Cast iron Balls?

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Found these on a wreck from the 1870s and just wondering if anyone can tell me what they might be. I posted pix of these on the "what is it forum" but have yet to get a response. I think that they may be fly weights for a steam engine governor but I am not sure about that. The ship was carrying a load of these so they weren't part of the ship's machinery.
Any opinions are welcome.
Thanks,
ZDD

 

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[capt dom]

They look like a set I saw hanging from the back of a red necks pick up truck....
Maybe it is not a new idea and these were used on a buck board in the 19th century....

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

They look like a set I saw hanging from the back of a red necks pick up truck....
Maybe it is not a new idea and these were used on a buck board in the 19th century....

Man that would be some heavy duty dingle balls.
We thought that they may be bar shot until I found these two that were intact. Perhaps they are counter weights for windows or something?
Sure would be nice to know.
ZDD

 

[stevemc]

It sure looks like governor weights. I dont know what the steam engine governors looked like, but I know there were weights like that.

 

[Denniss]

They had shot with chain between the balls for taking down rigging and clearing decks, possibly?

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

They had shot with chain between the balls for taking down rigging and clearing decks, possibly?

It is intirely possible but I think that "Chain Shot" was made with the chain connected right to the ball. OLD CANNON BALL CHAIN SHOT CIVIL WAR ERA MUST SEE

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

It sure looks like governor weights. I dont know what the steam engine governors looked like, but I know there were weights like that.

I have done some time googling on fly weights but haven't found an exact match yet. I did find some close seconds though. The curved up end piece really indicates that it could be fly weights.
As the speed of the engine would increase it turned these balls faster, as they spun faster they would move outward and lift a valve up to release steam to decrease the engine speed.
ZDD

 

[Jon Phillips]

Have you tried posting them on a steam engine/flywheel forum? If that's what they are, those guys should ID them pretty fast.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Have you tried posting them on a steam engine/flywheel forum? If that's what they are, those guys should ID them pretty fast.

No I didn't think of that forum, thanks. I will post it right away.
ZDD

Duh,,, I cannot seem to find that forum on TN. Is it a sub forum of another forum?

 

[Jon Phillips]

I meant to find another message board that deals specifically with steam engines and hit and miss/flywheels.....

They should know right away if it has anything to do with steam engines, even if it is not a direct match.

 

[Jon Phillips]

A Google search of: "steam engine forum" brought up several choices.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

A Google search of: "steam engine forum" brought up several choices.

Thank's Jon, I will find some forums and post the question. If I do find out I will up date this thread.
ZDD

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

The consensus from the Steam engine forum is that they are indeed gov. weights. It was quite common to use cast iron for these gov. weights on stationary engines.
Thanks everyone for your input.
ZDD

 

[Jon Phillips]

Right on!