463 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
463 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
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(word processor parameters LM=8, RM=75, TM=2, BM=2)
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Taken from KeelyNet BBS (214) 324-3501
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Sponsored by Vangard Sciences
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PO BOX 1031
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Mesquite, TX 75150
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There are ABSOLUTELY NO RESTRICTIONS
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on duplicating, publishing or distributing the
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files on KeelyNet!
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April 17, 1991
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BROWN1.ASC
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This file courtesy of David Brune.
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The graphics file is listed on KeelyNet as BRNPICS.ZIP.
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The following text is removed directly from the BROWN patent for
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electrostatic propulsion/levitation.
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My invention relates to electrokinetic apparatus, and more
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particularly to method and apparatus for utilizing electrical
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potentials for the production of forces for the purpose of causing
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relative motion between a structure and the surrounding medium.
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This invention was disclosed and described in my application Serial
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No. 293,465, filed June 13, 1952, which application has become
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abandoned. However, reference may be made to this application for
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the purpose of completing the disclosure set forth below.
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The invention utilizes ad heretofore unknown electrokinetic
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phenomenon which I have discovered; namely, that when a pair of
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electrodes of appropriate form are held in a certain fixed spaced
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relation to each other and immersed in a dielectric medium and then
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oppositely charged to an appropriate degree, a force is produced
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tending to move the pair of electrodes through the medium.
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The invention is concerned primarily with certain apparatus for
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utilizing such phenomenon in various manners to be described.
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Priorly, intervening electrokinetic apparatus has been employed to
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convert electrical energy to mechanical energy and then to convert
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the mechanical energy to the required force. Except for the
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insignificantly small forces of electrostatic attraction and
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repulsion, electrical energy has not been used for the direct
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production of force and motion.
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Since and conversion of energy from one form to another is
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accompanied by losses due to friction, radiation or conduction of
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heat, hysteresis, and the like, as well as serious reductions in the
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availability of the energy by increases in the entropy of the
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system, it is apparent that great increases in efficiency may be
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achieved through the use of the direct production of electrical
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energy and force and motion made possible by my invention.
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Likewise, the elimination of the machinery for the intermediate
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conversions results in great savings in first costs, maintenance,
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Page 1
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weight and space, the latter two being of great importance in self-
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propelled vehicles including mobile vehicles such as aircraft and
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space craft.
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It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an apparatus
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for converting the energy of an electrical potential directly into a
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mechanical force suitable for causing relative motion between a
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structure and the surrounding medium.
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It is another object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus
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for converting and electrical potential directly to usable kinetic
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energy.
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It is another object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus
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for converting electrostatic energy directly into kinetic energy.
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It is another object of this invention to provide a vehicle
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motivated by electrostatic energy without the use of moving parts.
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It is still another object of this invention to provide a self-
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propelled vehicle without moving parts.
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It is a feature of my invention to provide an apparatus for
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producing relative motion between a structure and the surrounding
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medium which apparatus includes a pair of electrodes of appropriate
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form held in fixed spaced relation to each other and immersed in a
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dielectric medium and oppositely charged.
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It is another feature of my invention to provide apparatus which
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includes a body defining one electrode, another separate electrode
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supported in fixed spaced relation by said body, and a source of
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high electrical potential connected between the body and the
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separate electrode.
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It is also a feature of my invention to provide apparatus having a
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body which is hollow and a source of potential contained within the
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body.
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It is another feature of my invention to provide apparatus having a
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body and an electrode connected to the body, which combination
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comprises a vehicle.
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It is also a feature of my invention to provide apparatus which
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comprises a plurality of assemblies, each including a body and an
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electrode secured in side-by-side spaced relation to each other.
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It is another feature of my invention to provide vehicular apparatus
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which includes a pair electrically conductive body portions joined
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by an insulating portion, whereby said electrically conductive
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portions constitute the electrodes.
