GB2498367A - Mass rotating with changing radius to produce non-constant centripetal force - Google Patents

Abstract

A mass 11 is caused to orbit an action centre 1 at constant linear orbital speed but at a continuously varying radius and therefore angular velocity. The varying radius of rotation is achieved by a rotator slider 9 and a slider 10 which are arranged to create a gearing mechanism, slider/rotator 9 1:4, between fast and slow displacement; modified into 1:2 as required by additional slider 10. These ratios are governed by the length and position of attachments 4, 7 to rotator arms 5, 7 relative to the centres of said rotator sliders. The varying orbit results in non-constant centripetal force, manipulated to produce uni-directional pulses of force, intended to provide propulsion. Two or more units may be provided for balancing, and so that there is one unit in each part of the rotary cycle at any point in time.

Description

Mechanical Inertial Propulsion System. New Variant Contemporary inertial propulsion is based upon total loss of fuel and reaction materials, rocketry and jet propulsion are examples of this.

Scientists and inventors have long sought an efficient means for the generation of inertial propulsion where with, inertial reaction components can be conserved and recycled.

Work has generally focussed on rotating systems, the endeavour essentially being to discover a device that is facilitated to generate and to leak centripetal and/or linear force and energy into one direction only; analogous with the principle of rocket and jet propulsion. All such attempts tend to have a commonality of approach, in that an attenuation of centripetal force is strived for along a second direction with a full expression of force being the desired outcome along a first direction, said first and second directions preferably established as diametric opposites. Many patent submissions having been filed around the operation of such derived devices, none as yet found to work efficiently as intended.

Any found successful system would find extensive use within the transportation industry; land, marine and aerospace.

There are some previously proposed ideas by this author that appear promising but as yet remain untested.

This particular submission is herewith claimed as a further variant on said previously claimed but as yet untested devices.

Some previous and many competitor submissions have been found ineffective during experimentation and for what eventually became obvious reasons but most were found developmentally informative.

One such; proposed by more than one competitor submission and closest to this proposal with regard to the intended principle of operation is illustrated by drawing 1/4a.

Multiple masses (3) being caused to orbit a common centre (1) restrained by suitable tie bars (4) and impelled to track (2) by some familiar means of motive force, not shown.

The apparatus being equipped with tie bars suitable that by some further familiar means the radial pitch of said masses could be varied as required as may create some advantage.

With the condition enjoyed by the apparatus as shown; that of said mass units orbiting said action centre and changing their radial pitch between a maximal pitch for a first direction to a minimum in the diametrically opposite second direction and with a cycle constant for angular velocity in operation, then the apparatus would experience the larger centripetal moment along the said first direction where the mass orbits have their bigger radius of action. Therefore enhanced centripetal moments are enjoyed by the apparatus in one direction with attenuated moments acting along said second direction opposite. The system is unbalanced as desired, from the point of view of centripetal force. However it can be shown that the effect on the apparatus of accelerating and decelerating said mass elements into position to achieve this condition exactly rebalances said centripetal differentials.

A single rotator and slide arrangement operating a single mass orbit about a stationary action centre, to the same orbital configuration as was enjoyed by the above orbiting masses was found not to give any resultant force to any particular direction.

Drawing 1/4b of this submission is a diagrammatical representation for a mass or masses orbiting a centre of operations (1). Arbitrary stations for mass elements processing through a cycle of operation are shown by cross marks (x), given the regularity P114 radians of separation around said orbit. Cross marks for a tangential escape of an element mass are also shown, for a linear velocity exactly comparable with the peripheral velocity of the element track through said orbit; appropriate to one half of an assumed orbital cycle (6). Direction of mass orbit (3) is shown (4) and the angle of turn of the tangential escape direction around the orbit is shown (5).

The track of an orbiting mass or masses is shown in dotted detail (3) with the linear (peripheral) velocity of said mass elements contrived to remain constant during the operation of assumed apparatus, meaning that there are no linear accelerations or decelerations associated with this system.

It is clear therefore that, by virtue of the organisation of the arrangement shown, the radius of assumed mass orbit constantly changes throughout an assumed orbit as also does the angular velocity. Element masses being contrived with some familiar means by which radial translation toward or away from shown action centre (I) is facilitated, in order that the operating radius can adjust as required. That is, for a minimum radius and maximum angular velocity at one position to a diametrically opposite condition, comprising a maximum radius associated with a minimum angular velocity (the two dispositions separated by Pi radians of arc that is, each extreme occurring on consecutive half cycles). The two conditions set to confer constant rotational kinetic energy to the system, this with the radius and angular velocity combination giving constant force in all directions; were it not for the dynamic situation of a constantly changing orbital radius going on throughout the cycle.

