IMPROVED MOTOR FOR RAISING, LOWERING, PROPELLING, AND PROJECTING BODIES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry George Frasi, Engineer, of 80, Cloudsley Road,
Islington, N., for the Invention of " IMPROVED MOTOR FOR RAISING, LOWERING,
PROPELLING, AND PROJECTING BODIES."
Sealed the 31st May 1878, and dated the 25th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry George Frasi at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1878.
HENRY GEORGE FRASI, Engineer, of 80, Cloudsley Road, Islington, N. "I-
PROVED MOTOR FOR RAISING, LOWERING, PROPELLING, AND PROJECTING BODIES."
Since the first introduction of india-rubber springs to mechanical purposes by
R. E. Hodges, several Patents have been granted to W. Farini, G. Oliver, and
W. P. Dando, for combination of india-rubber springs, the resilient force of which
has been used to move or project bodies by being substantially brought into action
upon the object to be moved, which said Patents have been principally used in
theatrical and gymnastic performances.
My Invention not only consists of improvements in apparatus, but also to a new
application of the said Invention.
My improvements consists of employing the tensile force of vulcanised india-
rubber spring, either singly, or in multiple form, to act upon a screw by one end
of the spring being attached to the nut or female portion of the screw, which nut
works in parallel guides. The other end of the said springs are attached
substantially to the framework of machine. The male screw is furnished with
journals and fitted in suitable bearings fitted at ends of machine. It will be seen by
revolving the male screw by handle or other suitable appliance, I cause the nut or
female of screw to travel in a plane of the parallel guides and distend the springs
any given distance, which springs in returning to their normal position give out
their multiplied force upon the male screw, and communicate a rotary motion to
the said male screw and to any machinery thereto attached, the power being in

page_text: proportion to the number of springs used, and the number of revolutions, according
to the pitch of screw; and the apparatus will raise, pull, or propel any body or
material, to be overcome in any required direction from the horizontal to the
vertical line. I likewise use the resilient force of india-rubber springs in the
opposite direction, for the purpose of lowering bodies or material by having a less
number of springs acting upon the nut or female screw than will resist the
weight of body to be lowered, thus the weight descending will rotate the male
screw and cause the nut to travel along the screw, and stretch the springs in
proportion to the weight of the body or material descending. The apparatus in
this form would be of special value in case of fire in a dwelling, by a person
attaching himself to a wire rope attached to a sheave fitted to male scrow, in which
case he could descend from any height in safety. The power of each spring being
of a given strength, and number required to overcome different weights being given
on a tablet attached to machine, any number of persons of different weights might
descend, and on reaching the ground, by detaching himself, the rope would rapidly
ascend, by the springs being more powerfull than the weight of rope, and thus be
ready for use again.
My improvements further consist of projecting as well as raising and lowering
bodies, and is performed by giving a rotary motion (by aid of the apparatus
previously described) to any body to be projected, which said body shall have
attached to its lateral edges fans set at any angle best suited to travel through and
overcome the resistance of water or air. By fitting the body to be projected on
one end of the male screw, I can communicate such rapid motion to the body to be
projected as to cause it to travel a considerable distance in any direction,
according to the power of springs applied.
This Invention can also be used for propelling bodies by the motive power given
to the male screw (as before described) being communicated to a system of cog or
spur wheels, as condition of object to be propelled may require; or the apparatus
may be used to produce a gymnastic or theatrical effect.

page_text: 25th September 1878.
HENRY GEORGE FRASI, Engineer, of 80, Cloudsley Road, Islington, in the County
of Middlesex. IMPROVED MOTOR FOR RAISING, LOWERING, PROPELLING, AND
PROJECTING BODIES."
Since the first introduction or application of india-rubber springs to mechanical
purposes by R. E. Hodges, several various Patents have been granted to W. Farini,
G. Oliver, and W. P. Dando, for combinations and applications of india-rubber
springs, the resilient force of which has been used to move or project bodies by
being substantially or directly brought into action upon the object to be moved,
which said Patents have been principally used in theatrical and gymnastic
performances.
Now my Invention not only consists of improvements in apparatus, but also to a
new application of the said Invention.
