GB2366919A

GB2366919A - Magnetic Machine

Info

Publication number: GB2366919A
Application number: GB0127617A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Gavillet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-17
Filing date: 2001-11-17
Publication date: 2002-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-17
Also published as: WO2003044930A3; AU2002339155A8; AU2002339155A1; GB0127617D0; GB2366919B; WO2003044930A2

Abstract

A magnetic machine comprises a magnetic power disc 10 mounted for rotation about its axis or an axle 12, a carrier 16, a drive magnet 14 and a mechanism 18,24,28 for converting reciprocating movement of the carrier to rotary movement of a drive shaft 30. The carrier 16 is slidably mounted for reciprocating movement towards and away from the periphery of the disc 10 in a generally radial direction and the drive magnet 14 is mounted on a part of the carrier closest to the disc periphery. A drive train 32 interconnects the drive shaft 30 and the magnetic power disc 10, whereby rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the magnetic disc. Several such units are preferably mounted in cooperation to drive a single drive shaft. The power disc may have a single or double pole 11 and a balance piece 13.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> Magnetic Machine The present invention relates to a magnetic machine.

According to the present invention there is provided a magnetic machine comprising a magnetic power disc mounted for rotation about its axis, a carrier slidably mounted for reciprocating movement towards and away from the periphery of the disc in a generally radial direction, a drive magnet mounted on a part of the carrier closest to the disc periphery, a mechanism for converting the reciprocating movement of the carrier to rotary movement of a drive shaft, and a drive train interconnecting the drive shaft and the magnetic disc, whereby rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the magnetic disc.

It is possible to use several of these units in cooperation to simultaneously rotate a single drive shaft. In such a preferred embodiment multiple magnetic power discs are mounted on a single axle and each magnetic power disc has a cooperating carrier and drive magnet which all operative coupled to a single drive shaft.

These multiple magnetic power discs can be mounted on a single axle, or may instead be mounted on two or more such axles. When mounted on at least two axles each magnetic power disc and its cooperating carrier and drive magnet are all operatively coupled to a single drive shaft. The drive train is coupled to each of the axles to ensure rotation thereof.

The mechanism for converting the reciprocating movement of each carrier to rotary movement of the drive shaft may be a conventional crank arrangement, including a drive rod, a connecting rod, a crosshead assembly and a crank pin. The magnetic power discs may preferably be connected to the axle at different angular positions so that at any point during the rotation of

the axle and power discs, different drive magnets are at different positions within the cycle. For example, if four power discs are provided on an axle the second, third and fourth discs could be set at 90 , 1$0 and 270 relative to the position of the first disc.

The orientation of the magnetic elements on the power disc and on the drive magnet must be configured so that rotation of the power disc causes the drive magnet to adopt a reciprocating movement toward and away from the periphery of the power disc. Usually one rotation of the power disc causes one cycle of the carrier, i.e. from a starting point to one extreme in first direction, back past the starting point and out the other extreme in the opposite direction, and back again to the starting point in the first direction. The magnetic field within the drive magnet runs parallel to the direction of linear movement thereof. The magnetic field within the magnetic elements on the power disc may run generally radially with respect to the power disc.

In order that it may be better understood, but by way of example only, the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a simplified embodiment of magnetic machine according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a more complex embodiment with eight dive magnets driven by eight power discs to rotate a single drive shaft; and Figure 3 is a view of an alternative embodiment of power disc.

Referring initially to Figure 1, a magnetic machine according to the present invention is shown. A magnetic power disc 10, provided with magnetic elements 11 and a non-magnetic balancing weight 13, is mounted for rotation on an axle 12 (shown in cross-section). A drive magnet 14 is

mounted in a fixed magnetic orientation on a carrier 16 adjacent the peripheral edge 15 of the power disc 10. The magnetic elements 11 are polarised radially with respect to the power disc 10, one having its north face directed outwardly and the other having its north face directed inwardly.

The magnetic elements are configured such that for approximately half the rotation of the power disc, the interaction of the lines of magnetic flux between the drive magnet and the magnetic elements on the power disc are such that the drive magnet is repelled from the disc. For the most of the other half rotation the interaction causes an attraction between the two magnetic parts thereby drawing the drive magnet toward the power disc. At two points the attractive and repulsive forces are equal, and no net force is exerted on the drive magnet. At these points the drive magnet and carrier are at the extremes of their travel, and about to change direction.

