Year: 1899

page_text: We, CARL VÖLKER, of 34, Probsteigasse, Köln on the Rhine, Germany,
Engineer, and CARL STAIL, of 47, Greek Street, London, Soho, Baker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:----
This invention has relation to improvements in reversible rotary engines of the
annular chamber type for use with steam or other fluids; its object is to provide an
action on the twin system, to simplify the construction, to increase the efficiency,
and to ensure uniform and reliable working for employment in factories or on
board of ships. The novelty consists in the construction, combination and
arrangement of the working parts as hereinafter described.
The engine is composed of the following parts: An annular casing having
a suitably inwardly extended central flange by means of which the annular
chamber or cylinder is divided into two separate portions or chambers of equal
dimensions, and having a downwardly extending outer projection or attachment
for the accommodation of certain slide valves hereinafter described; conveniently
shaped and sectioned cylinder heads are provided to close the cylinder on both
sides, the driving shaft being journaled in suitable bearings in the centre of
said cylinder heads so as to pass through the centre of the cylinder.
Owing to the sectional formation of the cylinder heads the cylinder proper is
divided into chambers, narrow near the centre but widened near the inner face
of the cylinder, the narrow portions being occupied by piston discs having each,
in opposite directions, wider vanes or piston heads which fit into the aforesaid
wider portions of the cylinder. The piston discs are firmly secured to the main
shaft so as to control its rotation by their rotatory motion. The vanes or piston
heads have the surface shape of projections gradually increasing from the peri-
phery of the piston discs, and their apex or outer ridges close steam-tightly
against the inner faces of the cylinders.
Into outwardly provided recesses or cavities of the cylinder heads fit closely
conveniently sectioned rings or plates having inner chambers for the reception
of suitable rotating valves, and sleeves, extending outwardly from the central
portions of the engine and movably enclosing the driving shaft, are provided for
the reception of hand worked levers, by means of which the reversing gear, con-
sisting of said rings or plates and the rotating valves held therein, is operated on
both sides of the engine.
A further ring provided with a socket for the inlet pipes in its upper part and
a corresponding socket for the exhaust pipe in its lower portion is suitably
secured over the former plates or rings holding the described reversing gear, at
cach side of the engine, the said inlet and exhaust pipes communicating with
the interior of the cylinder by means of suitably arranged ports or apertures
provided in the reversible plate or ring.
Slide valves connected by rods with weight actuated levers or the like below
the engine, are arranged in and pass upwards through the before mentioned

page_text: downwardly extending projection of the cylinder casing and are so dimensioned
as to cause them to close the wider portion of the cylinder chamber unless dis-
placed or pushed back by the vanes or piston heads during their revolution.
When by a corresponding manipulation of the lever. steam is let into the
engine it enters the cylinder, through conveniently arranged and connected chan-
nels, between the slide valve and the corresponding piston head or vane, where
it expands and forces the latter to rotate until it again reaches the said slide
valve, depressing the same by means of its before described formation thereby
also opening the exhaust port to admit of the escape of spent steam, while imme-
diately after the passage of the piston head the slide valve is forced up again by
its weighted lever reestablishing the expansion chamber into which fresh steam
immediately enters to repeat the operation.
As the twin piston discs, carry their respective piston heads or vanes in opposite
directions from the shaft, they are alternately in full work and therefore supple-
ment each others work so as to ensure steady and uniform working of the machine.
By reversing the levers steam is admitted into the cylinder at the other side
of the piston heads and the slide valve, causing the engine and its driving shaft
to work in an opposite direction.
We CARL VÖLKER, of 34, Probsteigasse, Köln on the Rhine, Germany,
Engineer, and CARL STAHL, of 47, Greek Street, London, Solo, Baker, 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:—
Our invention relates to improvements in reversible rotary engines of the
aunular chamber type for use with steam and other fluids; its objects are to
provide an action on the twin system, to simplify the construction and increase
the efficiency, and to ensure uniform and reliable working, so as to adapt the
engine to employment in factories, on board ship, and in similar cases where
easy and economical working is essential. The novelty chiefly consists in the
construction, combination and arrangement of the working parts as will herein-
after be fully described.
In order to render our invention more readily understood we have hereunto
attached a sheet of drawings throughout the figures of which the same reference
characters indicate like or corresponding parts of the engine.
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section (along line - Fig. 2) and
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section (along line - Fig. 1) of the engine;
Fig. 3 illustrates, partly in section and partly in side view, two piston dises
with their piston heads, mounted on the driving shaft;
Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 shows a front view of the rotating valve rings or discs with induction
and outlet channels,
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross section of the same (along line y-y Fig. 5).
The engine is constructed as follows:-
An annular casing A having a suitable inwardly extending central flange is

