An electromagnetically actuated, linear reciprocating self-timed motor employs plural reciprocating electromagnet pistons which oscillate between opposed fixed electromagnets having primary and secondary coils. The fixed electromagnets are alternately energized to effect large repulsion forces between the fixed electromagnets and the reciprocating electromagnet pistons. Secondary coils carried by the fixed electromagnets cause electrical energy induced therein during reciprocation of the pistons to be fed back to the d.c. source supplying energy to the primary coils of the fixed electromagnets. A crankshaft driven rotor bearing permanent magnets develop signals within stationary pick-up coils for controlling switches for timed energization of the primary coils of the fixed electromagnets.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to electromagnetically actuated, linear 
reciprocating self-timed motors, and more particularly to such motors 
employing primary and secondary coils to permit induced energy feedback to 
the voltage source feeding the primary coils. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Traditionally reciprocating engines have been of the internal combustion 
type, wherein a gas-air mixture is exploded in the cylinder housing to 
drive the piston. In conventional four stroke engines, this results in 
only one power stroke for every two crank revolutions. Consequently, these 
engines are very inefficient. In addition, as has become painfully obvious 
in recent years, such internal combustion engines rely on a natural 
resource oil or gas fuel which is fast dwindling. However, the worst 
feature of all is the fact that these engines are severe polluters of the 
environment. Hence, there is a definite need for an alternative power 
source. 
There have, in the past, been several unsuccessful attempts to produce a 
reciprocating engine driven by magnetic forces. The prior art, of which 
applicant is aware, includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,198,934, 2,296,554, 
3,939,367 and 3,949,249. While these patents are exemplary of magnetic 
reciprocating engines or motors, the structures of the patents have failed 
to come to grips with two basic design aspects. The first, since magnetic 
force varies inversely as the square of the distance over which it acts, 
it is highly desirable to use magnetic repulsive forces rather than those 
of magnetic attraction to drive the piston or pistons. This is because 
replusive force can be used to fire the piston when it is in very close 
proximity to the driving magnet, whereas the forces of attraction must 
initially be exerted over a much greater distance (i.e., the length of the 
stroke). Thus, by utilizing the repulsive interactions, one obtains a 
force-crank angle relationship similar to that of the internal combustion 
engine during its power stroke. This is desirable since the piston will 
initially experience a very large driving force which drops off rapidly as 
the piston moves relative to the driving magnet so that at the end of the 
stroke the piston may be stopped with relative ease (at a point where 
magnetic repulsion is at a minimum). By using the forces of attraction, 
one obtains quite the opposite effect. This results in an inefficient 
power stroke which subjects the connecting parts to great stress at the 
end of each stroke. Secondly, the energy losses which have traditionally 
mitigated against electromagnetically actuated reciprocating motors are 
hystersis and eddy current losses. These problems have to be solved at 
their source. By utilizing modern grain oriented electrical sheet metals 
and modern lamination techniques, one can hold such losses to a minimum. 
It is a well known fact that electric motors are among the most efficient 
energy converters available today. Despite their wonderful energy 
conversion characteristics, however, these motors require prohibitively 
larger power supplies for most purposes. 
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved 
electromagnetically actuated, linear reciprocating self-timed motor which 
has increased power, which uses direct current which eliminates the 
necessity for reversing polarity during reciprocation of the piston. It is 
a further object of the present invention to provide an improved 
electromagnetically actuated, linear reciprocating self-timed motor which 
utilizes dual electromagnetic coils constituted by primary and secondary 
windings instead of simply one coil electromagnets to drive the pistons 
and thereby recycle the induced current from the secondary winding as a 
result of piston movement relative to the relatively fixed driving coil 
assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring first to FIG. 1, the improved electromagnetically actuated, 
linear reciprocating self-timed motor of the present invention is 
comprised of a rectangular case indicated generally at 1, within which 
mounts the basic elements of the motor. The motor is divided essentially 
about a vertical center line, FIG. 1, into a left cylinder bank indicated 
generally at 2 and a right cylinder bank indicated generally at 3. For 
each cylinder bank, there are three main components, a central and 
laterally reciprocating electromagnetic piston assembly indicated 
generally at 4 and, at opposite sides thereof and in line with that 
reciprocating piston assembly, end magnets, generally indicated at 5. 
