Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug.,
1899
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567, Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the construction of compound or multiple expansion
rotary engine of the kind having sliding vanes and to improvements in or applicable
to rotary engines generally.
According to one construction, a compound engine according to this invention
comprises a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder each provided with
an eccentrically arranged hub fitted with a sliding vane, the two hubs being fixed upon
a common driving shaft. The cylinders are fixed together and to a bed plate with
a flange plate between their adjacent ends, the cylinders having each an outer end
cover through which the driving shaft extends. Steam is supplied to the cylinders
through a steam pipe into a steam chest into which extends a spindle connected to
the hub in the high pressure cylinder and which forms part of the driving shaft.
formed
Fixed upon the spindle and rotating with it is a sleeve having a helical groove
around a portion of its circumference. This sleeve which forms the main valve, is
securely fixed to the spindle as for example by means of a coned piece bearing against
a corresponding seating formed on the sleeve and adapted to be screwed up tightly
by means of a nut which also forces another cone seating at the other end of the
sleeve against a coned part formed on the spindle. A steam tight joint between
the inner end of the sleeve and the adjacent cylinder cover is obtained by means of
a packing ring located in a grooved recess and provided with springs which constantly
press the said ring tightly against the cover. The helical groove in the sleeve enables
steam to be admitted during a part of each rotation to one or other of two steam
passages according to the direction in which it is desired that the engine should
rotate. This direction is controlled by means of a reversing valve seated upon the
sleeve and provided with two oppositely inclined ports. The reversing valve is
provided with a reversing lever connected thereto by means of a valve rod that passes
through a stuffing box and is jointed at its outer end to the said lever by means of
a pin and slot connection. At the back of or above the reversing valve is a block
that is provided with two openings which form continuations of the said steam
passages. The block is normally pressed against the valve by springs and is provided
with hollow extensions passing through suitable stuffing boxes, the arrangement
serving to compensate for wear. Depending flanges may be provided on the block to
guide the reversing valve in a central position; usually however they will be
unnecessary. To reverse the engine, the reversing valve is pulled to one side to close
one point in the reversing valve and one opening in the block leading to one steam
passage and to bring the other port in the valve opposite to the other opening in the
block, thus admitting steam from the steam chest to the other steam passage.
reversing valve may be suitably adjusted by means of its lever in order to obtain
any desired degree of expansion, or the adjustment may be effected automatically by
Governor.
The

page_text: For effecting the compounding and reversing of the rotary engine, there is
employed an arrangement of automatic steam distributing valves and ports or
passages According to one arrangement for this purpose, the valves are arranged in
pairs or sets located in parallel valve chambers, each set comprising respectively a
double coned seated valve and a slide valve both fixed upon the same valve rod, the
valve rods of the two sets of valves being connected at their outer ends to a lever
so that upon one set of valves being moved, a corresponding movement in the
opposite direction will be simultaneously imparted to the other set of valves. The
two steam passages leading from the reversing valve, open respectively into the two
valve chambers. The arrangement is such that when steam is admitted to one
of the said steam passages, it enters the outer end of the corresponding valve chamber
and by acting upon the outer face of the double cone valve therein sets the valves
in the proper positions for causing the hubs in the high and low pressure cylinders
to rotate in the same direction, say the forward direction. From the outer end
of the said valve chamber the steam flows across through a passage into a longitudinal
port of the high pressure cylinder and by acting upon the vane therein rotates the
same and the hub carrying it. When the vane passes the rear edge of an opposite
port or passage in the said cylinder, the steam contained in such cylinder will
exhaust through the said opposite port or passage across through another passage
into the second valve chamber. The slide valve in this valve chamber is so arranged
as at this time to cover an opening leading therefrom into an exhaust port or passage
and the steam from the high pressure cylinder is led through a port or passage into
the low pressure cylinder and caused to rotate the vane and hub therein in the
same direction as the vane and hub of the high pressure cylinder. When the vane
in the low pressure cylinder passes the rear edge of a second or opposite port or
passage in such cylinder, the steam that has done duty therein will exhaust back
through a passage into the inner end portion of the first mentioned valve chamber
wherein the slide valve is in a position in which it opens the exhaust port therein
and permits the exhaust steam to flow into an exhaust pipe. When the engine is
reversed, the same action takes place but in the opposite direction, the steam
entering through the second steam passage automatically reversing the position
of the two sets of valves.
