US2804553A - Idling device featuring actuatorcontrolled spring - Google Patents

Idling device featuring actuatorcontrolled spring Download PDF

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US2804553A
US2804553A US538550A US53855055A US2804553A US 2804553 A US2804553 A US 2804553A US 538550 A US538550 A US 538550A US 53855055 A US53855055 A US 53855055A US 2804553 A US2804553 A US 2804553A
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spring
throttle
load
actuator
force
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William E Mcfarland
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H02GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02PCONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
    • H02P9/00Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02DCONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D41/00Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
    • F02D41/02Circuit arrangements for generating control signals
    • F02D41/04Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions
    • F02D41/08Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions for idling
    • F02D41/083Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions for idling taking into account engine load variation, e.g. air-conditionning

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  • This invention deals with an idling device for enginegenerator sets employing internal combustion engines wherein a load-responsive relay controls an electromagnetic actuator which, in turn, controls the effect of a throttle-closing spring in a manner establishing a slow governed engine speed at the no load condition (idling condition) and the required faster governed engine speed when electric load is connected.
  • the only fully practical motive energy for operating an idling device is an electromagnetic actuator energized by generated current rather than by a battery. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an arrangement, including an electromagnetic actuator energized by shunt connection with one generator of the generator set, to control the action of a simple spring which is interconnected with the actuator and the governed throttle system, so that said spring opposes the conventional governor loading spring during periods without electrical load and does not oppose the loading spring during the period when electrical load is in effect.
  • the present invention embodies the following elements:
  • An engine-generator set having a governed throttle system, including a centrifugal governor connected to the throttle, the governor having a loading spring of such force as to enable regulation of the throttle for predetermined load speed operation under varying load;
  • a normally effective throttle-closing spring which opposes the governor loading spring to reduce effectively the spring loading of the centrifugal governor and thereby to enforce, when required, a governed slow (idling) speed;
  • An electromagnetic actuator energizable by. shunt connection with generated current and connected to the throttle-closing spring in a manner whereby when the actuator is energized, it will begin overcoming the force of said throttle-closing spring, permitting engine acceleration toward load speed and, after acceleration, the actuator will hold ineffective the throttle-closing spring, enabling regulation of the throttle for load speed operation, and
  • a load-responsive switching relay responsive to load demand on the engine-generator set, and controlling the energization of the actuator whereby the actuator is energized from the initiation to the termination of load demand, said actuator being de-energized from the termination to the initiation of load demand.
  • Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a D. C. engine-generator set as used for welding application, with the welding arc interrupted and the throttle-closing spring opposing the governors loading spring, thus effecting a slow (idling) speed.
  • Figure 2 illustrates an A. C. engine-generator set, with the load switch open and the engine operating at slow (idling) speed, while Figure 3 is the same arrangement as in Figure 2, but the positions of the elements are those when the load switch has been closed, and the force of the throttle-closing spring is removed so that the engine is operating at the higher governed speed to serve the load.
  • numeral 1 indicates an internal combustion engine, such as a gasoline engine, having a crankcase 2, and driving a D. C. welding generator 3 and an exciter generator 4.
  • the exciter generator has a shunt field 5 and this generator also energizes field 5 of the welding generator.
  • the welding generator also has a series field 5".
  • Numeral 6 indicates the load circuit (which is depicted by a bold line), while numeral 7 represents the welding electrode, and 8 the workpiece being welded. In this figure, the arc has not been struck.
  • the engine has a carburetor 21 and fuel intake pipe 20 connecting the carburetor with the engine inlet.
  • a conventional throttle (or throttle valve) 22 is located in intake pipe 20, and is mounted on a pivot 23 having fixed thereto the usual throttle arm or lever 24.
  • Lever 24 has a flange 28, which may bear against an adjustable stop screw 25 to limit the maximum closure of throttle 22. Said stop screw is carried by bracket 26 mounted on intake 20.
