TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH BANGERTER, of the City of New York (Borough of Richmond), County of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in

APPARATUS FOR THE EDUCTION, STORAGE
AND APPLICATION OF ENERGY FROM
EXPANSIBLE MATERIALS,

of which the following is a full, clear and exact specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus whereby energy may be educed from expansible materials, due to the expansion and contraction thereof on changes of temperature, and the said energy either applied direct or stored and applied for the purpose of operating machines and devices of various kinds.

I show and describe herein two forms of apparatus for obtaining such expansion and contraction and the required energy therefrom, and I also show two forms in which the energy so obtained is accumulated and stored. In connection therewith, I show the application of my invention to the running of clocks, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to that particular class of machine, and that it may be applied to any use of which it is susceptible.

It is well known that all metals are capable of some degree of expansion and contraction, and some metals have this property in greater degree than others. The amount of expansion for each degree rise in temperature is quite regular, and is called the co-efficient of expansion. It is also well known that zinc has this property in greater degree than any other of the solid metals, its co-efficient of linear expansion being appreciably higher. For this reason, as well as because of its relatively low cost, I preferably make use of zinc in the construction of the expansible parts of my apparatus.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is to provide an expansion device of novel construction and arrangement, which will generate energy and maintain motion during changes in temperature, to such an appreciable and useful amount, as to constitute it in fact a temperature motor.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for accumulating or storing the energy thus generated.

A further object is to provide means for applying the energy thus generated and stored.

Other objects, such as compactness, durability and comparatively low cost of the apparatus, will appear in the following description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:—

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, showing the application of my invention to a clock provided, in this case, with a mainspring as usual;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with a part removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail showing how the strips forming part of the expansion member or coil are connected up;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, on lines 5—5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation, with parts removed;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail cross section of the central portion of the apparatus, with part broken away;

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the same with parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the upper portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4, with parts removed;

Fig. 9 is a perspective detail, partly broken away;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the ratchet mechanism shown in the lower portion of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section of a flexible coupling shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a modification of the expansion coil;

Fig. 12ª is a perspective view showing how two of such modified expansion coils may be connected;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation showing my invention applied to another form of force storage mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of same, on lines 14—14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a rear elevation on lines 15—15 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a vertical section on lines 16—16 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detail of part of the apparatus shown in the upper portion of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged detail of the ball-discharging means shown in the lower portion of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged detail of the loading device shown in the opposite part of the lower portion of Fig. 16; and

Fig. 20 is a plan view on lines 20—20 of Fig. 13.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 to 11, inclusive, B represents the outer frame of the apparatus.

Mounted within the outer frame B is an inner frame comprising the uprights C, C¹, which are rigidly secured by cross-bars D¹, D².

The outer frame B, as well as the inner frame uprights C, C¹ are preferably formed of wood or other material capable of a low degree of expansion.

Within the upper and lower ends of the inner frame are anti-friction knife-bars E, E¹, the upper one of which, E, has each end within a vertically disposed slot E² in the uprights C, C¹, within which said knife-bar may be moved vertically, as hereinafter described.

Each end of the lower knife-bar E¹ lies immovable within a recess in a plate E³ mounted on each of the uprights C, C¹.

These knife-bars, which are preferably formed of hardened steel, have oppositely disposed relatively sharp edges E⁵, which act as bearings for a series of horizontally disposed anti-friction levers, F, F¹, which I will term balance-levers, since they are intended to balance evenly and freely on the thin edges of the knife-bars with little friction somewhat in the nature of a scale-balance. These levers are pivotally connected to a series of metallic expansion strips G, G¹, G², G³, etc., the construction and arrangement and manner of connecting up the same being more clearly shown in Fig. 3.

It will be observed that the arrangement of the levers F and expansion strips G, G¹, etc., is such as to form, in effect, a spiral, the short strip G being connected to one end of one of the balance-levers F, and the strip G being connected at its lower end to the opposite end of said lever, the upper end of said strip G¹ being connected to one end of the first one of the levers F¹. To the opposite end of said lever F¹ the upper end of strip G² is connected, the lower end of said strip being connected to the left-hand end of the second one of the levers F, and so on to the final short strip G^x. The levers F, F¹ must be formed of a metal capable of withstanding great strain without bending, and for this purpose I prefer to use the metal known as macadamite.

