AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MOTOR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Heinrich Theophil Horstmann, of Merseburg, Prussia,
German Empire, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MOTOR."
Sealed the 18th October 1878, and dated the 9th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Heinrich Theophil Horstmann
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1878.
HEINRICH THEOPHIL HORSTMANN, of Merseburg, Prussia, German Empire.
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MOTOR."
"AN
My said Invention relates to a machine or apparatus which is designed to create
a constant motion by transmitting the gravitation of a weight or weights to suitable
mechanism, and to produce thereby a motive power which requires no working
expenses, and which can be regulated at will.
The mechanisin of the said machine is mounted upon a frame on a suitable foun-
dation; a pillow block is strongly fastened upon the said foundation; a circular
rail or elevation is formed on or fastened to this foundation. All parts of the said
rail are at the same distance from the said pillow block.
In the pillow block is a spherical pillow, which serves for a spherical elevation or
gudgeon to turn in; this spherical gudgeon is applied to a disc, which disc is pre-
ferably made of cast iron or cast steel, its rim being bent up and down like a rail head;
the lower edge of the rim of the disc runs on the circular rail aforesaid. Through
the said spherical gudgeon and its pillow and the disc passes a vertical shaft, which
turns with its steel pivot in a socket countersunk in the pillow block. The upper
end of the shaft passes through a cross beam of the frame, and rests in the same.
Two or more weights of iron or other heavy material are applied to two or more
lever arms; these lever arms have slots, and are supported by two supporters; the
latter can be moved to and from the shaft aforesaid by means of mechanism con-
sisting of a rod with a right and left screw thread, being turned by a crank.
The lever arms with their ends catch in or are jointed to a "lift-up" disc, on
which run small rollers pivotted loosely in a shaft head, which is above the said disc.
As the last-named “lift-up” disc is lifted by means of the lever arms it will press
against the said rollers.
The shaft aforesaid is hollow in its upper part from about its middle, and in the

page_text: hollow part of the same is arranged so that it can revolve another shaft with the
shaft head aforesaid.
To the outer shaft below its hollow part is fastened a strong arm or axle, which
carries at its end a heavy wheel of cast iron or other material, the flange of which runs
on the rail-formed rim of the disc that rests by its spherical gudgeon in the spherical
pillow aforesaid, thereby bringing the said disc in an inclined position.
The outer shaft has a slot cut into it; this slot gives sufficient play for the upward
motion of a rivet which passes through a loose box around the outer shaft, and also
through the inner shaft. At some distance above this loose box is applied to the
outer shaft another box or re-inforcement, which is made fast to the said shaft, and
turns with the same; this box or re-inforcement carries an arm, which extends to
above the rim of the said inclined disc, at which point it is bent-downwards; this
arm stands at a certain angle, preferably rectangularly, or at a smaller angle to the
arm or axle carrying the heavy wheel aforesaid. The bent-down part of the arm,
fixed to the re-inforcement aforesaid, is bifurcated at its lower end. A rod passes
through this bifurcator, and is jointed to the same by a rivet, so that one part of
the rod extends to the right, and the other part to the left. One end of this rod is
bifurcated likewise, and an axle is jointed in this said bifurcation carrying a sheave,
which is arranged so as to touch and eventually run on the rim of the inclined
disc some distance from, that is to say, before the said heavy wheel. The other end
of the said rod is connected by a vertical rod to an arm fastened to the loose box,
which can slip on the outer shaft in the slot aforesaid, and is rivetted to the inner
shaft, as above described. Now, if this loose box is moved in an upward direction,
it will raise the arm fixed to it; this arm will raise the vertical rod connected to
the rod jointed in the bifurcation of the bent-down part of the arm formed in the
re-inforcement aforesaid. As this latter arm is stationary, the one part of the said
rod jointed in the said bifurcation will be pulled upwards, whilst the other part
of the rod carrying the sheave aforesaid will be forced downwards, the said rod
acting as a lever.
The middle lines of the flanges of the said sheave and of the said heavy wheel
are preferably arranged to form an acute angle or a rectangle together.
