Here is an attempt at a picture.
#1 is the side view of the motor/scissor jack assembly plus spring on the chain.
#2 is a top view of the jack spring being opened (widened) to bring up the bottom anchor hooks. The top hooks are anchored to allow the spring to keep pushing back against the jack, which pushes back against the chain to turn the transmission/generator assembly.
#3 is the motor closing (elongating) the scissor jack, compressing the spring again as the bottom hooks are anchored. This recharges the spring's power against the jack and increases the push to turn the chain.
The hooks are like those on an extension ladder. As it is slid longer the anchors clank over the rungs until the desired length is reached. Then as the ladder is backed down the anchors settle on the rung and locks the length of the ladder in place.
An important point is that the scissor jack should be long enough so that when it begins to close, to draw up the bottom toward the top, it should only have to widen one third of it's potential to draw up 4 inches.. This keeps the leverage at it's most efficient. Remember the great push by the spring is only moving the chain slowly because of the low gearing of the transmission.
Quote from: Russ Lee on December 20, 2016, 02:53:45 PM
Here is an attempt at a picture.
#1 is the side view of the motor/scissor jack assembly plus spring on the chain.
#2 is a top view of the jack spring being opened (widened) to bring up the bottom anchor hooks. The top hooks are anchored to allow the spring to keep pushing back against the jack, which pushes back against the chain to turn the transmission/generator assembly.
#3 is the motor closing (elongating) the scissor jack, compressing the spring again as the bottom hooks are anchored. This recharges the spring's power against the jack and increases the push to turn the chain.
The hooks are like those on an extension ladder. As it is slid longer the anchors clank over the rungs until the desired length is reached. Then as the ladder is backed down the anchors settle on the rung and locks the length of the ladder in place.
This generator is called the Diatom Generator.
-Russell Lee