For convenience of designation, I will refer to each of these groups of balance-levers F, F¹, and expansion strips G, G¹, etc., as expansion coils, and while I have herein shown but two sets of such expansion coils, it is to be understood that there may be any number of such sets desired, and any desired number of strips and levers composing such coils, depending upon the character of the work to be performed.

Furthermore, I desire it to be understood that when I use the terms “strips"—as characterizing the members connecting the balance-levers—either in the specification or claims, I do not limit myself to the form of connecting member or “strips” shown, but mean to include in the use of the term “strips” any other form such as wires, rods or bars of either square, round, hexagonal or other cross sectional shape.

The ends of the short strips G, G^x are connected by wires H, H¹ with the opposite ends of what I will term a coil lever I, which, as more clearly shown in Fig. 5, is keyed to a shaft J, which latter has its end journaled upon the cross-bars J¹, J² secured to the uprights C, C¹ of the inner frame of the apparatus, and this shaft I will name a coil shaft.

Keyed to the coil shaft J is a lever K, which it may be proper to designate as a stress lever, since from it is suspended a weight K¹, the function of which is to place a certain amount of stress upon the series of expansion strips and balance-levers composing the expansion coil, keeping the metal of the strips slightly stretched and preventing any loss of motion at the different points of connection, and thereby furthering a very important object, which is to make of each series of expansion strips

and balance-levers a single spiral unit, throughout which the expansion and contraction of the strips are transmitted.

Also keyed to the shaft J is a power transmisson lever L, and any rotary motion imparted to said shaft is necessarily imparted to the lever L in the form of reciprocating motion.

Referring now to the power storage device, one or a number of which may be used in connection with my expansion coils.

Disposed approximately midway of the uprights C, C¹ and within casing M, secured at its ends to said uprights, is rotatably mounted a power transmission shaft M¹, keyed to which is a spur wheel M². Also mounted on the shaft M¹ is a spur wheel M³, meshing with which at its upper and lower sides are two spur wheels M⁴, M⁵, loosely mounted upon short supporting shafts M⁶, M⁷, journaled in uprights M⁸, M⁸ secured to the casing M. To each of the spur wheels M⁴, M⁵ is secured the outer end of a coil spring M⁹, M¹⁰, respectively, the inner ends of said springs being secured to the respective shafts M⁶, M⁷, the arrangement being such that when the springs are placed under tension by the rotation of the shafts M⁶, M⁷, the force of the springs rotates the spur wheels M⁴, M⁵, thereby rotating the spur wheel M³, shaft M¹ and the spur wheel M².

Also mounted upon each of the respective short shafts M⁶, M⁷, and keyed thereto, is a ratchet wheel M¹¹, M¹², and adjacent thereto and loosely mounted upon each of said shafts M⁶, M⁷ is a pawl carrier plate M¹³, M¹⁴, each carrying a pawl indicated at M¹⁵, M¹⁶, which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheels M¹¹, M¹², being held in engagement therewith by springs, one of which is shown at M¹⁷, secured to said pawl carrier M¹³. Suitably mounted upon the casing M, and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheels M¹¹, M¹², is a detent M¹⁹, to prevent reverse movement of said ratchet wheels.

The pawl carrier plate M¹³ is provided with a pin M²¹, and secured thereby loosely to said carrier is one end of a connecting rod M^21ª, the other end of said connecting rod being connected to one end of a longitudinally flexible coupling M²², the other end of said coupling being secured by means of the connecting rod M²³ to the power transmission lever L. The function of the flexible coupling M²² will be hereinafter referred to.

The pawl carrier M¹³ also carries, at its lower end, a pin N, and loosely mounted thereon is one end of a connecting rod N¹, the other end of said rod being connected to a pin N² secured to the pawl carrier M¹⁴, whereby, when motion is imparted to pawl carrier M¹³ and, through the pawl M¹⁵ to the ratchet wheel M¹¹, motion is imparted to the pawl carrier M¹⁴, and through its pawl M¹⁶ to the ratchet wheel M¹². From the pin N² is suspended a weight N³ to return the pawl carriers to their lowermost positions when they complete their upward travel.

The flexible coupling M²² comprises a tubular casing N⁴, which is provided at one end with an opening N⁵, through which projects a rod N⁶ having a head N⁷, which is adapted to bear against a spiral spring N⁸ mounted within said casing, the other end of said rod N⁶ being connected to the rod M²³.

