WO1986005852A1

WO1986005852A1 - Improvements in or relating to a propulsion device

Info

Publication number: WO1986005852A1
Application number: PCT/GB1986/000172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Roberts Laithwaite
Original assignee: Eric Roberts Laithwaite
Priority date: 1985-03-25
Filing date: 1986-03-25
Publication date: 1986-10-09
Also published as: GB8507684D0; EP0215883A1; AU5628486A

Abstract

A thrust producing device comprises a support (10) to which torque can be applied. A cross member (13) fixed to the support carries rotors (17) on axels (16), the axles being pivoted to the cross member. When the torque is applied with the rotors spinning a thrust is developed.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A PROPULSION DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a thrust producing device in which angular momentum is converted into a linear force for, inter alia , propulsion.

The device of the invention does not require the presence of a fluid medium in which, to operate and the generation of the linear force is from a rotating mass.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a thrust-producing device comprising a mass arranged to rotate about an axis of rotation that is denied the point about which it demands to precess, and is thereby constrained to translate the said point to a position where the precession does occur about said point, the translation producing a linear force. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a thrust producing device comprising a support extending substantially orthogonally from and rotatable about a first axis, a rotatable mass on an axle, a pivotal connection between the axle and a position on the support spaced from the first axis and means for imparting torque to the said support about the first axis, the arrangement being that when the support is mounted to allow the rotating mass to precess about the first axis and the torque aplied the axle carrying the rotating mass moves about the pivotal connection and a thrust in the direction of the movement to the device as a whole may be developed.

Preferably there is a plurality of rotating masses and each mass may conveniently take the form of a wheel or disc essentially providing a rotor of high goodness factor, being defined as reactive momentum real momentum

Generally the major portion of the mass will be in the periphery of the rotor. Each of said masses may be arranged in opposition with an identical mass and rotated in opposite directions of rotation at substantially the same angular velocity.

Where a plurality of masses is deployed a dynamic balance is important to the success of the propulsion device.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a rotatable disc mounted to allow precession;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a thrust-producing device in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of the device of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic view to show how dimensional differences in the device of Figure 2 influence the thrust .

Referring initally to Figure 1 a rotor disc R has a centre mounted for spinning about axis X₁X₂ on a shaft S₁S₂. Let us first consider the shaft S₁S₂ as being capable of pivoting about vertical axis Q₁Q ₁

and horizontal axis P₁P₂ . The disc R is spun and the shaft S₁S₂ carrying it rotates, i.e. precesses, in

the .direction PR₁ about the axis Q₁Q₁, this precession being initiated by a torque. When a torque T₁T₂ is ap¬

plied to the shaft in the rotational sense of precession about axis Q₁Q₁, the shaft rotates about P₁P₂.

Precession is taking place about N₁ i.e. about the

intersection of the axis of rotation of the shaft, the axis about which the torque is applied, and the axis about which the shaft can precess.

If, therefore, the torque axis is transferred to the point N₂ on the intersection of

Q₂Q₂and P₃P₄, and X₁X₂ and the torque applied as before about Q₂Q₂ then the shaft will precess about N₂ pivoting about P₃P₄.

This principle holds good even if torque is applied about points N₃ and N₄ spaced from the axle.

From the above it can be perceived that an axle will precess about an axis orthogonal to both the axis of rotation and the axis about which the torque is applied at the point where these two axes intersect.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 2.

In Figure 2 a propulsion device of the invention comprises an axle rod 10 with a longitudinal axis Y₁Y₂ and is arranged to be able to rotate in high quality low friction bearings 11, 12. These bearings permit longitudinal movement to allow thrust produced to develop a working stroke. The axle 10 carries at one extremity an orthogonally disposed cross member or support 13 rigidly fixed to axle 10 as by welding (not shown) . The cross member 13 has slots 14₁14₂ and pivots 15₁15₂ that are normal to the orthogonal line Z₁Z₂ of the cross member 13.

To these pivots 15₁15₂ are attached axles 16₁16₂ respectively terminating in free running rotor discs 17₁17₂ that spin in opposite directions as shown by

arrows on the discs per se . If a torque T₁T₂ is now applied to the axle 10 then, from the exposition given above in regard to Figure 1, since the axis Y₁Y₂ about which the torque is applied

cuts the axes Z₁Z₂ of both rotors, 17₁17₂ in point N₅, precession should take place about an

axis through N₅ in the plane N₄ P₉ P₁₀₁ where P₉₁P₁₀₁ is

parallel to axis P₉P₁₀ through pin 15₁. (It is the same

mutatis mutandis for pin 15₂) ; but the construction is such that this is not possible without a movement of the whole device in the line Y₁Y₂ such that the point

N₅ is made the apex of a frusto-conical volume shown

by the dotted circles in Figure 2, the radius R₁ and the generator G₁; the rotors 17₁17₂ rising

(or lowering) as the resultant forces dictate to the dotted positions shown at 17^' ₁17^' ₂ to bring said apex

A coincident with N₅. The identical integers of

Figure 2 with identical references are shown in Figure 3 for greater clarity. The movement of the whole device is along Y₁Y₂ in this instance in the direction of arrow Y₃. If the motion along Y₁Y₂ is resisted by frictional forces or by gravity which generally is to be expected, the axle 10 will rotate under the applied torque, work will be done and an energy balance produced. It is to. be appreciated, however, that in the form of the device shown in Figures 2 and 3 when the rotors 17₁17₂ move to positions 17^' ₁ and 17₂ ^' the cross member 13 moves not as is to be expected, in opposition to arrow Y₃, but

with it in the same direction and matter is moved without reaction and a propulsion device is established. To provide for continuous propulsion a multi-phase device is essential with a separation of the phases as in an analogous electrical machine.

In Figure 4, it can readily be seen that if the distance 1₁ (see also Figure 3) be increased to 1₂

then the apical distance of the fulcrum is increased from a₁to a₂. Similarly if the torque T₁T₂ is increased in amplitude then the angle α₁ will increase

to α₂.

Claims

1. A thrust producing device comprising a mass arranged to rotate about an axis of rotation that is denied the point about which it demands to precess, and is thereby constrained to translate the said point to a position where the precession does occur about said point, the translation producing a linear force.

2. A thrust producing device comprising a support extending substantially orthogonally from and rotatable about a first axis, a rotatable mass on an axle, a pivotal connection between the axle and a position on the support spaced from the first axis and means for imparting torque to the said support about the first axis, the arrangement being that when the support is mounted to allow the rotating mass to precess about the first axis and the torque applied the axle carrying the rotating mass moves about the pivotal connection and a thrust in the direction of the movement to the device as a whole may be developed.

3. A device according to Claim 2 wherein the support extends on either side of said first axis with an axle pivotal connection and rotatable mass on each extension.

4. A device according to Claim 3 including a plurality of supports.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims wherein each rotatable mass is a disc with the major part of its weight in the periphery.