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Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a
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consideration of the following specification, read in connection
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with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
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Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating diagrammatically a
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simple form of apparatus embodying and functioning in
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accordance with the principles of my invention;
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Page 2
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Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;
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Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which a
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plurality of devices of the character illustrated in Figure
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1 may be interconnected for joint operation;
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Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a
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modified form of the invention providing a means for
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reversing direction of the propulsive force produced;
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Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating diagrammatically a self-
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propelled device utilizing the principles of this
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invention;
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Figure 6 is a perspective view of one illustrative embodiment of
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this invention showing a pair of electrokinetic propulsion
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devices suspended from a rotatable arm which arm is
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supported at its midpoint;
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Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a mobile vehicle with parts
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broken away to show the interior construction;
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Figure 8 is a side elevational view illustrating diagrammatically
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the arrangement of parts used in an alternative form of
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mobile vehicle.
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Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated in Figure 1 a simple
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form of apparatus which is readily adaptable for use in
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demonstrating the principles of my invention, and which is utilized
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in this application as a simplified representation to facilitate an
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understanding of the principles involved.
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The apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 constitutes on electrode which
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is preferably in the form of a body member 20, said member
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preferable comprising a relatively thing flat plate.
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A second electrode 21, in the form of a wire or other suitable form
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of electrical conductor is held as be means of insulated supports 22
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in fixed spaced relation to the body 20, the wire 21 being disposed
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in the plane of the body 20 and preferably substantially parallel
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with a leading edge 23 of the body 20. A source 24 of high voltage
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electrical potential is provided and connected as shown at 25 and 26
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to the two electrodes 20 and 21, respectively.
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I have discovered that when apparatus of the character just
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described is immersed in a dielectric medium, as for example, the
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ordinary air of the atmosphere, there is produced a force tending to
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move the entire assembly through the medium, and this force is
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applied in such direction as to tend to move the body 20 towards the
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leading electrode 21. This force produces relative motion between
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the apparatus and the surrounding fluid dielectric.
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Thus, if the apparatus is held in a fixed position, the dielectric
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medium is caused to move past the apparatus and to this extent the
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apparatus may be considered as analogous to a pump or fan.
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Conversely, if the apparatus is free to move, the relative motion
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between the medium and the apparatus results in a forward motion of
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the apparatus, and it is thus seen that the apparatus is a self-
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Page 3
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propulsive device.
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While the phenomenon just described has been observed and its
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existence confirmed by repeated experiment, the principles involved
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are not completely understood. It has been determined that the
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greatest forces are developed when the leading electrode is made
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positive with respect to the body 20, and it is accordingly thought
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that in the immediate vicinity of the electrode 21 where the
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potential gradient is very high, free electrons are stripped off of
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the atoms and molecules of the surrounding medium.
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These electrons migrate to the positive electrode 21 where they are
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collected. This removal of free electrons leaves the respective
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atoms and molecules positively charged and such charged atoms and
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molecules are accordingly repelled from the positive electrode 21
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and attracted toward the negative electrode 20.
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The paths of movement of these positively charged particles appear
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to be of the nature represented by the lines 27 in Figure 2.
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It appears that upon reaching or closely approaching the surface of
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the body 20, the positively charged atoms and molecules have their
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positive charges neutralized by the capture of electrons from the
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body 20 and in many cases, it may be that excess electrons are
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captured whereby to five such atoms and molecules a negative charge
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so that they are actually repelled from the body 20.
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It will be appreciated that the mass of each of the individual
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electrons is approximately one two-thousandths the mass of the
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hydrogen atom and is accordingly negligible as compared with the
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mass of the atoms and molecules of the medium from this they are
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taken.
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The principle forces involved therefore are the forces involved in
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moving the charged atoms and molecules from the region of the
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positive electrode 21 to and beyond the negatively charged body
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20. The force so exerted by the system on these atoms and molecules
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not only produces a flow of the medium relative to the apparatus,
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but, of course, results in a like force on the system tending to
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move the entire system in the opposite direction; that is, to the
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left as viewed in Figure 1 of the drawing.
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The above suggested explanation of the mode of operation of the
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device is supported by observation of the fact that the dimensions
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and potentials utilized must be adjusted to produce the required
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electric field and the resulting propulsive force.
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Actually I have found that the potential gradient must be below that
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value required to produce a visible corona since corona is
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objectionable inasmuch as it represents losses through the radiation
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of heat, light and molecular charges in the medium.
