US118982A

US118982A - Improvement in motive-powers

Info

Publication number: US118982A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1871-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1888-09-12

Description

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Improvement in Motive Power.

N0. 118,982.- I Patented Sep.12,1871.

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PATENT QFFIGE.

JOHN S. SWANN, OF KANAWHA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN MOTlVE-POWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,982, dated September 12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN S. SWANN, of the county of Kanawha, State of WVest Virginia, have invented a certain Motive-Power, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the transmission of power from a motor of any kind; and it consists in a device of novel construction for that purpose, as hereinafter more fully explained.

Figure l is a side elevation of one form of my device as used for imparting rotary motion to a wheel. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a form of the device used to impart a longitudinal movement. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification of the device shown in Fig. 1.

In applying my invention to produce a rotary motion, as, for instance, to propel a car or other vehicle, I construct a wheel, A, having on its side an annular rack, l, as shown in Fig. 1, this rack being provided with cogs both on its inner and outer faces, and the wheel being secured upon an axle or shaft, 0, as shown. I then provide a lever, B, which has two pins or studs, c, projecting laterally from it at such distance apart that when one of them rests in the cavity between the teeth of the inner rack (J the other will permit the extremity or point of a cog on the opposite side of the rack to pass it, as shown in. Fig. 1. This lever B I connect with a steam-engine or any suitable motor in such a manner as to impart to its outer end a curvilinear movement, whereby its pins or studs 0 are caused to operate alternately upon the outer and inner cogs of the rack O, passing one cog at each movement, and thus impart to the wheel a rotary motion.

In Fig. l I have represented the wheel A as running on a rail of a wave form of surface, the tread or bearing of the wheel being formed to correspond, as represented by the dotted lines thereon. When this wave form of rail is used the distance from the apex or summit of one curve or elevation to that of the next must be proportioned to the size of the wheel and the number of cogs in the neck, they being so proportioned that in operating upon two of the cogs in the outer rack will move the wheel from one apex to the next. The object of using this form of rail is this: As the wheel rolls down the incline it will acquire a momentum which will cause it to continue its motion while the pin 0 of the lever B passes the point of the next cog, when the lever will be in a position to again exert its power on the wheel and thus keep up a continuous movement.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of the rack and lever, with a plain wheel running on the same form of rail. In this case the rack is made in the form of a simple pinion applied concentrically to the face or side of the wheel A. The lever B is provided with pins or studs 6 arranged to pass the cogs, as previously described, the lever having a hole, I, which incloses the axle or shaft 0, as shown in Fig. 4.. This hole is made of a diameter equal to the length of one cog of the rack 0 plus twice the diameter of the journal or axle 0, to permit the lever to have the movement necessary to enable the pins to pass the cogs. The wheel A is represented as having a rim projecting beyond the tread, which may be made heavy and thus serve the twofold purpose of a flange to keep it on the rail and also as a flywheel.

In Fig. 3 I have shown my invention applied to a straight rack for imparting motion in a direct line. In this case the rack is made double, as shown, the pins 6 working alternately in the cogs on the opposite sides of the spacesin which they move, the operation being the same. It is obvious that when this form of device is used the rack E maybe arranged either horizantally or vertically, as may be required. In order to lessen friction the pins 0 may be mounted so as to turn freely in the lever B or they may be solid and be provided with friction-rollers, as may be found most expedient in practice. Any number of cogs may be used, it being obvious that the greater the number the more power will be exerted, the engine or motor making a proportionably greater number of strokes to produce a single revolution of the wheel.

This invention is especially applicable in those cases where greater power is required, and it may be applied either to stationary or movable machinery with equal facility.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The mechanical device herein described, consisting of the lever B provided with its pins or studs 0, in combination with a rack,the whole constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Witnesses: O. S. SWANN.

J. H. OONNELL, T. B. SWANN. (63.)