IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."-A communication
from abroad, by John Benjamin Root, of New York City, in the United
States of America.
Sealed the 6th May 1862, and dated the 21st November 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st November 1861.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates more. especially to that class of rotary engines whose
main shaft, and the rotating cylindrical drum, to which the pistons are attached,
are arranged excentrically to the outer cylinder.
The first part of the Invention consists in the employment, for the purpose of
controlling and directing the compound radial and oscillating movement of the
pistons of engines of the above-mentioned class, of segment-shaped pieces of
metal fitted to the faces of the pistons, and to bearings provided for them in
the drum, and of arc-formed pieces attached to the inner ends of the pistons,
and working in grooves in the cylinder heads. And a modification of this part
of the Invention consists in the employment, in combination with the segment

page_text: pieces above mentioned, and in lieu of the aforesaid arc-formed pieces, of rings
attached to the inner ends of the pistons, and fitting to hubs projecting inward
from the cylinder heads; and another feature of this part of the Invention,
consists in a mode of applying packing to the aforesaid segments.
The second part of the Invention consists in the employment of packing
rings, and applying the same within the cylinder heads, and in combination
with the piston drum, piston packing, and cylinder abutment, whereby the
steam is prevented from passing the piston drum and pistons.,
The third part of the Invention consists in a novel construction of, and
means of pressing out to proper contact with their opposed wearing surfaces,
the aforesaid packing rings, or other packing pieces employed in rotary
engines, whereby the steam or other fluid is prevented from passing the rings
or pieces after they have been allowed to be pressed out by the wear of their
faces.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of a valve,
partition, and passages in combination with a steam jacket round the cylinder
of a rotary engine, for the purpose of providing for the warming up and
expansion of the cylinder by steam from the boiler before starting the engine,
and for keeping the cylinder, during the operation of the engine, warmed and
expanded partly by steam from the boiler, and partly by the exhaust steam
from the cylinder; and it further consists in the arrangement of exhaust valves,
in combination with the steam jacket and its appurtenances above mentioned,
to 'provide for the free exhaust of the steam in whichever direction the engine
may be rotating.
•
The fifth part of the Invention consists in adapting to the cylinder heads
rings which will secure the cylinder heads to the cylinder, and also afford for
the adjustment of the heads, so as to compensate for any unequal expansion of
the cylinder, and prevent the piston drum and pistons from biuding in the
cylinder.
The essential features of novelty in this improved engine, and whereby the
- above-results-are-obtained, are, first, the employment in connection with the
excentric piston drum and pistons of arc-formed pieces attached rigidly to
the pistons and fitted to grooves in the head of the cylinder, and also the use
of segment pieces fitted to the faces of the pistons and to bearings in the
piston drum; also the employment, in combination with the pistons and their
segments of rings fitted to hubs on the interiors of the cylinder heads; also
the use of linings applied in combination with the rings and bubs, and further,
the use of V-shaped packing strips applied to the piston drum and in com-
bination with the segmental pieces, to keep the same up to their work.

