I PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES. AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED .THEREWITH
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, EC., Patent Agent, for the Invention of "I
PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES. AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
.THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by Messrs. J. S. Rousselot
and Company, of Paris.
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PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES. AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
.THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by Messrs. J. S. Rousselot
and Company, of Paris.
Sealed the 11th April 1860, and dated the 17th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 17th October 1859.
1. RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN. of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, E.C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," (a communication from abroad by Messrs. J. S.
Rousselot and Company, of Paris.) in be as follows:-
The chief objects of this Invention arc-1. To obtain the greatest amount
of power possible from a given number of electro-magnets by means of suc-
cessive direct attractions; 2. To annul the resistance which arises from the
slow demagnetisation of the electro-magnets: 3. To multiply mechanically
the length of a short stroke derived from the electro-magnets, and so to

page_text: render it unnecessary to obtain a long stroke therefrom, such long stroke
being obtainable only at a great sacrifice of power, arising from the fact that the
attractive force exerted by the electro-magnet varies inversely as the square of
the distance; 4. To produce great economy in the working of electro-magnetic
machines.
In order to attain these ends the Inventors construct a machine consisting
usually, but not necessarily, of two similar portions, which act upon cranks set
at right angles to each other, the action of the two portions being further
regulated by means of a fly wheel. Each portion comprises a suitable frame
and platform, which support all the mechanism. The electro-magnets are by
preference arranged vertically in pairs upon the platform, so as to act upon a
series of armatures, every two magnets attracting a single armature; each
armature is carried upon a vertical rod, and each rod depends from the
extremity of a rocking lever. The successive armatures are situated at
gradually increasing distances from their respective magnets, and the electric
currents are caused to magnetise the pairs of magnets in succession in such
manner that when one pair of magnets has brought down its armature upon it
the current passes to the next pair, which then has its armature within its
range, and draws it down upon it, and so on; the motion of each armature
bringing the next in succession within reach of the attraction of its pair of
magnets. The rods carrying the armatures are free to pass down through
them when they come upon the magnets. The motions of the successive rods
and rocking levers are accumulated in a horizontal rocking shaft to which
the levers are fixed. This rocking shaft carries an arm or crank which is
pinned to a set of lazytong or cross levers, one end of which is jointed to a
fixed arm, while the other end is pinned to a connecting rod leading to a
crank on the main shaft of the engine. The lazytong levers multiply the
motion of the arm or crank of the rocking shaft. The rods which carry the
armatures have adjustable shoulders for supporting the same, the positions of
such shoulders being regulated by screws. The fly wheel on the main shaft
has hollow arms attached to it, in which is placed a quantity of mercury or
other heavy substance for the purpose of adding to the effect of the fly wheel.
The Invention also embraces a form of commutator for distributing the
electric currents to the several pairs of magnets successively, whereby all the
power of the battery is brought to bear simultaneously upon each arinature in
succession, and time is afforded for the demagnetisation of the magnets during
the intervals which elapse between the successive applications of the currents
thereto. The commutator is formed of two discs having grooves on their

page_text: internal faces, into which grooves segments of conducting and non-conducting
material, say copper and ivory, are alternately placed. To these pieces of
copper the wires from the electro-magnets are led with their positive and
negative poles disposed suitably for the required purpose. Two strong rods of
copper pass through the disc and are secured thereto, these rods having the
wires from the battery attached to them; copper rollers attached to a revolving
arm or arms, and running round in contact with the copper segments in the
disc, are employed for making and breaking the connection between the
battery wires and the wires of the magnet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E.C.,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Archibald Brooman. Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors. administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," (a communication from abroad by Messrs. J. S.
Rousselot & Company, of Paris.) upon the condition (amongst others) that
I. the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within sir calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed. to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:
The chief objects of this Invention are.-1. To obtain the greatest amount
of power possible from a given number of electro-magnets, by means of
successive direct attractions; 2. To annul the resistance which arises from
the slow demagnetisation of the electro-magnets: 3. To multiply mechanically
the length of a short stroke derived from the electro-magnets, and so to
render it unnecessary to obtain a long stroke therefrom, such long stroke being
obtainable only at a great sacrifice of power, arising from the fact that the
attractive force exerted by the electro-magnet. varies inversely as the square of
the distance; 4. To produce great economy on the working of electro-magnetic
machines.
In order to attain these ends, the Inventors construct a machine consisting
usually but not necessarily of two similar portions, which act upon cranks set
at right angles to each other, the action of the two portions being further
regulated by means of a fly wheel. Each portion comprises a suitable frame
and platform, which support all the mechanism. The electro-magnets are by
preference arranged vertically in pairs upon the platform, so as to act upon a
series of armatures, every two magnets attracting a single armature. Each
armature is carried upon a vertical rod, and each rod depends from the
extremity of a rocking lever. The successive armatures are situated at
gradually increasing distances from their respective magnets, and the electric
currents are caused to magnetise the pairs of magnets in succession, in such
manner that when one pair of magnets has brought down its armature upon
it, the current passes to the next pair, which then has its armature within
its range, and draws it down upon it, and so on; the motion of each armature
bringing the next in succession within reach of the attraction of its pair of
magnets. The rods carrying the armatures are free to pass down through
them when they come upon the magnets. The motions of the successive rods
and rocking levers are accumulated in a horizontal rocking shaft to which
the levers are fixed. This rocking shaft carries an arm or crank which is
primed to a set of lazytong or cross levers. one end of which is jointed to a
fixed arm, while the other end is primed to a connecting rod leading to a
crank on the main shaft of the engine. The lazytong levers multiply the
motion of the arm or crank of the rocking shaft. The rods which carry the

