Thornson – Grassroots Mechanic Movement

Quantified Backlash Drive Coupler

8/11/2024

Quantified Backlash Drive:

We have been testing the Quantified Backlash Drive (QBD) coupler for over a month now. Running the PIE 6.0 with 2 motors and the QBD keeping the synchronization within the working spec has resulted in a PIE that has minimal vibration, near constant thrust, reduced noise, low power usage, and excellent performance.

Actual thrust has not been measured, since this has been about the QBD design. The PIE 6.0 uses the rotating assemblies from the PIE 4 machine so thrust was never expected to exceed that of the PIE 4.

Thinking about the video presentation with Roy Thornson presenting his last design which was intended to go in an airplane to assist propulsion and even be the primary propulsive force eventually, we can see exactly why it never made it “off the ground”. In the video and in the very few photos available we can see there are 4 rotating wheels connected by roller chain, or timing belt, to a central motor drive hub.

Along with several other things that Roy never got figured out (to the best of our knowledge), Roy was unaware of the negative effect of reducing speed in the range of 90 degrees before the mass reaches “apex”. We reach this supposition because he did not use any kind of Speed Differential Control (SDC) system, so the rotating speed (RPM) input was constant. However, if there was a load introduced to the motor as it entered the 90-degree range it would be reasonable to think that the motor’s RPM might have dipped slightly. Even dropping a few rpm (example 150 down to 145) during that phase would be enough to cancel most of the propulsion!

IF Roy had timed the wheels all the same and used only 1 mass (weight) per wheel, it would work. He could have even spread it out amongst the wheels a bit to allow each to come to apex within a 20 to 30 degree range and still had some propulsion, but the only way to get that design to work is with a separate motor for each wheel, or pair of wheels, to attain a maximum of 4 pulses per revolution, AND, keep them synchronized (timed) with a QBD.

This said, it would now be possible to build a replica of his engine that, with the proper modifications, would actually work! — Any Takers? —

NEW PIE 6.0

As I have been posting here, I have been building the Trammel engine for over 2 years now. I have had some successes, and some failures, and right now I have to admit that I am a little “stuck”. In order to “pull back” a bit and shift focus slightly to a new PIE. The PIE 6.0 is using a lot of knowledge gained from building the Trammel. As before, the PIE 6.0 will be another “open source” project, so, here we go…

March 30, 2024 was the beginning of the PIE 6.0. The 6.0is bringing together multiple working designs of PIE, some of the parts reclaimed from earlier builds, and multiple bits of knowledge gained from the Trammel engine project.

The similarities: The 6.0 is using “dead-blow” weights, we need to refer to as “active masses”, and it is using the stacked “double-decker” design of the PIE 2 series. It will also be using the powerful little brush-type motor(s), speed controller(s), and SDCs (Speed Differential Controls).

The Differences: The 6.0 is planned to be using 2 motors and drive assemblies, one for each disc (“disc” is a more accurate description than “wheel”). There is a planned timing mechanism that will keep the discs working together while allowing them to also utilize the flexibility of the independent motors and SDCs. There is also a proposed frame pivot assembly, to be explained later.

The Need for Changes: The PIE design is a good example of something that works, but it isn’t readily accepted to be used “as-is” due to the prolific “pulsing” it produces. Previous efforts to improve the “feel” of thrust produced fell short of that goal, so efficiency and “harshness reduction” are the primary goals. There is still going to be noise, I am not focusing on that right now as it is much easier to control with simple modifications to gear designs and sound-deadening covers (hoods).

Stay tuned, we have a lot happening very quickly now, photos below!

PIE 6.0 Early Assembly – Fitting The Pieces Into an Assembly

PIE 6.0 First Motor Install – Won’t Stay This Way

PIETECH Page 11, PIE 4.6 Eccentric Drive Gearing

12/23/20 PIETECH Page 11, PIE 4.6 Eccentric Drive Gearing

I was going to be putting my effort into duplicating the dead blow weight so that I can test the first wheel with 2 weights, and I can build a second wheel to go with the first one. However, when I was doing the propulsion testing with the single wheel, I noticed that as by battery started running down propulsion was diminishing. This was found to be a “slow-down” of the motor during the critical “power-stroke” (those who have read my manual know what that means) causing propulsion loss. To compensate, I manually turned the knob on the speed controller during slow speed operation. Naturally, I did not meet the correct RPM every time, but I noticed that if I overshot the running RPM at exactly the right moment, the PIE 4.6 would lurch forward much stronger.