page_text: Another improvement, is the use of packing rings constructed with off-sets,
and arranged within the cylinder heads in combination with the drum, piston
packing, and cylinder abutment.
Another improvement, is the 'combination with a V-shaped or bevil-sided
packing ring or other packing piece of wedge-shaped soft metal, packing
pieces-with-a-follower-and-springs.-
Another improvement, is the use of a steam jacket, with its two compart-
ments .communicating with the cylinder ports, and provided with partitions,
passages, and with steam ports and valves.
The last improvement consists in the combination of the cylinder heads
(which are fitted to the cylinder) with rings or their equivalent applied to the
cylinder in relation to the said head, so as to keep the parts together and make
them steam-tight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward. Newton,. in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st May 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,. WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County.
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton,. Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors,. administrators, and assigns,. or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton,.my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others,. from time to time and at all
times thereafter "during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an "Invention 'for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES," being a communication: from abroad, upon
the condition: (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by
-an-instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in, what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the Drawing hiereunto" annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates more especially to that class of rotary engines whose
main shaft, and the rotating cylindrical drum, to which the pistons are attached,
. are arranged excentrically to the outer cylinder.
The first part of the Invention consists in the employment, for the purpose
of controlling and directing the compound radial and oscillating movement of
the pistons, of engines of the above-mentioned class of segment-shaped pieces
of metal fitted to the faces of the pistons and to bearings provided for them in
the drum, and also of arc-formed pieces attached. to the inner ends, of the
pistons, and working in grooves in the cylinder heads.
A modification of this part of the Invention consists in the employment in
combination with the segment pieces above mentioned, and in lieu of the
aforesaid arc-formed pieces, of rings attached to the inner ends of the pistons"
and fitting to hubs projecting inward from the cylinder heads; and another
feature of this part of the Invention consists in a mode of applying packing to
the aforesaid segments.
The second part of the Invention consists in the employment of packing.
rings of peculiar construction, and applying the same within the cylinder heads
and in combination with the piston drum, piston packing,, and cylinder s
I abutment, whereby the steam is prevented from passing the piston-drum and
pistons.
The third part of the Invention consists in a novel construction of and
means of pressing out to proper contact with their opposed wearing surfaces,..
the aforesaid packing rings, or other packing pieces employed in rotary engines,
whereby the steam or other fluid is prevented from passing the rings or pieces
after they have been allowed to be pressed out by the wear, of their faces.
and
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the..arrangement of a. valve,
partition, and passages in combination with a steam jacket, round the cylinder
of a rotary engine for the purpose of providing for the warming up a
expansion of the cylinder by steam from the boiler before starting the engine,
and for keeping the cylinder during the operation of the engine warned and
expanded, partly by steam from the boiler, and partly by the exhaust steam
from the cylinder; and it further consists in the arrangement of exhaust

page_text: valves, in combination with- the steam jacket and its appurtenances, above
mentioned, to provide for the free exhaust of the steam in whichever direction
the engine may be rotating..
· The fifth part of the Invention consists in an improved construction of, and
mode of applying and securing the cylinder heads to the cylinder, whereby
facility-is-afforded-for-the-adjustment_of_the_heads_in_such_manner_as_to
compensate for any unequal expansion of the cylinder, and to prevent the
piston drum and pistons from binding in the cylinder.
The first, second, and fourth parts of the Invention are shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an engine taken in a plane
passing directly through the principal parts perpendicularly to the axis of
rotation; Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical
section in a plane parallel with Fig. 1, close within one of the cylinder beads;
Fig. 4 is a face view of one of the pistons, and Fig. 5, a side view of the
same; Fig. 5 illustrates a slightly different construction of the piston;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view on a larger scale than the preceding Figures, and
illustrates a mode of packing the piston segments.
The fifth part of the Invention, and the within before-mentioned modi-
fication of the first part, are illustrated by Figs: 7 to 10 inclusive, which also
like Figs. 1 to 5, illustrate the fourth part; Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken
through the cylinder of an engine perpendicularly to the axis of rotation, but
showing the drum and pistons entire; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the
same taken in the line of its axis; Fig. 9 is a side view, and Fig: 10, a face
view of one of the pistons with its attached rings.
The third part of the Invention is shewn at Fig. 11, which is a transverse
section of one of the packing rings and its containing groove, drawn on a
larger scale than the other Figures. A is the stationary cylinder, which is
bored truly, and is represented in Fig. 2 as fitted in the mariner common to
rotary engine cylinders, with two steam-tight heads B, B, one or both of
which is to be moveable for the introduction of the rotating piston 'drum C.
This drum is turned truly, and is secured to the main shaft D, to which it is
concentric, and which is arranged to work in bearings in the cylinder heads.
The position of these bearings is so much excentric to the stationary cylinder
that the drum C will work in contact with a packing piece or stationary 'abut-
ment E (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) which is fitted into a cavity' formed for its
reception in the inner periphery of the main cylinder.
F, F, (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,) are the pistons, of which there may two or
more, and consist each of a flat plate of metal fitted with packing strips
12, 12, at its sides, and 13 at its outer end, and each having rigidly attached
'

