AN IMPROVED ROTATORY ENGINE, TO BE WORKED BY STEAM, AIR, OR GASES
Year: 1852

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by Edwin Whele, at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd.
October 1852.
I, EDWIN WHELE, of Shiffinal, in the County of Salop, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
ROTATORY ENGINE, TO BE WORKED BY STEAM, AIR, OR GASES," to be as
follows, viz.
My Invention consists of a new or improved rotatory engine to be
driven by steam or other motive power aforesaid, applied direct from
the boiler or generator by means of a pipe to cells or cavities in the rim
of a wheel, and escaping as it passes from under the pipe, and an
annexed plate, as shown in the Drawing marked Fig. 1. The Drawing
annexed illustrates the nature of my sd Invention.
a, is the frame work upon which the wheel is supported, and consists
of four upright posts with suitable rails connecting the same; b, is the
wheel; c, is the axle of wheel working in the bush d, in the rail a, and also
passing through to the opposite rail of the frame work; e, are cells or

page_text: cavities in the rim of the wheel inclosed on all sides except at the
openings f; g, is the steam or conducting pipe opening into the cells e,
at the opening f; h, is a stopcock; i, is a plate into which the pipe g, is
fitted, covering the cells securely as far as the points marked
but allowing the wheel to work freely; j, are supporters to the plate i,
attaching it to the frame a; k, is the boiler or generator. The stopcock h,
being opened, the steam from the boiler k, rushes along the steam pipe
g, into the cells e, at the opening f, and having no means of escape,
and acting upon the bottom of the cell as upon the ordinary piston, it
forces the wheel b, round until a second cell is brought into contact
with the steam (at the opening f, in the steam pipe g), and so on each
cell in succession is charged with steam or motive power, and escaping
or discharging as it passes from under the plate or covering i, at the point
marked
it gives a constant rotatory motion to the wheel.
The wheel should be made of iron or any other suitable metal, and
the size and dimensions regulated according to the power of the engine
required.
The cells should be enclosed on all sides, except at the opening f
be broad at the bottom and tapering up to the opening, and varied
in number and size, according to the size of the engine.
The Drawing, Fig. 1, exhibits by side view the interior of the cells
of the wheel, and Fig. 2, is a perpendicular section of the wheel with
its plate or covering i, and one of the cells e; the plate i, works in a
groove in the flange of the wheel; this flange is marked 7. The
opening to the cells e, for communicating the steam may be formed on
the side of the wheel instead of the face, with a suitable plate, and a
double set of cells may be formed opposite to each other in the rim of
the wheel and in a reversed direction, with two branches of the steam
pipe, one communicating with each set of cells with stopcocks fitted to
each branch; by this means the motion of the wheel may be reversed
Fig. 3, represents a section of the wheel taken horizontally with and at
the steam pipe.
The frame work of this engine must be varied according to the
purpose it is applied to, whether locomotive, marine, or stationary, and
its application may be by driving or other wheels on the main shaft or

page_text: axle c, (of the steam wheel b,) or by pulley, crank, or other suitable
means.
Fig 4, and 5, detail views.
It is to be understood that the accompanying Drawings are illus-
trative merely, being added for the readier understanding of the s
Invention; therefore I do not confine or limit myself to the precise
forms or details thereby shown & before alluded to, the nature of my
Invention as aforesaid not being confined thereto, but embracing any
engine worked by steam or other motive power aforesaid, supplied
from the boiler or generator to cells, cavities, or boxes arranged on a
wheel where the steam or motive agent acts in such manner as gives
rotatory motion, which may be communicated to any useful purpose.