The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-07-12
AMEcHANIcAL A TRIUMPH,
An Invention Which Does Away wit
the Dead Point" in the Crank.

An Invention Which Does Away with
the Dead Point" in the Crank.
The Racine (Wis. argus says:
Thomas Morton, a member of the
senior class of Racine College and a
resident of Racine has invented an
improvement upon the crank, which
is deemed by many practical engi
neers and scientific men likely to
prove one of the valuable and great
est Of the age.
Persons familiar with machinery
are aware that there are two dead
points in the crank where all the
power is lost; a balance wheel is ne,
cessary to carry the machinery be.
yond these points, the balance wheel
is not able of itself to generate any
force SO that double the power is re
quired, one half to turn the machin-
cry while the crank is working, and
the other half to give sufficient mo-
mentum to the balance wheel to
carry the machinery beyond the
points where the cranks cannot act.
Mr.. Morton's improvement does
away with the dead points entirely,
and keeps the power continually up
on the long lever, or, as the engi-
neers call it, the half centre, thus
very nearly doubling the power, and
so saving great amount Of fuel in
engines. II can readily be applied
to all kinds Of crank machinery, en-
gines, lathes, sewing machines, DC.
Mr.. Morton went in person to
Washington and procured a patent.
He said the men in the patent Office
pronounced his invention wholly
new from anything they had ever
seen, also the engineers at the Cap
itol building gave it as their opinion
that it was very excellent improve
ment, and perfect success.
No one has yet given a reason
why it will not work and the only
argument raised against it is that it
has been labored at ever since steam
engines were first invented many
men having spent their fortunes and
lives in searching after it, and peo-
pie cannot believe that Mr.. Morton.
being young, and not practical
mechanic, has really found the
secret.
The simplicity of the invention is
almost ridiculous, and makes one
laugh and wonder why it was never
thought of before. 1t consists of a
rachel wheel which takes the place
of the crank; over this rachet wheel
runs a frame, In the two sides of
which are movable cogs or pawls;
when the connecting rod drives the
frame out the cogs on one side act
upon the teeth of the wheel and car
ry it half way round, while at the
same time the cogs on the other
side, working in a contrary direc-
tion, when touched by the teeth of
the wheel are thrown out of the wav
and the instant they scrape the
teeth of the wheel they adjust them
selves by their own weight, or bv
any means Of springs, and so are
ready to carry the wheel the remain
ing half revolution when the con
Meeting rod is drawn in; thus a reyo- |
luton is obtained with every stroke
Of thepiston, and no time is lost.
Mr.. MontOn got up the invention
and demonstrated it in two days. |
and declares that he never thought /
of it before in his life; in fact he |
never knew that there was anything
wanting in the crank. His surprise
can only be imagined when he found
that his simple little idea had open
ed prospect for fame and wealth, !