page_text: to it at its inner end and close to its sides, two arc-formed pieces of metal a, a;
which are fitted to cylindrical bubs b', b', provided on the interiors of the
cylinder heads B, B, and to circular grooves b, b, turned in the 'heads. These
hubs and grooves are concentric with the inner periphery of the outer cylinder.
Segment-shaped pieces of metal d, d, Fig. 1, or as they may be termed
segments, are fitted to the pistons in pairs, one on each side of their respective
pistons, with their flat chord faces against the faces of the piston, the thick-
ness of which is sufficient, to keep its pair of segments at the proper distances
apart to make them concentric with each other, so that they may fit to a
cylindrical bearing e, e, formed partly in one side and partly in the other side
of the slot provided in the drum C for the reception of each piston. The
slots c, c, in the drum are tapered from the segment bearings, both toward
the centre of the drum and toward the periphery thereof, so as to make room
for the oscillating movement of the pistons relatively to the drum C, con-
sequent upon the pistons being kept always radial to the inner periphery of
the cylinder A by means of their arc-formed pieces a, a, fitting the groove b.
The two segments belonging to each piston combine to form a journal for
their respective pistons in its oscillating movement, while their flat chord
fares form guides to the piston in. its radial or nearly radial movement rela-
tively to the drum C. It may be observed that the oscillating and radial
movements of the piston above spoken of, are only apparent or relative to the
rotary drum C, and that their actual movement is simply a rotary one.
concentric with the outer cylinder A. The segments d, d, besides serving to
control or direct the oscillating movements of the pistons, serve as packing
pieces as the piston is always forced by the pressure of steam close against
the segment on the exhaust side, and forces the segment close against tho
bearing in the drum C, and the pressure of steam on the segment on the
steam side keeping it in close contact with the piston. To prevent the escape
of steam past the back, of the segment d, that is, on the steam side of the
piston, the segments are packed in the manner shewn in Fig. 6, that is to
say, in the cylindrical seat e, e, in which the segment works, a V-shaped recess
is cut for the reception of a packing strip of soft metalf (shown in the
enlarged sectional view Fig. 6) and one or more holes f³ are drilled from the
outside of the drum to the cavity for the admission of steam to press the stripf
into the angle 14 formed between the back of the segment and the inner side
of the V-shaped recess. The holes'f' may not be necessary, as by rounding
the edge of the entrance to the V-shaped groove the steam may be enabled to
find its
way. thereinto.
In engines which are only intended to run one way, it may not be necessary

page_text: to have the packing applied to both segments, but only to that on the steam.
side of the piston.
It may be observed by reference to Figs. 1, 3, and 5, that the pieces a, a,i
extend from the piston only on one side thereof; bat Fig. 5* represents a side.
view of a piston with the arc piece extended on both sides. The last-men-.
tioned arrangement is preferable for engines that are intended to be frequently
-reversed;-but for engines which are to run always in one direction, or to be.
seldom reversed, it is better to extend the arc piece in the direction in which
the engine is intended usually to run.
In the engine.shewn in Figs. 7 to 10 the pistons F, F, are fitted to the
drum C, with segments d, d, in the same manner as above. described, but>
instead of, the,arc-formed pieces a, a, fitting. to grooves b, b, in the cylinder
heads, the pistons are attached at each end to rings k, k, which are fitted 'to
sleeves h, h, that are fitted to the hubs 6, 6, on the inner sides of the cylinder.
leads. These rings work on the hubs b', 6', and have the same effect as the:
act pieces a, a. In order to afford convenience for putting the pistons and the.
rings in their respective places, the rings must be made separate from the pistons.
In order to attach the rings and pistons together, the rings are made with pins-
i, i, as shown in dotted outlines in Figs. 9 and 10, and the pins are fitted to.
holes bored in the pistons for their reception, and are secured therein by trans-:
verse keys.,, inserted through them.
$
...The sleeves h, h, Figs. 7 and 8, are loose, and are simply intended as linings
for the rings.k, k, and the sleeves can be removed and replaced by new ones
whenever it becomes necessary from their wear, or the wear of the hubs 6', 6',.
or rings a; a...The sleeves are of great importance apart from their taking the
wear, as by placing them in the rings before inserting the piston drum in the
cylinder, the rings belonging to either hub are all kept opposite to each other,
and are enabled to be all put on or to receive their respective hub without diffi-
culty, whereas, without them it would be difficult to get the rings all on the
hubs. The pistons and their rings may be of cast iron, and the sleeves of
brass or composition metal. Sleeves of similar character may be applied to the
húbs b', 6', in combination with the arc pieces; and such sleeves should be made
with hollow flanges, to fit and form linings to the grooves b, b.
G, g, G, g, (Figs. 1; 2, and 3,) are the packing rings, which constitute the
second part of the Invention, and are fitted to grooves j,j, provided for their
reception in the cylinder heads, and have applied behind them within the
grooves, springs m, m, which tend to press them toward the sides of the piston
drum and pistons. The rings have each a radial offset g, from the side
situated next the abutment. The grooves j; j; and consequently the packings

