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Updated: May 16, 2025
We will consider what is known as the "mechanical" valve-gear, with two sets of valves, one set of five valves being located on each side of the machine. Turn the machine slowly, until the pawls are at their lowest point of travel.
Then the windlass was manned once more, and the pawls clanked slowly, sullenly, irregularly, for a time, growing slower and slower still until there ensued a long pause, during which I heard the mate encouraging the crew to a special effort by shouting: "Heave, boys! heave and raise the dead! break him out! another pawl! heave!" and so on; then there occurred a sudden wrenching jerk, followed by a shout of triumph from the crew, the windlass pawls resumed their clanking at a rapid rate for a few minutes longer when they finally ceased, and I knew that our anchor was a-trip and that we had started on our long journey.
As they expected, there came soon the familiar racket of making sail and trimming yards and the clank of the capstan pawls. Then the anchor flukes scraped and banged against the bow timbers. The vessel heeled a little and the lapping water changed its tune to a swash-swash as the hull pushed it aside. The brig was alive and in motion.
As the balls rise, they depress the extremity, which comes in contact with the pawls sooner, and thereby shut the valves earlier; and on the contrary when the balls are depressed, the valves remain open longer; as the pawls come in contact with the stems always at one point, the steam valves open constantly, but are closed at any point by the relief of the pawls, according to the speed of the governor.
There the ships lie clumsily on their bulging sides in the ebb till the tar steams and blisters in the sun, or at the full they lift and fall heavily like a sigh for the ocean's expanse as they feel themselves prisoners to the rings and pawls.
Connected with the rocking plate R, and on opposite sides of its centre, the same as the exhaust valve connections, there are two levers, vibrating on a centre c, of which one only is shown, as it covers the other; to the upper ends of these levers pawls are attached, one end of which rests on the stems or rods connected with the handles s, s', of the steam valves; on these stems there are notches against which the pawls strike, and as the levers vibrate inward they push back the stems and thereby open the valves, and this continues for the whole length of the inward motion of the levers, or till the outer extremities of the pawls come in contact with the end of the short lever l, which, pushing down the outer end of the pawls, relieves the stems at the other ends, and the valve stem returns to its place through the force of springs attached to the outer extremities of the valve stems a, are cylindrical guides to the valve stems, at the inner extremities of which are air cushions.
"No, Sir," shouted the Second Mate. "I don't think so." A minute of some confusion followed; and then came the click of pawls. I could tell that they had taken the haulyards to the after capstan. Odd words floated up to me. "...all this water?" I heard in the Old Man's voice. He appeared to be asking a question. "Can't say, Sir," came the Second Mate's.
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