IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES."-A
communication from Thomas C. Avery, of the City, County, and State of
TT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd December 1854.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC
ENGINES," a communication from Thomas C. Avery, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to various mechanical arrangements for the obtainment
of motive power from electro-magnetism, by the use or on the principle of a
"magnetic multiplying motive power engine." Four or more electro-magnets
are combined in pairs, so as to present their poles towards a common centre,
leaving space between the poles to admit an axis. This axis is connected with

page_text: one of the poles of the actuating battery, so as to form a part of the galvanic
circuit, and it is carried at its two ends upon the frame of the machine, being
capable of rotating freely under the action of the magnets upon levers attached
to the axis. At the points where the ends of the magnets approach the axis,
pieces of of brass or other non-magnetic material are interposed to prevent the
action. On each side of these brass collars, arms or levers are arranged upon
the axis, and between each two of these levers the ends or legs of the magnets
are allowed to pass. It is on, these levers that the magnetic action takes place,
the action being alternate just as the cams on the end of the revolving axis
break and close the circuit through the opposite pairs of electro-magnets; in
this way continuous rotation of the axis or main spindle is obtained. The
essential features of the Invention' are the arrangement and combination of the
helices and poles of the electro-magnets in combination with revolving bars,
the helices being upon the .bends of. the magnets, from which the poles of the
magnets extend towards the centre of motion, and the revolving bars or
armatures extend outwards from the centre of motion and embrace the poles
of the magnets successively as the revolution goes on. The current of mag-
netism and electricity is also combined in such manner that the power obtained
is due to the size of, or bears a relation to, the mass of iron under excitement.
One pole of the battery wire is connected with one end of the wire of the
helices of the different magnets, the other wire of the same helices being con-
nected with the palls for making and breaking contact in connection with the
cams, which again are in connection with the shaft or frame of iron. The wire
from the pole of the battery being connected with the shaft, as the shaft
rotates, the palls and cams break and close the electric current.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
'said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the' said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
5 at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter, during the term therein expressed, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES," a communication from Thomas
C. Avery, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 'Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to various mechanical 'arrangements for the
obtainment of motive power from electro-magnetism, by the use or on the
principle of a magnetic multiplying motive power engine. Four or more
electro-magnets are combined in pairs, so as to present their poles towards a
common centre, leaving space between the poles to admit an axis. This axis
is connected with one of the poles of the actuating battery, so as to form a part
of the galvanic circuit, and it is carried at its two ends upon the frame of the
machine, being capable of rotating freely under the action of the magnets upon
levers attached to the axis. At the points where the ends of the magnets
approach the axis, pieces of brass or other non-magnetic material are interposed
to prevent the action. On each side of the brass collar, arms or levers are
arranged upon the axis, and between each two of these levers the ends or legs
of the magnets are allowed to pass. It is on these levers that the magnetic
action takes place, the action being alternate just as the cams on the end of
the revolving axis break and close the circuit through the opposite pairs of
electro-magnets; in this way continuous rotation of the axis or main spindle
is obtained. The essential features of the Invention are the arrangement and

page_text: combination of the helices and poles of the electro-magnets in combination wit
revolving bars, the helices being upon the bends of the magnets, from which
the poles of the magnets extend towards the centre of motion, and the revolving
bars or armatures extend outwards from the centre of motion, and embrace the
poles of the magnets successively as the revolution goes on.
The current o
magnetism and electricity is also combined in such manner that the powe
obtained is due to the size of, or bears a relation to, the mass of iron unde
excitement. One pole of the battery wire is connected with one end of the
wire of the helices of the different magnets, the other wire of the same helices
being connected with the palls for making and breaking contact in connection
with the cams, which again are in connection with the shaft or frame of iron.
The wire from the pole of the battery being connected with the shaft, as the
shaft rotates, the palls and cams break and close the electric current.
And in order that the said Invention may be more properly understood, I
shall now proceed to describe and refer to the several Figures on the Sheet
of Drawings hereunto annexed; the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts throughout the several Figures on the Sheet.
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improved electro-magnetic
engine; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus; and Figure 3 is a sec-
tional plan of the same, taken along the line 1, 2, in Figure 2. The rest of the
Figures represent various details, which will be herein-after more particularly
described & referred to. A is the framework of the apparatus, composed of
any suitable material, and fitted with cross bars, for the purpose of supporting
the magnets and revolving axis. B, B, B', B', represent two pairs, or four fixed
electro-magnets, two of which are vertical and two horizontal, having their
poles converging towards a common centre. These magnets are attached to
the cross bars of the frame by means of the screw bolts C, C, & fitted with
coils of insulated copper wire D, D, wound round the bends E, E, which con-
nect the outer ends of the legs of the magnets, as is clearly shewn in the enlarged
detail plan, Figure 4. The copper wire is wound in the usual manner for
making electro-magnets, that is, the magnets B, B, and B', B', are made to be
in pairs of one circuit, and have opposite polarities, for the purpose of exercising
opposite attractive forces on the two ends of the axial magnetic levers. F is
the revolving magnetic axis, supported on centre pins or screws G, G, or in
bearings, if required, carried in the side rails G, G', of the framing, and having
attached to it a fly wheel H, and fitted with two sets of revolving magnetic
lever arms I, I, and I', 1', shewn more clearly in the enlarged detail side ele-
vation at Figure 5. These levers or arms are attached at their centres to the

page_text: revolving axis F. and extend from it on each side the length of the legs of the
stationary magnets, and thereby forming levers of the first order, having their
fulcra at F. Each set of these levers, that is, I, I, and I', I', are attached to
the axis, with space enough between them so as barely to afford room for the
legs of the fixed magnets to enter between them, as will be seen on referring to
Figure 4, by which means the revolving magnetic levers will always remain
within the influence of the fixed magnets. Two brass collars or bosses J, J,
Figure 4, are fitted on to the axis between the magnetic levers I and I', to
prevent the magnetism at the extremities of the fixed magnets from acting
upon the axis F. Two cams K, K', shewn in plan at Figure 4, & in side
elevation at Figure 5, are attached to the revolving axis, for the purpose of
breaking and changing the direction of the magnetic currents (as they revolve)
from the vertical to the horizontal fixed magnets continuously. L and L' are
two palls or circuit closers, acting at their outer or front ends on the cams K, K¹,
by means of compressing springs M, M³, and attached at their back ends by a
pin or screw to the support pieces N, N¹, shewn more clearly in the enlarged
detail, Figure 6, which represents a plan of the under side of the rail G", with
the reversing mechanism attached. These support pieces are attached to the
rail or cross bar G" by the screws O, O', and are in contact with or attached
to the strips of brass or other good conducting material P, P1, P2, P³, which
are secured to the under side of the rail or cross bar, for the purpose of reversing
or changing the direction of the electric currents. Q, Q', are two small levers,
the working centre pins of which pass down through the cross bar or rail G",
and are attached at their lower extremities to the buttons R, R¹, for the
purpose of reversing the electric currents and direction of rotation of the engine.
S, S', are two binding screws in the lower cross bar or rail, for the purpose of
making connections with the battery. The red and blue lines T and U repre-
sent the mode of connecting the positive and negative poles of the battery with
the fixed magnets and the axis of the revolving magnets. When these several
parts are in connection with the battery, and the cranks or buttons R, R', are
placed at right angles to the cross rail, there will be no magnetic action
through the engine; but on turning the cranks or levers Q, Q, to the left hand,
so that the buttons R, R¹, are in contact with the strips P and P³ respec-
tively, a circuit will be established through the support piece N, the pall or
circuit closer and breaker L, cam K, axis F, revolving lever magnets, and the
vertical fixed magnets, thereby causing the axis and levers to revolve from right
to left by the attractive forces of the vertical magnets and revolving magnetic
levers, until they get nearly parallel with the vertical magnets, whereupon the

page_text: cam K. breaks the, circuit through the vertical magnets, and the cam K
establishes it through the horizontal fixed magnets, which continue to attract
and increase the power of the leverage till the: revolving magnetic levers are
nearly on a line with them, when the cam' K' breaks the circuit, and the cam K
again.establishes it through the vertical magnets, which commence again their
attractive force at the bottom or heel of the magnetic levers, and continues its
increasing or multiplying force on the magnetic levers at the opposite sides of
their fulcrum still nearly parallel, as herein-before described, whereupon the
current is changed to the horizontal magnets again, and so on, alternately,
the magnetic levers continuing their rotation. In order to reverse the rotatory
motion, of the magnetic levers, the cranks or small reversing levers Q, Q, must
be turned to the right hand, so, that the buttons R, R, are brought in contact
respectively with the strips P¹ and P2, when the direction of the currents is
changed, so as to pass through the support piece N', pall L, and cam K³, to
the axis.F; and magnetic levers and horizontal fixed magnets, whereby a con-
tinuously reversed rotatory motion from left to right is produced. If found
desirable, a coil, or helix V, represented in red lines at Figure 7, may be
interposed between the inner bars I, I, of the revolving magnetic levers, the
current's so produced" being auxiliary to the other currents herein-before
mentioned...
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and' the manner in which the same is or may be used. or carried
into effect; I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of electro-magnetic engines,
as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of electro-magnets having their coils or
helices wound upon the bends of such magnets, as herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar arrangement of fixed electro-magnets, wherein their poles
extend towards or near to the centre of motion, and the revolving magnetic
levers or armatures extend outwards, or from the centre of motion, and embrace
the poles of the fixed magnets successively as they rotate, whereby an increasing
lèverage and magnetic multiplying power is obtained.
Fourth, the system or mode of combining the currents of magnetism and

page_text: electricity, whereby the power obtained will be due to the size of the excited
mass by connecting one pole of the battery wire with one end of the wire of
the helices of the different magnets, the other wire of such helices being con-
nected with the palls and cams for breaking and closing the currents, whilst
the wire from the other pole of the battery is attached to the revolving axis.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five.