Motors or Prime Movers which Develop and Sustain Motion or Motive Power of All Kinds by Means of Weight or Gravity
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Rotary Motors or Prime Movers which Develop and Sustain Motion
or Motive Power of All Kinds by Means of Weight or Gravity
Alone.
RICHARD ALSTON Solicitor 103 West Regent Street Glasgow do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object the developing and sustaining of motion or motive
shafts or wheels
power by the application of weight through the medium of wheels
& axles to act upon other wheels & shafts or wheels & axles in such a way as to
cause the weight bearing wheels & shafts or wheels & axles to rest and press upon
the circumference (inside or outside) of the other wheels & shafts or wheels &
axles or upon rims or discs attached to these, so that when the weight-bearing wheels
& shafts or wheels & axles (which are capable of being moved backwards & for-
wards) are moved backward or forward & kept in a position where they press on a
point in advance of the centre of gravity of the wheels & shafts or wheels & axles
to be acted upon the latter revolve & continue to revolve so long as the weight
acting through the aforesaid medium is allowed to operate.
:-
The following are the modes of applying the principle:-
(1) By fore action, in which the weight-bearing wheel is moved forward from the
centre of gravity of the wheel or disc in which it runs in a groove or otherwise & is
kept in that position thereby causing the latter to revolve.
(2) By back action in which the weight-bearing wheel is moved backward from the
centre of gravity of the shaft or disc upon which it runs in a groove or otherwise &
is kept in that position thereby causing the latter to revolve.
(3) By fore action through the medium of a hollow cylinder enclosing but never
touching the shaft or axle of the wheel acted upon in which the weight-bearing hollow
cylinder is moved forward from the centre of gravity of the wheel or disc in which its
raised end runs in a groove or otherwise and is kept in that position, thereby causing
the latter to revolve.
(4) All combinations of these modes, particularly & specially.
(5) A combination consisting of said hollow cylinder as described in number 3 with
said back action as described in number 2 applied upon the said hollow cylinder.
(6) A combination consisting of said hollow cylinder as described in number 3 with
said fore action as described in number 1 applied upon the said hollow cylinder or
inner rim thereof.
Dated this Twenty-third day of August Eighteen hundred and eighty-nine.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Rotary Motors or Prime Movers which Develop and Sustain Motion
or Motive Power of All Kinds by Means of Weight or Gravity
Alone.
RICHARD ALSTON, Solicitor, 103 West Regent Street Glasgow, 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 :-
The invention has for its object the creation of motion or motive power, by the ap-
plication of weight, through the medium of wheels cylinders or discs (with relative
shaft or axle connection & other framework) so fitted and arranged as to act upon
other wheels cylinders or discs (with relative shaft or axle connection & other frame-
work) in such a way as to cause the upper smaller or weight bearing wheels cylinders

page_text: discs (flanged or otherwise prepared) to rest and press upon the inside circumference
the rims or flanges formed on or attached to the other wheels, the said rims or
anges being grooved or otherwise prepared; so that when the upper smaller or
eight bearing wheels cylinders or discs are moved forwards & press on a point, in
Ivance of the centre of gravity of the wheels cylinders or discs to be acted upon,
e latter revolve, & continue to revolve, so long as the weight, acting through the
oresaid medium, is allowed to operate. For example by this method a tram car
ould be moved by its own weight (aided by ballast if necessary) and by the weight
its load also when loaded.
Any kind of leverage or other arrangement can be used to connect the two frame-
orks (in cases where it is necessary they should be connected) and to keep the weight
aring wheels, cylinders or discs in any required position, within the circumference
the other wheels cylinders. or discs, or the rims or flanges attached thereto. The
versal of their position from fore to back will operate as reverse motion and also as
ake power. This arrangement will of course start stop and regulate the speed of
e motor or prime mover.
The following are modes of applying the above principle or method of creating
otion-
(1) By having the weight bearing wheels cylinders or discs less in diameter
an half the diameter of the other wheels cylinders or discs, rims or flanges, so that
e former may run clear of the axles or shafts connecting the latter.
(2) By having the weight bearing wheels cylinders or discs larger in diameter
an half the diameter of the other wheels cylinders or discs, rings or flanges.
is involves getting rid of the obstruction caused by the axles or shafts of
e wheels cylinders or discs acted upon, and can be accomplished in four ways.
(a) By having the weight bearing wheels cylinders or discs so constructed as
to act upon the outside of the other wheels cylinders or discs on the inside
circumference of the rims or flanges thereof-the former dispensing with
ordinary shafts or axles, and having short spurs or supports in lieu
thereof.
(b) By having the weight bearing wheels cylinders or discs so constructed
as to act upon the inside of the other wheels cylinders or discs on the
inside circumference of the rims or flanges thereof, the latter dispensing
with the ordinary shafts or axles and having short spurs or supports in
lieu thereof.
(c) By having the weight bearing wheels cylinders or discs so constructed as
to act upon the inside of the other wheels cylinders or discs on the inside
circumference of the rims or flanges thereof, the shafts or axles connecting
the former being hollow, and enclosing without touching the shafts or axles
of the latter.
(d) By having the weight bearing wheels cylinders or discs so constructed as
to act upon the outside of the other wheels cylinders or discs on the inside
circumference of the rims or flanges thereof, the shafts or axles connecting
the latter being hollow and enclosing without touching the shafts or axles of
the former.
(3) All combinations of these modes.
The following is a fuller description of one of the forms of motor (under the
inciple described in paragraph 2, a, reference being made to the accompanying
awings.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improvements as adapted to any ordinary vehicle
hich runs on rails.
Figure 2, is a plan of same.
Figure 3, a sectional elevation on line X, Y, of Figure 2, and Figure 4, an illus
ative detail.
In carrying out my said invention I construct a frame A (of any suitable metal or
aterial), which is so constructed as to carry the main wheels B, which run upon