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My experiments have indicated that the electrode 21 may be of small
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diameter for the lower voltage ranges, i.e. below 125 kv, while
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above this voltage, rod or hollow pipe electrodes are preferred.
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These large electrodes are preferred for the higher voltages since
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sharp points or edges are eliminated which at these elevated
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potentials would produce losses thus diminishing the thrust.
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Page 4
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For example, electrodes to be operated at potentials below 125 kv.
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may be made from small gauge wire only large enough to provide the
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required mechanical rigidity while electrodes to be operated at
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potentials above 125 kv. may be hollow pipes or rods having a
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diameter of 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
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In Figure 3, I have illustrated the manner in which a plurality of
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assemblies, such as are shown in Figure 1, may be interconnected for
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joint operation. As may be seen from Figure 3, a plurality of such
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assemblies are placed in spaced side-by-side relation.
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They may be held fixed in such spaced relation through the use of a
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plurality of tie rods 28 and interposed spacers (not shown) placed
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between adjacent plates 20.
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The assembly of plates 20 may be electrically interconnected by a
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bus bar or similar conductor 29 to which the negative lead 25 is
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connected.
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In a similar way, the plurality of positive leading electrodes 21
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may be held in appropriately spaces relation to each other by
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fastening their ends to pairs of bus bars 30 and 31, to the latter
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of which the positive lead 26 is connected. The assembly of leading
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electrodes 21 may be held in spaced relation to the assembly of body
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members 20 by an appropriate arrangement of the supports 22.
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In Figure 4, I have illustrated diagrammatically an arrangement of
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parts for producing a reversible action; that is, permitting the
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direction of the propulsive force to be reversed.
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The apparatus is similar to that shown in Figure 1, differing
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therefrom in utilizing a pair of leading electrodes 21f and 21r
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spaced by means of spacers 22 from the front and rear edges 23f and
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23r of the body member 20 in a manner similar to that described with
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reference to the supports 22 in Figure 1. The source 24 of high
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voltage electrical potential has its negative terminal connected to
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the body 20 as by means of the aforementioned conductor 25.
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The positive terminal is connected as by means of the conductor 26
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to the blade 27 of a single-pole, double-throw switch, serving in
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one position to connect the conductor 26 to a conductor 26f which is
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in turn connected to forward electrode 21f and arranged in its
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opposite position to connect the conductor 26 to a conductor 26r
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which is in turn connected to the reverse electrode 21r.
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It will be seen that with the switch 27 in the position shown in
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Figure 4, the apparatus will operate in the manner described in
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connection with Figure 1, causing the assembly to move to the left
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as viewed in Figure 4.
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By throwing the switch 27 to the opposite position, the direction of
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the forces produced are reversed and the device moves to the right
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as viewed in Figure 4.
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In Figure 5, I have illustrated the principles of the invention as
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embodied in a simple form of mobile vehicle. This device includes a
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body member 50 which is preferably of the form of a circular disc
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somewhat thicker in its center that at its edges.
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Page 5
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The disc 50 constitutes one of the electrodes and is equivalent of
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the body member 20 referred to in connection with Figure 1. A
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leading electrode 51 in the form of a wire or similar small diameter
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conductor is supported form the body 50 by a plurality of insulating
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supports 52 in uniform spaced parallel relation to a leading edge
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portion 53 of the body 50.
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A skirt or similar faring 54 may be carried by the body 50 to round
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out the entire structure so as to provide a device which is
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substantially circular in plan.
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A source of high voltage electrical potential 55 is provided with
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its negative terminal connected as indicated at 56 to the body 50
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and its positive terminal connected as indicated at 57 to the
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leading electrode 51.
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The device operates in the same manner as the apparatus shown in
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Figure 1 to produce a force tending to move the entire assembly
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through the surrounding medium to the left as viewed in Figure 5 of
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the drawing.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If you have comments or other information relating to such topics
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as this paper covers, please upload to KeelyNet or send to the
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Vangard Sciences address as listed on the first page.
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Thank you for your consideration, interest and support.
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Jerry W. Decker.........Ron Barker...........Chuck Henderson
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Vangard Sciences/KeelyNet
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If we can be of service, you may contact
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Jerry at (214) 324-8741 or Ron at (214) 242-9346
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Page 6
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Page 4
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