Each of the sliding vanes are or may be pressed outwards by steam pressure acting
upon an auxiliary piston contained in the corresponding rotary hub and acting
indirectly upon the vane through suitable levers and rods as described in the
specification of another application for Letters Patent filed by me No. 27518 of 1897,
whereby the effect of the movement of the auxiliary piston can be multiplied and
the sliding vane be more readily acted upon. According to one arrangement, the
hollow hub of the bigh pressure cylinder contains an auxiliary cylinder conveniently
fixed therein about the middle of its length and provided with a reciprocating
piston acted upon by pressure of steam admitted from the said cylinder through one
or other of two pipes according to the direction of rotation of the hub. The pipes
open into the main cylinder at their outer ends, which are suitably packed, and
conduct steam therefrom into a valve chest formed by part of the auxiliary cylinder
and containing a double coned seated valve suitably guided therein by means of
wings. Upon steam entering one of the pipes it drives the valve against the opposite
seating and enters the auxiliary cylinder through a short passage so as to cause the
piston to act against the corresponding vane through levers as hereinafter described,
and maintain a steam tight fit between the outer edge of such vane and the inner
face of the cylinder. In order to further ensure that the vane shall constantly bear
against the inner periphery of its cylinder, especially at starting, or before steam is
able to act on the piston of the auxiliary cylinder, a spring is interposed between the
vane and the piston. The two pipes above referred to are in communication with similar
pipes leading into a similar valve chest in the hub of the low pressure cylinder by means
of connecting pipes whereby a piston provided in the said hub is pressed against the
corresponding vane in the manner already described.
The connecting pipes pass through suitable openings in a collar that connects the

page_text: two hubs and of course rotate with them. In the low pressure hub, springs are
located at each side of the piston cylinder, one end of each pressing against the hub
and the other against the vane.
The rod of the piston in the case of the high pressure cylinder is connected by a
pin and slot with a pair of levers each having one end pivotally connected to the hub
and the other to the vane. The arrangement is such that the movements of the
pistons are rendered sensitive by giving an increased outward movement to the vanes
to which they are connected. A similar arrangement of levers is provided in the low
pressure cylinder wherein the piston of the auxiliary cylinder is connected to the said
levers by a connecting rod.
For the purpose of compensating for wear and for automatically adapting the
outer part or edge of the sliding vanes to the curvature of the inner surface of
the cylinders the outer edge of each vane may advantageously be provided
with a shoe that is curved to fit the interior of the cylinder and also to fit
a corresponding concave recess formed in the said outer edge so as to thereby form
a kind of knuckle joint therewith as described in the specification of my said other
application for Patent No. 27518 of 1897. The shoe may be made in one piece
extending the entire length of the cylinder, or it may be in several pieces. In some
cases springs may be interposed between the shoe and the vane, and the outer
portion of the shoe may be fitted with a removable wearing strip.
The ends of each vane may be packed as by spring pressed fillets, so as to maintain
a steam tight fit between its ends and the corresponding ends of the cylinder. The
ends of the shoe may also be packed.
For obtaining a steam tight sliding joint between each of the sliding vanes and
the side of the slot in the hub through which the vane works, the hub may be
provided with bars or strips that are triangular in cross section and provided at each
end with a slot into which enters a pin fixed to the bub. The arrangement is such
that the steam presses the bars against the vane, the greater the pressure of steam
in the cylinder the more tightly will the bars be forced against the vane. Springs
arranged between the bars or strips and the pins serve to hold the bars in place when
not subjected to the action of steam pressure.
Each of the vanes may be mounted to work between rollers which may either
be free to run in a groove formed in the hub, or are rotatably mounted on axial
pins.
In one arrangement loose plates are provided each of which is normally
pressed up against its adjacent roller by means of a spring or springs, whereby the
rollers are caused to bear with suitable rotative pressure against the vane and
are also maintained in a position parallel to the axis of the hub and to the edges of
the vane.
A steam tight joint is or may be made between each hub and the part of the
respective cylinders by a longitudinal packing strip located in a corresponding recess
in the cylinder and pressed against the hub by one or more suitable springs. Also
divided packing rings located in grooves in the ends of the hubs serve to effect a
steam tight joint between the said parts and the ends of the cylinders, as well
understood.
