A NEW. SELF-GENERATING CONTINUOUS MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John. James Stoll at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents,, with his Petition, on the 31st July 1865.
I, JOHN JAMES STOLL, of No.. 2, Champion Terrace, Tulse Hill Road,
Brixton Hill, Surrey, Professor of Languages,. do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "A NEW. SELF-GENERATING CONTINUOUS MOTIVE POWER,"
to be as follows:-
Let us suppose a wheel with a number of spikes, which ought rather to be
called levers, for their functions will be principally those of levers, say. 24.;
let these be of a suitable shape and thickness to allow other smaller wheels to
run on them in much the same way as a train is now running on a railway.
I need scarcely add that there is another similar corresponding wheel, at the
other end of the axis of the large wheel mentioned in the first line, and that.
if only one were used, it must be so constructed and so deeply indented, that
it should, in fact, represent 2 wheels, and that the pivots of the smaller.
wheels should run freely through them; these 48 small wheels (24 for each.
large wheel) will run on the, 48 spikes of the larger ones, whose sides may be
divided in several zones, each having a fresh division of small wheels to run
through part of its diameter; and all the wheels on one or the same lever being
connected with each other, either by solid bars, chains, ropes, or other pliant
materials, it follows that one division of wheels being made to move in any
direction will carry the others after them; and if we suppose a weight of
10, 50, or 100 lbs.. attached or united to each of the axis of the last or
external division of small wheels, and the other divisions having only, their own
ordinary weights, (which might after certain arrangement also be increased

page_text: by additional weight) the result will be that if a new small wheel be attached
to each end of the pivot of the inner division of small wheels, that is to say,
nearest to the axis of the large wheels, and made to run over a suitable bar
or rail forming an incline plane, it will be found that the sets of small wheels
on each of the large spikes, after having ascended and been fixed in their
places by a spring or suitable contrivances, and maintained so till again
relieved by similar means on their descent, the weight on the extended, or
what I shall call loaded or descending levers, or those opposite such as have
been or are ascending on the other side, is about double that necessary for
the continued ascent. The incline plane bar is placed by the side of each of
the large wheels, and the additional external wheels, mentioned before, of the
inner division, run on it as on a rail, the levers of the large wheels pressing
on the ordinary small wheels produce the ascent, whose inclined direction
can be increased or...diminished at pleasure, so as to moderate the forces;
instead of additional wheels the pivots of the small inner section could be
made to run on the inclined plane. To facilitate illustration let us number
the levers, beginning at the top as on the dial of an ordinary clock, making
the No. 24 end at the top where 12 is placed on the latter, and let us suppose
the levers to be 57 centimeters in length from the pivot on which they are
solidly fixed, forming thus a wheel of 115 centimeters in diameter; let the
first zone of the inner division of small wheels begin at 14 centimeters from
the centre of the large wheels, the second at 28, and ending, if solid bars
are used for connection, at 43 centimetres, and if ropes or. pliant materials
are used, at 57 centimetres. On a wheel of 57 cent. in diameter, or nearly
half smaller, I have found the power or weights of the loaded or descending
levers to be approximatively :-
For No. 6
14 cent. 7 millimetres.
"
5 and 7:
28
"
4 and
8.
24
13
"
8 and 9
20
6 or 14 cent. and .8 mill. each.
7 12
8
"
10
"
ૐ
4
33°

