Patent GB-1160664-A (GB)
Title: Improved Rotary Gas Turbine Engine
Inventor: SHERWOOD JOHN WESLEY
IPC: F02C5/04
Filed: 1968-03-26
Abstract: 1,160,664. Intermittent combustion gas turbine engine; fuel injectors. J.W. SHERWOOD and J.W. SHERWOOD m. March 26, 1968, No.14564/68. Headings F1B and F1G. The invention relates to a rotary gas turbine engine of the intermittent combustion type, the engine comprising a circular casing 24 comprising upper and lower portions 26, 28 secured together, a circular disc member 38 having a rim portion 40 of square cross-section being secured therein in the central plane. A shaft 34 extends through the casing portions 26, 28 and the disc member 38, being rotatably supported in bearings 36, the shaft portion 34a above the casing being utilized for driving engine auxiliaries and portion 34b below the casing being utilized for supplying power. A series of combustion chambers or cells 50 are formed in the rim 40 of the disc 38, there being five such chambers in the embodiment described, each chamber being connected to an intake opening 54 at the upper side of the disc 38 by an intake passage 52 of convergent form, and to an outlet opening 58 at the lower side of the disc by an outlet passage 56 of divergent form, the passages 52, 56 being inclined as indicated in Fig. 6. Each combustion chamber is provided with a fuel injection device 128 and an igniter 178. An arm 42 is secured to the shaft 34 above the disc 38 and an arm 44 is secured to the shaft below the disc, the two end portions 64 of the arm 42 co-operating with the air intake openings 54 to open and close them, the portions 64 being formed with scoops 68 to augment the flow of air into the intakes. The two end portions of the arm 44 are formed with flat portions 70 and with V-shaped fins 72 which co-operate with the outlet openings 58 to open and close them. The arrangement is such that as the arm 42 rotates it forces air through an opening 54 and then closes the opening, the outlet opening 58 being closed simultaneously by the portion 70 of arm 44. Fuel is then injected into the combustion chamber 50 through injector 128 and the fuel and air mixture is fired by the igniter 178, the resulting combustion gases discharging through outlet 58 on to the V-section fins 72 whereby the arm 44 is rotated. The process is repeated as the arms rotate past the other combustion chambers. The upper casing portion 26 is formed with air inlet openings 60 adjacent each combustion chamber 50 and the lower casing portion 28 is formed with exhaust gas outlet openings 62. A starter is indicated at 74 and a fuel pump at 80, fuel being delivered from the pump through duct 94 into a chamber 100 from which fuel may pass through relief valve 102 to the pump inlet line 86. The upper part of the chamber 100 is formed by a fixed plate 98 having five fuel outlet ports (106 Fig. 14 not shown). Above plate 98 is a plate 108 which is formed with two ports (110 Fig. 15 not shown), the plate being secured to the shaft 34a to rotate therewith, the ports (110) co-operating with ports (106) in plate 98. Above plate 108 is a fixed plate (112 Fig. 16 not shown), the plate having five fuel ports (114) the plate being angularly movable by a control device 118 whereby the position of the ports (114) with respect to the ports (106) in fixed plate 98 may be controlled. Above the plate 112 is a fixed cover plate (120 Fig. 17 not shown), the plate being formed with five fuel receiving chambers 122 each of which is connected through a spring-loaded check valve 124 and fuel line 126 to a fuel injection nozzle 128. The fuel injector 128, Fig. 21, comprises a spring- loaded ball assembly 154 to ensure atomisation of the fuel. The contact breaker assembly 172, Fig.20 (not shown) comprises a five-lobed cam and two pairs of contact breaker points. In another embodiment only one rotating arm such as 44 is provided, the two ends of the arm being of channel form so as to provide the air inlet control members adjacent the upper surface of the disc rim 40 and, the gas outlet control members adjacent the lower surface of the disc rim. In another embodiment Fig. 23 (not shown), a single rotating arm is again provided, the rim of the disc member 38 being formed with combustion chambers 50 and air inlet openings as in the first embodiment but the gas outlet passage from the combustion chamber is disposed radially outwardly, the gas receiving portion of the radial arm receiving the combustion gases radially outwardly and discharging them axially downwardly.