Internal combustion engine governor

Claim 1

IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING A CRANKCASE WHICH PROVIDES A SUMP FOR LUBRICATING OIL AND IN WHICH A CRANKSHAFT IS ROTATABLE, AND HAVING SPEED REGULATING MEANS COMPRISING A MOTION TRANSMITTING MEMBER, A PORTION WHICH IS IN THE CRANKCASE, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE MOTION TRANSMITTING MEMBER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE CRANKSHAFT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: (A) AN OIL SLINGER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED VANES, MOUNTED IN THE CRANKCASE OF THE ENGINE AND DRIVINGLY CONNECTED WITH THE CRANKSHAFT TO ROTATE THEREWITH; (B) A SHAFT PROJECTING COAXIALLY FORWARDLY OF THE OIL SLINGER; (C) A CAP-LIKE FOLLOWER MEMBER SLIDABLE AND ROTATABLE ON THE FRONT END PORTION OF THE SHAFT AND COACTING THEREWITH TO DEFINE AN ENCLOSURE THE VOLUME OF WHICH VARIES WITH THE AXIAL POSITION OF THE FOLLOWER MEMBER ON THE SHAFT AND INTO AND OUT OF WHICH OIL CAN BLEED THROUGH AN ORIFICE TO EXERT A DAMPING EFFECT UPON AXIAL MOTION OF THE FOLLOWER MEMBER, SAID FOLLOWER MEMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY POINTED COAXIAL TIP ON ITS END WALL WHICH BEARS AGAINST SAID PORTION OF THE MOTION TRANSMITTING MEMBER; (D) MEANS ON THE FOLLOWER MEMBER DEFINING RADIALLY EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACES FACING IN OPPOSITE AXIAL DIRECTIONS; (E) A PLURALITY OF FLYWEIGHTS CARRIED BY THE OIL SLINGER FOR ORBITAL MOTION THEREWITH AND EACH COMPRISING (1) A GENERALLY FORWARDLY EXTENDING LEG MOUNTED ON THE OIL SLINGER FOR RADIALLY IN AND OUT SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS WHICH IS TRANSVERSE TO THAT OF THE SHAFT AND SPACED RADILLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, (2) LATERAL EXTENSION MEANS ON SAID LEG PROVIDING OPPOSING SURFACES SPACED FROM THE LEG AND ITS SWINGING AXIS AND WHICH ENGAGE SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACES ON THE FOLLOWER MEMBER TO CONSTRAIN THE LATTER TO AXIAL BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT ON THE SHAFT IN UNISON WITH SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE LEGS, AND (3) MEANS ON EACH FLYWEIGHT DEFINING AN ABUTMENT ENGAGEABLE WITH A VANE ON THE OIL SLINGER BY WHICH THE OUTWARD LIMIT OF SWINGING MOTION OF THE FLYWEIGHT IS DEFINED, TO THUS DEFINE THE FORWARD LIMIT OF AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE FOLLOWER MEMBER AND PREVENT FORWARD DISPLACEMENT OF THE FOLLOWER OFF OF THE SHAFT.