IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."--A communication
from abroad by Jean Joseph Molard, of Rue St. Sebastien, Paris, in the
Empire of France:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th October 1864.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements upon that class of rotary engines to
be worked by steam, gas, air, or other elastic fluid, known as direct action
rotary engines, but more particularly to the engines known as disc engines, by
which means great simplicity of construction and operation, and economy of
space are obtained. The body or cylinder of the engine, which is made
hollow, is mounted and rotates in bearings at its extremities, the extremities

page_text: themselves, which are made smaller than the middle, forming the trunnions.
In these hollow trunnions the induction and eduction pipes are situate. The
driving piston (which consists of a hollow, sphere, provided with a disc and a
wing, or partition, to be acted upon by the motive fluid, and having two
openings for the admission and emission of the motive fluid,) is mounted
inside the main cylinderiat an angle to it, the axles of the piston resting upon
recesses made for that purpose in the supply and exhaust pipes at each side.
The middle of the cylinder is made in the form of a pulley, for the double
purpose of receiving the piston, and also of transmitting the motive power to
any machinery to be driven. It is hollow, and its sides are inclined inside,
for the purpose of allowing the piston to be set at an angle to the body of the
engine: It will now-be-understood that upon steam or other motive-fluid
being supplied by the pipe at either end (according to the direction in which
the engine is required to rotate) it will enter the hollow spherical piston, and
in making its exit therefrom will impinge upon the partition or wing of the
piston, and will thereby. cause the cylindrical body of the engine to rotate in
its bearings, which rotary motion may be communicated to any machinery.to
be driven by adapting a driving band to the pulley-formed cylinder, or by
providing such pulley with cog teeth, or any other suitable means for
'transmitting motion.
:
A modification of the above consists in making the body of the engine
stationary, and causing the piston to rotate, the outer extremity of the axle of
which communicates motion to the main shaft of any machinery to be driven
by means of a crank, or other suitable mechanism. In this case the induction
and eduction passages for the steam or other fluid are made in the enlarged
part at one end of the body or cylinder of the engine in which the piston
works, the other part of the cylinder being made of a trumpet-mouth form,
to allow of the working of the piston rod. It will be evident that this engine
like other fotary. engines may be made to act as a pump or water engine, or a
'blowing engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th April 1865. .
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex; Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES," being a com-,
munication to him from abroad by Jean Joseph Molard, of Rue Saint
Sebastien, Paris,. in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto .annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates to improvements upon rotary engines to be worked
by steam, gas, air, or other elastic fluid, and known as direct-action rotary
engines, but more particularly to the engines known as disc engines. By
means of this Invention great simplicity of construction and operation and
economy of space are obtained. The body or cylinder of the engine is
mounted and rotates in bearings at its extremities, which are made, smaller
than the middle, and form hollow trunnions, in which the induction and
eduction pipes are situate. The driving piston consists of a hollow sphero
provided with a disc and a wing, or partition, to be acted upon by the motive
fluid, and has two openings for the admission and emission of the motive fluid.
It is mounted inside the main cylinder at an angle to it, the axle of the piston,
resting upon recesses made for that purpose in the supply and exhaust pipes
at each side. The middle of the cylinder is made in the form of a pulley, for
the double purpose of receiving the piston, and also of transmitting the motive