  • a conventional mechanical governor hereinafter referred to as the centrifugal governor
  • the centrifugal operating mechanism thereof is well known, and is not illustrated, and such mechanism may be inside crankcase 2, and is connected with governor arm 11 by rocker shaft 11' to exert a force on arm 11 which is proportionate to engine speed, and this force urges arm 11 leftwardly in the drawings.
  • This centrifugal force is opposed by governor loading spring 12, and governor arm 11 is connected with throttle arm 24 by a link 27.
  • Loading spring 12 is of such force that if it is opposed only by the centrifugal mechanism, throttle 22 will be regulated in a manner to maintain the predetermined high operating speed that is necessaryy when the Weldinganc is in effect.
  • An adjustment screw 15 enables adjustment of such predetermined high operating speed.
  • An electromagnetic actuator is indicated generally by numeral 30. It is mounted on an iron or steel angleshaped panel or bracket 32 which is rigidly attached to the engine, as by being clamped between intake pipe 20 and the engine proper, as shown.
  • Actuator 30 includes iron end frames or brackets 31 and 31 which, together with panel 32, provide the return'magnetic circuit of the actuator.
  • Actuator 30 has a plunger 33, which slides within the usual tube 34 made of brass or other non- 27, to governor arm 11. force is in direct opposition to the force of the governor loading spring 12.
  • One end of spring 47 is carried -'by a fixed bracket 48, while the other end is connected to extension 46 of lever 40, and may be set at different positions by means of notches 49, so as to apply more brief interruption of the welding arc.
  • a spring '47 which may be termed a throttle-closing spring (or a forced-idle spring), urges lever 40 rightwardly, thus transmitting the force of said spring, through several elements including link 43, throttle arm 24, and link Said throttle-closing spring or less force in opposition to loading spring 12. It will 'be apparent that if actuator winding 35 is sufficiently energized, lever 40 necessarily will be drawn back, as
  • winding 35 is energized with current from exciter generator 4, the shunt connection being through means of wires 57, 58 and 59.
  • Relay 50 is shown as equipped with a copper delay ring 55 which assures a slow break on the part of contacts 53 and 54, insuring some time delay to prevent de-energization of operating winding 35 during any very
  • a copper delay ring 55 which assures a slow break on the part of contacts 53 and 54, insuring some time delay to prevent de-energization of operating winding 35 during any very
  • Spring 47 is shown connected in the second notch 49, under which condition the force of the spring is less than that of governor loading spring 12, so that there is a certain remaining spring-biasing effect which, in combination with the force of the centrifugal mechanism '(not shown), will result in a governed idling speed of the engine. Throttle 22 will be slightly advanced and retarded, as necessary, to maintain the uniform idling speed, and all of the elements connected therewith, in-
  • throttle-closing spring 47 may be of sufiicient force to assure a quite slow idling speed, but spring 47 should not be so strong as to hold throttle 22 so forcefully closed that the initial force of actuator 30 will be insuflicient to cause acceleration. It will be noted par- 4 ticularly that the idling speed can be adjusted Whenever desired, by selecting a particular notch 49, and that this adjustment has no effect on the adjusted high operating engine speed which is separately adjusted by adjustment 15.
  • Throttle 22 must, therefore, be advanced to at least some slight extend which, in turn, increases speed which results in the plunger 33 exerting still more force in opposition to that of throttle-closing spring 47. Engine acceleration therefore will build up quite rapidly and, at a certain point, the pull of plunger 33 will be suflicient to complete the movement of lever 40 to the indicated broken line position at which condition all of the effect of spring 47 is entirely removed. Winding 35 now has become sufficiently energized so that actuator 30 is easily sufliciently powerful (via contact of plunger 33 with core 37) 'for the purpose of holding spring 47 icompletelv ineffective.
  • the load circuit represented by numeral 106 and shown by a bold line has a switch 107 and a load 108. While a single switch and a single load are indicated in practice, the engine-generator set may-serve a number of large or small appliances at different times, each with its own switch.
  • An adjustable collar 66. is provided on the outer end of plunger 63.
  • a simple form of throttle-closing spring is illustrated in Figure 2, and is indicated by numeral 47.
