IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert. Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES." A communication from
abroad by Martin Egger, of Mariaschein, Bohemia, Empire of Austria.
ealed the 18th May 1877, and dated the 28th November 1870
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES."
A communication.
This Invention relates to improvements in electro-magnetic engines, and consists
partly in peculiar arrangements for making the armatures approach or recede from
the magnets, and partly in constructing the commutators in such a manner that the
electric circuit is at no time entirely broken.
In an electro-magnetic engine constructed according to this Invention two
oscillating beans are employed, from each of which two armatures are suspended,
that is to say, four armatures are suspended above four pairs of magnets. The
arrangement is such that the armatures are successively attached to each by its
own respective electro-magnet. The armatures are so suspended that during their
reciprocating up-and-down motion they can swing on horizontal axes attached to
the said beans. Below each of the said axes a small square frame is suspended so
loosely as to allow of the end of the beam going a little further down after the
armature rests on the magnet, but carrying up the armature along with it when
the respective end of the beam goes upwards. This frame is provided with a set
screw to enable the distance of the armature from the beam to be adjusted, which
adjustment has to be effected in such a manner that the armature will rest on the
magnet when the corresponding end of the beam has nearly reached its lowest
position. Each of the two beams is connected at one of its ends with one of the
two cranks on a driving shaft. As the oscillating centre of each beam is situated
between two armatures these armatures balance each other, and the weight of the
rod connecting each beam end with the crank may be counterbalanced by a weight.
attached to the other end of the beam.
ID 631

page_text: In order to ensure the vertical movement of the armatures each of them is pro-
vided at the bottom with a guide piece sliding in a suitable guide arranged between
the magnets.
The inotion of the engine is as follows:-Firstly, one of the four pairs of magnets
attracts one of the four armatures, and thus causes one of the two beams to move
downward with one end and pushes downwards one of the two cranks which was
situated, say, to the left, and therefore rotates the crank shaft through ninety
degrees, the entire arrangement being such that each electro-magnet exerts its
power, while the crank on which it indirectly acts is situated between the dead
points. As the two cranks are arranged at an angle of ninety degrees to each other
the second crank will now be situated to the left horizontally, and therefore
between the dead points. Then a second pair of magnets attracts the armature
suspended at the other end of the second beam, which through its connecting rod
turns the second crank through another ninety degrees. The first crank will now
be situated horizontally to the right, and the third pair of electro-magnets attracting
the third armature suspended at the other end of the first beam; this end moves
downward, thus causing the other end to rise and draw up the first crank through
ninety degrees. The second crank will now be situated horizontally to the right,
and when the fourth armature is now attracted by the fourth pair of magnets the
other end of the second beam, and therefore the said crank connected to it, will be
drawn up through ninety degrees. The first crank will now be situated horizontally
to the left, and the whole proceedings will be repeated, as above explained.
In this way the alternate attraction of the four armatures will cause an uninter-
rupted rotation of the crank shaft on which a fly wheel may be fixed.
The commutator may also be arranged on the crank shaft; it may be constructed
of contact springs arranged to slide over a surface alternately conducting and non-
conducting, or an arrangement may be used by which contact devices may be
alternately dipped into mercury, serving as a conductor.
In the first case the commutator is constructed as follows:-On a cylinder of
non-conducting material, such as bone, wood, or vulcanite, four metallic plates
are arranged in a row alternately around the circumference of the cylinder, so that
each occupies rather more than ninety degrees of the circumference, and only about
a quarter of the length of the cylinder. These metal plates are in metallic contact
with each other, as well as with a metal disc fixed to one end of the cylinder, and
a contact spring rests on the said metal disc, and is connected with the positive pole
of the circuit. Four contact springs rest on the circumference of the cylinder, and
are each connected with one end of the wire of one of the four pairs of the magnets,
the other ends of the said wires being connected with the negative pole of the
circuit. The entire arrangement is made so that each contact spring alternately
touches a metal plate on the cylinder, and is therefore brought into the circuit, and
remains in contact until the next contact spring is brought into the circuit and for a
moment later, so that the entire circuit is never entirely broken at any moment,
but is merely passed over. from one electro-magnet to the other.
