IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1877

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ROTARY ENGINES' A communication from abroad by John Charles
Thomas, of Carlinsville, in the County of Macoupin, State of Illinois, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th February 1877
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES" A communication from
abroad by John Charles Thomas, of Carlinsville, in the County of Macoupin,
State of Illinois, United States of America
The object of this Invention is to furnish an improved steam wheel to take the
place of the ordinary steam engine, and which shall be simple in construction,
reliable in operation, and safe in use, being free from any bursting of cylinder heads,
breaking of crank pins and connecting rods, and other breakages, and will effect
a great saving of fuel
•
The Invention consists in the combination of the movable pallets, the rods, the
spring boxes, the slotted guides, the levers, and the slides provided with the out-
wardly projecting pins, with the flanged wheel and the grooved case, in the com-
bination of the steam chest, the segmental packing provided with the projections,
the inlet port, and the outlet port, and the adjustable block, with each other, and
with the flanged wheel and the case, and in the combination of the crank rock
shaft, the extensible connecting rod, and the grooved wheel with the valve of the
steam chest, and with the shaft that cannes the wheel for controlling the move-
ments of the said valve from the movements of the said wheel, as herein-after fully
described
The lower part of the case of the wheel of this Invention is made rectangular in
form, and in bearings in the upper parts of the sides revolve the journals of a shaft,
to which shaft is attached a wheel, the face of which has ring flanges formed along
its edges, making a wide,deep groove or channel upon it The wheel is made with
six or more arms connecting its rim with its hub, and in its face between its flanges,
[Price 6d.]

page_text: and midway between its arms, are formed deep transverse grooves, in which radial
pallets work
To the inner edge of each of the pallets are attached the outer ends
of two or more rods which pass through stufhing boxes attached to the innci side
of the rim of the wheel to prevent any steam fiom passing into the interior of the
wheel around the iods
The inner ends of the 1ods are attached to the outer sides of boxes, in the open
inner sides of which bars are placed, which bars are held out by springs placed in
the said boxes The ends of the bars pass through slots in the ends of the boxes,
which gives the pallets a little play, while the spings hold them all the time
against the packing herein-after described The ends of the bars enter guide slots
in radial bars which have their outer ends attached to the rim, and their inner
onds attachlid to the hub of the wheel The ends of the bars also pass through
holes in the ends of the long arms of levers which are pivoted to the side edges of
the arms which connect the rim with the hub of the wheel To the ends of the
short aims of these lovers are pivoted the inner ends of bars which slido in keepers
attached to the run of the wheel, and have outwardly projecting pins formed upon
or attached to their outer ends The pins have friction sleeves or rollers placed
upon them to diminish the friction as the said pins move through then guide slots
The pins move through guide slots made in the sides of the case, and which arc
made with jogs or offsets to protect the pallets, to receive steam, and to draw in
said pallets at the exhaust ports
The steam chest rests upon the upper edge of the case of the wheel, the steam
being admitted through a hole in its side passing to the wheel through an inlet
port, and is formed upon or secured to the upper end of packing, which is curved
upon the arc of the circumfcience of the wheel, and has projections upon its upper
and lower onds of such a size as to fit into the space between the flanges of the
wheel The inner sides of the projections are inclined or bevelled, and then faces
are recessed to receive the brasses, which are held out by springs against the face
of the wheel The ends of the biasses have aims formed upon the projecting
back at night angles across the ends of the projections, so as to rest against the
inner sides of the flanges of the wheel, against which they are held by springs
The body of the brasses is made in two parts halved to each other, so that it inay
be expanded and contracted longitudinally to enable its end arms to adjust them-
selves to the inner sides of the flanges of the wheel Upon the inner side of the
biasses a plate is placed, against which the springs which hold the brasses out iest to
prevent steam fiom passing through the space between the parts of said brasses when
said brasses are extended longitudinally The packing rests upon and is supported
by a block, the forward side of which is concaved to receive and fit upon the outer
side of the packing The outer part of this block is made angular to fit into the end
of the case, and the block is moved forward and back to adjust it by a screw passing
in through the middle part of the end of the case, and is then trued to cause the
packing to bean squarely against the face of the wheel by four set screws passing
in through the coiner parts of the end of the case The block is held down upon
its seat by flanges formed upon the inner and outer ends of its base One flange
enters a keeper attached to the bottom of the case, and the other flange passes out
through a hole in the end of the said case The latter flange is slotted to receive
a screw, by which the block is farther secured in place The exhaust port passes
through the lower part of the packing, through the lower part of the block, and
through the bottom of the case
The entrance of the steam through the inlet poit is regulated by a valve placed
in the steam chest. The valve stem passes out through the wall of the steam chest,
and its outer end is pivoted to the end of an arm igidly attached to a shaft which
rocks in beanings attached to the end of the case One end of the shaft projects
beyond the side of the case, and to it is attached a crank arm to receive a notch
formed upon the lower side of a connecting rod which slides in guides attached to
a bracket attached to the case To the inner side of the outer part of the rod is
, attached a pin, which enters a groove in the side of a wheel that is mounted on the

