IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, of Rome, in the Kingdom of
Italy, but temporarily of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harriet Goodhue Hosmer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th September 1881.
HARRIET GOODHUE HOSMER, of Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy, but temporarily
of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE
POWER ENGINES."
My Invention is based upon the principle that by shifting a weight to the then
highest or upward side of a swinging pendulum, the pendulum will be caused on
each return stroke to swing to the fullest extent, and the Invention consists in the
application of this principle to the production of motive power.
To this end I employ a rolling weight, which after expending its force is restored
to such a position that its force may be again exerted.
This weight rests upon rails provided with stops, and carried in a ring at the
bottom of a pendulum, which pendulum oscillates upon a knife edge or between
centres suitably supported. Below the rails are centred two curved levers, each of
which has at one extremity a friction wheel, and at the other a counterweight.
The counterweights are employed at the proper moment for reversing the position
of the rolling weight. Below the pivots of the levers, and rigidly attached to the
pendulum, is a curved arm which is provided with two fixed stops or catches. One
of these catches takes over an adjustable catch placed at the end of a counter-
weighted lever pivotted to a standard rising from the base plate.
Suitably arranged in the radius of a circle struck from the pendulum centres are
stops against which the counterweight on one of the curved levers strikes.
To the ring of the pendulum are fixed two pawls, which during the strokes of
the pendulum, alternately actuate a ratchet wheel, thus giving motion to a fly
wheel with which the ratchet wheel is connected. The action of the apparatus is
as follows:-Let it be supposed that the pendulum is to be swung from right to
Dell

page_text: left, the weight must first be placed on the right or then upward side of the
pendulum.
The pendulum is let go and swings to the left. As the pendulum is caught by
the catches and lever arrangement the counterweight on the end of the curved
lever comes into contact with a stop which rocks the lever and causes the bowle on
the other end thereof to force over the rolling weight to the other or then upward
side of the pendulum, preparatory to the return stroke. The shifting of the rolling
weight has the effect of causing an arm to act on and depress the counterweighted
catch levers, thus releasing the pendulum, which then swings back to the opposite
point, where the same action takes place, a corresponding arrangement of stops,
catches, and accessories being placed on that side also.
The swinging of the pendulum causes the pawls which it carries to engage
alternately in the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and so turns the fly-wheel. A cor-
responding arrangement of pendulum with its accessories is placed on the opposite
side of the fly-wheel and acts thereon in a similar manner.
The apparatus can be constructed in several ways for increasing the motive
power, namely, the application of a series of pendulums (with their rolling weights)
and wheels communicating motion to a shaft carrying a heavy fly wheel
It will be evident that other means may be devised for shifting the rolling
weight at the proper moment, as well as for communicating motion to the flywheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Harriet Goodhue Hosmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th March 1882.
HARRIET GOODHUE HOSMER, of Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy, but temporarily
of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE
POWER ENGINES."
My Invention is based upon the principle that by shifting a weight to the then
highest or upward side of the swinging pendulum the pendulum will be caused at
each stroke to swing to the fullest extent, and the Invention consists in the
application of this principle to the production of motive power.
To this end I employ a rolling weight, which after its force has been expended
in one direction is moved to such a position that its force may be exerted in the
contrary direction.
This weight rests and runs upon a pair of rails carried by the pendulum, which
oscillates upon a knife edge or between centres suitably supported, and locking
and unlocking mechanism provided to hold the pendulum at the end of its stroke
while the weight is shifting, to hold the weight when shifted, and for releasing the
pendulum.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved apparatus ;
Fig. 2, an end view of the apparatus shewing the manner of applying the
oscillating motion to the production of rotary motion; and Fig. 3, a plan view
shewing the arrangement of mechanism for locking and releasing the pendulum.
A, A', are two pendulums which are hung from centres B, carried by a suitable
framing or beam C. D, D, are standards supporting a shaft E, on either end of
which and outside the standards is keyed a ratchet wheel F, F, a fly wheel a
being keyed on the shaft between the standards. The pendulums A, A', are each
formed at their lower ends with a ring a set transversely of the direction of swing
of the pendulum; and conveniently secured to the bottom of the ring a is a pair of
rails b, b, with turned up ends. The rails form the track on which a ball weight H
runs from side to side according to the position of the pendulum, as will be here-
after more particularly explained. Above the ring a is a self-acting locking
arrangement I, which is intended to hold the ball weight H on one side or
other of the pendulum as required. This locking arrangement consists of a vertical
bolt c and a horizontal bolt c¹ acting in conjunction, and which slide in recesses
formed in the block I. The bolt c' will be held clear of the bolt c by a suitable
catch, which will be released by the ball H rolling over. As soon as the ball has
rolled over the bolt c will drop behind it, and at the same time the bolt c¹ will slide
forward over the top of the bolt c and lock it. To ensure that these bolts shall
slide freely friction rollers d, d, are provided, on or against which the bolts rest.
A corresponding locking arrangement is placed on either side of the pendulum,
and it is the arrangement which is on the then uppermost side of the pendulum
which is always in action.
It will be understood from the Drawings that the bolts c will slide in or out of
action automatically according to the inclination of the pendulum.
Below the ring is secured a socket piece e which carries on one side thereof a
bowle el, In this socket piece e works a slide f, on the outer end of which is a
bowle f.
As the pendulum swings over, this bowle f¹ runs up an inclined plane g,
and the slide fis driven up into the socket e. The continued movement of the
pendulum. causes the bowle f' to pass over a locking device, and when clear the

page_text: weight, as they are given only as examples, and are obviously capable of several
modifications, but what I claim under the above in part recited Letters Patent
is,—
First. A motive power engine in which the power is derived from the swinging
of a pendulum or pendulums, the force of the swing being increased by means of a
weight which at the end of each stroke is shifted to the then highest side of the
pendulum as herein described.
Second. The arrangement of apparatus constituting a motive power engine,
substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
H. G. HOSMER. (L.S.)