GB2172342A - Mechanical work generating means - Google Patents

Abstract

A pump 91 for propelling fluid round a closed loop 92 to cause rotation of an output turbine 94 is powered by an electric motor 71, the latter being mounted on an energy storing element 60 caused to vibrate by the action of springs 81A, 81B and eccentric weights 74 driven by the motor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mechanical work generating means This invention relates to means for generating mechanical work and, more particularly, to means for generating the mechanical work required to drive a load, which are commonly referred to as "prime movers" or"drives".

Prior to the advent of U.S. Patent No. 4,052,849, the conventional means for generating the mechanical work required to drive a load (i.e. conventional "drives" or "prime movers" such as internal combustion engines and electrically-powered and fluid powered motors, and the like) had been employed so that a single such means, which must mechanically generate both a heat component of work and a non-heat component of work to drive the load, was directly mechanically interconnected to the load.

And, as a result, a considerable portion of the work input to these old conventional mechanical work generating means was consumed by the mechanical generation by them of the non-heat component of work to meet the cyclic mass inertia demands of the load.

However, as shown and described in U.S. Patent No 4,052,849 it was discovered that the work input consumption, which was inherently high in the aforedescribed old conventional "drives" or"prime movers", could be greatly reduced by employing the unique mechanical work generating means that were shown and described in said U.S. Patent No.

4,052,849.

In follow-up to the development of this structure shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,052,849, it has been found that, in accordance with this present invention, even more improved means can be provided for generating mechanical work, which are shown and described in detail hereinafter.

The present invention provides novel mechanical work generating means which are in improvement over the means earlier shown and described in U.S.

Patent No. 4,052,849.

Basically, the novel mechanical work generating means provided by the present invention comprise: first means for mechanically generating a heat component of work including excitor means provided with rotatable eccentrically mounted weights; second means, mechanically interconnected to the first means, for mechanically generating a non-heat component of work comprising yieldable means, that are sub-resonant tuned with respect to their natural vibratory or resonant frequency, and inertia absorbing means; and third means, mechanically interconnected to the first and second means, for combining the heat and non-heat components of work into a resultant mechanical work output, wherein the third means comprise fluid-containing pump means, with action caused upon the fluid contained therein by the aforenoted heat and nonheat components of work.However, in particular accordance with my present invention, the yieldable means includes spring means, the inertia absorbing means includes an inertia absorbing member, the third or pump means includes bellows means comprising resilient sleeve means, and the resilient sleeve and spring means are mechanically connected in parallel with one another to the inertia absorbing member by being located alongside one another with their long central axes aligned generally parallel to one another. And, the inertia absorbing member can be mechanically interposed between the spring means and the first means. Preferably, the excitor means comprises motor means including plural motors, each having a rotary output shaft on which the weights are eccentrically mounted, and adjustable control means are provided for selectively varying the rotational speed of the motor output shafts.

This just-described novel arrangement of the present invention differs from that previously shown and described in earlier issued U.S. Patent No.

4,052,849 in that, among other things, the resilient sleeve means of its third means and the spring means of its second means are mechanically interconnected parallel with one another to the inertia absorbing member, whereas, with that previously patented arrangement, those sleeve means were mechanically interconnected together in series with one another through the inertia absorbing member that was mechanically interposed between them.

In essence, the novel mechanical work generating means of the present invention provide heat energy to that portion of the load to be driven by them which "resists" motion, but supply only non-heat energy to the portion of that same load that "opposes" motion. Thus, the novel mechanical work generating means of the present invention consititute means for achieving "Mechanical Power Factor Correction".

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a fragmentary, somewhat schematic, elevational view, including an electrical wiring diagram, illustrating one presently preferred form of the present invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1, with the wiring diagram omitted; Figures 3A-3C are vector diagrams of a typical conventional prior-artform (before U.S. Patent No.

4,052,849) of a mechanical work generating means and vectorially illustrate the various relationships of the heat component of mechanical work that are both developed during its operation by its single means and the resultant mechanical work output into which they are combined by its single means that is directly mechanically interconnected to the load that is to be driven by it;; Figures 4A-4C are vector diagrams of the form of the present invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 and vectorially illustrate the various relationships of the heat component of mechanical work and the nonheat component of mechanical work that are respectively developed during its operation by its mechanically interconnected first and second means and the resultant mechanical work output into which they are combined by its third means that is mechanically interconnected to its first and second means; and Figure 5 is a view generally similar to Figure 1 but illustrating an alternative form of the present invention.