page_text: It is hollow, and its sides are inclined
power to any machinery to be driven.
for the purpose of allowing the piston to be set at an angle to the body of
the engine..
:
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1, represents in longitudinal section an
engine constructed according to this Invention; Fig. 2, is a side view of the
piston detached.
A, is the main cylinder or body of the engine; B, is the piston mounted upon
its shaft C and provided with its wing or partition D. The body of the engine
A, which presents the appearance at its exterior of a shaft carrying a pulley
in the middle, is mounted and turns in bearings E at its extremities, which
are hollow and respectively receive the induction and eduction pipes F and G.
The body A it will be seen is hollow throughout its-internal-periphery, being
in, the form of a spherical, zone, and its sides in the form of hollow truncated
cones. The piston or disc B consists of a central hollow sphere through
which passes a shaft C; this shaft rests upon inclined planes formed for that
purpose upon the fixed induction and eduction pipes F and G; the spherical
portion of the piston is firmly held in the centre of the cylinder. by means of
spring packing R, r, R', ', (see Fig. 1). The axis of the shaft C is inclined
to the body of the engine so that the faces of the piston may bear upon the
inclined sides of the pulley. The spherical part of the piston is divided inside.
into two chambers Hand H, the one, being constantly in communication with
the induction and the other with the eduction pipe; each chamber has more-
over at each side of the piston B an opening I which communicates with the
interior of the pulley. In the piston. B an inclined slot J is made (see
Fig. 2), in which the partition D works freely; this partition being fixed in, the
sides of the pulley, and bears upon the sphere between the openings I of the
chambers Hand H¹ of the sphere.
..
The operation of the engine is as follows:-Upon steam, air, gas, or other
motive fluid being introduced into the chamber H of the piston, it will enter
the pulley-formed chamber on one side of the partition D, alternately through
one of the openings I on each side of the piston B, after having exerted its elastic
force upon the partition D, and by that means communicated to the cylinder A
rotary motion which may be transmitted to any machinery to be driven by
means of bands on the cylindrical surfaces X or, Y. Or the circumference.
may be provided with teeth and take into a toothed wheel communicating with
the machinery, to be driven. Or it might be made to form the driving shaft
-of-a-locomotive engine working on rail or common roads. In order to reverse
the engine it is only necessary to introduce. the motive agent through the
escape pipe, the supply pipe becoming by that means the exit pipe. By
L

page_text: making the body A of the engine a fixture, and rendering the induction and
eduction pipes F and G moveable, these latter would have rotary motion im-
parted to them; in this case the steam, gas, or air may be introduced at the
side or top of the pulley-shaped part of the body of the engine.
Fig. 3, represents a longitudinal section of this engine set up ready for use;
Fig. 4, shews the interior of one of the sides of the casing or body of the engine
with the driving piston; Fig 5 is a 'section taken in the line 1, 2, of the pre-
ceding Figure. In this engine the steam instead of being introduced at the
centre is supplied direct into the casing or body A which is bolted to a conical
casing A¹, fixed upon a plate P which, serves as a foundation for all the
mechanism, and which may be readily adjusted in any convenient locality.
The steam which is fed in through the pipe.F escapes through the pipe G, or
the reverse action takes place supposing the engine is required to work in the
contrary direction. The shaft C of the piston B only projects, on one side of
the body of the piston into the conical part of the casing A¹ where it is con-
nected with the crank plate M of the driving, shaft V which transmits motion
from the piston rod to the machinery to be driven. The bearing is adjusted so
as to have a slight endway play given to it in order to facilitate the movement
of the shaft C. The lubricator g which is mounted directly above the crank
serves to lubricate the bearing of the shaft C, and the oil which flows along
the inclined side of the chamber A¹ lubricates the packing of the spherical
part of the piston B. The piston is provided at its circumference with pack-
ing 6 which projects very little beyond the rounded part as seen in Fig. 5.
The spherical part is enclosed in brass packing pieces r, r, the outer one of
which is held in place by an adjusting screw the second being constantly
pressed inwards by packing rings R, R¹. The pressing screw t acting upon
the wedge piece T serves to keep continually apart the rings R and R¹ which
are split for that purpose, and as these latter have a projection upon their face,
it follows that the rings being separated, the projections will form inclined
planes which will force the ring R to approach the bearing and force it from
right to left. One of the principal features of this engine is, that it holds in
its place the partition. D which enters grooves inside the body or casing A, and
passes freely into the thickness of the piston B.
In order to produce a cut-off at any required point, two similar engines, but
of different dimensions, may be coupled together, one at each extremity of the
shaft V.; the steam escaping from the small engine enters the large one and
.acts expansively, from whence it may escape to the condenser.. Fig. 6.
represents two engines coupled in this manner in vertical section, taken.
longitudinally through their common axis.

