Origin of "Out Straight", "Balls to the Wall" & "Balls Out"

On steam engines, there are a centrifugal regulator valves that have two small metal balls that spin to regulate steam pressure in boiler link. Faster they spin, they spread out. IE running balls out, ( going full speed) means the full rabge of spread is applied to the centrifigal valve.

**Broken Link(s) Removed**

Click link above to see example.

My grandfather also told me it was related to the steam engines as well( back in his Merchant Marines days of WW2). It was more massive than an auto distributor, but all follows the same logic.
We have all grown up with the same definitions, and the Aviation reference is for prop planes as well as jets.
Every look in the cockpit or a B17? B24? B19? C5A? C141? Boeing 777?

Freetown Fred remembers when he flew gliders into France back in 1944, and then the expression was actually a literal definition. Ouch!! How long did that soprano voice last???

I heard Jay Leno give the "balls out" explanation in regards to steam engines with the centrifugal governor.

I agree with the steam engine's pickering govener led to the phrase,balls to the wall. I was told another one from the old steam trains was " THE REAL McCOY " where a man had to lubricate all the moving parts invented the drip oiler. If this saying is true ?????

AA130FIREMAN wrote:I agree with the steam engine's pickering govener led to the phrase,balls to the wall. I was told another one from the old steam trains was " THE REAL McCOY " where a man had to lubricate all the moving parts invented the drip oiler. If this saying is true ?????

Yes, you are correct, the McCoy lubricator is what made high speed, modern long distance transportation possible. The correct term for that type of lubricator is, "hydrostatic," it is based on the principle that oil floats on top of water. I have a lot of experience with these in my years of running and firing steam locomotives. It is a truly ingenious device, but very dangerous if you don't know how how to adjust or fill it with oil.
And yes,"Balls to the wall," is most certainly about the planetary governors on a stationary steam engine.

wsherrick wrote: .... It is a truly ingenious device, but very dangerous if you don't know how how to adjust or fill it with oil. .....

How is it dangerous? What do you need do to make it not dangerous? I recall seeing them on a show once, but I'm not sure if I understand exactly how they work.

I feel I need to know just in case I ever start fiddling with steam.

SMITTY wrote:

wsherrick wrote: .... It is a truly ingenious device, but very dangerous if you don't know how how to adjust or fill it with oil. .....

How is it dangerous? What do you need do to make it not dangerous? I recall seeing them on a show once, but I'm not sure if I understand exactly how they work.

I feel I need to know just in case I ever start fiddling with steam.

Hydrostatic Lubricators are basically two chambers one above the other connected by two tubes. One tube is to direct condensed water down in to the bottom of the lower chamber where the oil is stored. The second tube is controlled with a needle valve which regulates the flow of oil up to the top chamber. The top chamber is directly connected to the boiler head and thus steam at full boiler pressure enters the top chamber and cools, thus condensing into water. The pressure from the top pushes the condensed water, again under full boiler pressure, down into the oil cellar. The oil is then pushed up drop by drop to the top chamber and forms a layer of oil which is then forced by pressure to what ever part is being lubricated. If you don't know what you are doing and you open the refill plug to fill the oil cellar you can be covered in superheated oil and hot steam, thus ruining your day. The fill plug can also blast out at you after you loosen it and you can end up with the plug blasting through your head, also ruining your day.

Ahhh gotcha. Thanks for the info!