Turning now to the drawings, and more particularly, to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, there is illustrated one presently preferred form of a novel mechanical work generating means 60 that is provided in accordance with the present invention to drive a load 61, which is illustrated in Figure 1 as a rotatable input shaft 62 for a gear box 63, such as might be employed in a vehicle such as an automobile or the like (not shown).

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the mechanical work generating means 60 basically comprises: first means 70 for mechanically generating a heat component of work; second means 80, mechanically interconnected to said first means 70 for mechanically generating a non-heat component of work; and third means 90, mechanicallyintercon- nected to the first and second means 70 and 80 for combining the heat and non-heat components of work that are respectively generated by the first means 70 and the second means 80 into a resultant mechanical work output.

As further illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the first means 70 (i.e. the means for mechanically generating the heat component of work) comprises excitor means 71, which, in the form shown, comprise an electrically-powered motor that is provided with a rotary output shaft 72 that extends outwardly through openings provided in the opposite ends of its housing 73 and has eccentrically mounted on each of the opposite ends of that shaft 72 a weight 74 and is provided with suitable adjustable control means 75, of a well-known construction for selectively varying the rotational speed of the shaft 72. It should however, be understood that other motors, including internal combustion engines and fluidpowered motors, and the like (not shown), might be substituted for the illustrated electrically-powered motor to provide the excitor means 71 of the first means 70.

As still further shown in Figures 1 and 2, the second means 80 (i.e. the means for mechanically generating the non-heat component of work that is required to meet the mass inertia demands of the driven load 61) comprises yieldable means 81, which in the form shown, comprises a piurality of springs 81A and 81 B, that are sub-resonant tuned with respect to their natural vibratory or resonantfrequency, and inertia absorbing means 82.

The third means 90 (i.e. the means for combining the heat and non-heat components of work that are respectively mechanically generated by the first means 70 and the second means 80 into a resultant mechanical work output) comprises fluid-containing pump means, such as the illustrated bellows means in the form of a resilient sleeve 91 having a piping loop 92 fluid-connected thereto that has mounted within it turbine means 93 having rotary means 94 including a load-driving shaft 95 that is rotated by action upon the fluid and which is mechanically interconnected, as by the illustrated belt 64 and pulleys 65 and 66, to the rotatable input shaft 62 of the load 61.

In the form of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the resilient sleeve 91 of the bellows pump means of the third means 90 has its lower end attached to base means 96, such as the frame of a vehicle (not shown), that also supports the load 61.

The resilient sleeve 91 of the bellows means of the third means 90 is imperforate, except for a pair of spaced apart openings at its lower end which are respectively connected to the inlet 92A and outlet 92B ends of the piping loop 92 of the third means 90 and a valve opening 97 that is provided adjacent its upper end for admitting or removing fluid to or from it and the piping loop 92 of the third means 90. And, the inertia absorbing means 82 comprises an inertia absorbing member 82A that is mechanically interposed and interconnected between the bottom of the excitor means 71 of the first means 70 and the tops of the springs 81A and 81 B of the second means 80 and the resilient sleeve 91 of the third means 90.

In particular accordance with the present invention, the resilient sleeve means 91 of the third means 90 and the spring means 81A and 81 B of the second means 80 are mechanically connected in parallel with one another to the inertia absorbing member 82A by being located alongside one another with their long central axes aligned generally parallel to one another. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spring means 81A and 81 B are located outboard of the resilient sleeve 91 with upper ends of each mechanically connected to the bottom of the inertia absorbing member 82A and their lower ends supported atop the base means 96 adjacent to the bottom of the resilient sleeve 91.

As still further shown in Figures 1 and 2, check valves 98A and 98B are respectively mounted within the piping loop 92 of the third means 90 adjacent to its inlet 92A and outlet 92B ends between the turbine means 93 and the resilient sleeve or bellows 91 of the third means 90 such that energization of the excitor means motor 71 of the first means 70 to cause rotation of its shaft 72 which eccentrically mounts the weights 74 in the direction shown by the solid arrows will cause the fluid contained within the resilient sleeve or bellows 91 and the piping loop 92 to be acted upon by the heat and hon-heat components of work that are respectively mechanically generated by the first 70 and second 80 means and to be pumped in the direction shown by the solid line arrows when the weights 74 are rotated into the positions shown in solid lines and in the direction shown by the shadow line arrows when the weights 74 are rotated into the positions shown in shadow.

