Abstract:
An inertial propulsion unit converts centrifugal force to linear motion using two or more masses. The masses are connected to telescoping arms that rotate about a single axis. The rotating telescopic arms are guided along a closed path by a guide. The telescopic arms extend and retract as they rotate around the closed path changing the inertial moments of each of the telescopic arms. A resultant linear force from the rotating telescopic arms provides a propulsion force suitable for a vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to propulsion devices. More particularly, the invention relates to propulsion devices that convert rotational forces into linear motion. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    An object directed along a curved path will exert a force against the directing structure. The force is produced because an object that changes direction or speed is accelerating. The force produced is commonly referred to as centrifugal force and is directly proportional to the mass of the object, the radius of curvature of the curved path through which the object moves, and the square of the angular velocity of the spinning object. Thus, doubling the angular velocity (the number of revolutions per minute) of the object increases the centrifugal force exerted by a factor of four, while doubling the mass of the object or the radius only doubles the centrifugal force. This is shown in the following formula: 
         [0000]      Radial  G  force=((Revolutions per sec) 2 *39.48*Radius in feet)/Gravitational acceleration in feet per second squared (32.14). 
         [0005]    The centrifugal force produced by a body directed along a curved path is often expressed in units of “g&#39;s”. The centrifugal force in g&#39;s is the number of times larger the centrifugal force is than the force due to the normal pull of gravity. The g force may be a surprisingly large force. For example, an object rotating at a rate of five thousand revolutions per minute along a circular path with a radius of 12 inches generates a centrifugal force equal to 8488 times the normal pull of gravity. 
         [0006]    A device that transforms the centrifugal force produced by a rotating body into a linear force may be used as a propulsion system on common transport vehicles, such as submersibles, boats, hovercraft, automobiles, trains, aircraft and space vehicles. In the past, attempts have been made to produce machines with such a propulsion system. 
         [0007]    Many of these machines have rotating mass members that shift a mass to adjust the center of gravity relative to the axis of rotation. The result is a centrifugal force greater in the region where the mass has been shifted. By shifting the mass, the length of the radius of curvature of the mass also changes. The conservation of angular momentum causes a corresponding decrease in the speed of the mass as it is shifted away from the center of rotation. An example of a machine of this type is disclosed by Cook (U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,707). 
         [0008]    Machines of this type, although workable, are not efficient enough to produce adequate linear force for general use. One problem with these machines is that they are limited in rotational speed by complex gear, shaft or pulley structures limiting their ability to fully exploit the velocity squared portion of the centrifugal force equation. 
         [0009]    It has long been recognized by those skilled in the art that there is a need for propulsion devices that efficiently convert rotational force into a linear force. Applicant&#39;s invention addresses this need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a propulsion device that efficiently converts centrifugal force into linear force and linear movement. 
         [0011]    Another object of the invention is to provide a propulsion device for a vehicle. 
         [0012]    Still another object of the invention is to induce linear motion without frictional engagement of the vehicle with a surface of travel. 
         [0013]    The invention provides a device for converting the force from a rotating mass to a linear force for propelling a vehicle. An arm having telescoping joints rotates about a pivot point. Dense masses may be positioned at the end of each telescoping joint to increase centrifugal force. The telescoping joints are guided by a guide that causes them to extend and retract as the arm rotates. The extending and retracting telescoping joints move the dense masses in a radial direction relative to the pivot point. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, the arm has two telescoping joints with one on each side of the pivot point and masses positioned at the ends of the telescoping joints. Each of the telescoping joints extends and retracts to complementary maximums and minimums every 180 degrees. At these points, there is a centrifugal force bias in favor of the portion of the arm that is maximally displaced. This bias begins 90 degrees of rotation prior to the maximum displacement and ends 90 degrees of rotation after the maximum displacement. At every point along this 180 degree arc of rotation, the mass on a first portion of the arm generates more force than the mass on a second portion of the arm. 
         [0015]    The result of the arm having the pair of masses at different radii along the 180 degree arc of rotation is an imbalanced centrifugal force. The push of the extended mass cancels the reverse push of the retracted mass eliminating any “Stick-Slip” action. Stick-Slip action is found in many conventional revolving machine designs which make them unsuitable for use as propulsion devices in non-friction environments. 
         [0016]    The centrifugal force imbalance may be converted into a linear unidirectional force component by mounting the arm on a wheeled or floating vehicle chassis. With the force component pointed away from the ground it can be used to lift an aircraft or space vehicle. With the force component pointed toward the ground it can act to increase traction in ground vehicles or force a submergible vehicle down. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The exact nature of this invention, as well as the objects and advantages thereof, will become readily apparent from consideration of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a single arm embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a two arm embodiment of the invention showing the arms in a position of maximum linear force. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the two arm embodiment of  FIG. 2  showing the arms in a position of minimum linear force. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a four arm embodiment of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention having three degrees of rotational freedom. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a simplified embodiment of the propulsion device  100  of the invention. An arm  101  has a pivot point  102  that is affixed to a rotating means (not shown). The arm  101  has two telescoping portions  104   106  that allow each side of the arm  101  to independently extend and retract. Each side of the arm  101  is connected with a guide  108 . The guide  108  center is offset from the pivot point  102 . A pair of masses  114  may be attached to each end of the aim through a pair of pivots  116 . 