page_text: ably diminished thereby, and as No. 1 will perhaps never be used for
ascending at that position, we will drop the fraction of altogether, and be
satisfied with 7 and 3 respectively; to obtain the former sum it will be
necessary to attach another weight to the pivot of the last or external wheel
running on the lever; this weight may be made to be equal,. or only 1,
or less than the whole of that which is to ascend to the top of the lever,..
and which it is destined to move, and, unlike the others, it may be made to
act with or without running on the levers; if the latter are used they must.
be fixed to the original spikes in a slanting direction, so as to form a certain.
angle with them in a downward direction; if none are used they must be-
hung on small. wheels or pullies at the end of the spikes,. and soon after the-
lever has left the position of No. 24. in the direction of No. 1 the hanging:
weight will descend, and the different zones of wheels ascend if there is-
equality of weight; if the hanging weight is reduced to the descent and
ascent will take place when the spikes are about the position of No..2, and at
a reduction of,, when at that of No. 3, and, of course, there will be a
corresponding loss at No: 2, if it descends only at No.. 3.; but the diminution.
in the weight of these hanging weights, if I may so express it, will be, it is
believed, more than compensated by a lesser force being required to produce-
the ascent on the inclined plane.. The bars of the inclined planes may begin.
and terminate at various places and form. various angles; those I.am.about.
to mention. all begin.in. the middle of the levers or at 14 cent..from the centre
of the wheel I have just described,, and running inwardly form a number of
broken chords,. which will be better understood by the following explanation:-
At 6 cent.. from the centre of the large wheels are G on No. 13, and F on
No. 12; at 10 cent. 3: mill.. B-on 13; Don 12, H on 11, and I on 10; and
at 14 cent.. we find A on 12, C' on 11,.and E. on. No. 10. By fixing the
incline in the direction of A to B, and quadrupling with pullies the rope-
which is to draw all the wheels and weights running on the lever No. 12,.
which will propel the inner wheel from. A to B along the bars of the inclined.
plane, we obtain the complete ascension of the rope stretched from A. to the
end of lever 12, and of the wheels and weights attached to it, this rope being
in lenghth 4 times the distance of A to B; and, of course, 4 powers or weights.
equal (each) to that produced. by No.. 6 will be required,. added to which must
be considered more, or 23 (to equal the descending weight at No. 2),.which.
will give 6 forces,. from which must be deducted for the gain by the.
inclined plane A, B, leaving 4 required, which being deducted from 7.
leaves 2 of real disposable forces; and if the fraction of be not excluded,.
3,. and nearly from C to D, the distance being the same as from A to B,

page_text: and the incline plane less steep and on a longer base, we obtain a gain of
even more than one-half; but as we must make allowance for the slanting
instead of perpendicular direction of lever 11, compared with No. 12, for
what concerns the hanging and descending weight at No. 12, at the moment
of coming in contact with the incline plane, when in the position of No. 11
or 10, we will make a deduction, and not count this surplus which must make
up for the loss of perpendicular between C, H, and which may affect the
ascending force between C, D. The hanging weight represented above by 2
not having the advantage of running on the lever as on a slight inclined
plane will sustain a loss, and to make that up we will, at a rough guess,
add of the 2, which will make altogether 7, from which one-half is to be
taken as a gain of the inclined plane, we have 3 of real, weight left, and if
we add instead of the, which will be more than enough, there will still
remain 8 of disposable weight. We now come to the inclined plane E, F,
on the distance F, A, which being half the space of E to the extremity of
lever No. 10, will necessitate a double propelling force at E, and a double
line of ropes with one wheel or pully; the inclined plane of lever 10 being
greater than that of No. 11 with respect to the hanging weight represented
by, it will be necessary to add, or perhaps even to make up for this loss;
we will therefore reckon as if there were 2 entire weights to be lifted instea-l
of actually only 13, which will give 4 and about 3 at the point where lever 11
crosses the incline E, F, making together 7, from which deduct for gain on
inclined plane, leaves again 3 of saved power; the gain. here is nearly more
than the half, and would nearly amount to 4 on account of a greater lenghth
in the base of incline plane, but as we have to make up, as mentioned before,
for small loss for want of perpendicular in this lever when meeting the incline,
there will thus be a sufficient margin left for that. A still lighter inclined
plane is that from F to D, and at first sight the advantages of it seem very
great, and it will require a quadruple force and rope over the inclined plane,
and as lever 11 also crosses it the propelling forces will have to be again
nearly doubled, although there will be a gain of nearly by reason of lever 11
crossing the inclined plane at nearly the distance from the centre of the
large wheel, but we now only count roughly 4 for each set of weights, and
make it 8 instead of 64, which they really are, and count 8 also for lever 11,
& instead of deducting gained by.that lever's position on the inclined
plane we leave it also entire; we have thus 16, and the lenghth of space or
base over which the inclined plane runs being within a small fraction 4 times
its height, part of the forces only would be required for moving the weights
up the inclined plane, and se we have 2 left; which deducted from 7 leaves: 5

