US3708240A

US3708240A - Speed governor

Info

Publication number: US3708240A
Application number: US00167644A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Theis; L Davis
Original assignee: Hollymatic Corp
Current assignee: PATTY PROCESSING Inc AN IL CORP; Air Turbine Technology Inc
Priority date: 1971-07-30
Filing date: 1971-07-30
Publication date: 1973-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-02
Also published as: AU458507B2; IT957923B; FR2149157A5; CH532285A; ES403360A1; GB1322889A; SE374968B; BE782626A; AU4079672A; BR7205089D0; NL7204669A; DE2226722A1

Abstract

A speed governor for a fluid driven rotor having an inlet means for pressurized fluid to the rotor including a valve seat, a valve movable toward and away from the seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough into the rotor, a chamber on the side of the valve opposite the seat, a supply of pressurized valve control fluid to the chamber so that increasing control fluid pressure in the chamber urges the valve toward the valve seat, and a centrifugally controlled device for increasing the pressure of valve control fluid in the chamber as a function of increasing rotational speed.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 .vTheis, Jr. et a]. 14 1 Jan. 2, 1973 s41 SPEED GOVERNOR 3,552,410 1/1971 Amtsberg ..137/56 [75] Inventors: James V. Theis, Jr., Park Forest, 111.;

Lynn Davis Taylor, Mich Primary ExammerC. J. Husar Attorney-Axel A. Hofgren et a1. [73] Assignee: Hollymatic Corporation 221 Filed: July 30, 1971 [571 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 167,644 A speed governor for a fluid driven rotor having an inlet means for pressurized fluid to the rotor including a valve seat, a valve movable toward and away from U-S- Clthe seat to regulate flow of therethrough into the [5 ..Folb rotor a chamber on the side of the valve opposite the [58] Field of Search ..415/25, 30, 36; 137/56 Seat a supply f pressurized valve control fl id to the chamber so that increasing control fluid pressure in [56] C'ted the chamber urges the valve toward the valve seat, UNITED STATES PATENTS and a centrifugally controlled device for increasing the pressure of valve control fluid in the chamber as a 2,925,089 2/ 1960 Conklin et a1. ..415/36 function of increasing rotational speed. 3,069,137 12/1962 Barr ..415/36 3,242,936 3/1966 Kalb ..137/56 14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures P'ATE'N'TEDJM 2 ms SHEET 1 BF 2 mm mm mm mm mm mm INVENTORS. JAMES VfTHEIS JR.

LYNN M. DAVIS V ATTORNEYS,

SPEED GOVERNOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION One of the features of this invention is to provide an improved fluid driven device in which the flow of pressurized fluid to a rotor is controlled by a valve that is responsive to increasing fluid pressure in a chamber on the side of the valve opposite the valve seat and with means for increasing fluid pressure in this chamber with increasing rotational speed so that pressure buildup in the chamber moves the valve toward closed position thereby restricting flow of pressurized fluid to the rotor and controlling the speed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The most pertinent prior art of which applicants are aware are US. Pat. Nos. 1,704,403; 2,674,229; 3,242,936 and 3,552,410. Although each of these is concerned with governors for rotary devices none have the advantages of simplicity together with full reliability that the governor of the present invention has.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a shortened side elevational view of a pressurized fluid engine having a governor embodying the invention with a portion of the engine being in longitudinal section.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view illustrating the governor in fully open position such as when pressurized fluid is first admitted to the engine.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the governor in an intermediate operating position between the completely closed position of FIG. 1 and the fully open position of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional exploded view of the speed responsive portion of the governor.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The pressurized fluid engine illustrated in the drawings is similar to the one described and claimed in the copending Theis et al application Ser. No. 170,234, filed Aug; 9, 1971 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Thus the engine 10 comprises a casing 11 in which is rotatably mounted a shaft 12 which in this embodiment has a small abrasive grinding wheel 13 on its forward end.

' The rear of the casing 11 is provided with an axial tubular extension 14 integral with and extending rearwardly of a rear cover 15. Attached to this rearwardly extending tube 14 is the end 16 of a flexible compressed air hose.

The inner surface of the rear cover is flat as shown at 17 in the area surrounding a fluid inlet or compressed air passage 18 in the tube 14.

