Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, CHARLES ABELL INGRAHAM, of the Hamlet of Wabigoon, in the District of
Algoma, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Prospector, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manuer the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines and the object of the
invention is to devise a simple and compact engine of this class, which will be
steam tight and economical in the use of steam and which can be run without
noise or rattle at a high rate of speed and it consists essentially of an engine having
the interior cylinder thereof formed with one half of the circle concentric and the
other half in cam form of reduced radius, a central disc being provided secured
to the shaft having divided wing-pistons, which are held in recesses in the dise,
such wing pistons, valves and inlet and exhaust ports being constructed and
arranged in detail as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my rotary engine complete.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.
Fig. 4 is a detail of the wing piston with one projection broken away.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 3.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
AA are the end plates of the cylinder, which are suitably bolted to the
flanges b of the central ring B of the cylinder. The central ring B has attached
to or forming part of it at the bottom the base plate B and at the top the valve
casing B. C is the shaft, which is supported in suitable bearings A and A³
extending outwardly from the end plates A and A' respectively. Dis a central
disc, which is keyed to the shaft and is provided with circular end recesses d
shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and mostly full lines in Fig. 3.
It will be noticed that the interior peripheral contour of the central cylinder
ring B is concentric to the shaft from points below the horizontal axis thereof.
The upper portion of the internal peripheral contour is formed cam-shaped from
above the level of the horizontal axis, the major portion of the arc of the cam
approaching the centre and the lower portion of the cam being curved to merge
into the concentric portion at each side as shown.
The portion of the interior periphery of the central cylinder B between the
passage-ways 10 and 11 is concentric with the shaft C forming a depression b¹
into which the disc D fits. 2 is a packing plate situated in the centre of the
recess and held to press upon the surface of the disc by the spring 3.
4 are concentric packing rings situated at each side of the disc D in the
annular recesses a in the end plates A and A¹. The rings 4 are secured to the
disc D and the springs 5 located in recesses 6 hold the packing
the rings.
against
E are cams secured to the shaft C on each side of the disc D. The cams E are

page_text: indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 3, and fit within the
circular recesses d formed in the ends of the disc D. The lower portions of the
cams E are concentric to the centre of the shaft C to points on each side of the
shaft on a level with the centre of the same. Above these points the cams are
concentric to the upper eccentric portion of the interior periphery of the
cylinder B for the purpose which will appear hereinafter.
F are the wing pistons, which fit within radial recesses D' extending across the
disc D.
The wing pistons F are made in two parts ƒ and f¹ having inwardly extending
end projections and in the upper edges of which are located semi-cylindrical
registering recesses and f³. The spring secured to the projection f of
the wing section f and to the projection of the section f tends to draw each
section in a longitudinal and opposite direction, thus forming steam tight abut-
ting surfaces between the sides of the wings and casing. I provide two of these
divided wings F situated diametrically opposite each other in the disc D. The
outer edge of each portion f and f of the wings is preferably slightly rounded off
as indicated.
Gare spiral compression springs, which fit into recesses in the disc D
at the inner end and into the registering recesses ft and f³ in the divided wings F
at the outer end. The cam E hereinbefore described serves to keep the divided
wings in close contact with the interior periphery of the ring of the cylinder
and the springs G also serve as an auxiliary means for the same purpose and also
to ensure perfect contact and prevent any noise and rattle.
H is a rotary valve provided with the elongated ports of equal peripheral
length of are to the cut-off portions . The cut-off valve H is suitably journalled
in the valve casing B2 and has an inlet steam pipe H leading into it from the
front end. H2 is the stem of the valve, which extends outwardly through a
suitable stuffing box and is journalled at the outer end in the standard I secured
to and extending upwardly from the bearing A³.
JJ and Jare meshing gear pinions of equal size secured respectively on the
ends of the stem H stud and shaft C respectively. These gear wheels are intended
to cause the rotation of the cut-off valve H in unison with the rotation of the shaft.
K is the exhaust chamber situated beneath the cut-off valve H and having
connected to it the exhaust pipe K. L and L' are cylindrical controlling valves
provided with central passages and respectively and passage-ways 12 and 13
leading at right angles therefrom.
8 and 9 are passage-ways leading from the chamber of the cut-off valve to the
top of the controlling valve chambers and 10 and 11 are passage-ways leading
from the bottom of the chambers of the controlling valves L and L' around the
can-shaped portion of the cylinder ring to the ends of the concentric portion.
and are the stems of the valves L and L. The stem has an arm L
secured to it and the stem has a lever L" on its end. The lever and arm are
connected by a link L*.
The engine is reversed by throwing the lever L3 in the direction indicated by
arrow to turn the valve L so as to bring the passage-way 7 opposite to the ends of
the passage-ways 8 and 10 forming a way for the steam from the cut-off valve
to the interior of the cylinder cutting off at the same time the passage-way
The lever L also turns the valve L' bringing the passage-way opposite to the
opening of the exhaust chamber K and passage-way opposite to the passage-
way 11, thus forming a passage-way from the interior of the cylinder to the
exhaust chamber.
In the rotation of my engine it will be seen that no effect on the wing pistons
will be produced until one of them rotating in the direction indicated by arrow
arrives into the position shown in dotted lines at the right hand of Fig. 2, when
the steam will force the wing pistons a quarter of a revolution at which period the
steam will be cut off and the expansive force of the steam will carry this particular

