IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION BY THE USE OF THE GRAVITATING POWER OF SOLID OR FLUID MATTER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Benton, of No. 5, Great College Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING
ROTARY MOTION BY THE USE OF THE GRAVITATING POWER OF SOLID OR FLUID
MATTER."
Sealed the 28th January 1862, and dated the 2nd August 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Benton at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
August 1861.
I, ROBERT BENTON, of No. 5, Great College Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING
ROTARY MOTION BY THE USE OF THE GRAVITATING POWER OF SOLID OR FLUID
MATTER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved motive power machinery or apparatus
designed for obtaining rotary motion by the use of the gravitating power
either of solid or fluid matter, and consists in the use of two sets of balance
bars, which I call major and minor bars; the major bars are formed with
cranks at each end thereof, and have a moveable weight within or upon each
crank, each weight being at least double that which is attached to one end of
the minor bars. The whole of the apparatus is so arranged as to be in a
perpetual state of equilibrium except the weights attached to the end of the
minor bars, and which said minor weights will be perpetually suspended on
the descending side of the orb to be kept in motion.

page_text: Another part of this Invention consists in dividing the said orb into
sections, mounted on separate standards with minor driving wheels, whereby
the power of each section or standard is communicated by chains or other
convenient means to the main driving shaft, on which one or more driving
wheels may be placed. I also employ spherical guides for the purpose of
maintaining the major bars aforesaid in a vertical position, and thereby in a
perpetual state of equilibrium. I also fix ratchets on the face of the said
guides, whereby the major bars are prevented from rebounding when they
change their positions. I also employ a finger guide, whereby the opening of
certain latches and the action of the major bars aforesaid are secured, and
rendered simultaneous by one and the same movement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Benton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BENTON, of No. 5, Great College Street, Westminster, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Benton, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Benton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Benton, 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 MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION BY THE USE OF THE GRAVITATING
POWER OF SOLID OR FLUID MATTER," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Benton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Benton, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improved motive power machinery or apparatus,
and is designed for obtaining rotary motion by the use of the gravitating power
either of solid or fluid matters, and consists in the use of two sets of balance
bars, which I call "major" and "minor bars;" the "major bars" are formed
with cranks at each end thereof, and have a moveable weight within or upon
each crank, and each weight being at least double that which is attached to
one end of the "minor bars." The whole of the apparatus is so arranged
as to be in a perpetual state of equilibrium (except the weights attached to
the end of the "minor bars,") and which said minor weights will be per-
petually suspended on the descending side of the orbe or axis to be kept in
motion.
Another part of this Invention consists in dividing the orbe or axis. into
sections mounted on separate standards with "minor driving wheels," whereby
the power of each section or standard is. communicated by chains or other
convenient means to the main driving shaft, on which one or more driving
wheels may be placed. I also employ spherical or circular guides for the purpose
of maintaining the major bars in a vertical position, and thereby preserved in
a perpetual state of equilibrium. I also place ratchets fixed on the face of
the said guides, whereby the major bars are prevented from rebounding when
they change their positions. I also employ finger guides, whereby the
opening of certain latches and the action of the aforesaid major bars are
secured, and rendered simultaneous by one and the same movement.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
the same more fully, together with the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows an end view of machinery or apparatus arranged according
to my Invention, and Figure 2, a side or edge view of one set of balance bars
carried by suitable standard, as shown; and I may here remark that, in
carrying out my Invention, I propose to employ a series of similar sets of such
bars and standards arranged in a direct line side by side, the power obtained
the rotation of each separate set of bars being transmitted, as hereafter
described, to one common axis, from which the power can be transferred to
the purpose for which power is required, and as each of such sets of bars,
combined together for the purpose of forming a motive power engine or

