Improvements in Mechanical Motors Driven by Steam, Compressed Air, Mixtures of Gas and Air, Petroleum and Air, or other Explosive Mixture.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
Improvements in Mechanical Motors Driven by Steam, Compressed
Air, Mixtures of Gas and Air, Petroleum and Air, or other
Explosive Mixture.
I JAMES OSMONDE DALE of Glendene Grove Lane Handsworth in the County
of Stafford Solicitor do hereby deolare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in mechanical motors and consists in
making arranging and disposing the different parts thereof so that the driving
portion of any such motor including the cylinder piston connecting-rod and crank
or their equivalents and a toothed-wheel (hereinafter referred to as the "driving
cog") which when the motor is in operation is caused to revolve by the recipro-
cating motion of the piston in the cylinder is made capable of rotation around a
sbaft or spindle upon which shaft or spindle or upon another shaft or spindle
having the same axis is mounted a toothed wheol (hereinafter referred to as the
principal cog") geared into the driving cog or if such driving portion is by
being made a fixture or by a brake or any other means rendered incapable of such
rotation such driving portion will cause the principal cog to revolve. Where the
driving portion is so arranged that its rotation may be retarded and eventually
prevented by a brake and a brake is also arranged so as to have a similar effect
upon the revolution of the principal cog it will be possible without interfering
with or stopping the motor to gradually arrest and eventually cease the rotation
of the driving portion and to substitute for it the revolution of the principal cog
and vice versa.
The driving portion of such motor may include one, two, three or more cylinders
each with its piston connecting rod and crank or their equivalents and driving cog
or two or more cylinders may be arranged so that both or all of them will drive
one driving cog. Where more than one driving oog is used it is obvious that all
of them should gear into the principal cog.
The driving portions of such motors may be so arranged with regard to the
shaft or spindle that the position of the axis or axes of the cylinder or cylinders
will be either radial or tangential to a circle concentric with the shaft or spindle
or the cylinder or cylinders may be placed parallel with or askew of the shaft or
spindle (in the two latter cases the driving cog or cogs and the principal cog will
preferably be bevelled) or one or more cylinders may be placed in one of these
positions and another or others may be placed in another or others of such
positions.
The principal cog may either be firmly attached to the shaft or spindle (in
which case the shaft or spindle should be capable of being revolved) or it may be
mounted so as to revolve upon it (in which case the shaft or spindle should be a
fixture).
Where the motor is intended to be driven by compressed air ateam or other gas
or vapour operating expansively the principal cog and the driving cog are
preferably made each having the same number of teeth or so that the number

page_text: of teeth in the principal cog shall be a multiple of the number of teeth in the
driving cog, the rotary valve mentioned hereafter may then be used.
Where the motor is intended to be driven by an explosive mixture of gas and
air or other explosive mixture the principal cog is preferably made with twice
the number of teeth as the driving cog has as then by the use of the rotary valve
mentioned hereafter the proper sequence of charging the cylinder compressing
the charge firing and exhausting can be obtained once in every two revolutions of
the driving cog.
The steam, vapour, gas air or mixture used for driving the motor may be
admitted to the cylinder and the exhaust may be discharged from the cylinder by
the slide or other valves ordinarily used or by a rotary valve concentric with the
shaft or spindle and attached to or made so as to revolve with the principal cog
and placed between the shaft or spindle and the driving portion of the motor.
The rotary valve is provided with outlets or ways which by the rotation, of the
driving portion of the motor or by the revolution of the principal cog or by both
are made at the proper moments to open into and to cut off from the ports of the
cylinders so as to provide for charging exhausting compressing and firing in proper
sequence.
The power may be taken from the motors by moans of flanges or band-wheels
clutches chain-wheels or cogs attached to the driving portion of the motor or to
the principal cog, any such flange band-wheel clutch chain-wheel or cog being
concentric with the driving portion or with the principal cog to which it is
attached.
Dated thi Dil
1000
ATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Motors Driven by Steam, Compressed
Air, Mixtures of Gas and Air, Petroleum and Air, or other
Explosive Mixture.
