IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO- MAGNETIC ENGINES FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER."
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Reeves, of the City of New York, in the
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-
MAGNETIC ENGINES FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Reeves at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd February 1861.
I, JOHN REEVES, of the City of New York, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-
MAGNETIC ENGINES FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER,"
follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the combination and arrangement
of the several parts of an electro-magnetic engine in such manner as to
obtain continuous rotatory motion for the purpose of obtaining and applying
motive power. For this purpose a series of helices of suitable form are
arranged in a circle so as to admit of the magnets (which are carried by a
circular metallic ring) passing as they revolve through the helices, the rotatory
motion of the magnets being caused by currents of electricity from a galvanic
battery. The helices are attached to a rim of metal affixed to a back plate
which supports the machinery. The metallic magnet ring is formed with
cogs or teeth by which the motion of the magnet ring is communicated to the
driving wheel by toothed gearing, and there is suitable apparatus applied for

page_text: making and breaking contact with the wires of the galvanic battery and with
those on the helices by means of apparatus affixed to the driving wheel.
Friction wheels are arranged upon the metallic magnet ring to act as guides
and to reduce friction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Reeves in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
REEVES, of the City of New York, in the United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Reeves, Her special licence that I, the said John Reeves, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Reeves, 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 ELECTRO-
MAGNETIC ENGINES FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Reeves, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing ander my, or their, or one of their
hands 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
montbs next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Reeves, 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
thereof, that is to say:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the combination and arrangement
of the several parts of an electro-magnetic engine in such manner as to obtain
continuous rotatory motion for the purpose of obtaining and applying motive
power. For this purpose a series of helices of suitable form are arranged in a
circle so as to admit of the magnets (which are carried by a circular metallic

page_text: transverse and longitudinal sections of electro-magnetic apparatus constructed
and arranged according to my Invention for the purpose of obtaining and
applying motive power; the other Figures shew some of the parts separately,
the nature of which is written thereon.
A is a circular metallic-toothed ring, the outer surface of which is composed
of alternate surfaces of iron and brass or other metal. The ring A is sup-
ported on a series of friction rollers a, the axes a¹ of which are supported in
frames or brackets a², which are supported on and are capable of sliding to
and fro on the fixed plate B, which supports one end of the central axis.
The friction rollers a and frames a² are capable of adjustment by means of the
set screws as to adjust the position of the magnet ring A, as shewn; C, C, are
a series of helices or coils of covered or insulated wire which are wound upon
tubes or barrels supported by the brackets c fixed to the plate B, the helices
being so arranged that the magnet ring A. rotates through the centres of the
series of coils (as is clearly shewn in the Drawings), but one or more of such
helices be used as desired. One end of each coil of wire is connected
may
with a galvanic battery of suitable power, whilst the other end of each coil is
placed in metallic contact with the metal stops or projections c¹ fixed on the
plate B, so that when a current of electricity is passed through either of the
coils (by connecting the opposite poles of the battery as hereafter described)
the iron portion of the magnet ring A in its rotation will be attracted
thereby, and by making and breaking contact with each helix in succession, a
continuous rotatory motion of the magnet ring A will be obtained. The

page_text: motion of the magnet ring A is transmitted by the teeth formed on its
periphery to the toothed pinion D¹ fixed on the axis D, upon the other end of
which is fixed the toothed pinion D', which takes into and drives the toothed
wheel E¹ fixed on the axis E, which is supported and turns in bearings e, e¹.
The axis D is supported and turns in bearings d, d', carried by the bracket d'
fixed to the plate B.
I will now describe the arrangement of apparatus for making and breaking
contact between the ends of each of the coils or helices of insulated wire in
succession, and the ends of the wires which are connected with the galvanic
battery. is a cam surface fixed to the arms of the wheel E', the rises on
which in their rotation act in succession on the friction rollers g carried by the
lever arms g', which are supported by and move on pins or axes g³ fixed in the
plate B, the levers g¹ being constantly borne towards the central axis E by the
springs g'. The end of each lever g¹ is connected to a wire from the galvanic
battery, and as each rise on the cam surface f acts on one of the friction
rollers g, the end of the lever is forced outwards so as to bring the metal
stop g in contact with one of the metal stops c¹ fixed to the plate B, and to
which one end of a coil is connected as before described, thus completing the
circuit of the electric current which passes through the helix surrounding that
division of the magnet ring A composed of iron at the time it is passing or
rotating through the helix to impart magnetic power thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Reeves, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
G. H. BIRKBECK,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
JOHN REEVES. (L.S.)