The engine shaft is supported in bearings provided in the cylinder covers these
bearings being so constructed that they can be readily adjusted whilst the engine is
working without removing any of its parts. The bearing in the end cover next the
steam chest is of the kind described in the specification of my said other application
for Letters Patent, and comprises a cone that embraces a rotatable part fast on the
driving shaft. This cone is divided and may be notched or serrated at intervals
around its periphery to increase its elasticity and enable it to contract on the
shaft to compensate for wear. Surrounding the cone is a cone case in the form of a
ring having a corresponding cone seating internally and screwed externally into the
cylinder cover. This cone case is divided at one point and may also be notched or
5 grooved to increase its elasticity. Suitable pins are provided on the cone or cone
case and enter longitudinal grooves provided for them in the cone case or cone, so
that the cone and cone case rotate together. For enabling the cone case to be

page_text: screwed up tightly against the cone to take up wear, the said cone case is provided
with teeth on its periphery which engage with a worm fixed upon a spindle that is
passed through a suitable stuffing box and is shaped at its outer end to receive a
key. In the bearing mounted upon the outer cover of the low pressure cylinder,
the grooves are preferably formed upon the outer end of the split or notched cone
and are engaged by pins fixed to a cover or gland which takes the place of the cone
case used in the other bearing and which when screwed upon the boss of the cover
will cause the cone to be pressed firmly against its seating to take up undue looseness
of the bearing and maintain the alignment of the driving shaft.
For the purpose of strengthening each of the rotary hubs in order to aid in over-
coming the weakness resulting from the slotting of the said hub to receive the vane,
there is or may be provided on the driving shaft and adjacent to the outer end of
each hub, a flange or collar or other like part that rotates with the said hub and is
provided with a laterally extending ring or projection that extends into a circular
groove in the adjacent end of the hub. In some cases the said ring instead of being
continuous may be interrupted at desired places so as to form two or more projecting
parts adapted to fit into corresponding recesses in the adjacent end of the rotary bub.
By this means the driving power can be transmitted more effectively by reason of the
greater leverage that can be obtained, particularly when such projections are placed
at a considerable distance from the axis of the hub.
A compound rotary engine according to this invention may be constructed with
more than two cylinders so as to obtain a greater range of expansion, and the last
cylinder may in each case exhaust into a condenser if desired.
In one construction of reversible triple expansion rotary engine, according to this
invention, there are three cylinders placed end to end and of different diameters.
Steam is or may be admitted to the high and intermediate pressure cylinders in the
manner and by the means herein before described. The steam exhausts from the
intermediate pressure cylinder into one or other of two longitudinal passages that are
connected by crossed passages to two longitudinal ports communicating with the
interior of the third cylinder, at opposite side thereof, the two longitudinal passages
being also adapted to be placed alternately in connection with an exhaust pipe
through a communication controlled by an automatic exhaust valve. This valve
comprises according to one arrangement, a casing having two end chambers with a
smaller connecting chamber communicating with the exhaust pipe or passage and
provided at its ends with valve seats, and a pair of valves connected together by one
or more rods of such length that when one valve is closed on its seat the other will be
open.
Engines such as described may be made non-reversible when desired, one of the two
sets of valves and steam ports and passages being then dispensed with, and also the
automatic exhaust valve, in the case of the triple expansion engine.
Also they may
be constructed with sliding vanes, shaft bearings and other details constructed arranged
and operating otherwise than as hereinbefore described.
Although I have herein spoken of the vessels containing the hubs and vanes as
cylinders, it is to be understood that such vessels may be made of a more or less oval
section. This may advantageously be so in the case of engines designed to run at a
comparatively slow speed and suitably for example for motor car and other purposes
where it is desired to obtain a larger and more uniform action during a greater
portion of each rotation than would be the case if the vessels were of circular
section.

page_text: I, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567, Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, 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 has reference to improvements in compound or multiple expansion
rotary engines of the kind having hubs mounted to rotate in chambers or cylinders
and provided with sliding pistons or vanes that travel in contact with the inner
surfaces of such chambers or cylinders, and it has for object to improve the efficiency
and working of such engines. The invention also has reference to various improve-
ments in or applicable to rotary engines generally.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings
Fig. 1 shows in central vertical longitudinal section, one construction of compound
reversible rotary engine according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan thereof partly in section on the line aa of Fig. 1 but to a smaller
scale.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on the
lines bb; cc; dd; ee; ff; and gg; all looking towards the left hand of Fig. 1,
and drawn to the same scale as Fig. 2 except Fig. 5 which is drawn to a larger
scale.
Fig. 5 is a detail view.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are detail views showing, to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2,
the steam tight packing at the ends of the sliding diaphragm or vane of the rotary
hub.
Fig. 12 is a section on the line h h of Fig. 1, showing a bearing for the engine
shaft.
Fig. 13 is a cross section through the sliding vane and hub, showing, to a still
larger scale, roller bearings for the former.
The compound engine shown in the above figures comprises a high pressure
cylinder and a low pressure cylinder 2 provided respectively with hollow rotary
hubs 3 and 4 which are arranged eccentrically within the cylinder and are rigidly
fixed upon a common driving shaft A, the hub 3 being fitted with a single sliding
piston, vane or diaphragm 5 (hereinafter called a vane) and the hub 4 being fitted
with a similar single vane 6, the two vanes 5 and 6 being arranged 180° apart. The
cylinders are fixed together and to a bed plate 7 with a division plate 9 between their
adjacent ends, the cylinders having outer end covers 7 and 8ª respectively through
which the driving shaft A carrying the hubs extends.
