The weakening of the shunt field of a motor by the insertion of resistance in the shunt field circuit causes the armature to revolve more rapidly. One advantage of this method of control is that the motor will inherently regulate to approximately constant speed under widely varying load conditions. Another advantage is found in the fact that all of the current taken from the line is utilized for power, the changes in speed being obtained not by dissipating a portion of the effective energy in the resistance (as in the case of the armature resistance method of control) but by weakening the reverse voltage by inserting resistance in the shunt field circuit. Speed increase by shunt field weakening is limited, however, to about 10 to 15 per cent. above the normal speed in motors of standard construction. Greater ranges of speed can be obtained from motors especially designed for shunt field control but should not be attempted with motors of standard design without first ascertaining from the manufacturer the maximum safe speed.

Combined Armature and Shunt Field Control.--Regulation by combined armature and shunt field resistance is by far the easiest way of obtaining a wide range of speeds. Rheostats embodying these methods are known as compound speed regulators, one form being shown in [fig. 762]. Standard regulators can be obtained giving a wide range of speed variation, and special regulators may be constructed giving practically any desired range.

Selection of Starters and Regulators.--Unsatisfactory operation of these devices is, in nearly all cases, due to lack of precaution in selecting the proper piece of apparatus for the work to be done. One of the commonest errors is to select a rheostat of insufficient capacity. If the current required to operate the motor at full speed with no resistance in circuit be greater than the rated capacity of the rheostat, overheating of the resistance will result. An increase in temperature even to a point where the hand cannot be held on the enclosing case need cause no apprehension, but should the resistance become red hot it indicates that the apparatus is being worked far beyond its capacity, and the load on the motor should be reduced or a regulator of greater capacity substituted.

If the current required to operate the motor at full speed with no resistance in circuit be less than the rated capacity of the rheostat no overheating will occur, but it will not be possible to secure the full 50 per cent. speed reduction the rheostat is designed to give with all resistance in circuit.

Fig. 768.--Various sizes of Watson commutator. The segments are punched from hard drawn copper strip and are insulated from each other and the core by amber mica, of hardness corresponding to that of the copper in order that the wear of mica and copper may be uniform. The segments are assembled in a ring under great pressure and are repeatedly heated and tightened, being finally secured and rigidly locked together.

In ordering a starter or regulator, the manufacturer should be furnished with the following information:

  1. Horse power of motor with which speed regulator will be used;
  2. Voltage of motor;
  3. Winding of motor, whether series, shunt, or compound wound;
  4. Nature of the machine which motor is to operate;
  5. Normal rated speed of motor to be used;
  6. Maximum speed at which it is desired to operate the motor;
  7. Minimum speed at which it is desired to operate the motor;
  8. Whether controller will ever be required to reverse direction of motor or to operate it in one direction only;
  9. If reversible controller be desired, whether or not full range of speed control is required in both directions;
  10. Whether the regulator shall be equipped with any of the following devices: no voltage release, overload release, knife switch, fuses;
  11. Whether button contacts or renewable contact segments are preferred;
  12. Giving, also, if possible, the resistance of the shunt field cold, and the shunt field current at the maximum speed required. If this cannot be ascertained, give horse power, voltage, normal speed, maximum speed required, serial number of motor and name of manufacturer.

Fig. 769.--Organ blower speed regulator; diagram showing operation and method of installing. A cord running from the top of the organ bellows passes over two pulleys and is then made fast to the chain furnished with the regulator. This chain passes around a sheave which turns on a post projecting from the center of the slate panel. Attached to the lower end of the chain is a weight, also furnished with the regulator. As the air is exhausted from the bellows the latter slowly collapses, drawing the rope down with it, and in so doing turns the sheave from left to right, thus cutting resistance out of circuit and increasing the speed of the motor which pumps air into the bellows. Responding to the inrush of air, the bellows expands, relaxing the tension on the rope which is now pulled in the opposite direction by the weight, thus turning the sheave from right to left, cutting resistance into circuit once more and slowing down the motor. The speed of the motor is thus automatically regulated by the bellows, with the result that a practically uniform pressure is maintained at all times. In connection with an organ blower regulator it is necessary to install a separate starting rheostat. This is required for the reason that all organ bellows leak. During the intermissions in the musical part of the service, or at other times when the blower is not operating, the air gradually escapes and the bellows settles down, moving the rheostat arm to the right and cutting out resistance. With the motor at rest and the bellows empty all the blower regulator resistance would be short circuited and it is therefore necessary to avoid throwing the motor directly across the line when starting again. A starting rheostat with no voltage release is suitable for this purpose, and should be installed within easy reach of the organist, so that a moment or two before beginning to play he can move the lever of the starting box and get the motor into operation. Where remote control is desirable a self starter can be substituted for the manually operated starting box, in which case the entire installation can be controlled by a push button, or single throw knife switch.