IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OR PRODUCTION OF MOTIVE POWER AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1883. Com-
municated to him from abroad by Charles Emmanuel, of Paris, France,
Astronomer
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OR PRODUCTION OF MOTIVE POWER AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
[A communication to him from abroad by Charles Emmanuel, of Paris, France,
Astronomer]
This invention has for its object the production of continuous motive power by
the joint action of gravity and magnetism or electricity.
The simplest form of apparatus which employ has two alternating pendulums,
the speed of which is constantly accelerated or restored either by means of
magnets, or by voltnic batteries, or by electricity produced by ordinary electric
machines or by electro-magnets or by the joint action of these agents.
Before describing the fundamental principle of this apparatus and its practical
construction and various modifications, I will mention two physical experiments
which will serve to clearly determine the positive basis of the said invention.
First Assuming that an ordinary pendulum, formed by a thread and a small
sphere of soft iron, arrives at the end of each oscillation in proximity to the
positive pole of a bar magnet or the two poles of a horse-shoe magnet, its original
spoed will be revived by reason of the attractive or repulsive action of the
magnet, which during the course of each oscillation of the said pendulum will
restore to the same the power lost through friction. It is sufficient for this
purpose that, at the commencement of the descent of the said pendulum, the
attractive action of the magnets should be intercepted by an insulating plate of
ebonite or other substance which will not permit the magnets to act through it.
I have thus produced a continuous movement which must not be mistaken for
perpetual motion which exists and can only exist in nature where all exhausted
substances after their separation form new bodies.
Second-To a rotating shaft is fixed a rigid rod which carries at its lower
extremity an electric battery one of the poles of which is placed to the right hand
side and the other to the left hand side of the said rod. Two other electric
batteries are firmely fixed at the two points where the oscillations of a pendulum
end, and present successively a pole of the same name to the two poles of the
oscillating battery, so that at each contact a repulsive action takes place which

page_text: renews and maintains the speed of the oscillation of the pendulum. In this case
there is no necessity for an insulating plate, but thero is a certain expenditure of
electricity which, although not very considerable, necessitates expenses which are
not required in the apparatus above described.
A continuous movement may be also obtained by using eléctro-magnets or even
an ordinary electric machine.
The above description sets forth the principle of the various apparatuses
constructed according to this invention. This fundamental principle is as follows,
that is to say-A continuous movement may be produced when, by any suitable
means, the speed lost during each oscillation of a pendulum is restored. In the
same manner, when by any suitable means a pendulum is caused to act as a lever
arm of greater or less length, and when by any suitable means the said pendulum
recovers the power lost during the course of its oscillations, a continuous motive
power is produced which increases indefinitely with the length and the number of
pendulums acting in connection with each other.
I will now proceed to describe the novel apparatus which carries out the
fundamental principle above set forth and which is capable of a number of
applications.
In constructing this apparatus I provide a cast iron frame formed of two
standards which are insulated from one another but which may be connected by
'means of cross-bars in order to ensure perfect stability of the structure. The
upper part of each of these two standards formis two arms or supports upon which
rest a series of brackets. Upon the centre of a horizontal shaft carried in bearings
in the said brackets is mounted a regulating fly-wheel and upon each portion of
the shaft comprised between the arins or supports is mounted a toothed wheel.
In the centre of the apparatus are two shafts separated from each other and
supported by the said brackets resting upon the said arms or supports. Each of
these two shafts carries a wheel keyed upon the said shafts and provided with a
pawl gearing with a toothed wheel. Each of the said shafts carries at its
extremity and outside the frame of the apparatus a pendulum at the end of which
is fixed a ball or other weight and the lower part of which carries the different
systems of permanent or electro-inagnets hereinafter described.
Each pendulum when started arrives in front of a battery of permanent or
electro magnets supported by a carriage upon which they are secured by bolts.
