Simple non spinning ball govenor

[bullpeters]

Has anyone a simple design or idea or concept for a govenor that doesn't require spinning balls, bevel gears and other hard to make things . Also preferably not electro-mechanical. Pendulum on a horizontal rod comes to mind but I can't see how to implement it. Ideas please

 

[MCRIPPPer]

well, you need to measure the speed of the engine somehow, and have a way to do negative feedback mechanically. spinning a weight with spring tension or gravity tension is the easiest way to measure rotational speed, and it can directly move a lever for speed control. cant get much simpler, although i bet other ways are possible with some thought. maybe a hydrostatic drive going to a lever with spring loading. that would be more complex and dissipate power. not good. maybe a water tank hanging from a spring that actuates the throttle. your engine pumps water into the tank and the tank has a fixed size hole that drains water. faster engine means more water into tank but tank still drains about the same rate intill pressure increases enough to push the water out fast enough. tank is heavier, and pushes throttle back down.

how about a propeller attached to the throttle lever. faster propeller pulls more and reduces throttle.

just a few odd ones i thought of off top of my head lol.

you could also do hit and miss which just holds the exhaust open if the engine goes too fast. you could also do a rev limiter style which cuts out spark when the engine spins too fast.

 

[Cogsy]

Maybe a light spring holding the throttle wide open and an engine driven fan blowing air onto a 'sail' which closes the throttle. As rpm increases it shuts the throttle, rpm drops and spring opens the throttle.

 

[Jasonb]

Have a look at my Galloway build where I did the flywheels as that shows the centrifugal governor and also this video I did of it for Brian.

www.youtube.com/embed/t9bpsDyQ5D8

Assuming its not a hit & miss you could just have asimple link from the spool to the throtle lever.

 

[bullpeters]

Oohhhh! I like that!!! Never thought of that!
Yes, hit and miss is the idea. What about a centrifugal clutch like on a weed wacker, but when it slows it grabs a shaft that moves the valve that feeds the air ( that...jack built)
So centrifugal clutch on flywheel, inside flywheel shaft is another shaft that engages a concentric that opens valve for air. Flywheel spins fast clutch disengages, valve stays on exhaust? Hmmm? Saturday Sunday are big work days and Sunday nite I am a bit fried, so pls excuse logic and spelling

 

[BronxFigs]

bullpeters:

Try to find photos of the Olds Vertical Gearless - hit and miss engine. This engine uses a simple, reciprocating weight/pendulum on the end of a lever arm, to unlatch the exhaust valve, and also uses a simple ratchet mechanism to index the cam that works the exhaust valve....no 2:1 gears. When this engine speeds up, the up/down motion of the weighted governor-arm, unlatches the exhaust cam until the engine slows down....I think. Anyway, it might be worth giving a look. Maybe you will be able to figure out how this indexing contraption works. Forum Members....how does this indexing mechanism work?

Also, if I remember correctly, one of our forum members recently, came up with a gearless, hit-and-miss, ratchet-indexing mechanism. (Search: 2/17/13 postings by "chicken"/Alex...."Gearless, Hit-and-Miss engine". Videos show engine, and gearless indexing....but, he has balls.


Frank

 

[DavesWimshurst]

Google "air vane governor". Used on lawn mower sized engines.

 

[OrangeAlpine]

I think that Philip Duclos' "Maverick" engine used a ball less governor. Here is a photo
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f14/couple-philip-duclos-designs-121/

And, I hope, a video
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z75HhdSK_1E[/ame]

Bill