It
My improvements consist in employing the tensile force of vulcanised india-
rubber springs, either singly or in multiple form, to act upon a screw by one end of
the spring being attached to a travelling nut provided centrally with a female
portion or thread or worm working on a screw shaft (the male portion of the screw),
and which nut works in parallel guides, the other ends of the said springs being
attached substantially to the framework of machine. The male screw is furnished
with journals and works in suitable bearings fitted at ends of machine.
will be seen that by revolving the male screw by a hand or other suitable
appliance, the nut or female portion of screw is caused to travel at a plane of the
parallel guides, and so as to distend or stretch the springs any given distance,
which springs in returning to their normal position give at their multiplied
force through the female screw travelling nut upon, and to the male screw
shaft, and to any machinery geared or attached thereto, the power being in
proportion to the number of springs and the number of revolutions according
to the pitch of screw, and the apparatus will raise, pull, or propel any body
or material in any required direction by means of suitable transmission. I
likewise use the resilient force of india-rubber springs in the opposite sense, for the
purpose of lowering bodies or material by having a less number of springs acting
upon the nut or female screw than will resist the weight of body to be lowered;
thus the weight descending will rotate the male screw shaft and will cause the nut
to travel along the screw and stretch the springs in proportion to the weight of the
body or material descending. The apparatus in this form would be of special value
in case of fire in a dwelling by a person attaching himself to a wire rope attached
to a sheave fitted to male screw, in which case he could descend from any height in
safety. The power of each spring being of a given strength, and the number
required to overcome different weights being given on a tablet attached to machine,
any number of persons of different weights might descend, and on reaching the
ground, by detaching himself, the rope would rapidly ascend, by the springs being
more powerful than the weight of rope, and thus be ready for use again.
My improvements further consist of projecting as well as raising and lowering
bodies, and is performed by giving a rotary motion (by aid of the apparatus
previously described) to any body to be projected, which said body shall have
attached to its lateral edges fans or wings set at any angle best suited to travel
through and overcome the resistance of water or air. By fitting the body to be
projected on one end of the male screw I can communicate such rapid motion to the
body to be projected as to cause it to travel a considerable distance in any direction,
according to the power of springs applied.

page_text: This Invention can also be used for propelling bodies by the motive power given
to the male screws (as before described) being communicated to a system of cog or
spur wheels as condition of object to be propelled may require, or the apparatus
may be used to produce a gymnastic or theatrical effect."
In order that my said Invention may be well understood, I have hereunto
annexed 2 Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus constructed according to my Invention,
and designed for raising bodies or for driving a train of gearing or transmitting
motion; Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is detached view, being elevation of
end framing at left of Figs. 1 and 2, seen from the right-hand side of said Figs. at
linè a, b; Fig 4 is end view seen from the right of the end framing of the
apparatus, Figs. 1 and 2, to which one extremity of the india-rubber springs are
fastened or secured.
Fig. 5 is travelling framing, to which the other end of the india-rubber springs
are secured, and carrying the travelling female screw threaded nut; Fig. 6 is a
section at line c, d, of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is end view of the drum, illustrating the mode of fixing or securing the
elevation or lifting cord.
In Figs. 8 to 11 is shown a modification of the Invention wherein Fig. S is a side
elevation of apparatus; Fig. 9, a plan view of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is detached view of
end framing, seen from right of Figs. 8 and 9; Fig. 11 is like view of travelling
female screw threaded nut and frame for reception of one end of the india-rubber
springs.
Like letters refer to similar parts throughout the Drawings.
A, A¹, are end framings bolted together by tie rods A*.
The male screw motive-power shaft B is mounted in bosses C of said framing.
D are drums shown keyed or otherwise secured to shaft B, and shown carrying
lifting cords D¹, the end whereof is secured at one end by being passed through a
hole in the periphery of the drum, and attached to a hook D², secured on the side
of the drum, substantially as shown in Fig. 7.
The cord D¹ may be laid around the boss D³ of the drum before being hooked on
to the hook D³ to prevent liability of the cord to chafe.
E is a worm wheel, and F, endless screw, the shaft of which works in bearings
F on framing A; the ends of the shaft F¹ are squared for the reception of a hand
wheel or wheels or winch handle for actuating the worm gear.
F³ is a spring fitted with a tooth or catch piece working through a slot in the
bearing F, so as to bear upon the shaft F1 and to take into and engage with the
recess F' of the said shaft when the screw F is moved out of gear with the worm
wheel E.
F is a catch or pawl made with a loose collar, and hanging on the shaft F¹,
which catch is jointed so as to be rigid in one direction, but will yield in the other
direction, and will engage with the teeth of the wheel E, and automatically stop
the wheel E, and with it the shaft B, from accidentally rotating in a backward
direction, thereby preventing the shaft B and drums D from turning and unwinding
the lifting cord D when the power of the springs have been expended.