  • the helical spring is merely disposed around the extended portion of plunger 63, whereby it presses .rightwardly against collar 66.
  • the force of spring 47' 63 and has a free end 73 slidably supported in flange 72 formed on throttle arm 24.
  • a collar 71 is affixed to link 70 to deliver the thrust.
  • spring 47' is exerting suflicient force to close the throttle effectively to a suitably slow (idling) speed basis. While spring 47 is considerably expanded in Figure 2, as compared with its condition in Figure 3, it will be understood that the effect of spring 47 is fairly uniform at all times and that, if the spring were removed from the plunger to permit complete expansion, it would become, say, twice the length of that occupied in Figure 2.
  • the load-responsive relay of Figure 2 is a conventional D. C. electromagnetic switching relay, and it is energized when current flows in load circuit 106, by means of a current transformer 75 and rectifier 78.
  • Transformer 75 (which preferably may be a saturable transformer of the type disclosed in copending application Serial No. 53 3,128, filed on September 8, 1955, by William E. McFarland) has its coarse primary winding in series with load circuit 106, and the stepped-up voltage of the secondary winding 77 passes through rectifier 78 and wires 79 and 80 to thus energize the operating winding 51 whenever load switch 107 is closed to initiate flow in the load circuit. This action pulls down armature 52, to close and hold closed contacts 53 and 54.
  • the wire size of winding 65 may be relatively coarse to obtain relatively forceful initial plunger pull, considering the collapse of generated voltage. Even though the winding is relatively coarse, it will not overheat during the period of full speed operation, as frequency then is perhaps three times higher than at idling speed operation which, together with the closed magnetic circuit of the actuator, limits the current consumption of the actuator to a few watts.
  • an idling device for an internal combustion enginegenerator set supplying power to a load circuit, the en gine thereof having a governed throttle system including a centrifugal governor connected to the throttle, said governor having a loading spring of such force as to enable regulation of the throttle for maintaining predetermined load speed operation under varying load when said loading spring is unopposed by the hereinafter mentioned throttle-closing spring, the improvement comprising a throttle-closing spring arranged when in effect, to oppose the force of said governor loading spring to effectively reduce the spring loading of said centrifugal governor and thereby enforce an idling speed, an electromagnetic actuator, energizable by generated current through shunt connection with a generator of said engine-generator set, said actuator being connected to said throttle-closing spring in a manner whereby, when it is energized, it will begin overcoming the force of said throttle-closing spring permitting engine acceleration toward predetermined load speed and, after acceleration, it holds ineffective said throttle-closing spring enabling regulation of
  • An idling device in which said actuator is a plunger electromagnet, and interconnecting means between said throttle-closing spring, plunger, and governed throttle system arranged and constructed in a manner whereby, when said electromagnet is de-encrgized the throttle-closing spring will apply its force on said governed-throttle system in opposition to said governor loading spring and at the same time hold said plunger in extended position and, when said electromagnet is energized, the plunger will apply force on said throttle-closing spring to remove the force of said throttle-closing spring from operative effect upon said governed throttle system.
  • said switching relay is an electromagnetic relay having normally-open contacts, and having an operating winding in series with the load circuit, whereby said relay is responsive upon initiation of load circuit current flow to close said contacts and thereby connect said actuator in shunt with a generator of said engine-generator set.
  • said engine-generator set is an A. C. set including an A. C. load generator for supplying power to a load circuit, and in which said switching relay is an electromagnetic relay having normally-open contacts and an operating winding energizable upon load circuit current flow to effect the closure of said contacts, said actuator being energized by shunt connection with said A. C. load generator when said normally open relay contacts are closed.

Description

Aug. 27, 1957 w. E. MGFARLAND 2,804,553
IDLING DEVICE FEATURING ACTUATOR-CONTROLLED SPRING Filed Oct. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l IWILUAM E.N\ FAP\LAND INVENTOR;
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v Aug. 27, 1957 w. E. MOFARLAND 2,804,553
IDLING DEVICE FEATURING ACTUATOR-CONTROLLED SPRING Filed Oct. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2
W|LL\AN\ EM: FARLAND INVEN TOR.
