MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION, AND FOR RAISING, FORCING, AND MEASURING FLUIDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Smith, of Camberwell New Road, in the
County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION, AND FOR RAISING,
FORCING, AND MEASURING FLUIDS."
Sealed the 12th January 1869, and dated the 24th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th July 1868.
I, GEORGE SMITH, of Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION, AND FOR RAISING,
FORCING, AND MEASURING FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
The chief object of my
engine which shall be more
of fuel, and cheaper and
Invention is the construction of a steam
effective in proportion to the consumption
more simple than such engines as hitherto

page_text: constructed, and which can also be advantageously employed as a pump
or water meter, a propeller, a fan, and for various other purposes.
The said Invention relates to that class of engines in which a number
of blades or plates working within a cylinder are caused to rotate around
an axis at the centre of the said cylinder, and whose effective piston
surface is the area of these blades or plates between the interior periphery
of the cylinder and a rotating drum arranged excentrically within the
same.
The said Invention consists chiefly in the peculiar mode of arranging
the blades or plates so that they may work freely, and yet remain steam-
tight during their revolutions around their axis, in the method of hinging
or jointing the said blades together at the said axis, and in the peculiar
construction of the outer extremities of the blades or of pieces attached
to the same to form a steam-tight bearing surface upon the surface of
the cylinder.
The said improvements also consist partly in the peculiar construction
of the shaft of the excentric drum, and method of attachment of the
dram to the said shaft to admit the blades, and to allow the drum to
adjust itself laterally on the shaft; also in the employment of loose
discs or plates, which are fitted against the ends of the drum and
cylinder between the drum and cylinder covers for the purpose of
venting the escape of steam at those points.
pre-
The said Invention also consists in the peculiar arrangement of ports
and valves for the admission, exhaustion, and expansion of the steam,
and in the means employed to equalize the wearing of the bearing
surfaces of the blades, and to diminish friction where these ports or
apertures are formed through the working surface of the cylinder.
The said Invention also consists partly in the peculiarity of arrange-
ment and combination of the various parts whereby they are rendered
self-adjusting by the pressure of the steam. The rotating blades are
hinged together at the centre of the cylinder upon a pin or rod passing
through jaws formed on each blade. The said blades are fitted to slide
through packing pieces extending lengthwise across the drum; these
packing pieces are fitted to turn in circular bearings near the periphery
of the drum, and thereby allow the blades to adjust themselves as they
rotate and keep their outer surfaces properly in contact with the surface
of the cylinder. The portion of the drum shaft within the cylinder is

page_text: formed with a longitudinal aperture to receive the centre of the arms,
and the portions of the shaft enclosing this aperture are fitted into
grooves or keyways in the drum, in such a manner that the latter is
securely attached to the said shaft, but is free to move endwise thereon
and adjust itself accurately to the bearing surface at the ends of the
cylinder. The loose discs are fitted upon circular parts formed on the
drum, and extending beyond each end of the cylinder, the cylinder
covers being dished to receive the said loose pieces, and leave a space
for the steam between the same and the covers. The drum is so
arranged as to run nearly in contact with the periphery of the cylinder
at one point, and I form on one or both sides of this point a series of
ports or apertures for the admission and exhaustion of the steam. These
ports are preferably formed through the central portion of the periphery
of the cylinder, and to prevent the unequal wearing and friction which
would arise at this part of the cylinder by the existence of more bearing
surface at the sides than in the centre, I extend from each end of these
ports to the ends of the cylinder grooves or channels of corresponding
width. The steam may be entirely or partially cut off at these ports or
apertures by valves fitted in suitable cases, and so arranged that they can
be adjusted to cover all or a portion of the ports. The cylinder, which
may be of any desired size or capacity, is preferably formed of cast iron,
its ends being provided with strong flanges, to which the covers are
attached by suitable screws or bolts. The said cylinder is bored true
and smooth throughout its interior circular portion, which forms the
bearing surface for the rotating blades. I prefer to employ four of these
blades, which are fitted to slide through the packing pieces, the same
being fitted in the drum at equal distances apart. The bearing surfaces
at the extremities of the blades are preferably formed on T-pieces of
suitable width. The edges of these T-pieces are preferably rounded to
ensure their working freely over the ports or apertures. Recesses are
formed in the periphery of the drum to allow these bearing pieces to
lie flush with the same as they pass the point of the cylinder in contact
or nearly so with the drum. When the engine is provided with ports on
each side of this point it may be reversed or caused to run in either
direction by means of a slide valve, which is arranged in a steam chest
over three apertures, two of which communicate with the ports in the
periphery of the cylinder, and the other with the exhaust aperture. By
properly adjusting this valve steam may be admitted to either side of the
cylinder, the other side being then placed in communication with the