The carrier 16 is connected to a drive rod 18 and they, together with the drive magnet 14, are capable of reciprocating linear movement towards and away from the periphery 15 of the power disc 10. The drive rod is mounted in a crosshead assembly 20 with rollers 22 to guide the linear movement thereof, and is connected to one end of a connecting rod 24 by a pivoting linkage 26. The other end of the connecting rod 24 is in turn connected by a crank pin 28 to a radially displaced part of the drive shaft 30.

The rotation of the power disc 10 and the consequent change in the magnetic field around the drive magnet 14 causes the drive magnet to be repeatedly drawn toward and repelled from the power disc. This reciprocating linear movement is converted to rotation of the drive shaft 30 by the action of the drive rod 18, the connecting rod 24 and the crank pin 28.

A drive chain 32 runs between cogs (not show) connected to the drive shaft 30 and the axle 12 respectively, so that rotation of the drive shaft 30 causes rotation of the magnetic power disc 10.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 operates in an essentially identical way to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, but it has 2 sets of four power discs mounted on different axles but both driving the same drive shaft. Where possible like parts will be give like reference numerals.

Two axles 12a and 12b are rotatably mounted at opposite ends of a chassis 36. The drive shaft 30 is mounted approximately half way along the length of the chassis 36. The crank pins 28 are mounted at different radial positions with respect to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 30. Each of the drive magnets 14 cooperates with a power disc 10 and so that rotation of the power disc 10 causes reciprocating linear movement of the power disc 10 towards and away therefrom. This linear movement is translated to rotation of the drive shaft using the drive rods 18, connecting rods 24 and crank pins 28. The drive rods 18 are supported b crosshead assemblies 20 which are in turn supported by the chassis 36.

The magnetic power discs 10 are arranged on the axles 12a and 12b in such a way that at any point the different drive magnets are at different stages of the reciprocating cycle. For example the two of the drive magnets 14 of one axle will be in mid stroke one moving toward the power disc 10 and the other moving away. Meanwhile the other driving magnets will be changing direction, i.e. one will be adjacent the disc and changing from moving toward to moving away therefrom and the other will be at the furthest point of travel from the disc, and about to be drawn back there toward.

Drive cogs 38 are mounted on the drive shaft 30 and similarly sized cogs 40 are connected to each axle 12a and 12b. Chains 32 connect the cogs 40 to the drive cogs 38 so that rotation of the drive shaft 30 causes rotation of the axles at the same rate.

An alternative embodiment of power disc is shown in Figure 3 and is generally indicated 40. The power disc 40 comprises a single magnetic element 11 and a single balancing weight 13 fixed on a base plate 42. The base plate 42 is mounted on the axle 12. In this embodiment the magnetic the north pole of the magnetic element is on the outer face of the element and the inside face is the south pole.

Claims

Claims 1. A magnetic machine comprising a magnetic power disc mounted for rotation about its axis, a carrier slidably mounted for reciprocating movement towards and away from the periphery of the disc in a generally radial direction, a drive magnet mounted on a part of the carrier closest to the disc periphery, a mechanism for converting the reciprocating movement of the carrier to rotary movement of a drive shaft, and a drive train interconnecting the drive shaft and the magnetic disc, whereby rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the magnetic disc.
2. A magnetic machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein multiple magnetic power discs are mounted on a single axle and each magnetic power discs has a cooperating carrier and drive magnet which all operate a single drive shaft.
3. A magnetic machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein multiple magnetic power discs are mounted on at least two axles and each magnetic power discs has a cooperating carrier and drive magnet which all operate a single drive shaft.
4. A magnetic machine as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein different magnetic power discs have different angular positions such that at any one time different drive magnets are at a range of positions within the reciprocating cycle.
5. A magnetic machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the or each mechanism for converting the reciprocating movement of the or each carrier to rotary movement of the drive shaft is or includes a drive rod, a connecting rod, a cross head assembly and a crank pin.

<Desc/Clms Page number 7>
6. A magnetic machine as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.