page_text: shaft that carries the flanged wheel The said groove is made in the general form
of a cucle, with as many salient curves as there are pallets to the flanged wheel,
and in such positions as to operate the valve to admit the steam as each pallet
passes the inlet port The length of the curves regulates the length of time the
valve is held open
The connecting rod is made in two parts, connected to each other by a long or
Swivel nut, so that the said rod may be lengthened or shortened to regulate the
throw of the inlet valve To this rod, duectly over the notch that receives the pin
of the crank, is pivoted a hook to be hooked upon a pin or neck formed upon the
end of the crank shaft The hook is made of such a length that when hooked upon
the shaft the notch of the rod may be 1ased from the pin of the crank to enable
the valve to be operated to start the wheel whatever be its position A hole is
formed in the crank shaft to receive a hand lever for operating the inlet valve by
hand in starting the wheel The upper part of the wheel is covered with a cap or
case to keep out dust and dut
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Ofhce on the 3id
August 1877
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES A communication from
abroad by John Charles Thomas, of Carlinsville, in the County of Macoupin, State
of Illinois, United States of America
The object of this Invention is to furnish an unproved steam wheel or rotary
ongine to take the place of the ordinary steam engine, and which shall be simple in
construction, reliable in operation, and safe in use, being fiee from any bursting out
of cylinder heads, breaking of crank pins and connecting rods, and other breakages,
and which will effect a great saving of fuel
The Invention consists in the combination of the movable pistons, the rods, the
spring boxes, the slotted guides, the levers, and the slides provided with the out-
wardly projecting pins, with the flanged wheel and the grooved case, in the com-
bination of the steam chest, the segmental packing provided with the projections,
the inlet port and the outlet port, and the adjustable block with cach other and
with the flanged wheel and the caso, and in the combination of the crank rock
shaft, the extensible connecting rod, and the grooved wheel with the valve of the
stean chest and with the shaft that carries the wheel for controlling the move-
ments of the said valve from the movements of the said wheel, as herein-after fully
described
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side view of the improved steam wheel.
.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of the same taken through the line x, x,
Figure 1
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, a part of the wheel being
shown in side view
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the lower part of the case, showing
its groove
Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the brasses, part being broken away to show
the construction
Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal section of the same
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different Figures
A is the lower part of the case of the wheel, which is made rectangular in form
and in bearings, in the upper parts of the sides of which revolve the journals of the
shaft B, to the shaft B is attached the wheel C, the face of the wheel C has ring

