The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-11-03
PERFECT ENGINE THE MUCH DE-
SIRED ACHIEVEMENT OF HUN
DREDS OF INVENTORS.
IL Effects a Saving Of One-Fourth IN
Steam and Is Without
Vibration.

tary engine, the much desired achieve
ment of hundreds of mechanical in
ventors, is the triumph which, in the
opinion of eminent experts, has crown
ed more than a score of years work py
William NJ Hoffman, successful in
ventor of Buffalo.
A year ago p. T. Berg, of Stock
holm, Sweden, formerly of the Carne-
gle Steel company and now consulting
engineer of the United States Steel
corporation, examined Mr.. Hoffman's
engine for Charles NJ. Schwab and he
made a favorable report on the in
ventor's claims. Cornelius Vanderbilt,
several of whose inventions are now
used on the New York Central railroad
has declared that if the engine bears
out the claims of the inventor it will
to the scrapiron heap.
In brief the advantages of Mr.. Hoff-
mans engine are that it Will occupy
not more than one-fourth of the ordi
nary floor space required for other en-
gines of similar power; it will effect
saving of one-fourth in steam; it is
economical in construction and opera
ton and it is without Vibration.
For many months Il small engine has
been in operation and open to the in
Square building, in Buffalo, and the
inventor is now at work on the con-
struction of a much larger engine,
which will be subjected to tests by
committee of practical and theoretical
engineers.
Inventors Story of His Engine.
While in the city on business Mr..
porter for the World a history of his
invention and a statement of the adj
vantages which he claimed for it. He
said:
The first requirement was that the
engine should be circular and this
provided the first difficulty. The cir
conference of a circle being about
three times the diameter. any system
of packing coming in contact with this
surface, or the interior of the cylin-
der was necessarily subjected to enor-
nous speed or wearing surface The
same thing was true of all the parts
where packing for the purpose of pre-
venting the leaks was employed. This
circumstance proved disastrous. and
have tested engines of this type where
with the best possible fabrication the
packing has melted and practically
welded itself to the cylinder. and | be-
tieve that this. more largely than any
thlng else, was the reason for the
adoption of the turbin type of rotary
engine, in which there is no atten1pt
10 make 1t steam tight-the revolving
veins producing their own power by
the impact of the steam upon them
much as does a windmill or the tur-
bine WaterWheel.
The problem in my invention was
to overcome friction of packing. and
this | have done by what | consider
a unique yet simple combinations con-
Gle
a stationary abutment. This station
AIRY abutment does not come in con-
tact with the inner periphery of the
cylinder or the cylinder heads or walls
and the construction is such that one
revolving piston makes a steam tich,
joint on an eliptical abutment
throughout one-half of revolution OF
the engine. when it takes the place OF
the piston which has been exposed I,
the steam pressure and performs the
same function. the one in advance pro.
ducing the steam-tight joint. In othel
words. the entire packing. which pro.
duces joints fully as steam-tight a.
the packing rings in reciprocatine en-.
SlneS. is exposed practically to no wea
III / consequently no friction. as tn,
packing all revolves with the cylinde
ana plstons. An evidence of the cor
rectness of this claim. is provided i,
the fact that my engine in Buffalo ha
been run for five hours without lubri
cation OF any Kind and without add re
suits of and description.
Building 500 Horsepower Machine
My present engine is thirty horse
power, but I have in construction a.
engine of 500 horsepower. and I c,ai,
iAat | am able to compound this on
sine TO the limit of the practical az
hanSlon of steam or any elasti, hui5
"nd expand the steam in each cv,inaa
"tholt back pressure on the piston i
The preceding cylinder. a thing vbic
mas never been done and which 7 hav
s-sW0yS Eeuo~her A. =, -