Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
We, CHARLES CALVON WAMPLER and BENJAMIN DANIEL BLOOM, both of Valley
Forge, Mo., U.S.A., Inventors, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
The object of this invention is to provide a rotary engine which will be more
efficient and economical than the majority of those engines at present used.
The invention comprises a cylinder having a bore of suitable diameter, and
exhaust and steam ports, respectively, entering the upper part thereof a short
distance apart. The cylinder is fitted with a piston consisting of a drum or the like
concentrically mounted on a shaft journalled centrally in the cylinder heads. The
piston has two plates secured to its outer circumferential surface, each extending
nearly one half around the circumference and conforming to the contour of the
piston, on their inner sides, entirely, whilst the outer surface of the plates incline
upwardly, at one end, to meet the inner surface of the cylinder, and are bent up
abruptly at right-angles, at the other ends, adjacent to the abrupt termination
of the inclined end of the other plate. Filling blocks and packing are held.
between the two faces of the respective ends dividing the space around the piston
into two steam tight compartments.
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A cut-off valve is fitted to slide vertically in the cylinder casing between
the ports to extend through into the cylinder and be kept normally pressed onto
the plates of the piston by a spring. By reason of this valve, steam, entering the
cylinder, forces between it and the abrupt face of one of the plates and rotates
the piston until the inclined surface raises the valve for the compartment to receive
the live steam whilst the other empties through the exhaust port.
The contour of each plate may be formed with a depression at a point just before
the incline commences. Each time the sliding valve approaches the depression it
falls into it and, by means of levers and connecting rods secured to the valve stem,
operates a balanced lever secured to a stem of a valve which controls the inlet of
steam. By this mechanism the steam can be cut off, before the valve is raised, thus
allowing for expansion thereof.
1 1000
R. RAINSFORD.
Agent for Applicants.
We, CHARLES CALVON WAMPLER and BENJAMIN DANIEL BLOOM, both of Valley
Forge, Mo., U.S.A., Inventors, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
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page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to rotary engines, the object being to provide an engine
of that class which will be exceedingly simple in construction; and more economical
than other engines of the kind at present in use.
Reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed:-
Figure 1 is a transverse section through an engine constructed in accordance
with my invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line of Fig. 1, the piston being in elevation.
Fig. 3 is a similar section to Fig. 2, but illustrating means for cutting off the
steam as required for expansion thereof in the cylinder.
The engine comprises a cylinder 1 consisting of a casing having a central
bore 2, and, if desired, a concave base 3 adapted to fit on the upper portion of the
boilers of portable engines. The cylinder is closed by a cover 4 cast integral
with the bearing 5 for the engine shaft 6 journalled therein and in a similar bearing
cast integral with the cylinder.
The piston consists of a disc or drum 7 mounted on the shaft and having con-
centric packing rings 8 which may be pressed outwards by springs or rubber bands
situated behind them in the annular grooves 9. Semi-circular bands or plates 10
are secured on the circumferential surface of the piston and have one end 11
inclined upwardly to an inner surface of the bore of the cylinder, and the other
end 12 bent up at right angles. Packing blocks 13 and packing 14 are inserted
between the parts 11, 12 to make a steam-tight joint between the two halves of
the cylinder thus divided. The packing being of narrower width than the passage
for the valve 15-hereinafter described-it can be inserted therethrough when said
valve is removed.
'
A casting 16 bolted on the top of the cylinder and fitted with a stuffing-box
and gland 17 forms a guide for the stem 18 of the valve 15. The stem also
projects through a cross-bar 19, supported by standards 20 in the casting 16,
and between which cross-bar and a washer 21 a spring 22 is situated, and
capable of having its tension adjusted by the nut 23, screw-threaded on the
stem 18. The valve 15 consists of a flat piece of metal slidingly fitted in
guides 24.
The cylinder has an inlet port 25 and an exhaust port 26 on opposite sides of
the valve.
The shaft 6 carries the fly-wheel 27, pulleys 28, 29, and eccentric 30. The
pulley 29 is intended to drive any desired and suitable form of governor, and
the eccentric to operate any suitable form of pump as indicated at 31.
Steam entering the port 25 exerts pressure between the part 12 of the piston
and the valve 15 causing the former and the piston to revolve in a direction
away from the latter. During this operation, the steam previously admitted
and in the other half of the cylinder is exhausting through the port 26.
each part 11 approaches the valve the valve is lifted until it rides over and falls
behind the part 12, when the action of the steam is repeated and a continuous
rotary motion of the piston produced.
As
In Fig. 3 we have shewn means for providing expansion of the steam. Said
means comprise the cock or valve 32 having its stem fitted with the balanced
lever 33 engaged by the elongated eye 34 of the lever 35 adjustably secured
to the stem 18. The bands 10 of the piston are formed with notches 36 at any
desired point according to the length of travel of the piston at which the steam
is to be cut off in the drawings we have shewn the notches arranged to cause
the cut off" at two thirds of the travel of the piston.
C6
After the piston has travelled the required distance under boiler pressure
the valve falls into one of the notches, by reason of the pressure of the spring 22,
and depresses one end of the lever 33, cutting off the steam until the valve,
having risen up the inclined part 11 lifts the rod 35 and causes the lever 33 to
tilt in the opposite direction and turn on the steam again.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
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(1) A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having a central bore, a
cover for said bore, a shaft journalled in bearings concentric with said bore, a
piston consisting of a disc or drum carried by the shaft within the bore of the
cylindrical casing, packing rings between the sides of the piston and side and
cover of the cylinder, semi-circular bands secured to the circumferential surface
of the piston each having one end inclined upwardly and its opposite end turned
upwardly at right angles to a point level with the inside surface of the bore of the
cylinder, packing arranged between the respective ends of the bands, a valve
adapted to divide the spaces and inlet and exhaust ports in the cylinder on opposite
sides of the valve, a casting bolted to the cylinder and forming a steam-tight guide
for the stem of the valve, a spring for retaining said valve in contact with the
bands on the piston, all combined and adapted to operate substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
(2) In a rotary engine, having a piston and valve, all as hereinbefore described
and claimed, the semi-circular bands on the circumferential surface of said piston
formed with notches at any required point for engagement with the valve for
operating a tipping lever and cock and valve to shut off the steam at determined
times, substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth and illustrated in
the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 14th day of January 1898
R. RAINSFORD.
Agent for Applicants.