A New or Improved Means of and Apparatus for Obtaining Power.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1397
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Means of and Apparatus for Obtaining Power..
We, COLIN MCCALLUM, of 111, Eaglesham Street, Paisley Road, in the County of the
City of Glasgow, North Britain, Mechanic, and НUGH MORTON BROWN of Avondale,
Gourock, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Portioner, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to a new or improved means of and apparatus for obtaining
power.
The invention consists of an arrangement of inclined surfaces or planes for imparting
to balls or spheres, which are caused to roll thereon, the necessary momentum for
developing within an annular body or bodies a constant rotary motion to produce
power.
The primary object of our invention is to utilize all the available power due to the
gravitational rolling of spheres or balls by causing as many projecting levers, sprocket
wheels, or spur wheels as possible to be rotatably moved so as to accumulate within
the annular body, which for brevity we shall call the lifting wheel, sufficient power to
raise the balls or spheres to a height necessary to start them rolling and produce a
continuous cycle of rotatory operations
Along the surface of the upper and lower inclined surfaces or planes, situated at a
suitable lower level, are mounted a set or sets of wheels or discs, upon whose surface-
or periphery teeth or projections preferably curved, are formed. These teeth or
projections are so arranged that they lie across the path of the balls or spheres. In
the travel of the said balls or spheres the said teeth or projections are acted upon in
the same manner as the teeth of spur wheels or like gearing. The rotary motion thus
obtained is communicated through chain wheels and spur gearing to the said lifting.
wheel, upon whose surface are mounted a suitable number of lifters or cups.
the opposite side of the apparatus, carried in suitable bearings, is another annular
body, which for brevity we shall call the power wheel. This wheel has a number
of radial projections formed on its face which are acted upon by the rolling spheres.
or balls.
On
In order that our invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect we have hereunto appended one explanatory sheet of drawing showing one
form of carrying out our invention.
A is the framework in which are formed the tubular inclined paths or channels B
for the travel of the said balls or spheres C. Within the said framework A carried
in suitable bearings are the wheels D and E. The wheel D is formed, as previously
referred to, circumferentially with a number of radial projections d which are acted
upon by the said balls or spheres C causing the wheel to revolve and carry round
with it the said balls or spheres C from the upper inclined plane F to the lower
one G. The shaft D of the wheel D is the first motion shaft and through the
said shaft the motive power to be obtained is transmitted.
The wheel E which has previously been briefly referred to as the lifting wheel
is shown mounted with six lifters or cups H, but a greater or less number may
be employed as may be found necessary. The sprocket wheel I, whose curved
teeth transfix the upper inclined plane F transmits in the direction of the arrows
and by means of the chain or belt J, and spur wheels K, L, and M the rotary
motion imparted to it by the balls or spheres, to the lifting wheel E.

page_text: The lower sprocket wheel N with its spur wheel O, which gears with the wheel P
transmits in like manner through the chain or belt Q its share of rotary motion
received by the travel of the balls or spheres along the lower plane G to the said
lifting wheel E.
The speed and axis of rotation of the wheels I and N may vary and be independent
of each other.
An arrangement for imparting an auxiliary rotary motion to the said wheel N is
shown by the treadle marked R which projects within the path of the said lower
plane G. The treadle R is connected to a crank S by the rod T, chain disc U and
chain or belt V. Suitable arrangements are provided for starting and stopping the
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The method of and apparatus for obtaining power substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 15th day of December 1896.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Patent Agents.