IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER MACHINERY
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Small at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th May
. 1863.
I, THOMAS SMALL, of Bargate, Boston, Lincolnshire, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER MACHINERY,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to gain power by combining together, and
with certain other mechanism, a system of levers. The following is an
example of said combination:-In a suitable framing I adjust, by pivot or
fulcrum, a lever of the first order; the longer arm of this lever is fitted into an
eye or socket formed in a double-toothed rack, which has vertical reciprocating
inotion imparted thereto by two sector wheels hating teeth thereon, which
take or gear respectively into the teeth of the aforesaid double rack; the said
sector wheels are mounted on an axis or shaft; one of said sectors is fast on
said shaft, and the other sector is loose thereon; these sectors have rotatory
motion imparted thereto in opposite directions by a bevilled pinion taking
into the teeth of bevilled wheels fixed to or formed upon the aforesaid sector
wheels, or otherwise connected therewith. The aforesaid sector wheels are so
placed with respect to each other, as that when one sector is in action the
other is out of action; the rotation of one sector raises the double rack before
mentioned, and actuates the lever connected thereto, and the other sector
depresses said rack and moves said lever in an opposite direction, thus
imparting continuous vibrating motion to such said lever. The short arm of

page_text: said lever is connected by a rod to a crank fixed on a shaft, on which are
arranged another set of wheels and sectors, similar in all respects to those
above described, and gearing into another double rack similar to that above
mentioned, and in this manner any number of levers may be connected
together. Motion is imparted to the above mechanism by a handle or pulley
fixed on the axle of the first set of wheels, and worked either by hand or by
a steam engine. I also propose to adapt a fly wheel to each of the separate
sets of wheels aforesaid to carry the cranks past their mill points; or instead
of employing a fly wheel for the above purpose, I propose to adapt an extra
lever to each shaft carrying the wheelwork aforesaid, said lever working at an
angle of about forty-five degrees; this lever I connect with cranks fixed on the
shaft of a second set of wheels, with their respective horizontal lever taking
into the double rack, as before stated; by these means the power is transmitted
to the whole system of rack levers, and the null points of the cranks overcome
by the use of levers only; or in lieu of fitting the rack and sector wheels and
lever to the first shaft to which the prime mover is connected for transmitting
the power to the first set of sector wheels aforesaid, I propose to employ a
shaft on which is placed a small fly wheel supported by two bearings; on one
end of said shaft I fix a crank, and on the other end a handle or other
connection for imparting motion to said shaft; on the aforesaid crank is fitted
a straight bar, which is connected to a crank pin fixed to one of the arms of
another fly wheel fixed on another or second shaft; by these means I am
enabled to place the aforesaid handle in a line with the aforesaid second shaft,
or outwards, either above or below, which would be more convenient than the
former arrangement, and save space. A motive-power machine thus con-
structed may be applied in lieu of steam for driving machinery of all kinds,
and the power be transmitted thereto by means of cog wheels; and in cases
where considerable power is required, I propose to employ several machines
constructed upon my improved plan above described, all connected together
by wheels, and finally with the machinery to be driven.