I, JAMES OSMONDE DALE, late of Glendene, Grove Lane, Handsworth, in the
County of Stafford, and now residing at 19 Selborne Road, Handsworth, aforesaid,
Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Bame is to be porformed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in mechanical motors and consists in
making arranging and disposing the different parts thereof so that the driving
portion of any such motor, including the cylinder, piston, connecting rod, and
crank, or their equivalents, and a toothed wheel (hereinafter referred to as the
"driving toothed wheel") which, whon the motor is in operation is caused to
revolve by the reciprocating notion of the piston in the cylinder, is made capable
of rotation bodily around a shaft or spindle upon which shaft or spindle, or upon
another shaft or spindle having the same axis, is mounted a toothed wheel (heroin-
after referred to as the "principal toothed wheel") geared into the driving toothed
wheel, or if such driving portion is, by being made a fixture, or by a brake, or any
other means, rendered incapable of such rotation, such driving portion will cause
the principal toothed wheel to revolve. Where the driving portion is so arranged
that its rotation may be retarded and eventually prevented by a brake. and a
brake is also arranged so as to have a similar effect upon the revolution of the
principal toothed wheel, it will be possible, without interfering with, or stopping
the motor, to gradually arrest and eventually stop the rotation of the driving

page_text: portion and to substitute for it the revolution of the principal tooned wheel, aud
vice versa.
The driving portion of such motor may include one, two, three or more
cylinders, each with its piston, connecting rod, and crank or their equivalents, and
driving toothed wheel or pinion, or two or more cylinders may be arranged so that
both or all of them will drive one driving pinion. Where more than one driving
pinion is used it is obvious that all of them should gear into the principal toothed
wheel.
The driving portions of such motors may be so arranged with regard to the
shaft or spindle that the position of the axis or axes of the cylinder or cylinders
will be either radial or tangential to a circle concentric with the shaft or spindle
or the cylinder or cylinders may be placed parallel with or askew of the shaft or
spindle (in the two latter cases the driving toothed pinions or wheels and the
principal toothed wheel will preferably be bevelled) or one or more cylinders may
he placed in one of these positions and another or others may be placed in another
or others of such positions.
The principal toothed wheel may either be firmly attached to the shaft or
spindle (in which case the shaft or spindle should be capable of being revolved) or
it may be mounted so as to revolve upon it (in which case the shaft or spindle
should be a fixture).
Where the motor is intended to be driven by compressed air, steam, or other gas
or vapour operating expansively, the principal toothed wheel and the driving
pinions are preferably made each having the same number of teeth or so that the
number of teeth in the principal wheel shall be a multiple of the number of teeth
in the driving pinions, the rotary valve mentioned hereafter can then be used.
Where the motor is intended to be driven by an explosive mixture of gas and
air or other explosive mixture the principal toothed wheel is preferably made with
twice the number of teeth as the driving wheel or pinion has as then by the use
of the rotary valve mentioned hereafter the proper sequence of charging the
cylinder, compressing the charge, firing and exhausting can be obtained ouce in
every two revolutions of the driving toothed wheel.
The steam, vapour, gas, air or mixture used for driving the motor may be
admitted to the cylinder, and the exhaust may be discharged from the cylinder by
the slide or other valves ordinarily used, or by a rotary valve concentric with
the shaft or spindle and attached to or made so as to revolve with the principal
toothed wheel and so disposed upon the shaft or spindle that the driving portion
of the motor admits of rotation around it. The rotary valve is provided with
outlets or ways which, by the rotation of the driving portion of the motor, or by
the revolution of the principal toothed wheel, or by the rotation of both the
driving portion of the motor and the principal toothed wheel, are made at the
proper moments, to open into and to cut off from the ports of the cylinders, and,
in the case of a gas or oil engine, so as to provide for charging, exhausting,
compressing, and firing in proper sequence.
The power may be taken from the driving portion of the motor by means of
chain and chain wheels, flanges or band wheels, clutches or toothed or friction
gearing, to the enid driving portion of the motor or to the principal toothed wheel
any such flange, band, wheel, clutch, or chain wheel being concentric with the
driving portion or with the principal toothed wheel to which it is attached.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents, in front elevation, with
parts in section, a form of steam or compressed air motor embodying my improve-
ments, and in which three cylinders, arranged tangentially with respect to a circle
concentric with a hollow spindle, are adapted to drive three driving toothed
wheels or pinions gearing with a principal and larger toothed wheel made fast to
the said spindle which carries the valve, said cylinders with their accessories and
driving pinions being mounted upon the face of a chain wheel and the whole being
capable of making a rotary motion around or about the valve as a centre.
Figure 2 is a back elevation of Figure 1, showing the driving pinions on the

page_text: countershafts driven by the cylinders of the engine, gearing with the principal
toothed wheel fixed on the spindle.
Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 1, showing the brake-drums made fast or carried
respectively to or by the chain wheel or driving portion of the motor and the
principal toothed wheel and spindle and whereby motion of the said driving
portion or principal wheel is controlled or arrested as required.
Figure 4 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a longitudinal vertical section of
the valve and cognate parts of motor, showing the ends of the hollow spindle
leading into the valve and constituting the steam supply and exhaust pipes of the
engine.
Figure 5 is a section through the valve and cylinder bed upon the dotted line <,
Figure 4, showing the steam passages of the valve in dotted lines, and tho valve
ports and
passages in the cylinder bed or support in full lines.
