GB2539893A

GB2539893A - A device

Info

Publication number: GB2539893A
Application number: GB1511362.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Barlow Christopher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-06-29
Filing date: 2015-06-29
Publication date: 2017-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2035-06-29
Also published as: GB201511362D0; GB2539893B

Abstract

Disclosed is a device 10 comprising a frame having two side bars and a case connected to the bars, two parallel plates 14a,14b each located between the bars, able to move relative to the bars and having a central hole 20, a rotating shaft passing through the bars and the holes, a cage 40 mounted on the shaft and passing through the holes, and two weights 26a,26b, for example spherical balls, each located within the cage and able to move relative to the cage and engage with the hole of a respective plate. Preferably two crank shafts 42 pass through the bars and are connected to the plates. Preferably two connecting arms 46 are each connected to a respective crankshaft at one end and a back bar 44 at the other end. Preferably the weights are located within the cage so that they are 180 degrees out of phase and the plates are located within slots provided in the frame so that they are 180 degrees out of phase.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A DEVICE

This invention relates to a device. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a device that can transfer a rotational movement from one shaft to a different shaft.

In many mechanical engineering systems, it is necessary to translate one type of movement into a different type of movement. This is well-known in arrangements such as a piston connected to a wheel, which is usually used to translate the reciprocating movement of the piston into rotational movement of the wheel as used in vehicle engines, for example. In other mechanical systems, the opposite arrangement is required, so that a rotational movement must be translated into a reciprocating movement. With all such systems, it is essentially that as much of the energy on the input side is conserved on the output side. Energy loss within the arrangement that is translating the movement is often a fundamental aspect of the design and keeping energy loss to a minimum is a key design objective.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.

According to the present invention, there is provided a device comprising a frame comprising two side bars and a case connected to the two side bars, two parallel plates, each plate located between the two side bars, able to move relative to the side bars, and comprising a central hole, a rotating shaft passing through the side bars and through the central holes in the plates, a cage mounted on the rotating shaft and passing through the central holes in the plates, two weights, each weight located within the cage, able to move relative to the cage and engaging with the central hole of a respective plate.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a device that transfers the rotation of a shaft into a rotational movement of two parallel plates, which can be used to drive additional crank shafts, in a preferred embodiment. This is achieved without any significant energy loss and as the shaft speed increases the efficiency of the device increases. The weights within the cage mounted on the shaft provide centrifugal force as the shaft rotates. This centrifugal force drives the plates in a circular motion, following the motion of the weights within the cage. Once the shaft is turning with sufficient speed, then a weight is in constant contact with its respective plate and the plate is driven round in a circle, as the weight provides the centrifugal force from the rotating shaft to the plate.

Preferably, the device further comprises two crank shafts passing through the side bars and connected to the plates, the rotation of the crank shafts being driven by the movement of the plates. In this preferred embodiment, the rotating shaft passes through the centre of each side bar and the crank shafts pass through respective opposite ends of the side bars. The rotating motion of the plates within the device can be used to power additional crank shafts, which are preferably parallel to the main drive shaft. These crank shafts can then be used to drive and additional components within or outside the device.

Advantageously, the device further comprises a back bar and two connecting arms, each connecting arm connected at one end to the back bar and connected at the other end to a respective crank shaft. The crank shafts can be connected to connecting arms that are fixed relative to a respective crank shaft and then rotate with that crank shaft. The back bar which is connected at each end to a connecting arm is then rotated in the same motion that is made by the plates. This provides an efficient method of generating the required motion in the back bar, all of which is powered from the original drive shaft. The back bar also ensures that the two crank shafts, to which the back bar is connected via the connecting arms, are kept synchronised and cannot run at different speeds.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a device.

Figure 2 is a top view of the device,

Figure 3 is an end view of the device,

Figure 4 is a front view of the device with a side bar and case removed, and

Figure 5 is a section through the line V-V of Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a front view of a device 10. The device 10 comprises a frame 12 comprising two side bars 8 and a case 6 connected to the two side bars 8 and two parallel plates 14, each plate 14 located between the two side bars 8, able to move relative to the side bars 8, and comprising a central hole 20. In this view only the front side bar 8 is visible, the second side bar 8 is behind the behind the two plates 14 in this view. The side bars 8 are located so that they are parallel to each other and so that they are parallel to the plates 14. A rotating shaft 18 passes through the side bars 8 and through the central holes 20 in the plates 14, a cage 40 is mounted on the rotating shaft 18 and passes through the central holes 20 in the plates 14 and two weights 26, each weight 26 located within the cage 40, are able to move relative to the cage 40 and engage with the central hole 20 of a respective plate 14. In this view, the two weights 26 are hidden behind the front side bar 8. The weights 26, which are spherical balls, are located within the cage 40 so that they are 180 degrees out of phase. As the shaft 18 turns, centrifugal force pushes the weights 26 outwards and into engagement with the holes 20 of the plates 14.

