The Washington times., 1904-12-11

modern wonders with which scientists
have astonished the world. The turbine
engine was the next TO appear as a sam
pie OF what can be done with steam. II
has remained for the rotary engine 10
cap the climax.
The principle Involved I'm the Hoffman
engine is remarkably simple. and there
in lies one Of the greatest arguments in
its favor. making it easy TO repair
should the machine at any time get out
Of order.
The cylinder revolVes around an ell
llpse which IS traversed and supported
by a hollow shaft, the cylinder being
supported on the same shaft by sleeve
arrangement. The packing revOlves
with the cylinder. ana the eIlipse Is
the steam chest. The shaft Is not in
the center Of the elliDse, but It's cen
ter, while equidistant from the greater
dimensions Of the ellipse, is the length
OF the radius OF the cylinder from one
lesser dimension. so that the shaft is
In the center Of the cylinder, and the
throw face OF the ellipse abuts against
the side OF the cylinder. Dian critically
opposite these there exists a chamber
the shape Of the new moon. The cyIin-
der or Jacket contains two segmentaI
blades, one on each side. which are
cranked In the ends OF the cylinder so
that each can retreat into its housing
In the Jacket when the throw of the
ellipse presses 81 aside. At the same
time the other blade VIII be protrudlng
Into the lunar chamber.
How Steam Is Admitted.
Steam IS admitted at one end Of the
shaft. the exhaust occurs at the other
The steam passes through cut-ofs in
side the ellipse by a port In the face OF
the ellipse into the tip Of the lunar
chamber the instant the first segmenral
blade traverses the port, and there be-
ing three walls TO the expansion cham
berthe ellipse. the cylinder. ana The
blade-and the blade being the only one
not rigid. the blade retires from the port
pr0truding more and more as the lunar
chamber widens. In retiring il draes the
cylinder into revolution. The approach
OF the blade 20 the other tip of the lunar
chamber compels il 10 recede into its
housing. and. traversing the throw side
OF The ellipse. II helps form the abut-
ment for the new expansion chamber
formed by the second segmental blade.
which has now passed the steam port
and repeats the process OF the first
blade.
Steam Is admitted by the cutoff in
two separate slXths OF each revolution.
expansion occurs in two other sixths.
and the exhaust in the remaining por-
tons There is absolutely no vibration.
no oscillation. no sound, except the ex-
haust.
The advent Of such an engine means
@ change I'm every Industry, almost every
activity in life. 1t will mean "a change
lu the actual cost of living, Il change in
the relative values and uses OF the kim
dred things as gas and electricity the
telegraph and the mail. II fl We're pos
slble 10 manufacture and install hum
dreds OF these new engines all over the
country within a short six months the
business Of the country would be turned
tcpsy-turvy and the Oldest broker on
the street would not be able TO predict
The value OF stocks from ono hour to
another. Who can say what this new
marvel Of mans ingenuity will have ac-
cOmplished at the end Of twenty years.
Wireless teIegraphy Is a triumph OF
science, but II is OF little Significance 10
the every DAY life or mankind COM
pared 10 rotary steam engines.
-Four Miles a Minute.
Transportation, manufacturing. COM
merce. all viii be affected by the TO-
tary engine. Such an engine. capable OF
enormous speed, having practically no
vibration, can drive a fOur-fOot railway
engine wheel 200 revolutions "A minute
along o smooth road bed. Allowing for
friction and air resistance that means
travel at the rate Of four miles a min
ute. While il is hardly probable that
an attempt would be made TO run trains
ar such terrific rate of speed, IL Is highly
probable that passenger trains or single
cars would run al a hundred miss OF
even a hundred and fifty miles an hour
with as much safety as trains that now
run al nifty miles an hour.
With so compact an engine Il would
be possible 10 realize the dream which