Figure 6 is a section upon the dotted line, Figure 4. In this view the steam
supply passage of the valve are in full lines and the exhaust passages in dotted
lines.
Figure 7 is a section upon the dotted line a', Figure 4, showing the steam supply
passages of the valve in dotted lines and the exhaust passages in full lines.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the valve separately, and
Figure 9 is a transverse section of the saine.
Figures 10 and 11 represent vertical sections of the valve upon the dotted line B
Figure 8, respectively looking in opposite directions.
Figures 12 and 13 are vertical sections upon the dotted line A, Figure 8,
respectively looking in opposite directions.
Figures 14 and 16 are vertical sections upon the dotted line C Figure 8,
respectively looking in opposite directions.
Figure 16 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the alternate exhaust and
supply ports of the valve as they would be seen if laid out flat, and Figure 17 is
a like diagram of the ends of the steam passages leading from the valve to the
cylinders.
Figure 18 represents an elevation of a valve suitable for a gas or oil engine, in
which only one supply passage and port and one exhaust passage and port are
required, in consequence of the explosive mixture being admitted into and
exhausted from the cylinder once in every two completed forward and backward
strokes.
Figure 19 is a transverse section of the same.
Figures 20 and 21 represent vertical sections of this gas-engine valve, upon the
dotted line D Figure 18, looking respectively in opposite direction.
Figures 22 and 23 are vertical sections of Figure 18 upon the dotted line E,
looking in opposite directions.
Figures 24 and 26 are vertical sections upon the dotted line F Figure 18,
looking in opposite directions.
Figure 26 is a laid-out diagram of the arrangement of the ports in this gas-
engine valve, and Figure 27 a like diagram showing the arrangement of the
passages from the valve to the cylinders.
Figure 28 is a section of a gas or oil engine cylinder, showing the arrangement
by which the sparking for igniting the explosive charge is effected.
Figure 29 shows au enlarged sectional view of the valve and its cognate parts,
also showing the commutator fast upon the spindle, and the brusbee, carried upon
a ring of insulating material made fast to the driving portion of the motor, each
brush being in electrical connection with the sparking arrangement of one of the
cylinders.
Figure 30 is a front elevation of the commutator, brushes and carriers and
Figure 31 a plan of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 13 of
the drawings.

page_text: a, a, a, are three trunk cylinders, having pistons b, reciprocating within them
aud each having jointedly connected to them at b', a piston rod 6, whose outer
end 6, is likewise jointedly connected to a crank c, mounted upon a countershaft c',
passing through a bearing d', formed in the walls of a plate or carrier wheel d, and
having made fast to its opposite end, a spur pinion or driving toothed wheel e. The
cylinders, which comprehend, or are arranged in the planes of an equilateral
triangle are bolted to and carried by a bed, bracket or boss f, coming upon or
within, the said carrier wheel d, and with the central hole or bearing f, taking
over and working upon a concentrically arranged valve or plug g, having supply
passages, g, and exhaust passages 9, 9, leading respectively from the supply
entrance A', and exhaust exit h, of the hollow spindle h, to the supply ports 998
and exit ports g, go whilst directed radially from the central hole ', in the
cylinder bed are passages f,,, leading respectively to the cylinders a, a', a',
aud acting in proper sequence and coming alternately over the supply aud exhaust
ports of the valve as the said bed is bodily rotated, with the cylinders, driving
plate and cognate parts of them around the valve as a centre. The driving plate
or wheel d, which may have sprocket teeth upon its periphery for communicating
the motion of tho motor by chain to a driven shaft, or may be in the form of
drum and bave its motion transmitted by a band, carries a brake drum i, around
the periphory of which a braking band, or other like frictional or retarding device
comes for the purpose hereinafter described, whilst the spur pinion e, which, as
shown, have each 16 teeth, intergear with the principal toothed wheel j, having
32 teeth, and being made fast upon the hollow spindle h, carried in ond bearings h*,
mounted in suitable supports, and provided with a brake drum k', which is normally
held fast, (when the other part of the motor is at work) by the application of a
brake band or other friction or retarding device.
Assuming that the engine has been started, live steam passes from the valve to
one of the cylinders, when the piston is reciprocated from the closed end towards
the open end, tho crank turned to an extent corresponding to the pistons traverse,
aud the toothed wheel or pinion e, is made to roll around the periphery of the
principal toothed wheel which is held fast by a band brake, clutch or equivalent
applied to the drum A. The carrier plate, cylinders and cognate parts of the motor
are thereby collectively and bodily rotated around the valve. The steam passage
of the cylinder is then brought opposite one of the exhaust ports and the spent
steam in the cylinder escapes, by which half a revolution of the driving or carrier
wheel d, has been effected. Then on making a further part of rotation the steam
passage is brought opposite the next inlet and live steam admitted to the cylinder
and exhausted again on the passage coming over the second exhaust port, wheu
one revolution has beon completed. The other cylinders follow the first and take
in an exhaust steam in the same sequence, as the one preceding it, but at the time
one cylinder is taking in steam, the other is exhausting and the third is making its
stroke, with its piston about mid-way up the cylinder.
