Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C., Engineer (being a communication from The Wineland Rotary
Engine Co., of 100, South Second Street, Easton, Pennsylvania, United States
of America), 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 belongs to that class of rotary engines in which the rotary
piston carries a series of sliding plates or blades which are brought in succession
by the rotation of the piston to receive the impact of the steam.
It is the object of the invention to simplify the construction of the engines of
this class, to cheapen the manufacture and to secure the maximum degree of
efficiency in action.
The invention includes one form in which the blades are moved positively by
cams, and a modified form in which the blades are pressed apart by means of
springs. The engine may be of single form but I am enabled to compactly
arrange a pair of pistons side by side in the same casing thus providing an engine
of compound form.
In the drawings,
Figures 1 to 5 show views of the form of engine in which the blades are operated
by cams, while
Figures 6 to 9 show the modified form.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 the double cylinder comprises the heads 1, 2, the
central partition 3, and the rings 4, 5, between the heads 1 and 2 respectively
and the partition 3, said rings having flanges 6 bolted to the heads 1 and 2 and
to the partition as at 7.
Within the cylinders 8 and 9 thus formed, pistons 10 and 11 are arranged to
rotate, being fixed for this purpose to the shaft 12 extending through the casing.
These pistons have annular depressions in their sides at 13, about the shaft to
receive laterally projecting cams 14 on the inner faces of the heads and upon
opposite sides of the partition.
The pistons also have flanges 15 fitting snugly against the inner walls of the
cylinders.
Each piston has four radial slots 18 cut through the flanges and into the body
part of the piston in which the sliding blades 16 move out and in, and the ends
of said blades as at 19 extend laterally over the peripheries of the cams on the
heads and the partition.
At the top, as shown in Figure 1, the cylinder has an extension 20 surmounted
by a cover plate 21 in which inlet and exhaust ports 22 are formed. This cover
plate also carries the fixed abutment 23 midway between the ports which inter-
rupts the steam space and extends down to the periphery of the piston at 24
within the piston flanges.
This abutment is formed in one with the cover plate and with the outer cam

page_text: plates 25 which have their lower edges curved as at 26, Figure 1 to correspond
to the curved low part of the upper surface of the fixed cams 14.
The cam plates 25 are adapted to fit as shown in Figure 2 within the flanges
of the pistons and engage the outer edges of the sliding blades.
In Figure 2 one of these blades is shown in its innermost position on one side
of the shaft and in its outward position on the opposite side. On the right hand
the piston is shown in section and the blades in dotted lines.
Supposing the engine to be taking steam through the right hand port in
Figure 1 the piston would rotate in the direction of the arrow, the steam acting
upon the blades as they are pushed out until the maximum effect is reached at
the point y in Figure 1; the blades then remain out until the point a is reached
when the steam begins to exhaust through the space z and the left hand port 22.
The blades begin to recede into the slots of the piston at the point so that when
they reach the abutment they are all the way in and pass by said abutment. The
engine may be reversed by introducing the steam through the left hand port 22.
In Figures 3 and 5 is shown a different arrangement of cams. Instead of
making the cams of the abrupt shape shown in Figure 1 they may be simple
projections 14" with a cylindrical edge and arranged eccentric to the shaft thus
producing the same effect, in a better manner. The blades are pushed out by
the cam 14 and pushed in by the abutment 26". The inlet and outlet ports may
also be as shown in Figure 5 at 22" or these ports may be closed and the ports 22
used instead one for the inlet and one for the exhaust. Figure 4 shows a detached
view of the piston 11.
In Figures 6 to 9 is shown the modified form of engine identical in all respects
as to its general construction and operation with the form shown in Figures 1
to 5 except that in place of operating the blades positively by cams, springs are
used to press out the blades.
In these figures (6 to 9) the cylinder B has a central depending portion D which
extends within the line of the cylinder heads C and being of less width than the
space between the heads leaves recesses d between the depending part D and
the cylinder heads in the upper part of the casing. The shaft E extends through
the cylinder head centrally thereof but this shaft is arranged eccentric to the
inner bore of the cylinder. The piston shown in detail in Figures 8 and 9, differs
from that in Figures 1 to 5 by being arranged for two blades instead of four. It
has flanges which project upwardly and outwardly from the periphery so as to
leave a recessed periphery as at h. The two radial slots are diametrically opposite
as shown at i. This piston is fitted to the shaft and the flanges g move through
the recesses d while the depending portion 1) of the cylinder enters between the
flanges into the recess of the piston closing the space between the inlet and
outlet ports for the steam. The piston F is secured to the shaft E and in order
to impart to said shaft the power of the steam, blades n are fitted to the slots i
of said piston, extending from side to side of the cylinder heads and these blades
fit the inner periphery of the cylinder very closely so that the pressure of steam
is exerted against them and through them the piston is turned giving rotary
movement to the shaft. In order to keep the blades pressed outwardly against
the inner face of the cylinder, blocks o are arranged in pairs on each side of the
wheel F within the recesses p formed by the overhanging parts of the flange g.
As shown in Figure 6 these blocks o are pressed outwardly by springs 7 and the
blocks are guided in their movement by guides r secured to the wheel F. The
blades are carried on the outer end of these blocks o and they in turn have
spring pressed end pieces t bearing against the wall of the cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a flanged piston within the same carry-
ine blades Tanossos in the sides of the mists

page_text: fitting said recesses and engaging the ends of the blades to force them out and
means for forcing the blades inwardly.
2. A rotary engine such as described in Claim 1 having the blades carried by
the piston forced outwardly by springs, said blades being supported on blocks
and said blocks being guided on the piston and pressed outwardly by springs
substantially as described and shown in Figures 6 to 9 of the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 24th day of April 1899.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.