AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
-
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINE."- A
communication from abroad by Edward Gassett, of Boston, Massa-
chusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 16th January 1872, and dated the 15th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th September 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINE,"
a communication, to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a series of electro-magnets arranged radially
in a frame in combination with a series of radial arms placed on one or
both sides of the same, and connected with a shaft which operates a

page_text: "circuit breaker" or device for successively making and breaking the
electric circuit through the several electro-magnets as the shaft revolves,
by which construction I am enabled to produce a simple, compact, and
effective electro-magnetic engine.
The said Invention also consists in making the frame which supports
the electro-magnets adjustable around the central shaft; whereby the
relative position of the electro-magnets with respect to the radial arms
when the electric circuit is broken may be varied, so that the electro-
magnets will attract the arms with more or less force, thus increasing or
diminishing the speed of the engines as desired.
From the base of the engine rise two cheeks for supporting a circular
frame composed of two discs, between which are secured a series of six
electro-magnets arranged radially, the ends or poles of each electro-
magnet projecting through the discs. A horizontal shaft passes through
openings at the centre of the frame. To this shaft on each side of the
frame is secured a hub, from which project radial arms that revolve in
close proximity to the poles of the electro-magnets.
" circuit
Connected with the said shaft, and revolving therewith, is a
breaker," by means of which each electro-magnet is brought into action
in succession by making and breaking contact with the battery as the
shaft revolves. The "circuit breaker" has an insulating sleeve attached
to the shaft and revolving therewith; to this sleeve is secured a metallic
disc provided with a flange or collar, upon which bears a flat spring
connected with the binding screw to which the wire from one pole of
the battery is attached. From the disc project five pins, to each of
which is secured a flat spring, and these springs as they revolve with the
shaft bear upon a stationary cylindrical block of insulating material
through which the shaft passes.
Metallic bars or strips are partially embedded in the insulating block
and project above its surface. The number of these bars corresponds to
the number of electro-magnets, and each electro-magnet is connected
with one of the bars by a wire, so that as the shaft is revolved the
electric current passes by the spring to the disc and thence by the
springs, bars, and wires successively to the several electro-magnets, the
electric current leaving each electro-magnet by a separate wire connected
with the binding screw, to which is attached the wire whereby the
current passes to the opposite pole of the battery.

page_text: Attached to the shaft is a pulley from which the power of the engine
may be communicated to any machine to be driven by a belt. The
frame is provided on each side near its periphery with a groove, and into
these grooves fit a series of pins projecting from the inner sides of, the
checks; by this arrangement the frame is supported in place while it is
free to be moved around the shaft as a centre by means of a handle, its
motion in either direction being limited by stop pins.
When the engine is employed for driving a sewing machine the frame
may be adjusted by a series of levers connected therewith, and operated
It is evident
by an arm placed in a convenient position on the table.
that instead of bar electro-magnets those of a horse-shoe form may be
employed with both poles projecting through one side. of the frame, in
which case a series of radial arms on one side only of the frame would
be required; but I prefer the construction and arrangement first
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send grecting.
•
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight 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 William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "AN IMPROVED
ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINE," a communication to me from abroad by
Edward Gassett, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 William Robert Lake, 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
Drawing forming part of this Specification :-
My Invention consists in a series of electro-magnets arranged radially
in a frame in combination with a series of radial arms placed on one or
both sides of the same, and connected with a shaft which operates a
"circuit breaker" or device for successively making and breaking the
electric circuit through the several electro-magnets as the shaft revolves,
by. which construction I am enabled to produce a simple, compact, and
effective electro-magnetic engine.
The said Invention also consists in making the frame which supports
the electro-magnets adjustable around the central shaft, whereby the
relative position of the electro-magnets with respect to the radial arms
when the electric circuit is broken may be varied, so that the electro-
magnets will attract the arms with more or less force, thus increasing or
diminishing the speed of the engines, as desired.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved electro-magnetic
engine. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, one of the supports
being broken away to show the parts behind it. Figure 3 is a
longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the same. Figure 4
is a transverse vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 3. Figure 5 is a
section on the line y, y, Figure 3.
A represents the base of the engine, from which rise two checks a, b,
for supporting a circular frame B composed of two discs, between which
are secured a series of six electro-magnets CD E F G Harrancod

