GOVERNORS, PUMP. The Albany Steam Trap Co.'s Pump-Governor is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 2, in section, represents a closed vessel containing one within it, which is termed a movable bucket, having screwed into its bottom a short piece of pipe which serves as a guide for the same as it rises and falls, and also as an exit-pipe to allow the water to pass from the bucket on its way to the pump. On the upper side of the governor is a slide-valve for supply ing the pump with steam ; this valve is in a small steam-chest into which the steam from the boiler is first introduced. The face on which this valve slides contains three ports, two of them being in connec tion with each other and leading thence into the chamber to which the steam - pipe is connected that conveys the steam to operate the pump, while the other port is smaller than the two just mentioned. When the bucket is at its highest position the valve will be at its extreme point to the right, closing the first two ports and leaving the third one open to a passage under the valve from the interior of the governor to the atmosphere. The valve is caused to move over the ports by the rising and falling of the bucket through the intervention of a bell-crank lever. The operation is as follows : The space between the bucket and outer case must first be filled with water by the water running in from the system of heating-pipes; the valve, however, that admits the steam to the steam-chest must first be closed until this space is once filled, for the condition of the apparatus is such that when there is no water in this space the bucket will be necessari ly in its lowest position, and consequently the two ports for admitting steam to the pump will be wide open, and the pump will at once commence racing, since there will be no water present for the pump to act on. This space having been filled with water, and the bucket in its highest position, Ihe two steam-ports being closed, and the pump at a state of rest, the introduction of the water of condensation through the check-valve in the receiving-pipe shown on the left-hand side of the governor, flowing over into the bucket, will cause it to descend when it has received within it a sufficient quantity of water to overcome the floating power of the water surrounding it ; in descending it will, through the intervention of the bell-crank lever, cause the slide-valve to be moved toward the left, opening thereby the steam-ports for admitting the passage of the steam from the steam-chest to the pump, which will start the pump in operation. If the pump is of a capacity greater than the supply it will, after a few 5trokes, take water from the bucket enough to so lessen its weight that the surrounding water will fioat it upward and cause the slide-valve to move to the right, thus closing the steam-ports and stopping the pump's operation until a sufficient amount of the water of condensation shall have been received anew into the bucket to cause it to descend and again operate the pump. This operation continues on repeat big itself.
The Governor is shown in Fig.
3. It is attached directly to the piston-rod of the pump and operates a balanced valve placed in the steam pipe, thereby adjusting the amount of steam to the needs of the pump. It consists mainly of a cylindrical shell, or reservoir, filled with oil or glycerine. The
plunger A A is connected through the arm I to some reciprocating part of the pump or engine, and works horizontally and in unison with the strokes of the pump, thereby drawing the oil up through the cheek-valves DD into the chambers Id, whence it is forced alter nately through the passages 13 B. through another set of cheek-valves MX, into the pressure-chamber E The oil then returns through the orifice C', the size of which is controlled by a key inserted at A, into the lower chamber, to he rcpuntpcd as before. In case the pump or engine works inure rapidly than is intended, the oil is pumped into the chamber _Eli faster than it can run through the outlet at and the piston G G is forced upward. raising the lever L with its weight and throttling the steam. In case the pump runs slower than is intended, the reverse action takes place, the weight on the end of the lever L forces the piston G G down, and more steam is let en. As the orifice at C can be increased or diminished at the will of the engineer, it will be seen that the action of every portion of each stroke can he controlled. The secondary chamber H also tills with oil and acts as a cushion, preventing the main piston G G from dropping too suddenly or fluctuating. The Fisher Governor, made by the Fishier Governor Co., of 'Marshalltown, Iowa, is shown in Fig. 4. The valve in the Mail] shell is a double one, the upper disk being the largest, there is always an upward pressure on the valve-stem. The upper wheel on the valve-stem in yoke is simply for a lock-nut ; the lower one is fastened in place by a small lock-nut below it, and by turning this wheel to the right the valve-stem is screwed up into the bottom of the piston-rod, which raises the valve and ad mits the steam to the steam-chest of the pump. Above the yoke there is it brass cylinder in which is a piston with an or dinary cup leather-packing, which piston rests upon a steel coil-spring. At the top of the pipe-work over the governor is a small globe-valve, and from this point a 1-in, pipe is taken to and connected with the diseharge-pipe from the pump, which brings the water-pressure from the pipes or mains on to the top of the piston, If the valve is raised by the hand-wheel until the pump has brought the pressure in the pipes or mains to the point desired. and the upper wheel or disk is then set up tight—as a lock-nut—against the bottom end of the roil, the governor will hold the pressure uniform at the point set. The small angle-valve is for a relief-valve, to relieve the pressure between the piston-head and globe-valve above, when the globe-valve is closed. The small down pipe is to carry off any (trip or waste. The whole device is intended to be placed in the steam-pipe between the steam-chest and throttle-valve, and as close to the steam-chest as possible. When the water pressure falls below the point set, by the opening of a valve, or hydrant, er an automatic sprinkler-head. or in any way, the pressure being less on the piston, the steam raises the valve, gradually increases the speed of the plump, and maintains the pressure at the point desired : and whom the water is not being nseil the nwreasill pressure on the piston gradually forces the valve to its seat, which stops the pump until the pressure falls again.