A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Storing Energy in Small Mechanical Accumulators.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1889-Accepted. 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Storing Energy
in Small Mechanical Accumulators.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London,
W.C., Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to a new or improved method of and apparatus for storing.
energy in small mechanical accumulators such for example as springs or weights.
The principle of my invention lies in the employment of the change of volume or
of pressure produced in a suitable fluid by change of temprature, caused by the
passage of a current of electricity, or its interruption, through a conductor placed in
or in proximity to the said fluid the said change of pressure or of volume being
utilised to store energy in the mechanical accumulator (as by winding up a spring or
raising a weight) through the medium of any suitable form of mechanical transmitting
mechanism.
I may obtain the current necessary to heat the conductor from any suitable source
or reservoir of electrical energy and I may determine its passage through the said
conductor by means of any suitable form of contact or circuit closing device this
latter being conveniently actuated or driven by the said mechanical accumulator.
I may employ a detent for the purpose of limiting or controlling the movement
produced by the said expansion.
My invention is specially applicable to winding up the springs or weights serving
to drive clocks, advertising machines; musical boxes, mechanical toys, and the like.
Dated this 21st dove at Maconian 1:200
J. G. LORRAIN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Storing Energy
in Small Mechanical Accumulators.
I. JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London,
W.C., Consulting Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved method of and apparatus for storing
energy in sinall mechanical accumulators such for example as springs or weights.
The principle of my invention lies in the employment of the change of volume or
of pressure produced in a suitable fluid by change of temperature, caused by the
passage of a current of electricity through a conductor placed in or in proximity to
the said fluid the said change of pressure or of volume being utilised to store energy
in the mechanical accumulator (as by winding up a spring or raising a weight)
through the medium of any suitable form of mechanical transmitting mechanism.
I may obtain the current necessary to heat the conductor from any suitable source
or reservoir of electrical energy and I may determine its passage through the said
conductor by means of any suitable form of contact or circuit closing device this
latter being conveniently actuated or driven by the said mechanical accumulator.
I may employ a detent for the purpose of limiting or controlling the movement
produced by the said expansion.
My invention is specially applicable to, winding up the springs or weights serving
to drive clocks, advertising machines, musical boxes, mechanical toys, and the like.
Having thus described in general terms the nature and object of my invention I

page_text: shall now proceed to describe in what manner it may be performed or carried into
effect and for this purpose I shall describe by way of a type or example one way of
performing my invention. In order that such description of the type or example
which have selected for mention herein may be more readily understood I have
annexed hereto a drawing illustrating the best way with which I am acquainted for
carrying out my invention in its application to the said type or example.
The accompanying drawing serves to illustrate a method of, and apparatus for;
carrying my invention into effect in the case of a clock, the energy being in this case
stored up in the driving spring, and the result being to convert the ordinary form of
clock shown into an automatic or self-winding one. The figure is a view of the clock,
without its case or dial, as seen from behind.
In the figure A is the winding wheel, that is to say, the first of the train of wheels
through which power is transmitted to the spring barrel to wind up, or in other
words store energy in, the driving spring. This wheel, which is shown in dotted
lines, is fast on the same arbor as the ratchet wheel. H, and therefore movos with it.
B is a closed vessel containing air, or better still nitrogen, or other suitable fluid.
One side of this vessel consists of an expanding diaphragm of thin corrugated
metal, like the flexible side of an aneroid barometer box. Into this vessel the heating
conductor or resistance R passes in an air-tight manner. From the centre, of Ca.
link. D extends to the lever E one end of which is attached to the bracket F and the
other end of which bears the pawl G. This pawl engages the teeth of the ratchet
wheel H. S is the contact or circuit closing device which determines the passage of
the electric current through R, and which is actuated or driven by the driving spring
through a suitable train of wheels. This form of contact is fully described in the
Complete Specification of my patent No. 10,785 of the year 1887 with reference to
figures 14 and 15 of the drawings accompanying the said specification, and need not
therefore be more fully referred to here.
The action of the parts, just mentioned is as follows. The parts are connected up
and an electric current is transmitted through them at intervals for the purpose of
winding up the driving spring. In the figure I have shown the course of the current
as being from one pole of the battery T to one spring of the contact S and then from
the other spring of the contact through the heating resistance R to the other pole of
the battery. Let us now assume that the circuit is closed by the contact, and that a
current is transmitted. The current will in passing through R, which is of such
material and so thin as to offer a considerable resistance, raise its temperature. This
rise of temperature in R will cause a rise of temperature of the fluid contents of B.
Rise of temperature of the said fluid contents will increase their pressure or tension
and their volume. This will cause the diaphragm C to be pressed outwards and the
pawl G, through the link D and lever E, to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel H
and drive it round through a certain angular distance in the direction of the arrow.
When the contact S ceases to maintain the circuit closed, the current will cease to
flow through R which will then cool down. As R cools the fluid contents of B will
also cool and will contract so as to bring D, E and G. back into their normal position,
as shown in the figure whilst the click J will prevent any backward movement of
the ratchet wheel H. With the backward movement of the diaphragm the pawl G
will ride loose over the teeth of H, and the parts will again be in their normal
position, and ready to go through a similar cycle of movements at the next
transinission of the electric current.
If the parts have been very carefully constructed and adjusted with great nicety
the click J may be dispensed with but I do not recommend this as the click is always
a useful safeguard.
If care be taken to transmit only the proper amount of current, and for the proper
time, then the spring will be wound up to the proper amount each time the current
passes; but, inasmuch as in practice batteries weaken with lapse of time, and the load
increases as the bearings of the wheels get dirty, the current would require to be
altered accordingly, 1 prefer instead of adapting the current to suit the altered
circumstances after each such change to adopt controlling devices so that a definite

