Los Lunas inventor designs new motor

Los Lunas

Richard Kalaczek is busy testing out his new electric motor in his Los Lunas home.

Opportunity is knocking. The inventor is currently looking for producers to take on this brand new design the patent for which runs through March of 2003.

For many months prior to getting his patent, the grandfather of Miss New Mexico, Marta Strzyzewski, worked to make his dream a reality.

“This is something I thought about for a long time. I got the idea many years ago, but I thought it was no good,” says the inventor, who is originally from Poland.

“My wife and grandchildren pushed me to go for it. Last February, I started work.”

The retired Kalaczek finally had enough time to devote himself wholeheartedly to the project. Over the course of the fall, winter and spring, the busy family man spent endless hours at his work table in the garage, paying close attention to every detail crucial to making the model.

“Many people gave me a hard time. I was tired and sick before Christmas. What could I do? I thought about quitting.”

He did not quit. The inventor’s will to accomplish this one goal persevered, and, on Jan. 10, Kolaczek received his patent from the patent bureau.

“The working model was not enough. I had to make a picture to show how it works, along with a written description.”

Kolaczek’s granddaughter, Marta, was right by his side to help him, and his lawyer, Assistant District Attorney Bert Purnell, aided the inventor with the proper wording to describe the electric motor.

According to the official patent, the new electric motor is completely different from any of the listed patent references dating from 1931 through 1951.

The majority are designed to function as generators or are based on generator principles.

“Not one of the listed references employs my invention of two identical systems (resistance and wire size) of electromagnetic coils,” Kolaczek says in his patent.

Here’s a look at the motor’s setup. The coils in his design are wired in opposite directions on the same motor. They use separate commutators mounted on opposite ends of the rotor shaft.

Kolaczek says his design differs from all listed references by utilizing two sets of contact brushes. The power is provided simultaneously to both sets of brushes through both commutators to both electromagnetic coils.

His design results in increased startup speed and doubled maximum RPM as compared to conventional electric motor designs.

According to the inventor, a conventional electric motor has enough space on the rotor for an additional coil, and the rotor shaft has ample room for an additional commutator.

“So, the increased performance is gained without increasing the size of the conventional design,” he says.

Aside from the technical details, the exciting part of it all, Kolaczek says, is the new electric motor design could be implemented in electric model airplanes as well as electric hand tools, including battery-operated tools.

“It could also be used in automobile starters and electric cars. Vacuum cleaner motors and high-speed dentist tools would benefit from this invention. Much higher speed tools of this design could improve efficiency of electric surgical tools.”

Also, everyday kitchen appliances could benefit from Kolaczek’s new invention. “The possibilities of applications of this new design are much more extensive. The motor can be employed as a motor and a generator both with equally increased efficiency.”

Above all, there is nothing like the satisfaction this inventor from Valencia County feels when he thinks about his accomplishment. After one year, the inventor can buy a regular patent for his electric motor. Perhaps General Motors, General Electric or NASA will look into producing the invention.

“There is a lot of personal satisfaction at a time like this. I made something for New Mexico and the USA. I’m very excited to see what happens … to see where my invention goes.”