If the supporters aforesaid are moved towards the shaft by means of turning the
crank, the weights applied to the lever arms will descend, and the ends of the said
lever arms jointed to the "lift-up" disc will force the latter in an upward direction.
The "lift-up" disc presses against the rollers on the shaft head of the inner shaft,
and will raise the said shaft; the said shaft will raise the loose box and the arm
fixed to the latter; this arm will raise the vertical rod jointed to the said arm,
which will raise the one part of the rod or lever jointed in the bifurcation of the
bent-down part of the armi fixed to the re-inforcement of the outer shaft; the other
end of the said rod or lever, with the sheave, will be pressed down, and the said
sheave will bear upon the rim of the inclined disc. This latter will be moved out
of its position, and the said heavy wheel will move forward. As the pressure of
the weights and the lever arms against the "lift-up" disc and the revolving rollers
of the head of the inner shaft is never interrupted, the pressure of the said sheave
upon the rim of the inclined disc will be continuous, and the motion of the said
wheel and its connections will be a constant one. As the said wheel is connected
by its axle with the outer shaft, this latter must needs rotate likewise; it may be
connected with a bevelled pinion catching in another pinion on a shaft, upon
which are mounted fly wheels; this will rotate, and the power may be transmitted
at will.
The number of revolutions and amount of power attained are increased and
diminished by moving the said supporters towards or off the shaft.
The rotation will continue until the machine is worn out, or until the supporters
of the said weights are turned entirely off the shaft again.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Heinrich Theophil Horstmann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th November 1878.
HEINRICH THEOPHIL HORSTMANN, of Merseburg, Prussia, German Empire.
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MOTOR."
"AN
The object of my Invention is to create a constant motion by transmitting the
gravitation of a weight or weights to suitable mechanism, and to produce thereby a
motive power which requires no working expenses, and which can be regulated
at will.
Figure 1 shows the said motor in vertical section.
Figure 2 is a view of the machine without the supporting front pillars; Figure 3
is a top view; Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line a*, b*.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of portions of the said machine drawn to an enlarged
scale; Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line x, y.
The mechanism of the said machine is mounted upon a frame B and a foundation A.
A pillar block C is strongly fastened upon the said foundation A. A circular rail or
elevation D is formed on or fastened to this foundation. E is a disc proferably
made of cast iron or cast steel, its rim being bent up and down like a rail head.
This disc E is formed with a spherical elevation or gudgeon F, which is applied to
the same in the middle of its lower surface.
In the pillar block C is a spherical pillar which serves for the spherical gudgeon F
to turn in. Through this spherical gudgeon F and its pillar and the disc E passes a
vertical shaft G, which turns with its steel pivot H in the socket I countersunk in
the pillar block C. The upper end of the shaft G passes through a cross beam of
the frame B and rests in the same. Kare weights of iron or other heavy material
applied to the lever arms M; these lever arms M are supported by the sup-
porters Z, Z, which are bifurcated. A roller a is applied in the upper bifurcation
so as to turn in the same; the lever arms M rest upon this roller a. A similar
roller is applied to the lower part of the supporters Z, Z', so as to run on a rail b
fastened to the cross beam of the frame B aforesaid. c is a threaded rod having at
its fore part a left screw thread, and at its aft part a right screw thread, both threads
having equal pitch. The end of the rod e extending across the frame B is provided
with a bevelled vertical pinion d gearing with a bevelled horizontal pinion d¹
mounted upon a vertical shaft e, to the lower end of which is applied the crank f.
The supporter Z has a left female screw thread for the left screw thread of the
threaded rod c to gear with. A nut g provided with a right screw thread is mounted
upon the right screw thread of the rod c. Both sides of this nut g are connected
with draw rods h, which, passing through the supporter Z, serve for guiding this
latter, and are also connected with the sides of the supporter Z. The draw rods h
also rest in the bearings i which are mounted upon the cross beam of the frame B
aforesaid. By means of turning the crank f both of the supporters Z, Z¹, may be
moved to and from the shaft G.