G is a bolt having a screw portion working in a boss or female piece on the
framing, and actuated by a handle G' to shoot the said bolt G by the screw action,
so that it shall engage and take into the holes E¹ of the wheel E when the power
of the rubber spring is fully or sufficiently exerted, and previously to the tensional
action of the springs being employed.
H is the travelling frame, to which india-rubber springs K are attached at one
end, and in the boss H' is fitted the female screw nut. This nut is shown in section,
Fig. 6, and consists of a gun metal bush or lining H2, fitted, as shown, and provided
with a screw thread E, corresponding to the worm of the shaft B.
The tie rods A² act as guides and carriers for the extremities of the travelling
framing H.

page_text: The webs or ribs I of the framing A' and travelling frame H are provided for the
double purpose of strength and for reception of bolts upon which the eyes or rings
at the ends of the rubber springs are threaded. Almost any number of such springs
may be employed, as is shown for illustration in Fig. 5, and will be readily
understood.
The action and working of the apparatus is as follows:-The framing H is
brought up to the screw portion of the shaft B, and so as to enter the thread H³
upon the worm of the screw shaft B. The worm gear F, E, is then actuated through
the shaft F', and so rotates the shaft B to cause the framing H to travel along the
shaft B until it attains the position indicated in dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 2, at the
same time stretching the springs. The bolt G by handle G¹ is now caused to engage
with one of the holes E¹ of the worm wheel E, to hold the same, and the worm F
with shaft F, is then moved out of gear with the wheel E so that the catch piece F³
takes into the recess F', which will ensure F being kept out of gear with wheel E.
The springs are now stretched and distended, and are ready, upon the bolt G being
withdrawn, to expend their force through the female nut piece H, to rotate and
give motion to the shaft B and drum D.
The outer end of the shaft B is indicated as being coupled to gearing, but this
gearing may be of any desired kind; for instance, the drum D may be replaced by
a spur wheel or other convenient means of transmission. Amongst other purposes
to which it may be specially desirable to apply this motive power is its use for
driving small machines in workshops and for driving screw propellers for small
vessels, such as yachts, launches, and other boats, such as row boats, to which it may
be applied as auxiliary propeller.
As the power of the springs is greatest when fully stretched, and in giving out
their force on to the travelling frame H and shaft B the power gradually decreases.
I may employ a fusee when it is desirable to obtain an unvarying power or speed
of rotation; or the pitch of screw B may be made variable, but in this case the
female screw nut would be represented and replaced by pins or studs on a sliding
block or framing taking into the worm on the shaft B, and so the said studs
working in the worm groove would act similarly to the female screw nut.
For discharging or projecting a body, such as torpedo for instance, the outer end
of the shaft will be formed with a screw throad or worm, and the body to be pro-
pelled is made with a recess having a corresponding screw worm or thread, and
upon the power of the springs being suddenly applied to the shaft B a rotary pro-
pelling action will be communicated to the object to be propelled, or the shaft B
may be squared at its projecting end, and the body or object to be propelled will be
fitted with fans placed at a suitable angle thereon.
In the arrangement of apparatus, shown in Figs. 8 to 11, the parts are substan-
tially the same as those before described, and are lettered to correspond therewith,
but the worm of the shaft B is continued throughout its length between tho
framings.
The travelling nut and framing H is of different shape to that before described,
consisting of but two arms extending transversely across the apparatus, and the end
framing A' is made to correspond therewith, and they are both fitted with webs or
ribs I for carrying the bolts upon which are carried the eyes of the india-rubber
springs.
It will be seen on reference to the Drawing that by the ribs I of the framing Hi
and H, extending outwards in opposite directions, a greater length of the springs
can be employed than would otherwise be the case.
M is a ratchet wheel and pawl for holding the shaft B until it is desired to
exert, employ, or relax the power of the springs, so that when the object
lowered by the cord on drum D has reached its destination the power of the
springs will remain exerted with the travelling framing H in position, as indicated
by the dotted lines, that is, with the springs extended. N is a sheave or drum
keyed or fixed on the shaft B, and is intended for the reception and application of
a band acting as a differential brake, but any other suitable arrangement of brake

page_text: device may be employed, such as an ordinary brake block attached to a lever handle
and brought to bear upon the periphery of the drum D.