The operation of the apparatus, as thus far described, will be more readily apparent from an inspection of Fig. 5.

Assuming that the expansion coil there shown has been subject to a normal temperature of say 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and at that temperature the lever L is in the position shown in full lines on a decrease in temperature of say 10 degrees, the contraction of the coil, which will operate upon its entire length, will exert a pressure at the ends thereof in the direction of the arrows, the result of which will be to rotate the shaft J and raise the lever L against the force of the weighted lever K (carrying the latter therewith) to the position shown in dotted lines, thereby actuating the ratchet wheels M¹¹, M¹², and winding up the springs M⁹, M¹⁰, of the power-storage device, the force there stored being afterwards taken off, as required, through the medium of the power transmission shaft M¹ and spur wheel M² and any suitable gearing or power transmission means.

The function of the flexible coupling indicated at M²² will now be quite clear. It will be seen that the coil spring N⁸ will be sufficiently strong not to give under the pull of the lever L except when the springs M⁹, M¹⁰ are wound full. When that condition exists, the coil spring N⁸ will give, under the force of the lever L, and

no further power will be applied to the springs M⁹, M¹⁰. When, however, those springs have become unwound to a sufficient extent the spring N⁸ of the coupling M²² will be stronger than the springs of the power-storage device and will transmit, from the expansion coil, the force necessary to wind said springs as often as they become unwound; in other cases the force will be expended in simply compressing the coil spring N⁸ without effect upon the springs of the power-storage device.

Referring now to what I will term the force-increasing devices, which are more clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 8 and 9.

Near each end of the upper knife-bar E, and contacting therewith at its under surface, is a support O, in the form of a flat-headed bolt (Fig. 8), the shank of said bolt passing through one end of lever O¹, which is fulcrumed at O² upon the upper surface of a cross-bar O³ securely fastened to the rear portion of the uprights C, C¹. To the front of said uprights is rigidly secured a second cross-bar O⁴, and at the lower portion of said uprights and rigidly secured thereto is a third cross-bar O⁵, against the under surface of which rests a lever O⁶ (Fig. 9) having its fulcrum point at O⁷.

As shown in Fig. 2, there are three sets of the levers O¹, at the upper end of the expansion coils at the rear side thereof below the knife-bars E, one lever at each end of said bar and one in the middle thereof. As these levers act directly upon the under surface of the knife-bars E to raise the same I will call them knife-bar lifting-levers. There are also the same number of levers O⁶ at the lower end of the expansion coils below the cross-bar O⁵ projecting through to the forward side of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1.

Rigidly secured to the cross-bar O⁴ is one end of a relatively heavy metallic expansion strip O⁸,—preferably formed of zinc—the lower end being secured to one end of the lever O⁶; to the opposite end of the lever O⁶ is secured the lower end of a similar but longer zinc strip O⁹, the upper end of the strip O⁹ being secured to the rear end of the lever O¹. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there are two of these strips O⁸ at the front and two of the strips O⁹ at the rear of the apparatus.

In addition to the heavy strips O⁸, O⁹, there is provided at the front of the apparatus a heavy wide expansion sheet or strip O¹⁰, which, at its upper end, is rigidly secured to the cross-bar O⁴, and at its lower end to the front end of the middle one of the levers O⁶. A similar heavy wide expansion sheet or strip O¹¹ is secured, at its lower end, to the rear end of the middle lever O⁶, and, at its upper end, to the middle one of the levers O¹.

These heavy strips O⁸, O⁹ and sheets O¹⁰, O¹¹ are preferably formed of zinc, and are not only capable of great expansion and contraction, but will be capable by their contraction of lifting the entire weight of the knife-bars E, with the carried balance-levers and expansion strips of expansion coils, the operation thereof being as follows:

The front strips O⁸ and rear strips O⁹ and the front sheets O¹⁰ and the rear sheets O¹¹ are connected to the levers O⁶, so as to form, in effect, single expansion strips and sheets of relatively great length. They are fastened, however, at their front upper ends to the cross-bars O⁴, so that the expansion cannot extend beyond that point and takes place in a direction towards the opposite end, and, of course, the contraction takes place in the opposite direction. Assuming now that at a temperature of say 75 degrees Fahr. these heavy strips and sheets lie in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 9 (the heavy strips O⁸, O⁹ being shown in Fig. 9, and the heavy wide sheets O¹⁰, O¹¹ in Fig. 4), on a decrease in temperature of say five degrees Fahr., the heavy strips O⁸, O⁹ and sheets O¹¹, O¹² will contract in the direction of the arrows, depressing the rear ends of the levers O¹, O⁶, and thereby through the levers O¹ lifting the knife-bars E, and the balance-levers suspended thereon, with the result that the force normally exerted at the ends of each expansion coil is increased to the extent of the lifting power of the contraction of the metal strips and sheets.