The rear end of the casing 11 is enlarged and of circular cross section to provide a chamber 19 containing a rotor 20 that is attached to the threaded rear end 21 of the drive shaft 12-. The shaft 12 is held for rotation within the casing by a pair of ball bearing devices 22 positioned at opposite ends of the shaft 12 and of which only one is shown.

through a pair of fluid exit passages 25 which are 'positioned diametrically opposite each other in the circular cross section rotor 20 but of which only one is illustrated in FIG. I. The air from the exit passages 25 flows through the chamber 19 toward the rear cover 15 and from there to the exterior through a plurality of openings 26 in the cover 15.

Surrounding the fluid inlet passage 18 and around which the rotor 20 rotates is an annular floating seal 27 having a rear surface 28 bearing in sealing engagement with the surface 17 on the end cover 15 and a forward surface 29 subjected to air pressure in a pressurized fluid chamber 30.

The structure described above and illustrated in the drawings is described in more detail and claimed in the above copending Theis et al. application.

In order to control the speed of rotation of the rotor 20 and thus the. drive shaft 12 and the grinding wheel 13 thereon there is provided a governor device having a valve seat ring 31 of metal press fitted into the cylindrical surface 32 that is concentric to the axis of rotation and that also contains at its forward end the floating seal 27. This valve seat is generally cylindrical like the floating seal 27 and has a central passage 33 substantially coinciding with the central passage 34 in the seal 27. The ring 31 therefore defines the inner side of the fluid pressure chamber 30. Extending diametrically across the ring 31 is a metal rod 35 which functions as a barrier for diverting small particles that might be carried by the fluid 37 from entering the small governor fluid opening 55. It also acts to retain the ring in position. The opening 55 is small; thus in one embodiment it was only 0.015 inch in diameter.

Cooperating with the valve seat surface 36 of the ring 31 to control pressurized fluid 37 flow through the concentric passage 18, seal passage 34 and ring passage 33 there is provided a longitudinally extending valve 38 of generally cylindrical shape thatis coaxial with the axis of rotation of the shaft 12. The generally cylindrical valve 38 is movable in an axial chamber 39 in the shaft 12 and has a flat rear end 40 that engages the valve seat surface 36 to block completely flow of the pressurized fluid 37 when the valve is completely closed as shown in FIG. 1. This surface 40 is circular and has a diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the central passage 33 in the ring 31 with which it is concentric.

At the forward end of the axial cylindrical chamber 39 there is provided a circular step 41 which is engaged by a circular flange 42 when the valve 38 is in its forwardmost position to admit the maximum flow of pressurized fluid into the interior 24 of the rotor.

The valve 38 is movable in its cylindrical axial chamber 39 on two sets of spaced ball bearings 43 that roll on the inner surface of the chamber 39 during the movement of the valve 38 between its extreme positions of FIGS. 1 and 2.

In order to prevent escape of fluid 37 forwardly in the chamber 39 from the inlet passage 23 to rotor interior 24 and also rearwardly from chamber 53 there is provided a transverse seal adjacent the rear end of the spacer disc 46. i

The valve 38 is constructed of a central metal stem '47 having the enlarged rear end provided with the flange 42 and a portion forwardly thereof within a rigid plastic sleeve 48 in which are located the two sets of circularly arranged radial openings 49 in which are located the sets of balls 43. The forward end of. the

stem 47 is'provided with a metal insert 50 having a cir- 'cular flange 51 against which bears one end of a com- .pressed helical compression spring 52. This spring is precompressed so that when the fluid engine is under no fluid pressure the spring holds the valve 38 closed against ring 31 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

" The axial chamber 39 in which the valve 38 is located provides at its forward end a chamber 53 in which the compressed spring 52 is positioned. In order to provide flow of fluid to this chamber 53 the stem 47 and the insert 50 are provided with a longitudinally ex- -tending axial fluid flow passage means 54 that extends the fluid pressure chamber 53.

Thus the valve operating chamber 53 is on the side or end of the valve 38 opposite the valve seat 36. Pressurized fluid in this chamber 53 acts in conjunction with the compression spring 52 to urge the valve 38 toward the closed position of FIG. 1 or to the right as viewed in enlarged detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In order to control the valve closing fluid pressure in the chamber 53 there is provided vent means for venting this chamber as a result of centrifugal force. This vent means comprises a forward end closure plug 56 that is press fitted into the forward end of the axial chamber 39. This metal plug 56 has a vent passage therein that includes a side passage 57 down the side of the plug, a radially inwardly extending passage 58 into an inner chamber 59 and a forwardly extending passage 60 that leads into a forward chamber 61 which is connected by a radial passage 62 to an annular fluid passage 63 between the shaft 12 and the casing 11.

