A NOVEL CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR COMMUNICATING MECHANICAL POWER
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
FITT, senior, of Willmer Gardens, Hoxton Old Town, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of October, in the fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Fitt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said James Fitt, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Fitt, my executors, administrators, or assigns, and every of them, by himself
and themselves, or by his or their deputies, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in
all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "A NOVEL
CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR COMMUNICATING MECHANICAL POWER;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said James Fitt, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
saine, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Fitt, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say) -
The object of this my present Invention is to obtain greater or increased
results from mechanical, elemental, animal, or manual power than is usually
obtained. This I propose to do by means of the machine I am about to
describe.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a double machine by which it is intended to effect
the object desired; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional
elevation of a single machine actuated by one main lever only; Fig. 4 is a
sectional elevation also of a single machine having a double lever, at both
ends of which the power is to be applied; Fig. 5 is a side view of a machine
to be applied, as circumstances require; to end of main levers of the above
machines, being for the purpose of giving or communicating to end of such
lever or levers a reciprocating motion from a rotary one; Fig. 6 is a plan
view of same. The several Figures and parts are drawn to the scale on the
Drawing. The same letters refer to same parts in each Figure. Figs. 1, 2, 3,
and 4. These machines may be actuated by any prime mover or power.
Such prime mover or power is to be applied to the power end of each first or
main levers of the several machines A, A, (in the Drawings manual power is
prepared for or intended), the end of which levers A, A, Figs. 1 and 2, are
caused to vibrate upwards and downwards on two perpendicular parallel
cylinders, by means of sliding boxes acting on centres, or by other means, as
circumstances may require, vibrating upon the axes, fulcrums, or centres B, B,
the vibration of which may be cylindrical or by an obtuse
or acute angle or
knife edge, upon which axes or centres B, B,, are appended the pendulums
C, C. On the same axis, centres, or fulcrums B, B, are also fixed what I
denominate the sectors D, D, at the upper and lower points of which sectors
are attached the chains E, E, or some adequate substitute which, passing over
the upper pulley No. 1, and under the lower pulley No. 2, both are fastened
to the power end of the second or auxiliary levers F, F. It will be seen that
when the levers A, A, are put in motion, and made to vibrate upon their
fulcrums or centres, they by these means communicate motion to the second
or auxiliary levers F, F, also communicating thereby the power obtained by
the combined action of the levers and pendulums, as described, when put in
motion by any motive power. At the opposite or weight ends of these second
or auxiliary levers F, F, are connecting rods No. 3 and No. 4, which are "con-
nected to a double-throw crank shaft G. The cranks should be at right

page_text: angles the one to the other;, then, when the first or main lever A, A, and
the second..or auxiliary levers F. F, are made to vibrate upon their several
fulcrums or centres, as described; they will cause the crank shaft G to rotate;
or for the crank shaft G might be substituted a straight axle or shaft, and
might be caused to revolve by: what is known by mechanics as an excentric or
other .inéans;, but I believe the crank to be the simplest method. On the
crank shaft, or its substitute G, is key'd on or otherwise fixed the spur wheel
H, which, working into a pinion fixed on a shaft or axis J, on which same
shaft J is also fixed the fly wheel or fly wheels K, also a wheel, drum, pulley,
or othert means, as may be found advisable, to communicate motion, and to
give out. the power thus concentred for locomotion, navigation, or any other
purpose that may be desired; L, L, are counterbalance weights fixed upon
bars connected to the axis or fulcrums, which are intended to equilibrate the
main levers A, A, upon their centres or fulcrums; M, M; are counterbalance
weights fixed on the second or auxiliary lever F, F,,serving to equipoise the
weights or gravity of the sector. The framework of the above machine, the
plummer blocks or bearing.carriages in which the centres or axis of the several
levers vibrate, and journals or bearings of the several shafts revolve within, as
well as the timber sleepers, and the hold-down bolts can be readily perceived
and understood from the Drawing without the necessity of particular reference,
which, if put, might only serve to confuse. Those parts of the machine as
described, which I denominate the sectors D; D, may be modified and arranged
differently' to the manner set forth. These sectors may be fixed to the end
of the levers A, A, beyond the fulcrums or axis, instead. of being within the
fulcrums or centres as drawn; or the chains E, E, may pass over two pulleys
above and two .pulleys below the levers A, A, the ends of which chains being
connected to the main and auxiliary levers A, A, and F, F, thus communi
cate the power to the second or auxiliary levers F, F, but I think the arrange-
ments as drawn, for simplicity and closer combination and compactness, to be
the best, but do not debar myself from any modification circumstances might
advise. The machine, Figs. 1 and 2, as drawn, is represented as being actuated
by manual power at the end of each main or first lever A, A, and is what
I.call a double, machine, but it will be readily perceived by any one habituated
to such work, that instead of the machine being constructed having two main
or first levers, and worked from each end of the levers A, A, and being a
double machine, that it may be constructed and made with one main or first
lever only, and be then what I intend to call a single machine, as represented
Figs. 3 and 4, of course the several parts, framework and bearings, being so
modified and arranged to serve that end: But in order to be more readily