1957 w. E.' MCFARLAND 2,804,553
IDLING DEVICE FEATURING ACTUATOR-CONTROLLED SPRING Filed 001;. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WILLIAM E. MCFARLAND INVENTOR. W62:
United States Patent 6 IDLING DEVICE FEATURING ACTUATOR- CUNTROLLED SPRING William E. McFarland, Nutley, N. J.
Application (Pctober 5, 1955, Serial No. 538,550
4 Claims. (Cl. 290-40) This invention deals with an idling device for enginegenerator sets employing internal combustion engines wherein a load-responsive relay controls an electromagnetic actuator which, in turn, controls the effect of a throttle-closing spring in a manner establishing a slow governed engine speed at the no load condition (idling condition) and the required faster governed engine speed when electric load is connected.
In the past, idling devices have been proposed in which the engine speed is continuously under the control of the primary mechanical (centrifugal) governor, it being necessary, in some manner, to insure that the centrifugal governor operates under relatively light spring bias during the period without load, and under full normal spring bias during the period when the electrical load is connected. Arrangements suggested heretofore intended to achieve this purpose, involve certain basic and undesirable alterations of the centrifugal governor itself, such as substituting two light-acting loading springs for the usual full strength loading spring. Idling devices of these types have been rather difiicult to install and to adjust, especially if the device is added after the generator set has left the factory. Furthermore, in most of the suggested structures, it is not conveniently possible to make adjustment to raise or lower the governed idling speed because adjustment of the higher speed operation is not independent of the adjustment of slow speed operation. A further disadvantage of such structures is that they have not been suited for using generated current as the motive energy when the necessary change in spring biasing of the centrifugal governor is effected.
Usually, the only fully practical motive energy for operating an idling device is an electromagnetic actuator energized by generated current rather than by a battery. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an arrangement, including an electromagnetic actuator energized by shunt connection with one generator of the generator set, to control the action of a simple spring which is interconnected with the actuator and the governed throttle system, so that said spring opposes the conventional governor loading spring during periods without electrical load and does not oppose the loading spring during the period when electrical load is in effect.
In broad aspect, the present invention embodies the following elements:
1 1. An engine-generator set having a governed throttle system, including a centrifugal governor connected to the throttle, the governor having a loading spring of such force as to enable regulation of the throttle for predetermined load speed operation under varying load;
2. A normally effective throttle-closing spring which opposes the governor loading spring to reduce effectively the spring loading of the centrifugal governor and thereby to enforce, when required, a governed slow (idling) speed;
3. An electromagnetic actuator, energizable by. shunt connection with generated current and connected to the throttle-closing spring in a manner whereby when the actuator is energized, it will begin overcoming the force of said throttle-closing spring, permitting engine acceleration toward load speed and, after acceleration, the actuator will hold ineffective the throttle-closing spring, enabling regulation of the throttle for load speed operation, and
4. A load-responsive switching relay, responsive to load demand on the engine-generator set, and controlling the energization of the actuator whereby the actuator is energized from the initiation to the termination of load demand, said actuator being de-energized from the termination to the initiation of load demand.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a D. C. engine-generator set as used for welding application, with the welding arc interrupted and the throttle-closing spring opposing the governors loading spring, thus effecting a slow (idling) speed. Figure 2 illustrates an A. C. engine-generator set, with the load switch open and the engine operating at slow (idling) speed, while Figure 3 is the same arrangement as in Figure 2, but the positions of the elements are those when the load switch has been closed, and the force of the throttle-closing spring is removed so that the engine is operating at the higher governed speed to serve the load.
Referring again to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, numeral 1 indicates an internal combustion engine, such as a gasoline engine, having a crankcase 2, and driving a D. C. welding generator 3 and an exciter generator 4. The exciter generator has a shunt field 5 and this generator also energizes field 5 of the welding generator. The welding generator also has a series field 5". Numeral 6 indicates the load circuit (which is depicted by a bold line), while numeral 7 represents the welding electrode, and 8 the workpiece being welded. In this figure, the arc has not been struck.