page_text: amount of movement shall always take place without reference to the exact condition
of the current. This definite amount of movement I secure, in the case illustrated, in
the following manner. I construct the pawl G of such a shape and size, and so
determine its normal position with respect to the ratchet wheel H, that after it has
moved a certain distance it will cease to engage the tooth with which it was in
contact. Or I may effect the same by placing a small stop or projection on the loose
joint between G and E, so that as the pawl moves from its normal position it will
only turn round the said loose joint downwards to a certain distance, so that any
further onward movement will only cause it to disengage itself from the teeth of H
and not move the latter further round. Such a form of loose joint and stop as I have
just referred to is well known. As a further safeguard for the same purpose I
generally employ a second detent which may conveniently consist of a pin K. The
function of this detent is to limit the winding up of the spring to the required amount
by ensuring that in the backward movement of the pawl, which it will be understood
is loosely jointed to the lever E, to its normal position, it shall not take too large a
feed, as it is termed, that is to say it shall not come back so far as to engage a tooth
of the ratchet wheel further back than that tooth which when moved forward to the
proper limit will cause the proper amount of winding up of the driving spring. By
this means also the action of the clock is protected from any error due to variation of
external temperature for it will be readily seen that a fall of temperature when a
current is not passing would but for this detent K cause such a contraction of volume
of the air or other fluid contents of Bas to cause the pawl to take a larger feed at the
next transmission of the current and so produce a greater amount of winding up of
the spring than is desired.
It will be seen that at each transmission of the electric current a definite movement
of the diaphragm C takes place and that this imparts a definite amount of movement
through the train of wheels to the spring barrel. The frequency of the transmissions
of the electric current, the duration of each transmission, the strength of the current
transmitted and the gauge of the heating conductor or resistance will of course vary
with circumstances. In practice however 1 prefer, taking as a standard a clock with
parts of the size shown in the drawing to use as a heating resistance a platinum wire
of about 3 mils. diameter and to pass through it a current of say to 1 ampère for a
period of about 31 seconds every 3 minutes; and I adopt a train of wheels in
accordance with this, so that the driving spring is wound up to the required amount
at each transmission..
In the case illustrated it will be seen that it is the expansion of the fluid contents
of B which causes the onward movement of the ratchet wheel & consequently the
winding up of the spring. As is self evident however the action might conveniently
be reversed so that it would be the contraction of the fluid contents of B which
would be used to wind up the spring, the expansion then merely serving to take the
feed.
The ratchet wheel and pawl device for transmitting the movement of the
diaphragm C to the train of wheels leading to the spring barrel is a convenient
contrivance for the purpose, but equivalent devices will readily suggest themselves to
mechanics.
I sometimes find it advantageous, to paint or coat the inner surface of the vessel B
with a flexible paint or varnish for the purpose of preventing leakage of the fluid
contents through the walls of the said vessel. The walls of the said vessel should be
of such substance that no part will move under the expansion of the fluid contents
save the diaphragin C.
It is not necessary that the heating conductor should be in the fluid contents of the
vessel B. It may be in proximity thereto. For example the said heating conductor
night consist of an insulated wire of comparatively high resistance wound round the
solid walls of the vessel B.
In the cases in which the heating conductor passes into the vessel, it should pass
hrough the side thereof in such manner as not only to be air-tight but to be properly
nsulated. This may be effected by passing the conductor through long sleeves of

page_text: rubber or vulcanised fibre fitted in metal tubes soldered or otherwise suitably fixed to
the walls of the box.
The type or example which I have described illustrates the best means with which
I am acquainted for carrying my invention, into effect. I desire it to be understood
however that I do not limit myself in any sense to the said type or example. Other
means of utilising the change of volume or of pressure produced in a suitable fluid by
change of temperature caused by the passage of a current of electricity through a
conductor placed in or in proximity to the said fluid may be adopted if desired and
without departing from iny invention. Many means such for example as those
indicated in the complete specification filed in pursuance of my Application
No. 19,067 bearing even- date with my present Application might be employed; and
other equivalents will at once occur to the minds of competent electrical engineers.
.
I have shown how to perform my invention in the case of the driving spring of a
clock. From this it will be readily seen by any one skilled in the art how my
invention can be performed in the case of the driving weight of a clock. In the case
of a spring or weight serving to drive any other light piece of apparatus niy invention
would he performed in the same way. Any competent engineer will readily
understand from the foregoing specification how to carry my invention into effect in
the case of other sinall mechanical accumulators, such for example as minute
hydraulic or compressed air accumulators:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is:-
1. The new or improved method of storing energy in small mechanical accumulators
consisting in utilising by means of a suitable form of mechanical transmitting
mechanism the change of volume or of pressure produced in a suitable fluid by
change of temperature caused by the passage of a current of electricity through a
conductor placed in, or in proximity to, the said fluid.
2. The new or improved apparatus for storing energy in small mechanical
accumulators consisting in the combination of an expanding vessel and a mechanical
transmitting mechanism substantially as set forth.
3. In apparatus for storing energy in small mechanical accumulators the employ-
ment of an electrically expanded vessel substantially as set forth.
4. In apparatus for storing energy in small mechanical accumulators actuated by
an expanding vessel the means of securing a definite amount of movement sub-
stantially as set forth with reference to the figure.
Dated this 31st day of October 1889.
J. G. LORRAIN.