Further, said radius of mass orbit continuously increases through one half of said orbit and continuously decreases throughout the other. Another property contrived within the apparatus as shown is that, during the half cycle of increasing radial pitch, masses are in a condition of close to a continuous and tangential radial escape for any given transitory position, thus neutralising much of the tension generated along assumed restraining tie, caused by centripetal moments generated by the orbit of said mass elements. This property of rotating systems of force acting directly out of the system along the radius described by said action centre to orbiting mass tie being of particular interest. The other property of interest being the tuning force or torque operating in perpendicular fashion along a line of previously mentioned tangential escape, which is effectively the flywheel effect, an overall inertia proportional to mass and motion contained within the system.

At all positions for an assumed orbiting tie bar a centripetal moment will ordinarily persist directly out of the system along said radius, with said torque or turning moment persisting perpendicular to this into the direction of orbit, this force being directed tangentially to the turning system at all times. For a critically restrained apparatus, once up to speed said torque will register at a constant value but as recorded above, centripetal force can be variable throughout the cycle of operation of this system.

As also stated above, the action centre (I) to orbiting mass distance (x) is contrived continuously increasing for half an orbit. Tie length continuously increasing in coordinated fashion at the correct rate, in order to correlate with a natural tendency for mass element travel away from (I) were it free to do so, as impelled by said centripetal effects. Therefore as stated above an attenuation of such moments should be experienced in a system second direction, shown (8), as this process of mass escapement is congruent with the mass tendency to escape from centre (1) tangentially; this activity is not resisted by the system.

With respect to the other half period not yet considered, identified by shown mass element travel across a first direction (7), radial transit is now continuously toward action centre (1), an activity resisted by the system, with an associated increase in tension in said retaining tie along with the rate of angular displacement as the orbital radius decreases. This action is reasonably speculated to cause the opposite effect over this half cycle to that experienced by the previously discussed action across shown second direction (8).That of an enhancement of said normally occurring centripetal moments and into said first direction (7), with an associated propulsive impulse being felt by the apparatus (not to be balanced at any time by any propulsive moments disposed equal and opposite). Said impulse speculated as being most strongly felt along the first direction (7), as mass elements transit across this meridian and inclusive of some 45 degrees of angular displacement either side of it.

In order to balance associated forceftul impulses not directly along the desired first direction (7) two identical apparatus could be set up alongside each other, mass orbits being coordinated across two said apparatus as to be in phase but with orbital directions set opposite. In this way any stray forces generated perpendicular in direction to cited first direction(7) are cancelled out and therefore as such become energy neutral within the operation of the system as a whole that is, as part of the familiar, present flywheel effect.

It would be energetically advantageous to adjust by some means the rate of radial approach of element mass to centre (1) that most of it take place as element mass transits aforementioned portion of the orbit across said first direction (7) through an arc encompassing some 45 degrees either side of this meridian, less if possible.

The disadvantage of this apparatus is that at any one time any given mass is only in use for one quarter of a cycle or orbit, this three quarter cycle of dwell time for recovery means that element masses along with any structural coordinating and driving apparatus will form part of any payload for this amount of dwell time. However, for faster apparatus speeds and moderate linear accelerations for apparatus with payload, the directional inertia of mass elements during propulsive action is very high in comparison to associated recovering elements.

To fill in the gaps and provide smooth delivery of force, dualities of apparatus as described above could be multiplied so that at any one time there is the equivalent of an element mass aligned along said first direction (7) which is also equivalent to two at the degree position either side of this or in transit between these two extremes, see dotted detail in drawing 2/4c. Therefore such multiples of single apparatus as described above could be blended in to deliver constant force into one direction as desired.

Further, when a combined apparatus is in the condition of accelerating itself and payload along line (7) shown, rotating kinetic energy within the system will fall, as the speed of rotation (orbit) fails overall also. It would be desirable to replace lost energy and orbital speed during the propulsive phase as the element mass transits said propulsive phase across direction (7). It would also be advantageous to take speed and energy out as said mass traverses second direction (8) and by suitable gearing means transfer this to advantage into such a mass that at that time would be traversing across a first direction (7), this transfer coordinated to a period of arc of one quarter of a cycle, the propulsive period as described above.

Any such derived apparatus with properties imbued as outlined, would operate best at high rotational speeds with applications to high payloads and moderate accelerations.

S

Drawing 214a) is claimed as a solution to the realisation for a working apparatus imbued with all the necessary properties as laid out earlier in this specification.

