WO1983000199A1

WO1983000199A1 - Method, system and apparatus utilizing magnets to amplify fluid energy

Info

Publication number: WO1983000199A1
Application number: PCT/US1982/000946
Authority: WO
Inventors: William Bryan Schlueter; Ignacio Jr Divinagraci Debuque
Original assignee: William Bryan Schlueter; Debuque, Ignacio, Jr., Divinagracia
Priority date: 1981-07-14
Filing date: 1982-07-14
Publication date: 1983-01-20
Also published as: GB2114668B; GB2114668A; GB8306850D0; EP0083641A1

Abstract

Pressurized fluid (31) is pumped into a hollow, circular tube (1) made of non-magnetic material to drive magnetic pistons (5) sized to fit snugly within and to travel inside such circular tube (1). Such magnetic pistons (5) are magnetically bonded to counterpart external magnets (2), fixed to one end of spokes (3) of a wheel-like device and shaped to fit closely to and conformly around the tube (1) enclosing the magnetic pistons (5). Under the influence of the strong magnetic field between them, any movement of the magnetic pistons (5) due to force exerted against them by the hydraulic fluid (31) is transmitted to their counterpart external magnets (2) causing the latter, the spokes (3) to which they are fixed, and a central shaft (4) to which all such spokes (3) converge, to turn in unison with the magnetic pistons (5) in the manner of a power wheel. The strong magnetic bonding between magnetic pistons (5) and external magnets (2) and the leverage effect of the wheel design combine to amplify the fluid energy contained in the pressurized hydraulic fluid (31).

Description

Method, System And Apparatus Utilizing Magnets To Amplify Fluid Energy

Field of the Invention This invention relates to a method, system and/or apparatus developed by the applicants for the purpose of conserving the world's limited supply of energy.

The method and system subject of the present applica¬ tion finds its rationale in the concept that magnets and hydraulic systems each possess certain inherent charac¬ teristics which, combined in a wheel design, work to ampli¬ fy the energy contained in pressurized hydraulic fluid making it possible for the prime mover utilizing it as driving medium to produce a level of horsepower far in excess of that contained in such pressurized fluid alone.

Principles of the Invention

The proposed invention is based primarily on two well-known physical principles, viz.: a) When two magnets are placed very close together end to end with like poles m-, and m„ separated by a dis¬ tance of d that is small compared with the extent of the surfaces, the magnets are repelled with a force F that is very strong. For each portion of one of the nearby surfaces, that corresponding part of the other develops a m.. m repelling force equal to F = —-— where the product of d² m and m is expressed in dynes, d² is the square of the distance between the magnet ends in centimeters, and F is the total repelling force produced by the magnets

OMPI expressed likewise in dynes. b) Pressure applied on a confined fluid is -trans¬ mitted undiminished in all directions, and acts with equal force on equal areas, and at right angles to them. (Pascal's Law)

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the accompanying drawings of the disclosed inven¬ tion, Fig. 1 represents a partially cutaway side view of the disclosed system with a central shaft, spokes, rollers, external or transfer magnet and magnetic piston assemblies, main supply line for driving medium, and foundation por¬ tions;

Fig. 2 depicts a cutaway of the top section of Fig. 1 at three levels showing the relative position of the magnet assemblies, the roller assemblies, the shaft, the power tube and the hydraulic fluid supply and return lines;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the power tube, the magnetic piston and the hydraulic fluid inlet and outlet lines, partially visible in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale of the external magnet, the power tube, shuttle, supply and return lines, roller assembly and plate supports as emplaced at the end of a spoke in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 5 includes detailed side and sectional views of

O PI a magnet component in the magnetic piston of the disclosed invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Form of the Invention As shown in Fig. 1, the disclosed invention comprises a power tube 1 which is a hollow cylinder made of non¬ magnetic high-tensile-strength, hard-wearing metal, alloy or plastic formed into a substantially perfect circle. The interior of the power tube is honed to a very smooth finish. Through the use of plate supports 6 embedded in concrete or other suitable foundation, the power tube 1 is held at a fixed horizontal position.