page_text: understood, I have drawn Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 3, as before stated, represents a
machine to be actuated by one lever only, and at one end of such lever, and
is what I call a single machine. No. 9 shews an upright post, fixed near
end of main lever, having a pulley on top, over which passes a rope, the end
of which rope is attached to end of main lever; this rope serves to raise the
end of such lever, when a man is working the machine and has depressed
the end of main lever, the rope being pulled or worked by an assistant.
Fig. 4 shews a single machine having a double lever, and being worked at
each end such lever. The same letters marked in Figs. 3 and 4 refer to the
same parts as in the double machine, as described, and I deem, that upon
reference to the Drawing and from the previous description, my views will be
perfectly comprehended. When it is deemed necessary to cause the power
end of the main levers to vibrate through a greater space than is convenient or
possible for manual labour, or when or where other circumstances or convenience
may require or advise, I propose to arrange and append to the machine I have
just above described, the following arrangement:-Figs. 5 and 6 are views
of such arrangement of, and an appendage to, the above machine, to commu-
nicate a reciprocating motion from a rotary one, to actuate the machine above
described. A, A, is the main or first lever. N, N, is a bar, having a pivot O,
at the one end, which pivot is fixed to lever A, A, the other end of bar N, N,
traverses across the framework of main lever A, A, working in a slot or
frame 10, which is also fixed to or upon main lever A, A; on the outer or
traversing end of bar N, N, is fixed a ring P, kept in its place by two collars
5 and 6; this ring has a swivel 7, to which is attached a swivelled. chain Q.
The other end of this chain Q is fixed to a bar R, which bar revolves on an
axis S; this chain is fixed on this bar at such a distance from the centre of
the axis as shall be equal to or greater than the radius of a circle equal to
half the distance of the space that the main lever is required or wanted
to vibrate through. The axis S on which this bar is fixed, is cranked or
made as a winch handle, and revolves in bearings on the A carriages or
frames T, having a fly wheel or wheels also fixed on it. It will be perceived,
that when the bar R is made to revolve by turning the handle, winch, or
crank shaft S, the chain Q acts upon and drags the bar N, causing it to
traverse the frame or lever A, A, communicating a reciprocating motion from
the rotary motion given to the bar R. In the Drawing Fig. 5 and 6, I have
represented the bar Ras being fixed on a crank shaft or winch handle S;
this shaft may be straight, and actuated or caused to revolve by being con-
nected to or driven by or from a steam engine or other power, by means of
gearing band or strap. It is manifest that the several machines as described

page_text: and drawn can be actuated by man or animal, steam engine, water, or wind
power, and with or without the appendage as just described, Figs. 5 and 6.
The red ink lines as drawn shew the spaces the several levers move through,
and their action as they severally vibrate; I do not bind myself to the exact
dimensions of the whole as drawn, or the size or particular construction of
the parts relatively to each other, their several proportions may be varied, as
may the relative lengths of the levers, size, weight, and number of pendulums,
size of, and throw of crank, as well as the speed communicated to the fly
wheel or its shaft, these all may be modified to answer the purpose for which
the machine may be intended, nor do I bind myself to the particular con-
struction of framework; but I claim,-
First, the general arrangement of the several machines as described and
drawn.
Secondly, the combination of a lever and pendulum or levers and pen-
dulums vibrating upon one and the same fulcrum or centre or axis, combining.
thereby the power of gravity and motion, and the mechanical action of the
lever, giving out of the power communicated to the levers and pendulums by
means of the sector or sectors, or any modification thereof, thence by means
of the compound or auxiliary lever or levers to a crank shaft or its substitute,
where rotary motion is required, or from the auxiliary lever direct to the
machine or apparatus where reciprocating action is wanted.
Thirdly, the arrangement as drawn and described, for the purpose of com-
municating a reciprocating from a rotary motion.
And such being my Invention, and, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her said Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my Specification
of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specification doth comply
in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the proviso in the
said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained, wherefore I hereby
claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to the said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Fitt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
cight hundred and forty-one.

page_text: AND BE IT. REMEMBERED; that on the same Sixth day of April, in the
year above mentioned, the aforesaid James Fitt came before our Lady the
Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and
all and every thing therein contained, in 'form above written. And also the
Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute in
such case made and provided.
Inrolled the Seventh day of April, in the year above written.
Inrolled the Seventh day of April, in the year above written.