US336836A - Governor for steam-engines - Google Patents

Description

(N9 Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1. N. P. BURNHAM. GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

No. 336,836. Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR i 2 WW JV'azlzanEBurnfiam By hi flttorneys N. PETERS. mwum n w, Wmhinglom rm;

(No Model.) I

N. F. BURNHAM.

2 Shets-Sheet 2.

GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

WITNESSES By his Attorneys N. PETERS, PlwlwLilhogmpller. Walhinglun. DC.

Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

-INVENTOR JVltizanlZJumkam.

UNITED STATES ATENT @rricn.

NATHAN F. BURNHAM, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

GOVERNOR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,836, dated February 23, 1886.

Application filed October 7, 1885. Serial No.17 9,250. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN F. BURNHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Governors for Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic centrifugal governor which is mounted upon the main shaft of the engine or upon a valve-piston driving-shaft.

The automatic control of the speed of the engine is effected by the movement of the valve-piston eccentric relatively to the axial line of the shaft which causes its rotation.

I do not claim, broadly, varying the relation of such an eccentric to its driving-shaft, as such arrangements are common.

The novel features of myinvention will fully appear from the following description:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a. transverse section through one form of engine to which my improved governor may be applied. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the valve-piston eccentric and the frame or support by which it is carried. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, through the governing devices on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the eccentric-carrying frame with the eccentric removed, and Fig. 5 is a view of the inner side of the eccentric detached.

The particular form of engine indicated in Fig. l of the drawings forms the subject-matter of another application filed by me simultaneously herewith, and no claim is therefore made to it in this application.

A indicates the connecting-rod,which drives the main shaft B of the engine in the ordinary way. 0 is the connecting rod of the valvepiston O. The valve-piston connecting-rod O carries ayoke,0,which embraces the eccentric D. The eccentric is formed with an elongated slot, e, through which the main shaft B loosely passes. The eccentric may therefore be adjusted bodily transversely to the shaft B, to vary its relation to the axial line or center of motion, and thus increase or decrease its eccentricity. A groove, d, on the eccentric, formed in the arc of a circle, fits over a correspondingly-curved boss or rib, d, on a plate or eccentric-carrier, E, the eccentric being secured upon the plate by bolts (1 which pass through elongated apertures d* in the eccentric. By this construction the eccentric may be partially rotated with reference to its supporting-plate E and then firmly bolted in place. By this means the relation of the valve-piston to the steam-ports or lead of the engine may be adjusted. The eccentric-carrying plate E is indirectly supported by a flanged disk or frame, F, which is keyed to the main shaft, and has bosses E, one on each end, which pass through elongated apertures in the disk. The plate E is formed with an elongated opening corresponding to the opening in the eccentric, through which the main shaft also passes.

It will be perceived that the construction thus far described will permit the endwise or transverse movement of the plate E with ref- 1 ere'nce to the driving-shaft, to increase or decrease the eccentricity of the eccentric. Each boss E on the plate E is pivotally connected with a governing-lever, H H, pivoted at h on the inner side of the flanged disk or frame F.

It will be observed that the pivotalconnection between one of the governor-levers, H, and the boss E is located between the pivot of the lever and its free end, while the other boss E is pivoted to an extension of the lever H beyond its pivot. fore swing out from the main shaft under centrifugal force they would conjointly move the plate E and the eccentric in the same direction transversely to the driving-shaft. Each governor-lever is weighted or enlarge'd at its end, and has a curved face which rests upon a collar or sleeve, F, on the main shaft. This collar is preferably formed with the disk or frame F, but may be independently secured to the shaft, or the governor-levers may make contact directly with the shaft. Plate or elliptic springs I, adj ustably secured upon the flange of the frame F, carry at their outer ends rollers t, which bear upon the outer edges of the governor-levers. These springs tend to overcome the centrifugal tendency of the governorlevers developed under rotation. The springs I are adj ustably secured to thickened concaved portions of the flange, and, as the springs are formed with straight ends, the rollers i may be caused to press with greater or less power upon the governor-levers by Should these levers there-- screwing up or unscrewing the bolts which hold the springs in place. Obviously the same effect could be produced by making the springs with elongated slots, so that they could be adjusted endwise. The flange of the frame F serves to inclose and protect the governing devices.