page_text: flanges c¹ formed along its edges, making a wide deep groove or channel upon it.
The wheel is made with six or more arms c², connecting its 11m with its hub, and in
its face, between its flanges c¹ and midway between its arms c³, are formed deep
transverse grooves, in which work the radial pistons D To the inner edge of each
of the pistons D are attached the outer ends of two or more rods E, which pass
through stuffing boxes F attached to the inner side of the rim of the wheel Ċ to
prevent any steam from passing into the interior of the wheel C around the rods E
The inner ends of the rods E are attached to the outer sides of the boxes or hollow
bars G, in the open inner sides of which are placed bars H, which are held out by
springs I placed in the said boxes G. The ends of the bars II pass through slots in
the ends of the boxes G, which gives the pistons D a httle play, while the springs I
hold them all the tune against the packing, herein-after described. The ends of the
bars H. enter guide slots in the radial bars J, the outer ends of which are attached
to the rim of the wheel C, then inner ends being attached to the hub of the wheel
'The ends of the bars II also pass through holes in the ends of the long arms of the
levers K, which are pivoted to the side edges of the arms e² of the wheel C To the
ends of the short arms of the levers K are pivoted the inner ends of the bais L,
which slide in keepers attached to the 11m of the wheel C, and have outwardly pro-
Jecting pins M formed upon or attached to the outer ends The pins M have
fiction sleeves or 1ollers placed upon them to diminish the friction as the said pins
inove though their guide slots The pins M. move through guide slots N, Figure 2,
made in the sides of the case A, and which are made with jogs or off sets'n³, n³,
Figure 4, to project the pistons D to receive steam, and to draw in said pistons at
the exhaust ports
O is the steam chest, through a hole in the side of which the steam is admitted,
and from which the steam passes to the wheel C through the inlet port o'. The
steam chest O rests upon the upper edge of the caso A, and is formed upon or
secured to the upper end of the packing P The packing P is curved upon the aic
of the circumference of the wheel C, and has projections upon its upper and lower
ends of such a size as to fit into the space between the flanges c¹ of the wheel C
The mnet sides of the projections Q are inclined or bevelled, and then faces are
lecessed to receive the brasses R, which are held out against the face of the wheel C
by the spings S The ends of the brasses R have arms formed upon them pro-
Jecting back at night angles across the ends of the projections Q, so as to rest against
the inner sides of the flanges of the wheel C, against which they are held by the
springs T
The body of the biasses R is made in two parts halved to each other, as shown
in Figure 5, so that it may be expanded and contracted longitudinally to enable
its end aims to adjust themselves to the inner sides of the flanges C' of the wheel C
is a plate placed upon the inner side of the brasses R, and against which the
springs Siest to prevent steam from passing through the space between the parts
of said brasses when said brasses are extended longitudinally The packing P rests
on and is supported by the block U, the forward side of which is concaved to
receive and fit upon the outer side of the packing P The outer part of the block U
18 made angular to fit into the end of the case A The block U is moved forward
and back to adjust it by a sciew V passing in through the middle part of the end
of the case A, and is then turned to cause the packing P to bear squarely against
the face of the wheel C by the four set screws v¹ passing in through the corner
parts of the end of the case A The block U is held down upon its seat by
flanges u, u, formed upon the inner and outer ends of its base The flange u¹
enters a keeper W attached to the bottom of the case A, and the flange u passes
out through a hole in the end of the said case A The flange u is slotted to
receive the screw X, by which the block U is further secured in place Y is the
exhaust port which passes through the lower part of the packing P through the
lower part of the block U and through the bottom of the case A
The entrance of the steam through the inlet port o¹ is regulated by the valve Z
placed in the steam chest O. The valve stem A' passes out through the wall of the

page_text: steam chest O, and its outer end 18 pivoted to the end of an arm B' rigidly attached
to the shaft C The shaft C' rocks in bearings attached to the end of the caso A.
One end of the shaft C projects beyond the side of the case A, and to it is attached
a crank aim D¹ (Figure 1) to receive a notch formed upon the lower side of the
connecting rod E¹ The rod E¹ slides in guides attached to a bracket F³ attached
to the case A. To the inner side of the outer part of the rod E' is attached a
pin G, which enters a groovo H in the side of the wheel I' The groove II' is
made in the general form of a circle with as many salient curves h¹ as there are
pistons D to the wheel C, and in such positions as to operate the valve Z to admit
the steam as each piston D passes the inlet port o¹ The length of the curvos
regulates the length of time the valve is held open
a
h¹
The 1od El is made in two parts connected to each other by a long or swivel
nut e, so that the said tod may be lengthened or shortened to regulate the throw
of the valve Z To the iod E¹ duectly over the notch that receives the pin of the
crank D is pivoted a hook J' to be hooked upon a pin or neck formed upon the
end of the shaft C The hook J' is inade of such a length that when hooked upon
the shaft C the notch of the 10d El may be raised from the pin of the crank D'
to enable the valve to be operated to start the wheel C, whatever bo the position
of the said wheel C A hole is formed in the shaft C to receive a hand lever, as
indicated in dotted lines at al in Figure 1, for operating the valve Z by hand in
starting the wheel C The upper part of the wheel C is covered with a cap or
case K to keep out dust and dut, but which has nothing to do with the operation
of the wheel C
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent 18,—
1st. The combination of the movable pistons D, the rods E, the spring boxes
a, II, I, the slotted guides J, the levers K, and the slides L, provided with the pins M
and the flanged wheel C, and the grooved case A, substantially as heıcın shown
and described
2nd The combination of the steam chest O, the segmental packing P provided
with the projections Q, the inlet port o¹, and the outlet port Y, and the adjustable
block U, with each other, and with the flanged wheel C and the case A, substau-
tially as herein shown and described
3rd The combination of the crank 1ock shaft C, B1, D₁, the extendible con-
necting rod E, and the grooved wheel I', with the valve Z, A¹, of the steam chest O,
and with the shaft B that carries the wheel C for controlling the movements of the
said valve Z from the movements of the said wheel C, substantially as herein shown
and described
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundied and seventy-seven.