Fixed
Steam or other motive fluid (hereinafter referred to as steam) is supplied to the
respective cylinders through a steam pipe 10 into a steam chest 11 within which
extends a spindle 12 connected to or formed in one with the driving shaft A.
upon the spindle 12 and rotating with it, is a main rotary valve which, in the
example shown, is made in the form of a sleeve 12ª having a helical groove 12" formed
around a portion of its circumference, (Figs. 1 and 8). The sleeve is fixed to the
spindle 12, as for example, by a coned piece 12 bearing against a corresponding
seating on the sleeve and adapted to be screwed up tightly by a nut 12 which also
forces another cone seating at the other end of the sleeve against a coned part 12" on
the spindle 12. A steam tight joint between the inner end of the sleeve and the
adjacent cylinder cover 7" is obtained by a packing ring 12' located in a grooved
recess 12 and provided with springs 12" which constantly press the said ring tightly
against the cover 7*. The helical groove 12b in the sleeve 12* enables steam to be
variably admitted during a part of each rotation to one or other of two steam

page_text: passages 13 and 13ª according to the direction in which it is desired that the engine
should rotate. This direction is controlled by a regulating and reversing valve 14
seated upon the sleeve 12ª and provided in the example shewn with two oppositely
inclined ports 14" and 14° and also with a regulating and reversing lever 15 connected
thereto by a rod 15ª that passes through a stuffing box 11ª and is jointed at its outer
end 15 to the said lever. At the back of or above the reversing valve, is a block 16
provided with openings 16 and 16' adapted to form continuations of the steam
passages 13 and 13ª.
The block 16 is pressed against the valve 14 by springs 16° and
is provided with hollow extensions 16 passing through suitable stuffing boxes 11', this
arrangement also serving to compensate for wear. Depending flanges 16° (Fig. 8)
may be used to guide the valve 14 in a central position; usually however they will
be unnecessary. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, steam can pass
directly from the steam chest 11 through the passage 13" to one of the valve chambers
hereinafter referred to. In order to reverse the engine the valve 14 is pulled to the
right, (Fig. 1), so as to close the opening 16 and bring the port 14ª in the valve
opposite to the opening 16 thus admitting steam from the steam chest to the
passage 13.
The valve 14 can be suitably adjusted by hand by the lever 15 in order
to obtain any desired degree of expansion; or the adjustment may be effected auto-
matically by a governor.
For effecting the compounding and reversing of the rotary engine, there is
provided an arrangement of automatic steam distributing valves controlling specially
arranged ports and passages. According to the arrangement shown by way of
example in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the valves are arranged in pairs or sets, each set
comprising respectively a double coned seated valve 17 or 17ª, and a slide valve 18
or 18, both fixed upon the same valve rod 19 or 19ª, the valve rods of the two sets of
valves being connected at their outer ends by pin and slot connections to a lever 20
pivoted at 20 midway between the ends of the said rods whereby upon one set of
valves being moved in one direction, a corresponding movement in the opposite
direction will be simultaneously imparted to the other set of valves. The steam
passages 13 and 13ª open respectively into the valve chambers 21 and 21. The
arrangement is such that when steam enters for example the passage 13ª as previously
described, it enters the outer end of the valve chamber 21ª and causes the valves to
assume the positions shown in Fig. 2, the steam pressure acting upon the outer face
of the valve 17" and forcing the valve upon its inner seat, and, through the lever 20,
forcing the valve 17 against its outer seat. From the outer end of the valve
chamber 21, the steam flows across through the passage 22, shown by dotted lines
in Figs. 2 and 6, into the longitudinal port 23 of the high pressure cylinder 1 and
enters this cylinder just after the vane 5 has passed the horizontal position in which
it cuts off communication between the port 23 and the cylinder space in front of the
vane, the steam then acting on the vane 5 to rotate the hub and vane in the direction
of the arrow, Fig. 6. When the vane 5 just passes the horizontal position on the
opposite side of the cylinder it uncovers the opposite port 23' and the steam contained
in the high pressure cylinder exhausts through the said port 23ª and across through
another passage 22 into the inner portion of the valve chamber 21 (Fig. 2), and as
the slide valve 18 therein covers the opening into the exhaust port 24, the steam
from the high pressure cylinder is led through a passage 25 and enters the low
pressure cylinder 2 through a port 26 just after the vane 6 has passed the horizontal
position and cut off the said port from the cylinder space in front of the said vane,
the steam in the low pressure cylinder then acting upon the vane 6 to rotate such
vane and hub 4 in the same direction (Fig. 3) as the vane and hub in the high
pressure cylinder 1. The relative positions of the two vanes 5 and 6 are indicated
in Fig. 6. When the sliding vane 6 just passes the horizontal position on the
opposite side of the low pressure cylinder 2 it uncovers the opposite port 26' and the
steam that has done duty in the said cylinder 2 exhausts through a passage 25 into
the inner end portion of the valve chamber 21 and as the slide valve 18 therein has
opened the exhaust port 24, the steam then escapes through the exhaust pipe 27.