Spoke 3 radiating from, but not fixed to, power tube 1 converge into a central shaft 4 supported and aligned by roller and thrust bearings 12, 13, 14 or other suitable structure. That portion of the assembly of central shaft 4 beneath the level of the spokes 3 is anchored to a concrete or other suitable foundation 11A to hold up the engine's center section. The central shaft 4 is fitted at its top end with a coupling 15 by which the generator or other equipment (not shown) intended to be driven by the invention is connected.

At the end of each spoke 3, longitudinally-shaped and preferably cylindrical, permanent magnet 2 is mounted outside of and lengthwise to the power tube 1. As shown in the drawings, each magnet 2 is externally located and is hereafter referred to as "external magnet" or "transfer magnet". Such external magnets 2 are each made of two half sections which form a partial circle around the power tube 1 when joined or bolted together in assembly. In some cases, however, the external agent 2 is made in one piece with its core partially hollowed out. In either case, the external magnet 2 is put together and mounted at the end of a spoke 3 such that it almost com¬ pletely surrounds the outside contour of the power tube 1 and the power tube supports 6 without, however, touch¬ ing them. The weight of the external magnet 2 and the spoke 3 is supported by spoke rollers 9 that run on a track 8 held up by plate supports 7 likewise embedded in concrete or other suitable foundation. To ensure their smooth and easy rotation, the spoke rollers 9 are provided with shaft bearings 10.

Solid, cylinder-shaped, internally situated, perma¬ nent magnets, joined together to form a unit 5, are positioned inside the power tube 1 at the point where the external magnet 2 is mounted on the spoke 3. Such inter- nally placed magnets, hereafter referred to as "magnetic pistons",are shown in detail in Fig. 3 and are repre¬ sented as being sized and constructed to fit perfectly inside of the power tube 1, allowing only for minimum clearance. The magnetic piston 5 must fit and conform to the curve of the interior of power tube 1 to allow the piston to travel within the tube 1 at a fairly high speed. In view of the foregoing, the magnetic piston 5 is usually constructed of two or more magnet sections 23 joined together. A single magnet may be used, however, if its length and curvature will enable it to travel freely within the power tube 1. The magnets of which the magnetic piston 5 is con¬ structed must possess in total enough mass and magnetic force to hold the piston 5 fast to the external or trans¬ fer magnet 2 despite the internal pressure of the hydrau¬ lic fluid or other driving medium bearing against the piston 5. Stated otherwise, the strength of the magnetic bond between the transfer magnet 2 and the magnetic piston 5 must be greater than the force exerted by the pressur¬ ized fluid against the piston 5 so as to prevent the two magnet assemblies 1 and 5 from breaking away from each other.

The usual configuration of the magnetic piston 5 is detailed in Fig. 3. As earlier stated, it is constructed from one or more solid, cylindrical permanent magnets 23 joined together in a rocket-like form with its leading end tapered to a half-cone or analogous shaped. Along the bottom of the cylinder, angular cuts or voids 22 are located at regular intervals. The rearmost section 32 of the piston 5 is thickened slightly to reduce to the mini¬ mum clearance between such rearmost section 32 and the inside of the tube 1 and to allow a layer of pressurized fluid 31 to completely surround the rest of the piston at all times. Excessive pressure by-pass or blow-by when the pressurized fluid or other driving medium is brought to bear against the magnetic piston is prevented by placing piston rings or O-ring seals 27 around the piston's rear- most section 32. Alternatively or additionally, a cup- shaped, flexible seal 29 may be attached to the shuttle's rearmost pressure-receiving end.