page_text: of actual gain in disposable force, and if we add one-half to the propelling
force required for any error or miscalculation there would still remain 4. The
result on inclined planes C, B, C, G, and I, F, do not vary considerably froin.
those already mentioned; but there remains another result of inclined planes
to describe when durability is required, and instead of ropes solid bars are
required to connect the inner wheels running on the inclined plane with the
other wheels and weights running over the levers. In that case it is desirable
that the first set of bars should be equal in lenghth to the second holding at
their ends, the weights, (if bars are used instead of ropes, which may also be
used in this case), and this will shorten each lever or spike by about part,
and the accumulated forces of the levers will thereby be diminished by, and
become only 3. If we now effect the ascent by incline E to F, 13 will be
required for lever 10, and about of that amount for No. 11, making
altogether 23. from which take one-half for gain on incline plane, leaves 1 to
be deducted from 3 the accumulated weight, and therefore gives 2½ of dis-
posable forces; and if we also in this case add to the hanging weight for
the loss caused by want of perpendicular of levers 10 and 11, we shall
obtain 8 instead of 23, and the half of 3 deducted from the accumulated
forces 3 would still present 1 of saved power, or a little more than one-
half of that accumulated. The inclined plane C to G presents an advantage
in the more perpendicular position of the levers 11 and 12, but a loss of
nearly in the produce of the inclined plane whose base is shorter, so that
the result will not differ very much from what we have already obtained.
Any advantages obtained from inclined planes whose foot is fixed close to.
lever 12 will be free of any drawback occasioned by the hanging of weight,
etc., but being all on a shorter base will not offer the same advantages in the
saving of forces. The levers may also be used fixed to the centre of the
wheels in a slanting position, or forming as many angles as there may be
zones or divisions of wheels running on then, and the last may form such an
angle that instead of using hanging weights these latter may run on that
last slanting section, and by considerably increasing their volume as to be
2, 8, or 4 times the weight of all the other wheels and weights 'together,.
which they will have to drag up through the other zones on descending along.
the external one, they may be made to ascend when in the position of No. 2,
3, 4, or 5, and these running external weights, after having lifted by their
descent their respective zones of wheels and weights, may produce more than
forces enough to propel their own ascension on the inclined planes, and relieve
the others of nearly, half their expending powers, and which would be required
to force the hanging weights up the bars of the incline plane if so used. The
}

page_text: size of the large wheels and the shape of the spikes or levers may vary
infinitely, but it will be necessary that they should be so constructed as to
-allow the wheels running upon them, and which may be formed like those of a
railway carriage, to move freely without the possibility of coming off; they
may also be constructed like a pully, the levers passing through their middle
like a rope, or the extremities of the wheels may be rounded or pointed, änd
run in a corresponding groove of the spikes, and to obtain a large increase of
•power a certain number of these large wheels may be fixed to the same axis,
and so arranged that all the ascending and descending weights may perform
*their functions at one and the same time, or alternately; and as there is
scarcely any limit in the diameter and width which may be given to these
wheels, but only in the means and materials of making them, almost any
amount of force could be obtained permanently, and about one ton per horse-
power would be required in their weight. In certain cases the weights need
not be principally metal, for stones may be used, especially for the hanging
weights. A good form for the spikes would be that of common rails on a
railway, but with this difference, that the small wheels would not run where
wheels run now on the latter, but on their sides which ought to be as thin as
possible to allow a full run to the wheels, which must not be too small, and
that part which on a railway touches the ground would form the sides of the
large wheels, except at the part meeting the inclined plane bars, where it
"would be transformed into a smooth flat bar. To obviate the loss which the
angle of the levers form, to which the hanging weights are attached when
-coming in contact with the inclines, (except those on lever 12) certain
"arrangement is made; by means of which the small external wheels or pullies
-on which the weights bang, being fixed to flying bars whose end is secured
by a screw or bolt at a suitable distance on the levers, the spring which holds
"them in that position is pressed upon by a suitably fixed projecting bar on the
wheel revolving, and allows the small wheels and weights attached suddenly
to descend perpendicularly, so as to allow all the weight to fall on the last
-ascending axis and wheels running on the spikes at the very time when the
additional external wheels come in contact with the incline bar, and at the
sposition of No. 12 these flying bars would assume their first position by a
-similar contrivance. Another improvement can be made on that part of the
levers situate between A and F, and at a little above the point F it may be
separated and fall slantingly back at 'the like distance from the axis, but on
lever 11, and lever il on lever 10, and so on round the wheel, without, how-
ever, losing their position at A, C, E, etc. This slanting direction of that
part of the levers would facilitate the ascent, but somewhat diminish the

