IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Brierley and Frederick Wade
Brierley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June
1882.
JOHN BRIERLEY and FREDERICK WADE BRIERLEY both of Kensal Green in the
County of Middlesex Engineers "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."
The chief object of this invention is to avoid the necessity as heretofore for using
sliding or rocking steam valves, which especially (in high speed engines) require
continual attention to keep in order, but the invention includes a few minor
improvements in the pistons and other parts of rotary engines.
In carrying out our invention the steam cylinder is enclosed within a second
cylinder in which passages are formed to connect the inlet and exit ports in the
steam cylinder with the steam chest and the exhaust.
The inlet ports are formed in the upper part of the steam cylinder and on
opposite sides thereof and the exit ports in like manner in the lower part of the
cylinder.
The second cylinder which we will term the valve is so arranged as to open one
inlet port and the exit port on the opposite side of the cylinder and close the other
two ports and when once set need not be altered until it is desired to stop the
engine or change its direction. In this manner the use of excentrics and other
apparatus to work the valves will be dispensed with and the noise usually attendant
upon engines of this class will be overcome.
The piston consists of a loose blade working through slots in opposite sides of a
small cylinder mounted excentrically in the steam cylinder. In pistons of this class
as hitherto constructed the loose blade has been placed across the diameter of
the smaller cylinder which necessitates the bevelling of the ends of the blade
thus presenting a fine edge as rubbing surface which rapidly wears away.
According to our invention we place the blade across the diameter of the large or
steam cylinder and the blade turns upon an imaginary axis through the centre of
the cylinder. We thus obtain a broad bearing surface capable of receiving suitable
packing.

page_text: A small steam chamber is provided in rear of the packing to which steam is
admitted from either side of the blade according to the direction of travel of the
blade, to serve as a spring to keep the packing up to the face of the cylinder.
The cylinder and valve are enclosed in a suitable casing with which the steam
chest and the exhaust port are cast.
The valve and casing are for convenience of construction formed in two parts
longitudinally and the parts of the casing are bolted together in any convenient
manner.
The valve we prefer to form of two segments of a circle which are connected
together by two or more steel straps on either side.
The working of the valve may be effected by a crank arm on a horizontal shaft
arranged to pass through the steam chest. The crank arm may work in a recess
formed in the valve or be adjustably connected therewith.
The inner cylinder may work in recesses formed in the cylinder ends.
In order to get over the dead points we employ two cylinders placed side by side
the blades being set in the proper positions for the purpose.