Volume 15 (1867) (424 pages)

Slugle Coples, Fifteen Cents, Terms: One Year, $5; Six Months, $23. A Bournal ot Usetut Arts, Srience, mud Ai ee ning and Alechanircal Proquess. DEWEY « CO,, PUBLISIERS ‘Aud Patent Sotleltors, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1867. VOLUME Xv. Number 17, ——— , TABLE OF CONTENTS. ; Steam Cut-O Movements—(Mecitaxical Miscknnany.-— Nauntaon's Gevervor—Mlus . The Vhitoxophy of Chim: tented, Ney Construction, Trans. : General View of the Parls Expodltion of 1867, ; What xome of Vur Mines! port of Editices; Superior Condensing Apparatus; To + Start Rusted screws, SupeAre Moly Therity of Amertean Glass; k of Trade. lass Hones for Rnzors. Experiments ouw'Sovmextrrrc Miscn.LaNy.= * Sengslitve Plant, Compresslou of Fluids; An Mining in Nevada County, Observation at Brooklyn, Use uf Petroleum In} N.Y; Electrical Onrrents; ron Manufacture, A New Theory; The Spec: tance of Uur lron In} tram w. Mining Suumary—Embracing late Intelleenee trom tho vurlous countics and dilstricts In Unllternla, Golo: raio, Arizona, Maho, Mon. tuna, Nevada, Oregon and fo Have nw Observania Acudeimy of NatI Sciences, Russian American Telefaph Washington Territory. ‘The Colurado Mineral Exdl-jSan Francisco Market Rates, _bitlen, New Pntents aud Inventlons, ‘The First Flowing Well, San Franclseo Weckly Stock “New In: orporations—Llst of. Circular, _ OMcers. Mintng Shareholders’ DirectNotices to Correxpondents, ory. San Francluco Metnl Market. Stock Prices—Bid and Asked. 7 Steam Cut-off Movements. Among the many inventions relating to steam as a motive power, those having for their object the regulation of the steam to the varying amount of work to be done, are not the least important. If the load on an engine be materially lightened, the supply of steam must be immediately reduced, or the specd of the engine may be dangerously increased. For some purposes, an engine may be regulated by the attendant workman. ‘In general, however, tbe proper manipulation of the throttle-valve is impracticable with any degree of vigilance . and skill which could be expected from the attendant. Hence, before the steam engine could be successfully employed in those cases where great uniformity of velocity J was required, it was necessary that means should be devised for enabling the engine itself to properly manipulate its valve, without any care whatever from the attendant workman. ‘Various devices have been contrived for this purpose. The conical pendulum was the earliest, and is still the one most universally employed. The disadvantages of this mode of regulating the supply of steam to an engine is, bowever, universally acknowledged. They are quite as apt to be themselves controlled by the steam, as to perform the office of ‘“regulators”—in such cases becoming mere weathercocks, instead of acting as ‘ governors.” It must be evident to every engineer that any ordinary ball or centrifugal device for the purpose under consideration, requires a greater speed to maintain the balls, flying from tbe center as they rotate at an angle of 45°, tban when sustained at an angle of 60°; heuce tho engine must run at a high speed, in order tbat tho valve shall be partly closed. Therefore, while tbero is comparatively little work to bo done, the ‘engino must run fast enough to insure tho balls flying asunder sufficiently to partly close the valve. Now, in the event of some resistance being brought to bear upon the ‘engine, and tbe speed being thereby to some extent checked, tbe balls necessarily approach each other, and the engine, while the resistance remains, must continue to ruuslower, that the valve may be sufliciently Open to allow the necessary steam to pass _ which is required to overcome the resistance, No mechanical mind can: fail to comprehend the unphilosophical nature of the principle on which this device works, as applied to the purposo intended, if it will look at it simply in the light of a rotating pendulum, which it is—that and noth: ing more. The defects of this contrivance were early seen, and many attempts have been made to remedy them by producing a more direct action on the throttle-valve. One very senEngland, which consisted of an upright spindle, upon which was wound a spiral feather. A single ball was so attached to the spindle as to slide up and down, while it turned npon its axis at the same time. To the ball was fixed a kind of propeller wheel, which, by its impingement on the air, would lift the ball when.the speed of its revolution was materially increased. It may readily be conceived how a lever atHUNTOON’S PATENT GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES. sitive device employed was a cylindrical bellows, worked by the engine, and furnished by an orifice cock, which would exhaust a given amouut of air, proportioned to the desired rate of speed. It is evident that if this speed should be increased, the top or floating part of the bellows would rise; hence, if a vertical rod should be attacbed thereto, connected by a lever with . the throttle-valve, a very sensitive governor would be obtained. Another plan for a governor was devised some years ago by a Mr. Hicks, of Bolton, tachmeut could be thus brought to bear very directly upon the tbrottle-valve. Each of these devices, and particularly tho latter, would seem to be superior in principle to the use of tho ordinary ball governor. A still better device than either seems to be a still later invention of Mr. R. K. Huntoou, of Boston, an illustratiou of which is given berewith. In this, as well as iu the two other devices previously . noticed, the centrifugal or ball principle is . entirely abandoued, the weight being raised in a vertical line, and the valve lever as easily sustained at one point as anothera— most desirable arrangement, and which cannot be