cylinders and
the air chamber, and opening the steam passage, the engines will be
driven to turn the drum in the required direction to wind in the cable.
My Invention also affords the means whereby the speed of telegraphic
printing machinery can be advantageously controlled. For this purpose
the governor having its vanes adjustable by hand is connected with the
machine, the speed of which will be limited to any desired rate by the
adjustment of the said vanes to the corresponding angle,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Silver in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SILVER, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America, now of No. 8. Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Silver, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Silver, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Silver, 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 "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
CONTROLLING OR GOVERNING THE SPEED OF MACHINERY. MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE
TO MACHINES FOR PAYING-OUT SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Silver, my executors or administra-
tors, 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 In-
vention, 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 Silver, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming a
.part of this Specification.-
The object of my Invention is to supply the means for more effectually and
safely controlling the paying-out of ocean telegraph cables, and the said In-
vention consists chiefly in making use of pneumatic resistance for that
purpose, which resistance is applied through the medium of governing
devices possessing extraordinary differential properties, enabling the cable
to be restrained so long as is consistent with its safety, and released when
its further restraint would be dangerous. This improved mode of govern-
ing, therefore, though applicable under circumstances wherein it is desirable
that the speed of the cable in leaving the vessel should be maintained at an
uniform rate, is from its peculiar compensating features more advantageously
employed when the said cable is being laid in rough seas, and is subjected
to temporary strains of great severity arising from the motion of the ship,
the violence of the waves, or other causes.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan of the top of the winding machinery arranged in con-
nection with a vane governor according to one part of my Invention; Figure2
is a section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view
of the same; Figure 4 is a plan of the top of the said machinery arranged in
connection with governing and compensating mechanism of modified con-
struction; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same; Figure 6 is a section on
the line z, z; and Figure 7 is a section on the line y, y, Figure 4; Figure 8
is a detached portion of the mechanism shown in the same Figure; Figures 9
and 10 shew modified arrangements of the differential gearing; Figure 11 is
a plan of the winding machinery in connection with the governing mechanism
constructed and arranged according to the second part of my Invention;
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the same; Figures 13 and 14 shew the
winding drum detached; Figures 15, 16, and 17 represent an indicating
apparatus for shewing the angular position of the cable in leaving the
vessel. Like letters refer to corresponding parts in each of the Figures.
One method of carrying my Invention into practice consists in the employ-
ment of a vane governor in connection with the paying-out or winding
machinery, one mode of constructing and arranging the same being illustrated
in Figures 1, 2, and 3, wherein the vanes of the said governor are shewn
arranged for and provided with self-adjusting mechanism. A is the bed or
foundation. plate, upon which the framing B for carrying the said governor
and machinery is firmly bolted. The drum or pulley C, over which the cable
passes in running out, is fixed upon the end of the shaft D, which turns in the
bearings a, the latter being formed or fixed upon the sides of the framing B.
The vanes E are fitted to turn freely upon the arms or rods b, and being
supported excentrically upon the said arms their angular position will vary
with every sudden change of speed of the cable, and in this case the greater
their velocity the more will their services be turned away from the direction of
their motion. The said vanes are held against the resistance of the atmosphere
by the spring c, whose tension is regulated by means of the screw rodd and
sliding piece e, which projects through and slides in the slot f formed in the
side of the spindle D, which is hollow for a portion of its length. One end of
the spring c rests against this sliding piece e, its other end bearing against the
sliding collar 9. The said collar is provided with lugs or wings g¹, to which
oue end of the rods h are jointed, the other end of these rods being attached
to the short arms or levers i fixed on the vanes E. If found desirable the
said vanes E may be enclosed in a box or case having apertures for the

page_text: passage of the air. Instead of making the vane portion of the governor self-
adjusting, and arranging the same as above described, the vanes E may be
