Abstract Method and apparatus for generating a thrust for use in any environment where thrust is desired as for example for propelling a device whereby the force which moves the device is supplied by the movement inside the device of a mass along a curvilinear path. Since a mass following a curvilinear path necessarily produces a force tending to accelerate the mass toward an instantaneous center of curvature and that force is equal to the mass, expressed in slugs, times the radius, in feet, times the angular velocity squared, in radians/sec., periodic variation of mass, radius or angular velocity of a mass moving in a closed path produces an uncompensated force in a given direction with resultant tendency for movement in that direction. A number of different devices, including devices which utilize the atmosphere being travelled through to interact cyclically with eccentric rotors to produce acceleration and deceleration of the rotor, devices which expel a propulsive fluid after interaction with the rotor to produce cyclic acceleration and deceleration, and devices which produce thrust by cyclic acceleration and deceleration of eccentric rotors through interaction with natural or artifically applied magnetic, electric or thermal gradients, are disclosed.
A method of moving a machine comprising the steps of: moving a part and a fluid medium within said machine along a curvilinear path so that said part accelerates toward an instantaneous center of curvature; and cyclically increasing and decreasing the mass of said fluid medium to change the magnitude of the acceleration toward the center of curvature so as to produce a net force on said machine in a given direction to cause said machine to move in that given direction including expelling at least a portion of said fluid medium from said machine after said net force has been produced.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of moving a machine comprising the steps of: moving a part and a fluid medium within said machine along a curvilinear path so that said part accelerates toward an instantaneous center of curvature; and cyclically increasing and decreasing the mass of said fluid medium to change the magnitude of the acceleration toward the center of curvature so as to produce a net force on said machine in a given direction to cause said machine to move in that given direction including expelling at least a portion of said fluid medium from said machine after said net force has been produced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of changing includes the step of cyclically increasing and decreasing the radius of gyration of said fluid medium.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of propelling a machine comprising the steps of: spinning a pair of rotors mounted within said machine in opposite directions in parallel planes so that the coupling moments produced by one of said rotors is instantaneously cancelled by the coupling moments produced by the other of said rotors; and alternately accelerating and decelerating said rotors to produce a net force in a given direction and resultant motions in said given direction including the step of causing fluid to flow through a portion of each of said rotors during part of a cycle equal in length to the time or a multiple thereof required to complete said interval of rotation so that a second net force in said given direction is produced.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of propelling a machine comprising the steps of: spinning a pair of rotors mounted within said machine in opposite directions in parallel planes so that the coupling moments produced by one of said rotors is instantaneously cancelled by the coupling moments produced by the other of said rotors; and alternately accelerating and decelerating said rotors to produce a net force in a given direction and resultant motions in said given direction including the step of causing fluid to flow through a portion of each of said rotors during part of a cycle equal in length to the time or a multiple thereof required to complete said interval of rotation so that a second net force in said given direction is produced.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 3, wherein at least two rotors are mounted in the same plane.