The engine has a carburetor 21 and fuel intake pipe 20 connecting the carburetor with the engine inlet. A conventional throttle (or throttle valve) 22 is located in intake pipe 20, and is mounted on a pivot 23 having fixed thereto the usual throttle arm or lever 24. Lever 24 has a flange 28, which may bear against an adjustable stop screw 25 to limit the maximum closure of throttle 22. Said stop screw is carried by bracket 26 mounted on intake 20. A conventional mechanical governor (hereinafter referred to as the centrifugal governor) is indicated generally as 10. The centrifugal operating mechanism thereof is well known, and is not illustrated, and such mechanism may be inside crankcase 2, and is connected with governor arm 11 by rocker shaft 11' to exert a force on arm 11 which is proportionate to engine speed, and this force urges arm 11 leftwardly in the drawings. This centrifugal force is opposed by governor loading spring 12, and governor arm 11 is connected with throttle arm 24 by a link 27. Loading spring 12 is of such force that if it is opposed only by the centrifugal mechanism, throttle 22 will be regulated in a manner to maintain the predetermined high operating speed that is necesary when the Weldinganc is in effect. An adjustment screw 15 enables adjustment of such predetermined high operating speed. A
An electromagnetic actuator is indicated generally by numeral 30. It is mounted on an iron or steel angleshaped panel or bracket 32 which is rigidly attached to the engine, as by being clamped between intake pipe 20 and the engine proper, as shown. Actuator 30 includes iron end frames or brackets 31 and 31 which, together with panel 32, provide the return'magnetic circuit of the actuator. Actuator 30 has a plunger 33, which slides within the usual tube 34 made of brass or other non- 27, to governor arm 11. force is in direct opposition to the force of the governor loading spring 12. One end of spring 47 is carried -'by a fixed bracket 48, while the other end is connected to extension 46 of lever 40, and may be set at different positions by means of notches 49, so as to apply more brief interruption of the welding arc.
therein, in which is slidably supported the free or extending end 45 of a connecting link 43 which has its right end swivelly attached to the upper end of throttle arm .24. An adjustable collar 44 is affixcd to link 43 and it delivers the thrust of lever 40 to throttle arm 24, in the direction of closing of throttle 22. A spring '47, which may be termed a throttle-closing spring (or a forced-idle spring), urges lever 40 rightwardly, thus transmitting the force of said spring, through several elements including link 43, throttle arm 24, and link Said throttle-closing spring or less force in opposition to loading spring 12. It will 'be apparent that if actuator winding 35 is sufficiently energized, lever 40 necessarily will be drawn back, as
indicated, to the broken line position, and that such :action will remove completely the force or effect of the series field so that a portion of the welding cur- .rent will flow through winding 51, to pull down armature 52 and close relay switching contacts 53 and 54.
"When these contacts are closed, winding 35 is energized with current from exciter generator 4, the shunt connection being through means of wires 57, 58 and 59.
Relay 50 is shown as equipped with a copper delay ring 55 which assures a slow break on the part of contacts 53 and 54, insuring some time delay to prevent de-energization of operating winding 35 during any very In practice, it is usual to provide more complex time-delay arrangements, so as to obtain a longer time-delay than is conveniently obtainable by use of a delay ring but, here, the particular expedients for accomplishing the time-delay form no part of the present invention and, therefore, a simple I form of time-delay is illustrated.
' The positions of the elements in Figure l are those-of governed slow (idling) speed operation. Winding 35 is not energized, hence the actuator is in ineffective position.
Spring 47 is shown connected in the second notch 49, under which condition the force of the spring is less than that of governor loading spring 12, so that there is a certain remaining spring-biasing effect which, in combination with the force of the centrifugal mechanism '(not shown), will result in a governed idling speed of the engine. Throttle 22 will be slightly advanced and retarded, as necessary, to maintain the uniform idling speed, and all of the elements connected therewith, in-
cluding lever 40, plunger 33, and link 43, will movejn' unison with the throttle and governor.
