IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Smith, of Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Weaver, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER."
Sealed the 16th April 1872, and dated the 25th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1871.
I, JOSEPH SMITH, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Weaver,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows:-
I mount a shaft revolving in bearings in a suitable framing. The
shaft is fitted with two or more discs, and round the circumference
thereof I arrange a number of mechanical contrivances as follows:-
At equal distances from the centre of the shaft and from each other I
fix pins to the outer side of each disc, each pin forming the fulcrum for
a lever, the outer end of which is fitted with a roller. To this outer end

page_text: of each lever a rod is connected which is carried to the circumference
of each disc, and carrics one end of a heavy roller going across the
apparatus from disc to disc. These rollers can rise and fall in suitable
staples attached to the discs, and are kept in their lowest position in the
staples by means of locking bolts fitting with a tongue into a recess in
each end of each roller. Other locking arrangements may be used, but
I find this to be simple and efficient. On each side of the framing I
have fixed cams or inclines, one for each lever and roller, and also catches
which fasten or release the rollers by actuating the above-named locking
bolts for the same.
The arrangement just described is of the simplest form, but it may
also be modified in the following manner, viz., it may be fitted with a
series of light rollers in addition to the heavy rollers, the said light
rollers being hung in the ends of levers, the centres of which are attached
to the circumference of the discs. The heavy rollers on being thrown
out push against and turn over the levers for the light rollers, which thus
are thrown out to a greater distance from the centre of the apparatus
and so exercise a greater leverage. The discs may also if desired have
radial tubes closed at each end, and containing heavy balls or loaded
carriages, which as the apparatus revolves are successively thrown out
towards the circumference on one side and run in towards the centre on
the other side.
The action is as follows:-On starting the apparatus the inclines fixed
on the framing successively throw out the rollers and rods on one side,
beginning at the top centre, while the other rollers and rods simul-
taneously and successively are lifted in towards the centre by the other
inclines, the catches also drawing the locking bolts in and out in order
to lock and unlock the rollers as required. The varying leverages thus
obtained cause the revolution of the apparatus. Motion is transmitted from
the apparatus by wheel, pulley, or other well-known mechanical means.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Smith, Her special licence that
I, the said Joseph Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Joseph Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND
APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph Smith, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands and seals, 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 Joseph Smith, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:―
_At
I mount a shaft revolving in bearings on a suitable framing. The
shaft is fitted with two or more discs, and round the circumference
thereof I arrange a number of mechanical contrivances as follows :—.
equal distances from the centre of the shaft and from each other I fix
pins to the outer side of each disc, cach pin forming the fulcrum for a
lever, the outer end of which is fitted with a roller. To the outer end
of each lever a rod is connected, which is carried to the circumference
of each disc and carries one end of a heavy roller going across the
apparatus from disc to disc. These rollers can rise and fall in suitable
staples attached to the discs, and are kept in their lowest position in the
staples by means of locking bolts, but other locking arrangements may
be used. On each side of the framing I fix cams or inclines, one for
each lever and roller, and also catches which fasten or release the rollers

page_text: by actuating the above-named locking bolts for the same as hereafter
more fully described. The discs may also if desired have radial rails
or guides on which weighted or loaded carriages are free to travel as the
apparatus revolves, and which are successively thrown out towards the
circumference on one side, and run in towards the centre on the other
side. The action is as follows:-On starting the apparatus the inclines
fixed on the framing successively throw out the rollers and rods on
one side, beginning at the top centre, while the other rollers and rods
simultaneously and successively are lifted in towards the centre by the
other inclines, the catches also drawing the locking bolts in and out in
order to lock and unlock the rollers as required. The varying leverages
thus obtained cause the revolution of the apparatus.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a view in side
elevation, Figure 2 is a view in partial section, and Figure 3 is a view
in longitudinal section of so much of a machine constructed according
to one arrangement as will be necessary to illustrate the manner in
A is the
which this arrangement of the Invention is carried into effect.
main shaft of the machine; B, B, are the two discs or frames which are
keyed to the shafting thereof and which revolve therewith; a, a, are
the pins on the outer circumferences of the discs B, B; C, C, are the
cranks or levers connected thereto, and D, D, are rods for connecting the
cranks C, C, and cross rollers E, E; b, b, are rollers on the cranks C, C,
for acting on or against the inclined planes d, d'; e, e, are slots in the
discs B, B, in which the rallers are free to rise and fall, and as will be
hereafter described; f,f¹, are cams for communicating motion to tho
locking and unlocking gear. Figure 4 is a detached view of the locking
bolt which is caused to move to and fro by the cams f, f', according to
whether the cross rollers are to be held in a certain position or are to
be unlocked so as to rise over the inclined plane or planes; G, G, are
guides or rails in or on which the weighted or loaded carriages H, H,
are free to run towards or from the centre of the discs B, B, the weighted
or loaded carriages always having a tendency to travel by their own
weight along the guides or rails according to the position in which the
guides or rails may be. The cams for locking and unlocking the bolts
and the inclined planes are by preference only placed at the top and
bottom of the machine, although any additional number may, if required,
be placed in other positions. The roller 6 having arrived at the foot of
the inclined plane d travels up the same, drawing with it the roller E
up the slot e, the locking bolt having been previously withdrawn by the