Interposed between the left and right cylinder banks 2 and 3, is a 
crankshaft assembly indicated generally at 6 which is mechanically coupled 
to the various piston assemblies 4 to transform the reciprocating movement 
of the piston assemblies 4 into a shaft rotation. The crankshaft assembly 
6 includes as a principal component a crankshaft indicated generally at 
300 which terminates at one end in a timing distributor assembly indicated 
generally at 7 in dotted line fashion, FIG. 2. The timing distributor 
assembly components are generally shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. Both the 
electromagnetic pistons assemblies 4 and the end magnet assemblies 5 bear 
electromagnetic coils which are energized from a direct current source. In 
this case, a 24 volt d.c. battery is employed as the power source to the 
reciprocating electromagnetic motor. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer case 1 consists as indicated 
previously of left and right cylinder banks 2 and 3, respectively. As 
specifically shown in FIG. 3, the right cylinder bank 3 comprises a 
cylinder casing indicated generally at 100 which houses two end magnet 
holders indicated generally at 110, two end magnets 120 and one piston 
magnet holder indicated generally at 130. The piston magnet holder 130 
forming the principal component of the piston assembly 4 bears a single 
piston as at 140. Two adjustment screws 150 are provided for physically 
adjusting the longitudinal position of the magnet holders 110 to the right 
and left of the piston assembly 4 and thus, setting the gap between the 
piston 140 and the two end magnets 120 on opposite sides thereof. 
The cylinder housing 100 comprises two main supports in the form of 
horizontal struts 101 which are linked intermediate of their ends by way 
of two internal cross members 102 which span between the diametricaly 
opposed horizontal struts 101. At the ends of the horizontal struts 101, 
there are provided respectively, end cross members 103. The end cross 
members 103 are bolted to the horizontal struts by bolts 104 which are 
received within tapped and threaded holes 104A within the ends of the 
horizontal struts 101, the bolts 104 protruding through drilled holes 
103A. The piston assembly 4 components are mounted for reciprocation by 
way of legs 105 to which are welded at one end, the horizontally disposed 
piston track member 106. Track member 106 is U shapped forming laterally 
spaced tracks 106A. The legs 105 are welded at their ends opposite track 
member 106 to the cylinder housing or casing horizontal struts 101 at the 
top and bottom of the right and left cylinder banks. The piston track 
member 106 bears holes at 106C which hole is threaded so as to receive a 
threaded copper sleeve 164 of the electrical brush assembly 160. A carbon 
brush 163 which is a cylindrical member, is slidably positioned within the 
bore 164A of copper sleeve 164 which extends almost the complete length of 
the copper sleeve 164. A small diameter hole 164B is drilled within the 
bottom of the sleeve 164 to permit a lead or conductor 161 to pass 
therethrough, the conductor 161 being soldered to the copper sleeve such 
that a current is connected via the carbon brush to the coil of piston 140 
borne by the piston magnet holder 130. Coil spring 162 is interposed 
between the carbon brush 163 and the bottom of the copper sleeve 164 
bearing that carbon brush so as to bias the carbon brush outwardly as 
shown in FIG. 4. 
Each end magnet holder 110 for each end magnet assembly 5 is of rectangular 
open frame construction comprises a C-shaped block of magnetic material, 
FIG. 7, including a relatively thick base 110A and top segments as at 
110B, the base and top segments being connected together by way of 
longitudinally spaced vertical guide wall 110C at the front of that 
assembly and a much thicker vertical rear wall as at 110D. The walls 110C 
and 110D are integral with the base 110A and top portion 110B of the end 
magnet holder 110 but wall 110D extends only to the center line of the end 
magnet 120 borne by this portion of the assembly. Walls 110C and 110D bear 
circular recesses as at 110E and 110F, respectively. Hole 110E within wall 
110C allows the projecting end 140C of piston 140 to project therein 
during piston reciprocation. 
The end magnet assembly is completed at the rear (relative to the proximity 
of each end magnet assembly to the reciprocating piston) by the mounting 
of a rectangular shaped magnetic material vice clamp 115 between the base 
110A and the top 110B of the end magnetic holder. The vice clamp 115 
mounts to the face of side wall 110D, the vice clamp 115 bearing a 
semi-circular recess 115A to one side, which is a minor image of the 
recess 110F within side wall 110D. The vice clamp 115 includes holes 115B 
through which bolts 114 pass, the bolts 114 being received within tapped 
and threaded holes 114A of the side wall 110D at positions both below and 
above the recess 110F. At that end of the assembly the core 121 projects 
from the end of end magnet 120 and opposed sides are received within 
recesses 110F and 115A of members 110B and 115, respectively. The 
laminated core 121 which is formed of ARMCO M-6 magnetic steel, for 
instance, is surrounded by several layers of cambric insulation 122, FIG. 