If spring 47 were connected with the fourth (outermost) notch 49, the effective force of spring 47 then would be greater, as for instance, to maintain flange 28 of throttle arm 24 against stop screw 25. Thus, if
desired, throttle-closing spring 47 may be of sufiicient force to assure a quite slow idling speed, but spring 47 should not be so strong as to hold throttle 22 so forcefully closed that the initial force of actuator 30 will be insuflicient to cause acceleration. It will be noted par- 4 ticularly that the idling speed can be adjusted Whenever desired, by selecting a particular notch 49, and that this adjustment has no effect on the adjusted high operating engine speed which is separately adjusted by adjustment 15.
When welding is to be resumed, the operator touches electrode 7 to workpiece 8, thus causing energization of winding 51 and effecting closure of contacts 53 and 54, so that operating winding 35 of actuator 30 will be energized immediately to the extent of whatever voltage is being produced at that moment by exciter generator 4. Assuming that the adjusted force of spring 47 has been selected to insure a fairly slow idling speed, the voltage of generator 4 will be much below that which will be in effect after acceleration, and the energization of winding 35 will be weak. Even so, there is necessarily some degree of pull exerted by plunger 33, which is in opposition to the force of spring 47 and thus slightly increases the effective loading of the centrifugal governor. Throttle 22 must, therefore, be advanced to at least some slight extend which, in turn, increases speed which results in the plunger 33 exerting still more force in opposition to that of throttle-closing spring 47. Engine acceleration therefore will build up quite rapidly and, at a certain point, the pull of plunger 33 will be suflicient to complete the movement of lever 40 to the indicated broken line position at which condition all of the effect of spring 47 is entirely removed. Winding 35 now has become sufficiently energized so that actuator 30 is easily sufliciently powerful (via contact of plunger 33 with core 37) 'for the purpose of holding spring 47 icompletelv ineffective.
Contacts 53 and 54 will remain closed while the welding arc is established as well as for a short time after breaking of the arc and, upon opening of these contacts, the operating Winding is de-energized, so that the force of spring 47 is released and this spring immediately opposes the force of loading spring 12 and thus closes the throttle to the idling "speed basis, while at the same time restoring plunger 33 to the illustrated extended position. It will be apparent that the idling device of Figure 1 may be attached to the engine-generator set without any modification of centrifugal governor 10. Also, it will be apparent that the particular arrangement and interconnection of the throttle-closing spring, actuator plunger, and governed throttle system, are such that weak energization of the actuator, as obtainable by shunt connection with one of the generators of the generator set, is suflicientto bring about the needed acceleration when the electrical load. is connected, which in the case of the .welding application is when the arc is struck.
.103, .the exciter as1tl4. Field may be common to both generators 103 and 104, as is a popular practice in :small A. C. engine-generator sets. The load circuit represented by numeral 106 and shown by a bold line has a switch 107 and a load 108. While a single switch and a single load are indicated in practice, the engine-generator set may-serve a number of large or small appliances at different times, each with its own switch.
The electromagnetic actuator of Figure 2 is indicated generally by numeral 60, and includes iron end brackets 61, 61', plunger 63, operating winding 65, and 'a fixed core or stop=67, extending partly into the winding. An adjustable collar 66.is provided on the outer end of plunger 63. A simple form of throttle-closing spring is illustrated in Figure 2, and is indicated by numeral 47. The helical spring is merely disposed around the extended portion of plunger 63, whereby it presses .rightwardly against collar 66. The force of spring 47' 63 and has a free end 73 slidably supported in flange 72 formed on throttle arm 24. A collar 71 is affixed to link 70 to deliver the thrust. In Figure 2, spring 47' is exerting suflicient force to close the throttle effectively to a suitably slow (idling) speed basis. While spring 47 is considerably expanded in Figure 2, as compared with its condition in Figure 3, it will be understood that the effect of spring 47 is fairly uniform at all times and that, if the spring were removed from the plunger to permit complete expansion, it would become, say, twice the length of that occupied in Figure 2.
