US1910434A - Electrically driven pendulum - Google Patents

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May 23, 1933. H. c. HAYES ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PENDULUM Filed Jan. 2", 1929 www I N VEN TOR. Harz/q C. Haj/e6 BY www@ A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1933 FATNT OFFICE HARVEY C. HAYES, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA ELECTRIGALLY DRIVEN PENDUL'M Application filed January 26, 1.829.

Serial No. 335,310.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT F MARCH S, 1883, AS AMEITBED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) My invention relates broadly to electrically driven pendula and more particularly to pendula driven by the electrostatic action of an electrical condenser.

The object of my invention is the production of electrically driven pendula which utilize electrostatic capacity in the place of the electromagnetic driven mechanism occasionally employed in some of the devices known at the present date.

Further objects of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter as the description of the apparatus is developed.

' My invention consists substantially in the construction` combination and arrangement of parts associated therewith or as will be more fully hereinafter set forth as shown by the accompanying drawing and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accon'uvianying drawing forming` a part of this speci fication in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view of improved pendulum system, and

Figure 2 is a cross section through center of the bob at the lower end of pendulum.

Referring to Figure 1 in which numeral 1 designates a support in which there is inlaid an agate bearing' Q. Upon this agate bearing :rests the knife edge fulcrum agate 3, at 'the Lipper end of the pendulated arm 4l of the pendulum. At the lower end of the arm i is placed the bob 5. The detailed structure of which is shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 2, the bob consists of two elements 6 and 7. The elements 6 and 7 constitute U shaped braces for the electrostatic elements of the bob, the longitudinal section of which are the arcs of a circle as shown in Fig. 1. Within these arc-like segments are a plurality of circular, spaced. conductive elements 8, the spacing of which is controlled by the thickness of the spacers 9. rlhe elements 6, 7, 8 and 9 are rigidly secured together by means of pins 10 to form the bob as shown in Figure 1. The lower element 7 of the bob carries at its lower extremity a the the ribbon like conductor 11, the function of which will hereinafter be described.

Referring again to Figure 1 there are posi* tioned two supports 12 and 13 beyond the natural limit of swing of the bob 5. Each of the supports 12 and 13 carries a plurality of arcuate conductive elements 14 and 141. These elements are spaced apart such a distance that when the tips thereof are placed within the bob 5 they rest within the spaces between the elements 8 of the bob 5 as shown in Figure 1, the gap between the sets of plates, as shown in dotted lines, Figure 1, being positioned directly below the knife edge 3 at the upper end of the pendulum rod 4;. The plates ist and 1&1 are connected in units of 3 each, one set. to one terminal of source of power l5, the other set to the opposite terminal of the source of power 15.

lt will thus be seen that in the position shown in Figure 1 there is produced an electrical condenser, the capacity relationship between the terminals of the source of lower 15 consisting of the capacity relationship between the elements 1st and 8 and the capacity relationship between the elements 8 and 11i of the opposite polarity.

"Viren the elements 14: and 8 are so pesitioned that the bob 5 may freely swing along the an. s of rotation of the pendulum should the position be displaced to one side, for example the right side of Figure 1 and should the elements 8 be charged at the same potential as that of 111 the bob will be repelled by the electrostatic action present betwee bodies charged at like polarity. For this purpose l have provided two contacts 1G and 15 which lie in the path of the ribbon like conductor 11 located at the lower portion of the bob 5 as described with reference to Figure 2. rihe operation of the pendulum is as follows:

Assuming the bob to be displaced towards the support 13 to such an extent that the ribbon like conductor 11 touches the contact 1G the elements 8 and 14 will be charged with like polarity. The charges of like polarityv on the elements 8 and 14 produce a repulsion between them causing the bob 5 to swing back toward its position of rest at a speed greater than that which would be caused by the force of gravity alone acting on the bob. This added momentum causes the bob 5 to be displaced toward the support 12 to a greater degree than would occur if gravity alone acted upon the bob. In the position of maximum displacement of the bob the ribbon like conductor 7 touches contact 16. This contact changes the polarity of the elements 8 of the bob 5 producing a repelling effect between the elements 14 and the elements 8 of the bob. This repulsive effect again causes the bob to swing to its initial position in proximity to the support 13.

At the upper portion of the pendulum arm 4, I provided a ratchet 17 and a pawl 18 from which power may be derived from the pendulum. It is to bc understood that this specific structure is not to be considered the only embodiment of the mechanism to be driven by the pendulum as it is well understood that the arm may drive an escapement mechanism or other device common in clocks of the present day.

It is apparent from the above description that any resistance which is offered due to the presence of friction in either of the elements 17 or 18 or the bearings 2 3 may be compensated for by the proper regulation of the voltage of the source of power 15.

It is to be understood that the above description is merely illustrative of the principle of my invention and that its application to pendula of the torsional type is to be considered within the scope of the appended claims.

It is to be further understood that t-he above description and accompanying drawing comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that minor detail changes in the construction and arrangement of part-s may be made within the scope of the appended claims without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States or for Governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as novel is-- 1. In a pendulum, the combination of a. pendulated arm, a bob at the lower end thereof, plates placed along the path of swing of the bob, and forming a condenser therewith, and means for alternately charging the bob at the same potential as the plates in closest proximity to the bob in the extremity of its swing.

2. In a pendulum, the combination of a pendulated arm, a bob at the lower end thereof, said bob having apertures therethrough in alignment with the path of swing of the bob, electrostatic plates upon each side of the position of rest of the bob and extending into the apertures within the bob, means for charging the plates at different potentials and means for charging the bob at the same potential as the plate toward which the bob has swung when displaced from its position of rest.

3. In a pendulum, the combination of a pendulated arm, a bob at the lower end thereof, said bob having a plurality of apertures therethrough and in alignment with the path of swing of the bob, a plurality of arcuate electrostatic plates lying in the path of swing of the bob and upon each side thereof and extending within the apertures of the bob, means for charging the plates at different electrical potentials and means for charging the bob at the same potential as the plates toward which the bob has swung when displaced from its position of rest.

4. In a pendulous system, in combination a pendulum adapted to oscillate along a path at a definite frequency, electrically charged members adjacent the path of said pendulum, means for charging said pendulum near the end of the stroke at a potential different from the potential of at least one of said members and means for maintaining a substantially uniform potential gradient between said pendulum and said one of said members while varying the electrostatic capacity therebetween.

5. In an isochronous system, the combination of a cylieally moving member, electrically charged plates adjacent the path of said member, means for charging said member at a potential different from the potential of at least one of said plates and means for maintaining a substantially uniform potential gradient between said member and said one of said plates during a substantial portion of a cycle of movement of said moving member.

HARVEY C. HAYES.

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