When mercury is to be used as a conducting medium the commutator may be
constructed as follows:-Instead of the aforesaid cylinder a set of four cams of non-
conducting material may be employed, which are so arranged that alternately one
of the four contact springs is dipped by the pressure of its respective cam into a
vessel containing mercury, and with which the positive pole of the circuit is always
in connection. In this case also the arrangement is such that each contact spring,
and therefore the magnet with it, will not come out of the circuit until another
magnet has been brought into the circuit by its respective contact spring.
In order to receive any shock that might be occasioned by the dropping of the
armatures on the pole ends of the magnets, rings of india-rubber or leather may be
arranged thereon. The electro-magnets may be provided with hollow iron cylinders
placed on the coils.
It is evident that, instead of two oscillating beams with four armatures and
magnets, three beams with six armatures and magnets, or four beams with eight

page_text: armatures and magnets may be employed. When using three oscillating beams the
cranks may be arranged at an angle of sixty degrees to each other, or with four
beams at an angle of forty-five degrees.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
May 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firin of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES."
A communication from abroad by Martin Egger, of Mariaschein, Bohemia, Empire
of Austria.
This Invention relates to improvements in electro-magnetic engines, and consists
partly in peculiar arrangements for making the armatures approach to or recede
from the magnets, and partly in constructing the commutators in such a manner
that the electric circuit is at no time entirely broken.
An electro-magnetic engine constructed according to this Invention is illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the said engine.
Figure 2 shows a part of the same drawn to an enlarged scale.
The
Figures 3 and 4 show two different forms of commutators for the said engine.
Two oscillating beams A and B, Figure 1, are employed, from each of which two
armatures a, b, or a, b, are suspended, so that there are four armatures suspended
above four pairs of magnets C, D, E, F. The arrangement is such that the
armatures are successively attracted, each by its own electro-magnet.
armatures are so suspended that during their reciprocating up-and-down motion'
they can swing on horizontal axes c, c', d, d¹, attached to the beams A, B. Below
each of the said axes a small square frame e, Figure 2, is suspended so loosely as to
allow of the end of the beam moving a little further down after the armature rests
on the magnet, but carrying up the armature along with it when the corresponding
end of the beam moves upward. The frame e is provided with a set screw to
allow the distance of the armature from the beam to be adjusted. This adjustment
has to be effected in such a manner that the armature will rest on the magnet
when the corresponding end of the beam has nearly reached its lowest position.
Each of the two beams is connected at one end with one of the two cranks n, n',
on a driving shaft. As the oscillating centre of each beam is situated between two
armatures these armatures balance each other, and the weight of the rod G or G'
connecting each beam end with the crank n or n¹ may be counterbalanced by a
weight O or O¹ attached to the other end of the beam.
To ensure the vertical movement of the armatures each of them is provided at
the bottom with a guide piece p, q, sliding in a suitable guide arranged between
the magnets.
The motion of the said engine takes place as follows:-Firstly, one of the four
pairs of magnets c, for instance, attracts one of the four armutures a, and thus
causes one of the two bearers A to move downwards with one end, and pushes
downwards one of the two cranks n which was situated to the left, and therefore
rotates the crank shaft through ninety degrees, arrangement being made so that
each electro-magnet exerts its power, while the crank on which it indirectly acts
is situated between the dead points. As the two cranks are arranged at an angle
of ninety degrees to each other the second crank n¹ will now be situated to the
left horizontally, and therefore between the dead points. Then a second pair of
magnets D attract the armature a¹ suspended at the reverse end of the second
beam B, which through its connecting rod G¹ turns the second crank n¹ through
nother ninety degrees. The first crank will now be situated horizontally to the

page_text: right, and the third pair of electro-magnets E attracting the third armature b sus-
pended at the other end of the first beam A, this end descends, thus causing the
other end to rise and draw up the first crank n through ninety degrees. The second
crank will now be situated horizontally to the right, and when the fourth
armature bis now attracted by the fourth pair of magnets F, the other end of the
second beam B, and therefore the second crank n' connected to it will be drawn up
through ninety degrees. The first crank n will now be situated horizontally to
the left, and the above operations will be repeated. In this manner the alternate
attraction of the four armatures will cause an uninterrupted rotation of the crank
shaft, on which a fly wheel S may be arranged.