The lever arms M with their ends are jointed to the lift-up disc ³, which is
mounted loosely upon the shaft G, and on which run small rollers ke pivotted loosely
in the shaft and head k which is above the said disc . As the last-named
"lift-up" disc is lifted by means of the lever arms M it will press against the said
rollers k.
The vertical shaft G is hollow in its upper part from about its middle, and in the
hollow part of the same is arranged, so that it can revolve, another shaft P, which
is fastened to the shaft head k³ aforesaid.
To the outer shaft G below its hollow part is fastened a strong arm or axle 6º,
which carries at its end a heavy wheel Q of cast iron or other material, the flange
of which runs on the rail-formed rim of the disc E, thereby bringing the said disc E
in an inclined position.

page_text: The outer shaft G has a slot I cut into it. This slot 7 gives sufficient play for the
upward motion of a rivet which passes through the loose box R around the outer
shaft G and also through the inner shaft P, thereby holding the said loose box Ron
the shaft G. At some distance above this loose box R is applied to the outer shaft G
another box or re-inforcement S, which is made fast to the said shaft and turns with
the same; the turned upper part of the loose box R fits easily into a hollow in the
Baid re-inforcement S. In the said hollow or boring is arranged a buffer spring T
which touches with its lower end the upper part of the loose box R. The said box
or re-inforcement S carries an arm m which extends to above the rim of the inclined
disc E, at which point it is bent downward. This arm m stands at a certain angle,
preferably rectangularly, or at a lesser angle to the arm or axle 62 carrying the
aforesaid heavy wheel Q. The bent-down part of the arm m is bifurcated at its
lower end. A rod n passes through this bifurcation, and is jointed to the same by a
rivet. One end of this rod n is bifurcated likewise, and an axle is jointed in this
bifurcation carrying a sheave o, which is arranged so as to touch and eventually run
on the rim of the inclined disc E some distance from, that is to say, before the heavy
wheel Q. The other end of the said rod n is connected by a vertical rod q to an
arm U fastened to the loose box R, which can slip on the outer shaft G in the slot
aforesaid, and is rivetted to the inner shaft P as above described. Now if the loose
box R is moved in an upward direction it will raise the arm U fixed to it. This
arm U will raise the vertical rod q and that part of the rod n which is connected to
the same.
As the rod n turns on the said rivet in the bifurcation of the bent-down
part of the arm m, and as this arm m is stationary, the other part of the rod n
carrying the sheave o aforesaid will be forced downwards as soon as that part of it
connected to the rod 9 is pulled upwards, the said rod n acting as a lever.
The middle lines of the flanges of the said sheave o and of the said heavy
wheel Qare preferably arranged to form an obtuse angle or a rectangle together.
If the supporters Z, Z', are moved towards the shaft G by turning the crank F,
the weights K applied to the lever arms M will descend, that is to say, they will
exert the more lever power the greater the distance between them and the said
supporters Z, Z, and the ends of the lever arms M jointed to the "lift-up" disc i³
will force the latter in an upward direction. The "lift-up" disc ³ then presses
against the rollers & on the shaft head of the inner shaft P, and will raise the
said shaft P. The shaft P will raise the loose box R, the fastening bolt of which
finds sufficient play in the slot cut into the outer shaft G, and also the arm U 3
fixed to the said loose box R. This arm U will raise the vertical rod q jointed to
the same, thus raising the one part of the rod or lever n jointed in the bifurcation
of the bent-down part of the arm m. The other end of this rod or lever n with the
sheave o will be pressed down, and the said sheave o will bear upon the rim of the
inclined disc E. "By this sheave o the rim of the disc E is pressed down, the point 4
of contact of the said disc and the circular rail D will therefore change in that
direction in which the pressure of the sheave o takes place. The wheel Q will
always rest on that point of the inclined disc E which lays deepest and touches the
rail D. Now, if this point is moved in a circular direction as herein-before
described, the wheel Q will, by its gravity, follow this rolling motion, and will by 4
means of the arm b² impart rotation to the shaft G. As the pressure of the
weights K and the lever arms M against the "lift-up" disc 12, and the revolving
rollers of the head on the inner shaft P is never interrupted, the pressure of the
said sheave o upon the rim of the inclined disc E will be continuous, and the
motion of the said wheel Q and its connections will be a constant one. The inner 5
shaft P will revolve with the outer shaft G by means of the fastening bolt of the
loose box R, and the distance of the sheave o from the wheel Q will always be the
same.