page_text: rings are concentric with the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are of
such diameter as to cross the side packing pieces 12, 12, of the pistons within
the circle of the outer periphery of the piston drum C, as shown in Fig. 3, and
outside of the inner circle 14 of the annular side faces of the piston drum, as
shown in the same Figure. The diameter of the inner and outer circles of
the faces is properly proportioned to the diameter of the rings, to permit the
ring to cross the packing pieces 12, 12, in the manner required. The off-
sets g. 9, of the packing rings enter mortises in the ends of the abutment
piece E.
The rings G, g, G, g, may be made quadrangular in their transverse section,
as shown in Fig. 2, and be simply fitted into the grooves j, j, which are made
of similar form, and forced out against the drum by springs m, m, applied to
operate directly against their backs; but the construction and means of forcing
them out as shown in Fig. 11 is preferable, and constitutes the third feature of
the Invention, as affording an effectual preventive of any steam passing round
the backs of the rings. In this Figure the packing ring G made of cast iron is of
V-shape in its transverse section, and, the groovej is of square form, but some-
what deeper than is necessary with the quadrangular ring, and the angular
spaces left between the ring G and the sides of the groovej are filled by rings
n, n, of some soft composition metal, as an alloy of tin, antimony, and copper,
such rings having a wedge form in their transverse section. Behind the three
rings G, n, n, there is placed in the groovej a follower p, consisting of a thin
ring of steel, wrought iron, or other metal, and behind this follower are the
springs m, m, which press it against the backs of the rings n, n, but not against
the ring G, which is, however, pressed outward from the groove by the pres
sure of n, n, while at the same time the latter, owing to their wedge-like form,
are made to wedge into the spaces between the ring G and the sides of the
groove so tightly, as to prevent leakage between that ring and the groove.
This construction of and means of pressing out the rings is applicable to the
packing strips of the pistons to the abutment piece E and to the various pack-
ings used in rotary engines.
HH (Figs 1, 2, 7, and 8,) is the steam jacket, which nearly surrounds
the cylinder, and terminates near opposite ends of the abutment E. This steam
jacket is divided by a transverse partition g (opposite to the abutment E) into
two separate compartments H and II', one of which communicates with the
cylinder port on one side of the abutment, and the other with the cylinder
port on the opposite side of the abutment. These ports both form means of
communication between the cylinder and a steam chest J, from which the
engine is supplied with steam. This steam chest is fitted with a D-valve K,

page_text: engine.
In Fig. 1 the port r is represented as open for induction, and the port r¹ as
open to the exhaust port, and the engine is supposed to be rotating in the
direction of the arrow shown in the Figure. The two compartments H, H',
of the steam chest are connected by two small passages v, v', with the seat of a
cock or valve I, by which communication between them may be opened and
closed. From the compartments of the jacket there are two ports t; t', through
which the steam is exhausted from the cylinder, the ports being made to com-
municate directly with-the cylinder, and being at such equal distances from the
cabutinent E, that when one piston is passing one of the ports the other piston
is passing the other port. These ports are fitted with valves u, u', which can
-be opened or closed from outside the cylinder and jacket by screws or other
convenient means. In the operation of the engine the valve u or u¹ on the
opposite side of the cylinder to that on which steam enters is always opened,
and the other one is always closed. The object of these valves and ports is to
permit the exhaust of the steam to take place in whichever direction the
engine is running, at such point in the revolution of the several pistons, as
will prevent it from being compressed between the pistons, but will yet allow to
be exerted upon the pistons the full effect that can be obtained from the expan-
sion of the steam permitted by the gradual enlargement of the chambers
formed between the pistons.
'
In Fig. 1 the exhaust is taking place through the port t' and the port t is
closed by the valve u, so as to permit the expansion of the steam against the
piston which has just passed the induction port r, and which is in the lowest
position.. When it is not desired to take advantage of the expansion of the
steam between the pistons, both of the valves u and u¹ are opened. The valve
I is always closed. when 'the engine is in operation, and the compartment H
or H of the jacket on the induction side of the partition q, is always filled. with
live steam from the steain chest J, and the other compartment with the ex-
hausting steam, and hence the cylinder is kept warm in whichever direction the
pistons and drum rotate. To provide for the warming of the cylinder, before
starting the engine, and thereby causing it to expand before the working parts,
and so prevent the binding of the latter, the valve I is brought to a position to
admit steam through the passages v, v³, and so make communication between