         [0024]    The rotating means (not shown) rotates the arm  101  about the pivot point  102 . As the arm  101  rotates the guide  108  guides each side of the arm  101  along the path. The telescoping sections  104  and  106  extend and retract allowing each side of the arm  101  to traverse regions of varying radii. When the side of the arm  101  having telescoping section  104  traverses a first region  110  the side of the arm having telescoping section  106  traverses a second region  112 . The side of the arm  101  traversing the first region  110  has a shorter length than the side of the arm  101  traversing the second region  112 . The pair of masses  114  may be guided by the guide  108  along the path. The masses  114  may rotate to compensate for the varying radii of the path. The path may be substantially elliptical. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a two armed embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2  shows the propulsion device in a position of maximum linear force and  FIG. 3  shows the propulsion device in a position of minimum linear force. The first arm  202  and the second arm  204  have a brace  206  that is connected to a motor pinion  208 . The arms  202  and  204  each have first  210  and second  212  telescoping portions. Each end of the arms  202  and  204  is connected to a mass carriage  213 . The mass carriages  213  have wheels  214  that contact a guide  216 . The center of the guide  216  is offset from the motor pinion  208 . 
         [0026]    The motor pinion  208  spins turning the brace  206  and the arms  202  and  204 . The arms  202  and  204  rotate the mass carriages  213 . The wheels  214  of the mass carriages  213  are guided along a path defined by the guide  216 . As the mass carriages  213  rotate along the path, telescoping sections  210  and  212  of arms  202  and  204  extend and retract to accommodate the varying radial distances from the motor pinion  208  to the guide  216 . 
         [0027]    The force vectors of telescopic sections  210  and  212  are in opposite directions. The force vectors are generally of unequal magnitude due to the difference in rotation speed and radial distance of the mass carriages  213  from the motor pinion  208  as the mass carriages  213  traverse the path defined by the guide  216 . 
         [0028]    Through the use of several mathematical formulae it can be shown that the force vector of the extended portion of the telescopic arm is greater than the force vector of the retracted portion of the telescopic arm. The greater force vector cancels the lesser force vector and a resultant force in the direction of the greater force vector is apparent for any rotation angle except for the case when the telescopic arms  210  are extended equally, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows a four arm embodiment of the invention. A motor  402  has a drive shaft with a pinion  404 . The pinion  404  is connected to two arm gears  406 . The two arm gears  406  are connected with two arm center units  408 . The two arm center units  408  are arranged perpendicular to each other. The arm center units  408  each accommodate two slide-able arms  410 . The slide-able arms  410  are each connected with a mass carriage  412  that pivots on a carriage pivot  414 . The mass carriage  412  has wheels  416 . The wheels  416  contact a guide  418 . The guide  418  is offset from the rotation center of the arm center units  408 . 
         [0030]    The motor  402  turns the drive shaft and the pinion  404  turns the arm gears  406 . The arm gears  406  turn the center units  408  and the slide-able arms  410 . The slide-able arms  410  rotate, driving the mass carriages  412  along a path defined by the guide  418 . The slide-able arms  410  translate in and out of the center units  408  to accommodate the varying distances from the rotation center to the guide  418 . 
         [0031]    During operation, the orthogonal mounting of pairs of slide-able arms  410  results in one pair of slide-able arms  410  maximally extended and a complementary pair of slide-able arms  410  maximally retracted when the other two slide-able arm  410  pairs are identically extended. 
         [0032]    Having complementary mass carriages  414  in rotation eliminates the “Stick-Slip” Strong-Weak alternating force vector characteristic of conventional devices that convert rotation into a single directional force vector. 
         [0033]    At the rotation angle where a slide-able arm  410  pair is maximally extended and the complementary slide-able arm  410  pair is maximally retracted, the slide-able arms  410  generate a centrifugal force vector, away from the rotational center point. The amount of force being proportional to the mass of the slide-able arms  410 , the mass of the mass carriage  412 , wheels  416 , any other mass that slides with the slide-able arms  410 , the velocity and radial distance from the center of rotation. 
         [0034]    This embodiment eliminates the zero force vector point shown in  FIG. 3  when the two telescoping arms  210  and  212  are extended equally. When pairs of slide-arms are equally extended, there is a pair of slide-able arms  410  maximally extended and a complementary pair of slide-able arms  410  maximally retracted. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of a three degree of freedom embodiment of the invention. Two propulsion devices  100  are mounted in a gimbal having three degrees of freedom. A first set of pivots  502  provides the first degree of rotational freedom. A second set of pivots  504  provides the second degree of rotational freedom. A third set of pivots  506  provides the third degree of rotational freedom. 
         [0036]    The gimbal system may be mounted in a vehicle chassis to allow the vehicle to rotate relative to the force vector. The gimbal system allows the vehicle to change its pitch, roll and heading relative to the force vector. 
         [0037]    Two propulsion devices having opposite arm rotation direction may be mounted next to each other canceling the torque effects generated by the devices themselves. 
         [0038]    A set of gyroscopic controllers and sensors may be mounted on or near the gimbal system to monitor the angular position pivots  502 ,  504  and  506  and control the direction of the force vector. The gimbal system allows the vehicle to rotate about all three rotational axes.