page_text: length of the base of incline, and consequently its gain. It will be seen that
the use of small hanging weights for effecting the ascension of the small
wheels and weights when the levers form a suitable incline in the position of
No. 1, 2, 3, or 4, is of great practical use, and constitutes a real saving, for
although the hanging weights would be at a disadvantage by reason of their
not running up like the others on the incline formed by the slanting direction
of the levers themselves when coming in contact with the real external bars.
of the inclined planes, if the above means of using flying bars to remedy the
evil be not used, yet the saving does still exist to some extent, for, if equal
weights were used, the hanging weights would descend between No. 24 and 1,
and the force required would be further increased by about if ascending at
the position of No. 10, and the difference would be something like what 8 is.
to 12, between using or not using banging weights equal or short in weight.
The other wheels and weights running on the levers, gaining as much by so
doing as they lose by the slanting position of the spikes, will remain unaffected,
and as if they were perfectly perpendicular, when meeting the inclined plane
bar. It is scarcely necessary to add that the inclined bars must be fixed
solidly on a suitable frame fixed on a stand on the ground by the sides of the
large wheel, and a proper arrangement made to allow their being easily raised
or moved in a different direction, so as to moderate or stop the motion
altogether. There is another important modification of this motive power in a
different arrangement, and when no external bars of incline planes are used
for additional wheels to run upon, but when their functions are transferred to
the spikes themselves. For this purpose the levers are indented and sharply
sunk a few inches on that portion representing the external sides of the wheel
at a short distance from its centre, say at A, and the sinking continued up to
the axis, another smaller wheel having as many corresponding spikes as the
large wheel is made to fill and fit this sunken portion of the large wheel, and
the spikes of the small wheel must come opposite those of the large one,
leaving an empty space of a few inches, and presenting an apparently broken
continuity in the levers; before finally putting on this small wheel a thick
strong tube is strongly fixed on the frame which is to receive the pivots of the
large wheels, after having previously passed the tube through the small wheel
which now rests and revolves on it as on an axis, and the ends of the pivots
of the large wheels are now introduced within the tube in which they revolve,
and the external small and large wheels adjusted and firmly fixed by bowed
or bent bars extending from the small inner wheel to the extremity of the
large levers; thus there will be an empty space left for the passage of a strong
and suitably shaped bar, which shall be fixed to or form a continuation of

page_text: the side of the tube, without being one itself, and which shall project from the
broken space in the spikes after having made a right angle with the end of
the spikes on the small wheel; at the end of this bar is fixed a wheel or a
screw, the screw must revolve like an endless screw, and be of a form and
lenghth suitable to the successive catching, bearing, and throwing off of the
ropes of one or more levers which shall cross the apparently broken continuity
on the levers, and which being fixed at the end of the spikes of the small
wheel and running on a pully or small wheel opposite fixed on the spikes of
the large wheel, shall draw up the wheels and weights running on the levers
on being caught by the screws. Suppose that 4 ropes are used, 3 to be con-
tinually on the screw, which being incessantly turned by the reason of the end
of the rope being fixed at the end of the spikes of the small sunken wheels, and
coming on one after the other on the screw whose lenghth is so regulated that tho
first rope falls off at the moment when a 4th one is coming on, so that 3 be
always on it; a little below this screw two other endless screws (or even smooth
bars) may be fixed to the projecting iron bar with their extremities spread
out fan-like, and which are destined to lengthen the rope, and consequently
augment the accumulated forces. The projecting bars to which these screws
are attached, instead of projecting from the sides of the wheels, can be turned
to advance in a parallel line with the levers, and if lengthened sufficiently may
be made to act as a descending weight on the ends of the levers, which must
have and form a right angle at a short distance from their extremities in an
inward direction so as to receive them, and small wheels may be fixed at the
end of the projecting bars and the screws fixed to it; to this small 'wheel may
be attached a rope or band in connection with the pivot or axis of the large
wheel, which of course must revolve with it and form one piece, and. when the
weight produced by the tension of the ropes presses on the screws there. will be
a double action, one by the screws on the right-angled extremity of tho levers,
and another on the axis of the large wheel, connected with the band to the
small wheel to which the screws are attached; and observe that there niust
be a suitable spring attached to the latter to suddenly raise the screw when
the rope has left it in order to catch another rope and another right-angled
lever, and the small wheel of the screw must be so constructed with a catch
that when turning back when the spring is raising the screw it by no means.
affects the band and pivot of the large wheel, which will continue their unin-
terrupted revolution produced by another similar arrangement, which.
alternately shall descend, be lifted up by the spring, and produce the double
action of weight and revolution as described; and the catch enabling the small
wheel at the end of the screw to revolve when descending and to remain in-