attained by any possible arrangement of the ordinary ball governor. This invention has been very properly termed an ‘‘hydraulic governor,” from the fact of the power being obtained by a spiral-bladed wheel, resembling a screw propeller, of which Fig. 3 is a detached view, rotating in oil contained in the cylinder, sbown arranged above the valve in the principal figure. It will be seen that the principle of this device is something like that already noticed as patented by Mr. Hicks; but in its detail altogether superior. This propeller is affixed upon the central vertical shaft, and by its rotation in the oil, a direct-acting motive power is obtained for raising tbe lever which connects witb the vertical sbaft atits upper terminus. The lower end of the said shaft works in a long bearing or step witbin the base of the cylinder, at which place, connecting the interior of the cylinder with the space beneath the shaft, there is an opening, more or less closed by turning a cock (not, however, scen in the illustration). By this device, any degree of sensitiveness in the governor can be obtained, so much so that by its nse it is said that an engine will run no faster with a steam pressure of seventy pounds than when only thirty pounds is indicated. The horizontal driving-shaft is connected by aseries of gears, asseen in the principal figure, with the vertical propeller-shaft ; and as it is set in motion in the usual way from the main shaft of the engine, the propeller mounts upward in the oil, and of necessity raising the vertical sbaft, the upper lever, and tbe valve-lever therewith connected by the long brass rod seen on the left of the figure. The most trifling variation in the velocity is followed by an immediate movement of the valve ; and, as the case may be, it either allows more or less steam to pass. Fig. 2 represents the kind of valve employed ; and Jfig. 4 represents the cap and follower of the stuffingbox of the valve-spindle. It will be readily seen that in the meechanism of Mr. Huntoon’s invention the weight is readily sustained with the same yelocity at one altitude as at anotber, necessarily causing the eugine to which this governor is attached to run at a uniform speed. This invention bas received much attention from tbe leading mechanical minds at the East, who bave expressed themselves in terms of the highest approbation of its performance. Tt is almost uunecessary to allude to the benefits obtained in point of economy by the Huntoon governor after the preceding discovery, for it is evideut at once that it is a steam-saver. The patent, which was granted December 4, 1866, to Reuben K. Huntoon, of Boston, Mass., is the property of the inventor and Mr. J. Augustus Lynch, of the same city. Their office is at No. 62 Kilby street. They will correspoud with any parties addressing them. The invention was first illustrated and described in the American Artisan of April 17th, 1867.

Slugle Coples, Fifteen Cents, Terms: One Year, $5; Six Months, $23. A Bournal ot Usetut Arts, Srience, mud Ai ee ning and Alechanircal Proquess. DEWEY « CO,, PUBLISIERS ‘Aud Patent Sotleltors, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1867. VOLUME Xv. Number 17, ——— , TABLE OF CONTENTS. ; Steam Cut-O Movements—(Mecitaxical Miscknnany.-— Nauntaon's Gevervor—Mlus . The Vhitoxophy of Chim: tented, Ney Construction, Trans. : General View of the Parls Expodltion of 1867, ; What xome of Vur Mines! port of Editices; Superior Condensing Apparatus; To + Start Rusted screws, SupeAre Moly Therity of Amertean Glass; k of Trade. lass Hones for Rnzors. Experiments ouw'Sovmextrrrc Miscn.LaNy.= * Sengslitve Plant, Compresslou of Fluids; An Mining in Nevada County, Observation at Brooklyn, Use uf Petroleum In} N.Y; Electrical Onrrents; ron Manufacture, A New Theory; The Spec: tance of Uur lron In} tram w. Mining Suumary—Embracing late Intelleenee trom tho vurlous countics and dilstricts In Unllternla, Golo: raio, Arizona, Maho, Mon. tuna, Nevada, Oregon and fo Have nw Observania Acudeimy of NatI Sciences, Russian American Telefaph Washington Territory. ‘The Colurado Mineral Exdl-jSan Francisco Market Rates, _bitlen, New Pntents aud Inventlons, ‘The First Flowing Well, San Franclseo Weckly Stock “New In: orporations—Llst of. Circular, _ OMcers. Mintng Shareholders’ DirectNotices to Correxpondents, ory. San Francluco Metnl Market. Stock Prices—Bid and Asked. 7 Steam Cut-off Movements. Among the many inventions relating to steam as a motive power, those having for their object the regulation of the steam to the varying amount of work to be done, are not the least important. If the load on an engine be materially lightened, the supply of steam must be immediately reduced, or the specd of the engine may be dangerously increased. For some purposes, an engine may be regulated by the attendant workman. ‘In general, however, tbe proper manipulation of the throttle-valve is impracticable with any degree of vigilance . and skill which could be expected from the attendant. Hence, before the steam engine could be successfully employed in those cases where great uniformity of velocity J was required, it was necessary that means should be devised for enabling the engine itself to properly manipulate its valve, without any care whatever from the attendant workman. ‘Various devices have been contrived for this purpose. The conical pendulum was the earliest, and is still the one most universally employed. The disadvantages of this mode of regulating the supply of steam to an engine is, bowever, universally acknowledged. They are quite as apt to be themselves controlled by the steam, as to perform the office of ‘“regulators”—in such cases becoming mere weathercocks, instead of acting as ‘ governors.” It must be evident to every engineer that any ordinary ball or centrifugal