I have found by experiment as well as observation that the average daily change of temperature in residence and office buildings is about five degrees. Sometimes the changes will be much greater, and sometimes less. On even a low average of temperature change, my apparatus will be able to generate force in larger amounts than required, and the surplus will be stored in a power-storage device such as above described, or by means hereinafter referred to, which surplus will

be drawn upon when it should happen that the average temperature is approximately uniform.

For clearness of illustration, I have shown, as above stated, but two sets of expansion coils, but there is no limit to the number that may be used. Assuming that we have an apparatus with four expansion coils, each knife-bar holding 50 balance levers, giving a total of 200 levers, with expansion strips of the same number, in 5-foot lengths, we would have a total of 1,000 linear feet of zinc strips, which entire length of strips will, on the slightest change of temperature, get longer or shorter. The expansion and contracting of this 1,000 feet of zinc strips for every temperature change of 5 degrees Fahr. will be 1 inch. Now, assuming that the knife-bars are pulled upward by heavy strips O⁸, O⁹, and sheets O¹⁰, O¹¹ of five feet length (making ten feet for the front and rear strips and sheets), on a decrease in temperature of 5 degrees Fahr. the upward movement of those bars will be 10-1000 of one inch; this contraction (10-1000) will now be multiplied as many times as there are levers and strips in the expansion coils, viz., 200 times, which would be 2 inches, and this, together with 1 inch from the contraction of the expansion coils alone, will give a total movement of 3 inches. If the strips are of a capacity to pull or lift 100 pounds, we obtain a lift of 100 pounds 3 inches. As thirty-three per cent approximately must be deducted for loss by stress (it being necessary to place the coils under strain, as shown in the drawings and described above), the final result will be a power to lift 100 pounds 2 inches, or 10 pounds 20 inches, and this force will be sufficient to run a large sized time clock with powerful striking force.

As illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the power applied by the springs M⁹, M¹⁰ to the power transmission shaft M¹ is taken, through the spur wheel M² by means of any suitable gearing, to run a clock or any other machine adapted to the purpose. As there illustrated, I show the spur wheel M² meshing with a pinion P, through which is driven the spur wheel P¹, which latter meshes with a pinion P², through which is driven a sprocket wheel P³ carried by the bracket P⁴, which latter, as well as the shafts carrying said spur wheels and pinions, are supported by an upright P⁵ mounted upon the casing M. The sprocket wheel P³ carries a sprocket chain P⁶, which, through any suitable gearing, is adapted to wind the main spring of a clock indicated at Q, carried by suitable supports on the cross-bar Q¹ secured to the uprights C, C¹. As this clock may be of any well known form, it will not be necessary to describe the same in detail, except to state that as soon as the main spring of the clock becomes weaker than the springs of the power-storage device illustrated in Fig. 7, the latter will wind the clock main spring, and as in this manner it is wound frequently, it is always kept at a uniform high tension, which is desirable and results in good time-keeping.

In Fig. 12 I show a modification of my invention, wherein, instead of having the balance-levers F, F¹ arranged side by side, they are superposed one above the other, in this case a plurality of knife-bars E, E¹ also being superposed one above the other, the expansion strips G, G¹, etc. (in this case shown as formed of wires or rods), and balance-levers being arranged in the same plane, somewhat in the nature of a coiled spring, the coil shaft being indicated at J and the coil lever at I, to which are connected the end expansion strips G, G^x, and the weight K¹ for placing the coil under tension. By this arrangement of balance-levers and expansion strips, in the same plane, much economy of space is effected, and when desired, a great number of such coils may be suspended upon the series of knife-bars.