Where the magnetic piston 5 is constructed from two or more magnets, a flexible cable 28 or hinged device 25, or both, may be used to connect or to hold them together to form a unit. To lengthen the pistons and reduce the void between them, plastic inserts 24 similarly shaped and connected, may be used. The use of plastic sections 24 works to reduce ^"the amount of fluid or other driving medium needed to drive the pistons without reducing the system's power capabilities. As can be seen from Fig. 3, this mode of construction results in a magnetic piston 5 with a length almost equal to the distance between an inlet port 18 and an outlet port 20. To reduce friction as the magnetic piston 5 travels inside and around the power tube 1, the piston 5 may be provided with rollers or bearings 30.

The power tube 1 is provided at its bottom side with a series of inlet pipes 17 and ports 18 through which pressurized fluid or other driving medium enters the power tube 1. Such inlet pipes 17 are connected to a main supply line 16 which is in turn fe pressurized fluid from a high-pressure hydraulic pump (not shown) .

The inlet ports 18 are positioned at the bottom of power tube 1 in a manner designed to maintain at all times a constant flow of the pressurized fluid into the power tube 1 except when the thickened rearmost section 32 of magnetic piston 5 moving through the power tube 1 passes over such inlet ports 18 and temporarily and sequentially cuts off the pressurized hydraulic fluid.

Outlet ports 20 for exhausting the pressurized fluid from the power tube 1 are located alternately between the inlet ports 18. The outlet pipes 19 and ports 20 are shaped and positioned in a manner that will ensure the easy exhausting of the driving medium such that the pres¬ sure build-up inside the power tube, as influenced by the movement of the pistons and the entry of the pressurized hydraulic fluid, does not work to create a back pressure that will serve to lessen or neutralize the engine's working force or, in an extreme case, to cause the engine to run backwards. The foregoing objectives in the design and placement of the inlet and outlet pipes 17 and 19 and ports 18 and 20 are achieved by: a) Alternating placement of the inlet and outlet ports 18 and 20 such that an inlet port 18 is always fol- lowed by an outlet port 20 and vice versa (See Fig. 2) ; b) Setting the distance between inlet and outlet ports 18 and 20 such that as few outlet ports 20 as possible are exhausting the pressurized fluid 31 from the voids 22 between and around the magnetic pistons 5 at any one time.

Description of Operation

Referring to Fig. 1, pressurized hydraulic fluid 31 provided by a hydraulic pump (not shown) through a main supply line 16, enters the power tube 1 through the inlet ports 18 simultaneously. More accurately, the pressurized hydraulic fluid 31 enters the voids 33 between the magne¬ tic pistons 5 as well as the angular cuts 22 made in the bottom side of the piston 5 and the thin clearance 31 existing between the pistons 5 and the walls of the power tube 1. The inlet pipes 17 which are angled 45° towards the direction of the engine's rotation causes the entering fluid 31 to put^" pressure on the magnetic piston 5 and to move it inside the power tube 1 in the engine's designed direction. In Fig. 2, the movement is clockwise, although a counterclockwise direction would work just as well if the configuration and placement of the inlet and outlet pipes 17 and 19 and ports 18 and 20, the structure of the magnetic pistons 5, etc., were so arranged.

To better understand the engine's working principle, one may follow the operating sequence of one particular magnetic piston 5, see Figs. 2 and 3, as it completes one revolution around the power tube 1. Starting from point "ST" in Fig. 2, magnetic piston 5, which would be the piston positioned at the end of the spoke worked "ST", is propelled forward in a clockwise direction by the pressurized hydraulic fluid 31 entering through inlet port 18 into the void 33 between magnetic piston 5 and the magnetic piston immediately behind it. In the course of the passage of piston 5 over inlet port 18, pressurized hydraulic fluid continues venting into the power tube 1, striking at a 90° angle the farther side of the angular cuts 22 machined into the bottom of said magnetic piston 1, thus further pushing the latter on its forward course. As piston 5 approaches and passes over outlet port 20, the hydraulic fluid inside the void 33A ahead of magnetic piston 5 exhausts through said out¬ let port 20 and is rerouted back to the hydraulic pump to be pumped back later into the system. As piston 5 con¬ tinues to pass over outlet ports 20, the fluid inside the angular cuts 22 of the bottom half of piston 5 are like¬ wise sequentially exhausted.