device for the purpose under consideration, requires a greater speed to maintain the balls, flying from tbe center as they rotate at an angle of 45°, tban when sustained at an angle of 60°; heuce tho engine must run at a high speed, in order tbat tho valve shall be partly closed. Therefore, while tbero is comparatively little work to bo done, the ‘engino must run fast enough to insure tho balls flying asunder sufficiently to partly close the valve. Now, in the event of some resistance being brought to bear upon the ‘engine, and tbe speed being thereby to some extent checked, tbe balls necessarily approach each other, and the engine, while the resistance remains, must continue to ruuslower, that the valve may be sufliciently Open to allow the necessary steam to pass _ which is required to overcome the resistance, No mechanical mind can: fail to comprehend the unphilosophical nature of the principle on which this device works, as applied to the purposo intended, if it will look at it simply in the light of a rotating pendulum, which it is—that and noth: ing more. The defects of this contrivance were early seen, and many attempts have been made to remedy them by producing a more direct action on the throttle-valve. One very senEngland, which consisted of an upright spindle, upon which was wound a spiral

feather. A single ball was so attached to the spindle as to slide up and down, while it turned npon its axis at the same time. To the ball was fixed a kind of propeller wheel, which, by its impingement on the air, would lift the ball when.the speed of its revolution was materially increased. It may readily be conceived how a lever atHUNTOON’S PATENT GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES. sitive device employed was a cylindrical bellows, worked by the engine, and furnished by an orifice cock, which would exhaust a given amouut of air, proportioned to the desired rate of speed. It is evident that if this speed should be increased, the top or floating part of the bellows would rise; hence, if a vertical rod should be attacbed thereto, connected by a lever with . the throttle-valve, a very sensitive governor would be obtained. Another plan for a governor was devised some years ago by a Mr. Hicks, of Bolton, tachmeut could be thus brought to bear very directly upon the tbrottle-valve. Each of these devices, and particularly tho latter, would seem to be superior in principle to the use of tho ordinary ball governor. A still better device than either seems to be a still later invention of Mr. R. K. Huntoou, of Boston, an illustratiou of which is given berewith. In this, as well as iu the two other devices previously . noticed, the centrifugal or ball principle is . entirely abandoued, the weight being raised in a vertical line, and the valve lever as easily sustained at one point as anothera— most desirable arrangement, and which cannot be attained by any possible arrangement of the ordinary ball governor. This invention has been very properly termed an ‘‘hydraulic governor,” from the fact of the power being obtained by a spiral-bladed wheel, resembling a screw propeller, of which Fig. 3 is a detached view, rotating in oil contained in the cylinder, sbown arranged above the valve in the principal figure. It will be seen that the principle of this device is something like that already noticed as patented by Mr. Hicks; but in its detail altogether superior. This propeller is affixed upon the central vertical shaft, and by its rotation in the oil, a direct-acting motive power is obtained for raising tbe lever which connects witb the vertical sbaft atits upper terminus. The lower end of the said shaft works in a long bearing or step witbin the base of the cylinder, at which place, connecting the interior of the cylinder with the space beneath the shaft, there is an opening, more or less closed by turning a cock (not, however, scen in the illustration). By this device, any degree of sensitiveness in the governor can be obtained, so much so that by its nse it is said that an engine will run no faster with a steam pressure of seventy pounds than when only thirty pounds is indicated. The horizontal driving-shaft is connected by aseries of gears, asseen in the principal figure, with the vertical propeller-shaft ; and as it is set in motion in the usual way from the main shaft of the engine, the propeller mounts upward in the oil, and of necessity raising the vertical sbaft, the upper lever, and tbe valve-lever therewith connected by the long brass rod seen on the left of the figure. The most trifling variation in the velocity is followed by an immediate movement of the valve ; and, as the case may be, it either allows more or less steam to pass. Fig. 2 represents the kind of valve employed ; and Jfig. 4 represents the cap and follower of the stuffingbox of the valve-spindle. It will be readily seen that in the meechanism of Mr. Huntoon’s invention the weight is readily sustained with the same yelocity at one altitude as at anotber, necessarily causing the eugine to which this governor is attached to run at a uniform speed. This invention bas received much attention from tbe leading mechanical minds at the East, who bave expressed themselves in terms of the highest approbation of its performance. Tt is almost uunecessary to allude to the benefits obtained in point of economy by the Huntoon governor after the preceding discovery, for it is evideut at once that it is a steam-saver. The patent, which was granted December 4, 1866, to Reuben K. Huntoon, of Boston, Mass., is the property of the inventor and Mr. J. Augustus Lynch, of the same city. Their office is at No. 62 Kilby street. They will correspoud with any parties addressing them. The invention was first illustrated and described in the American Artisan of April 17th, 1867.