Improvements in Self Driving Weight Engines
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Driving Weight Engines
I, LOUIE CLARK MCADAMS of 1001 Broadway, Oakland, Alameda County,
California, U.S.A., Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in engines, and more particularly to
that class of engines wherein the motive power is self-contained or independent
of any outside source.
The object which this invention has in view is the production of power which
does not depend on an outside source or supply, and which, when desired, can
be operated perpetually, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement
of a slotted wheel and levers mounted therein, which, at a certain point in the
rotation of the said wheel are successively moved over a stationary fulcrum to
cause the weighted end of the said levers to be projected from the center of the
wheel, and in so doing to exert a lifting power on the opposite side of the said
wheel and thereby cause the same to rotate, the said levers having passed over
the fulcrum resuming and being locked on their original and normal positions.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, the frame of the same being in
section and showing the fulcrum in its raised position;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the slotted wheel mounted in the frame of the
engine and showing in dotted lines the fulcrum in its raised position; and
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of a segment of the wheel, showing one of the levers
in its locked and normal position and in dotted lines the raised and acting
position of the same.
For the convenience of description, with reference to the drawings, we will
let the letter A designate the levers, by which the engine is operated. These are
extended through the slots, B1, in the wheel, B, and the inner ends of the said
levers are pivotally mounted in hinged lugs, B2, on the inside of the felly of the
wheel. The arrangement normally of these levers is that the hinged lugs and
the lower or locking ends of the slots are in line with each other on the same
half section of the wheel substantially as shown in the drawing. At the free
end these levers are provided with heavy weights, A¹, which may be of any size
and weight desired. In their normal position they are secured at the forward or
lower end of the slots, B', by means of the latch, C, which fits the lug, C¹, in the
inner surface of the wheel. This latch is operated in releasing by means of the
knuckle or toggle, C, the free end of which is connected to the latch by means
of the connecting rod, C. The bend of the toggle rests directly under and is
impinged upon by the lever, C, the end of which is provided with a boss, C³,
where it bears upon the end of the said toggle, while the other end of the said
lever is pivotally mounted in the lever, A. All of these parts which form a part
of the locking mechanism, are contained with a slot A2 formed within the
lever A.
The wheel, B, is mounted in suitable standards in a vertical position with

page_text: horizontal bearings. When all of the levers are locked in their normal position
each of the weighted ends, it will be observed, are equal distances from the center
of the wheel, or the center of rotation, and the wheel is at rest. It is to disturb
this equilibrium and to obtain motion that I have provided the fulerums, D D.
These are extended inward from the side posts, E E, of the frame, in which they
are suitably mounted in guide slots, and the bearings of which are suspended
equally upon lifting attachments connected with the cross bar E' of the frame.
The lifting attachments shown in the present application consist of ropes extend-
ing from the bearing for the said fulcrum upward and over pulleys E, which
are suspended from the said cross-bar of the frame. When it is desired to start
this engine the lifting attachments are operated and the said fulcrums are raised
into position substantially as shown in Fig. 1.
In so raising the fulcrums they are forced upward under the levers which are
in their path and strike against the lever C, and depress the same to cause the
boss end of the said lever to bear upon the bend of the knuckle, C, and withdraw
the latch C, from its engagement with the lug, C, unlocking the said lever
preliminary to raising it.
In so raising, it will be observed that each lever A is caused to turn upon its
hinged connection with the lug B, as a center, which extends the weighted end
of the each lever A further from the center of the wheel, B, than the corresponding
levers upon the opposite side of the said wheel. This produces an over balance
on the side of which they are extended and causes the wheel to rotate. This
action is aided by the excess of the leverage which the weighted end of the
lever, A, exerts on the opposite side of the wheel over the stationary fulcrum, D.
The levers A, are raised in proportion to the amount they are extended into the
path of the said fulcrum as the same are lifted. Rotation having been established
the levers, A, are successively brought against the fulcrums, D, and some portion
of the levers, C, acted on for unlocking, the levers A preliminary to raising
them.