Two crank shafts 42 pass through the side bars 8 and connect to the plates 14, the rotation of the crank shafts 42 being driven by the movement of the plates 14. The rotating shaft 18 passes through the centre of each side bar 8 and the crank shafts 42 pass through respective opposite ends of the side bars 8. The device 10 further comprises a back bar 44 and two connecting arms 46, each connecting arm 46 connected at one end to the back bar 44 and connected at the other end to a respective crank shaft 42. As the crank shafts 42 turn, the connecting arms 46 rotate about their connection to the respective crank shaft 42. The back bar 44 ensures that the two crank shafts 42, to which the back bar 44 is connected via the connecting arms 46, are kept synchronised and cannot run at different speeds.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the device 10. The two parallel bars 8 can be seen, connected together by the case 6, the top of the case 6 being visible in this Figure. The case 6 and the bars 8 form a stable and rigid structure and do not move relative to each other. The other components within the device 10 move relative to the stable structure created by the case 6 and bars 8. The rotating shaft 18 passes through the bars 8 and the case 6. As the shaft 18 rotates, the centrifugal force exerted on the weights 26 causes the weights 26 to move outwards, bearing onto the holes 20 in the plates 14.

The weights 26 are located within the cage 40 and can move within the cage 40. Once the shaft 18 is turning at sufficient speed to cause the weights 26 to engage the plates 14 this causes the plates 14 to move relative to the case 6 in a circular motion defined by the path of the weights 26. The circumference of the circular path defined by a weight 26, when the shaft 18 is turning, is greater than the circumference of the hole 20 of the respective plate 14. The movement of the weights 26 forces each plate 14 to follow a circular path as the respective weight 26 bears against the respective hole 20 of a plate 14.

The two plates 14 are 180 degrees out of phase with each other, when one plate 14 is at its top most position, the other plate 14 is at its bottom most position, and so on. Each plate 14 is mounted on a crank shaft 42 at each end of the plate 14, this connection to the crank shaft 42 is the only direct connection that each plate 14 has in the device 10. As the plates 14 perform their circular motion under the action of the weights 26 bearing against the holes 20 of the plates 14, they cause the crank shafts 42 to rotate, driving these crank shafts 42 round.

Figure 3 shows an end view of the device 10. The case 6 can be seen, with the bars 8 located flush to the sides of the case 6. The case 6 has a top and bottom connecting the two sides of the case 6 together, but is open at the two ends. The internal surface of the case 6 is provided with slots 16 that locate the plates 14. The slots 16 serve to keep the plates 14 in their alignment, they do not support the weight of the plates 14. As the plates 14 are rotated by the weights 26, the plates 14 rise and fall within the slots 16.

The configuration shown in Figure 3 is the normal working orientation of the device 10, with the shafts 18 and 42 horizontal to the ground and the plates 14 being vertical to the ground. The lower surface of the case 6 is horizontal and rests directly on the ground. Likewise, the top surface of the case 6 is horizontal and the plates 14 are vertical within the case 6. The back bar 44 and a connecting arm 46 can also be seen in this Figure. The driving of the crank shafts 42 causes the connecting arms 46 to rotate about the axis of the respective crank shaft 42 to which the connecting arm 46 is connected.

The result of the crank shafts 42 turning causes the back bar 44 to rotate in the same motion as made by the plates 14, with the circumference of the motion of the back bar 44 being determined by the length of the connecting arms 46. The energy flow within the device 10 starts from the rotation of the central rotating shaft 18 and passes through the cage 40 to the weights 26 onwards through the plates 14 to the crank shafts 42 and finally to the connecting arms 46 and the back bar 44. Where parts rotate relative to a connected part then suitable bearings are used such as ball bearings to limit energy loss through friction.