page_text: Before describing the mechanical arrangements by means of which these
two engines (which are similar, with the exception of their dimensions) are
put into communication, I will describe one of them, taking the smaller as
an example. It is composed of a cast-iron casing A formed in two parts,
fitting into each other and bolted together, and the internal form of which
consists of a spherical circumferential zone, which communicates by means of
two semicircular passages with two conical surfaces, the central part of which
is pierced with a cylindrical opening. This box, which acts as a steam
cylinder, contains a moveable plate or disc B, upon which the steam acts and
causes it to describe an oscillating motion, which has the effect of bringing it
successively into contact with the two inclined faces of the case A. During
this movement of the disc the shaft C, which it carries, naturally describes a
cone, of which a is the apex, and the base of which is geometrically the circle-
generated by-the-axle-of-a-crank-D-mounted at-the-extremity of the shaft E
which then receives a continuous circular motion and becomes the main
driving shaft by which all the power derived from the disc piston is trans-
mitted. The most important part of the engine to be understood is the
method of effecting the steam supply, which is not effected by means of a
slide valve nor by other organ in substitution, therefor. The vacuum part of
the box is divided by a partition communicating at F and.F', and which tra-
verses the disc B, in which is made for that purpose a slot, having at its
interior two parts cut away for the purpose of allowing the disc to effect its
oscillatory movement without its connection with the partition ever. being
interrupted, as that partition constitutes inside the box A 'the exact and con-
stant separation between the induction and eduction apertures.
. On refering to Figures 6 and 7 it will be seen that two pipes b. and c lead
into the box A on each side of the partition F, 'the one 6 being in commuca-
tion with the steam boiler, and the other c outside, with the escape pipe
leading either into the atmosphere or into a condenser when the engine.is
single acting, or, as in the present case, into the second engine, under con-
ditions which will be hereafter described. But wherever the escape takes
place the following is the operation in the interior of the .cylinder :-The
steam flowing continually and without intermission into this cylinder through
the pipe b the disc will oscillate, will give it gradually more space, and soon
a volume of steam being introduced will find itself without communication
with any of the internal parts in communication-with-one or the other of the
two orifices, and will proceed with the disc without any increase of volume,
and consequently without operating; whilst the steam ceasing to flow will act
upon the disc, but at its opposite face. This volume of inoperative steam

page_text: will, however, soon come into communication by the natural change of the
point of contact of the disc with the open part or orifice c where it may
escape. By following this peculiar mode of supply and operation of the
steam it will pass through the following distinct phases, first, a volume of
steam on being introduced will act during half a revolution of the disc;
second, this same volume will proceed in an inoperative condition during the
succeeding half revolution; third, this same volume will commence to escape
after the completion of this second half revolution; fourth, the escape as well
as the supply is continuous. The disc is a cast-iron plate, having a central
boss, in which is mounted the shaft C, and which at its outer spherical
surface rolls in two brass shells d, which are constantly kept tight by two
coiled springs e.
The circumference of the disc is enlarged so that a groove
may be formed therein for the reception of an elastic ring f, which acts as a
packing against the inner side of the box A. Fig. 8 represents in section an
arrangement of contact much more sure for the partition F, which works
with slight friction through a brass socket 9, adjusted also to work with
slight friction in the disc B. The cast-iron cone G is closed by a cover h,
constructed in two parts to facilitate its adjustment, and upon which is
mounted the bearing i. The connection of the shaft C with the crank D
requires some explanation. This crank is a kind of iron cam or excentric,
with a fork, in which is fitted a brass half-bearing, which also receives the
extremity of the shaft C. The two engines A and A¹ have for their common
foundation a. cast-iron plate H, which rests upon a bed of masonry. To this
plate one of the casings of the engines A and 'A' are respectively bolted, the
other casing being independant and capable of being detached at pleasure.
For this purpose the casing, which is adjusted to the plate, is cast with a
ribbed base, which fits on to the foundation plate with exactness, so that the
supply passages b and c, b¹ and c¹, shall coincide with the passages b² and c²,
and c³, made in the plate itself, and to which are adapted, as will be explained,
the two outer tubes I and J, communicating respectively with the steam
generator and with a condenser. Of these various passages it is sufficient to
call attention specially to that c², which passing along the lower surface of
the plate from one engine to the other; brings the escape opening c of the first
engine into direct communication with the induction aperture b, as shewn
more clearly in Fig. 7, which is a detached horizontal view of this arrange-
ment. It is therefore in this way that the steam is enabled to operate
successively in the two engines on the principle of Woolf's engine. The
steam passing from the generator through the outer pipe I, Figures 5 and 6;
enters the first pipe 62 in the foundation plate, enters the opening 6 of the

