IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTION (DRIVING) TO MACHINERY
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Prosper Achille Dohis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1883.
"
PROSPER ACHILLE DOHIS of Paris in the Republic of France IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTION (DRIVING) TO
MACHINERY
"
This invention relates to certain improvements in the means or apparatus for
transmitting motion (driving power) to machinery the object being to provide
ineans for regulating controlling and storing natural forces in order that they may
be rendered applicable for use.
In nature there is a great number of natural forces which may be considered
under the two heads of (1) animate forces and (2) inanimate forces. Under the
first of those headings are classed inan, horses mules oxen dogs and so forth the
powers of which are utilised in various ways according to custom or requirement.
Under the second of these headings are to be classed water courses, water falls.
wave motion currents of air and wind which are utilized by means of special
receivers water-wheels turbines wind mills and so forth.
The reason that these forces are so little used is due to the fact of their
irregularity in consequence whereof the power is given off intermittently
According to this invention there is interposed in the course of the transmission
of the power to the engine or machinery a regulator-accumulator which takes up
the irregularities and intermitancy of the power and delivers the same regularly to
the work such accumulator being proportioned to the motive force thus for small
forces a spring cylinder or a weight cord or chain and cylinder will be conveniently
employed and for greater forces a number of powerful springs will be employed or
a receptacle for compressed air and so forth as the case may be but these general
directions are given for purpose of leading up to a clear understanding of the
underlying principle of the invention and whatever may be the modification in
parts the power from its source will be first communicated to the accumulator and
thence to the work the irregular continued supply serving to sustain the energy of
the accumulator which will be given off in a continuous and uniform supply for
working the machine or machinery or electric apparatus vehicle boat or vessel and
so forth which has to be driven

page_text: For animate forces I make these accumulators as follows:-One worked by man
power such as will be driven by pedals and leave the operator's hands free to
execute other work such as pedal machines sewing machines, circular saws fret
saws, mules lathes, ventilators and so forth
The operator will be seated before a table or machine and the feet will be placed
on two pedals connected by links and clutch to arbors of springs enclosed in a
barrel, the action of the operator being thus simply a pushing forward action of the
feet. When once the springs are wound up the feet may be used sufficiently only
to keep up the tension as the barrel is turned by them.
The movement of the springs and barrel is communicated to an accelerating train
of gears composed of toothed wheels and pinions in number as required and the
axle of the last wheels carries a fly wheel or driving wheel which by gears or pulley
and strap gives off the motion to the work.
The clutch motion of the spring barrel is effected by a quadrant shoe which is
rocked on a stud and engages with a grooved pulley of the axis of the spring and
these are used alternately.
The speed of the driven machinery is regulated by means of a brake
For inanimate power I will give as illustration a wind mill driving a dynamo-
electric machine which driving demands great regularity whilst at the same time
the wind mill is par-excellence an irregular motor.
It will not be necessary to change the ordinary disposition of the sails nor of the
organs of transmission up to the power shaft, but before this there is interposed an
accumulator in the form of an air pump and a large reservoir in which the air will
attain a variable pressure according to the capacity to be given to the regulator fly
wheel in relation to the intensity of the natural force communicated by the wind
mill. The cubic capacity of the reservoir should be such that the shocks and
irregularities of the action of the air pump will be absorbed so that there can be
discharged therefrom à continuous vein of air at a constant pressure so that by use
of an air turbine or other convenient means there will be positively produced a
force constant in intensity and quantity for purpose of driving the dynamo-machine.