The commutator may also be arranged on the said crank shaft; it may be con-
structed of contact springs sliding over a surface alternately conducting and non-
conducting, as seen in Figure 3, or an arrangement may be used by which contact
devices may be alternately dipped into mercury, serving as a conductor, as shown
in Figure 4.
In the first case the commutator is constructed as follows, that is to say :-On a
cylinder R of non-conducting material, such as bone, wood, or vulcanite, I arrange
four metallic plates, three of which y¹, y², y, are visible in Figure 3; these plates
are placed in a row, but alternately around the circumference of the cylinder, so
that each occupies rather more than ninety degrees of the circumference. These
metal plates are in metallic contact with each other, as well as with a metal disc
fixed to one end of the cylinder, and a contact spring s rests on the said metal disc,
and is connected with the positive pole of the circuit. Four contact springs t, t, t", t
rest on the circumference of the cylinder, and are each connected with one end of
the wire of one of the four pairs of the magnets, the other ends of the said wires
being connected with the negative pole of the circuit. The entire arrangement is
made so that cach contact spring alternately touches a metal plate on the cylinder,
and is therefore brought into the circuit and remains in contact until the next
contact spring is brought into the circuit and for a moment later, so that the entire
circuit is never entirely broken at any moment, but is merely passed over from one
electro-magnet to the other. The non-conducting parts of the cylinder aro marked
with the letters 2", 2, 21, 21.
When mercury is to be used as a conducting medium the commutator may be
constructed as follows, that is to say-Instead of the above-mentioned cylinder a
set of four cams 6, Figure 4, of non-conducting material may be employed, which
are so arranged that alternately one of the four contact springs d is dipped by the
pressure of its respective cam into a vessel Q containing mercury, and with which
the positive pole of the circuit is always in connection. In this case also the
arrangement is such that each contact spring, and therefore the magnet connected
with it, does not come out of the circuit until another magnet has been brought into
the circuit by its contact spring.
Without departing from the substance of this Invention the electro-magnets may
be provided with hollow iron cylinders placed over the coils.
In order to receive any shock that might be occasioned by the armatures dropping
on the pole ends of the magnets, rings w, w, of india-rubber or leather may be
arranged thereon.
It is evident that instead of two oscillating beans with four armatures and
magnets three beams with six armatures and magnets or four beams with eight
armatures and magnets may be employed. When three oscillating beams are used
the cranks may be arranged at an angle of sixty degrees to each other, and with
four beams, they may be arranged at an angle of forty-five degrees.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be
understood that I claim,-.
First. An electro-maguetic engine with oscillating beams, so arranged with regard
to the movement of the armatures that the armatures nearly always balance each
other, as above described..

page_text: Second. In an electro-magnetic engine, a commutator so arranged that the
electric current is passed over from one electro-magnet to another so as to be at no
moment entirely broken.
Third. In an electro-magnetic engine the arrangement of india-rubber or leather
rings at the pole ends of the magnets, as above described.
Fourth. In an electro-magnetic engine with oscillating beams a crank shaft
having its cranks arranged at angles of ninety or sixty or forty-five degrees to each
other.
Fifth. In an electro-magnetic engine, a commutator so constructed that the
contact devices are dipped alternately in a conducting mercury receiver in such a
manner that the electric current flows through the magnets successively, but when
passing over from one magnet to the other flows for a moment through both at the
same tiine.
Sixth. In an electro-magnetic engine a commutator, having contact surfaces so
arranged in connection with contact devices that at certain moments two magnets,
but always at least one magnet, may be in the electric circuit.
Seventh. The entire construction and arrangement of the engine, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
1173
W.
W ROB. LAKE. (LS.)