GB2097103A - Mechanical propulsion machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine when fitted to a vehicle and supplied with rotary power by a prime-mover to a central rotor of the machine generates centripetal forces acting on one face of the rotor, by causing weighted swing arms pivoted on that face of the rotor to perform synchronised reciprocating arcs of inward and outward motion in respect of the axis of rotation of the rotor limited in their force effects on that face of the rotor by the centripetal force acting outwards from the axis of rotation of the rotor and an applied torque, thereby exerting directional force on the rotor, and in consequence on the machine, and on the vehicle to provide propulsive force for the vehicle in the direction of the force. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mechanical propulsion machine This invention relates to a machine for the mechanical generation of a directional force for the purpose of vehicle propulsion. Vehicles, whether moving on the medium of land or sea or in the medium of sea, air or space, are propelled by, either, i - the reaction of the force applied by the prop ulsion force unit of the vehicle to the medium itself, as in the case of the propulsive force of the wheels of a land vehicle, orthe propeller of a sea or air vehicle, or, ii - the generation of a directional force on the vehicle itself by the propulsive force unit of the vehicle, as in the case of a jet or rocket propulsion engine.

The first method of propulsion (i) is relatively inefficient due to the component transmitting the propulsive force to the medium being in direct frictional contact with the medium. The second method of propulsion (ii) whilst providing a more effective application of the propulsive force is limited in its applications, particularly to land vehicles, due to the jet-stream produced. This invention provides in a new mechanical way the advantage of applying the propulsive force directly to the vehicle without the disadvantage of a jet-stream to limit its scope of application.

According to the present invention there is a fixture within which a freely rotatable shaft is centrally located. The shaft extends outside the fixture so that it can be suitable connected to any type of primemover that can supply rotary power to the shaft of the machine. Fixed to the shaft, at right angles to the axis of rotation of the shaft, is a rotor having at least two pin mountings arranged symmetrically on or near the circumference of the rotor. Mounted on the pins are swing arms with weights of equal magnitudes attached to their free ends so that each weight and swing arm can move freely in circular arcs of travel about its pin mounting under the effects of the centripetal force arising from the rotation of the shaft and rotor, in a plain perpendicular to the axis of the shaft and at right angles to the face of the rotor.The swing arms are linked in such a way that the swing arms and weights are always equidis tantfromthe axis of the rotation of the shaft when the weights and swing arms are moving either outwards from, or inwards to, the axis of rotation of the shaft, without affecting their free outward movements under the effect of the centripetal force arising from the rotation of the shaft and rotor. The swing arms are also linked in a way that returns them to symmetrically prescribed positions towards the axis of the shaft after they have reached their outward equilibrium positions under the effect of the centripetal force arising from the rotation of the shaft and rotor.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which: Sheet 1 (Fig. 1 ) - shows the arrangement of the machine on a simple type of land vehicle, Sheet 2 (Fig. 2) - shows a cross section of the machine, Sheet 3 (Fig. 3) (Fig. 4) (Fig. 5) (Fig. 6) - shows the swing arm in more detail and the gear arrangements for synchronising and returning the swing arms, Sheet4 (Fig. 7) (Fig. 8)-shows the forces acting on the outward and inward movements of the swing arms.

Referring to drawing, Sheet 1, any type of primemover (2) able to provide rotary power is connected via suitable coupling (3) to the machine (4) and both machine and prime-mover are fixed to the vehicle (1). The machine, a cross section of which is shown on Sheet 2, consists of an outer casing (6) into which a shaft (5) is located in such a way that it runs on frictionless journal bearings (7) and frictionless thrust bearings (8). A rotor (9) is fixed rigidly to the shaft (5) and has at least two pin mountings (10) rigidly fixed to one face of the rotor in symmetrical positions near the circumference of the rotor. Fig. 2 shows a rotor with two pin mountings (10) fixed in diametrically opposite positions on the rotor (9). A pin (11) is fixed in each pin mounting (10) and on to each pin are mounted two bevel gears (15) and one swing arm (12).The swing arm and one bevel gear are rigidly fixed to the pin so that when the swing arm moves both the pin and one bevel gear move with it. The other bevel gear which equalises the stress on the pin is mounted on the pin so that it can revolve freely on the pin. The pins can rotate freely in their pin mountings. Weights (14) of equal magnitude are fixed rigidly onto the other ends of the swing arms (12). Detaiis of the swing arm assemblies are shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6. Mating bevel gears (16) are engaged at right angles to the appropriate fixed bevel gears (15), and fixed rigidly shafts (17) that extends through the pin mountings (10) and the rotor (9). Rigidly fixed to the part of the shafts (17) that pass through the rotor are double gear wheels (18) having geared circumferences at (19) and (20).The gear circumferences (20) directly engage with gear wheel (21) that is mounted on the casing (6) by means of frictionless bearings (22) so that the gear wheel (21) is free to rotate in either direction. All geared circumferences (20) would be engaged with the gear wheel (21) which thus synchronises the angular movements of all the swing arms (12) about their pins (11).

