The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-08-08
NEW STEAM ENGINE GOVERNOR.

NEW STEAM ENGINE GOVERNOR.
MONROE, La, August 5, 1879.
Editor OuacAit1 Telegraph:
AS you requested me to make a
statement concerning the gyroscopic
governor now in experimental service
ON the shop engine at the w., s. & T.
II. II. depot, have the following to
say:
In 1858, at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania,
I first saw n gyroscopo. 1t was then q
new thing and its movements not
clearly understood; in fact, little has
been discovered by scientific men re-
garding its principles up to the present
moment.
From the time saw this gyroscope
have been unable to separate 1t en-
tirely from my mind. The theory adj
vanced by learned men regarding 1t
has always appeared to me to be mad
equato to explain all It's various move
ments, and at last through the kind
ness of our superintendent, Maj. Green,
and his worthy master mechanic, Mr..
Tull, have demonstrated experimen-
tally and can explain the true princi-
pies upon which all horoscopes work
but for the present will speak only
in relation to the new governor which
you saw.
I am always anxious to make solne-
thing practical, and my Investigations
mo that amongst other
things could arrange tho gyroscope
SO as to mako the best governor for
steam engines ever produced. This
governor is substantially common
top, such as boys use, made to occupy
the position usually held by the balls
of an ordinary centrifugal governor.
When it is working, the gyroscopc
wheel has exactly tho motion of top
at the time when its spinning is about
done and it is ready to Wjggle over.
By suitable connections this gyroscopic
top or wheel is made to control tho
valve of tho engine and so regulate
the speed at which the engine runs.
There is also an automatic stop which
is portion of tho governor, and if the
belt or band should leave the governor
pulley, from any cause, then tho engine
will Immediately stop.
This governor is exceedingly accu-
rate in supplying just the amount of
steam which is needed to do the work.
Our shop engine makes sixty revol1-
tiOns per minute, and no variation in
speed can be counted by tho eye
whether the minimum or maximum
work is boing done; this, I believe, is
II good deal better than has been done
by any governor heretofore made.
This governor WAS made at the w.,
S. 4 Il. IL. IL. shops after the usual
hours of work, and the steam necessary
to run the machinery was just what
happened to remain in tho boiler at s
o'clock. Occasionally tho steam force
would be annihiiated before 1 could
finish the job in hand then Dominique
Schlinger would assist mo in turning
the lathe by hand power until tho job
was complete. This class of motion
we called mule power, and although
not equal to steam, it was good in an
emergency and always available. In
making the governor, Mr.. Tull greatly
assisted me, and our blacksmith, Mr..
Ellingswortl,, 1pade many little things
without which the governor might
still be in the embryo state; in fact,
all the men assisted me when possible.
l am still making some improve
mcnts about tho governor, and when
completed, a saving of from 20 to so
per cont in fuel will be effected by ap-
plying this gyroscopic governor to an
ordinary engine. Mr.. Tull and have
applied for patents and the case is now
before the commissioner ut WASH
ington.
Permit me also to say, my investi-
cations enable mo to say that this
Southern country was not always
warm and pleasant rs now, but once
tho north pole was here and that it
will DO SO again that the time was
when there was no change of seasons
on the earth and that such time will
come again. But i'll relation to this
matter 1 will take tho liberty Of adj
dressing yOn ut some future time, when
l will state tho principles on which
rest these statements.
Very respectfully,
JOSEPH REID.