page_text: armatures have adjustable shoulders for supporting the same, the positions of
such shoulders being regulated by screws. The fly wheel on the main shaft
has hollow arms attached to it.-in which is placed a quantity of mercury or
other heavy substance for the purpose of adding to the effect of the fly wheel.
The Invention also embraces a form of commutator for distributing the
electric currents to the several pairs of magnets successively, whereby all the
power of the battery is brought to bear simultaneously upon each armature in
succession, and time is afforded for the demagnetisation of the magnets
during the intervals which elapse between the successive applications of the
currents thereto. The commutator is formed of two discs having grooves on
their, internal faces, into which grooves segments of conducting and non-
conducting material, say, copper and ivory, are alternately placed. To these
pieces of copper, the wires from the electro-magnets are led with their positive
and negative poles disposed suitably for the required purpose..
Two strong
rods of copper pass through the disc and are secured thereto; these rods
having the wires from the battery attached to them. Copper rollers attached
to a revolving arm or arms and running round in contact with the copper
segments in the disc are employed for making and breaking the connection
between the battery wires and the wires of the magnets..
Figure of the accompanying Drawings is an elevation of an electro-
magnetic engine constructed according to this Invention, and Figure 2 is a
plan of one half of the same. A is a double frame supported by two cross
pieces or platforms formed by preference of cast iron: this double frame
supports the whole of the mechanism. B. B, are the electro-magnets which
rest on gutta percha or other suitable material a, and are secured by bolts to
the cross pieces in a vertical position. Any other form of electro-magnet can
be employed, but the circular form shown is performed. The electro-magnets
are arranged in pairs on the cross-pieces in such manner that the poles act on
one common armature. Thus, each armature C embraces two electro-
magnets, which armature is suspended from the poles by a movable rod D.
By this means, a number of small cranks are formed, which when the
electro-magnets successively move their armatures the successive motions
become transmitted to a series of cross-bars or rocking shafts E, to which the
cranks or rods are attached. These motions are obtained by gradually in-
creasing the length of each rod. in such manner that when the first rod has
descended, the second is at the same height as the first was, and so on. The
rods connected to the cranks D are round, and surrounded with copper in
order to isolate them from the armatures; the cranks pass freely in the centre

page_text: in order to be able to continue to descend after being drawn by the armature
and the other cranks successively follow their motion. The extremity is
furnished with a bolt to keep the armature suspended and to regulate its
elevation, as is about to be described. F are slides formed of bronze, which
carry two armatures, fixed in a groove by a screw or screws. The ends of
the slides have small cast-iron pieces of metal F' screwed into them, which
abut against the supports and guides G; when these cast-iron pieces wear,
they are unscrewed and replaced by new ones. In large machines, the guides
and slides are placed at each end of the armatures instead of placing them
in the centre, between the two electro-magnets. The supports or guides G
are strong rods connected to a cast-iron piece H, bolted between the electro-
magnets on that part of the double frame which supports them. The series
of rocking shafts E to which the small cranks D are suspended on each side,
abut against and are fixed on the horizontal shaft 1. J is a vertical lever,
firmly secured to the same horizontal shaft. A jointed apparatus, which is
called an "accumulator or multiplier" is bolted at one end to a piece of
wrought metal L, which is firmly held at its central part by bolts to the frame.
The multiplier is also bolted to the vertical lever J. which puts it in motion.
The cranks D, the rocking shafts E, the lever J. and the multiplier K, form
a system of levers, which together transmit the attractive power of the electro-
magnets to the driving shaft M, through the connecting rod N, attached by
one of its ends to the multiplier K. and by the other to the crank O. Thus,
it will be seen that by the mechanical arrangements just described and the
successive attractions of the electro-magnets, when the electric current in
introduced by means of a commutator, to be hereafter described, that the
armatures will be drawn alternately from one side to the other of the cross-
pieces, giving the cross-pieces a rocking motion, which imparts to the lever J
a to-and-fro motion, which is transmitted by the connecting rod N to the
crank O, by which means a rotatory motion is imparted to the shaft M.
P, is a fly-wheel mounted on the shaft M in order to regulate the rotation of
the said shaft. The arms f. f, of this wheel are arranged in such manner as
to contain a certain quantity of mercury or other dense fluid. 9. g', are the
holes by which the mercury is introduced. As the fly wheel revolves, so the
mercury circulates from the centre to the circumference and back again, and
so greatly adds to the effect of the fly-wheel; h, h', are air tubes to prevent
any shock that may tend to take place in the displacement of the metal or
mercury.
The commutator or distributor of the electric current, which is illustrated at