Motive force enters the system shown (I) turning one end of shown arm (3) about a centre (2). Alter end of said arm is attachment (4) to a slider rod (5) contained within an offset rotator slider housing (9) this being stationed and secured to the overall assembly by some familiar means, not shown. Said slider rotator housing acting as a fulcrum for the modification of rotating motion because connection means (4) and fulcrum (9) are compelled to a constantly varying separation throughout the cycle therefore the resulting speed of rotation varies constantly also. In this case, the connection to said slider rod (4) is contrived four times the distance from said rotator housing on one side of the cycle compared to the side opposite, giving a continuously changing rate of rotation between four and one throughout the cycle. Modified motion thus generated is transmitted to a further slider rod (8) attached (7) said rod again contained within a further rotator slider (10) and at the alter end of said second slider rod being attached a suitable element mass (11).

Should said slider mechanisms be equivalent, given the shown dispositions of said rotator housings and should shown connector arm be contrived equal length then, desired modified rotation generated by the first part of the arrangement would be cancelled out by the second arrangement. This would mean that the radius of orbit imbued to an element mass would vary throughout but desired variability for angular velocity would not. This problem could be overcome by the inclusion of an additional arrangement set between the two previously mentioned and offset from (2) by a further equivalent distance (2)-(9) or as shown, the second said fulcrum could be aligned along shown axiom (2) however, on this occasion the important distance between rotator housing (10) and connection (7) is contrived at two to one only for opposite sides of the cycle. This variation being correct, in order to adjust the orbit of said element mass for the desired rate of angular displacement and radius throughout an apparatus cycle, given the four to one rotation modification it receives from the prior arrangement.

A diagrammatical representation of this activity is shown in drawing 2/4b, equivalent in most respects to the previous diagram assigned l/4b but with more rigorous attention to construction and digital marking to identi& activity throughout the proposed cycle of operation. It becomes clear from the former endeavour that, on more carefUl examination the proposed recovery component station tangents (x) do seem to compose close to a regular half circle when summed overall. Diagram 2/4b gives rise to the possibility of diagram 2/4c which roughly describes the theoretical generation of resultant force and direction of this through the proposed system cycle. Force appearing to leak out of the system between stations f and h in the direction (7), a very much smaller quantity of force appearing in equal and opposite fashion in the direction (8).

Subject to experiment, this specification is claimed and proposes to answer the brief of inertial propulsion whilst conserving the reaction component.

Deferring to drawings 3/4, diagrams (a) and (b), these being representative of a simplified system answering the brief for an orbiting mass at a constant linear velocity and constantly varying radius of orbit, elevation (a) being representative of a plan view and (b) a frontal elevation of the same device. An orbiting singular mass is shown (I), a rotator/slider (3), with an offset drive centre shown (2).

Drawing 3/4c shows a more definitive expression of the concept with the variable drive input facility, necessary for the delivery of a suitable constantly variable angular velocity being set up as separate to the structure carrying the assumed orbiting mass (I) and the means for coordinating the continuously changing orbital radius.

With this arrangement it is possible to predict upon which part of the apparatus generated centripetal moments will act, as in this case, alt on the latter, separate structure carrying the orbiting mass (1).

The drive centre is marked (2) with (3) the rotator/slider facility, these comprising the parts of the apparatus responsible for the delivery of continuously variable angular motion. This modified angular motion is transmitted to the axiom attached to the means responsible for coordinating mass (1) into a suitable orbit of advantageous constantly changing radius.

Increasing and decreasing the length of the assumed tie is accomplished by including a suitable housing containing a substantial part of the necessary tie shaft during operation.

Said contained portion of the shaft having a screw thread (5) worked into the outside of it; the whole shaft being free to telescope in both directions within said housing.

Coordination of this action is by the inclusion of a pinion gear (6) set to run on said screw thread; the pinion gear having the freedom to turn on the shaft but not move along it.

Said pinion gear is disposed to run on rack gear plates (7) and as mass and tie are caused to orbit aforesaid axiom said pinion gear is turned first in one direction by a rack gear disposed at one side of the pinion gear, the screw thread in turn causing an appropriate lengthening or shortening of the tie. Said rack gear being only disposed to this end for the appropriate half part of the orbit, for the other half of an orbit the other half of the rack gear is disposed on the other side of the pinion gear, reversing the direction of turn and consequently the radial transit of the tie.

In practice another means than spur gears will be required to move the screw as they would strip off during necessary operational high speed direction changes.

Drawings 3/4 elevations (d) and (e) show a front and side view respectively of a further simple answer to the brief, identical to the apparatus proposed in drawing 3/4c but with tie length coordinating components altered to take into account said vulnerability of spur gearing. A race (5) and roller (6) arrangement being suitably disposed in the coordination of tie length through an orbit.

