Multi-engine control system providing equalized torque for driving a

Abstract

An electronic control module comprising an operational amplifier used as a comparator senses the difference between the throttle settings of a master and slave engine as detected by a potentiometer associated with each engine's throttle control apparatus in order to accordingly adjust the control signal of a fluid pressure actuator of the slave engine, which actuator in turn adjusts the slave engine throttle setting until it corresponds to that of the master engine, at which point the slave engine throttle actuator control signal is maintained constant by reason of the operational amplifier sensing such correspondence. The electronic control module thus makes it possible to match the slave engine throttle setting to the master engine throttle setting before the master engine speed responds to the adjusted throttle setting, as reflected by its speed governor, thereby assuring that the subsequent speed governor influence on the master engine throttle setting is not reflected in the slave engine throttle setting. Accordingly, each engine governor regulates the respective engine speed with changes in load such that when the engines are arranged to drive a common load, equal torque is exerted by each engine irrespective of different engine response characteristics.