Part 5: James Watt, the steam engine, and the first automatic control system

I was going to do my own version of the James Watt flyball governor, but I found a very readable, illustrated account of the life and inventions of James Watt. Here it is:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=bachman&book=inventors&story=watt

In the picture below you can see the flyball governor, driven by the output shaft of the engine. The link from the governor to the steam valve however is not clear, but it is there.

Here is a detailed view of the governor.

See also the previous four posts.

 

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