page_text: said exhaust aperture. The expansion valves are provided with rods
extending through suitable stuffing boxes in cases or chests fitted over
the cylinder ports. By means of levers or other devices attached to
these rods the said valves may be set to cover any desired number of the
said ports, and thereby expand the steam in the cylinder to any desired
extent.
I sometimes modify my Invention by using one blade or plate fitted
to slide through the shaft of the drum. In this case the T-pieces at
the extremities of the blades are jointed to the same to allow them to
keep properly in contact with the surface of the cylinder. This modifica-
tion of my Invention is more especially applicable to the construction of
rotary pumps, which may be connected by a driving belt or other suitable
means to a steam engine. When employed as a lifting pump only the
cylinder may be provided with an outer casing, through which the water
will be caused to flow as well as through the cylinder by producing a
vacuum in the said cylinder. This outer casing is provided with a check
valve at its outlet aperture to prevent the return of the water. When
this pump is used for propelling vessels no check valve will be required.
In applying the said Invention to the construction of gas or water meters
I prefer to employ three of the rotating blades or plates.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SMITH, of Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey, Civil 2
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Smith, Her special licence that
I, the said George Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time

page_text: 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 of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING
ROTARY MOTION, AND FOR RAISING, FORCING, AND MEASURING FLUIDS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Smith, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
The chief object of my Invention is the construction of a steam engine
which shall be more effective in proportion to the consumption of fuel,
and cheaper and more simple than such engines as hitherto constructed,
and which can also be advantageously employed as a pump or water
meter, a propeller, a fan, and for various other purposes.
The said Invention relates to that class of engines in which a number
of blades or plates working within a cylinder are caused to rotate around
an axis at the centre of the said cylinder, and whose effective piston
surface is the area of these blades or plates between the interior
periphery of the cylinder and a rotating drum arranged eccentrically
within the same.
The said Invention consists chiefly in the peculiar mode of arranging
the blades or plates so that they may work freely and yet remain steam-
tight during their revolutions around their axis, in the method of hinging
or jointing the said blades together at the said axis, and in the peculiar
construction of the outer extremities of the blades or of pieces attached
to the same to form a steam-tight bearing surface upon the surface of
the cylinder.
The said improvements also consist partly in the peculiar construction
of the shaft of the eccentric drum and method of attachment of the
drum to the said shaft to admit the blades and to allow the drum to

page_text: adjust itself laterally on the shaft; also in the employment of loose discs
or plates, which are fitted against the ends of the drum and cylinder
between the drum and cylinder covers for the purpose of preventing the
escape of steam at those points.
The said Invention also consists in the peculiar arrangements of ports
and valves for the admission, exhaustion, and expansion of the steam,
and in the means employed to equalize the wearing of the bearing
surfaces of the blades and to diminish friction where these ports or
apertures are formed through the working surface of the cylinder.
The said Invention also consists partly in the peculiarity of arrange-
ment and combination of the various parts whereby they are rendered
self-adjusting by the pressure of the steam. The rotating blades are
hinged together at the centre of the cylinder upon a pin or rod
passing through jaws formed on each blade. The said blades are
fitted to slide through packing pieces extending lengthwise across the
drum; these packing pieces are fitted to turn in circular bearings
near the periphery of the drum, aud thereby allow the blades to adjust
themselves as they rotate and keep their outer surfaces properly
in contact with the surface of the cylinder. The portion of the
drum shaft within the cylinder is formed with a longitudinal aperture
to receive the centre of the arms, and the portions of the shaft enclosing
this aperture are fitted into grooves or keyways in the drum in
such a manner that the latter is securely attached to the said shaft,
but is free to move endwise thereon and adjust itself accurately to
the bearing surface at the ends of the cylinder. The loose discs are
fitted upon circular parts on the drum and extend beyond each end of
the cylinder, the cylinder covers being dished to receive the said loose
pieces, and a space being left for the steam between the same and the
covers. The drum is so arranged as to run nearly in contact with the
periphery of the cylinder at one point, and I form on one or both
sides of this point a series of ports or apertures for the admission and
exhaustion of the steam. These ports are preferably formed through
the central portion of the periphery of the cylinder, and to prevent the
unequal wearing and friction which would arise at this part of the
cylinder by the existence of more bearing surface at the ends than in
the centre, I extend from each end of these ports to the ends of the
cylinder grooves or channels of corresponding width. The steam may
be entirely or partially ent off at these ports or apertures by valves fitted