6, wrapped by 400 secondary wraps of 18 gauge magnet wire, forming primary 
coil 123. Primary coil 123, in turn is wrapped by 400 primary wraps of 12 
gauge magnet wire, forming secondary coil 124. The primary and secondary 
coils 123 and 124 are held on either end by spool fittings 125. The 
secondary winding or coil 124 has a positive lead 123A and a negative 
ground 123B. Similarly, the primary winding or coil 123 has a positive 
lead 124A and a negative ground 124B. 
Turning next to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 8, the make-up of the piston assembly 4 
may be readily viewed particularly the nature of piston holder indicated 
generally at 130, and how that piston holder 130, in turn, mounts for 
reciprocating movement between the relatively fixed piston track members 
106. The piston holder indicated generally at 130 in similar to the end 
magnet holder 110 constitutes an open frame fashion magnetic assembly 
including laterally spaced end-walls 130A joined together near their 
bottoms, at opposite sides, by transverse curved struts 130B bearing 
arcuate recesses 130C on their upper faces upon which mounts piston 140. A 
pair of vice clamps 135, each bearing an arcuate recess as at 140A within 
the center of the same, form mirror images of the transverse struts 130B. 
They are mounted to the piston holder 130 via tapped and threaded holes 
136A within the struts and through which bolts 135 project, the bolts 
passing initially through drilled holes 135A within the vice clamps 135. 
Ball bearings 131 are mounted for rotation about their axes on the inside 
of vertical walls 130A, at the top and bottom thereof, via bolts 132 and 
separators or spacers 139. The ball bearings 131 freely rotate about their 
axes. The ball bearings 131 roll along the piston tracks 106A of the 
piston track members 106. The tracks bear lips 106B along one edge 
thereof. The piston indicated generally at 140 consists of a laminated 
core 140C of ARMCO M-6 magnetic material, for instance, as at 141, which 
is wrapped by 200 wraps of 12 gauge magnet wire forming an electromagnetic 
coil 144, the coil 144 being held at either end by plastic spool fittings 
143. Two copper strips 142 are glued across the piston periphery at the 
top and bottom which act as contacts for brushes 163 of the brush 
assemblies 160 at the top and bottom of the piston track members 106, FIG. 
8. The respective ends of the electromagnet winding are connected 
mechanically to respective conductive copper strips 142 at the top and 
bottom of the winding 144. As may be appreciated from FIG. 8, the piston 
assembly 4 tracks horizontally over the piston tracks 106A prevented from 
moving off the tracks by lips 106B with the ball bearings 131 providing 
low friction movement for the piston assembly 4. 
In order to shift each end magnet assembly 5 relative to the cylinder 
housing or casing 100 and to vary the gap between the end of the core 121 
of end magnet 120 and the ends projecting 140C of the core 141 of the 
piston 140, each end magnet holder is mounted within the cylinder housing 
or casing 100 for slight longitudinal adjustment. This is achieved by 
providing a threaded hole 110H within base 110A of each end magnet holder 
and threading an adjusting screw 150 within that base 110A, FIG. 3. The 
threaded portion of adjustment screw 150 is extended at each end by 
unthreaded reduced diameter shaft portions 150B, 150C. One portion 150B, 
is received within a cylindrical hole 150A of leg 105 while the opposite 
end portion 150C projects through a hole 150A within the end cross member 
103. The portion 150B projecting through hole 158 is slotted at 150D so 
that the shaft may be rotated to cause the base 110A to translate, forcing 
the end magnet 120 to shift towards or away from the piston 140 borne by 
the piston holder. Once positioned, a lock nut 151 which is threaded to 
the portion 150B of the adjusting screw 150 is locked down onto the end 
cross member 103, a washer 103A being interposed between the lock nut 151 
and the face of the end cross member 103. 
The motor is similar to a flatted internal combustion engine in that the 
central connecting crankshaft assembly 6 has interposed on opposite sides 
thereof, the left and right cylinder bank 2 and 3. The crankshaft 300 is 
mounted to the outer case 1 by way of a plurality of bearing assemblies 
indicated generally, at 303. Assemblies 303 include vertical support 
members 305 which are mounted upright on the base element 306 of the outer 
case 1. Marker 305 bear ball bearings as at 307 to permit the crankshaft 
300 to rotate about its axis. Five ball bearing assemblies 303 are 
provided in the illustrated embodiment for supporting the crankshaft 300 
at longitudinally spaced positions. A plurality of I-beam connecting rods 
201 are rotatably connected at opposite ends to piston assembly 4 and to 
the crankshaft 300. The I-beam connecting rods 201 contain a piston 
bearing ring 202 at one end defining a hole 134A for the piston bearing 
134 which is mounted to end bearing 134 is borne by a piston holder pin 
130D projecting outwardly of piston holder vertical end wall 130A. 
