IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th July 1869.-A communication from abroad by Louis Bastet,
of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of "Improvements in Electro-magnetic Engines"
consists in arranging electro-magnets in a circle in combination with a
series of armatures, the number of armatures in the circle being greater
than the number of magnets, so that when the circuit is broken and
closed from one magnet to the next in the circle the distance through
which the attracting force shall have to act on the next armature in
the circle shall be equal only to the difference between the distance
of the centres of two adjacent magnets and the distance between the
centres of two adjacent armatures; also the application of a distribut-
ing wheel and circuit breaker in combination with electro-magnets and
armatures.. The distributing wheel is so constructed that it can be

page_text: turned on its axis relatively to the circuit breaker, either to the right or
left, so as to reverse the motion of the engine at pleasure.
Another improvement relates to the means. of moistening and cooling
the surface of the distributing wheel and circuit breaker. The engine
consists in a suitable frame which carries a rotating shaft. A hub is
mounted on this shaft, from which projects a series of arms that carry
armatures arranged at equal distances apart and at equal distances from
the centre of the axis of the shaft. These armatures are arranged in
pairs projecting from each side of each arm and parallel with the axis
of the shaft, and with a view to strengthen the arms which carry these
armatures their outer ends may be connected by a rim or felloe; by
this means a fly wheel is formed. It is proposed in the present
instance to use only eight pairs of armatures, but the number can be
varied at the will of the constructor.
The machine is worked in the following manner :-The fly or armature
wheel is caused to rotate by the alternate pull of a series of electro-
magnets, the alternate breaking and closing of the circuit being effected
by a distributing wheel. The electro-magnets, of which there are twelve
in the present instance, are arranged in pairs and are made of horse-shoe
form; they are secured to two sleeve hubs (six magnets on each hub),
mounted one on each side of the main shaft and fixed to the frame
so as not to rotate. These electro-magnets are wrapped around with
insulated wire in the usual way and are connected together in pairs so
that there will be three pairs on each side of the fly wheel. The wire is
then passed down below the fly or armature wheel to the corresponding
pairs of electro-magnets on the other side of the armature wheel. By
this means two sets of magnets on each side of the armature wheel will
form a series, and the wires from each separate series will be connected
or hitched to their respective section of a distributing wheel. As there
are six sets of electro-magnets in the circle and at equal distances
apart and eight sets of armatures in the circle at equal distances apart, it
will be understood that when two sets of magnets are in line with two
sets of armatures the other magnets will not be in line with any other
sets of armatures, but will be within attracting distance, so that if the
current of electricity be cut off from the first-mentioned set of magnets
and completed with the second set of magnets and the armatures
nearest to them, the latter will be attracted and will thus turn the
armature wheel until these armatures get into line with the magnets,

page_text: when the circuit will be broken, and the operation will be repeated with
respect to the following sets of magnets and armatures. The distributing
wheel is mounted on the main shaft, but connected with the frame so
that it does not turn with the shaft, and consists of three conducting
rings separated from each other by any suitable insulating material.
The periphery of the wheel is composed of alternate strips of conductors.
The respective terminal wires of the magnets are connected respectively
by a suitable hitch with one of the rings above mentioned. On the
end of the shaft is a metallic or conducting arm, which carries a metallic
roller termed the circuit breaker. The periphery of this roller as the
armature wheel rotates rolls around in contact with the periphery of
the distributing wheel, and hence in contact with the conducting strips,
which may be termed keys. A metallic spring from the positive pole of
the battery rests against the hub of the arm of the circuit breaker, so that
as the roller passes on to either of the keys the current of electricity will
pass through the ring and thence through the coils of the magnets in
connection with that ring, and by the opposite terminal of the coils to
the negative pole of the battery, and as the circuit to the other
magnets is then broken the armatures nearest to these magnets (thus
magnetized) will be attracted, and the rotation (thus induced) will carry
the roller from that key to the next, which will break the circuit first
named and close the next through the ring and the magnets connected
therewith. The distributing wheel is also provided with an arm or lever
by means of which the wheel can be turned to the right or left. Below
the distributing wheel there is a cup to contain water or sponge wetted
with water and is so situated that at every revolution the roller of the
circuit breaker will be moistened and will transfer a portion of that
moisture to that portion of the periphery of the distributing wheel on
which the roller travels. This will effectually prevent the surface of the
keys and roller from being oxidized by the current of electricity, which
if not prevented will soon impede the working of the engine.