When the engine is reversed by moving the slide valve 14 to the right (Fig. 1), the

page_text: same action takes place in the opposite direction, the steam upon entering through
the passage 13 automatically forcing the valve 17 back, or to the left in Fig. 2,
whereby the positions of both sets of valves are reversed.
By providing each of the cylinders 1 and 2 of a compound engine with a hub fitted
with a single vane and arranging the two vanes at 180° apart so that each vane will cut
off communication with the steam supply port and the cylinder space in front of the
vane when it is brought into a horizontal position on one side of its cylinder and will
open communication between the cylinder space behind the vane and the opposite or
exhaust port when it is brought into the horizontal position on the opposite side of
the cylinder, it will be seen that each vane is only effective during one half of its
rotation in rotating the driving shaft and that when the high pressure vane is making
its active half revolution, the low pressure vane is making its idle half revolution
and vice versa. This arrangement has the great practical value that steam is used
only during that half of each revolution of each vane when it can be employed to the
greatest advantage, and that when the high pressure vane 6 is making the active part
of its revolution under steam the cylinder space in front of such vane is in free
communication with the external atmosphere, or a condenser, through the low pressure
cylinder 2, whereby the said vane is not subjected to back pressure of steam.
This is a feature of considerable practical advantage in compound or multiple
expansion engines.
The details of construction of compound engines arranged and operating as
described can be variously modified. In the arrangement of engine shown, each
vane 5 and 6 is pressed outwards by a steam actuated auxiliary piston in the corre-
sponding hub acting indirectly upon the corresponding vane through suitable levers
and rods as described in the specification of my Patent No. 27518 of 1897 whereby
the effect of the movement of the auxiliary piston can be multiplied and the vanes
be more readily acted upon. As shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 in connection with the
hollow hub 3 of the high pressure cylinder 1, each hub 3 and 4 contains an auxiliary
cylinder 28 conveniently fixed therein about the middle of its length and provided
with a reciprocating piston 29 acted upon by the pressure of steam admitted from the
cylinder 1 through a pipe 28", or 28 according to the direction of rotation of the
vane 5. These pipes open into the cylinder at their outer ends, which are suitably
packed, and conduct steam therefrom into a valve chamber 28° (Figs. 1 and 5) formed
in part of the auxiliary cylinder 28 and containing a double coned seated valve 30
suitably guided therein by means of wings 30*. The pipes 28, 28 are connected by
ineans of pipes 32, 32" to pipes leading into a similar valve chamber 28° (Fig. 1) of
the auxiliary cylinder 28 in the low pressure hub 4, whereby the piston 29 in such
cylinder is also acted upon by high pressure steam from the cylinder 1. The pipes 32,
32a pass through suitable holes in a doubly flanged collar 3' that connects the two
bubs and of course rotates with them. The rod of the piston 29 in the high pressure
hub 3 is connected by a pin 29ª and slot 29b, with a pair of levers 33 each having one
end 33 pivotally connected to the driving shaft A within the hub and provided at
the other end 33 with a roller arranged to bear against the inner edge of the vane
(Fig. 1). The piston of the auxiliary cylinder 28 in the low pressure hub is connected
to a similarly arranged pair of levers 33 by connecting rods 33° (Fig. 1). With the
parts in the position shown in Fig. 5, steam can enter the pipe 28 of the high
pressure hub 3 and having driven the valve 30 against the opposite seating, is free to
enter the auxiliary cylinder 28 through the short passage 3ª so as to press the
piston 29 through the levers 33, against the vane 5 and maintain a steam tight joint
between the outer edge of the vane and the inner surface of the cylinder 1. The
vane 6 is maintained in a similar manner in contact with the interior of the cylinder 2.
In order to further ensure that each vane shall constantly bear against the inner
surface of its cylinder, especially at starting, or before steam is able to act on the
piston 29, a spring 31 (Figs. I and 4) is interposed between the vane 5 and the
piston 29 of the high pressure hub. In the case of the low pressure hub,
springs 31 are located at each side of the auxiliary cylinder 28 (Fig. 1), one end of
each pressing against the hub and the other against the vane.

