Electrostatic device with controllable acceleration

Claim 2

An electrostatic device utilizing the ''''Johnson-Rahbek'''' effect comprising: at least first and second drums having axes of rotation in spaced, parallel relationship, and having peripheries coated with semi-conductor material; first and second drive means for rotating said first and second drums respectively at a constant rotational velocity; said first and second drums being dimensioned so as to produce substantially different peripheral speeds in cooperation with said first and second drive means respectively; at least one electrically conducting band being wrapped around a portion of the periphery of the first drum and around a portion of the periphery of the second drum so as to contact the semiconductor material thereon; said band having first and second ends with the first end being connected to a tensioNing device and the second end being connected to a utilization device; and energizing means to energize the first drum to attract the band thereto to impart the motion of the first drum to the band, and to simultaneously deenergize the first drum and energize the second drum to attract the band thereto to impart the motion of the second drum to the band, the motion imparted to the band by the first and second drums being cumulative and in the same direction.

Claim 3

The electrostatic device as claimed in claim 1 in which the second drum is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of the first drum, and in which the second drum is rotated at a higher speed than the first drum.

Claim 4

The electrostatic device as claimed in claim 1 further including a third drum having its periphery coated with semi-conductor material and third drive means for rotating said third drum at a constant rotational velocity; said first, second, and third drums being identical in size and having their axes of rotation lying in a common plane; said second drum being rotated in a direction which is opposite to the direction of said first and third drums; and said second drum being rotated at a substantially higher speed than said first drum, and said third drum being rotated at a substantially higher speed than said second drum; said band also being wrapped around a portion of the periphery of the third drum; said energizing means being adapted to energize the third drum after the second drum is energized and to simultaneously deenergize the second drum upon the energization of the third drum.

Claim 5

The electrostatic device as claimed in claim 3 further comprising at least a second electrically conducting band being wrapped around portions of said first, second, and third drums to operate in a manner identical to that of said first-named band.

Claim 6

An electrostatic device utilizing the ''''Johnson-Rahbek'''' effect comprising: a plurality of drums having axes of rotation in spaced, parallel relationship with one another and having peripheries coated with semi-conductor material; drive means for rotating each of said drums at a constant rotational velocity, said drums being so dimensioned as to produce substantially different peripheral speeds in cooperation with said drive means, with said drums being arranged in a sequence so that the first drum in the sequence has a first peripheral speed and each succeeding drum in the sequence has a substantially higher peripheral speed than the preceding drum; a plurality of electrically conducting bands being wrapped around a portion of each of the peripheries of said drums so as to contact the semi-conductor material thereon, each said band having a first end and a second end, means for connecting said first ends to a tensioning device and for insulating said bands from one another; each said second end being connected to a utilization device; control means for selecting the band to be energized; and energizing means to energize the first drum to attract the selected band thereto to impart the motion of the first drum to the selected band, and then to simultaneously deenergize the first drum and energize the next succeeding drum in the sequence, and to similarly sequentially energize and deenergize the remaining drums in the sequence to thereby impart the motion of the last drum in the sequence to the selected band and the associated utilization device, the motion imparted to the selected band by the drum being cumulative and in the same direction.

Claim 7

An electrostatic device utilizing the ''''Johnson-Rahbek'''' effect comprising: a plurality of drums having axes of rotation in spaced, parallel relationship with one another and having peripheries coated with semi-conductor material; drive means for rotating each of said drums at a constant rotational velocity, said drums being so dimensioned as to produce substantially different peripheral speeds in cooperation with said drive means, with said drums being arranged in a sequence so that the first drum in the sequence has a first peripheral speed and each succeeding drum in the sequence has a substantially higher peripheral speed than the preceding drum; a plurality of electrically conducting bands being wrapped around a portion of each of the peripheries of said drums so as to contact the semi-conductor material thereon, each said band having a first end and a second end, means for connecting said first ends to a tensioning device and for insulating said bands from one another; each said second end being connected to a utilization device; control means for selecting the band to be energized; and energizing means to energize the first drum to attract the selected band thereto to impart the motion of the first drum to the selected band, and then to simultaneously deenergize the first drum and energize the next succeeding drum in the sequence, and to similarly sequentially energize and deenergize the remaining drums in the sequence to thereby impart the motion of the last drum in the sequence to the selected band and the associated utilization device, the motion imparted to the selected band by the drum being cumulative and in the same direction.