The load-responsive relay of Figure 2 is a conventional D. C. electromagnetic switching relay, and it is energized when current flows in load circuit 106, by means of a current transformer 75 and rectifier 78. Transformer 75 (which preferably may be a saturable transformer of the type disclosed in copending application Serial No. 53 3,128, filed on September 8, 1955, by William E. McFarland) has its coarse primary winding in series with load circuit 106, and the stepped-up voltage of the secondary winding 77 passes through rectifier 78 and wires 79 and 80 to thus energize the operating winding 51 whenever load switch 107 is closed to initiate flow in the load circuit. This action pulls down armature 52, to close and hold closed contacts 53 and 54. The closed contacts complete the energization circuit of the actuating winding 65, current being fed from A. C. load generator 1&3, through wires 57, 58 and 59. As in the case of Figure 1, the small initial energization of the actuator is sufiicient to establish the cumulative acceleration. When the generated voltage rises sufficiently, plunger 63 is pulled fully inwardly to the position indicated in Figure 3, and spring 47' then is ineffective, and governor will control the operation at the predetermined load speed so long as the load circuit current flow continues.
There is a particular advantage in utilizing A. C. for energizing operating winding 65. In the case of the socalled self-excited A. C. plants, as illustrated, which have only one field, the generated voltage initially may drop to a quite low value when the connected load 1.08 happens to be a large motor.
This would result in adversely weak energization of actuating winding 65. By using A. C. energization of the winding, however, the wire size of winding 65 may be relatively coarse to obtain relatively forceful initial plunger pull, considering the collapse of generated voltage. Even though the winding is relatively coarse, it will not overheat during the period of full speed operation, as frequency then is perhaps three times higher than at idling speed operation which, together with the closed magnetic circuit of the actuator, limits the current consumption of the actuator to a few watts.
In the condition outlined by Figure 3, the higher operating speed is already in effect, and throttle 22 is well advanced, indicating at least a medium size load 1.08. Governor It) will open the throttle still wider if more load is connected. As soon as load switch 107 is again opened, actuator 6th is ineffective in overcoming the effect of spring 47', and the spring immediately closes the throttle for deceleration, whereupon the positions of the elements designated by Figure 2 are again in effect.
I claim:
1. In an idling device for an internal combustion enginegenerator set supplying power to a load circuit, the en gine thereof having a governed throttle system including a centrifugal governor connected to the throttle, said governor having a loading spring of such force as to enable regulation of the throttle for maintaining predetermined load speed operation under varying load when said loading spring is unopposed by the hereinafter mentioned throttle-closing spring, the improvement comprising a throttle-closing spring arranged when in effect, to oppose the force of said governor loading spring to effectively reduce the spring loading of said centrifugal governor and thereby enforce an idling speed, an electromagnetic actuator, energizable by generated current through shunt connection with a generator of said engine-generator set, said actuator being connected to said throttle-closing spring in a manner whereby, when it is energized, it will begin overcoming the force of said throttle-closing spring permitting engine acceleration toward predetermined load speed and, after acceleration, it holds ineffective said throttle-closing spring enabling regulation of the throttle for load speed operation, and a switching relay, responsive to load demand on said engine-generator set and constructed and arranged to control the energization of said actuator whereby said actuator is energized from the initiation to the termination of load demand and is deenergized from the termination to the initiation of load demand.
2. An idling device according to claim 1 in which said actuator is a plunger electromagnet, and interconnecting means between said throttle-closing spring, plunger, and governed throttle system arranged and constructed in a manner whereby, when said electromagnet is de-encrgized the throttle-closing spring will apply its force on said governed-throttle system in opposition to said governor loading spring and at the same time hold said plunger in extended position and, when said electromagnet is energized, the plunger will apply force on said throttle-closing spring to remove the force of said throttle-closing spring from operative effect upon said governed throttle system.
