AN IMPROVED MOTIVE POWER MACHINE OR APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Bristow Hunt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th June
1872. A communication from abroad by Claude Joseph Napoléon
Rebour, of Paris, France.
I, BRISTOW HUNT, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED MOTIVE POWER MACHINE OR APPARATUS" (a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Claude Joseph Napoléon Rebour, of Paris,
France), to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of an economical motive
power machine or motor, the principle of which rests on the circular
falling of a weight which has a constant tendency to descend, and is
maintained in its position by means of an upper platform resting upon
friction rollers or balls. The draught which the weight exerts upon this
platform causes a revolving movement, and the rotation of the platform
presses on a thrust lever which acts against a lower platform and pushes
in a circular direction the rod which traverses the suspended weight.
The accompanying Drawings, which are made full size, may vary
according to the power which is desired to be obtained, which power is

page_text: always in proportion to the weight suspended. The description will
demonstrate to any practical person the truth of this principle, and it
will be perceived that I utilize the effects of centrifugal force which
endeavours to deviate from the centre with more or less force according
to the rapidity of the circular movement. The description of the various
Figures on the Drawings by numerical reference will explain how I
transform this resistance into power.
This motor may be applied to machinery in general, also to vehicles of
all kinds. One thing only, that is a watch, it cannot be applied to; but
it may be applied to clocks and presents great advantages for navigation. I
As regards the application of the apparatus it may vary in form, and
its construction may be greatly simplified. I claim any apparatus
employing the falling of a weight and centrifugal force, as this principle
is herein-after explained with reference to the figures and numbers on
the Drawings annexed.
Figure 1 is a ground plan of the apparatus, the parts of which may be
constructed of cast iron or other metal; and Figure 2 is a side elevation
of the machine. The same reference numbers apply to both Figures.
1, ring of wood, which may if preferred be replaced by columns, and
to which is fixed the first platform 2 by means of screws. Inside this is
enclosed a bar 4, in the centre of which is a cylindrical opening or a
footstep which serves to support the central shaft 3.
2, a platform, on which are twelve bearings, 5, between which are
placed six friction rollers 6 provided with pivots which cause considerable
friction, whilst with balls this friction will be reduced to nil, as will be
seen at Figure 3. This platform may be dispensed with by keying the
second platform 7 on to a shoulder fixed to the shaft 3, but this way of
mounting would expose the shaft to torsion, and would cause great strain
upon the footstep which would support the whole weight of the shaft 3,
the platform 7, and the weight 8. This mounting would be more
economical than the others. Experience will prove whether this con-
struction is practicable, and I point it out in order to explain all the
means of putting my Invention into practice.
3, a shaft placed at the centre of the platform. It is keyed to the
platform 7 and the pulley 9, which may be replaced by toothed gearing.
It is by this that the power of the weight (which falls in a circular

page_text: direction without ever rising again is transmitted. The lower extremity
of this shaft is kept central either by a footstep or by a cylindrical hole
drilled through the centre of the transverse bar 4. The upper end passes
through a first lever 12 and 13, and also through a second lever with
two branches 14 and 15, and through an arm 16 which maintains the
shafts 3 and 17 always at a certain distance apart, and the extremity is
carried in a bearing formed in a cross bar 18.
4, transverse iron bar fixed in the wooden ring 1. At the centre of
this bar is either a cylindrical hole or a footstep to support the shaft 3 in
the centre, the footstep being screwed into the bar which allows of its
being raised or lowered.
5, twelve bearings cast with the platform 2. An opening is made in
the platform in order to admit the periphery of the friction rollers 6.
This construction causes much friction on the axles, but balls or spheres,
the effect of which is demonstrated at Figure 3, will give superior results.
6, six friction rollers which serve to support the platform 7, and on
which the latter makes its rotary movement.
7, platform which rests on the six rollers 6.
8, weight traversed by the shaft 17. It is suspended by means of two
cords or chains which pass over pulleys 19 carried at the upper extremity
of the shaft 17. These two chains 20 and 21 are connected together.
One extremity of the chain is attached to one of the branches of the
lever 14, which naturally draws this lever backwards by the falling
tendency of the weight which constantly endeavours to descend along
the shaft 17, and which is prevented from falling without interrupting
the drag which the weight produces. A cord or chain 25 is fixed to the
second branch of the lever 13, the other end of this chain is attached to
a ring 26 screwed to the platform 24. If there were no thrust lever it
would follow that the platform 24 would turn from right to left as far
as the weight would drag the platform 7 by its fall. This cannot take
place because the thrust lever is held by a compass joint 27 to the plat-
form 24. The other end of the thrust lever rests also in another joint 28
fixed on the platform 7 in an inclined position so as to destroy equi-
librium. The first effect which the falling tendency of the weight 8
produces is to draw the lever 14 by means of the chains or cords. Tho
other end of the lever 15 is connected by a chain or cord to the plat-
form 24, and is forced to turn by the movable platform, and consequently