page_text: cam ; as soon as the roller b has arrived at the top of the inclined.
plane the roller on the locking bolt comes against the inside of the cam
f and drives the bolt, which prevents the roller E from returning or
falling back down the slot e, and in this way the weighted roller E is
drawn nearer to the centre of the disc than it was before it reached the
inclined plane by the length of the height of the aforesaid inclined plane.
In this position the roller E is carried on to the upper end of the machino
until it reaches the other inclined plane, when a similar operation is
repeated to that which took place at the lower inclined plane, viz., the
locking bolt is withdrawn some time before the roller travels up the
inclined plane d', and as soon as the roller b reaches the top of the in-
clined plane the locking bolt is forced in by the cam f¹, and the roller E
is prevented from returning back in the slot e, but is carried in this
position round the outer edge of the disc until it again comes to the
inclined plane at the lower part of the machine. In each machine there
may be any desired number of apparatus as before described, and cach
comes into action after one another as cach_successively passes an inclined
plane. In addition to the above, the carriages or weights H running in
the frames G between the discs B, B, aid and assist the rotation by reason
of the weights travelling or falling along the frames towards or from
the centre of the discs as they revolve. h, h, are springs or buffers at the
top and bottom of each of the frames G for relieving the dash or con-
cussion of the loaded or weighted carriages H as they arrive at one or
the other end.
Figure 5 is a detached view in section of one of these carriages and
rails. The guides are preferably arranged as shown at Figure 3 with
the view of gaining as much power as possible from the falling of the
weights, because in this way it will be observed there are five weights
falling against three rising on one side, and on the other side the weights
that are falling are at the circumference of the discs while those that
have passed the axis have fallen close to the central part of the disc.
Figure 6 is a front view of another arrangement constructed according
to my Invention; in this case, as in the foregoing, it is only necessary
to shew a portion of the circumference of the disc with the mechanical
contrivances applied in order to illustrate how this arrangement is
carried into effect.
Figure 7 is a detached view of one of the carriages and weights. A
is the main shaft; B, B, are the discs, one only of which is seen keyted

page_text: to the shaft A as before. E, E, are weights corresponding with the
weighted rollers in the other arrangement, any number of which may
be fitted to the circumference of the disc or discs according to the power
required. D, D, are the connecting rods or slides to which the weights
E, E, are attached, fitted with guide rollers g, g, working or running
in guides on the face of the discs. b, b, are rollers on the ends of the
connecting rods or slides D, D, one for each side of the double inclined
plane d, d, and d', d', which are preferably made double to correspond
with the rollers; fand f¹ are the cams for locking and unlocking the
locking bolts. The space between the two discs is fitted with weighted
carriages and guides or rails which act as before described. Upon the
rollers b, b, reaching the lower inclined planes d they travel up the same,
drawing with them the weight E, while the locking bolt has been
previously withdrawn by the cam f; as soon as the rollers b, b, have
arrived at the top of the inclined planes the roller on the locking bolt
comes against the inside of the cam f' and shoots the bolt, which
prevents the weight E from returning or falling back, and in this way
the weight E is drawn nearer to the centre of the disc B than it was
before it reached the inclined planes all as before described. The weight
E is then carried on in this position to the upper inclines which it
ascends as before, the bolt being unlocked soon enough to allow it to
do so. On reaching the top the weight is again locked by the bolt,
and it (the weight) is carried on in the position to which it has been
brought by the inclined planes till it again reaches the other and
lower inclined planes, and so on.
Each disc is fitted on one side with
the contrivances before described, and the sliding carriages and weights
or rollers are placed, and arranged between the discs, or only one disc
need be fitted with the aforesaid contrivances. There may be, however,
any number or numbers of series of discs on the same shaft. Any
desired governing and brake power may be fitted to the machine, and
the power is transmitted by crank, pulley, strap or straps, or other
apparatus necessary or proper for the purpose to which the machine
may be applied.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: First. The causing of weights or levers to be drawn nearer to the
centre of a disc or discs when on one side, viz., the rising side thereof,
and to be thrown out on the other or falling side thereof, and in this
way to obtain a leverage on the falling side more than sufficient to
raise the weights or levers on the other and opposite side, and in this
way to obtain a rotary motion which may be transmitted as required,
all substantially as herein-beforo described and set forth..
Second. The particular arrangements together with any mere modifi-
cations thereof for raising and lowering, and for locking and unlocking
the rollers and weights in machinery for obtaining and applying motive
power, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. The employment of loaded or weighted carriages running on
guides or rails between the discs, substantially in manner and for
the purpose herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Smith, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
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