page_text: For the purpose of compensating for wear and for automatically adapting the outer
part or edge of the vanes of rotary engines to the curvature of the inner surface of
the cylinders, there is or may be provided upon the outer edge of each vane a shoe 34
provided with a removable wearing strip 34ª (Fig. 9) that is curved to fit the interior
of the cylinder and is removably attached to the shoe 34 which is curved to fit a
corresponding concave recess formed in the said outer edge of the vane so as to
thereby form a kind of knuckle joint. Figs. 9 and 10 show one method of pivotally
connecting the said shoe 34 to the edge of the vane. At each end of the vane there
is fixed, as by a screw 34b, a plate 34° which carries a pivot pin or rivet 34° that enters
a corresponding hole in the carrier 34.
The ends of each vane 5 and 6 may advantageously be packed as shown in
Figs. 9, 10 and 11, whereby a steam tight joint is maintained between the said ends
and the corresponding ends of the cylinder. According thereto a fillet 35 (or there
may be more than one) partly enters a slot or groove 5ª in the end of the vane, suit-
able recesses 5" being also formed in the vane to receive springs 35 which normally
press the fillet 35 outwards against the end of the cylinder. A similar packing
fillet 35* with spring is provided at each end of the shoe 34.
For obtaining a steam tight sliding joint between each vane and the sides of the
slot in the hub through which the vane works, the hub may be provided (see
Figs. 3, 5, and 5*) with bars or strips 3° that are triangular in cross section and are
provided at each end with a slot 3ª into which enters a pin 3° fixed to the hub. The
arrangement is such that the steam in the cylinder presses these bars 3c against the
corresponding vane 5 or 6, the greater the pressure of steam in the cylinder, the more
tightly will the bars 3° be forced against the vane. Springs arranged in the slots 3d
between the bars 3 and the pins 3 serve to hold the bars in place when not subjected
to steam pressure.
In Figs. 5 and 13 is shown a roller bearing that is specially adapted for use with
the sliding vanes of rotary engines of large size. It comprises rollers 36 which
may either be free to run in a groove 30" formed in the hub as shown, or he rotatably
mounted on axial pins. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 13, there are provided
loose plates 37, that are each normally pressed up against its adjacent roller 36 by
means of a spring 37, whereby the rollers bear with suitable rotative pressure
against the vane and are also maintained in a position parallel to the axis of the hub
and to the edges of the vane.
A steam-tight joint may be made between each hub and the part 38 of the
respective cylinder by a longitudinal packing strip 39 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6) (or strips)
located in a corresponding recess in the cylinder and pressed against the hub by
suitable springs 39, or by a spring 39¹ (Fig. 1). Divided picking rings 40 located
in grooves in the ends of the hubs (Fig. 1) serve to effect a steam-tight joint between
the said parts and the ends of the cylinders, as well understood.
The driving shaft A is supported in bearings that are arranged in the cylinder
covers 7 and 8 and are capable of being readily adjusted whilst the engine is in
motion without removing any of its parts. The bearing in the end cover 7* next
the steam chest. 11 is of the kind described in the specification of my said other
patent No. 27518 of 1897 and comprises a cone 41 (Figs. 1 and 7) that embraces a
rotatable part 47 of the driving shaft. The cone is divided at 41° and may be
notched or recessed longitudinally at intervals around its periphery, as shown at 41b,
to increase its elasticity and enable it to contract on the shaft to compensate for wear.
Encircling the cone 41 is a cone case in the form of a ring 42 having a cor-
respondingly coned seating internally and screwed externally into the cover 7 which
serves as a box therefor. This cone case is divided at one point, 42* (Fig. 7) and it
may also conveniently be notched or grooved longitudinally to increase its elasticity.
Suitable pins 43, of which two are shown provided on the cone 41, enter longitudinal
grooves 43 (Fig. 1) provided for them in the cone case 42 so that the cone and cone
case rotate together, thereby maintaining perfect alignment of the shaft.
enabling the cone case 42 to be screwed up more tightly against the cone, to take up
wear, the said cone case is provided on its periphery (see Fig. 7) with teeth 43 which
For

page_text: engage with a worm 44 fixed upon a spindle 45 that passes to the exterior of the
cover 7 and is formed with a cone 45 that is set up tightly against a corresponding
seat by a bush 45, the outer end of the spindle being shaped to receive a key.