The parts are shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, in a position of rest. \Vhen the engine is working and the main shaft rotating, the centrifugal force developed by the rotation tends constantly to move the governor-levers outwardly and shift the eccentric. The springs I tend constantly to overcome the centrifugal tendency. The development of aspeed, however, sufficient to overcome the centripetal action of the springs causes the bodily movement of the eccentric transversely to the shaft, and effects a corresponding change in the relation of the valve-piston to the steam-ports.

In order to counterbalance the weight of material around the center of motion in the governor, I employ a link, K, to counterbalance the weight of the eccentric and its carrier-plate. One end of this link is pivoted at k to a prolongation of the governor-lever H beyond its pivot, while the opposite end of the link is pivoted at It to the governor-lever H between its pivot h and its free end. The link K is shaped, as shown, with a curved or bulged portion to counterbalance the bulge of the eccentric D, the position of which is indicated by the dotted line, Fig. 1. The enlarged part of the eccentric and the enlarged part of the link K are arranged in line on opposite sides of the shaft. It will be obvious that any movement of the governor-levers H H which would cause a shifting of the eccentric and its carrier-plate will produce a corresponding movement of the link K and maintain the counterbalancing of the parts. This is an important feature when running at high speed.

The details of construction may be varied without departing from the principles involved in my improved construction. For instance, the eccentric'carrier plate and governor-levers may be placed on the same side of the disk. The governor-levers may be connected by a couplingrod and only one of the levers pivotally connected with the sliding plate, if desired. The character of the springs employed may also be changed. I, however, prefer the construction shown as more compact and efficient.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the rotating shaft, the disk or frame fast thereon, the transversely-moving slotted eccentric-carrier plate, the slotted eccentric thereon, and the pivoted governor-levers, which are directly pivoted to the eccentriccarrier plate.

- 2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the rotating shaft, the disk or frame fast thereon, the slotted transversely-moving eccentric-carrier plate and the slotted eccentric thereon, the pivoted governor-levers arranged immediately opposite the eccentriccarrier plate, and the direct pivotal connection between the governor-levers and the eccentriccarrier plate.

3. The combination of the rotating shaft, the disk or frame fast thereon and having the two slots therein, the eccentric-carrier plate and its eccentric, the bosses on the eccentriccarrier plate, which project through the slots in the-frame or disk, the pivoted governorlevers, and a direct pivotal connection between the governor-1evers and the bosses on the eccentric-carrier plate.

4,. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the shaft, the frame or disk, the pivoted governor-levers arranged to vibrate at right angles to the shaft, the eccentric-carrier plate and eccentric, and the adjustable plate or elliptic springs, which bear directly on the governor-lever.

5. The combination of the shaft, the frame or disk, the slotted eccentric capable of being moved transversely relatively to the shaft, its carrierplate, the pivoted governor-levers, which effect the movement of the eccentric, and a counterbalancing-link pivoted on the governor-levers, as set-forth.

6. The combination of the shaft, the frame or disk, the eccentric, the eccentric-carrier, the governor-levers, the connections between the governor-levers and the eccentric'carrier, and means for adjusting the eccentric on its carrier independently of the governing devices.

7. The combination of the eccentric, the supporting-plate, the groove-and-bossinterlocking connection, and securing bolts or devices, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the shaft, the frame or disk, the slotted eccentric capable of being moved transversely relatively to the shaft, pivoted governor-levers, by which this movement is effected, and a counterbalancing-link pivoted on the governor-levers, as set forth.

9. The combination of the shaft, the transversely-shifting eccentric-carrier plate, the eccentric thereon, governing devices for antomatically shifting the eccentric, and means for adjusting the eccentric on its carrier independently of said governing devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

NATHAN F. BURNHAM.

Witnesses:

WM. GILBERTHORP, XVM. BEITZEL.

ICO

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