Concurrently with this, the resilient sleeve or bellows 91 of the third means 90 will be compressed and moved in the direction shown by the solid line arrow adjacent to it when the weights 74 are rotated into the position shown in solid lines and will be expanded and moved in the direction shown in shadow line arrows adjacent thereto when the weights 74 are in the position shown in shadow lines. With this arrangement, the load-driving shaft 95 of the rotary means 94 of the turbine means 93 of the third means 90 will be rotated in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow shown adjacent thereto in Figure 1, as will be the rotation of the input shaft 62 of the load 61 which is mechanically interconnected thereto by the illustrated belt 64 and pulleys 65 and 66.And, the work input that is delivered to the load 61 that is driven by the form of the means for generating mechanical work 60 that is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can be selectively varied by selectively varying the rotational speed of the rotary output shaft 72 of the excitor mean motor 71 which eccentrically mounts the weights 74 through operation of the adjustable control means 75 that are provided for that purpose.

Turning now to Figures 3A-3C and 4A-4C, there is graphically illustrated the great reduction in the amount of work input consumption that can be afforded to the excitor means 71, such as a conventional "drive" or "prime mover" which is utilized for the first means 70 thereof when employing the work generating means 60 shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein such an excitor means motor 71 is mechanically connected to the load 61 with the second 80 and third 90 means as described in detail above, rather than being directly mechanically connected to the load.

As vectorially illustrated in each of Figures 3A-3C and 4A-4C, the load cyclic mass inertia and frictional load that is to be driven requires a total amount of mechanical work (WTR), which is the vectorial resultant of two basic components of mechanical work, to drive it. These include a heat component of mechanical work (WHR) that is required to overcome the heat losses e.g. the frictional losses generated by the apparatus and its movement of the load, and a non-heat component of mechanical work (WNR) that is approximately four times as great as the heat component of mechanical work input and is required to overcome the cyclic mass inertia of the load, as during acceleration thereof.

Figures 3A-3C respectively vectorially illustrate three different operating conditions of mechanical work load requirements (low, medium and high) of a load that is being driven by a conventional prior-art mechanical work generating means wherein a conventional "drive" or"prime mover" has been directly mechanically connected to the load and, hence, must mechanically generate both the heat component of work and the non-heat component of work that are required to drive the reciprocating load, with the total mechanical work input that must be supplied to the "drive" or "prime mover" being shown as a resultant mechanical work input vector (WIP.M.) which is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of these two components.

Figures 4A-4C respectively vectorially illustrate three different operating conditions or mechanical work requirements (low, medium and high) of a load that is being driven by the form of the mechanical work generating means 60 shown in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the "drive" or "prime mover" employed for the excitor means motor 71 of the first means 70 must generate only the heat component of work that is required to drive the frictional losses of the load, while the much greater non-heat component of the mechanical work that is required to drive the cyclic mass inertia portion of the load is generated by its second means 80 which includes the yieldable means 81 (springs 81A and 818) that are subresonant tuned with respect to their natural vibratory frequency, and vectorially show the work input to the excitor means motor (WI 71), the work input supplied by the second means (WI 80), and the resultant mechanical work output (WO 90) into which these two inputs are combined by the third means 90.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating an alternative form of an improved novel mechanical work generating means 160 that is provided in accordance with the present invention to drive a load 161, which is illustrated in Figure 5 as a rotatable input shaft 162 for a gear box 163, such as might be employed in a vehicle such as an automobile or the like (not shown).

As illustrated in Figure 5, the mechanical work generating means 160 basically comprises; first means 170 for mechanically generating a heat component of work; second means 180, mechanically interconnected to said first means 170, for mecha nicallygenerating a non-heat component of work; and third means 190, mechanically interconnected to the first 170 and second 180 means for combining the heat and non-heat components that are respectively mechanically generated by the first means 170 and the second means 180 into a resultant mechanical work output.

