Improvements in or connected with Rotary Motors.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Rotary Motors.
We, GUSTAVUS GREEN, of 5, Western Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, Cycle Engineer,
ARTHUR GOWER, of 7, Brightland Road, Eastbourne, Mechanical Engineer, both
in the County of Sussex, and RoWLAND WILKS VARDY, of 68, Park Lane, Croydon,
in the County of Surrey, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:--
This invention refers to the construction, arrangement, and combination of
parts, composing an improved rotary motor, characterized by a casing forming
an annular chamber which is circular in cross section, containing a segmental
piston of like section carried from the motor shaft; a radial abutment operated
by cam action outside the casing; an arrangement of links and levers by which
the effective lift of the cams is multiplied, a low speed of travel of the contact
surfaces of the said cams obtained, and the effective angle of the cams reduced;
the abutment given a direct lift parallel with its axis of motion; and controlling
the steam supply either directly by the movement of the abutment, when the
motor is not reversible and is not worked expansively, or when the motor is
to be reversible and to be worked expansively, by a special slide valve arrange.
ment, all as hereafter described and claimed.
In order that our invention may be readily understood we will describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon, Fig. 1 is an eleva-
tion partly in section, of our improved rotary motor, the side of which is removed
Fig. is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 3 is a side view of the motor and.
Fig. 4 is a plan of same. Fig. 5 is a view similar to that shewn at Fig. 1,
to illustrate an arrangement of an abutment as hereafter described.
Fig. C
is a transverse vertical section of the casing, shewing the abutment in elevation.
Fig. 7 is a transverse section shewing the piston and its connecting parts detached.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section shewing the slide valve arrangement for
reversing and working the motor expansively. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section
on the line X Y of Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section shewing
exhaust ports.
According to this invention, there is provided a casing A, having an annular
chamber A of circular cross section provided with a base plate, and with a
rectangular radial chamber A preferably situated at the upper part of the
casing. The casing A is constructed in two halves united by flanges which are
bolted together. Bearings A³ are situated at the centre of the casing A con-
centric with the annulus.
The bearings A3 receive the main shaft B, upon which are mounted suitable
pulleys, fly wheels, couplings and the like.
A circular disc D is secured to the shaft B, and is located between the
bearings A. The periphery D₁ of the circular disc D, passes through a slot
in the inner circular surface of the annular chamber ¹, and forms part of
such inner circular surface. This disc D carries a piston E, which is adapted
077

page_text: Green, Gower, and varays Improvements in or connected wiinnovary
to accurately fit the circular chamber A¹, and the piston E is preferably formed
with inclined faces.
The piston E is carried upon an extension D² such as is shewn at Fig. 7,
the extension 12 being formed from one part of the periphery of the disc 1) and
the piston Eis formed by casting metal such as white or anti-frictional metal
or other suitable metal, fusable at comparatively low temperature.
The casting of the piston is effected by forming a mould composed of the
annular chamber A' and a filling of sand or the like to form the end of the piston,
and pouring into the mould thus formed, the molten metal to compose the piston,
which metal surrounds the extension 12 of the disc D and runs into the holes
formed therein as shewn at Fig. 7.
Split metal packing rings P* are located in grooves provided in the casing,
the rings being of conical formation and situated on each side of the disc D;
the rings P are so constructed that they have a tendency to spring outwards,
their conical outer peripheries bearing against the conical surface of the grooves
into which they fix, whereby they are forced against the sides of the disc D
and so prevent the steam or other motive fluid from escaping between the sides
of the disc D and the slot in the casing A.
The chamber A2 is constructed to receive a radially movable abutment F, and
is fitted with a stuffing box at its outer end through which passes a rod F
connected to the abutment F. The abutment F is provided with communicating
passages F2 in order to allow steam to pass to and from the annular chamber Ai
to the chamber A2 above the abutment F, which latter as aforesaid is capable
of radial movement relatively to the main shaft B and is of such width as to
completely divide the annular chamber A¹ when in its lowest position.