In the bearing shown upon the cover 8ª (Figs. 1 and 12), the split and notched
cone 41 encircling the driving shaft A is fitted into a conical bearing in the boss 8b
of the cover 8° and its outer end is formed with grooves 43 that are engaged by
pins 43 fixed to a cover or gland 46 which takes the place of the cone case 42 used in
the other bearing. It is obvious that when this gland is screwed upon the boss 8b,
the cone will be pressed more firmly against its seating to take up undue looseness
of the bearing and maintain the alignment of the driving shaft.
nut.
46 is a lock
For the purpose of strengthening the hubs 3 and 4 and thus compensating, to some
extent, for the weakness resulting from the slotting of the said hubs to receive
the vane, each flange, collar or like part 47 that is fixed upon the driving shaft A
and bears against and rotates with the adjacent hub, is provided with a projecting
ring or flange 47" that enters a groove in the hub end and thus supports the
The flange 47ª instead of being a
parts thereof at each side of the slot therein.
continuous ring, may be interrupted at desired places so as to form two or more
projecting parts that fit into corresponding recesses in the end of the rotary hub, as
described in my said former specification. By these means not only is the hub
strengthened, but the driving power can be transmitted more effectively from the
hub to the shaft by reason of the greater leverage that can be obtained, particularly
when such projections are placed at a considerable distance from the axis of the hub.
47 is a packing ring in the flange or collar 47 for effecting a fluid tight joint with
the cylinder cover 8".
Compound rotary engines arranged and operating according to this invention may
be constructed with more than two cylinders so as to obtain a greater range of
expansion and the last cylinder may in each case exhaust into a condenser if
desired.
Fig. 14 is a horizontal section on the line ii of Fig. 15, and Fig. 15 is a part side
elevation, showing a triple expansion reversible rotary engine constructed according
to this invention. Figs. 16, 17 and 18 are respectively cross sections on the
lines l, l, m, m, and n, n of Figs. 14 and 15.
In this arrangement there are three cylinders 1, 2 and 2ª placed end to end and
each cylinder being provided with a hub having a single sliding vane, the vane 6* in
the low pressure cylinder 2* being arranged at 180° behind the vane 6 in the
intermediate pressure cylinder 2 so that it will make the active part of its
revolution simultaneously with that of the vane 5 in the high pressure cylinder 1
which is arranged 180° in advance of the intermediate pressure vane and therefore
The intermediate and low pressure
in the same plane as the low pressure vane.
cylinders 2 and 2ª are larger than the high pressure cylinder 1 and may be of
Steam is admitted to the high
the same or different diameters, as may be desired.
and intermediate pressure cylinders 1 and 2 in the manner and by the means herein-
before described with reference to the high and low pressure cylinders 1 and 2 of the
The steam exhausts from the
compound engine shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.
intermediate pressure cylinder 2 (according to the direction of rotation) into one or
other of two longitudinal passages 41, 41° that are respectively controlled by the
valves 18, 18 and are respectively connected by crossed passages 42, 42 to two
longitudinal ports or passages 43, 43 communicating with the interior of the third
0 cylinder 2 at opposite sides thereof, as in the other two cylinders, the two longitudinal
ports or passages 43, 43ª being also adapted to be placed alternately in connection
with an exhaust pipe 27 through a communication controlled by an automatic exhaust
valve. This valve comprises according to the arrangement shewn, a casing 43 having
two end chambers 44 and 45 connected respectively to the passages 41 and 41ª, and
5 a smaller connecting chamber 46 communicating with the exhaust pipe or passage 27
and provided at its ends with valve seats 47, and a pair of valves 48 connected

page_text: together by a rod 49 of such length that when one valve 48 is closed on its seat 47
the other will be open.
In this case, assuming steam to enter the forward end of the valve chamber 21ª by
the passage 13 it will move the connected sets of valves 17-18 and 17ª, 18ª into
the positions shewn in Fig. 14. After passing through the high and intermediate
pressure cylinders and passages and ports corresponding to those of the high and
low pressure cylinder 1 and 2 in Figs. 1 to 6, the steam will exhaust into the valve
chamber 21 and thence pass by the passage 41* uncovered by the valve 18" to the
valve chamber 45 where it will close the corresponding exhaust valve 47 and pass
through the cross over passage 42ª and enter the low pressure cylinder on the same
side as steam enters the high and intermediate pressure cylinders so that the low
pressure vane will rotate in the same direction as the other vanes. The steam after
rotating the low pressure vane through half a revolution will exhaust through the
cross over passage 42 into the valve chamber 44 and thence pass through the inter-
mediate chamber 46 to the exhaust pipe 27, this exhaust commencing to take place
at the moment when the intermediate pressure vane commences to make the
active part of its rotation so that such vane will not be subject to any back pressure
of steam. In this arrangement it will be readily understood that when the high
pressure vane is making the active part of its revolution, the cylinder space in front
of it will be in direct and free communication through the intermediate pressure
cylinder 2 with the low pressure cylinder 2" on the steam side of the vane therein,
so that the high pressure vane will only be subject to the back pressure of steam that
has already done duty in the intermediate pressure cylinder and is about to do duty
in the low pressure cylinder and is therefore of comparatively low pressure, say only
about 10% of that of the high pressure steam at the commencement of the active
portion of the revolutions of the high and low pressure vanes and falls to a still lower
extent as the low pressure vane continues the active portion of its revolution.
