The term "Balls out"

[Badart]

Learned something tonight. The term balls out comes from governors on steam engines. The faster the engine turns the farther the balls move out. I didn't know this and thought it was pretty cool.

This is a governor mechanism. In fact, the term "balls out" comes from this exact device. and back in the steam era it was necessary to maintain a constant engine speed invariant of load capacities on specific machinery.


http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/vi...beer/5CA6478D8E6C956E269C5CA6478D8E6C956E269C

 

[ocdart]

There was a very interesting show on Speed Channel last night about Jay Leno's build of his Ecojet turbine-powered car. At the end of the show it showed some of the things he's planning to use to make his Big Dog Garage totally 'green' and off the power grid. One of them is an old steam engine and he discussed the same 'balls out' topic.
Take a look at the show if you get a chance.