Permanent magnet propulsion system

Claim 2

A propulsion system wherein an ordered arrangement of permanent magnets provides the propulsion force comprising: a base structure; a pair of tracks mounted on top of said base structure, said tracks being in spaced parallel relationship to each other; a first row of permanent magnets mounted on top of said base structure, directly outboard from and adjacent to one of said tracks, with all of the north seeking poles of said row of magnets pointed towards said tracks and all of the south seeking poles pointed away from said track; a second row of permanent magnets mounted on top of said base structure, directly outboard from and adjacent to the other of said tracks, with all of the south seeking poles of said second row of magnets pointed towards said other track and all of the north seeking poles pointed away from the other said track; at least one ball positioned between and supported by said tracks, said ball being constructed from a ferro-magnetic material whereby the magnetic field of said first and second row of magnets propels said ball along said tracks; and a clamping means for positioning and retaining each of the magnets of said first and second rows onto said base structure.

Claim 3

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the top surface of said base structure is substantially horizontal.

Claim 4

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the top surface of said base structure is inclined.

Claim 5

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein said magnets are positioned such that the distance some of said magnets are mounted outboard from said tracks increases in the direction of ball movement whereby said ball after being propelled to the top of the inclined plane may descend vertically out of the magnetic field of said magnets.

Claim 6

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein said magnets are arranged such that the magnetic axes of the magnets of one of said rows are in staggered relationship to the magnetic axes of the magnets of the other of said rows.

Claim 7

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein more than one ferro-magnetic ball positioned between and supported by said tracks is propelled by the magnetic field of said first and second rows of magnets.

Claim 8

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between the magnetic axes of adjacent magnets in either of said rows decreases in the direction of movement of said ball whereby the magnetic field acting on said ball increases in the direction of said movement.

Claim 9

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the size of the magnets in either of said rows increases in the direction of movement of said ball whereby the magnetic field acting on said ball increases in the direction of said movement.

Claim 10

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein said magnets are arranged such that all of the magnetic axes of said magnets are perpendicular to said tracks.

Claim 11

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein said magnets are arranged such that some of the magnetic axes of said magnets are perpendicular to said tracks and the remainder of the magnetic axes of said magnets are oblique to said tracks.

Claim 12

A permanent magnet propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises: a guide bar mounted onto said base structure, aligned with and positioned directly above each of said rows of magnets and having a vertical slot extending through the center of said bar; a plurality of slideable members retained by each of said guide bars, each of said slideable members corresponding to one of said magnets and having a T-slot for engaging said guide bars; a plurality of adusting screws, each of said screws being in threaded engagement by one of said slideable members and extending through the slot of one of said guide bars; and a plurality of V-blocks, each of said blocks having an inverted V-notch engaging one of said magnets and a circular depression on the top side thereof engaging one of said adjusting screws whereby a clamping force is exerted upon said magnet for positioning and retaining said magnet onto said base structure.

Claim 13

In a permanent magnet propulsion system the combination of: a pair of spaced parallel tracks; and a row of permanent magnets mounted directly outboard from each of said tracks with all north seeking poles of the magnets of one of said rows being adjacent to one of said tracks and all south seeking poles of the magnets of the other of said tracks being adjacent to the other of said tracks.

Claim 14

In a permanent magnet propulsion system the combination of: a pair of spaced parallel tracks; and a row of permanent magnets mounted directly outboard from each of said tracks with all north seeking poles of the magnets of one of said rows being adjacent to one of said tracks and all south seeking poles of the magnets of the other of said tracks being adjacent to the other of said tracks.

Claim 15

In a permanent magnet propulsion system the combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein the magnetic axes of the magnets in one of said rows are in staggered relationship to the magnetic axes of the magnets in the other of said rows.

Claim 16

In a permanent magnet propulsion system the combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein said magnets are arranged such that in the direction of propulsion the distance from some magnets to the adjacent track corresponding thereto increases.

Claim 17

A propulsion system wherein an ordered arrangement of permanent magnets provides the propulsion force comprising: a base structure having a top surface, said surface having a plurality of pairs of an upward sloping surface followed by a downward sloping surface; a pair of tracks mounted on top of said base structure, said tracks being in spaced parallel relationship to each other in alignment with each upward sloping surface and each downward sloping surface; a first row of permanent magnets mounted on each upward sloping surface of said base structure, directly outboard from and adjacent to one of said tracks, with all north seeking poles of the magnets of said row pointed towards said track and all of the south seeking poles pointed away from said track, said magnets being arranged such that their magnetic axes are substantially perpendicular to said track, the spacing between said axes decreases in the direction of propulsion and the distance from some of said magnets to said adjacent track increases in the direction of propulsion; a second row of permanent magnets mounted on each upward sloping surface of said base structure, directly outboard from and adjacent to the other of said tracks, with all south seeking poles of said second row pointed towards said other track and all of the north seeking poles pointed away from said other track, the magnets of said second row arranged such that their magnetic axes are substantially perpendicular to said other track in staggered relationship to the magnetic axes of said first row with the spacing between said axes decreasing in the direction of propulsion and the distance of some magnets to the adjacent track increasing in the direction of propulsion at least one ball positioned between and supported by said tracks, said ball being constructed from a ferro-magnetic material whereby the magnetic fields of said magnets propels said ball along each of said upward sloping surfaces whereupon said ball descends along the following downward sloping surface; and a clamping means for positioning and retaining said magnets onto said base structure.

Claim 18

A propulsion system wherein an ordered arrangement of permanent magnets provides the propulsion force comprising: a base structure having a top surface, said surface having a plurality of pairs of an upward sloping surface followed by a downward sloping surface; a pair of tracks mounted on top of said base structure, said tracks being in spaced parallel relationship to each other in alignment with each upward sloping surface and each downward sloping surface; a first row of permanent magnets mounted on each upward sloping surface of said base structure, directly outboard from and adjacent to one of said tracks, with all north seeking poles of the magnets of said row pointed towards said track and all of the south seeking poles pointed away from said track, said magnets being arranged such that their magnetic axes are substantially perpendicular to said track, the spacing between said axes decreases in the direction of propulsion and the distance from some of said magnets to said adjacent track increases in the direction of propulsion; a second row of permanent magnets mounted on each upward sloping surface of said base structure, directly outboard from and adjacent to the other of said tracks, with all south seeking poles of said second row pointed towards said other track and all of the north seeking poles pointed away from said other track, the magnets of said second row arranged such that their magnetic axes are substantially perpendicular to said other track in staggered relationship to the magnetic axes of said first row with the spacing between said axes decreasing in the direction of propulsion and the distance of some magnets to the adjacent track increasing in the direction of propulsion at least one ball positioned between and supported by said tracks, said ball being constructed from a ferro-magnetic material whereby the magnetic fields of said magnets propels said ball along each of said upward sloping surfaces whereupon said ball descends along the following downward sloping surface; and a clamping means for positioning and retaining said magnets onto said base structure.