page_text: the rails; thus practically forming a car or waggon without any body and which I
will hereafter designate frame No. 1. On the outside of the wheels B, I form or
attach smaller rims or flanges C, and which preferably project from the outside
surfaces of the said wheels B, the said rims or flanges C, being provided with the
necessary flanges or bearing strips c, (Figure 3) and they may also if desired be
roughened, grooved, or otherwise prepared on their inside surfaces c³, (Figures 1
and 3) so as to prevent slipping.
Inside the said wheels rims or flanges C, I mount the weight bearing wheels D,
preferably of a greater diameter than half the diameter of the rims or flanges C, and
suitably mounted on axles, studs, or their equivalents d, carried by a suitable frame E,
which also carries a set of drums, hand lever chains or belts, and guide wheels, thus
forming another car or waggon having its wheels working inside the rims C of wheels B,
of frame No. 1, and which I will hereinafter designate frame No. 2. The peripheries
of the said wheels D, are made so as to fit the rims C, of the wheels B, and if desired
they may be roughened, grooved or otherwise prepared so as to provent slipping.
It will be seen from the foregoing that I provide two frames (No. 1, and No. 2,)
each of which form a car or waggon, but No. 2 frame is also the weight bearing
frame, that is, it has the carriage, waggon or car body built on it as also any load
or ballast therein, the said body being built of any suitable shape and material.
In order to enable frame No. 2, with its weight to act upon frame No. 1, and thus
obtain motion through the medium of the wheels upon both-that is to move or pull
forward or backward and keep in such position the wheels of No. 2 frame, (the way
of accomplishing this being based on the principle of making use of frame No. 1, as
the means or fulcrum by which frame No. 2 is moved and kept in the desired position)
I mount in any suitable manner near the centre of the frame No. 2, one or more
circular drums F, which may be made with plain, grooved or otherwise prepared
surfaces, and which through the medium of any suitable lever arrangement G, actuate
the two or more sets of chains or belts H, J, which are passed around the drums and
around suitable guide wheels K, or their equivalents provided on the ends of frame
No. 2, and are connected at their ends h, j, to the ends of frame No. 1, thus enabling
frame No. 2, to be pulled either forwards or backwards as desired and held there by
means of the lever G, being engaged in any suitable notched or locking quadrant
provided on or attached to frame No. 2. The tension of the said chains or belts
being so regulated as not to obstruct the downward pressure of frame No. 2, on the
wheels of frame No. 1.
In lieu of actuating the chains or belts jointly by means of the same drums, and
lever arrangement, I may actuate each set (a set comprising those to actuate frame
No. 2 in one direction) through separate drums and lever arrangements.
The action of the foregoing being that upon the hand lever being pulled backward
as indicated by the arrow in figure 1, frame No. 2, is caused to move forward and as
its wheels D press on a part of the rim or flange C, of the wheels B, in advance of the
centre of gravity of the wheels B, (as shewn in figure 4, on a smaller scale) and so
gives motion to the whole.
As frame No. 2, must always be much heavier than frame No. 1, suitable weights
may be carried by the motor as ballast, and which may be shifted by any suitable
means from the one frame to the other as desired, so as to overcome any friction and
loss of power that may be caused by the pulling forward or backward of frame
No. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
First. The method of applying weight in manner before described as a means of
obtaining motion or motive power of all kinds.
Second. The application of said weight through the medium of wheels cylinders or
discs, acting in manner before described.
Third. In obtaining motion or motive power the employment of weight bearing

page_text: wheels cylinders or discs D, which work on the inside circumference of the rims
or flanges C formed on or attached to the main wheels B, all substantially as herein-
before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The general arrangement and combination of the various parts constituting
my rotary motors or prime movers, which develope and sustain motion or motive
power by means of weight or gravity alone all substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of April 1800
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.