Cam actuated fuel modulating engine governor

Claim 1

A rocking flyweight governor mechanism, said mechanism comprising a support member rotatable about an axis and having a radial support surface extending outwardly from and generally normal to said axis, at least one flyweight supported on said surface for rotation therewith, said flyweight having a primary weight portion spaced from said axis and said support surface and a finger portion extending inwardly adjacent said axis and having a convexly curved side rockingly engaging said radial support surface to establish an effective line of contact therewith which moves toward or away from said axis in accordance with corresponding rocking motion of the flyweight on the radial support surface, restraining means acting between radially relatively outward portions of said support member and relatively inward portions of said flyweight to restrain said flyweight against substantial radial sliding motion outward from said axis on said radial support surface and limit said flyweight to essentially rocking motion, axially movable abutment means adjacent said axis and opposing said finger portion inwardly of its contact line with said radial support surface and means biasing said abutment means and said finger into engagement adjacent said axis during limited axial movement of said abutment means and accompanying rocking motion of said flyweight, whereby, upon rotation of said flyweight mechanism at increasing speeds, centrifugal force on said flyweight primary weight portion increasingly tends to rock said flyweight outwardly, thereby urging said abutment means axially against the force of said biasing means, the effect on the abutment means of the exponential increase in centrifugal force with speed and outward rocking of the flyweight being in part offset by a coincidental increase in the lever arm distance from the contact line of the finger with the radial support surface to the engagement point of the finger with the movable abutment.