page_text: the two compartments of the jacket and on either port or being opened to
the steam chest, the whole jacket is filled with live steam. When the cylinder
has been warmed in this way the engine is started by merely closing the
valve I.
The two cylinder heads B', B', shown in section in Fig. 8, instead of being
rigidly secured to the cylinder in the manner common to rotary engines, have
their peripheries turned to fit the bore of the cylinder A and grooved for the
reception of packing 15 to keep them steam-tight in the cylinder; and they are
. confined in their places by means of two rings L, L, bolted to the ends of the
cylinder. The rings are broad enough, and small enough internally to make
them lap well over the heads B', B', and have rebates turned in their inner faces
to form continuations of the bore of the cylinder so that the heads B', B', may fit
- within them as into the cylinder. Set screws w, w, are applied to screw through
the overlapping portions of the rings L, L, and press against the heads to set
them up to the piston drum and pistons. The pressure of the steam within the
cylinder tends to force the heads outward, but this pressure is met by the set
screws by which the heads may be so adjusted at several points in their cir-
cumference, that the pistons and piston drum may work steam-tight throughout
their entire revolution, and yet not bind or work with unnecessary friction
-between the heads at any point in their revolution. Instead however of using
the set screws to adjust and hold up the beads B', B', the heads and rings may
be properly constructed, and steam admitted between to hold up the heads to
their places, thereby making them self-adjusting relatively to the piston
-bead and pistons. This mode of fitting the cylinder heads allows them to
accommodate themselves to any unequal expansion of the cylinder, and keep
the shaft in the centre thereof.
As a substitute for one of the rings L, L, an inner flange may be provided
around the interior of one end of the cylinder, such flange corresponding with
the overlapping part of the ring and being equivalent thereto.
The present improvements have been described with particular reference to
a steam engine, but they are also, for the most part, applicable-to-engines-of-a-
similar class impelled by other fluids or gases, and also to rotary pumps.
Having now described this Invention of improvements in rotary engines as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect I claim as the Invention secured to me
by Letters Patent as aforesaid,―
1st. The employment in connection with the excentric piston drum C, and
pistons F, F, of arc-formed pieces a, a, attached rigidly to the pistons and fitted
to grooves in the head of the cylinder, and also the use of segment pieces d, d,

page_text: fitted to the faces of the pistons, and to bearings in the piston drum as herein set
forth, I also claim the employment in combination with the pistons F, F, and
their segments d, d, of springs or rings k, k, fitted in the interiors of the
cylinder heads as herein set forth, and also the use of linings h, h, applied
in combination with the rings k, k, and further the use of V-shaped packing
strips f, applied to the piston drum, and in combination with the segmental
-pieces-d,-d,-to-keep the same up to their work.
2nd. The use of packing rings G, g, G, g, constructed with off sets g, g, and
arranged within the cylinder heads, in combination with the drum C, piston
packing 12, and cylinder abutment E, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
3rd. The combination with a V-shaped or bevil-sided packing ring G or
other packing piece of wedge-shaped soft metal, packing pieces n, n, with a
follower p, and springs m, 'm, as herein shewn and described.
I
4th. The use of a steam jacket H, H', with its two compartments communi-
cating with the cylinder ports r, r, and provided with the partition g, passages
v, vl, and with steam ports and valve I; and I also claim in combination with
such steam jacket the ports t, t¹, and valves u, u, as herein described.
5th. The combination of the cylinder heads B', B', fitted to the cylinder, the
rings L, L, or their equivalent applied to the cylinder in relation to the heads,
so as to keep the parts together and make them steam-tight as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)