CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MUD METHOD OF ODMINT Man PROV IN THE METHOD OF OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lot Faulkner, of Cheadle, in the County of
Chester, Machinist, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MUD METHOD OF ODMINT
Manzin
"PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lot Faulkner at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th March 1853.
I, LOT FAULKNER, of Cheadle, in the County of Chester, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER" to be as
follows:-
In the first place I employ a double beam capable of vibrating upon
centres similar to the beam of an ordinary steam engine. To either or
both end or ends of the said beam I attach the weight to be raised,
or the machinery to be moved. At equal distances on each side of

page_text: the beam are two transverse shafts mounted in the beam, so as to be
capable of revolving. Upon one end of each shaft a weighted lever
is keyed, the said levers being upon opposite ends of their respective
shafts, so that there is one weighted lever upon each side of the beam.
The two shafts are connected together by spur gearing in such a
manner that they shall revolve in opposite directions, and that when
one weighted lever is in a perpendicular position immediately over its
centre, the other weighted lever shall be in a perpendicular position
below its respective centre. It will be observed that by this mode of
connecting the weighted levers together, one is always ascending whilst
the other descends, and vice versâ; so that they consequently act as
a counterbalance to each other.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the weights
to be in a perpendicular position, one above and the other below its
centre, it is evident then that the beam is balanced; but by turning
one of the shafts one fourth of a revolution it will be seen that both
the weights are brought to one side of the centre of the beam, and
consequently that end of the beam becomes considerably heavier.
Upon moving the shaft one half of a revolution more, it will be found
that both of the weights have passed over to the other side of the centre
of the beam, and thus the other end of the beam will in its turn have
become heavier. Hence it will be seen that by simply causing the shafts,
with their weighted levers, to revolve, each end of the beam will alter-
nately become the heavier, thus causing it to vibrate, and thereby
obtaining a motive power in proportion to the length of the levers
and the weights with which they are loaded. The only expenditure of
power required is for the purpose of causing the weighted levers to
revolve, which (as they counterbalance each other) need only be sufficient
to overcome the friction of their centres. And as the power required
for this purpose is so very small, in comparison with the force exerted
at the ends of the beam, it is evident that a great increase of motive
power is obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Lot Faulkner, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 30th September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
LOT FAULKNER, of Cheadle, in the County of Chester, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Lot Faulkner, Her especial licence
that I, the said Lot Faulkner, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
& such others as I, the said Lot Faulkner, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Lot Faulkner, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Lot Faulkner, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):
My improvements in the method of obtaining motive power are as
follows In the first place, I employ a double beam capable of vibrat-
ing upon centres, similar to the beain of an ordinary steam engine. To
either or both end or ends of the said beam I attach the weight to be
raised, or the machinery to be moved. At equal distances on each side

page_text: of the centre of the beam are two transverse. shafts, mounted in the
beam so as to be capable of revolving; or they may both be placed (if
preferred) upon the same side of the centre, near to it. Upon one end
of each shaft a weighted lever is keyed, the said levers being upon
opposite ends of their respective shafts, so that there is one weighted
lever upon each side of the beam. The two shafts are connected
together by spur gearing in such a manner that they shall revolve in
opposite directions, and that when one weighted lever is in a perpen-
dicular position immediately over its centre, the other weighted lever
shall be in a perpendicular position immediately below its respective
centre. It will be observed that by this mode of connecting the
weighted levers together, one is always ascending whilst the other
descends, and vice versa; so that they consequently act as a counter-
balance to each other. One of the transverse shafts is furnished with
a crank or lever which is connected to the beam by a lever and links
in such a manner that it acts as a guide or regulator, causing the move-
ment of the beam to be always equal.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the weights
to be in a perpendicular position, one above and the other below its
centre, it is evident that the beam is balanced; but, by turning one
of the shafts one fourth of a revolution, it will be seen that both weights
are brought to one side of the centre of the beam, and consequently
that end of the beam becomes considerably heavier. Upon moving
the shaft one half of a revolution more, it will be found that both
of the weights have passed over to the other side of the centre of
the beam, and thus the other end of the beam will in its turn have
become the heavier. Hence it will be seen, that by simply causing the
shafts with their weights to revolve, each end of the beam will alter-
nately become the heavier, thus causing it to vibrate, and thereby
obtaining a motive power in proportion to the length of the levers, and
the weights with which they are loaded. The only expenditure of
power required is for the purpose of causing the weighted levers to
revolve, which (as they counterbalance each other) need only be suf-
ficient to overcome the friction of their centres; and as the power
required for this purpose is so very small in comparison with the force

page_text: exerted at the ends of the beam, it is evident that a great increase of
motive power is obtained. When the weighted levers move at the
speed of about fourteen revolutions per minute, they will, by their
centrifugal force, raise about one third more than their own weight at
the end of the beam. The swifter they revolve, the less power is
required to move them, and the more power they will exert, whether
applied to reciprocating, rotary, or other motion.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention
of improvements in the method of obtaining motive power, together
with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would
remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention obtaining motive
power by means of weighted levers mounted upon a beam, and made
to revolve in such a manner that they shall cause each end of the said
beam to become alternately the heavier, and thus impart a vibratory
or oscillating motion thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lot Faulkner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
LOT FAULKNER. (L.S.)