Improvements in Fluid Pressure Motors.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Fluid Pressure Motors.
I, EMILE HERVAIS, of 9, Rue Saint Sebastien, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a novel form of motor enabling the propulsive force
possessed by all fluids under pressure, whether they are elastic or not, to be
utilised.
The improved motors present the advantage, as compared with all other kinds
of motor, of being extremely light, of small dimensions and great simplicity,
whilst at the same time being capable of running at high speeds. They are thus
adapted for numberless applications, and are especially suitable for motor vehicles.
Our novel motor is based upon the application of metal tube which is flattened
to a considerable extent and wound upon itself in such a manner as to form an
elastic spiral. One of the extremities, which is fixed, is in communication with
the source of fluid under pressure by means of a suitable distributor, whilst the
other extremity, which is movable, is connectell. by means of an appropriate
engaging device with the shaft to be operated.
The invention therefore comprises a metal tube which is flattened and wound
in a spiral; this tube is connected at its outer extremity to the distributor and
at its internal extremity to the shaft, by means of a clutch or gearing.
When the fluid under pressure enters the spiral, this latter becomes unwound
and its movable extremity turns in one direction thus causing the rotation of the
shaft. When the spiral has become completely unwound, the distributor enables
the discharge of the fluid in the tube in such a manner that the spiral, owing
to its elasticity. resumes its original form, its movable extremity being
then released by the locking device thereon enabling it to rotate in
the direction opposite to that above referred to without producing rotation of
the shaft.
The arrangement may, however, be reversed, that is to say the inner extremity
of the spiral may be fixed and connected with the distributor, the outer extremity
heing movable and connected with the locking device.
In either case, for a variation of pressure produced within the tube, the angular
displacement of the movable extremity of this tube is proportional to the number
of convolutions: it follows from this that by suitably selecting the number of
these spirals an angular displacement of the movable extremity of the tube which
is as large as desired may be obtained before the escape and releasing phase is
reached.
The engaging or locking device may be of any suitable kind, such as a ball
or roller clutch. for example. In the same manner, the distributor may be of
any appropriate kind and be operated in any suitable manner. This distributor
may for instance consist of a slide valve operated by means of an excentric
rigidly fixed upon the shaft.
As the spiral is independent of the driving shaft, and as no part having alter-

page_text: nating motion is necessary for the transmission of motion, a very high speed of
rotation may be attained" without difficulty.
In order to obtain an adequate driving effort, there may be arranged side
by side upon the shaft as many spirals as desired; in order to ensure grat
regularity in the impulsion imparted to the shaft, it is only necessary to cause
the spirals to act in such a manner that one or more of them may be in engage-
ment with the shaft during the period of release of the other spiral or spirals.
The spiral tubes being entirely flattened it follows that no noxious space exists
in the machine.
I, EMILE HERVAIS, of 9, Rue Saint Sebastien, Paris, in the Republic of France,
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:-
-
This invention relates to an improved form of motor by means of which the
propulsive force of all fluids under pressure may be utilised, whether such fluids
be elastic or not. Motors constructed in accordance with my invention present
the advantage compared with other types of motor of being extremely light, of
small dimensions and great simplicity whilst at the same time being capable of
running at high speeds. They are thus adapted for use in a great number of
cases and are more especially adapted for motor vehicles and the like.
My improved motor is based upon the application of a metal tube which is
flattened to a considerable extent and wound upon itself in such a manner as
to form an elastic spiral. One of its extremities, which is fixed, is in com-
'munication by means of a suitable distributor, with the source of fluid under pres-
sure, whilst the other extremity, which is movable, is connected by means of
an appropriate clutch or engaging device with the shaft to be driven.
In the accompanying. drawings,
Figure is a diagrammatic view of a motor constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Figure 2 shews a section of the flattened tube.
In these figures, A designates the flattened metal tube forming a spiral: this
tube is connected at its outer end with the distributor B and at its inner
extremity to the shaft C by means of engaging or clutch mechanism D.
When the fluid under pressure enters the spiral, this latter becomes unwound
and its movable extremity c rotates in the direction of the arrow, thus driving
the shaft C. When the unwinding of the spiral is complete the distributor B
enables the discharge of the fluid in the tube A to take place, so that the spiral,
owing to its elasticity, resumes its original form, its movable extremity being
released by the clutch mechanism thereby enabling it to rotate in the reverse
direction to that indicated by the arrow without producing rotation of the shaft C.
The arrangement may be reversed if desired, that is to say the inner extremity
of the spiral may be fixed and in communication with the distributor, the outer
extremity being movable and connected with the clutch.
In either case, for a given variation of pressure within the tube, the angular

page_text: displacement of the movable extremity of the tube is proportionate to the number
of convolutions; hence it follows from this, that by selecting a suitable number
of convolutions the desired angular displacement of the movable extremity of the
tube may be obtained before the period of exhaust and disengagement is reached.
The engaging or clutch device may be of any suitable type, such as roller,
hall or the like, in the drawing a roller clutch is represented by way of example.
In the same manner, the distributor may be of any suitable kind and may be
operated in any desirable manner such as for example that shewn in the drawings
wherein a slide valve actuated by an excentric firmly kdyed upon the shaft C
is connected to the distributor B.
As the spiral is independent of the driving shaft, and as no reciprocating part
is necessary for the transmission of the power a very high speed of rotation may
be attained without difficulty.
In order to obtain a sufficient driving effort, any desired number of spirals
may be arranged around the driving shaft side by side; and in order that the
impulsion imparted to the shaft may have the requisite regularity it is only
necessary to cause the spirals to act in such a manner that one or more of them
may be in engagement with the shaft during the period of disengagement of the
other or others of them.
The spiral tubes being flattened, as shewn in section in Figure 2, it follows that
no noxious space exists in the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
A fluid pressure motor characterised by the employment of one or more flat-
tened metal tubes wound spirally and connected by one of their extremities, which
is fixed, to the distributor, and by the other, which is movable, by means of a
clutch or engaging device to the shaft to be driven, the whole substantially as
described and for. the purpose specified.
Dated this 28th day of December 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.