Hick's Chronometric governor, 1840

Made:
1840

Hick's Chronometric governor, 1840

This is a very simple form of governor, patented by Mr. Benjamin Hick in 1840, for controlling the throttle valve of a steam engine, and depending for its operation upon the resistance offered by the air to the rotation of a fan. The boss of the fan is a nut working on a quick-threaded screw cut on a vertical spindle driven by the engine. The resistance of the air retards the fan, and its nut mounts the thread of the screw when the speed of the spindle increases. This motion partly closes the throttle valve. This type of goivernor can be seen on the model beam engine built by Hick for Marshall's flax mill, Holbeck, Leeds, in 1840 (inv. 1935-513).

Details

Category:
Motive Power
Object Number:
1887-75
Measurements:
overall: 400 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm,
type:
governor
credit:
Hick, John