An Improved Motor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1893-Accepted, 8th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Motor.
1 JAMES GRIFFIN of No. 46 Tavistock Crescent Westbourne Park in the
County of London Builder 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 a method of and means for producing motive power by
the action of gravity and constitutes a motor that may be applied to any kind of
vehicle or conveyance and like purposes where continuous motion and power is
required to be developed and suitably transmitted to driving gear.
As an example I have in the accompanying drawing and in the appended
description shewn my invention as applied to a tricycle in which the weight of the
rider upon the saddle is so connected with the operating mechanism as to propel the
machine.
In carrying my invention into practice I arrange the various parts of the
machine in the manner indicated in the annexed sheet of drawings which represents
a side elevation of my invention as applied to a tricycle, with one side wheel
removed in order that the operating parts may be more clearly seen.
The main axle A is supported upon pistons B riding in hollow extensions C of
the framing D said framing being free to move up and down about the pistons B.
A lever 2 is connected at one end to the steering post F and has two branches 1-3,
the end being connected to the pistons B and pivoted near their ends to framing C.
The pistous have right angled pieces at their lower ends to carry the weight of
the body of the machine and convey the weight of machine and rider on to the
balance action D which terminates at the front in a socket E through which the
steering post F is passed, for operation by the handle G and rack rod H in
the ordinary manner. I is the motor frame attached at its rear end to the pistons B
and at the front to the fork J of the steering or front wheel K. Inside said
frame I are arranged three drums L, M, N respectively the first of which viz. L is
double the diameter of either M or N the larger L is mounted in a slotted or
sliding bearing P so that the gear wheel Q affixed or secured to the end of said
drum L may gear into and operate upon either of the smaller drums M or N
alternately at the will of the rider, or automatically in the manner hereinafter fully
explained. The weight of the framing is conveyed to the saddle post R by the
strap S and lever T said lever being fulcrumm'd at the point U to a lug on the
upper frame, The saddle post terminates at its upper end in a seat V which
a person may sit, and at its lower end in a wheel W bearing upon the balance
weight X. Said weight X is supported at each end upon crossbars Y Y fixed to
the levers Z Z. which are fulcrumm'd at one end to the stay rods a suspended
from the framing. b, b, are guides to prevent any side movement of the balance
weight X.
upon
A link or links cc' connect the cross bars Y Y with the spring bows d d so that
the tendency of the balance weight is to pull said bows to their lowest position.
The lower end of each spring is connected by cords to the central or large drum L
upon which each is alternately wound and unwound, the upper ends are also
connected by cords to the small drum nearest from them. The ends of the levers Z
are also connected by cords to the small drums but to the drum farthest from them.
Upon one end of each small drum is arranged a chain wheel so that they may by
means of a chain convey the necessary motion to the main axle A. The drum M
is connected direct with the wheel on the axle A, while countergear is necessary in
the case of the drum N to obtain motion in the required direction. Bell crank

page_text: levers e e² are arranged in the path of the bow springs d d' for the purpose of
reversing or moving the drum L'out of gear with the small drum N and into gear
with the small drum M. Said bell crank levers e e¹ are so arranged that the
operation of one by the bow spring d for shifting the drum L puts the other in the
necessary position to perform a like service by means of the other spring d¹.
The drum L can be also reversed by means of the lever connecting link g
and lever should it at any time be found necessary to do so by the rider.
The
The cord from the top end of the spring d is led over a compensating runner i to
the small drum or it may be attached in the same manner as the lower one.
large drum L is shifted in such a manner that the weight of the rider upon the
saddle which is in turn conveyed by the post R to the balance weight as before
described preponderates upon one end or the other of the balance weight X.
Therefore a greater pressure is brought to bear upon one of the crossbars Y than
the other, so that same operates by means of the link c' to draw down the bow d¹
which by pulling upon the cord wound round the large drum L causes same to
rotate and communicate motion to the small drum N, that in turn imparts motion
by means of the connecting chain gear to the main axle A. The lever Z during
the above movements, gradually descends to the position shewn in the drawings
during such descension said lever Z pulls upon its cord and imparts motion to the
small ungeared drum M in the direction required to bring the bow d in its
perpendicular position-just before this point is reached the bow d¹ comes into
contact with the bell crank, lever e¹ and causes this to move the drum L into gear
with and so shift the preponderance of weight to the opposite end of the balance
for the same sequence of operations to be continued on that side and so on. Or the
center drum may be shifted by lever f and link g as before described.
Although I have described the bow springs balance weight and weight of the
rider as operating in combination to effect the propulsion of a tricycle, I wish it
to be understood that I may if desirable use any two of the above in combination
or singly to effect the same purpose.
Having now particularly described the nature of my invention and the manner
in which it is to be performed I declare that what I claim is,
1. In a gravity motor the combination and arrangement of parts in the manner
and for the purpose substantially as shewn in the annexed drawings.
2. In combination with the balance weight the spring bows d d' drums L M N
and connecting parts all operating as and for the purpose substantially as set forth
and shewn.
Dated this Seventh day of June 1893.
JAMES Griffin.