AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Edward Edwards at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1883.
ALFRED EDWARD EDWARDS, of Walworth Road, in the County of Surrey,
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER
"
My Invention relates to an improved apparatus for producing motive power by
the employment of weights which are successively and automatically caused to
increase their distance from a common centre or shaft, when they reach that side of
the latter on which, when rotating, they descend (and when consequently their
gravity tends to produce rotary motion), whereas when they reach that side of the
centre or shaft on which they ascend, their distances from such centre or shaft are
successively and automatically decreased, whereby the power necessary to raise
them again to the other side of the centre or shaft will be proportionately
decreased.
It will thus be seen that the weights on one side of the centre or shaft, always
being further removed from such centre or shaft than those on the other side, the
former will overcome the weight of the latter, and a continuous rotary motion will
thus be produced.
A convenient mode of constructing my improved apparatus consists in fixing
upon the centre or shaft a disc of any suitable diameter, and at equal distances
apart near the edge of such disc, a suitable number of levers are pivotted at their
inner ends, whilst the outer end of each lever is weighted to any desired extent,
and in any suitable manner.
The number of such levers may be varied to suit different requirements, but such
number must always be even, and all the levers which are pivotted at diametrically
opposite points of the edge of the disc are coupled together, so as to form a series of
pairs.
The
The mode of coupling the levers together in pairs consists preferably of a
connecting rod in the form of an open link, the space enclosed by such link being
sufficient to permit of its sides remaining always clear of the centre or shaft, as
the weighted levers turn on their pivots, and round the centre or shaft.
connecting rod is preferably pivotted to the inner end of each lever, but such
point of connection may be made at any other convenient position of the length
of the levers.

page_text: The length of the levers from their pivots to their outer ends must be less than
the distance of such pivots from the centre or shaft, so that their outer ends do not
touch the centre or shaft as the levers turn inwards on their pivots; and further,
the length of the levers and the distances between their pivots must be so
proportioned that the levers in turning do not come in contact with each other.
Stops are arranged on the disc so as to limit the motion of the levers as they
turn outwards on their pivots.
As the disc revolves the ascending levers will hang downwards, and so gradually
bring their weighted ends nearer to the centre or shaft, whilst, by means of the
connecting rods, the levers to which they are coupled will have their weighted ends
gradually moved away from the centre or shaft, the stops on the disc limiting
their outward movement so that they cannot turn completely round on their
pivots.
So as to facilitate the moving of the weighted ends of the levers towards the
centre or shaft, as soon as they have passed the lowest point of their rotation round
the centre or shaft, and begin to ascend, if desired, on that side of the shaft or
centre a fixed stop or guide may be arranged in such a position, that each lever will
in succession be brought into contact with the same, and so caused to at once turn
inwards on its pivot, whereby, by means of the connecting rod, the opposite lever
to which it is coupled will be caused to at once turn outwards on its pivot, and so
increase the distance between its outer weighted end and the shaft or centre. Those
parts of the levers and the fixed stop or guide which come in contact will be
preferably fitted with rollers so as to reduce the friction.
All the connecting rods will have to be arranged so as to cross without fouling
each other.
It will be readily understood that instead of mounting the weighted levers on
one side only of the disc, a similar arrangement as that above described may be
placed on both sides of the disc, in which case the levers on one side will preferably
be pivotted midway between the pivots of the levers on the other side.
The levers might if desired be pivotted on the periphery of the disc.
In the case where the disc is mounted on the extreme end of the shaft or
centre, the levers on one side of the disc could be coupled in pairs by ordinary
connecting rods, as they would not require to be made so as to clear the shaft
or centre.