3. An idling device according to claim 2 in which said switching relay is an electromagnetic relay having normally-open contacts, and having an operating winding in series with the load circuit, whereby said relay is responsive upon initiation of load circuit current flow to close said contacts and thereby connect said actuator in shunt with a generator of said engine-generator set.
4. An idling device according to claim 1, in which said engine-generator set is an A. C. set including an A. C. load generator for supplying power to a load circuit, and in which said switching relay is an electromagnetic relay having normally-open contacts and an operating winding energizable upon load circuit current flow to effect the closure of said contacts, said actuator being energized by shunt connection with said A. C. load generator when said normally open relay contacts are closed.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS
US538550A 1955-10-05 1955-10-05 Idling device featuring actuatorcontrolled spring Expired - Lifetime US2804553A (en)

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Cited By (8)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3046409A (en) * 1959-03-23 1962-07-24 Wincharger Corp Speed control for engine generator unit
US3789229A (en) * 1972-06-05 1974-01-29 Mcculloch Corp Welding control circuit and method
US4093845A (en) * 1975-06-19 1978-06-06 Hairgrove Sr Nelson Controller for DC arc welding generators
US4304201A (en) * 1980-06-10 1981-12-08 Cts Corporation Method and apparatus for step positioning an engine speed control
USRE31216E (en) * 1975-06-19 1983-04-19 Central Welding Supply Co., Inc. Controller for DC arc welding generators
US5591362A (en) * 1995-02-03 1997-01-07 The Miller Group, Ltd. Idle solenoid for engine driven welder
US5968385A (en) * 1997-05-19 1999-10-19 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
AU725788B2 (en) * 1997-05-19 2000-10-19 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply

Citations (2)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2242072A (en) * 1940-02-17 1941-05-13 Electric Arc Cutting & Welding Load supervisory control means for a mechanical speed governor
US2396176A (en) * 1944-09-07 1946-03-05 Hobart Bros Company Idling mechanism for welding apparatus

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2242072A (en) * 1940-02-17 1941-05-13 Electric Arc Cutting & Welding Load supervisory control means for a mechanical speed governor
US2396176A (en) * 1944-09-07 1946-03-05 Hobart Bros Company Idling mechanism for welding apparatus

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3046409A (en) * 1959-03-23 1962-07-24 Wincharger Corp Speed control for engine generator unit
US3789229A (en) * 1972-06-05 1974-01-29 Mcculloch Corp Welding control circuit and method
US4093845A (en) * 1975-06-19 1978-06-06 Hairgrove Sr Nelson Controller for DC arc welding generators
USRE31216E (en) * 1975-06-19 1983-04-19 Central Welding Supply Co., Inc. Controller for DC arc welding generators
US4304201A (en) * 1980-06-10 1981-12-08 Cts Corporation Method and apparatus for step positioning an engine speed control
FR2484021A1 (en) * 1980-06-10 1981-12-11 Cts Corp METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STEPPING A SPEED CONTROL OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
US5591362A (en) * 1995-02-03 1997-01-07 The Miller Group, Ltd. Idle solenoid for engine driven welder
AU714274B2 (en) * 1997-05-19 1999-12-23 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US5968385A (en) * 1997-05-19 1999-10-19 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US6111217A (en) * 1997-05-19 2000-08-29 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
AU725788B2 (en) * 1997-05-19 2000-10-19 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US6310321B1 (en) * 1997-05-19 2001-10-30 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US6469401B2 (en) 1997-05-19 2002-10-22 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven welding power supply with inverter auxiliary power
US20030075927A1 (en) * 1997-05-19 2003-04-24 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US6674179B2 (en) 1997-05-19 2004-01-06 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US20040060912A1 (en) * 1997-05-19 2004-04-01 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US6894401B2 (en) 1997-05-19 2005-05-17 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven inverter welding power supply
US20050236383A1 (en) * 1997-05-19 2005-10-27 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven converter with feedback control
US7112945B2 (en) 1997-05-19 2006-09-26 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Engine driven converter with feedback control

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