fixed centrally on an axis or spindle, and arranged in connection with the
winding machinery in the manner illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The drum C
is fixed upon the shaft D, and is thereby connected with the differential
arrangement of wheel gearing intervening between the said drum and the vane
portion of the governor, which limits the general speed of the machinery in
paying-out the cable. The said differential arrangement or combination
forming part of the governor lies in a central or intermediate position between
the vane portion of the said governor and the drum C. Though having a
general tendency to run uniformly with the vane portion, the differential
arrangement is so constructed as to be capable of running at a speed varying
from that of the said vane portion when irregular strains occur in the paying-
out of the cable. The wheels and other parts composing this differential
arrangement are clearly shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, and in modified forms
in Figures 9 and 10. The pinion j is keyed or otherwise firmly fixed upon
the shaft D, so as to turn with the said shaft. The pinion gears into the
pinions, which turn upon the studs or pins l, the latter being fitted into the
plates G. The said plates are formed or secured upon the socket or tube G¹,
which is fitted upon the shaft D in such a manner as to allow the said shaft
and tube to turn independently of each other. The other end of the tube G¹
carries the pinion m, arranged to gear into the wheel H: The latter is fitted
upon the shaft or axis I to turn loosely thereon, the said shaft being supported
in the bearings n. A coil spring c is placed around the shaft I, one end of the
former being secured to the said shaft, the other end being secured to the
wheel H. Instead of the spring ca number of springs may be provided and
arranged in any convenient manner, the object being to furnish an elastic
connection, by the yielding of which the cable will be temporarily released from
the control of the governor when subjected to strains of more than ordinary
severity, the said springs serving also to return the cable to its normal position
when the strain thereon is reduced. The projecting end of the shaft I carries
the worm wheel J, whose worm K is provided with a wheel or handle L. By
means of this worm and wheel, or by a ratchet and pawl provided instead
thereof, the tension of the spring c is regulated. The wheel H has a sleeve
or boss H¹, which projects through the bearing n, in the side of the frame B,
and carries the pinion H2; this pinion gears into and operates the graduated
wheel or plate M, upon whose face the tension of the cable overboard is
indicated by the fixed pointer M¹. When either the said worm wheel or
ratchet wheel is employed for this purpose, the shaft I is fitted loosely therein,

page_text: but is held in the proper connection therewith by the friction clutch J', or
other suitable frictional holding device, which is arranged to keep the said
wheel and shaft together under ordinary circumstances, but when the strain
upon the cable is continued for such a time that the spring c can yield no
further, the friction clutch J' will release the shaft I, and prevent the said
spring and cable being injured by the excessive strain which would otherwise
occur thereto. The pinions & are attached to the pinions 7, the latter being
geared into the pinion ², which is cast upon the boss of the wheel N, or other-
wise firmly secured to the said wheel, the latter being supported upon the
shaft D in such a manner as to turn independently thereof. The wheel N,
gears into the pinion O, and thereby connects the winding or paying-out
machinery with the vane portion of the governing mechanism. The said
mechanism consists essentially of the adjustable vanes E, and devices for
adjusting the same. In Figures 4 and 5 the said vanes are shewn supported
by the arms P upon the axis or shaft F carrying the pinion O. The said
vanes are provided at both ends with a stud or pin p, which studs fit into
holes formed in the extremities of the arms P. One of these studs on each of
the said armis carries a pinion 2, which takes into the toothed arm or sector P
also supported upon the axis or spindle F, but turning loosely thereon. In
this case the vanes E are provided with means, whereby an attendant can
readily set them in any required angular position without stopping the
machinery. For this purpose the plate or sector P¹ has a long boss or sleeve
P3, in which a diagonal slot is formed, more clearly shown in Figure 8. The
spindle F, in the part over which the boss P2 fits, has a longitudinal slots, and
through these two slots the pin t passes, the ends of the said pin being secured
in the sliding sleeve Q; over the latter the arm R is fitted, whose other end is
guided by the pin or stud u, fixed in the side of the framing B; the said arm
is also provided with the screw S and nut S¹, or other convenient means of
adjustment; by turning the said nut S', the arm R and sleeve Q are caused to
slide endwise upon the spindle F, and by the action of the pin t, sliding in
the slots rand s, the arms P are turned upon the said spindle, and by means
of the pinions q will move the vanes E into any required position. The
governor spindle F also carries the brake wheel u, which is held when required
by means of the spring w and screw x, or by any other suitable form of brake.