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved rotary engine with
expansion ports uncovered; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same
with the cylinder cover removed; Figure 3 is a vertical section on the
line x, x, Figure 2; Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line y, y,
Figure 1; Figures 5 to 18 illustrate detached portions of the said
engine.
Figure 19 is a vertical section of an engine provided with only one
blade according to a modification of my improvements; Figure 20 is a
similar section of the said engine shewing the blade in a different
position.
Figure 21 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modification in the
arrangement of the blades of my improved engine; Figure 22 is a trans-
verse section of the same with the blades in a different position; Figure
23 is a side elevation of the same; Figures 24, 24, and 25 illustrate
detached portions of this modification of my engine.
Figures 26, 27, and 28 are vertical sections illustrating further modifi-
cations of my improvements which may be used for pumping, propelling,
or ventilating.
Figures 29 and 30 are vertical sections shewing the parts as I prefer
to construct and arrange the same when my Invention is applied to a
centrifugal pump.
Figures 31 and 32 are vertical sections illustrating the method of
arranging the parts of my Invention when the same is to serve as a
hydraulic engine or meter: Figure 33 is a side view of the said engine.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
A is the cylinder, which may be of any desired size or capacity, and
is preferably formed of cast iron, its ends being provided with strong
flanges, to which the covers a are attached by suitable screws or bolts;
a¹ are stuffing boxes; a³, the ports or apertures for the admission and
exhaustion of the steam or other fluid; a³, the expansion ports, and
, the
grooves or chanuels for equalizing the wearing of the cylinder;
a is the exhaust pipe, and at the exhaust port; B is a casing or jacket;
b is the stipply pipe, and the valve for admitting the steam or other

page_text: fluid to the cylinder; C, C, are the jackets for the expansion valves c,
which are provided with rods c¹; D is the main shaft, and E, the
rotating drum, which is formed with necks or projections e.
A longitudinal section of the drum is shown in the detached view,
Figure 7, and the exterior and interior of the end piece e in Figures 5
and 6. The grooves e* are fitted on the keys or feathers D* on the
shaft D, so that the drum is free to adjust itself endwise on the said shaft.
The cylinder A is bored true and smooth throughout its interior circular
portion, which forms the bearing surface for the rotating blades F, whose
construction is more clearly illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. f is the
pin or rod whereon the said blades are jointed; I prefer to employ four
of these blades F, as shown in Figure 4. The said blades are fitted
to slide through or between the packing pieces f2, the same being fitted
in the drum E at equal distances apart. These packing pieces may be
constructed in one piece, as shewn in Figure 15, or in two pieces, as in
Figure 16. The bearing surfaces at the extremities of the blades are
preferably formed on -pieces of suitable width, see Figures 12 and
13. The edges of these T-pieces are preferably rounded to ensure
their working freely over the ports or apertures. Recesses e* are formed
in the periphery of the drum to allow these bearing pieces to lie flush
with the same as they pass the point 1 of the cylinder, which is in contact
or nearly so with the drum. When the engine is provided with ports
on each side of this point, as shewn in Figure 4, it may be reversed cr
caused to run in either direction by means of the slide valve b', which
is arranged in the steam chest or jacket B over the apertures, two of
which a communicate with the ports in the periphery of the cylinder,
and the other a with the exhaust pipe a³. By referring to Figure 4 it
will be seen that by adjusting this valve b¹ to cover one or the other of
the ports a², and to open the other port, steam may be admitted at either
side of the cylinder A, while the other side is placed in communication
with the exhaust pipe, the steam passing from the port a² to the exhaust
pipe through the chamber or cavity of the valve b¹. The expansion valve
rods c¹ extend through the stuffing boxes a' in the cases or chests C,
which are placed over the cylinder ports and securely bolted to the
flanges of the same. By means of levers or other devices attached to
these rods the valves c may be set to cover any desired number of the
ports a³. and thereby expaud the steam in the cylinder to any desired
G. G, are the loose plates or discs, which are fitted upon the
extent.