As further illustrated in Figure 5, the first means 170 (i.e. the means for mechanically generating the heat component of work) comprises excitor means 171, which, in the form shown, comprises a pair of electrically-powered motors. Each of these two motors of the excitor means 171 has a rotary output shaft 172, 172', which extends outwardly through openings provided in opposite ends of its housing 173, 173' and has eccentrically mounted on each of the opposite ends of that shaft a weight 174, 174', and is provided with suitable adjustable control means of a well-known construction, for selectively varying the rotational speed of the shaft 172, 172'. It should, however, be understood that other motors, including internal combustion engines and fluidpowered motors and the like (not shown), might be substituted for the illustrated electrically-powered motors to provide the excitor means 171 of the first means 170.

As still further shown in Figure 5, the second means 180 (i.e. the means for mechanically generating the non-heat component of work that is required to meet the mass inertia demands of the driven load 161) comprises yieldable means, which in the form shown comprise two sets of plural springs 181A, 181AA and 1818, 181 BB, that are sub-resonant tuned with respect to their natural vibratory frequency, and inertia absorbing means 182 comprising an inertia absorbing member, 182A.

The third means 190 (i.e. the means for combining the heat and non-heat components of work that are respectively mechanically generated by the first means 170 and the second means 180) comprises fluid-containing pump means such as the illustrated bellows means formed of a pair of resilient sleeves 191 and 191' having a piping loop 192 fluid- connected thereto that has mounted within it turbine means 193 having rotary means 194 including a load-driving shaft 195 that is rotated by action upon the fluid which is mechanically interconnected by the illustrated belt 164 and pulleys 165 and 166 to the rotatable input shaft 162 for the load 161.

In the form illustrated in Figure 5, the two resilient sleeves 191 and 191' of the third means 190 and the spring means 181A, 181AAand 181 B, 181BB ofthe second means 180 are mechanically connected in parallel with one another to the inertia absorbing member 182A by being located alongside one another with their long central axes aligned generally parallel to one another.As shown in Figure 5, the long central axes of the two resilient sleeves 191, 191' are generally vertically arranged with their long central axes respectively intersecting the mid point of the generally horizontally arranged central axes of the rotary output shafts 172,172' of the two motors of the excitor means 171 of the first means 170, while the interia absorbing member 1 82A of the inertia absorbing means 82 is mechanically interposed and interconnected between the bottoms of said two motors of the excitor means 171 of the first means 170 and the tops of the springs 181A,181AA and 181 B, 181 BB of the second means 180 and the resilient sleeves 191,191' of the third means 190.

Each of the resilient sleeves 191,191 of the bellows pump means of the third means 190 has its lower end attached to base means 196, such as the frame of a vehicle (not shown) that also supports the load 161. The two resilient sleeves 191 and 191' of the bellows means of the third means 190 are imperforate, except for a pair of spaced apart openings at the lower end of each which are respectively connected to the inlet 192A, 192A' and outlet 192B, 192B' ends of the piping loop 192 of the third means 190 and a valved opening 197 that is provided adjacent the upper end of one of these two resilient sleeves 191 for admitting or removing fluid to or from it and the piping loop 192 of the third means 190.

As further shown in Figure 5, the spring means 181A, 181AA, and 181 B, 181BB are located outboard of the two resilient sleeves 191 and 191 ' with the upper ends of each mechanically connected to the bottom of the inertia absorbing member 1 82A and their lower ends supported atop the base means 196 adjacent to the bottoms of the resilient sleeves 191 and 191'. And, isolating springs 183 are provided between the extreme opposite ends of the inertia absorbing member 182A and the base means 196.