Figure 4 shows a view similar to Figure 1, which is a front view of the device 10. Here though in Figure 4, some of the components have been removed in order to more easily show the workings of the device 10. The two side bars 8, the case 6 and the central shaft 18 have been removed from the device 10. Visible at the front is one of the plates 14a, the other plate 14b lying behind the visible plate 14a, the two plates 14 being 180 degrees out of phase with each other, in relation to their rotation. The cage 40 is also visible, with the two weights 26 located within the cage 40 and able to move relative to the cage 40.

The left hand weight 26a, as viewed in the Figure, is engaged with the hole 20 of the front plate 14a, the weight 26a being at its leftmost position, as is the plate 14a. The circumference of the path made by the specific weight 26a as the cage 40 rotates is greater than the circumference of the hole 20 of the plate 14a, and this causes the plate to rotate with the weight 26a, the centrifugal force from the weight 26a pushing the plate 14a around in the same circular motion made by the weight 26a. The movement of the plate 14a drives the two crank shafts 42 to which each plate 14 is connected.

The view shown in Figure 4 is one taken while the device 10 is in operation, since the weight 26a is driven by centrifugal force to the edge of the cage 40 and against the hole 20 of the plate 14a. Since the weights 26 and the plates 14 are 180 degrees out of phase with each other, in relation to their circular motion, while the weight 26a and the plate 14a are at their leftmost position, the other weight 26b and the other plate 14b are at their rightmost position. Both plates 14 follow the same path, but are constantly 180 degrees out of phase, when the device 10 is being operated.

Figure 5 shows a section through the line V-V of Figure 1. This is a view similar to Figure 2, in viewing the device 10 from above, but here as a section being a horizontal plane through the device 10. As can be seen, the device 10 comprises the frame 12 comprising two side bars 8 and the case 6 connected to the two side bars 8 with two parallel plates 14, each plate 14 being located between the two side bars 8 and able to move relative to the side bars 8. Each plate 14 has a central hole 20 and the rotating shaft 18 passes through the side bars 8 and through the central holes 20 in the plates 14.

The cage 40 is mounted on the rotating shaft 18 and passes through the central holes 20 in the plates 14. The two weights 26 are located within the cage 40, and are able to move relative to the cage 40 and engage with the central hole 20 of a respective plate 14, when the rotating shaft 18 is turning. The two crank shafts 42 pass through the side bars 8 and connect to the plates 14, the rotation of the crank shafts 42 being driven by the movement of the plates 14. The back bar 44 and two connecting arms 46 can be seen, each connecting arm 46 connected at one end to the back bar 44 and connected at the other end to a respective crank shaft 42.

As can be seen in this Figure, the case 6 is open at the ends, since there are no walls at the side of the case 6 shown in section. Figure 3 likewise shows the case 6 open at the ends. The section of Figure 5 passes through the side bars 8, the plates 14, the cage 40, the weights 26 and the shafts 18 and 42. The only connection that the plates 14 have is to the crank shafts 42. The central shaft 18 rotates to drive the cage 40, which therefore provide a centrifugal force pushing the weights 26 outwards and into engagement with a hole 20 in a respective plate 14.

Claims

1. A device (10) comprising: • a frame (12) comprising two side bars (8) and a case (6) connected to the two side bars (8), • two parallel plates (14), each plate (14) located between the two side bars (8), able to move relative to the side bars (8), and comprising a central hole (20), • a rotating shaft (18) passing through the side bars (8) and through the central holes (20) in the plates (14), • a cage (40) mounted on the rotating shaft (18) and passing through the central holes (20) in the plates (14), • two weights (26), each weight (26) located within the cage (40), able to move relative to the cage (40) and engaging with the central hole (20) of a respective plate (14).

2. A device according to claim 1, and further comprising two crank shafts (42) passing through the side bars (8) and connected to the plates (14), the rotation of the crank shafts (42) being driven by the movement of the plates (14).

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the rotating shaft (18) passes through the centre of each side bar (8) and the crank shafts (42) pass through respective opposite ends of the side bars (8).

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3, and further comprising a back bar (44) and two connecting arms (46), each connecting arm (46) connected at one end to the back bar (44) and connected at the other end to a respective crank shaft (42).

5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the weights (26) are located within the cage (40) so that they are 180 degrees out of phase.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the side bars (8) are located so that they are parallel to each other and so that they are parallel to the plates (14).

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cage (40) comprises

8. A device according to any preceding claim, the plates (14) are located within the frame (12) so that they are 180 degrees out of phase.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the case (6) of the frame (12) is provided with slots (16), each plate (14) being located in a slot (16) within the case (6).

10. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the weights (26) comprise spherical balls.