A crank bearin ring 304 is integrally formed on the opposite end of each 
connecting rod 201, and encloses or defining a hole 304A for the crank 
bearing 304. The crankshaft 300 is in turn found of a split type 
comprising five separate pieces each of which is press fitted with main 
bearings 307 borne by the main bearing support members 305. Further, eight 
flywheels 302 are linked in pairs by connecting pins 301, as shown, FIG. 
2. Each flywheel contains a center hole 300A through which the crankshaft 
pin 300B press fits and four peripheral holes 301A and 302A. Hole 301A 
press fits connecting pin 301 while holes 302A are provided therein to 
alleviate stress on the center hole 300A. Each bearing 304 is press fitted 
into the crank bearing ring 203 of connecting rod 201 and fits over 
connecting pin 301, with spacer 301C. Thus, each connecting rod is linked 
directly to one pair of flywheels and each piston to one pair of split 
connecting rods 201. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the timing distributor assembly 7, shown in dotted 
line, is positioned at one end of the crankshaft 300 to the left in FIG. 
2. The timing distributor assembly 7, FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, comprises 
distributor 400 which in turn consists of an outer ring 401 and an inner 
ring 402 which are mounted individually by way of posts to a base plate 
409. The base plate 409 bears a central aperture or opening as at 410 
which carries collar 411 through which projects a portion 300A of shaft 
300. The base plate 409 bears a peripheral flange as at 409A which has 
screws threaded to that flange by way of screws 412, an axially outer end 
plate 413. End plate 413 bears a circular hole as at 414, within which is 
mounted a collar 451 surrounding the projecting shaft portion 300A. The 
casing as defined by plates 409 and 415 is fixedly mounted to the cylinder 
housing or casing 100. The shaft portion 300A fixically bears a rotor 
assembly indiated generally at 408 constituted by a annular collar 408A 
which is locked to the shaft portion 300A by means of locking screw 407. 
Screw 407 threadably projects radially through the collar 408A to 
frictionally lock the collar 408A to the shaft portion 300A. Extending 
radially outwardly from collar 408A to the side of the collar opposite 
locking screw 407 is the rotor arm 408B. The collar and the arm may be 
formed of a non-magnetic material and within that arm are mounted a pair 
of radially spaced permanent magnets as at 405A and 406A; these permanent 
magnets rotating with the arm as the shaft 300 rotates. 
Underlying the permanent magnets 405A and 406A on the rotor assembly 408 
are a number of pick-up coils; two pick-up coils associated with permanent 
magnet 405A and two with permanent magnet 406A. In this respect, the outer 
ring 401 is fixedly mounted to the axially inner end plate 409 by way of a 
number of posts 403A which project from plate 410 at right angles thereto. 
The outer ring 401 bears adjustment screws 403 which pass through arcuate 
adjustment slots 403A, the screws being tightened down to the posts 403B 
to lock the outer ring at a given angular position. This locates the 
diametrically opposite pick-up coils 405 at particular positions with 
respect to the sweep of the rotor arm 408B and particularly, permanent 
magnet 405A which induces an electrical current within the pick-up coils 
405 as the permanent magnet 405A sweeps across the coils during rotation 
of shaft 300. Similarly, the inner ring 401 which has an outer dimater 
slightly less than the inner diameter of the outer ring 401 and which is 
concentric therewith, being mounted to the axially inner end plate 409 by 
way of a pair of posts 404B which extend perpendicular to the end plate 
409 and which bears threadably on their ends remote from plate 409, 
adjustment screws 404. These screws pass through arcuate, opposed 
adjustment slots 404A thereby permitting, by loosening of the screws, the 
angular shaft of the pick-up coils 406 borne by the inner ring 402 within 
limits defined by the extent of the arcuate slots 404A. The permanent 
magnet 406A which is radially inward of permanent magnet 405A is mounted 
on the arm of 408B at a position such that it sweeps across the tops of 
pick-up coils 406 thereby inducing electrical current pulses within those 
coils in succession as the shaft 300 rotates. 