The forward end of the plug 56 is sealed to the surface of the forward end of the chamber 39 by means of a gasket 64 held in a circular groove 65.

In order to provide centrifugal responsive means for controlling the venting of pressurized fluid from the chamber 53 the inner chamber 59 of the plug 56 is provided with a closure plug 66 that is spaced from the end I of the inner chamber 59 surrounding the radial passage 58 so as to provide communications between the

passages

58 and 60. This inner end of the closure plug 66 is provided with a recessed chamber 67 extending generally radially and communicating at its inner end with a passage 68 substantially parallel to the passage 60 and also in communication with the chamber 61. Positioned in this radial chamber 67 is a metal ball 69 that is adapted to seat against the inner end 70 of the radial passage 58 when thrown outwardly by the centrifugal force of the rotating shaft 12. Thus the position of the ball 69 controls venting of fluid to a region of normal atmospheric pressure through the passages 57 58, 60 and 62 from the chamber 53. in order toassure substantially no pressure behind the ball 69 under the changingspeed conditions the region to the rear of the ball or the top as illustrated in the drawings is vented also to thechamber 61 by way of the passage 68; Thus the ball 69 in conjunction with the structure associated therewith comprises centrifugally responsive'means for restricting flow of valve control fluid from the vent means 58-62 as a function of increasing rotational speed and thereby increasing the pressure of the valve control fluid in the chamber 53. Any increase in pressure in this chamber of course acts in conjunction with the spring 52 to urge the valve rearwardly or to the right as illustrated and cooperate with the valve seat surface 36 in controlling flow of fluid 37 into the interior 24 of the rotor 20. In those-cases where fluid pressure in rotor interior 24 is relatively low compared to fluid pressure in inlet area 71 there is no need for spring 52.

The axial chamber or bore 39 in the shaft 12 in which the axially movable valve 38 and associated structure are located is concentric with the axis of rotation and with the valve, valve seat 31, floating seal 27 and pressurized fluid supply passage 18.

The operation of the governor is as follows. When thefluid engine is at rest and subjected to no fluid pressure in the inlet passage 18 the valve 38 under the urging of the spring 52 is in closed position as shown in FIG. 1 with thevalve surface '40 in engagement with the valve seat surface 36. Immediately upon pressurized 1 fluid 37 such as compressed air being supplied through the passage 18 the pressure of this fluid initially forces the valve 38 fully to the left as shown in FIG. 2 to engage the annular flange 42 with the circular step 41 which acts as a motion limiting stop. While this is occurring for the brief moment fluid from the inlet area 71 flows through the passage 54 in the valve 38, into the spring chamber 53 and through the passages 57-62. Immediately, however, the pressure of the fluid in the rotor interior 24 begins rotation of the rotor 20 and thus the shaft 12 to which it is attached and the resulting centrifugal force urges the weighted member ball 69 outwardly toward its seat 70. This blocking of the vent passage from the chamber 43 in conjunction with the compressed spring 52 moves the valve 38 to the right from the position shown in FIG. 2 due to the build-up of back pressure in the chamber 53. The rotatif there is a tendency for the speed to increase then T the ball 69 will move into'closer engagement with its valve seat to build-up the back pressure in the chamber 53 and urge the valve further to the right to restrict the fluid flow to the rotor to a greater degree and thus slow down the rotation. If, however, the rotational speed should tend to drop such as by placing a heavier load on the grinder wheel 13 the centrifugal force on the ball 69 would drop thereby causing fluid flow to move it away from the seat 70 and permit more air to be vented from the backpressure chamber 53 which would permit the valve 38 to move to the left and supply more pressurized fluid 37 to the-interior24 of the rotor.

In a typical embodiment the centrifugal ball 69 was of one-sixteenth inch diameter and the ball weighed 3.67 X pounds. At 80,000 rpm the center of the ball was 0.0278 inch from the axis of rotation and at this speed the ball was spaced about 0.001 inch from its circular seat 70.