In Fig. 12ª I show two such coils connected in series, the terminal expansion strip G^x of the front coil being connected to one end of the lever I, and the opposite terminal G of that coil being connected to the shortest one of the rear set of levers F^1ª, the terminal G^y of the rear set being connected to the other end of the lever I. Thus two or more such coils may be connected, and the force of expansion and contraction of the combined coils transmitted to the lever I. When a number of such combined coils are suspended from the knife-bars E, E¹, the levers connecting their respective terminals may be themselves connected by a system of compound levers such, for example, as shown in Fig. 13, to be hereinafter referred to.

Referring now to Figs. 13 to 20 inclusive. These figures illustrate another form of the invention whereby not only the power-storage device of the preceding

figures may be dispensed with, but also the main spring of the clock there shown, both of these elements being supplanted by apparatus effecting the raising and lowering of weights (in this instance shown in the form of balls), the force of expansion and contraction of the coils being utilized to operate a rotary member which elevates a series of weights and discharges the same into a storage receiver, the clock (or other machine) being operated through the energy so stored and given up by the falling of said weights.

As illustrated in said figures, this feature of the invention consists of a frame, indicated in whole at 10, located about midway the length of the expansion coils shown in Fig. 1, and it may be supported by securing it to the uprights C, C¹, or in any other suitable manner.

Said frame comprises two horizontally disposed longitudinal framing members, 10ª, 10^b, which are connected at each end by cross-bars (not shown).

Mounted on the supports 10ª, 10^b, are four uprights, 12ª, 12^b, 13ª, 13^b. The uprights 12ª 12^b are connected at their upper ends by a longitudinal framing member 14ª, and the uprights 13ª 13^b are connected by longitudinal framing member 14^b, said framing members 14ª 14^b being also in turn connected at their ends by transverse bars (not shown), said members constituting an open frame for the working parts of the apparatus.

Mounted respectively upon the longitudinal framing members 10ª 10^b, approximately midway thereof, are two standards, 16ª 16^b, which are rigidly secured together by a cross-bar 17, said standards and cross-bar constituting a rigid support for the gearing now to be described.

Rotatably mounted upon the standards 16ª, 16^b is a driving shaft 18, one end of which is journaled in the standard 16ª, and the other end in a bearing-bolt 19 passing through the standard 16^b, which, being threaded, is capable of fine adjustment.

Mounted upon and keyed to the shaft 18 is a wheel 19, the spokes 20 of which support a rim 21, within which are set a series of pockets 22, the inner surfaces of which are so shaped as to permit their receiving successively, at the bottom of the wheel, a series of balls 23 and holding the same during a travel of 180 degrees, or one-half revolution of the wheel, when they are discharged as hereinafter described. This wheel I will term an energy-storing wheel, since it acts through the force taken from the expansion coils to raise the balls, the lowering of which is to drive the wheel now to be described.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 18 is a wheel 24, smaller in diameter than the wheel 19, the spokes 25 of which, secured to the hub 26, support a rim 27, within which are set a series of pockets 28, which are adapted to receive successively, at the top of the wheel, the balls 23, and discharge the same when they have been lowered through 180 degrees or, in other words, at the bottom of the wheel. The inner wall of the pockets 28 is formed, for the most part, with a pronounced rounded groove (indicated at 28ª), as shown above the ball in Fig. 18, which groove lies under the ball when the pocket is in its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 17, said groove becoming less pronounced at one edge towards the opposite portion of the pocket, at which point it has an approximately level surface at one side, as shown in Fig. 18, and indicated at 28^b; the subject of this arrangement being that the ball may be readily discharged in this position, and securely held within the pocket when the ball and pocket are in other positions. The wheel 24—which I will designate as the power-transmission wheel—is supported upon ball bearings indicated at 28^c, 28^d, which are held in position by collars 28^e, 28^f, both keyed to shaft 18.

Mounted upon a collar 29, which is keyed to the driving shaft 18, is a ratchet wheel 30, engaging the teeth of which are two pawls 31, 32, secured to one arm of a double-arm pawl-carrier 33, the other arm of which is connected by a rod 34 to a lever 35, one end of which lever is pivotally connected to a standard 36, secured to the frame, and the other end of which is provided with a weight 36ª.

Near the inner end of the lever 35 connection is made by means of the connecting rods 37 and 38, link 39 and rods 40, 41, with two levers indicated at L, L, which are adapted to take power from the expansion coils heretofore described, through the coil shafts J, J, to which shafts are also connected the coil levers I, I, the ends of the latter being connected to the strips G, G^x of the expansion coil by the wires H, H¹, as already set forth and clearly illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.