page_text: first engine; produces its effect there, escapes through the opening c and: the
longitudinal passage c, through the opening 61 into the second engine A¹,
and, lastly, escapes therefrom through the opening c', which coincides with
the passage of the plate to which the tube J is adapted, and may commu-
nicate if required with a condenser. The two shafts C and C act in a similar
manner upon the central shaft E, which has its bearings in the outer ends of the
two conical casings G and G', which for greater strength are both bolted to
the 'two cylinders A and A'; and also to the foundation plate H. The shaft E
carries the driving pulley L; the weight of which may be calculated to form a
flywheel when thought necessary, but in this kind of engine a fly wheel may
be dispensed with.
Figures 9 and 10 shew two arrangements in which the two. engines A
and Awork under the same conditions as before, and are in immediate
communication by means of their axis C and C, this latter extending beyond
both ends of the disc B'; and acting upon the main shaft E mounted in the
cylinder G in a bracket G2 The mode of support in the cylinder G differs
from the preceding arrangement, as the shaft E is guided by a brass socket U,
having a binding ring U packed tightly to prevent the escape of steam
'which may accidentally enter the cylinder G. The steam is supplied to the
.cylinder of the engine through a series of passages X, which occupy the
horizontal section passing through the middle of the engine, and the extremities
of which are on one side the tube 62, to which the steam- pipe I is connected,
and on the other hand the passage c³, which passes, round the cylinder G¹
down to the plate, and communicates by means of a passage c' belonging to
the plate H, with the passage J leading to the .condenser; these various
passages are therefore partly reserved for the two cylinders A and A', and for
the intermediate support or bracket G, with which they are connected. In
Fig. 9 these passages are shewn by dotted lines, and they are double at all the
part comprised between the induction and eduction orifices, but they cross
each other at three points occupied by three cocks O, O', and 0%, the ways of
'which are so formed that by changing their position the passages will be
inverted, the communication being besides only established at one time by one
of the two passages, the other one being consequently, closed. The result is
that for each cylinder A and A' the orifices which lead into their interior may
operate alternately and at pleasure for the induction and eduction of the steam
'which facilitates the working of the engine in either direction. When it is
required to reverse the direction of motion of the engine it is only necessary to
turn simultaneously the three cocks, which are so set that they can only take
those two positions."

page_text: The condensing apparatus. is formed, of two cylindrical bodies P,and Q,
each cast with one of the casings, and which combined constitute the casing
in which the disc R works, and performs the office of the piston of the air
pump. This disc is provided with its shaft K, which in this instance derives.
its motion from the shaft of the engine by means of two pullies and This
shaft occupies the space reserved for the water tank, which does not require
any better. packing than that necessary to avoid the escape of water through
the bearing of the shaft which carries the pulley.. The other chamber P
which forms the condenser is perfectly closed, and communicates with the
escape pipe J from the engine above; it has also a pipe leading into it from
the injection cock, which pipe, has at its extremity the perforated,,water
injector m. The operation of this pump is the same as that of the steam
engine above described. This kind of pump does not require any clack valve,
although one is shewn at n in the condenser, and another n .in. the water
'tank by reason of the peculiar operation of this apparatus, which requires a
regularity and certainty not always necessary in an ordinary pump.
.20
I would also observe that the air pump not being constructed to work in
both directions the driving band must either be crossed or not according to
the direction of rotation required for the engine; or special apparatus for
changing the direction of rotation of the engine may be adapted. It will be
seen that the condenser is set in a metal frame S, which allows more room
.for-it than would-be-afforded-by-masonry. The stuffing box above described
is employed, but the amount of play allowed to the shaft is regulated by
means of four, brass keys, forming a box, and having flanges screwed to the
outside of the plate. The steam may be worked expansively in a single engine,
to obtain which result two partitions are adapted to the casing set at suitable
distances apart.
In the space between the two first of these partitions the
steam acts direct with all its force, then the steam after having produced its
effect in this latter part expands in the other compartment, passing through
passages in the casing or in the spherical part of the disc, the expansion
orifices being opened by the oscillation of the disc.
-
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention of improvements in
rotary engines, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I desire it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to any particular form, dimensions, or
proportions of the various parts, as they may be varied without departing from
the nature and object of the Invention; but what I claim as the Invention
secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent is,

page_text: Firstly, the general arrangement of direct-action rotary engines above
described, whatever may be their application.
Secondly, the combination of two disc engines, for the purpose of forming
an expansive steam engine.
Thirdly, the system of double feed, allowing the direction of rotation of the
engine to be changed at pleasure.
Fourthly, the application of a condensing apparatus with an air pump on
the disc principle, although I do not restrict myself to its use, as any other
condensing apparatus may be employed in combination with this improved
engine.
Fifthly, and lastly, the various arrangements above shewn and described
for mounting the disc in its casing,_and_for_adapting-the-partition-to-the-
disc.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of April, in the year of ou
Lord One thouand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
W. E. NEWTON... (L.S:)
"