As the fluid exhausts from the said angular cuts 22, there is effected a drop in the pressure within such angular cuts 22 and a resulting considerable pressure differential between them and the void 33 between piston 5 and the one immediately behind it which, at this point, is still filled with fluid and is therefore still pres¬ surized and exerting a forward force. Such pressure differential quite clearly enhances further the force in the forward movements of piston 5.

In addition to the force-producing pressure differ¬ ential created between the exhausted angular cuts along the middle section of piston 5 and the pressurized void

O PI behind it, forward movement of piston 5 is further bol¬ stered by the pushing force being exerted upon it by the other magnetic pistons 5 whose propelling fluids have yet to be exhausted and whose combined forward forces are still being transmitted to their respective external magnets 2 and spokes 3 and, consequently, to the whole wheel arrangement of which piston 5 is an integral part.

Magnetic piston 5, continuing on its forward course, now reaches a point where the fluid-filled pressurized void 33 behind it passes over outlet port 20 and is exhausted of its charge, thus causing it to lose pressure and driving force. By this time, however, forward section of piston 5 will have started to pass over inlet port 18A which now vents pressurized fluid into its bottom-located angular cuts.22 thus re-energizing piston 5 and keeping it moving along on its rotational journey within and around the power tube 1.

As piston 5 continues moving forward, the void 33 behind it now passes in turn over inlet port 18A which now vents pressurized fluid into it and likewise re¬ energizes that void 33 behind piston 5 and pushes the latter along.

The foregoing sequence is repeated by piston 5 as it continues to travel over the succeeding inlet and outlet ports and until piston 5 reaches the last inlet port 18E and, finally, the last outlet port 20E and completes one revolution around the power tube starting from and ending at point "ST". From there, magnetic piston 5 starts off again on another and still other successive power-generating journeys.

In the meantime, all the while that the magnetic piston 5 has been moving inside the power tube 1, the external magnet 2 which is magnetically bonded to said magnetic piston 5 has been moving in perfect unison with the latter. And simultaneously with piston 5, all the other magnetic pistons 5 and all the external magnets 2 in the system have likewise been moving, propelled by the sequential inflow and outflow of pressurized hydraulic fluid in the power tube 1 described above in detail. Since the external magnets 2 are permanently fixed to the spokes 3 and the spokes 3 are in turn fixed to the central shaft 4, this causes the whole wheel arrangement, comprising of the external magnets 2, spokes 3, external magnet plate supports 7 and rollers 9 and the central shaft 4, to turn in perfect unison at the rate at which the magnetic pis¬ tons 5, powered by the pressurized fluid, are moving. In effect, the invention develops over the wheel's perimeter a working force that is the aggregate of all the individual forces developed by the pressurized fluid on each of the magnetic pistons 5 positioned at the peri¬ meter end of the spokes 3 and transferred by means of the magnetic field to the external magnets 2 fixed to the ends of such spokes 3. Such aggregate force now combines with the leverage effect generated by the length of the spokes 3 and culminates in a final force developed at the central shaft 4 that is characterized by extremely high torque and a level of power much higher than would be expected from the pressure level and volume of the hydraulic fluid utilized as driving medium.

In the above-described sequence of operation, it should be noted that: a) The entry of pressurized fluid from the inlet ports 18 into the power tube 1 takes place simultaneously with almost all such inlet ports 18 feeding hydraulic fluid into the voids 22, 33 whether between or at the bottom side of the magnetic pistons that happen at the moment to be positioned over the inlet ports 18; b) The inlet ports 18 feed pressurized fluid into the power tube 1 continuously without let-up at the highest pressure level developed by the hydraulic pump of the hydraulic system; c) All of the magnetic pistons 5 and,together with them,all the mobile components of the wheel arrangement commence moving clockwise, as designed in the model depicted, immediately upon the introduction of pressurized fluid into the power tube 1; and d) While the whole wheel arrangement described above moves as a unit, the power tube 1 which is perma— nently fixed to its foundation remains completely immobile at all times.

