US2362151A - Electric generator - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1944. P. OSTENBERG ELECTRIC GENERATOIE INVENTOR 5 6/2/24; 24/; m 3 V m w? m? a w 1 0 m. \b A w hN m 3N Mm TTX Patented Nov. 7, 1944 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,382,151 ELECTRIC omen-Aron Pontus Ostenbeig, San Jose, Calif.

Application August 18, 1943, Serial No. 499,299

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method and means for generating electricity, but diilers from most said devices in that a reciprocating magnetic field is used instead of a rotating magnetic field.

It is one object of the present invention to utilize the direct thrust from an elastic cushion to energize a coil of wire by reciprocating a magnet therein.

It is another object to provide a method and means for generating electricity whereby all rotary bearings and connecting rods are eliminated, and whereby either single or polyphase currents may be produced.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a means of the character indicated that will be simple in form and construction, economical to manufacture, one wherein th elastic cushions formed in a free piston engine are utilized to reciprocate a magnet in a coil of wire to energize the same, and one that will be highly eflicient in its practical application.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description, in which- Figure l is a l'ongitudnal sectional view through a device embodying my invention, partly in elevation and parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a detail illustration showing a modification of the invention, with parts broken away. v

Figure 3 is a detail illustration showing the invention as modified for producing polyphase currents.

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed I show at A a tree piston engine and at 13-3 two single phase generators operated thereby.

The engine A" comprises a cylinder l in which the pistons 2-2a reciprocate and which is surrounded by a second cylinder 3 having the annular water chamber 5 therein encompassing the explosion chamber 4 of the engine. Annular air chambers 6 are formed in the end portions of cylinder 3 as shown and are connected by a passage whereby the air pressure in the two chambers is equalized. Intake passages as 8 lead from chamber 6a to the interior of cylinder I, and discharge passages 9 lead from the opposite end portion of the cylinder Ito discharge into manifold l0.

Inasmuch as the two ends of the device are duplicates one end only will be described in detail and similar parts on the other end will be indicated by similar characters followed by the character 11.

Through the outer end of chamber 6 are formed passages as l I fitted with inwardly opening check valves l2, the said passages leading to an annular cylinder l 3 axially disposed relative to cylinder l and somewhat largerln diameter than said cylinder-and mounted endwlse thereon as at M. This cylinder I3 is provided with an air intake passage at l5 fitted with an inwardly operating check valve as at It and disposed adjacent the inner end of said cylinder.

The piston 2 has an enlarged head I! thereon to reciprocat in chamber l3, and a stem i8 projects axially outwardly from said head and through the bearing H3 in the outer end of the chamber I3 and has a shoulder 20 formed therein as shown, exteriorly of chamber I3 to form a seat for the magnet 21.

The magnet 21 is a field magnet, and in the present instance comprises a part 22, circular in form, seated on the shoulder '20, a second member 24 of smaller diameter seated on the member 22, and a winding of wire on the second member as indicated at 23 and grounded to said second part. This second member 24 is also provided with a flange 25 extending outwardly from its outer end at right angles to its axis, and then turned backwardly in parallel relation with the axis and with a diameter slightly greater than the chamber l3 to encompass the magnet parts 22 and 24 as shown. The winding 23 is enersized by means of a battery at 26 grounded to the engine at 21 and connected to a bar 28 mounted upon the engine at 29 and extending forwardly thereof as indicated, in parallel relation with its axis. A shoe 30 slidably engages the bar 28 and is in fixed contact with the coil 23 so that the magnet is energized at all times regardless of its position with relation to the fixed end of the device.

The armature comprises a coil of wire as 3! within a supporting cylinder 32 mounted upon the outer end of chamber I! to encompass the magnet parts 22 and 24. Wires as 33 connect the armatures 3| and 3la, and. electricity is taken 05 of these wires as at 34.

When the device is in operation the outward movement or the piston heads I'l-lla draw air into the chambers l3l3a through valves -lBI6a, and on their inward movement push and carry out all-oi the burnt gases at 8 leaving at N and discharged through valve into the combustion chamber 4. These parts are proportioned and arranged to form a combustible mixture at the moment when the pistons 2-2a approach each other most closely, the resulting explosion driving the pistons outwardly again to repeat the cycle. The valves at l'I-lla are inmrted in chambers l3--l3a to permit the drawing of air into said chambers to compensate for such air as may leak out of the same past the heads II-lla, or past bearing-s Iii-49a.

In an engine of this kind the pistons 22a are reciprocated at high speed, upwards of some ten thousand times a minute, and the magnets 2l--2la are, or course, reciprocated at the same high speed. In this manner the mechanical energy of the engine is converted into electrical energy, since the rapid reciprocation oi the magnetic fields about the magnets 2l-2la through the induction coils tl-Jia will rapidly alter the number 01' lines or force passing through the coils.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 the stem i8 terminates in a permanent magnet 42 which is axially reciprocated relative to the coils 43 to induce an electrical current therein, and in Figure 3 the permanent m'flsnet H is reciprocated in the coils "-4! to show that a polyphase'generator may be constructed in substantially the same manner.

Since the rapidity of reciprocation oi the two pistons 2-20 may be readily controlled the volt-' age delivered to wires 34 may be anywhere within the capacity of the engine, the wires connecting the two armatures Il-lla always maintaining the output of the two armatures in perfect balance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an engine including a pair of freely reciprocable pistons actuated by expanding gaseous charges both between and behind them: of a magnet reciprocated by each piston, and an induction coil operatively disposed relative toeach magnet.

2. The combination with an engine includin a pair of freely reciprocable pistons actuated by expanding gaseous charges both between and behind them; or a magnet reciprocated by each piston, an induction coil operatively disposed relative to each magnet, and electricity conducting means connecting the two induction coils.

3. The combination with an engine including a pair oi freely reciprocable pistons actuated by expanding gaseous charges both between and behind them: or a magnet re'ciprocated by each piston, and an armature operatively disposed relative to each magnet.

PONTUS OSTENBERG.

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