As still further shown in Figure 5, check valves 198A, 198A' and 198B, 198B' are respectively mounted within the piping loop 192 of the third means 190 adjacent to its inlet 192A, 192A' and outlet 192B, 1928' ends between the turbine means 193 and the resilient sleeves or bellows 191, 191' of the third means 190 such thatenergization of the motors ofthe excitor means 171 and 172' which respectively eccentrically mount the weights 174 and 174' in the directions shown by the followed arrows will cause the fluid contained within the resilient sleeves or bellows 191 and the piping loop 192 to be acted upon by the heat and non-heat components of work that are respectively mechanically generated by the first 170 and second 180 means and to be pumped in the direction shown by the solid lines when the weights 174 and 174' are rotated into the positions shown in solid line and in the direction shown by the shadow line arrows when their weights 174 and 174' are rotated into the position shown in shadow lines.Concurrently with this, the resilient sleeves or bellows 191 and 191' ofthethird means 190 will be compressed and moved in the direction shown by the solid line arrows adjacent to them when the weights 174 and 174' are rotated into the positions shown in solid lines and will be expanded and moved in the direction shown in shadow line arrows adjacent thereto when the weights 174 and 174' are in the position shown in shadow lines. With this arrangement, the loaddriving shaft 195 of the rotary means 194 of the turbine means 193 of the third means 190 will be rotated in the direction indicated by the solid line arrows shown adjacent thereto in Figure 5, as will be the rotation of the input shaft 162 of the load 161 which is mechanically interconnected thereto by the illustrated belt 164 and pulleys 165 and 166.And, the work input that is delivered to the load 161 that is driven by the form of the improved novel means for generating mechanical work 160 that is illustrated in Figure 5 can be selectively varied by selectively varying the rotational speed of the rotary output shafts 172 of the motors of the excitor means 171 which eccentrically mount the weights 174 and 174' through operation of the adjustable control means (not shown) that are provided for that purpose.

It should be apparent that while there have been described herein what are presently considered to be presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, changes may be made in the disclosed apparatus without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, the mechanical work generating means 60 or 160 of the present invention can also be employed for purposes other than causing a fluid to drive a rotary means including a load driving shaft 95 or 195 as illustrated in Figures 1,2 and 5; but could, instead, be employed for merely moving the fluid from one location to another, as in the case of a circulating fan, air compressor or liquid transfer pump. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications.

Claims (24)

1. Mechanical work generating means comprising: (a) first means for mechanically generating a heat component of work including excitor means provided with rotatable eccentrically mounted weights.

(b) second means, mechanically interconnected to said first means, for mechanically generating a non-heat component of work comprising yieldable means that are sub-resonanttuned with respectto their natural vibratory frequency and inertia absorbing means: and (c) third means, mechanically interconnected to said first and second means, for combining said heat and non-heat components of work into a resultant mechanical work output; (d) said third means comprising fluid-containing pump means and there being action caused upon the fluid contained therein by said heat and non-heat components of work; (e) said third means including bellows means comprising resilient sleeve means; (f) said yieldable means including spring means; (g) said inertia absorbing means including an inertia absorbing member and (h) said resilient sleeve and spring means being mechanically connected in parallel with one another to said inertia absorbing member by being located alongside one another with their long central axes aligned generally parallel to one another.

2. Means according to claim 1, wherein said inertia absorbing member is mechanically interposed between said spring means and said first means.

3. Means according to Claim 2, wherein said excitor means comprises motor means having a rotary output shaft on which said weights are eccentrically mounted.

4. Means according to Claim 3, wherein said motor means is provided with adjustable control means for selectively varying the rotational speed of said rotary output shaft.

5. Means according to Claim 4, wherein said motor means comprises plural motors.

6. Means according to Claim 5, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

7. Means according to Claim 1,wherein said excitor means comprises motor means having a rotary output shaft on which said weights are eccentrically mounted.

8. Means according to Claim 7, wherein said motor means is provided with adjustable control means for selectively varying the rotational speed of said rotary output shaft.

9. Means according to Claim 8, wherein said motor means comprises plural motor.

10. Means according to Claim 9, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

11. Means according to Claim 7, wherein said motor means comprises plural motors.

12. Means according to Claim 11, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

13. Means according to Claim 7, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

14. Means according to Claim 1, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

15. Means according to Claim 2, wherein said excitor means comprises motor means having a rotary output shaft on which said weights are eccentrically mounted.

16. Means according to Claim 15, wherein said motor means is provided with adjustable control means for selectively varying the rotational speed of said rotary output shaft.

17. Means according to Claim 16, wherein said motor means comprises plural motors.

18. Means according to Claim 17, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

19. Means according to Claim 15, wherein said motor means comprises plural motors.

20. Means according to Claim 19, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

21. Means according to Claim 15, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

22. Means according to Claim 2, wherein said pump means further comprises turbine means having rotary means including a load-driving shaft that is rotated by said action upon said fluid.

23. Means according to Claim 1, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

24. Device incorporating means according to any one of the preceding Claims.