The action which is produced in' the weighted end of the levers from the time
they first impinge upon the fulcrums is that of being shifted laterally and not
of being raised, as will be seen in Fig.4 of the drawings, in which the weighted
ends marked, 15-1-12-5 and 16 are being carried upon the fulcrums. To
provide for the movements of the levers upon the fulcrums without friction I
have mounted in the paths of the various levers the rollers D, D. These, in
some cases, I prefer to mount on anti-friction bearings, though this is not
necessary to the proper working of the invention.
To arrange the various levers, A, so as to produce a more or less continuous
nction by the levers passing, over the said fulcrums in rapid succession 'I have
provided the slots, B', 'in sets of four on either side of the spokes of the wheel.
I have found that I cannot in a direct line accommodate with felicity more
than four of the levers and provido for their proper action in the elongated
slots, B. To provide for an increased number of these levers I parallel the
different series of slots as shown in the drawings, each adjoining series beginning
and finishing one half the length of the first series either to 'the front or rear and 1
this being continued for all on the same side of the spokes of the wheel. The
same system of placement of the slots is followed on the other side of the spokes
of the wheel, except that the series there is advanced or receded one-quarter of
the length of the first series of slots. By this arrangement I am enabled to have
any number of levers, according as the width of the fally of the wheel is increased
and to cause the said levers to impinge the fulcrums in rapid succession.
In their operation these levers, as above described, over ride the fulcrums, D,
and are projected from the center of the wheel or rotation, the said fulcrums
acting to form the point of lifting for the weighted' ends of the said lever, which
tends to draw over the center of rotation the opposite side of the wheel from that
upon which the weighted ends are extended. When, and as a wheel is rotated
so as to carry the levers away from contact with the said fulcrums they are allowed

page_text: to drop so as to strike the lower or forward ends of the slots B', in which they are
mounted. In so striking the ends of the said slots the latches C are carried
over the lugs C, and the levers locked into their normal position at the forward
ends of said slots, so that in being raised on the side of the wheel removed from
the projected levers all the levers are equal-distant from the center of the wheel.
It will thus be seen that when the fulcrums are raised as shown in Fig. 1 the
propelling actions of the levers is positive and automatic and that so long as the
fulcrums are maintained in position the engine will be continued in its rotation.
It will also be obvious that as the fulcrums are lowered the leverage between
the weighted ends of the levers, A and their pivotal connection with the opposite
side of the wheel is shortened or becomes more equalized permitting of less
leverage power being exerted to rotate the wheel.
By this means I am permitted to regulate the force and velocity of this engine.
When it is desired to arrest the motion of the engine the fulcrums B are lowered
until they do not engage the levers, A, as the wheel rotates, thus permitting the
equilibrium of the wheel to be brought about which has the effect of stopping it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. In an engine wherein the motive power is self-contained, the combination
of a wheel mounted on horizontal bearings with a series of levers pivotally
attached to the said wheel and each provided with a weighted-end extended
across the wheel to the opposite side of the center thereof, locking and releasing
devices to maintain said levers in their normal positions and release the same at
predetermined stations, and a stationary fulcrum for said levers adapted to be
placed in the path of the same and carry the weight thereof to cause them to
exert a lifting strain on the side of the wheel to which they are attached,
substantially as described.
2. In an engine wherein the motive power is self-contained, the combination
of a wheel mounted on horizontal bearings, with a series of levers pivotally
attached to the said wheel and each provided with a weighted-end extended
across the wheel to the opposite side of the center thereof, locking and releasing
devices to maintain said levers in their normal positions and release the same
at predetermined stations, and a fulcrum adjustable from the outward across said
wheel to be placed in the path of the same and carry the weight thereof to cause
them to exert a lifting strain on the side of the wheel to which they are attached,
substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of October 1896
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.