page_text: wing piston to the end of the concentric portion at the opposite side. The wing
piston will be held in position by the cams and held as they rotate so as to follow
the upper cam-shaped portion of the cylinder ring.
Being made in two parts it will be seen that when they arrive at the cam portion
that the forward part as to direction of rotation will recede before the hindmost
part and thus effectually prevent any binding of the wing pistons as they pass
around such cam portion. Being in two parts also I find in practice serves to make
the contacting ends of the wing pistons form a perfectly steam tight contact with
the interior concentric portion of the cylinder ring also with the sides of the
cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a rotary engine, in combination, the end plates, the shaft, the cylinder
ring suitably secured to the end plates and formed with a concentric lower portion
and cam-shaped upper portion, the disc secured to the shaft and the diametrically
situated wing pistons fitting in recesses in the disc, means for holding the wing
pistons in steam tight contact with the interior periphery of the cylinder ring and
suitable inlet and exhaust ports as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a rotary engine, in combination, the end plates, the shaft, the cylinder
ring suitably secured to the end plates and formed with a concentric lower
portion and a cam-shaped upper portion, the disc, secured to the shaft and the
diametrically situated wing pistons fitting in recesses in the disc, means for holding
the wing pistons in steam tight contact with the interior periphery, the cylinder
ring thereof, and suitable inlet and exhaust ports having passage-ways leading
therefrom around the cam shaped portion of the cylinder ring to the ends of the
concentric portion as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a rotary engine, in combination, the end plates, the shaft, the cylinder
ring suitably secured to the end plates and formed with the concentric lower portion
and a cam-shaped upper portion, the disc secured to the shaft and the diametrically
situated wing pistons formed in two parts and fitting in recesses in the disc, cams
secured to the bearings of substantially parallel contour to the periphery of the
cylinder ring and fitting within circular recesses in the end of the central disc and
suitable inlet and exhaust ports as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a rotary engine, in combination the end plates the shaft, the cylinder ring
suitably secured to the end plates and formed with the concentric lower portion
and a cam-shaped upper portion, the disc secured to the shaft and the diametric-
ally situated wing pistons formed in two parts and fitting in recesses in the disc.
cams secured to the hearings of substantially parallel contour to the periphery of
the cylinder ring and fitting within circular recesses in the end of the central lise,
and springs fitting into recesses at the inner side of the radial recesses and into
registering recesses in the inner edges of the wing pistons and the inlet and exhaust
ports as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a rotary engine. in combination the end plates, the shaft, the cylinder
ring suitably secured to the end plates, and formed with the concentric lower por-
tion and a cam-shaped portion, the disc secured to the shaft and the diametrically
situated wing pistons formed in two parts and fitting in recesses in the disc, inner
end projections to the two parts and a spiral spring connecting the end projection
of one part to the opposite end projections of the other part and the inlet and
exhaust ports as and for the purpose specified.
6. In a rotary engine, in combination, the end plates, the shaft, the cylindrical
ring suitably secured to the end plates and formed with a concentric lower portion
and a cam shaped upper portion, the dise secured to the shaft and the diametrically
situated wing pistons fitting in recesses in the disc, means for holding the wing
pistons in steam tight contact with the interior periphery of the cylinder ring,

page_text: a recess in the centre periphery of the cam portion and suitable packing therefor
and inlet and exhaust ports as and for the purpose specified.
7. In combination the end plates, the shaft, the cylinder ring suitably secured
to the end plates and formed with the central lower portion and a cam shaped
upper portion, the disc secured to the shaft, and the diametrically situated wing
pistons fitting in recesses in the disc, the curved passage-ways 10 and 11 in the
cam-shaped portion of the periphery of the cylinder ring and the controlling
valves L and L' with passage-ways and 12 and 1 and 3 respectively, the passage-
ways 9, the rotary cut-off valve H provided with ports and means for communi-
cating motion to the stem of the rotary valve whereby such valve is caused to
rotate in unison with the shaft as and for the purpose specified.
Dated the 24th day of November 1897
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London. Agents for the Applicant.