IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Williamson, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING MOTIVE POWER."
Sealed the 27th January 1854, and dated the 2nd December 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Williamson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd December 1853.
I, GEORGE WILLIAMSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the application of the ordinary movements
used in clocks and timekeepers for the propulsion of fixed and loco-
motive machinery of various kinds. In case of a common pendulum
movement the vibrations of the pendulum rod as actuated by a spring
or weight are communicated to the machinery to be driven by a con-
necting rod linked at one end to the pendulum or 'scapement, and at
the other, to the crank of a fly wheel shaft. As the pendulum vibrates

page_text: the primary vibrating action is thus made to turn the fly wheel shaft,
and actuate any other movements. The same arrangement is obviously
applicable to "balance wheel "movements, the partial rotatory action of
the balance wheel being made to cause the revolution of a separate
crank shaft in a similar way. The Invention is subject to various
modifications, the essential object being the adoption of clock move-
ments as the means of actuating machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Williamson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE WILLIAMSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year
of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Williamson, Her special license
that I, the said George Williamson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Williamson, my executors,
administrators, or 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 APPLYING
MOTIVE POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Williamson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal should particularly 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 George Williamson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the application of the ordinary chrono-
metrical movements used in clocks and timekeepers for the propulsion
of fixed and locomotive machinery of various kinds. In the case of
common pendulum movement, the vibrations of the pendulum rod, as
actuated by a spring or weight, are communicated to the machinery to
be driven by a connecting rod linked at one end to the pendulum or
'scapement, and at the other to the crank of a fly wheel or first motion
shaft. As the pendulum vibrates the primary vibrating action is thus
made to turn the fly wheel shaft, and actuate any other movements.
The same arrangement is obviously applicable to "balance wheel"
movements, the partial rotatory action of the balance wheel being made
to cause the revolution of a separato crank shaft in a similar way.
The Invention is subject to various modifications, the essential object
being the adoption of clock movements as the means of actuating
machinery; and in order that my said Invention may be properly
understood I shall now proceed to describe the Figure on the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto attached, illustrating one mode of applying and
practically carrying out my Invention. In this arrangement the pri-
mary source of the actuating power is a weight and barrel movement
like that ordinarily adopted in the construction of clocks. The details
are carried by a framing formed by two parallel vertical cast iron side
standards A, connected together by transverse tie rods at B. The
standards are formed with cross bars to carry the bearings C of the
spindle of the main driving barrel D, upon which is coiled the cord of
the weight E. On the spindle of the barrel D is keyed a spur wheel
F, in gear with a pinion on a parallel shaft above, on which shaft is
also keyed the escapement wheel G. The shaft of this escapement
wheel and pinion is carried in inverted bearings H, cast in the side
standards A, and immediately above these are bearings I, for the
spindle J of the escapement piece or pallet arms K and pendulum

page_text: rod L. Both the pendulum rod and the pallet arms. are fast upon
the spindle J, as the centre of vibration, being arranged..in. the usual
manner of clock movements. The pendulum rod projects considerably
above the spindle J, and has jointed to its upper end M a connecting
rod N, passing to the pin. O.of a transverse shaft P, carried in bearings
Q, cast. upon the highest part of the standards A. The shaft P has
keyed upon it a fly wheel R, which serves to equalize the motion
transmitted to the shaft by the pendulum rod. As in the ordinary
clock movement, the weight E, by its action on the escapement wheel
G, through the spur wheel F and the pinion, keeps the pendulum
S and its rod L in a constant vibratory motion. This motion is
transmitted to the shaft P, by means of the upper projecting end M of
the pendulum rod, through the connecting rod N and crank O, and it
may be transmitted from the shaft P by toothed gear pulleys, or other
convenient means, to the machinery which it is intended to actuate.
The middle cross bars of the framing standards carry two additional
pedestal bearings T, for the support of a detached winding up spindle.
This spindle projects over its bearing at one end, where it is squared, as
at U, to receive a winding lever or key for turning round the spindle
in the usual manner. On this winding spindle is keyed a spur pinion
V, in gear with a spur wheel W, set on the shaft of the main going
barrel D, the usual ratchet connection being adopted for allowing the
wheel W and the barrel D to be turned by the action of the pinion V
in winding up, without interfering with the other machinery. It will
be obvious to the practical engineer that this principle of the adoption
of clock or chronometrical movements, or movements analogous in
principle to these contrivances, may be varied very extensively without
interfering with the general result. Escapement movements of various
kinds may be employed under the actuation either of weights or
springs, and the connection between the vibratory or prime movement
may be accomplished under various mechanical arrangements.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not con-
fine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements, which

page_text: I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of my Invention, of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery,
apparatus, or means for applying motive power, as herein-before
described.
Second, the system or mode of communicating the reciprocating
motion of a pendulum by means of a connecting rod and crank to a
revolving shaft, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of transmitting the power of prime movers
through a chronometrical escapement, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use of chronometrical or clock escape-
ment movements for applying or communicationg motive power to
separate or detached machinery..
In witness whereof, I, the said George Williamson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May, in
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
the year
GEO. WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)