A disadvantage to this arrangement being that, although the linear velocity of the orbiting mass is kept constant the alter end of the slider bar, housing said roller (6) is not; so the preference would be that said slider bar and roller be relatively very light in comparison with the orbiting mass. Very light would mean minimum interference from unwanted centripetal moments; in any case linear accelerations of any mass associated with said roller end of said slider rod are balanced, incurring no resultant forces for reasons previously discussed in this submission.

One modification to damp out the above stresses on the apparatus would be to introduce a suitable slider mass (8) on to the slider rod attached to mass (1), mass (8) in turn attached to a roller (9) in contact with the inner surface of an additional race (7). The way this is intended to operate is that for mass (8) to move in radial fashion in the appropriate direction at the appropriate time and by the appropriate amount as coordinated by said race (7), this action contrived as conferring constant angular momentum to the alter end of the slider rod from the mass (I) carrier.

Drawing 4/4 shows a construct as a good approximation of the track described by an orbiting mass for this system. The main axiom again is shown at (I), (2) being the actual but virtual centre of the construct, (3) identifies the angles of turn of the assumed orbiting mass achieves as it translates over one eighth portions (4) of a cycle. Where in the cycle these angles appear biggest translates effectively to a higher angular velocity and is where the higher tension appears within the assumed orbiting tie; the total force delivery along said tie is also dependent on the time of travel across the portion of orbit or arc under consideration. Dotted detail (5) shows the ambient direction of the assumed orbiting mass at constant radius over each portion of orbit.

Opposite portions labelled (6) having almost identical angles of turn, average radii over sector (portion) and time of transit and so cancel each other out. It can be seen with regard to sectors on the right side of the apparatus that mdii, angles of turn and therefore times of transit are larger than for equivalent sector on the left. Resultant force generated by the system must therefore act along a direction shown (7), a clear imbalance of opposites between each right hand sector and the left hand sector directly opposite to it.

Force delivery persists over 3 sectors of arc during each orbit, equivalent to one and one half sectors either side of the resultant direction line (7). Ideally adjustments could be made to the apparatus and familiar means to do this are available, such that imbalances are concentrated closer to line (7).

Authors note here would be that for a given offset (as previously mentioned) and from the construct (drawing 4/4) it would seem that a resultant force does appear but not in the direction first intuited earlier in the work and far enough away from that to make it possible to miss it when testing derived apparatus.

Calculations of the force imbalance likely be manifest along axiom (7) have been attempted by approximating force differentials persisting across opposite sectors either side of an assumed apparatus. Dividing an apparatus into two halves, one on the side showing axiom (7) against the sector diametrically opposite on the alter side.

Radii across any such sector under consideration were averaged as was the angular velocity experienced between two sector boundaries. Additionally, an average angle of turn for a proposed orbiting mass needed to be factored in as this equates to an effective increase or decrease in angular velocity and depending how this varies in relation to an ambient angle of turn at constant radius this can equate to an increase or decrease in angular displacement over time depending on whether the angle of turn is greater or less than ambient and the greater this difference the greater the value to be factored in.

The length of time the force generated across a given sector is in operation also needs to be taken into consideration.

In round terms it was found that the force differential across a theoretical apparatus, without fine tuning was almost as high as a factor of three and because this is a multiple the faster the apparatus is driven the bigger is the force differential.

It has to be said that though this system be simpler in expression it is potentially much less efficient than one cited in a previous submission, now granted but on quantitative evaluation still appears as potentially impressively powerfiul.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1) A singular mass and a single point rotation centre affixed either end of a suitable tie bar, in order that said mass when moved be restrained to orbit said centre of rotation; said tie having the capacity of controlled variability of length such that the orbital radius can be changed throughout an orbital cycle, to advantage.</claim-text> <claim-text>2) A system as in claim (I) where said mass is compelled continuously to translate between a minor and major radial displacement and then return over a period of one cycle of action or orbit but with such coordination that at all times linear or peripheral orbital speed be conserved.</claim-text> <claim-text>3) A system as consequent to claims (1) and (2) whereby radial orbital expansion be compelled to take place in a second direction over one half of an assumed orbital cycle followed by an orbital portion of a thither half cycle wherein a diametrically opposite contraction of said orbital radius takes place along a first direction.</claim-text> <claim-text>4) Multiple units with properties set out as in claims (1), (2) & (3) organised into balancing in phase pairs, multiple such pairs being interconnected and coordinated as to inhabit different and all parts of one orbital cycle simultaneously, with the requirement therefore met that at any one time the equivalent of at least one mass unit be aligned along said first direction, in order that constant force is delivered into this direction.</claim-text>