It should be observed that the abutment is supported by grooved guides at its
sides, and when in its lowest position the curved base of the abutment is received
within a recess which is a continuation of the side grooves, and extends across
the interior periphery of the chamber A', whereby the abutment when acted
upon by the steam is forced against one continuous bearing surface, thereby
ensuring an effective steam tight joint.
The abutment rod is connected to a yoke G which extends diagonally
across the casing, and this yoke ( has connected to it at each end a rod G.
Each of these rods (pass through a guide (2 carried by the casing A of
the motor, and are connected by links to rocking levers G which latter
are pivotted by their ends to the casing and are caused to oscillate by the action
of cams H, carried upon the main shaft B of the motor.
By the motions imparted through the levers G, links G3, rods G¹ to the
yoke G, the abutment is caused to be lifted, at regular periods so that the
annular chamber A¹ is unobstructed at the time when the piston is passing
beneath the abutment chamber. The return of the abutment to its lowest
position is regulated by the formation of the cams II.
At Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the steam supply is admitted by pipe connection J upon
one side of the abutment, and the exhaust aperture K is located upon the
opposite side of the abutment, the steam being admitted to the supply pipe J
when the piston E is in the position shewn at Fig. 1, and the supply is continued
for any desired period, by any well known mechanical steam controlling devices.
Improved means are provided in this invention when the motor is not to be
reversible, and not worked expansively, whereby the admittance of steam to
the annular chamber is regulated by the radial movement of the abutment,
and such are illustrated at Figs. 5 and 6, where the abutment at its upper
end is formed with a section recess L. In the wall of the abutment
chamber A, a steam port I is formed which receives a constant supply of
steam from the steam supply pipe J.
Upon the rise of the abutment F, the steam port L' is closed and cuts off
the steam supply to the annular chamber A. The steam supply is so arranged
that it is cut off before the piston E passes the exhaust port K.

page_text: Upon the piston E having passed this abutment F the latter is allowed
to descend and the steam port L' is thereby placed in communication with
the annular chamber by means of the D shaped recess L.
When the motor is to be capable of being reversed and worked expansively,
we provide the special slide valve arrangement as shewn at Figs. 8, 9 and 10
upon cr formed with the casing A of the motor is a valve cylinder M which
receives a constant supply of steam by a pipe connection M¹. Two passages
NN extend from opposite sides of the interior of this cylinder and communicate
with the annular chamber A¹ upon opposite sides of the abutment F. Within
the cylinder M we fit a hollow cylindrical valve l'open at both ends and
reciprocated by means of an eccentric R mounted on the motor shaft B, the
eccentric rod R¹ being jointed to a valve rod P" passing through stuffing boxes
and extending entirely through the aforesaid cylinder M and the valve Pis
fixed upon said rod P
Through the wall of the valve P is formed a steam port P2.
The valve P is capable of being revolved when, required through half a
revolution by means of a reversing handle S, the latter being carried in a
fixed bracket S1 so as to be capable of being turned by hand, while a square
or polygonal upper end of the rod 11 passes through a similar shaped aperture
in the boss of the said handle S. At the lower end the rod P is fitted with
a joint at P3 by which it is rendered capable of being so revolved.
In conjunction with this reversing and expansively working valve arrangement,
we provide exhaust ports K upon both sides of the abutment, as shewn
at Fig. 10, and such ports are controlled by rotary valves K² K². These
valves K² are arranged sc that when one is open the other is closed and vice
versa, the valves for this purpose being each fitted with an arm K³, the arms
being coupled by a link K³ and operated by a handle K.