The pick-up coils 405 and 406 are employed to inihibit or enable a current 
to the primary coils of end magnets 120 by way of the circuitry to be 
discussed with reference to FIG. 12, and thus provides a timing 
distributor mechanism for the motor. As may be appreciated, the angular 
position of the arm 408B may be ajusted relative to the crankshaft 300 by 
backing off the locking or set screw 407, rotating the arm, and then 
locking it at reset position. In connecting the battery, sequentially, to 
the primary coils of the end magnets 120, for each of the left or right 
cylinder banks, it may be seen that as the piston 140 for a given left or 
right cylinder bank approaches the end magnet during oscillation of the 
piston assembly, the primary coil of that end magnet is energized to set 
up a permanent magnet field which opposes the permanent magnet field 
created by energization of the single coil borne by the piston assembly. 
In that respect, the brushes 163 act to maintain the single coil 144 of 
each piston assembly continuously energized, there being no reversal in 
current and thus no change in electromagnetic field for the piston 
assemblies as they reciprocate on the tracks 106A from one end magnet to 
another. Thus, momentarily there is an intense magnetic repulsive force 
generated when the piston reaches top dead center with respect to that end 
magnet, causing the piston to be forcably driven towards the opposite end 
magnet which at that time is de-energized. As the piston moves towards the 
opposite end magnet, the end magnet causing that repulsive forced movement 
is deenergized, and when the opposite end face of the piston reaches top 
dead piston position with respect to the new end magnet it has just 
approached, that end magnet primary coil is energized to set up the 
required magnetic repulsion force created by like magnetic fields at the 
end of fixed end magnet and the facing end of the piston thereby rapidly 
driving the piston in the opposite direction. 
As an important aspect of the present invention, it must be appreciated 
that during the movement of the piston assembly which is formed of 
magnetic material, the moving magnetic lines of force generated by the 
energization of the primary coil of the piston are cut by fixed end magnet 
coil windings in turn generating an electrical current in the secondary 
winding of coil 123, which current may be fed back to the power source to 
recapture, a certain portion of the energy required to initiate the drive 
of the piston assembly. Thus, this effects a conservation of energy with 
improved efficiency in the transformation of electrical energy to 
mechanical force as derived by the shaft output rotation of crankshaft 
300. 
The motor control circuitry in accordance with the present invention will 
be discussed with reference to FIG. 12. Initially, both batteries 500 and 
502 are fully charged to 24 volts, thereby providing a high output from 
comparator 504 to the input of OR gate 506. In response thereto OR gate 
506 causes darlington pair 508 to conduct thereby closing relays 510 and 
512. With on/off toggle switch 514 closed, the power current flows from 
battery 500 through relay 510, through the variable speed control 
potentiometer 516 through either of relays 518 or 520 through the 
associated load M1/M3, or M2/M4, back to negative ground. When the 
distributor is aligned such that .theta.=0 relative to the center line, 
the RS flip-flop 522 is reset such that Q=0 and Q=1 thereby closing relay 
520 to complete the path through transformers M2/M4. On the other hand, 
when .theta. is approximately 180.degree., depending on the timing set, 
Q=1 and Q=0, thereby closing relay 518 and opening relay 520 so as to 
complete a path through transformers M1/M3. 
During the motion of the magnetized piston relative to the fixed coils of 
the end magnets, an induced current will flow from the secondary windings 
of the fixed end magnets through the full wave rectifiers 524 and 526 back 
to battery 502. When the charge on battery 500 falls below 20 volts, and 
the charge on battery 502 is above 20 volts, the output from AND gate 528 
will be low to force OR gate 506 low, which in turn closes relays 530 and 
532. The primary current will then flow from battery 502 to transformers 
M1/M3 or M2/M4, while the induced current will be directed back to battery 
500. Battery 502 will provide the primary current until the voltage on 
battery 502 falls below 20 volts while battery 500 rises above an 18 volt 
value. At this time, AND gate 528 will go high thereby forcing OR gate 506 
high. The darlington pair 508 is again turned on thereby causing relays 
510 and 512 to close. This state will then be maintained until either 
battery 502 rises above 20 volts or battery 500 falls below 18 volts. In 
the event that both batteries fall below an 18 volt value, battery 502 
will supply power to the motor. 
The very basis of the improvement in this art resides in using primary and 
secondary coils instead of simply electromagnets to drive the pistons in 
recycling the induced current from the secondary windings of those coils. 
As the engine speed increases, the induced secondary current increases 
proportionately to improve the energy conversion characteristics of the 
electric motor of this invention. 
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with 
reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those 
skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made 
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.