Improvements in the Driving of Machinery, Vehicles, Boats, and the like, by Electro Motors or other High Speed Motors.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Driving of Machinery, Vehicles, Boats, and
the like, by Electro Motors or other High Speed Motors.
I THOMAS TOMLINSON Electrical Engineer of Ballywaltrim Cottage Bray,
Ireland do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvement consists in placing between the motor & the machinery to be
driven a special device which we may call "pneumatic gearing" in place of the
mechanical gearings such as belts, spur wheels &c. usually employed.
The pneumatic gearing consists essentially of an air engine, cylinder or rotary,
coupled direct to the shaft to be driven and having its air inlet & outlet connected
to two closed receivers between which works a compressor preferably rotary,
driven by the electro motor or other motor.
The compressor draws its air from the exhaust receiver of the air engine
& compresses it in the supply receiver. The exhaust receiver has a non return
valve opening to the atmosphere when the pressure therein falls below atmospheric
pressure.
If the receiver be of large capacity & suitable valve or valve gear be provided
the gearing becomes variable & for short periods the air engine can exert power
greater or less than that being supplied to the motor.
If we arrange double openings from the air engine exhaust-one opening
leading to the exhaust receiver & the other direct to the atmosphere & if we fill
both receivers with air under considerable pressure (by means of our compressor
or from an outside source) we have available a reserve of power quite independent
of the power of the motor.
Improvements in the Driving of Machinery, Vehicles; Boats, and
the like, by Electro Motors or other High Speed Motors.
1, THOMAS TOMLINSON, of Ballywaltrim Cottage, Bray, Ireland, Electrical
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved means for the transmission of power for
driving machinery and the like by electro-niotors and other high speed motors,
and consists essentially in the interposition between the motor and the machinery
to be driven of a special device hereinafter described, which I call a "pneumatic

page_text: gearing," and which device takes the place of belts, spur or, toothed wheels, and
other mechanical gearing usually employed..
In the accompanying drawing I have shown in diagrammatical view how my
said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
A is an electrical or other high speed motor of any suitable kind, B is a pair of
ordinary slide valve, cylinders or compressed air engine coupled direct to the shaft
to be driven.
In order to communicate motion from the high speed motor A to the slow speed
motor BI employ a pneumatic gearing consisting essentially of an air compressor
or pump which may be either of the reciprocating or rotary class, in which latter
case it may consist, as shown, of a series of Jouval turbines arranged in series,
a, a indicating the rotating blades or arms, and b, b the fixed guide blades or arms
attached to the case. The air compressor or pump is coupled direct to, and
driven by, the high speed motor A. d, d are two closed receivers, d being
connected through the pipe e with the exhaust from the cylinders B, and through
the pipef with the air inlet or supply to the air compressor or pump; and d¹ being
connected through the pipe g with the outlet or delivery from the said air
compressor or pump, and through the pipe h with the valve chest or box for the
supply of compressed air to the cylinders B.
It will be seen that the compressor or air pump draws its supply of air from
the exhaust receiver d of the air engine B and compresses the said air in the
supply receiver d¹ wherein it is stored for use in such air engine or cylinders B,
the air traversing the paths shown by the arrows in the drawings.
i is a valve controlling the inlet to the compressor or air pump, and j is a valve
controlling the outlet therefrom. k is a non-return valve opening to the
atmosphere when the pressure in the exhaust receiver d falls below, that of the
atmosphere.
1 is a safety valve fitted in the supply receiver, or compressed air reservoir d¹.
m and n are, stop valves provided in the pipe e and admitting, by the closing
of the valve m and opening of the valve n, of the exhaust from the air engine or
cylinders B being discharged direct into the atmosphere when more power is
required. Under normal conditions, however, the valve n is kept closed and the
valve m open.
o is the main stop valve for cutting off the supply from the air
engine or cylinders B."
It is obvious that if the receiver d¹ be of sufficient capacity, and suitable valves
or valve gear be provided, the gearing will become variable, and, for short periods
the air engine B can be adjusted or regulated to exert a power greater or less than
that being supplied by the high speed motor A.
By, the provision, moreover of double openings from the exhaust of the air
engine or cylinders B, that is to say one opening leading to the exhaust receiver
and the other direct to the atmosphere, I am enabled by filling both
receivers with air under considerable pressure by means of the air compressor
or pump or from any convenient outside source, to provide an available
reserve of power for short periods quite independent of the power of the high
speed motor A.
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 :-
1. The improved means for the transmission of power comprising an exhaust
receiver connected with the outlet or discharge from a suitable air engine,and,with
the inlet to an air compressor or pump driven by an electrical or other high speed
motor, by which air compressor the air from the said receiver, or from the
atmosphere, is compressed in a suitable supply receiver or compressed air reservoir
from which it is discharged as required to drive the air engine, substantially, as
described.

page_text: 2. The improved means for the transmission of power from a high speed to
a low speed motor or vice versa substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of February 1897
A. F. SPOONER,
323, High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicant.