Definitions for: Governor


[n] a control that maintains a steady speed in a machine (as by controlling the supply of fuel)
[n] the head of a state government



Webster (1913) Definition: Gov"ern*or, n. [OE. governor, governour, OF.
governeor, F. gouverneur, fr. L. gubernator steersman, ruler,
governor. See Govern.]
1. One who governs; especially, one who is invested with the
supreme executive authority in a State; a chief ruler or
magistrate; as, the governor of Pennsylvania. ``The
governor of the town.'' --Shak.

2. One who has the care or guardianship of a young man; a
tutor; a guardian.

3. (Naut.) A pilot; a steersman. [R.]

4. (Mach.) A contrivance applied to steam engines, water
wheels, and other machinery, to maintain nearly uniform
speed when the resistances and motive force are variable.

Note: The illustration shows a form of governor commonly used
for steam engines, in wich a heavy sleeve (a) sliding
on a rapidly revolving spindle (b), driven by the
engine, is raised or lowered, when the speed varies, by
the changing centrifugal force of two balls (c c) to
which it is connected by links (d d), the balls being
attached to arms (e e) which are jointed to the top of
the spindle. The sleeve is connected with the throttle
valve or cut-off through a lever (f), and its motion
produces a greater supply of steam when the engine runs
too slowly and a less supply when too fast.

Governor cut-off (Steam Engine), a variable cut-off gear in
which the governor acts in such a way as to cause the
steam to be cut off from entering the cylinder at points
of the stroke dependent upon the engine's speed.

Hydraulic governor (Mach.), a governor which is operated by
the action of a liquid in flowing; a cataract.

Synonyms: regulator

See Also: bey, control, controller, governor general, military governor, politician, proconsul, satrap, timer, vicereine, viceroy

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