A friend of mine, who also has been working on his own inertial propulsion drive (YouTube Channel) and I were discussing this. It has been found that changing the time base in mid or quarter turns of the main wheel could enhance the propulsion effect dramatically.

My choices for this concept are to either electrically change the RPMs back and forth or use eccentric gearing to smoothly transition the RPMs thus changing the time base. In the end I may try them both or perhaps someone could find a better method.

For now, I have started this experiment with the eccentric gear setup. Eccentric gears are essentially a pair (or more) of identical gears or sprockets, with their axle’s not on center in the exact same amount. Since each will “wobble” exactly the same amount, they can be meshed together. When one it rotated at a steady RPM by an outside source (electric motor, etc.) the other one accelerates through half of its rotation and decelerates through the other half.

So, for my experiment I have 2 identical sprockets, each mounted on-center and each on a bearing. Then there are two more identical sprockets fastened parallel with the first ones, each mounted exactly the same amount off-center. The two off-center (or eccentric) sprockets are timed and connected together with roller chain.

Sprocket set 1 is driven by the electric motor. Sprocket set 2 is connected to the PIE 4.6 wheel. As the motor turns at a steady RPM, the PIE 4.6 is accelerating and decelerating constantly. This is timed to start the acceleration approximately halfway through the portion of the cycle when the weight is in contact with the center (inner stop) axle. Timing here is very important and even a few teeth off on the sprocket to wheel timing makes a huge difference. In fact, it has been observed that with the timing off too much, the unit would oscillate forward AND back with significant force.

*Eccentric Drive Ready For Testing* *(Timing Was Not Correct In Picture)*

*Eccentric Drive Testing* (Yellow Marks are for Timing Reference)

I know that this design will not be well suited to having multiple weights on the wheel, but I do have a goal in mind that I am not ready to introduce just yet. If this idea works out, it would be capable of enhancing the operation of any of the PIE versions.

Demo of Eccentric Gears Driving the PIE 4.6

The downside is; if I only have 1 weight per wheel the RPM is limited due to transverse (sideways) forces threatening to tear it apart.

PIETECH Page 9 – PIE 4.5 With New Dead Blow Type Weight

The latest test of the PIE 4.5 is using a 1 kg dead blow type weight. The weight is a steel box with steel shot (BB’s) inside it. It appears to have a lot of promise, as there is virtually no “bounce” when the weight hits the inner stop, and it seems to be dampened where it would contact the outer stop if it had one (has not been installed).

There is a video of this first testing on YouTube and BitChute. The problem however remained that the centrifugal force and impact force did not push in the same direction, which was the reason for Thornson’s “Inner Planet Trap” which would hold the weight and release at the correct time.

The answer is to install a “guide” on the end of the weight which would keep the weight near the center axle and correct the problem of thrusting in two different directions. This is proving , so far, to be a much improved design. This can also be seen on YouTube and BitChute.

These improvements are now bringing the PIE version up to “PIE 4.6”.

Check out the videos on YouTube and BitChute & thanks for watching!

https://www.youtube.com/user/stclairtechrd

https://www.bitchute.com/channel/miGkQfBM24NZ/

PIE 4.5 and My Original Thornson Drive Replication

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog’s new home. I hope that this venue will be of at least the same quality as before, and I really hope that the text is a bit easier to read!

I posted a video on YouTube & BitChute of the PIE 4.5 with 3 gears, 2 gears and just one planet gear on it. There is a bit of controversy as to which is better and what configuration should be considered for the PIE 4.5 to continue. Watch the video and you can plainly see the lack of propulsion with better balance (3 planet gears), and much better propulsion with a fully unbalanced wheel (1 planet gear). Of course, getting rid of the jerking nature of the drive is a primary goal along with stronger propulsive force.

I have gone back and reviewed my recorded data, and videos, going all the way back to the very first truly functioning drive still being referred to as a Thornson Drive even though the stop modifications were already being changed and modified to the design finally used in the PIE system. The wheels (4 of them) all had a single planet gear, they were all running more or less in-sync, and it just plain worked. I am going to put the 3 videos I have of this original unit together into one video and post in soon.

Keeping this in mind, and knowing that I really can get a MUCH stronger forward pulse without increasing the back pulse, the goal remains to pulse smoothly (an oxymoron). For this plan to work, I need 2 or more complete PIE units that produce fairly equal amounts of force and that can run in-sync (with a calculated offset) without actually being physically mounted to the same frame.

Stay tuned to this blog and my video channels as I think some exciting things should be happening soon!