Gear wheel (23), which is fixed to the casing (6), engages with diametrically opposite gearwheels (24) which are rigidly attached to pins (25) that are free to rotate in the rotor (9). Mounted on those parts of the shafts (25) within the rotor are gear wheels (26), which in turn engage with gear wheels (27) mounted on shafts (30) but free to rotate about the shafts. Gear wheels (27) have two gearcircumferences (28) and (29). Circumferences (28) engage with gearwheels (26) while circumferences (29) which have incomplete gear paths engage with gearcircumferences (19). The gearing arrangements of the machine are shown in greater detail in Figures 3,4 and 5.The gearings (23), (24), (26) and (28) are adjusted to give the appropriate movements of gears (29) and (19), in relation to the revolutions of the rotor, so that when the swing arms of the rotor are moving in outer directions the gearing is disen gaged, but afterthe swing arms have reached their maximum outward positions the gears (29) engage with the gears (19) to rotate the swing arms inwardly and then disengage when the swing arms have reached their appropriate inward positions.

Prior to the operation of the machine the compo nents have to be adjusted so that when the swing arms (12) and weights (14) are at their appropriate inner positions towards the axis of the shaft (5), that is in positions at inclinations approximately 15 degrees to the face of the rotor (6), the incomplete gear circumferences (29) have just disengaged from the gear circumferences (19).When rotary power is applied, in the appropriate direction, to the shaft (5) of the machine, in the described condition, the shaft rotates the rotor and the centripetal force arising due to the rotation about the X-X axis of the machine forces the weights (14) from their dynamically unbalanced inward positions through outward circular arcs of travel around the pins (11) to dynamically equilibrium positions of rest where the weights and swing arms are fully extended parallel to the face of the rotor The (20), (21) gearings synchronise the angular outward movements of the weights. At the outward positions of the swing arms and with continuous rotation of the machine the gearings (29) and (19) engage sothatthe swing arms are retracted inwardly through their circular arcs of travel about the pins (11).The (29), (19) gearings disengage when a position has been reached whereby the continuing inward travel of the weights caused by the momentum imparted by the retracting force is balanced by the outward centripetal force acting about the X-X axis when the weights have reached their original inward positions. At that instant the outward centripetal force abouttheX-X axis prevaiis and the weights and swing arms are once more forced to the outer equilibrium positions.Thus with the continuous rotation of the machine the weights and swing arms are subjected to continuing cycles of outward and inward circular movements about the axes of the pins (11) with the limits of outward and inward travel being determined by the centripetal force acting radially outwards from the axis of rotation of the rotor so that no forces are transmitted by the movement of the weights on to the rotor in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

Fig. 7 shows the forces acting on the weights and swing arms when the machine is rotating and the swing arms are in the inward positions with the gearings (29), (19) disengaged. A varying force F1 which arises from the centripetal force of rotation of the rotor about the X-X axis forces the weights into extended equilibrium positions parallel to the face of the rotor (9), through arcs of rotation about the axes of pins (11) without any force being applied by the moving weights on to the rotor in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor. Because of the rotations about the axes of the pins (11) secondary centripetal forces F2 act on the weights radially outwards from the pins (11). The secondary centripetal forces each have two components.One FV acting parallel to the face ofthe rotor and FH acting at right angles to the face of the rotor. Overtheoutward swings of the weights the FV force components can cel out but the FH components exert a continuing though varying force on the rotor, through the pins (11), throughout the outward swings. Fig. 8 shows the forces acting on the weights and swing arms when the machine is rotating and the swing arms are in the outward positions with the gearings (29 and (19) just engaged and exerting torques T-T on the swing arms to force them to retract to the inward positions.As the inwards torques T-T are greater than the centripetal forces F1,acting outwards, the swing arms are retracted inwards through angles a where the torques T-T are disengaged so that the fores then acting on the weights are the inward momentum given to each weight by the force of the torque and the outward force of the centripetal force acting about the axisX-X. The angle of retraction a is arranged so that the outward force F1 absorbs the inward momentum of the weights at their original inward positions. Because the weights are retracted in circular arcs about the axes of the pins (11) secondary centripetal forces F2 are also generated on the weights. These forces have components FV parallel to the face of the rotor and the components FH at right angles to the face of the rotor.The FV components cancel out but the FH components exert a continuing though varying force on the rotor, through the pins (11) throughout the inward swings. As the components exerting the retraction torques T-T and the reactions to those forces by the machine cancel out, and as the forces F1 also cancel out the FH forces prevail over the retraction cycle.

As the secondary centripetal forces F2 and the FH components depend in the magnitude on the angular speed of the weights (14) about the axes of the pins (11) which in turn depend on the centripetal force abouttheX-X axis and the speed of rotation of the rotor about the X-X axis, the magnitude of the FH force components depend on the speed of rotation of the machine. When the speed of rotation of the machine is such that the force components FH are greater than the inertial forces holding the vehicle at rest the vehicle will be moved in the direction of the FH forces.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIM

   A mechanical propulsion machine for vehicle propulsion, comprising: (i) a shaft, capable of attachment to a primemover, having a rotor fixed to it, at right angles to the axis of rotation of the shaft, and mounted on frictionless bearings in a fixture for attachment to a vehicle orto a prime-mover mounted on a vehicle.

   (ii) two or greater number of swing arms with a weight fixed to one end of each swing arm and the other end of each swing arm fixed to the rotor in an offset position from the axis of rotation of the rotor in (i) in such a way that each swing arm is able to move freely outwards from the axis of rotation of the rotor in a circular path about its point of fixture on the rotor under the action of the centripetal force rising from the rotation of the rotor, and that each swing arm is equally spaced from each other and from the axis of rotation of the rotor.

   (iii) a device linking the swing arms in (ii) to keep the swing arms, when moving, equidistant from the axis of rotation of the rotor without restricting the freedom of the swing arms to move in their arranged arcs of travel.

   (iv) a device for moving the swing arms in (ii) along their arranged arcs of travel in an inward direction towards the axis of rotation of the rotor.