By this arrangement, in the positions shewn at Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the motor
will operate in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 8 and 10, the steam passing
at proper times by the passage N while the port N¹ is closed. When it is
desired to reverse the direction of motion of the motor, the cylindrical valve P
is given a half revolution by the handle S and the valve port 12 is brought
to co-act with the steam passage N¹. At the same time the exhaust valve handle K
is operated and the one exhaust port is opened simultaneously with the closing
of the other. The motor then operates in a reverse direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In rotary motors, the combination of a casing, an annular chamber circular
in cross section formed within the casing, a central rotary shaft passing through
the casing concentrically with the annular chamber, a disc fitted on the shaft,
the edge of the disc passing through a slot in the inner wall of the annular
chamber, a projection from the edge of the disc extending into the annular
chamber, a segmental piston formed about the projection of the disc, the piston
being circular in cross section, fitting within the annular chamber, and re-
volvable circumferentially therein, a radially movable abutment to divide the
circular annular chamber, an extension of the casing to receive the abutment
when withdrawn for the passage of the piston, an operating rod fixed to the
abutment and passing to the exterior of the casing, a cross head on the rod,
cams on the main shaft exterior of the easing with link and lever mechanism
connected with the cross head, for raising and lowering the abutment at proper
times, an inlet port for steam into the casing, located at one side of the abutment,
and an exhaust port located at the other side of the abutment, as set forth.
2. In rotary motors, the combination with a casing, an annular chamber
circular in cross section formed within the casing, a central rotary shaft passing
through the casing concentrically with the annular chamber, a disc fixed

page_text: on the shaft the edge of the disc passing through a slot in the inner wall of
the annular chamber, a projection from the edge of the disc extending into
the annular chamber, and a segmental piston formed about the projection
of the disc, the piston fitting and being revolvable within the chamber; of a
radially movable abutment to divide the circular annular chamber, an extension
of the casing to receive the abutment when withdrawn for the passage of the
piston, an operating rod fixed to the abutment and passing through a stuffing
box to the exterior of the casing, a cross head on the rod, a cam on the main
shaft on each side and exterior of the casing, a lever for each cam pivotted
on the casing by one end, rocked centrally by the cam, and connected from
the other end by a link and sliding rod to the cross head, in order to increase
the effective lift of the cams and enable the effective angle of the cams to be
reduced, and inlet and exhaust steam ports into and from the casing, as set
forth.
3. In rotary motors, the combination with a casing, an annular chamber,
circular in cross section formed within the casing, a rotary shaft passing through
the casing concentrically with the annular chamber, a disc fixed on the shaft,
the edge of the disc passing through a slot in the inner wall of the annular
chamber, and a segmental piston circular in cross section formed about a peri-
pheral projection of the disc, fitting within and revolvable around the annular
chamber; of a radially movable abutment to divide the circular annular
chamber, a D-shaped recess in the abutment, an abutment chamber to receive
the abutment when withdrawn from the casing for the passage of the piston,
a steam inlet port in the abutment chamber, from which steam is admitted to
the annular chamber through the recess in the abutment on one side thereof, and
cut off by the motion of the abutment, cams on the main shaft exterior of the
casing, and link and lever connections for operating the abutment, and an
exhaust port on the other side of the abutment, as set forth.
4. In rotary motors, the combination with a casing, an annular chamber
circular in cross section within the casing, a central rotary shaft, a dise fixed
on the shaft, the periphery of the disc passing through an annular slot in
the inner wall of the annular chamber, a segmental piston carried by the disc
fitting and revolvable within the annular chamber, a radially movable abutment,
and mechanism operated from the motor shaft by which the abutment is
<perated; of a valve cylinder upon the exterior of the casing, a connection for
constant supply of steam to the cylinder, a hollow cylindrical valve open at
both ends located within the cylinder, means for rectilinearly reciprocating the
valve within the cylinder, a steam port through the valve, two steam passages
extending from the interior of the cylinder, and opening into the annular chamber
un opposite sides of the abutment, means for rotating the valve through
part of a revolution to cause the valve to co-act with one or the other steam
passage for reversing the motor, and an exhaust port in each side of the abut-
ment, valves to the exhaust ports, and means for simultaneously adjusting
the valves, to open one port and close the other, as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of January 1899
BREWER & SON.
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.