Mitchell, Robert; Dykstra, Richard A.;

Governor stabilizer

A stabilizer system creates a temporary droop to stabilize a governor for an internal combustion engine and reduce permanent droop and hunting of the engine. The governor adjusts the position of a throttle in response to engine speed to achieve a desired engine speed. The stabilizer system temporarily applies a force on the governor that initially resists sudden movement of the governor arm, and causes a temporary speed droop. The initial resistance of the stabilizer system helps prevent the governor from overshooting the desired speed and hunting. The temporary droop is then removed to permit the governor to achieve the desired speed to help prevent permanent droop.

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What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus that controls the speed of an internal combustion engine having an engine throttle, comprising:

a governor that adjusts the position of the throttle to set the engine speed to a governed speed, including:

a governor arm assembly that moves in response to engine speed;

a throttle link interconnected to the governor arm assembly and to the throttle;

a stabilizer system, interconnected to the governor and operable during normal operating speeds, that provides a speed change in the engine speed for a period of time after the application of a load, the engine speed thereafter increasing to be at least substantially equal to the governed speed while the load is still applied.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the speed change comprises increasing the engine speed above the governed speed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the stabilizer system further comprising a stabilizer spring and a damper interconnected in series between the governor and a fixed portion of the engine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the governor arm assembly includes a governor arm and a governor arm extension interconnected with the governor arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the stabilizer system further comprising:

a stabilizer spring interconnected to the governor; and

a damper interconnected to the stabilizer spring.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stabilizer spring includes at least one of a coil spring and a leaf spring.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the damper includes a cylinder, and a rod at least partially disposed within the cylinder and movable with respect to the cylinder.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected to the rod and the governor.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected between the cylinder and the governor.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the damper includes a sleeve at least partially surrounding the cylinder and the rod.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a wiper connected to the sleeve and contacting the cylinder.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the damper provides at least one of friction damping and pneumatic damping.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the damper provides both friction damping and pneumatic damping.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stabilizer system includes a spring mass damper.

15. A governor assist device for an internal combustion engine having an engine housing, and having a governor arm assembly with a governor arm, and a throttle link interconnected to the governor arm assembly, the governor assist device being engageable with the governor arm assembly during normal operating speeds and comprising:

a damper and a stabilizer spring interconnected in series between the engine housing and the governor arm.

16. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein the damper is interconnected to the engine housing, and the stabilizer spring is interconnected between the damper and the governor arm.

17. The governor assist device of claim 16, wherein the governor arm assembly includes a governor arm and a governor extension that engages the governor arm, and wherein the governor arm includes:

a pivot end adjacent the governor extension; and

a free end disposed opposite the pivot end, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected to the governor arm adjacent the free end, and wherein the throttle link is interconnected to the governor arm and the governor extension.

18. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein the damper includes a cylinder, and a rod at least partially disposed within the cylinder and movable with respect to the cylinder.

19. The governor assist device of claim 18, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected to the rod, and the cylinder is interconnected to the engine housing.

20. The governor assist device of claim 18, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected to the cylinder, and the rod is interconnected to the engine housing.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the damper includes a sleeve at least partially surrounding the cylinder and the rod.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a wiper connected to the sleeve and contacting the cylinder.

23. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein the damper provides at least one of friction damping and pneumatic damping.

24. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein the damper provides both friction damping and pneumatic damping.

25. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein the stabilizer spring includes at least one of a coil spring and a leaf spring.

26. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein the governor arm assembly includes a governor arm and a governor extension that engages the governor arm.

27. A governor that adjusts a throttle for an internal combustion engine, the governor comprising:

a governor arm assembly including a governor arm that moves in response to engine speed;

a throttle link interconnected to the governor arm assembly and to the throttle; and

a stabilizer spring and a damper interconnected in series between a fixed portion of the engine and the governor arm.

28. The governor of claim 27, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected to the governor arm assembly, and the damper is interconnected to the stabilizer spring.

29. The governor of claim 28, wherein the governor arm assembly includes a governor arm and a governor extension that engages the governor arm, and wherein the governor extension applies a first force on the governor arm, wherein the stabilizer spring applies a second force on the governor arm that opposes the first force during movement of the governor arm, and wherein the second is directly related to the rate of movement of the governor arm.

30. The governor of claim 27, wherein the damper includes a cylinder, and a rod at least partially disposed within the cylinder and movable with respect to the cylinder.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the damper includes a sleeve at least partially surrounding the cylinder and the rod.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a wiper connected to the sleeve and contacting the cylinder.

33. The governor of claim 30, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected between the rod and the governor arm assembly.

34. The governor of claim 30, wherein the stabilizer spring is interconnected between the cylinder and the governor arm assembly.

35. The governor of claim 27, wherein the damper provides at least one of friction damping and pneumatic damping.

36. The governor of claim 27, wherein the damper provides both friction damping and pneumatic damping.

37. The governor of claim 27, further comprising a governor spring that biases the throttle link in a first direction and opposes movement of the throttle link in a second direction.

38. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein normal operating speeds include engine speeds of at least 3,200 rpm.

39. The governor assist device of claim 15, wherein normal operating speeds include engine speeds of at least 3,200 rpm.

40. A governor assist device for an internal combustion engine having an engine housing, and having a governor including a governor arm assembly, and a throttle link interconnected to the governor arm assembly, the governor assist device being engageable with the governor during normal operating speeds and comprising:

a damper and a stabilizer spring interconnected in series between the engine housing and the governor, wherein the damper includes a cylinder, and a rod at least partially disposed within the cylinder and movable with respect to the cylinder.

41. A governor that adjusts a throttle for an internal combustion engine, the governor comprising:

a governor arm assembly that moves in response to engine speed;

a throttle link interconnected to the governor arm assembly and to the throttle; and

a stabilizer spring and a damper interconnected in series to a fixed portion of the engine, wherein the damper includes a cylinder, and a rod at least partially disposed within the cylinder and movable with respect to the cylinder.