page_text: movable when ascending by reason of its forming a double wheel, one within
the other, and the catch hanging inside loosely and falling on a set of
slantingly-formed teeth fixed on the inner wheel. Suitable steel rods are to
be fixed both on the small central and on the large wheels, where the ends of
the ropes are fixed to hold up and regularly direct the latter on the screws;
they must be very pliant and in no manner be suffered to affect the tension of
the rope between the screws and the places where it is fixed, both on the small
and large wheel. A wheel or rather a couple of wheels may also be used
instead of screws, and so arranged in a slanting position that the ropes
stretched by the rods may fall on the upper descending portion when they are
almost touching each other at that point and stretched out on coming to the
widening portion; and they may be so placed that the weights of 2 or 3
ropes be continually descending on one side, and at the same time raising one
on the other side, which shall soon descend to raise another and so on; but
wheels not having that opening slanting direction would be of little or no use.
It will be seen that the ropes being double when hanging on the screws will
produce a double weight on them, that of descent and that of ascent of the
weights, and if this weight be nearly equally divided, one would devolve to the
pressure on the right-angled portion of the levers, and which pressure would
be considerably multiplied by reason of its falling at such a distance from the
centre of the wheel, if the slanting direction of the rope did not somewhat
diminish this great advantage and the other fall on the small. wheel connected
with the band of the pivot of the large one. Let us now see what may be
the advantages obtained by fixed screws. Let us suppose the ropes No: 8, 9,
10, and 11 to fall on the screws at 14 cent. from the axis of the large wheels,
that is to say, at the position of A, C, E, and let the screws be supposed to
be at about 14 cent. from the centre and at the position of No. 8, two forces
being necessary (forces of weights) for the raising of each weight, 8 would be
wanted, to which add for the hanging weight, would make 13%, and the
accumulated forces produced being 14 the difference would be too trifling to
be of any value; but if we come to examine into the advantages of the
inclines presented by 8, 9, and 10, the result is more reassuring. At No. 8
only will be necessary for effecting the ascent, so we put down for

page_text: to which add 3 for the of the hanging weights, we have thus 8; but we
have to set off as a loss the reduction of pressure on 8, 9, and 10. by reason.
of their weights being made to ascend partially at so early a stage, and this
⚫ loss stands.
1duce or 2 cont 2 mill
be deducted from 14, leaving 13
from which deduct 8
13 cent., 7 or about 1 power to-
you have still 43 forces saved; but this wheel not ad- 1
mitting of solid bars to be used for drawing the weights will scarcely become.
. as useful as the other, though the pressure of the screws on the extremities of
the levers and the small wheel acting directly on the centre of the large one-
by means of the band, the advantages may ultimately become considerable:
. I must also mention that another band may be stretched from the axis of 1
the large wheel on another toothed wheel also fixed to the projecting bar,.
which shall cause the screw to revolve both when fixed or when moved by a.
spring, and in. that case it may be lengthened sufficiently for the purpose; the
force necessary for the revolution of the screws, it is supposed, will be much
less than that produced by lifting the weights from a greater distance; and, of
. course, the advantage will be immense.