Improvements in and relating to the Governing or Regulating of Pumping Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th FeD., 1890
Complete Specification Left. 4th Nov.. 1896-Accepted, 4th Feb.. 1897
ate of Application, 4th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 4th Nov.. 1896-Accepted. 4'h Feb.. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Governing or Regulating of
Pumping Engines.
We, DAVID JOHNSTON, of 32, Minerva Street, Engineer, and WILLIAM
MADAM, of 71 Waterloo Street, Sugar Broker, both in the City and County of
Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to pumping
engines, and is specially applicable to the class in which there is no fly wheel or
rotary motion but the improvements may also be applied with advantage to all
pumping engines.
We will first describe its application to the former class.
It is well known to users of pumps that should the pump draw air or a clack
valve get clogged and the full steam pressure be on, a smash is likely to result and
not only expensive repairs incurred but possibly the stoppage of the works for
some time. To avoid this we propose to cut off the steam at each stroke of the
pump leaving just as much on as will carry the piston at a normal speed till it
finds the resistance due to the work intended, or in other words that the pump
chamber is filled with water.
We will now describe the method by which this is accomplished.
In the first instance, we place an ordinary butterfly throttle valve on the steam
pipe near its entrance to the engine valve casing. This valve consists of an oval
disc fitted in a section of the steam pipe through the centre of which passes a
spindle in a stuffing box from the outside and supported on the other side by a
part of spindle passing through into a step formed for it in the body of the pipe,
the metal being there thickened for the purpose. At the outer end a small crank
or lever is fixed which is usually actuated by the ordinary rotary governor. As
this method cannot be adopted where there is no rotary motion the throttle valve
is closed at the end of each stroke by a recoil acting spring attached to the crank
and opened by a piston or diaphragm connected by a tube to the pump chamber.
In the case of a double acting pump, on each of the chambers we place a piston
or diaphragm which on the return stroke is forced inwards by the recoil spring
and the steam valve closed, but should the chamber be filled with water on the
other side of the bucket the piston or diaphragm will be pressed outwards against
the recoil spring and the throttle valve opened but as there would be some
difficulty in fixing cranks and rods to suit the various designs of such pumps, we
will describe our improvements as applied to any ordinary design of pump and
which can be attached in a very short time. One of the flanges of the throttle
valve chest is extended to form a seat to support two small cylinders with
accurately fitting pistons the outer ends of which are attached to a sliding block
to overcome the circular motion of the small crank at the end of the spindle, the
diameter of said cylinders being proportioned to the working pressure of the
pump to overcome the strength of the recoil spring and friction of valve and.
spindle. The end of the small crank or lever is continued for attaching the spring
for closing the valve and it may be attached to a crosshead having a guide or
guides connected to or working through a bracket attached to the cover or body
of the small cylinders, and by fixing jam nuts at both sides of said guide the
amount of the travel of the valve may be regulated. The further end of the
small cylinders from the crank is connected by a small pipe one to either end of
the chamber of a double acting pump.

page_text: There may be different modifications of this arrangement for instance instead
of continuing the throttle crank to attach the spring and guides, the further sides
of the small cylinders could be extended in the form of an oval gland and stretcher
fixed in them with a plate or plates fixed by jam nuts or otherwise to regulate the
strength of the spring or travel of the valve. The attachment in this case would
be from a continuation of the small piston rod beyond the crank also in the former
case if there was not enough length for the spring between the crank and cylinder
cover one of the bolts for fixing it could be lengthened and at the end be bent so
as to form a hold for the spring. The strength of these springs could be regulated
Bu as to open the valve in proportion to the work to be done.
Although we have described this governor only as applied to the butterfly form
of throttle valve the same action could be applied to any form of spindle or
equilibrium valve as actuated by rotary governors. In the case of equilibrium and
other throttle valves where the spindle is drawn outwards we fix a clutch on the
spindle actuated by a pronged lever which is fulcrumed on a standard attached to
the valve cover on the one side of spindle. The prongs are continued past the
clutch and are connected to the small cylinders in a similar manner to that
described in connection with the small crauk of the throttle valve. The spindle
passes through a guide at the part beyond the clutch, and stoppers may be fixed
there to regulate the opening and closing of valve. The recoil spring may also
be placed at the end of the spindle or from a continuation of the clutch prongs;
or a dead-weight at the top of spindle might be used or a self closing valve on
the principle of the equilibrium valve may be used with advantage it being made
as much off the balance as will ensure its self closing and the small pipes leading
from the pump would be fitted with regulating cocks to control the action if
necessary.
Although we have described it only as for a double acting pump, by having a
cylinder or diaphragm for each chamber it could be arranged to suit any number
of chambers and while we have described it as being attached to a bracket
formed on the flange of the valve it may be attached to any convenient place and
connecting rods adjusted to suit. Instead of recoil springs a recoil piston may
be used actuated either by the steam or pressure of the water on the rising
inain pipe.
By a slight modification the same apparatus could be applied from a pump at a
mine bottom or considerably under the level of the engine by having differential
acting rams at the pump, the ram connected to the pump being made larger in
diameter than the one going to the governor so that it would overcome the
friction. In this case the pipes leading to the engine would be filled from the
surface and a small cistern connected to them by a valve opening inwards would
be required to make up for leakage.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Governing or Regulating of
Pumping Engines.
We, DAVID JOHNSTON, of 32 Minerva Street, Engineer, and WILLIAM
MCADAM, of 71 Waterloo Street, Sugar Broker, both in the City and County of
Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, that is to say:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to pumping engines,

page_text: nd is specially applicable to the class in which there is no fly wheel or rotary
notion but the improvemente may also be applied with advantage to all pumping
ngines.
We will first describe its application to the former class.
It is well known to users of pumps that should the pump draw air or a clack
alve get clogged and the full steam pressure be on, a smash is likely to result and
ot only expensive repairs incurred but possibly the stoppage of the works for
ome time. To avoid this we propose to cut off the steam at each stroke of the
bump leaving just as much on as will carry the piston at a normal speed till it fin la
he resistance due to the work intended, or in other words that the pump chamber
s filled with water.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended a sheet of
explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters are used to indiente
orresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a front elevation aud Figure 2 a corresponding plan view, partly in
section of our improved governor as suitable for a double acting pump.
Figure 3 is a transverse section as taken on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
. Figure 4 is a sectional plan view corresponding to Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detached view of the end of the cylinders extended as a bracket
to carry the spring and guides.
Figure 6 shows detached views of the crank with slot for sliding block.
Figure 7 shows views of our improvements as fixed on the cover for a spindle
throttle valve; and
Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a double acting pump with our improved
governor applied thereto.
Referring to these drawings:-
We place an ordinary butterfly throttle valve A on the steam pipe A¹ near its
entrance to the engine valve casing. This valve consists of an oval disc A fitted
in a section of the steam pipe A through the centre of which passes a spindle a
in a stuffing box a' from the outside and supported on the other side by a part of
spindle a passing through into a step a² formed for it in the body of the pipe, the
metal being there thickened for the purpose. At the outer end a small crank or
lever bis fixed which is usually actuated by the ordinary rotary governor. As this
method cannot be adopted where there is no rotary motion the throttle valve A is
partially closed at the end of each stroke by a recoil acting spring B attached by
a link or crosshead b' to the crank 6 and opened by a piston or diaphragm B¹
connected by a tube B' to the pump chamber C, sufficient steam being allowed to
pass through the valve A to keep the pump in motion. In the case of a double
acting pump, on each of the chambers we place a piston or diaphragm which on
the return stroke is forced inwards by the recoil spring and the steam valve closed,
but should the chamber be filled with water on the other side of the bucket the
piston or diaphragm will be pressed outwards against the recoil spring and the
throttle valve opened; but as it is objectionable in mine working to have crauks
and rods to suit the-various designs of such pumps, we will describe our improve-
ments as applied to an ordinary design of pump and which can be attached in a
very short time. One of the flanges of the throttle valve chest D is extended
to form a seat D' to support two small cylinders B B with accurately fitting
pistons B' the outer ends of which are attached to a sliding block B to overcome
the circular motion of the small crank b at the end of the spindle, the diameter of
said cylinders B being proportioned to the working pressure of the pump to over-
come the strength of the recoil spring B and friction of valve and spindle. The
end of the small crank or lever & is continued for attaching the spring B for closing
the valve and it may be attached to the crosshead & having a guide or guides
connected to or working through a bracket attached to the cover or body of
the small cylinders B', and by fixing jam nuts at both sides of said guides the
amount of the travel of the valve may be regulated. The further end of the

page_text: small cylinders B from the crank b is connected by a small pipe B one to either.
end of the chamber of a double acting pump.
There may be different modifications of this arrangement, for instance, instead
of continuing the throttle crank 6 to attach the spring B and guides, the further
sides of the small cylinders B could as shown in Figure 4 be extended in the form
of an oval gland band stretcher rods 6 fixed in same with a plate or plates
fixed by jam nuts or otherwise to regulate the travel of the casing B and
consequently the strength of the spring B or travel of the valve A.
The
Although we have described this governor only as applied to the butterfly form
of throttle valve A the same action could be applied to any form of spindle or
equilibrium valve as actuated by rotary governors. In the case of equilibrium
and other throttle valves where the spindle is drawn outwards as shown in
Figure 7, we fix a clutch E on the spindle E' actuated by a pronged lever E
which is fulcrumed on a standard E³, attached to the valve cover e on the one side
of spindle. The prongs E of the lever E are continued past the clutch E and
are connected to the spindle B of the small cylinders B in a similar manner to
that described in connection with the small crank 6 of the throttle valve A.
spindle E passes through a guide at the part beyond the clutch E and stoppers
may be fixed there to regulate the opening and closing of valve. The recoil
spring B may also be placed at the end of the spindle E' or a dead weight at the
top of spindle might be used, or a self closing valve on the principle of the
equilibrium valve may be used with advantage, it being made as much off
the balance as will ensure its self closing and the small pipes B³ leading from the
pump would be fitted with regulating cocks to control the action if necessary.
Although we have described it only as for a double acting pump by having
cylinder or diaphragm B' for each chamber it could be arranged to suit any number
of chambers and while we have described it as being attached to a bracket Di
formed on the flange of the valve it may be attached to any convenient place and
connecting rods adjusted to suit. Instead of recoil springs B a recoil piston
may be used actuated either by the steam or pressure of the water in the rising
main pipe.
a
By a slight modification the same apparatus could be applied from a pump at a
mine bottom or considerably under the level of the engine by having differential
acting rams at the pump, the ram connected to the pump being made larger in
diameter than the one going to the governor so that it would overcome the friction.
In this case the pipes leading to the engine would be fitted from the surface and a
small cistern connected to them by a valve opening inwards would be required to
make up the leakage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The method of governing or regulating pumping engines, consisting in
having an adjustable recoil acting spring or its equivalent, to partially close the
throttle valve, when there is no pressure on the pump chamber, and a piston or
diaphragm to open the valve against the action of said adjustable spring or its
equivalent when there is pressure in the pump chamber, substantially as herein
described in reference to and by way of application shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Second. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of a
governor or regulator for pumping engines substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 3rd day of November 1896
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.