page_text: necks e of the drum E, and which, as will be seen by reference to
Figure 3, fit closely to the ends of the cylinder. One of these discs
is shewn detached in Figures 8 and .9.
I sometimes medify my Invention by using one blade or plate fitted
to slide through the shaft of the drum, as she wn in Figures 19 and 20.
In this case the T-pieces f¹ at the extremities of the blade F are jointed
to the same by means of the packing pieces f3 to allow them to keep
properly in contact with the surface of the cylinder A. In this modi-
fication of my Invention the drum E is provided with the cylindrical
divisional valves m.
To avoid friction at the outer edges of the plates or blades against the
periphery of the cylinder or chamber when my Invention is applied to
pumping, forcing, ventilating, propulsion, or steering, I prefer hinging
them upon the pin, rod, or shaft D, and to secure one of them by a
feather key, while the others are left loose on the shaft, pin, or rod.
This modification of parts in a form which is more especially designed
for a fire engine or other force pump is illustrated in Figures 21, 22, and
23. The plates or blades F are hinged upon the shaft D. One of the
said blades is secured by the feather f, which renders the same capable
of automatic lateral adjustment within the cylinder A; the other blades
are loose on the shaft. The feather-keyed blade is connected by the
links h2 to the guide rings H which regulate the position of the loose
plates; these guide rings are provided with plug plates h, which are
fitted loosely in the said rings, and hang excentrically and loosely on
the shaft, pin, or rod D. By means of these guide rings all friction
between the outer blades and cylinder is prevented. Leather or other
substance may be inserted in the edges of these plates to make them
perfectly water-tight. Rollers K placed on the shaft, pin, or rod D
sustain the guide rings H, and the said shaft may be supported by
autifriction rollers L, which are kept in place by the rings 2. The main
shaft may be connected by a driving belt or other suitable means to a
steam engine.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 26 and 27, I dispense with
the links h² and use the bars or bolts * and rollers k, but I prefer the
link system. In these Figures and also in Figure 28, and in all cases
where my Invention is employed as a lifting pump only, the cylinder A
may be provided with an outer casing M, through which the water will
be caused to flow as well as through the cylinder by producing a

page_text: vacuum in the said cylinder. This outer casing is provided with a
check valve at its outlet aperture to prevent the return of the water.
When this pump is used for propelling vessels no check valve will be
required.
In the modification Figures 29 and 30, I have shewn how I adapt
my Invention to serve as a centrifugal pump, and also as a ventilator.
In this case the blades F are hinged upon the shaft D, and connected
by the links h² to the rings H, which are united and kept in gauge by
the stay rods h¹, as in Figures 21 and 22, but in this case the blades are
curved at their extremities, as shewn in Figure 30).
In applying the said Invention to the construction of gas or water
meters, as illustrated in Figures 31, 32, and 33, I prefer to employ three
or more of the rotating blades or plates F, which are hung loosely on
the pin or rod D. As the air, gas, or liquid is drawn through the
cylinder it impinges upon the blades, which in their turn operate the
indicator by means of the friction wheels K and the guide rings H.
Having thus fully described my said invention, and shown how
the same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice,
I claim,―
First. Constructing the shaft D, substantially as described, to allow
the rotating blades F to work freely.
Second. The drum E constructed and fitted upon the shaft D,
substantially as set forth.
Third. Hinging or jointing the blades F together upon a pin or rod
which remains always concentric with the cylinder.
Fourth. Providing the said blades with T-pieces f¹, constructed and
fitted to the cylinder substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The packing pieces f2 as constructed and arranged in two
pieces in relation to the drum and blades, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Sixth. The drum E, blades F, central joint pin f, and packing pieces f³,
combined and operating together substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Seventh. The self-adjusting loose discs G fitted upon the ends of the
drum E, and arranged to work in the recessed or dished covers a,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Eighth. The expansion ports a³ arranged on one or both sides of the
cylinder A, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The grooves or channels at extended from the said ports to the
ends of the cylinder, for the purposes set forth.
Tenth. The combiration of two T-pieces f¹ with a rotating blade F
(when only one of such blades is employed), substantially as set forth.
Eleventh. The blades F hinged or jointed to a shaft, pin, or rod
arranged concentrically within a cylinder in combination with a drum
rotating excentrically within the said cylinder, the form and arrange-
ment of the parts being modified for propelling, pumping, ventilating,
measuring, or other purposes, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
GEORGE SMITH. (L.s.)