page_text: to press by this rotation upon the thrust lever, which in its turn forces
by this pressure (equivalent to the gravity of the suspended weight) the
rotation of the platform 7. The weight thus placed does not give all its
force because the friction of the rollers considerably diminishes the effect
thereof as compared with the balls or spheres. If desired they may be
dispensed with under the platform 7, but not under 24, because to obtain
another beneficial result it is necessary to employ a roller 33, the weight
of which rests on a mathematical point on the movable platform 24.
The falling tendency of the weight produces three effects :-First, the
drag on the chains or cords fixed to the arm of the lever 14 and 15.
The fulcrum which suspends the weight causes a tendency for the two
shafts 3 and 17 to approach each other; the torsion causes the drag of
the weight beyond the centre of the shaft 3. The force employed is
diminished because upon the arm 16 is placed a click 34 which gears
into the teeth of a ratchet wheel 35, keyed to the cylindrical bearing 36
fixed to the cross bar 18. The arm 16 turns from left to right; it cannot
do otherwise because the click and ratchet would prevent this reaction.
The length of the arm 16 extends beyond the centre of the shaft 17, and
against this projecting part a small pin 37 fixed to the platform 24
presses, which forces the arm 16 to rotate. The opening 38 made at the
centre of the weight is an elongated mortise. A ring 39 screwed into
the periphery of the weight is fastened by a chain to a branch of the
lever 12, the other branch 13 is also fastened by a chain to the plat-
form 24. This arrangement utilizes the centrifugal force, since the
weight by its rotary movement recedes from the centre. The tendency is
to draw the branch of the lever 12 and consequently act on the lever 13,
which in its turn draws the platform 24 in the same direction of rotation
as the lever 15.
9, a pulley placed below the platform 7, and keyed on the shaft 3.
This pulley may be replaced by toothed gearing or by an excentric.
This recess
10, recess formed in the under side of the platform 7.
rests on the friction rollers 6. If balls were employed instead of the
latter it would make a difference in the friction of about 75 per cent.
11, footstep fixed on the surface of the platform 7 a slight distance
within the rollers or balls to counteract the torsion of the platform by the

page_text: 12, two-armed lever through which the shaft 3 passes. This lever
serves, as already explained, to transform the centrifugal resistance into
power.
13, arm of this lever, which draws the platform 24, whilst the other
arm thereof is itself drawn by the centrifugal force of the weight in its
rotary movement.
14, a second two-armed lever, marked 14 and 15. It is held at the
centre of the platforms by the shaft 3 which passes through it. The use
of this lever has been explained at 8.
15, second arm of this lever, which transmits the effect of the gravita-
tion of the weight by drawing the platform 24 in a rotary direction.
16, an arm which serves to maintain the distance apart of the shafts 17
and 3. Two cylindrical openings are made therein, which may be
brought nearer together to diminish the effects of the reaction of the
lower part of the fulcrum of the shaft 17. This reaction is diminished
by the power of the thrust lever 22 which acts on a longer lever; the
one is traversed by the shaft 3 and the other by the shaft 17. On this
arm is fixed a click 34, which gears in the teeth of a ratchet wheel 35,
and prevents the torsion of the shaft 17 which has this tendency by the
drag of the weight which takes place outside the centre.
17, shaft, which rests in the cylindrical opening made in the foot-
step 11. At its upper end is a jaw carrying two pulleys 19. Above
these pulleys the shaft terminates in a cylindrical journal which is carried
in the arm 16.
18, upper frame, having five arms which are fixed by means of screws
to the five pillars 30, which rest on the circle 23, carried by the five
columns 29. This frame has at its centre a cylindrical bearing 36, the
use of this bearing which has above it a short pillar 42 is to carry the
upper end of the shaft 3, and also to fix the ratchet wheel 35 which
prevents the torsion of the shaft 17. The pillar 42 also carries a point 43
which guides the inner end of the fly wheel shaft.
19, two pulleys which serve as a fulcrum for the suspension of the
weight.
20, two chains attached by lugs to the weight. These chains after
nassing over the pullies 19 are united and the extremity attached to the