In case of an accident, or if desired for any purpose to dispense with the
vanes E, a brake alone may be employed for limiting the general speed of the
machinery. The surface area of the vanes of this governor, or the speed at
which they are driven, must be so calculated with regard to the size and weight
of the cable, that sufficient atmospheric resistance will be encountered to

page_text: enable the governor to exercise the necessary control over the drum C and
cable as the latter is running out. Under ordinary circumstances this
atmospheric resistance will prevent any great irregularities in the speed of
the machinery, but when any undue strain arises from the motion of the
vessel or other cases the spring c will yield and temporarily release the said.
machinery from the control of the governors.
From the foregoing description it is obvious that the differential gearing
exerts its influence between the vane portion of the governor and the shaft or
spindle D, and that while the general speed of the cable running over the
drum C is determined and limited by the resistance of the atmosphere to the
revolutions of the vanes E around their axis, yet considerable variations from
this average rate of speed are permitted when the strain upon the cable
is suddenly increased or diminished. Under a sudden increase of pressure
arising from the motion of the vessel or other causes, the resistance offered to
the running out of the cable must be of an elastic nature, otherwise the cable
or some portion of the machinery is liable to be injured. This elastic
resistance is obtained by the differential combination provided between the
drum C and the vane portion of the governing apparatus. So long as the
strain upon the cable is regular, the rate at which it leaves the vessel is
steadily and uniformly maintained, but upon any sudden or severe increase of
this strain, the spring c allows the drum C to run away from or in advance of
the vane portion of the governor, and so lets the cable run free for a distance
depending upon the severity of the strain. Thus instead of suddenly checking
the rapid running out of the cable by the vane portion of the governing device,
as would be the case if a rigid connection existed between the latter and the
drum C, the said drum is allowed to run in advance thereof, until gradually
checked by the spring connection, or until the cable is relieved from the
excessive strain thereon. If required an adjustable fusee may be employed
in connection with the springs c when the latter are arranged according to
either of the methods illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 4.
Figures 9 and 10 show modified arrangements of the differential gearing,
either of which may be employed in connection with the paying-out machinery
to connect the drum C with the vanes E, instead of the arrangement of
A steam or
gearing for that purpose shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7.
other motion-power engine is provided and geared in connection with the
'wheel N, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. By means of this engine the
motion of the drum C may be reversed, and the cable drawn thereby back
into the vessel when required for repairing or other purposes. The pinion a¹
on the crank shaft B₁ of this engine is made adjustable so as to be readily

page_text: disengaged when desired from the wheel N. In paying-out very heavy cables
circumstances might arise under which the large area of the vane surface, or
the arrangement of wheel gearing required to impart the proper speed to the
vanes E might be objectionable. It may therefore be more advantageous
to obtain the pneumatic or atmospheric resistance by means of force pumps
constructed and arranged to control the action of the paying-out or winding
machinery by the resistance of compressed air to the pistons of the said pumps.
The cylinders of these pumps are connected to an air chamber or reservoir
which is provided with an escape valve, whose resistance to the pressure of
the compressed air is regulated by a spring or equivalent device. In carrying
this part of my Invention into operation the drum or pulley C over which
the cable passes is supported upon the crank shaft B2, arranged in connection
with a steam or other engine, which must be of such construction as to allow
of its operating either as a motive-power engine or a force pump, as required.
The engines I prefer to employ for this purpose are of the oscillating class,
having no slide valves, the admission and exhausting of the contents of the
cylinders being effected through apertures in the port face, which apertures
are alternately opened and closed by the sliding of the said port face over the
face of the chest or case C', caused by the vibrations of the cylinders A¹. The
cranks B³ are connected to the pistons of the cylinders A'in the usual manner.
When the shaft B³ is set in motion by the passage of the cable over the drum
C, air will be forced by the pistons through the pipe D' into the air chambers
or reservoirs E¹, and will offer an elastic resistance to the weight of the
portion of the cable suspended from the vessel. This resistance is regulated
by adjusting the spring C² of the relief valve d¹ fixed on the reservoir E¹, the
latter being also provided with a pressure guage for ascertaining the weight
of the cable overboard. If in case of having to repair the cable or for other
reasons it should be necessary to draw or wind in a portion of the same, the
engines can be worked by steam to turn the drum C in the proper direction
for this purpose. To enable this to be effected the cylinders A' are provided
with separate connections, through which acommunication isestablished when
required between the said cylinders and a steam boiler. A cock or valve g² is
attached to the pipe D', which leads from the cylinders A¹ to the air chamber
E. A steam hose is attached to this cock, the said hose communicating
with the steam boiler. By closing the cock which cuts off the communicating
between the cylinders A', and the air chamber E³, and opening the cock g²,
the engines will turn the drum C in the proper direction for winding in the
cable. An elastic connection is by preference employed between the boss or
central portion of the said drum,and the periphery thereof,as shewn in Figures

page_text: 13 and 14. This connection consists of a coil spring j³, one end of which is
secured to the boss R', and the other end to the periphery of the said drum.
The ends of this spring are so secured and arranged upon the drum C that
the spring will act with great elasticity in either direction. This elastic
connection between the drum C, and the shaft on which it is supported inay
be also employed, when the said drum is arranged in combination with either
of the governing devices illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Instead of
allowing the slack of the cable to be taken up by the machinery it may be
found more desirable that the same should be taken up by the vessel; to
effect this a ratchet and pawl may be arranged in connection with the drum
C, which will allow the said drum to turn freely in paying-out the cable, but
which will when required prevent the turning of the said drum in the opposite
direction. During the operation of paying-out the cable passes in the direction
of the arrows, Figures 1, 3, 4, and 11, over the drum C to the indicating
apparatus, illustrated in Figures 15, 16, and 17, which shews the angle
at which the cable lies in leaving the vessel. F2 is a guiding socket or tube
fixed upon the shaft G2 directly over the guide pully H³, through which the
cable descends into the water, the said socket being widened at its outer end
or mouth to prevent the cable (when any lateral motion is produced by the
motion of the waves or the rolling of the vessel) binding and chafing against
its sides. The other end of the shaft G2 is geared in connection with the
hand or pointer I', which oscilates over the face of the index plate J2. By
the position of this pointer upon the face of the plate J³ the angular position
of the portion of the cable overboard can be ascertained at any moment.
Instead of the index plate J2, an illuminated disc may be employed in con-
nection with the pointer I', to facilitate the observation of the cable's position
during the night; K¹ is a counterpoise to balance the weight of the tube F2.
My Invention also affords the means whereby the speed of telegraphing
printing machinery can be advantageously controlled. For this purpose
the governor having its vanes adjustable by hand, as shown in Figures 4,
5, and 5, is connected with the said printing machinery; the speed of which
can be limited to any desired rate by the adjustment of the said vanes to
the corresponding angle.
Having now fully described my Invention, and shewn how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it clearly
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
described and illustrated, as these may be varied without departing from
the spirit of my Invention, but I claim,―
First, controlling or governing the speed of machinery employed in laying

page_text: submarine telegraph cables by pneumatic or atmospheric resistance applied
substantially in the manner set forth.
Second, the drum C arranged in combination with a vane governor
having self-adjusting mechanism for the purpose and substantially in the
manner set forth.
Third, the drum C and other parts parts of the paying-out and winding
machinery arranged to operate in combination with differential wheel gearing
for the purpose and substantially in the manner set forth.
Fourth, the drum C arranged in combination with a vane governor and
connected therewith by means of differential wheel gearing for the purpose
and substantially in the manner set forth.
Fifth, the combination of the drum C with the differential wheel gear-
ing and the spring c or equivalent device for the purpose andsubstantially
in the manner set forth.
Sixth, the employment of a spring or number of springs arranged in com-
bination with the drum C and the governing devices to form an elastic con-
nection between the same for the purpose and substantially in the manner
set forth.
Seventh, the combination of the drum C, cylinders A', air chambers or
reservoirs E', having the adjustable relief valve d¹ and pipes or connections
1¹ and g² for the purpose and substantially in the manner set forth.
Eighth, the construction of a governor having its vanes E, supported
centrally upon the shaft or spindle F, and provided with the mechanism
for adjusting the said vanes, substantially in the manner set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Silver, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
0 WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.
THOMAS SILVER. (L.S.)