page_text: Figures 1, 2, 3, and 3 bis, is formed of two thick cast-iron discs, 1, 1', having
grooves formed on their internal faces, which are furnished with a thick piece
of pasteboard, in which the copper conducting wires or placed. Each piece of
copper, which is held in position by a copper rod screwed on it, is divided
from the other by a small piece of hard wood, ivory, bone, or the like,
marked m'. The electro-magnets being connected in pairs by their copper
wires, each of the wires on the same side is placed on the same plate or the
same disc. and each of the others on the disc against which it is opposite, in
such manner as to receive from one side the positive pole, and from the other
the negative pole of the electric current. Four pieces of copper receive the
four ends of the wire of the series of the four electro-magnets, which thus
complete the circuit of the electric current. The crank of one of the two
apparatuses being in the position indicated in Figure 1. the wires are fixed for
this apparatus after the four pieces of copper of the raised part of the disc
separated by the vertical line, and the other apparatus has its wires fixed after
those of the part of the disc which separate the horizontal line. It must be
understood that only a single side of the commutator is referred to, and that
on the opposite side there are eight wires, four positive and four negative.
The opposite part of the apparatus where these eight electro-magnets are
placed necessarily takes the opposite part of the discs for the position of the
eight wires, as has just been explained. These wires are held by small bolts,
which press against the other bolt intended for securing the rod, which is
screwed into the copper. This rod is separated from the cast iron by a small
roller of thin cardboard, and the bolt which holds it by a piece of similar
material. Two similar copper rods o, but somewhat stouter and separated
from the cast iron in a similar manner to the other, pass through the discs,
having a similar arrangement provided for fixing them, the one on the disc
receives the wire or electrode of the positive pole, and the other on the other
disc receives the negative pole of the electric current which charges the
magnets. A shoulder holds the rods to the interior surface of the discs; on
this shoulder a spring a. Figure 3 bis, is fixed, which has frictional contact
with a roller or a copper ring p attached to a small ivory cylinder q held to
the driving shaft by two pressure screws, and participating in its motion. On
each side of the small cylinder the same ring of copper is placed, each
occupying nearly a quarter of the surface of the small cylinder; by this
arrangement when the shaft is put in motion the metallic contact always exists.
In order to continue the metal contact, a slightly bent spring is fixed on each
of the copper rings, at the extremity of which a small armature is screwed,

page_text: which carries a small copper roller s. This roller has frictional contact with
small pieces of copper m during the motion of the shaft, and of the small ivory
cylinder 4, thus the two strong copper rods o receiving one on one of the discs
a conductor from one pole of the electric current. and the other rod on the
other disc receiving the contrary pole, the current runs through the wires of
the two electro-magnets, and closes the passage by passing from the rods o to
the springs n, to the rings p, to the springs r, and small rollers s, and to one
of the sixteen small pieces of copper m, which are fixed on each disc 1, when
the two small rollers which turn with the driving shaft are in contact with one
of them; but the circuit is broken and the current leaves the electro-magnets
each time the two small rollers meet the isolated part m' instead of the copper.
As the two ends of the wires of the two electro-magnets are held together by
wires fixed on each of the small pieces of copper placed with reference the one
to the other on the two discs, it follows that each time the circuit is broken,
as has been before stated, the whole of the electricity acts successively on the
electro-magnets of the pair only, which has the double advantage of giving to
the working magnets all the power of the current, and allowing time for the
demagnetisation during the action of the others. The electric current passes
through a small reversing apparatus, Figure 2, the principle of which is not
new. It serves to facilitate the demagnetisation by destroying the magnetiza-
tion though changing the current at the end of the action of the electro-
magnet. A small metallic wheel furnished with movable teeth formed of
wood, ivory, or bone, is fixed on the driving shaft. The teeth are held on one
side by a slight elevation of the metallic wheel, in such manner as to be fixed
in one direction and movable in the other, so that it can be lowered if the
shaft moves in the contrary direction. The rotary motion of this wheel causes
each tooth to arrive successively on the small piece which becomes displaced,
and by its motion produces the change or reversing of the pole.
Any other
arrangement, of apparatus for accomplishing the same end can be employed.
When it is desired to construct smaller and less expensive machines an
apparatus with a single crank is made use of.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed. I declare that 1 claim as the improve-
ments in electro-magnetic engines, and in apparatus connected therewith,-
First, the mode of obtaining, by means of direct successive attractions of as
great an amount of power as possible, from a given number of electro-magnets,
by arranging and operating them essentially in the manner herein-before
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second, the mode of annulling the resistance which arises from the slow
demagnetization of the magnets by reversing the poles, and by keeping one
apparatus inactive while the other works by the means and in the manner
herein-before described.
Third, the employment of a system of jointed levers or lazytongs to increase
the stroke obtained by the electro-magnets, as herein-before described, and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the general arrangement of electro-magnetic engines, as herein-
before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal. this Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
R. A. BROOMAN. (i..s.)