In using this arrangement of apparatus the drum D at the right of the Figs. 8
and 9 might be used for the purposes of lowering weights, which would be attached
to the cord thereon, because an increasing retarding effect would be exerted by the
action of the stretching of the springs K, as the frame H would travel along the
screw shaft B by the rotary action thereof consequent upon the unbinding of the
lowering cord D¹ from the said drum D. Now whilst the cord D' on the drum D
is unwinding from the lowering of the body attached thereto, the cord D¹ on the
drum D' at the left of the said Figs. 8 and 9, would also be unwound, and as the
springs K, by reason of the travelling of the frame H along the screw shaft B
would become stretched and their power be exorted, bodies or weights may be
raised by being attached to the cord D' of the said drum D', the two actions
alternating.
The rapidity at which the body lowered from D accomplishes its descent will be
according to the excess of its weight beyond or exceeding the strength of the
springs, which can be regulated by the number of springs employed; and also the
differential or other brake N can be applied at the commencement of or during its
descent, as may be desired, to reduce the initial velocity of the descent; and again,
the springs cannot return the frame H to its normal position until the ratchet and
pawl M be disengaged, so that after the springs are extended or stretched as
described, and the cord D' of drum D' is lowered, any object or body to be raised
thereby may be attached at leisure and raised at any desired time by disengaging
the ratchet and pawl M, the brake being applied as desired.
It will be obvious that both drums D and D', or any number of drums applied to
the outer end of the shaft B, or on an extension of the said shaft may be employed
at the same time for purpose of lowering bodies or objects, a greater or less number
of counterbalance springs K being employed.
It will also be obvious that by winding the attaching cords D' upon the drums
in opposite directions, that is, one or more to the right and one or more to the left,
a simultaneous and contrarily acting lifting and lowering action and power will be
produced and exerted; and further, the cord or cords D' may be carried over
pulleys, sheaves, or through pulley blocks to change the direction in which the said
raising or lowering cord or cords D¹ would act.
It will also be obvious that the shaft B may be made with a screw thread instead
of a worm, and that the female nut in the travelling frame or guide H. may be
made with a corresponding worm instead of the thread H³, as shown, and that the
travelling frame and end frame A' at the parts to which the india-rubber springs
are attached or secured may be altered in configuration or shape.
An arrangement or arrangements of this apparatus would be of great utility for
raising and lowering goods, objects, or bodies in warehouses, such, for instance, as
sacks of grain and the like, bales of goods, and so forth; and again, for uso in
theatrical effects, such as dances, high jumps, dives, and so forth, the counter-
balance action of the springs may be employed and exerted by a cord D¹ attached
to suitable harness to be worn by the performers.
I will remark in conclusion that the material which I have found to be best
suited to the construction and strain of and upon the framing is malleable iron of
the best quality, as lighter and tougher castings can be obtained therefrom; and I
consider as one of the essential characteristics and novelty of my Invention the
crosswise construction in combination with the centre boss and webs I of the
travelling and end framings to which the india-rubber springs are attached.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my snid Invention,
I claim,-
First. The application of the power of india-rubber springs to the travelling
framing, working by means of a female portion upon a screwed shaft constructed
and operating substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: Second. In combination with the screw shaft and travelling screw framing the
worm gearing E, F, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. In combination with the worm gearing for binding the screw shaft and
extending the springs, the spring catch F. recessed part F' of worm screw shaft F',
and catch or pawl F³, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The screw stopping and discharging bolt G in combination with the
worm winding wheel E working into the recesses E' thereof in combination with
the screw shaft B, the whole working and operating substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Fifth. The ribs I of the travelling framing H, and end framing A², carrying the
bolts for attachment of the india-rubber springs, and accommodating the greatest
possible length of spring, substantially as described, and shown by the Drawings.
Sixth. In apparatus, as herein described, the ratchet and pawl M, shown in
Figs. 8 and 9, as and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. A brake, as at N, in combination with the ratchet and pawl M acting
together as a stop and regulating device for the screw shaft B and its adjuncts, the
whole constructed and operating as and for the purpose substantially as specified.
And, lastly. The apparatus herein described, and operating substantially as
herein set forth, and shown by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry George Frasi, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
In the presence of
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW,
Patent Agent and Engineer,
6, St. Paul's,
E.C.
HENRY GEORGE FRASI. (L.S.)