page_text: adapted to be closed in on both sides by cylinder heads D and D₁ removeably
secured by means of bolts or the like.
Owing to the sectional formation of cylinder heads 1 and 11, the cylinder
proper formed by the latter and casing A is divided into two equally dimensioned
chambers a and a narrow near the centre and widened near the inner circum-
ference of the cylinder and adapted to receive and be occupied by rotary piston
discs B and B mounted on driving shaft C, and their respective vanes or piston
heads and 61, the discs fitting into the narrow, and the vanes into the wider
portions of the cylinder chambers.
The piston heads & and are arranged opposite to each other, relative to shaft C,
and have the sectional shape of projections gradually rising from the periphery
of the piston discs until their apex or outward ridge closes steam tightly against
the inner face of the cylinder, as shown in the drawings.
The outer cavities or recesses of cylinder heads D and D are closed by con-
veniently sectioned cover plates and adapted to receive rings or plates F and F1
having inner chambers for holding rotary sliding valves E and E and sleeves
extending outwardly through the cover plates and moveably enclosing driving
shaft C. Upon said sleeves are mounted the hand levers J and J, by means of
which the reversing gear, consisting of said plates Fand-F and rotary sliding
valves E and E', enclosed therein and firmly mounted on shaft C, is operated.
In the cover plates there are further provided suitable socket pieces for inlet
pipes L and outlet pipes M, the former communicating through ports gin
reversible plates FF with chambers gg, while the pipes M M communicate
through ports h with exhaust chambers ff.
The cylinder casing A is furnished at its lower side with a downwardly extend-
in projection or attachment, having flat vertical channels for the reception of
valve slides H and H¹, adapted to be held tightly against the inner circumference
of chambers a and a¹ by means of sliding rods operated by double armed levers K
and controlled by weights G G or conveniently arranged springs. The said
valve slides H and H₁ are devised to be alternately downwardly displaced or pushed
back by piston heads and 1 during their revolution.
Upon lever being moved from right to left the ring or plate F is partially
rotated in such manner that channel is made to communicate with port d. The
fluid passing from rotary valve E through branch port i is thereby admitted into
the cylinder where it expands between valve slide H and piston head forcing
it forward until it has arrived at the other side of the said valve slide after
depressing the latter by means of its gradually increasing perforated head, allow-
ing the weighted lever K to return the valve slide to its former raised position.
During the time that the piston head is depressing the valve slide H, the
rotary valve E has kept port i closed so that no pressure exerting fluid can enter
the cylinder during that period.
By moving lever J from left to right, the action is reversed, the ring or plate F
being so placed that channel is made to communicate with port d, as shown in
Fig. 1 and the expansion takes effect on the other side of valve slide H and piston
head b, forcing the latter in the opposite direction, the fluid behind piston head b
passing through port d into chamber f and escaping through outlet pipe M.
The piston B, 6 and rotary valve E rotating simultaneously are so arranged
that upon piston head engaging with valve slide H, the foot e of rotary valve E
has closed port and no fluid can enter into expansion chamber or cylinder a,
but expansion chamber or cylinder at the other side of the machine receives
full pressure because piston head band rotary valve E¹ being in their high
position, the foot e¹ of valve E¹ has left port i admitting fluid into the expansion
cylinder a¹.
The twin discs B and B with their piston heads 6 and b₁ are therefore alter-
nately in full work and supplement each other so as to ensure steady and uniform
working of the engine.
If the levers J J¹ are given a vertical position so as to be in line with valve
slides HH both norts / and are closed and the engine is stovned.

page_text: 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. New or improved reversible rotary twin engine essentially consisting of
casing ADD, reversible plates FF having inlet and outlet ports gl and hand
outwardly extending sleeves carrying handlevers JJ, piston discs B B and
piston heads bb, rotary valves E E weight or spring actuated valve slides H H',
constructed arranged and connected substantially as and for the purposes described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In reversible rotary twin engines as claimed under 1 rotary valves E E
provided with sliding feet c e, in combination with discs FF having ports i and
branch ports or channels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In reversible rotary twin engines as claimed under 1 the weight-or spring-
lever actuated valve slides H 1 substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of Clata 1900