When the valve 38 is closed as shown in FIG. 1 where it is subjected to no incoming pressurized fluid the seal surface 40 overlaps and extends completely across the opening 33 defined by the inner surface of the valve seat ring 31. When the pressurized fluid indicated at 37 enters through the inlet passage 18 it bears against the valve surface 40 and pushes it away from the valve seat 36. This immediately causes the incoming pressure to bear against a larger transverse surface of the valve than the seal surface 40 because now the fluid 37 can flow around the circular flange 42 and bear against the seal 44 which extends annularly beyond the seal surface 40 as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. This means that the total force on the valve urging it away from its position of FIG. 1 toward the fully extended position of FIG. 2 is greater because the surface acted upon by this pressure is greater.

The incoming pressurized fluid 37 initially moves the valve 38 all the way to the left as viewed in FIG. 2 until the flange 42 bears against the shoulder 41 as shown in FIG. 2. Immediately most of the fluid is directed radially outwardly into the interior 24 of the rotor whereupon rotation commences. At the same time some of the fluid flows through the

passages

55 and 54 into the chamber 53 to create a back or closing pressure on the forward or left end of the valve 48 which counteracts the fluid pressure on the rear or valve seal surface end 40 of the valve. This back pressure in the chamber 53 in conjunction with the spring 52 tends to urge the valve 38 in a reverse or closed direction and at some point depending upon the speed of rotation of the rotor 20 and the attached shaft 12 and associated structure the valve 48 will assume an intennediate governed position between fully open and fully closed position as illustrated for example in FIG. 3.

In the speed governor of this invention the forces on the valve are balanced so that the operation of the valve is smooth and responds immediately to differences in load and in speed. Thus when the valve 38 moves to the right toward its closed position the fluid pressure on the face 40 of the valve increases because less fluid can bypass the valve seat 40 into the interior 24 due to the lessening space. This lessened fluid flow into the rotor interior 24 decreases the pressure in this space 24 and at the same time fluid pressure on the annular seal 44 also decreases. Simultaneously the closing force of the precompressed spring 52 also decreases as the spring becomes elongated with the valve moving toward its closed position. The resultant of all these forces is that the decreasing forces do not completely offset the above-described increasing force on the face 40 of the closing valve so that as the valve moves toward its closed position there is a slight increase in the net forces acting on the valve. This means that the valve operation is smooth when moving toward its closed position and achieving a balanced position such as illustrated in FIG. 3. The differences in rpm of the rotor and thus of the shaft 12 under varying loads is quite small. Thus at an operating speed of 50,000 rpm the difference in speed between low and heavy loads was only about 50 rpm.

From the above it can be seen that the governor operates by controlling the fluid supply from the passage 18 to operate the rotor 20. The governor is thus applicable to any pressurized fluid operated device where fluid (either gas or liquid) is used to operate a power device.

The valve 38 acts as a throttle valve to restrict this fluid flow when necessary and a portion of the pressurized fluid supplied to the engine is diverted to function as a valve closing force in conjunction with a compressed spring and with this diverted fluid being either vented so as to reduce its effect or being confined as required with this venting being controlled by the centrifugal forces set up in a weighted member ball 69.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said. chamber; and centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for supplying pressurized fluid to said chamber comprises a valve passage means in said valve extending from adjacent said valve seat to said chamber.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein there is provided a barrier means opposite said valve passage. means for diverting solid particles from said passage means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said valve is movable in a bore and there is provided a fluid seal between said valve and bore, said rotor is. mounted .on. a shaft for axial rotation therewith and said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means are positioned in said shaft. 7 I

5. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; a shaft on which said rotor is mounted for axial rotation therewith, said shaft having a bore; fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable'in said bore toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; a fluid seal between said valve and bore; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat comprising a fluid passage'means in said valve extending from adjacent said valve seat to said chamber; a fluid seal between said valve and bore; vent means for venting said chamber; and centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function ofincreasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means being positioned in said shaft.

6. The'device of claim wherein said valve is linearly movable in said bore in a path toward and away from said valve seat, and said'shaft, valve, valve seat, bore, path and axis of rotation of said rotor and shaft are substantially coaxial.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said rotor is mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith about an axis of rotation, said fluid inlet means is substantially concentric to said axis and said valve is movably mounted within said shaft and substantially concentric with said axis for movement along the axis toward and away from said valve seat. v

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said chamber is located in said shaft and said means for supplying valve control fluid to said chamber comprises a passage having an entrance at said fluid inlet means and an exit to said chamber.

9. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; a shaft in which said rotor is mounted for rotation therewith about an axis of rotation; fluid inlet means to said rotor substantially concentric to said axis and including a valve seat; a valve movably mounted within said shaft and substantially concentric with said axis for movement along the axis toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said chamber; and centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said vent means comprising a passage means from said chamber including a generally radially extending section that includes a valve seat and said centrifugally responsive means comprises a weighted member urged toward said valve seat on rotation of said rotor and shaft.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said weighted member comprises a radially movable ball movable toward said valve seat to restrict flow through said vent means. 7

11. The device of claim 9 wherein said weighted member is movable under centrifugal force in a chamber means and the chamber on the side opposite said weighted member and valve seat is provided with a vent means.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein spring means are provided urging said valve toward said valve seat and pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urgmg the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said chamber; centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to'increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamberand thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means being positioned in said shaft; and spring means for urging said valve toward said valve seat and thereby providing a valve closing force in addition to that of said valve control fluid, said spring means being located in said chamber and bearing against the side of said valve opposite said valve seat.

14. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; a shaft on which said rotor is mounted for axial rotation therewith, said shaft having a bore, fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable in said bore toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said chamber; centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control .fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means being positioned in said shaft; spring means for urging'said valve toward said valve seat and thereby providing a valve closing forcein addition to that of said valve control fluid, said spring means being located in said chamber and bearing against the side of said valve opposite said valve seat, said means for supplying pressurized fluid to said chamber comprising a fluid passage means in said valve extending from adjacent said valve seat to said chamber; and a seal between said valve and bore, said shaft, valve, valve seat, bore,path,'spring and axis of rotation of said rotor and shaft being substantially coaxial.

l I I

Claims

1. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said chamber; and centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein there is provided a barrier means opposite said valve passage means for diverting solid particles from said passage means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said valve is movable in a bore and there is provided a fluid seal between said valve and bore, said rotor is mounted on a shaft for axial rotation therewith and said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means are positioned in said shaft.

5. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; a shaft on which said rotor is mounted for axial rotation therewith, said shaft having a bore; fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable in said bore toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; a fluid seal between said valve and bore; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat comprising a fluid passage means in said valve extending from adjacent said valve seat to said chamber; a fluid seal between said valve and bore; vent means for venting said chamber; and centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means being positioned in said shaft.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said valve is linearly movable in said bore in a path toward and away from said valve seat, and said shaft, valve, valve seat, bore, path and axis of rotation of said rotor and shaft are substantially coaxial.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said rotor is mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith about an axis of rotation, said fluid inlet means is substantially concentric to said axis and said valve is movably mounted within said shaft and substantially concentric with said axis for movement along the axis toward and away from said valve seat.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said weighted member comprises a radially movable ball movable toward said valve seat to restrict flow through said vent means.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein spring means are provided urging said valve toward said valve seat and therebY providing a valve closing force in addition to that of said valve control fluid.

13. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; a shaft on which said rotor is mounted for axial rotation therewith, said shaft having a bore; fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable in said bore toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said chamber; centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means being positioned in said shaft; and spring means for urging said valve toward said valve seat and thereby providing a valve closing force in addition to that of said valve control fluid, said spring means being located in said chamber and bearing against the side of said valve opposite said valve seat.

14. A speed governor device, comprising: fluid responsive apparatus including a rotor; a shaft on which said rotor is mounted for axial rotation therewith, said shaft having a bore, fluid inlet means to said rotor including a valve seat; a valve movable in said bore toward and away from said valve seat to regulate flow of fluid therethrough; chamber means at the side of the valve opposite said seat; means for supplying pressurized valve control fluid to said chamber for urging the valve toward said valve seat; vent means for venting said chamber; centrifugally responsive means for restricting flow of said valve control fluid from said vent means as a function of increasing rotational speed to increase the pressure of said valve control fluid in said chamber and thus on said valve as a function of said speed, said valve, chamber means and centrifugally responsive means being positioned in said shaft; spring means for urging said valve toward said valve seat and thereby providing a valve closing force in addition to that of said valve control fluid, said spring means being located in said chamber and bearing against the side of said valve opposite said valve seat, said means for supplying pressurized fluid to said chamber comprising a fluid passage means in said valve extending from adjacent said valve seat to said chamber; and a seal between said valve and bore, said shaft, valve, valve seat, bore, path, spring and axis of rotation of said rotor and shaft being substantially coaxial.