Compound or multiple expansion engines such as hereinbefore described can be
made non-reversible if desired. In this case the two sets of steam distributing valves
and one of the steam passages 13, 13ª are dispensed with, the steam ports and passages
being suitably arranged to lead the steam to the first cylinder and from that to the
next and so on and finally to the exhaust.
Fig. 2 shows a compound engine similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but non-
reversible. In this case the steam supplied by the steam passage 13 passes direct to
the inlet port 23 by which it enters one side of the high pressure cylinder and after
partly rotating the high pressure vane and hub exhausts through the opposite outlet
port 23 and cross over prissage 22 to the inlet port 25 of the low pressure cylinder 2
from the opposite outlet port 25 of which it exhausts direct into the exhaust
passage 24.
A similar construction would also be adopted in the case of the triple
expansion engine shown in Figs. 14 to 18 inclusive if such engine was made non-
reversible, the automatic exhaust valve being also omitted in this case.
Although I have herein spoken of the vessels containing the hubs and vanes as
cylinders, it is to be understood that such vessels may be made of a more or less oval
section. This may advantageously be so in the case of engines designed to run at a
comparatively slow speed and suitably for example for motor car and other purposes
where it is desired to obtain a larger and more uniform action during a greater
portion of each rotation than would be the case if the vessels were of circular
section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what I
claim is :-
1. A compound or multiple expansion rotary engine arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described.
2. A compound or multiple expansion rotary engine wherein each cylinder is fitted
with an eccentrically arranged rotary hub provided with a single vane and the two
vanes in consecutive cylinders are arranged 180° apart so that one will be active

page_text: during one half of each revolution of the main shaft and the other will be active during
the succeeding half revolution of the shaft, and the cylinders are connected together
in such a way that the cylinder space in front of the high pressure vane in the case of
a compound engine or of each vane except the last in the case of a multiple expansion
engine, will, whilst the vane is making the active portion of its revolution, be in
free communication with the exhaust passage of the second or next lower pressure
cylinder through such cylinder, whereby the high pressure vane in the case of a
compound engine, or the intermediate pressure vane in the case of a triple expansion
engine will not be subject to back steam pressure whilst making the active portion
of its revolution, and the high pressure vane in the case of a triple expansion engine
will be subject only to a comparatively small back pressure when making the above
portion of its stroke, as set forth.
3. A compound or multiple expansion rotary engine having hubs and vanes
arranged and operating as herein set forth, wherein the cylinders are arranged to be
placed in communication with each other by two sets of passages controlled by two
sets of valves and the high pressure cylinder is connected to two fluid supply passages
controlled by a rotary main valve, whereby motive fluid can be caused to flow in either
direction through the several cylinders and admit of the direction of rotation of the
engine being reversed at will.
4. In a rotary engine, the combination with the sliding vane or like part that
rotates in contact with the inner surface of the engine cylinder, of a wearing strip that
is adapted to fit the inner surface of the cylinder and is attached to the outer edge of
the vane by a rocking shoe or carrier that fits and forms a steam tight joint with the
outer edge of the vane, the said wearing strip being adapted to be slipped endways
on and off the shoe or carrier so that it can be readily replaced when worn.
5. In a rotary engine, an end bearing for the engine shaft comprising a
longitudinally split cone surrounding the shaft, or a sleeve thereon, and fitting a
correspondingly coned bearing carried by the adjacent cylinder or steam chest cover,
and a cap or cover screwed on the exterior of the said conical bearing, the adjacent
ends of the split cone and cap or cover being provided the one with grooves and the
other with driving pins whereby rotation of the cap or cover will cause a closing
movement of the split cone on the shaft and thereby ensure correct alignment of
such shaft.
6. In a rotary engine having an eccentric hub fitted with a sliding vane, the com-
bination with the hub and the sliding vane of longitudinal packing pieces 3°
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Figs. 5 and 5ª of the drawings annexed.
7. A compound rotary engine constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawings annexed
whether made reversible or not.
8. A triple expansion rotary engine constructed, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 14 to 18 inclusive of the
drawings annexed whether made reversible or not.
Dated this zend day of June 1o99.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.