As illustrated in Fig. 13, upon contraction of the

expansion coils, the wires H, H¹ will be pulled in the direction indicated by the arrows, the ends of the long arms of the levers L, L—through the movement of the shafts J, J—will rise, thereby, through the rods 40, 41, link 39 and rods 38, 37, raising the lever 35, and through the rod 34 actuating the pawl carrier 33, and through the pawls 31, 32, imparting rotary motion to the ratchet wheel 30, and, through it, to the shaft 18 and the power-storing wheel 19, said pawl carrier being returned to its normal position by the weight 36ª. Motion of said wheel and shaft in the reverse direction is prevented by means of a ratchet wheel 42, keyed to the collar 29, engaging the teeth of which wheel is a detent 43, carried by a plate 44, secured to the supports 45, affixed to the standard 16ª.

The hub member 26 of the power transmission wheel 24 is provided with a sprocket wheel 46, which is adapted to engage and drive a sprocket chain 47, and thereby drive the great wheel of a clock mechanism or gearing of any other machine adapted to the purpose.

Having shown the mechanism for driving the energy-storing wheel 19, which, as already stated, is keyed to the shaft 18, I will now describe the mechanism for driving the power transmission wheel 24, which runs loose on the shaft 18.

It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 16 that the wheel 19 is of greater diameter than the wheel 24.

Suitably mounted between said wheels, on cross-bars 48, 49, I provide a series of ball-storage runways designated in whole at 50 (see Fig. 14), and, as shown in Fig. 16, these runways are laterally inclined downwardly from the wheel 19 to the wheel 24.

Similar ball runways designated in whole at 51 are provided at the lower portion of said wheels and between the same (Fig. 20), being mounted upon cross-bars 52, 53, but the last named runways are laterally inclined in the reverse direction to that of the runways 50.

The ball-storage runways 50 comprise inclined floor members 54, 54ª, 54^b, each having longitudinally a slight downward inclination in the direction of the arrows. These runways also comprise longitudinally extending walls 55, 56, 57, 58, one end of the wall 55 being curved to meet one end of the wall 57, leaving a passageway 59 between it and one end of the wall 56. One end of the wall 58 is similarly curved to meet one end of the wall 56, leaving a passageway 60 between it and one end of the wall 57. Thus are provided parallel runways 61, 62 and 63, with passageways from one to the other, whereby a ball deposited in runway 61 will move continuously from that end of the series of runways to the other end. The runway 61 is provided with an end wall 61ª, and adjacent thereto the longitudinal wall 55 is provided with an opening 61^b to permit the passage therethrough successively of balls from the energy-storing wheel 19 to the runway 61.

Projecting through the standard 16^b is a threaded bolt 63ª, the end of the shank of which is beveled, as clearly shown in Figs. 14 and 16, the function of which is to eject from the uppermost pocket 22 of the wheel 19, as the same revolves, the balls 23, and thrust them successively into the runway 61.

At the lower end of the runway 63 is provided a laterally movable receptacle 64, which has a receiving capacity of one ball only. Said receptacle comprises a base 65 and perpendicular stop 66. The base 65 is connected to the floor member 54^b of the runway 63 by a horizontally disposed hinge 67, and to it is also affixed a plate 68, carrying a downwardly extending lever arm 69, which is formed at its lower extremity with an outwardly curving portion 70, which is adapted to engage with the spokes 25 of the wheel 24 and be thereby pressed inwardly, the result of which is to depress the outer end of the base 65 of the ball receptacle 64, inclining the same in such position that the ball therein will fall into the adjacent pocket of the wheel 24, the ball being prevented from falling therefrom on the opposite side by the stop 71 secured to the standard 16ª. The center of gravity of the lever arm 69 is such that when the curved lower portion is in its normal forwardly extended position the rear side of the base 65 of the receptacle 64 will be depressed and the forward side elevated, so that the forward side will normally project above the floor level of the runway 63 and serve as a stop to prevent more than one ball occupying any of the space within said receptacle at one time.

