US3045687A - Governor valve - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1962 T. F. cRAMx-:R

GOVERNOR VALVE Filed Jan. 19, 1959 THOMAS BY AT T O F2 EYES United States Patent 3,045,67 GOVERNOR VALVE Thomas F. Cramer, Warren, Mich., assignor to Holley Carburetor Company, Van Dyke, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Jan. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 787,636 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-56) The present invention relates to improvements in governors for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a centrifugally controlled governor valve. As herein shown and described the governor valve is devised for application to an engine having throttle governor means of the general type illustrated in my copending applications, Serial No. 737,776, iiled May 26, 1958, and Serial No. 75 8,207, filed September 2, 1958, now Pat. No. 2,991,053 (multiple barrel carburetor). However, it is to be understood that the improved valve is capable of application in various types of :governor responsive to engine speed and manifold or venturi vacuum.

lt has Ibeen proposed in truck or other installations, in which it is desired to govern the speed of the engine, to provide suction devices actuated by primary (or primary and secondary) venturi and/ or manifold vacuum to override and govern the operation of a throttle plate or plates. As typiiied in the above identified applications, the intensity of the governing vacuum is controlled by a speed sensitive valve adapted to close an air bleed when the governed engine speed is reached. The present invention relates to a valve for this purpose, which valve is a centrifugally responsive type, though not centrifugally acting as to its movable valve element itself.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved valve of this sort which is readily modified for adjustment to overcome any undesirable characteristics encountered in the operation of the governor with which the valve is associated. in accordance with the invention this adjustment is made possible by change or replacement of one or more of the components of the valve structure.

Another object is to provide a valve as described, in which an engine speed-responsive rotative shaft of the governor carries radially acting centrifugal weights adapted to variably position a valve element. This valve element is mounted internally of the shaft in coaxial relation to an air bleeder valve seat in the shaft, whereby upon attainment of predetermined enginel speed the seat is partially or wholly closed by the valve element. The result is to partially or wholly seal a normally open air bleeder passage past the seat, increasing the vacuum effective on a diaphragm assembly of the governor, and causing a throttle plate or plates of the governor to move toward barrel closing position and thereby diminish engine speed to the desired governed value.

Yet another object is to provide a governor control valve as described in which, as distinguished from previous governors, the valve member controlling an atmospheric air bleeder passage, as described, is distinct from the spinner arms through which centrifugal force is applied in operation, i.e., in which the centrifugal weight member and the valve member are structurally diiferent parts, so that the factor of the weight of the rst member is a negligible one in the performance of the governor. As herein shown the valve member moves axially in the rotating centrifugal shaft.

A further object is to provide valve structure as described, in which an alteration of the spring means opposl ing centrifugal action, in the interest, for example, of obtaining increased speed, may be accompanied by a replacement of the valve member in a diiferent outline thus to retain quick governor response.

The foregoing as Well as other objects will become more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when con- O Fice sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away and in vertical cross section along broken line 1-1 of FiG. 2, of a four barrel carburetor and governor therefor controlled by the valve of the invention;

FIG. 2i is a bottom plan view, as from the line 2-2 of FIG. l, showing the carburetor barrel arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section through the operating parts of the improved valve, along line 3--3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is another view in a vertical section at 90 to the section of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a governor-equipped carburetor 10 in general accordance with what is shown in my copending application, Serial No. 758,207, now Pat. No. 2,991,053 identified above. Reference can be had to that application for a description of specific structural details of carburetor 10, which is in the main conventional. The reference numeral 11 generally designates the improved valve of the invention.

Carburetor "10 has an air intake i12, and FIG. 1 shows the carburetor cut away to expose one of its primary barrels 14 and one of its secondary barrels 16. The primary barrel 14 shown is provided with a restriction or venturi 18 and a throttle plate 20 is mounted on a shaft 22 which extends through barrel 14 as well as the other primary barrel, in which is mounted a throttle plate identical to throttle plate 20. The secondary barrel 1 6 shown is also provided with a venturi 24 and a throttle plate 26A mounted on a shaft 28, which shaft extends through the other secondary barrel, another secondary plate being carried on shaft 28 in that barrel.

While a particular four-barrel carburetor is shown for y purposes of illustration, it Will be apparent that the invention is equally applicable to two-barrel or single or multi-stage carburetors.

A vacuum type governor diaphragm assembly or device 30 is mounted on one side of a carburetor throttle body 34 of carburetor 10. To this end a second body 36, preferably in the form of a casting providing upper and lower recesses 38 and 40, is secured on throttle body 34. Recess 40 has a bottom wall constituted by a flexible diaphragm 42 suitably secured to the body 35 and deiining an air tight chamber 45, of which the exible diaphragm 42 forms an upper wall.