page_text: 37, stud or tenon screwed to the platform 24, which serves to push
the arm 16 from left to right. This stud is placed as near as possible to
the inside of the circle 23.
38, mortise made through the centre of the weight 8, which permits
the weight to recede from the centre of the platform 7, and allows the
centrifugal force to be utilized as motive power.
39, ring screwed to the weight 8 for connecting it to one of the
branches of the lever 12 by a chain.
40, six friction rollers placed on twelve bearings cast to the circle 23.
41, groove formed in the platform 24 to guide it in its rotary move-
ment on the friction rollers 40.
42, pillar cast to the frame 18 for supporting the point which carries
the inner end of the fly wheel shaft 31.
43, point or pivot which enters a conical hole in the end of the shaft.
44, three projections cast to the circle 23 to carry the pillars 30.
45, twelve bearings, also cast to the circle 23.
46, wheel with rounded rim, keyed on the fly wheel shaft and running
on the platform 24 slightly outside the centre of the friction rollers 40 to
prevent torsion of the platform.
47, opening made in the platform to admit the fly wheel.
48, column placed outside the fly wheel to carry the point 49.
49, point or pivot for the outer end of the fly wheel shaft.
50, grooved driving pulley for transmitting the power.
51, break pulley by means of which the power of the machine may be
ascertained.
52, chain which connects the lever 13 to the platform 24 by means of
the ring 26, as above described.
Figure 3 is a ground plan showing a modification; and Figure 4
section of the same.
53, a platform, in malleable or ordinary cast iron, on the surface of
which is a groove 54 to carry twenty-five balls or spheres 55 of tempered

page_text: steel, which are kept at their relative distances apart by the divider 56,
which is suspended from the movable platform by four grooved pullies 57
in such a manner that the deviation of the divider during its rotation is
impossible. I would remark that this divider turning in the same
direction as the movable platform 53 the latter makes two revolutions
whilst the divider (and the spheres) makes only one, no matter what the
diameter of the spheres may be.

page_text: 71, footstep, to receive the journal of the shaft 17.
72, groove made in the under side of the platform 69, corresponding to
the groove 65 of the platform 63.
73, four axes, which serve to carry the grooved pulleys 68.
Figure 7 is a plan view of an arrangement to dispense with the friction
rollers and balls above referred to.
74, a circle having a groove beneath, within which are fourteen small
balls. The centre is in two parts, united together by screws; the outside
is then turned with a groove parallel with that of the circle, care being
taken to have sufficient room for the balls between the bottom of the two
grooves, leaving them only a very small amount of play. When the
balls are introduced between the circle and the first half of the centre
the second is joined thereto and they are screwed together, the balls being
imprisoned between them. The smoothness of the rotation of the ring
will be obvious and on constructing four of them, the centre of which
will be fixed in a solid manner and causing the movable platforms to
rest thereon, this same advantage (namely smoothness of rotation) will be
imparted to the platforms.
If it be desired to diminish the effects of the torsion which is produced
on the arm 16 instead of causing the chains 20 and 21 to pass both
outside the shaft 3 which caused the drag of the weight to bear too
heavily against the ratchet wheel 35 (this pressure exerts a force which
diminishes the effect of the weight 8); to obviate this inconvenience a.
pulley 75, shown by dotted. red lines in Figures 1 and 2, may serve to
divide the chains 20 and 21. The torsion would be thus diminished.
The pulley is placed loosely on a collar fixed upon the shaft 3. The
weight 8 being brought nearer to the centre also diminishes the torsion
of the arm 16. It is held thus by a small chain fixed to its extremity
and attached to one of the arms of the platform 24 near the centre so as
to give the platform power over the arm 16, which further diminishes
the effects of the torsion. The plate 76 which supports the weight 8 also
causes another reaction. This combination does not make the fulcrum
solid with the movable platform 7. A small chain is fixed to the outer
5 extremity of the plate 76 and is also fixed to one of the arms of the
movable platform 7 in order to give it an advantage over the plate 76.

page_text: 75, a pulley, which is placed loosely on the shaft 3 and is supported
by a collar fixed thereon by a screw.
76, plate, which supports the weight 8 which is almost isolated from
the platform 7. This isolation is to counteract a great portion of the
solidity which exists between the fulcrum of the weight and the plat- 5
form 7 which would not allow of the employment of the whole of the
power that could be produced by the centre of the platform on the length
of the support in question.