page_text: apparatus, according to my Invention, are of similar construction, a description
of the arrangement and combination of one set of bars and apparatus con-
nected therewith will be sufficient to enable a workman to understand the
arrangement and construction of a series of such sets of bars.
A, Figure 1, is what I call one of the "major bars" of a set of cranked
balance bars supported on and carried by the standard C. The bar. A is
formed with two cranked arms A', A*, formed with inclines at each end, as
shewn, and to which weights a', a*, are attached, which are capable of rolling
or moving from one extremity of the arms A', A*, to the other in order to
give a gravitating action to such bars from time to time as required. Each
cranked bar A is capable of revolving on a pin or axis a, carried by one arm
of the cross piece D, which is fixed upon the main driving axis E, from which
the motion communicated to it by the revolution of the major and minor
bars A and B is transmitted by the pulley -E', fixed on the axis E to the
axis F and pulley F' by an endless chain or band E, as shown. a², a², are
trucks or rollers carried by the bar A, which, in the revolution and movement
of the bar, come against the outer circumference of the discs C¹, C¹, fixed on
the standard C, so as to govern. the movements and position of the bar A, as
required. B-shows one of the minor bars, which is arranged in combination
with and capable of rotating on the same pin or axis a as the cranked bar A.
During the downward movement of the weighted end of the bar B, it is
quite independent of the bar A, but as soon as the weight 6 has arrived at its
lowest position, the bar B becomes locked or temporarily attached to the
major or cranked bar A (in the manner hereafter described), at which time
the two bars and other parts are in the position shewn at Figure 1.
It will be seen, on examining the Drawing, that when the parts are in this
position, that the weight a¹ on the upper cranked arm A' is at the outer
extremity of its movement, whilst the weight a*, on the lower cranked arm A*
is at the inner extremity of its movement, and by reason of the superior
gravitating power of the weight a¹, the cranked bar A is caused to make
half a revolution on its axis a, at the same time, owing to its connection with
the bar B, the position of that bar is also reversed, so as to bring up and
place its weighted end b uppermost, at which moment the bar B becomes
detached from the bar A, and the weight b commences its descent, during
which time the side of the bar B rests against a projection or tumbling
catch on the plate 61, which is fixed on the pin or axis a, by which arrange
ment the gravitating power of the weight bis communicated to the cross
piece D fixed on the main driving axis E; at the same time the weight
a, a*, on the cranked arms reverse their positions by rolling down the

page_text: inclines formed on the arms from one extremity of each arm to the other:
The cranked bar A, after making this half revolution, is prevented from
rebounding or moving backwards by. the weighted lever ratchet c, moving on
a pin or stud c fixed on the disc C', as shown. The cranked bar A, whilst in
a vertical position, descends by the revolution of the cross-piece D to its
lowest position; being guided in its movement to this position by the rollers a³
and discs C, as shown by the different positions of the bar B in dotted lines,
the gravitating weight of the bar A aiding in giving motion to the central
main driving axis E.
It should be borne in mind, that whilst the pair of bars A and B just
described have been performing their functions on one side of the standard C,
the pair of bars on the opposite side of the standard have been in exactly the
reverse positions, and that the power communicated to the central axis E, and
to the cross piece D on the opposite side, bas had the effect of raising the pair
of bars A and B on that side of the standard C to their highest position ready
to perform the same set of movements as those just previously described, by
which the first-named bars A and B are again raised to their original positions
to commence a fresh revolution. The bars A and B are locked .or retained
together during their semi-revolution by a tumbling catch a³ on the bar B,
which falls down out of the way of the movement of the bar B when the
weight 6 is about to descend by its own gravity, as before described. is a
cranked lever moving on a pin fixed on one of the arms of the cross piece D;
the finger or arm of this lever in its revolution comes in contact with the
projecting arm C² of the standard, and by the connecting chain or cord 'c' fixed
to the sector part of the lever and to the wheel d on the axis a, to give a
slight impetus or start to the bar A, so as to disengage it from the lever
ratchet c, all which will be readily understood on examining the Drawing.
Any number of standards C, with gravitating bars A and B, may be
arranged side by side in a line according to the power which it is desired to
accumulate in the axis F, by transmitting the same thereto, as before
described; and I would here remark, that each standard C may be supported
on trucks or rollers running on a rail or tramway so as readily to be run out
for the purpose of arranging or repairing the parts carried thereby, indepen-
dently of and without interfering with any of the other standards or parts
composing a motive power engine constructed according to my Invention.
I would here remark that the cranked balance bar A may be so arranged
as to be employed two or more times during each revolution of the main axis
to raise the weighted ends of the bars B as required to their highest position
for the purpose of repeating their gravitating power, by which arrangement

page_text: all the minor weights b will be on the descending side; and I have found
hitherto that about four revolutions per minute of the bars A and B is the
most advantageous speed to drive the apparatus at.
In place of employing the rolling weights a', a*, as before described, water
or other liquid, or mercury, may be employed for imparting the gravitating
action to the cranked bars A, the cranked arms A', A*, being formed hollow,
and of suitable formation for this purpose. Suitable brake apparatus may be
applied if desired.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, I would have it clearly
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described,
so long as the peculiar character of my Invention be retained, as the same
may be greatly varied with departing from the nature of my Invention;
but what I claim is,-
First, the arrangement and combination of a series of cranked balance
bars A, with a series of weighted gravitating or working bars B, so as to
produce a motive power engine or apparatus, as herein described.
Secondly, I claim the arrangement and combination of two or more sets of
cranked balance and gravitating bars A and B, each set of bars and apparatus
connected therewith being mounted on separate standards or supports inde-
pendent of each other, as herein described.
And, thirdly, I claim the mode of transmitting the power obtained by the
gravitation of each separate set of rotating bars A and B to one common axis,
as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Benton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE, Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Build".,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
ROB. BENTON. (L.S.)