The diaphragm 42 has a rod 48 secured to the center thereof in conventionalmanner, the rod passing through a vertical bore or passage 50 in the body 35 and being pivoted at its top to a lever 54 secured on an end of the primary throttle shaft 22, which end extends into the chamber 38. The shaft 22 is suitably sealed and a tension spring 58 tends to bias the primary throttle plate 20 in the open position. An apertured cover plate 66 vents the chamber 38 to the atmosphere.

An orifice 72 at the primary venturi 18 and an orice 74 below the primary throttle plate 20 are connected by means of the respective passages 76 and 78 (having fixed restrictions 80 and 82, respectively) with a vertical passage 84 in the body member 34, as well as witht a passage 8-6 in the cover member 44 which leads to the chamber 46. A further passage `8S connects passage 84 with an external threaded fitting 90. Fitting is connected by an air bleed tube or line 91` with the improved valve 11 of the invention, hereinafter described in detail.

A secondary throttle diaphragm assembly 92 is mounted at the opposite side of the carburetor throttle body 34 from the governor diaphragm assembly 30.

Assembly 92 comprises a body 94 having a recess vented,

diaphragm 96 which is secured to the body 94 by means of a cover 98, the diaphragm 96 providing a flexible wall separating oppositely disposed chambers 100 and 102 in the Ibody 94. A rod 104 is secured to the center of the diaphragm 96, extending upwardly through a bore 106 in body 94, and a coil spring 108 urges the rod 104 and diaphragm 96 upwardly. Rod 104 is pivoted on a lever 110 secured to the secondary throttle shaft 28, and as urged upwardly it biases shaft 28 in a direction to close the secondary throttle plates 26. A conduit 112 extends between the chamber 102 and vacuum passages 114 and 116 opening respectively to the primary and secondary venturis 18 and 24, and enables primary and/ or secondary venturi vacuum to evacuate the chamber 102 and displace the diaphragm 96 downwardly to open the secondary throttle 26. The force of the spring 108 is selected so that the secondary throttle plate 26 will open at any predetermined venturi vacuum.

An air supply conduit or tube 118 connects from the carburetor intake 12 to the valve assembly 11, for a purpose to be described.

The governor structure described above, or its equivalent, is well known in the art, and proper governing action depends upon the partial or complete closing of the throttle plates 20 and 26 when the engine or vehicle has reached a predetermined governing speed so as to diminish or cut off the flow of motive uid to the engine.

The improved valve member 11 of the invention has been devised to operate in response to increasing engine speed to increase the vacuum effective in the chamber 46 f the primary diaphragm assembly 30 and thereby urge throttle plate toward closing position, with the effect described above.

To this end, the valve 11 comprises a stationary housing 120 which is adapted to be fxedly mounted on the engine in any suitable fashion, the housing 120 being provided with a fitting 121 by which it is placed in communication through the tube or conduit 118 with the air intake 12 of the carburetor 10. It thereby receives a supply of clean ltered air for bleeding of vacuum during the normal operation of the engine Ibelow governed speed. The housing 120 rotatably journals in a suitable fashion a shaft 124 which is driven in any appropriate way in proportionate response to engine speed, as at a top driving connection 125.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shaft 124 has an axial bore 126 which is placed in communication by the line or conduit 91 with the passages 88, 84 and 86 of the diaphragm assembly 30, thus in communication with the vacuum chamber 46 of the latter.

A rod or stem 128 is force-titted diametrically through the shaft, -being provided in the axial zone of shaft bore 126 with a transverse passage 129 through which bleeder air may flow. Rod 128 is provided, on each of its oppositely projecting arms, with a weight 130 sleeved thereon; and outward centrifugal motion of each of these weights is opposed by a coil spring 131 acting between the same and an adjustable abutment nut 132 threaded on the end of the rod 128.

The centrifugal weights 130 are connected by pivoted links 134 with a valve operating sleeve 135 surrounding the shaft, so that outward centrifugal motion of the weights 130 causes the sleeve to be shifted downwardly.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the interior of shaft 124 is v provided, upwardly of the rod 128, with a tapered valve seat 137, and a conical nosed plug valve member 138 is received in a counterbore above the seat 137 for axial movement toward and away from the latter. Valve member 138 has a relatively loose tit in the counterbore to permit flow of 'bleeder air around its sides, and is provided with a transversely extending operating pin 139. The wall of the shaft is slotted at 140, on opposite diametral sides, to receive and permit vertical motion of this pin. These slots are of substantial size so as to serve as air intake openings to the shaft bore 126 above valve E member 138. The outer ends of operating pin 139 are fixedly secured in the sleeve 135.

Accordingly, it is seen that as the speed of the shaft increases in response to increased engine speed, and approaches or passes desired governed speed, the weights move outwardly against the opposition of springs 131, the links 134 tend to Hatten, drawing the sleeve 135 downwardly, and the valve mem-ber 138 is brought toward seat 137. This restricts or closes the normal line of communication of air from carburetor intake 12 through conduit 118 to the bore of shaft 124, and increased vacuum is applied to chamber 46.

The use of a valve assembly 11 according to the invention enables the valve member 138, its operating sleeve 135, links 134 and springs 131 to be changed independently in order to overcome any undesirable aspect of governor performance. The weight of the valve member, positioned axially as shown, rather than as a part of centrifugal counterweight structure, is a negligible factor in the operation of the governor. It is seen that if springs 131 are increased in strength, for an increase in maximum governed speed, the shape of the valve member 138 may be altered to render its conical surface more blunt, thereby retaining responsivity in action.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved governor valve in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A valve assembly for an automotive or like governor of the type characterized by a vacuum responsive device, said valve assembly comprising a hollow rotatable shaft adapted to be driven at variable speed, a centrifugal device including a weight movable radially of said shaft in response to increasing speed of rotation thereof, a member mounted for axial movement relative to said shaft and having means connecting the same to said weight for axial movement responsive to radial movement of the weight, said shaft having a radial opening therethrough in communication with the interior thereof, a valve member disposed internally of said shaft for axial sealing movement and having means extending through said radial opening and connecting the valve member to said axially movable member to be axially moved thereby, said shaft having an internal annular valve seat controlled by said valve member and being in communication with atmospheric pressure on one side of said seat, means biasing said valve member in a direction to open said seat, and means to connect the interior of said shaft on the opposite side of said seat with said vacuum device.

2. A valve assembly Vfor an automotive or like governor of the type characterized by a vacuum responsive device, said valve assembly comprising a hollow rotatable shaft adapted to be driven at variable speed, a centrifugal device including a weight movable radially of said shaft in response to increasing speed of rotation thereof, said shaft having an axially elongated slot therethrough in communication with the interior thereof, a sleeve telescoped on said shaft for axial movement relative to the latter and having means connecting the same to said weight for axial movement responsive to said radial movement of the weight, a valve member disposed internally of said shaft for axial sealing movement and having a pin extending through said slot and connecting the valve member to said sleeve to be axially moved thereby, said shaft having an internal annular valve seat controlled by said valve member and being in communication with atmospheric pressure on one side of said seat, means biasing said valve member in a direction to open said seat, and means to connect the interior of said shaft on the opposite side of said Seat with said vacuum device.

3. A valve assembly for an automotive or like governor of the type characterized by a vacuum responsive device, said valve assembly comprising a hollow rotatable shaft adapted to be driven at variable speed, a centrifugal device including a Weight movable radially of said shaft in response to increasing speed of rotation thereof, a member mounted for axial movement relative to said shaft and having means connecting the same to said Weight for axial movement responsive to radial movement of the Weight, said shaft having a radial opening therethrough in communication with the interior thereof, a valve member disposed internally of said shaft for axial sealing movement and having means extending through said radial opening and connecting the valve member to said axially movable member to be axially moved thereby, said last named means coupling said first named member and said valve member for rotation with said shaft, said shaft having an internal annular valve seat controlled by said valve member and being in communication with atmospheric pressure on one side of said seat, means biasing said valve member in a direction to open said seat, and means to connect the interior of said shaft on the opposite side of said seat with said vacuum device.

4. A valve assembly for an automotive or like governor of the type characterized by a vacuum responsive device, said valve assembly comprising a hollow rotatable shaft adapted to be driven at variable speed, a centrifugal device including a weight movable radially of said shaft in response to increasing speed of rotation thereof, a sleeve telescoped on said shaft for axial movement relative to the latter and having means connecting the same to said weight for axial movement responsive to said radial movement of the weight, said shaft having a radial opening therethrough in communication with the interior thereof, a valve member disposed internally of said shaft `for axial sealing movement and having means extending through said radial opening and connecting the valve member to said sleeve to be axially moved thereby, said last named means coupling said sleeve and valve member for rotation with said shaft, said shaft having an internal annular valve seat controlled by said valve member and being in communication with atmospheric pressure on one side of said seat, means biasing said valve member in a direction to open said seat, and means to connect the interior of said shaft on the opposite side of said seat with said vacuum device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 94,091 Duclos Aug. 24, 1869 367,177 Barr July 26, 1887 764,661 Eberhardt July 12, 1904 843,237 Shepherd Feb. 5, 1907 1,210,991 Silsbee Jan. 2, 1917 1,361,771 OMalley Dec. 7, 1920 1,632,501 Patrick June 14, 1927 1,721,518 Larzelere July 23, 1929 2,664,867 Hartzell Jan. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,819 France Feb. 7, 1925

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