This section is from the book "The Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia", by Luke Hebert. Also available from Amazon: Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia.
A weight applied to balance the vibrating parts of machinery upon their axes, so as to cause them to turn freely, and to require little power to put them in motion; also a weight by which a lever acted upon by an intermitting force is returned to its position, as in the case of the beam of a single acting steam engine.
 
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