Water powered drive for automatic controllers

A drive means for operating an automatic controller apparatus having a power input shaft, comprising:

• water powered means for receiving water under pressure from a source thereof and having a member driven by the force of said water thereon;
• power transmission means for driving said controller apparatus shaft in response to movement of said member under the action of said water;
• and
• means for regulating the supply of water under pressure to said water powered means for supplying a virtually constant speed drive to said apparatus input shaft, wherein said means for regulating the supply of water to said water powered means comprises:
• a sun gear driven by said input shaft;
• a plurality of planetary gears mounted about and in engagement with said sun gear on a carrier rotatably mounted coaxially to said shaft, rotation of said sun gear causing opposite rotation of said planetary gears;
• a ring gear mounted about and in engagement with said planetary gears;
• means for restricting rotation of said ring gear to a predetermined speed of rotation, rotation of said sun gear at a speed other than said predetermined speed causing said carrier to be rotated due to planetary movement of said planetary gears about said sun gear within said ring gear, and
• means for varying the rate of flow of water to said cylinder means in response to movement of said carrier.

A drive means for operating at a substantially constant speed an automatic controller apparatus having a power input shaft comprising:

• a water powered motor means for driving said input shaft;
• means for drivingly connecting said motor means to said input shaft.
• means for connecting said motor means to a source which supplies water under varying pressure to operate said motor means;
• flow control valve means associated with said connecting means for regulating the rate of flow of water to said motor means and thereby the speed of operation of said motor means;
• and
• speed control means, including escapement mechanism having a shaft having a maximum speed for limiting the speed of advancement of said input shaft to a predetermined rate;
• said speed control means further including means actuated in response to the speed of movement of said motor means, and means for automatically operating said flow control valve means in response to said last mentioned means and said escapement mechanism shaft so that changes in the operating speed of said water powered motor means above and below said predetermined rate for said input shaft are limited by said speed control means to thereby vary the rate of water flow to said motor means under changing water pressure conditions of its water source.

A drive means for operating at a substantially constant speed an automatic controller apparatus having a power input shaft comprising:

• water powered means for receiving water under varying pressure from a source thereof and having a member driven by the force of said water thereon;
• said water powered means including means for supplying said water thereto and exhausting said water therefrom;
• power transmission means for driving said controller apparatus shaft in response to movement of said member under the action of said water;
• and
• speed control means connected to said power transmission means, and including an escapement mechanism, having a shaft having a maximum speed, for sensing the speed of said transmission means and for varying the water input to said water powered means in response to the speed of said transmission means and the speed of said escapement mechanism shaft for automatically controlling the speed of driving of said controller apparatus shaft under the force of said water powered means acting through said power transmission means to a predetermined rate by said escapement mechanism despite variation in the pressure of the water received from a source thereof.