The lifting of the "lift-up" disc of the inner shaft may be effected otherwise than
by weights, such as by hoisting the inner shaft P, or by bringing down the outer 5
ends of the lever arms M by means of screws, or the like.
The aforesaid spring is mainly applied for the purpose of preventing injury to

page_text: the mechanism by the meeting of the disc E with any obstruction. It may if
desired be dispensed with
A scale e is applied to the upper bearing of the vertical axle e, and part of the
latter is provided with screw threads, upon which is mounted a nut e¹ which is
guided by the scale in a slot cut into the projection of the said nut. When
turning the crank ƒ the said nut e' moves upwards and indicates the number of
revolutions made.
The shaft G is connected to a bevelled pinion X gearing with another bevelled
pinion X. This latter is mounted upon a horizontal shaft W arranged upon a cross
bean of the frame B rectangular to the lever arms ML. Upon this shaft W are
nounted By wheels Y and a pulley W. The fly wheels by their rotation will add
to the power of the machine, and the power obtained may be transmitted at will
from the said pulley W².
The fly wheels shown in the Drawings, and also the wheel Q, differ from the
common fly wheels by carrying in spherical or elliptical excavations heavy balls
of iron or other metal which are to press forward and thereby increase the
power.
The number of revolutions and amount of power obtained are increased or
diminished by raising the inner shaft more or less. In the construction shown in
the Drawing, this result is effected by moving the said supporters Z, Z', towards or
from the shaft G.
The rotation will continue until the machine is worn out, or until an acting part
of the mechanism breaks, or until the supporters Z, Z', are turned so far from the
shaft G again as not to transmit any lever power to the "lift-up" disc i² any more,
that is to say, until the inner shaft P slides down again.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A continuous adjustable automatic motor acting by the effect of a disc
brought into an inclined position by the weight of a wheel connected by its arm or
axle to a shaft, which disc changes its position incessantly while constantly keeping
its angle of inclination by the action of a sheave set in operation by lever power, as
shown and described.
Second. In a continuous automatic motor, the arrangement of an outer and an
inner shaft, whereby the latter is lifted within the former, and both are turned
proportionately for the purpose of transmitting an incessant pressure to the rim of
the inclined disc by the aid of suitable mechanism, substantially as shown and
described.
Third. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination of the box R placed
loosely upon the outer shaft, the arm U, the rod q, and the inner shaft, as shown and
described, and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination with the bent and
bifurcated arm m and the lever rod n of the re-inforcement S on the outer shaft, as
shewn and described, and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination with the sheave o and
rod q of the lever rod n, as shewn and described, and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination of the "lift-up" disc i³,
and the shaft head provided with rollers k, as shewn and described, and for the
purpose specified.
Seventh. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination with a continuous
adjustable lifting arrangement of the "lift-up" disc i³, as shewn and described, and
for the purpose specified.
Eighth. In a continuous automatic motor, the employment of a disc E to turn in
a spherical pillar or otherwise, as shewn and described, and for the purpose
specified.
Ninth. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination with two or more
lever arms M of two or more weights, as shewn and described, and for the
purpose
specified.

page_text: - Tenth. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination with the pinion X and
fly wheels Y of the wheel Q and shaft, as shewn and described, and for the purpose
specified.
Eleventh. In a continuous automatic motor, the combination of mechanism for
starting, stopping, and regulating the said motor, consisting of a crank f, axle e,
scale e, pinions d, d', screw threaded rod c, and nut g, adjustable supporters Z, Z¹,
and draw rods h, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Heinrich Theophil Horstmann, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
•
HEINRICH THEOPHIL HORSTMANN. (L.S.)