The ball-storage runways 51 comprise inclined floor members 72, 72ª, 72^b, each having a slight downward inclination longitudinally in the direction of the arrows. They also comprise longitudinally extending walls 73,

74, 75 and 76, one end of the wall 73 being curved to meet one end of the wall 75, leaving a passageway 77 between it and one end of the wall 74. One end of the wall 76 is similarly curved to meet one end of the wall 74, leaving a passageway 78 between it and the other end of the wall 75. There are thus formed parallel runways 79, 80 and 81, with passageways from one to the other, whereby a ball deposited at the other end of the runway 79 will move continuously from that end of the series of runways to the other end. The runway 79 is provided with an end wall 82, and adjacent thereto the longitudinal wall 76 is provided with an opening 76ª to permit the passage therethrough, at intervals, of balls from the power-transmission wheel 24 to the runway 79. Adjacent the wall 82 is perpendicularly disposed pin 82ª whereby the balls, as they pass through the opening in the wall 76 are deflected to pass through the runway 79 in the direction of the arrow.

At the lower end of the runway 81 is provided a laterally movable receptacle 83, which has a receiving capacity for one ball only. Said receptacle comprises a base 84 and end stop 85. Said receptacle is horizontally hinged at 86 to the floor member 72 of the runway 81, and is provided with an outward extension 87, which is adapted to be engaged by a shoulder 88 on the ball pockets 22, and thereby depress the outer edge of the base of the receptacle in such a way as to eject the ball therefrom, and place the same in the pocket of the wheel 19.

It will be seen that the hinge 86 (Fig. 19) is off center and when the base 84 of the receptacle 83 is depressed at the rear the upper end of a pin 89, projecting upwardly from the base 84 contacts with the upper portion of the wall 74, thereby preventing the rear portion of the base being depressed too low. When a ball is in said receptacle, the forward end will be elevated so that a portion of the side edge of the base will be projected above the floor member of the runway 81, serving as a stop to prevent more than one ball occupying any of the space within said receptacle. When one ball moves into a pocket 22, another ball quickly moves into the receptacle, taking its position at the rear thereof. This operation takes place when the base 84 is level with the floor member of the runway 81, the outer end of the base rising as soon as the pocket and its ball have passed by the projection 87.

It will be seen that the energy-storing wheel 19, which takes its motive power through the shaft 18 from the expansion coils, acts to raise the balls or weights from the lower ball runways 51 to the ball storage runways 50. The wheel 19 may act at more or less irregular intervals, while the power transmission wheel 24 acts—and must act—continuously and regularly. This wheel takes and transmits power from the lowering of the balls, which are delivered to it when the pockets are in the position of the one shown uppermost in Fig. 15, and are discharged from the pockets when in the position of the one shown lowermost in said figure, in which position of the wheel the approximately flat surface of the pocket (Fig. 18) is lowermost, or under the ball, permitting ready discharge of same. From the delivery side of the power transmission wheel 24 the balls are discharged into the runway 79, being deflected into proper direction by the pin 83ª, thence passing through the passageway 78 through the runway 80 in the direction of the arrow, thence through the opening 77 into the runway 81, thence into receptacle 83, and when the shoulder 88 of the energy-storing wheel 19 reaches a point opposite said receptacle the base of the latter is depressed, which results in passing a ball into the wheel pocket; as the wheel turns and the next pocket arrives in position another ball is taken on, and so on, as long as there are any balls in the lower runway. When a ball on the wheel 19 reaches the uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 16, it contacts with the ejector 63ª and is thereby passed into the runway 61 and thence to the lower end of that series of runways, and in the same way the balls following will take position in the upper series of runways.

It will be understood that when my invention is applied to the operation of a clock the power taken from the power transmission wheel 24 will be given up gradually, being controlled by the pendulum or balance wheel governed escapement in the usual way.

In the application of my invention as last above described the apparatus will be designed and built to furnish energy sufficient not only to run the clock, but provide a surplus for storage. On some days the variation in temperature may be but two or three degrees, and on

other days it may be as high as twenty degrees. If the clock requires for its operation the lowering of three balls each day the apparatus will be so arranged that with an average daily temperature variation of, say, six degrees, four balls will be raised, of which three will operate the power transmission wheel and one will be held in storage. With a variation of twelve degrees, eight balls will be raised, of which five balls will be left in storage. If the ball storage runways each have a holding capacity for one hundred balls, and the variation in temperature is greater than required, the balls will soon be lifted from the lower to the upper runways. Assuming that on certain days there will be no variation in temperature, and as a result the energy-storing wheel should not revolve, the running of the clock will not be interrupted, for the power transmission wheel will continue revolving, taking its power from the balls in storage.

I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts as herein set forth and described or to the materials specified, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.