This carriage can be caused to slide by means of a crank-handle along a screw in
order to adjust the stationary battery nearer to, or further from, that of the
pendulum. I also provide a frame in which an insulating plate is arranged to
ascend and descend. This frame is fixed to the aforesaid frame of the apparatus ;
the said insulating plate is caused to slide therein by means of a light cord fixed at
'ono end to the pendulum, and the other end of which is passed over two small
pulleys and fixed to the said insulating plato in such a manner that, in its
oscillatory movement, the pendulum successively lowers and raises this insulating
plate.
The two pendulums oscillate alternately one ascending whilst the other descends
and each of them has a full oscillation when it is operating upon, the mechanisın
and a short oscillation when not operating the same.
By means of these double alternating oscillations the incomplete movement of
each pendulum is converted into a complete rotary motion of the main shaft.
But as the movement would soon decrease in intensity and ultimately stop if
the pendulums were acting alone, the apparatus is provided with a system of
magnets, electric batteries, electro-magnets or condensers, analogous to those of an
ordinary electrical machine, which supply the force used for restoring the speed of
the said pendulums which assume a continuous movement thus forming a
inechanical power, as this movement is that of two alternating lever arms of
greater or less length.
A magnetic pendulum may be constructed as above described, the restoring
agents used in this case being bar magnets or horse-shoe magnets. Or it may be

page_text: constructed with a sphere of soft iron which abuts against the bar magnets. An
electric pendulum may be made in which the restoring agents are electric batteries,
electric currents or condensers similar to those of an ordinary electric machine.
And an electro-magnetic pendulum may be made in which the restoring agents are
electro-magnets.
The new motor thus constructed is applicable to all fixed machinery employed
in industry, to locomotive and other engines and for naval as well as for railway
purposes.
The electricity required for this motor may be obtained from dynamo-electric
machines by transmitting to the same the movement of the self-acting pendulum,
by means of belts.
I sometimes provide two wheels and a fly-wheel similar to those above described,
the two pendulums employed in this case being each provided with two rods and
supporting a frame. Two toothed wheels are fixed upon a bent shaft which rests
upon two bearings and passes through the centre of the said frame. These
toothed wheels are caused to descend and ascend upon toothed rails with which
the two wheels of the pendulum gear, the teeth of the former however not
penetrating to the bottom of the intervals between the teeth of the latter, as
otherwise the weight of the pendulum would be lessened by the said wheels which
are designed not only to keep its speed up but also to increase it. These wheels
may be set in motion by manual labour, by a voltaic battery, by accumulators, by
electric currents whether direct or otherwise or by any other motor.
Under these conditions the pendulum is accompanied during the whole duration
of its course by a power applied to the furthest point from the centre of the
movement, which permits the speed of the pendulum to be accelerated and regulated
by means of springs which slide upon a rack.
I also make a pendulum with a helix, which pendulum is operated in the same
manner as the pendulum above described, the only exception being that for the
toothed wheels used in the former arrangement a helix is substitutod.
In some cases a pendulum with a helix is caused to make an entire revolution.
In this case the pendulum is formed integrally with the shaft and rotates with it
upon the two journals which support the main shaft.
A complete circular movement may be also produced in the case of the wheel
pendulum above described, by making the rail circular.
I sometimes provide a mechanical swing composed of a pendulum provided
with two rods supporting a frame and rotating upon the journals which support
the main shaft. A pulley is provided around which is passed a string by means
of which a weight is caused to ascend or descend as required
According to another arrangement the weight is replaced by another pendulum
which ascends and descends as the motor pendulum ascends and descends.
In some instances I provide what I term a dynamic fly-wheel whose periphery
is provided with small hollow cones on the interior of which strikes a jet of
steam, compressed air or hot air proceeding from a generator, and conducted to
the said cones by means of a pipe which may be opened or closed by means of a
small stop-cock, the power being thus applied to the point which is furthest from
the centre of the movement.
This novel fly-wheel arrangement may be adapted to all the combinations above
described, and may constitute a motor the power of which may be increased and
even supplied by weights pushed to the side which is descending.
The total weight of the pendulum is sometimes divided into two equal and
extreme masses one above and the other below.
If desired the two masses may be unequal.