page_text: radially, the ends or poles of each. electro-magnet projecting through the
dises, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. I is a horizontal shaft that passes
through openings 10 at the centre of the frame B, and run in suitable
bearings or supports c, d. To this shaft I on each side of the frame B
is secured a hub e, from which project a series of radial arms f, g, h, i, k,
that revolve in close proximity to the poles of the electro-magnets.
Connected with the shaft I, and revolving therewith, is a "circuit
breaker," by means of which each electro-magnet is brought into action
in succession by making and breaking contact with the battery as the
shaft revolves. The construction and operation of this "circuit breaker "**
will now be described. is an insulating sleeve attached to the shaft I,
and revolving therewith; to this sleeve is secured a metallic disc m,
provided with a flange or collar n, whereon bears a flat spring o,
connected with the binding screw k, to which the wire p from one pole
of the battery is attached.
'
From the disc m project a series of five pins q, to each of which is
secured a flat spring r, and these springs as they revolve with the shaft
bear upon a stationary cylindrical block s of insulating material, through
which the shaft I passes.
་
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, are metallic bars or strips partially embedded
in the insulating block s, and projecting above its surface. The number
of these bars corresponds to the number of clectro-magnets, and cach*
clectro-magnet is connected with one of the bars by a wire t, so that as
the shaft I is revolved the electric current passes by the spring o to the
disc m, and thence by the springs r, bars 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and
wires t, successively to the several electro-magnets, the electric current
leaving each electro-magnet by a separate wire u connected with the
binding screw L, to which is attached the wire v, whereby the current
passes to the opposite pole of the battery.
The operation of this improved engine is as follows:-The parts being
in the position shown in Figure 1, the current passes from the binding
screw to the spring o, and disc m; thence by one of the springs r to
the bar 11, and by the wire connected therewith to the electro-magnet
C; after passing through the latter it is conducted by the wire u
connected therewith to the binding screw L, and back to the battery.
The circuit being thus completed, the electro-magnet C is brought into
action and attracts the arm f, which is drawn toward it (at the same time

page_text: turning the shaft-I) until it is brought into the position seen in Figure 2
(at which point the magnet exerts its greatest force upon the arm,
when the spring passes out of contact with the bar 11, thus breaking
the circuit through the electro-magnet C, which then ceases to act.
Just previous to the breaking of the circuit through the electro-magnet
C, the next spring r comes into contact with the bar 12, which causes
the current to pass through the electro-magnet D; the latter then
attracts the next arm g (at that time in a proper position) until this
spring passes out of contact with the bar 12, when the electro-magnet
D ceases to act, and so on continuously, the electro-magnets being
rapidly brought into action in succession; and as the attractive power
is applied to some one of the radial arms at all times, a steady pull or
draught is maintained for the purpose of revolving the shaft I in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 1.
It will be seen that the number of radial arms on each side of the
frame B is one less than the number of electro-magnets, and that all of
the electro-magnets are brought into action in succession, while a single
arm is traversing the distance between the poles of two electro-
magnets. By this arrangement one or other of the arms of a series is at
all times in a position to be attracted by some one of the electro-magnets.
And this, in connection with the passing of the current through each
electro-magnet just before the circuit through the previous one is
broken, insures the starting of the engine without regard to the position
of the arms.
The number of the arms and electro-magnets and the
relative proportion between them may, however, be varied at pleasure,
without departing from the spirit of my Invention.
Attached to the shaft I is a pulley M, from which by means of a belt
the power of the engine may be communicated to any machine to be
driven. The frame B is provided on each side near its periphery with a
groove w, and into these grooves fit a series of pins a¹ projecting from
the inner sides of the cheeks a, b. By this arrangement the frame B is
supported in place, while it is free to be moved around the shaft I as a
centre by means of the handle N, its motion in cither direction being
limited by stop pins b¹, c¹. By thus making the frame B adjustable
around the central shaft I, the relative position of the electro-magnets
with respect to the radial arms when the electric circuit is broken may
be varied so that the electro-magnets will attract the arms with more or
less force, thus increasing or diminishing the speed of the engine as

page_text: '
desired. This variation of speed is of great importance in many cases, as,
for instance, when the engine is employed for driving a sewing machine,
and in the latter case the frame B may be adjusted by a series of levers
connected therewith, and operated by an arm placed in a convenient
position on the table. By varying the position of the stop pins ', c³, so
as to allow of an increased movement of the frame B, the direction of
motion of the shaft I may be reversed. If preferred, the parts may be
so arranged that two adjacent electro-magnets may be brought into
action simultaneously, instead of one as above described. It is evident
that instead of bar electro-magnets those of a horse-shoe form may
bc
employed, with both poles projecting through one side of the frame B,
in which case a series of radial arms on one side only of the frame would
be required; but I prefer the construction and arrangement first.
described.
The above-described electro-magnetic engine is effective, simple, and
not liable to get out of order, while it is exceedingly compact and may
be furnished at a moderate cost.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated; to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, a series of electro-magnets
arranged radially in a frame B, in combination with a series of
radial arms placed on one or both sides of the frame and connected
with a shaft I, which operates a circuit breaker, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
I also claim the frame B, with its electro-magnets made adjustable,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
tuvo
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
i W. ROB™. LAKE. (L.S.)