From the description set forth above, it may be

G PI

V > \VTPO understood that the disclosed inventive concept relates to a system for amplifying energy by transferring and lever¬ aging input fluid energy to output_^ shaft energy compris¬ ing a wheel member including a plurality of spokes 3 extending radially from a peripheral area to a hub por¬ tion fixed to a centrally located rotatable shaft 4; mag¬ net means 2 fixed to radial outer ends of spokes 3 of such wheel member; a circular tube 1 made of non-magnetic material extending concentrically with and fixedly sup- ported closely adjacent to, but not in contact with the magnet means 2; piston means 5 disposed within the cir¬ cular tube 1 for free movement therein along a circular • path, the piston means being made of magnetic material, iron, or the like whereby the piston means 5 will, under the influence of magnet means 2, be centered or suspended along the axis of such magnet means 2; a plurality of inlet lines 17 and outlet lines 19 connected to a plural¬ ity of inlet and outlet ports 18 and 20, respectively, at alternate circumferential intervals, whereby pressurized fluid may be introduced and discharged, respectively, to impart motion to piston means 5 along a circular path within circular tube 1 with the motion of piston means 5 being transferred to magnet means 2 through the magnetic field due to the proximity of piston means 5 and magnet means 2 and with such motion further being transferred through spokes 3 and the hub portion to shaft 4 to lever¬ age and amplify the energy thereat.

Claims

1. A system for amplifying energy by transferring and leveraging input fluid energy to an output shaft comprising: a) a wheel member including a plurality of spokes extending radially from a peripheral area to a hub portion fixed to a centrally located rotatable shaft; b) magnet means fixed to radial outer ends of said spokes of said wheel member; c) a circular tube made of non-magnetic material extending concentrically with and fixedly supported closely adjacent to, but not in contact with, said magnet means; d) piston means disposed within said circular tube for free movement therein along a circular path, said piston means being made of magnetic material, iron, or the like whereby said piston means will, under the influence of said magnetic means, be centered or suspended along the axis of said magnet means; and e) a plurality of inlet lines and outlet lines connected to a plurality of inlet and outlet ports, respectively, at alternate circumferential intervals, whereby pressurized fluid may be introduced and dis- charged, respectively, to impart motion to said piston means along a circular path within said cir¬ cular tube with the motion of said piston means being transferred to said magnet means through the magnetic field due to the proximity of said piston means and said magnet means and with such motion fur¬ ther being transferred through said spokes and hub portion to said shaft to leverage and amplify the energy thereat.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the circum¬ ferential interval between said inlet and outlet ports are slightly longer than the length of said piston means.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein said piston means comprises a' plurality of cylinder-shaped per¬ manent magnets joined by hinges or other flexible connecting members.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein said piston means is shaped in the form of a rocket, sized and ^* fitted with ring, seals, or the like to provide a snug fit in said circular tube for travel therein when driven by pressurized fluid.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein said magnet means are in the form of electromagnets.

6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein said piston means comprises a plurality of magnets or magnetic responsive members including rollers, bearings, or the like assembled thereon to reduce friction.

7. Energy amplification method by transferring and leveraging energy of pressurized fluid contained within a circular tube of non-magnetic material com¬ prising the steps of: a) driving pistons of iron or other magnetic material in a circular path within the circular tube directing pressurized fluid against such pistons; b) transferring the motion imparted to the pistons in the circular tube to magnets, disposed concentri- cally with and closely adjacent to, but not in con¬ tact with the circular tube and the pistons therein, through a magnetic field developed between the pistons - and the magnets; and c) transferring the motion to a shaft located radially inwardly of the path of the magnets and pistons to thereby leverage and amplify the energy of the pressurized fluid-

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