Now assuming the engine is required to cease driving, brake pressure is applied to
the brake drum i, and relieved from off the brake drum k, when the principal toothed
wheel, the valve and the spindle will be driven by the toothed pinions, whilst the
motion of the other parts of the motor are retarded, and as the speed of the
principal toothed wheel is allowed to increase, the rate of rotation of the other
parts proportioually decreases until such time that the driving part and the
principal toothed wheel part acquire the same speed, when the momentum of the
said driving part is finally arrested, as when the cylinder passages revolve at
the same rate as the valve ports the former no longer pass over the latter and
steam is cut off from entering the cylinders.
Assuming the engine is to be kept running but at a reduced speed, then the
brake is relieved off the engine drum i and applied to the desired extent upon the
drun of the principal toothed wheel and by the retardation of the same, steam is
again admitted into the cylinders and the driving plate is drivon round at a rate

page_text: proportional to the difference between the extent of retardation of the principal
toothed wheel and the driving part of the motor.
In Figures 18 to 31, the valve g, has a gas or vapor inlet and an exhaust
outlet 9, and only one supply port 9, and one exhaust port 9', the said valve being
so arranged that the explosive mixture is only taken in once, and the cylinder
exhausted once in every two complete strokes of the piston.
The means for successively exploding the charges of the cylinders of a gas or
similar engine is as follows:-
The explosion chamber a', in the back cover of the cylinder is fitted with a small
insulated spring buffer a, (see Figure 28) or equivalent arrangement against
which a projection a', on the back of the piston a, comes and makes a contact
every time the said piston completes its back stroke. This buffer or spring contact
is in conuection by a lead wire a', with a brush m, of which a number corresponding
to tho number of cylinders in the engine are mounted upon an insulating ring m³,
made fast to and rotating with the driving part of the motor, and these brushes are
arranged to wipe over a commutator n, made fast on the spindle h, so that the said
brushes come successively upon and make electrical contact with a plate m³,
covering only a small portion of the circumference of the commutator and
proceeding from a complete ring m³, with which the spring tongue or terminal m³,
of the electric circuit, is in constant connection. m is a wire leading from one
pole of the induction coil or battery the other pole of which is coupled to any
suitable part of the engine.
On the piston nearly completing its back stroke, the projection a' and spring
buffer a, come together, and on the forward stroke being commenced they are
again separated, an electric spark passes between them and the charge is fired, it
being understood that the brushes and their contact plate on the commutator are
50 arranged, that the brush in connection with any one cylinder will come in
contact with the said commutator plate immediately prior to, and will remain in
contact until after, the time that the piston is breaking contact with the ignition
buffer and that at this same time the brushes of the other cylinders are wiping
over the insulated part of the commutator and are so out of electrical connection.
Instead of employing trunk cylinders, I may use oscillating cylinders mounted upon
trunnions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A motor, comprising a revolving carrier or plate, mounted upon a valve
with suitable supply and exhaust ports, and carrying a cylinder or cylinders
having a reciprocating piston or reciprocating pistons driving a pinion or pinions
through the medium of a crank or cranks, whose shafts work in bearings of the
carrier or plate, and which pinion or pinions gear into or roll upon the teeth of a
normally-stationary toothed wheel or equivalent mounted in the same axial line as
that about which the motor itself revolves, the driving power of which motor is
capable of being transmitted from the rotating carrier or rotating part of the
motor, or from the normally-stationary toothed wheel or its equivalent, by suitable
ineans or gear.
Secondly. A motor, comprising a revolving carrier or plate, mounted upon a
valve with suitable supply aud exhaust ports, and carrying a cylinder or cylinders
having a reciprocating piston or pistons driving a pinion or pinions rolling upon,
or gearing with, a normally-stationary toothed wheel or equivalent mounted in the
same axial line as that about which the motor itself revolves, and with the said
normally-stationary wheel and the rotatory and driving part of the motor being
each provided with a brake, friction clutch or other retarding device.
Thirdly. A motor consisting in part of a differential gearing; the pinion or
pinious whereof, through which the differeutation is obtained, is or are directly

page_text: revolved by means of a crank or cranks attached to such pinion or pinions or to the
spindle or spindles upon which such pinion or pinions is or are mounted.
Dated this 19th day of February 1897.
JAMES OSMONDE DALE,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.