Improvements in Rotary Engines or Pumps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines or Pumps.
I, DAVID MORGAN, of No. 70 Elizabeth Street, Launceston, in the Colony of
Tasmania, Monumental Mason, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a rotary engine which like others of
its kind is usable either as a pump or motor, and which will be simple and
inexpensive in its construction yet effective and economical in its operation, and
one inoreover that can be worked at a high rate of speed with a minimum of
friction.
I will describe the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein,―
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a rotary engine constructed according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of one of the end plates or covers of the cylinder of
said rotary engine.
Figure 3 is an end view, and
Figure 4 a front view of one of the radially sliding blades or pistons and guide
wheels used in said engine as hereinafter described.
Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of the rotary engine, and,-
Figure 6 is a plan of the rotating piston drum, pistons and piston guide wheels of
said rotary engine.
Figures 7 and 8 are sections through part of the cylinder covers illustrating a
modified arrangement for adjusting the positions of the sliding pistons as
hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
The cylinder A is formed with inlet and outlet ports BC and each of its end
plates or covers a is formed with an annular groove or race a¹ a² on its inner surface.
These grooves are concentric with the cylinder, and are preferably made double,
that is of two depths as shewn in the drawings for the purpose hereinafter more
particularly set forth, although a single groove and one wheel will effect the object
in a less satisfactory manner.
A spindle d is mounted in bearings in the end plates or covers a of the cylinder
and carries the rotating piston drum D. These bearings are arranged eccentrically
within the cylinder so that the drum D will be eccentric with said cylinder and
therefore with the double annular groove or race a¹ a².
The blades or pistons E (of which two, three or more may be used) are arranged to
slide radially in ways or grooves e formed for that purpose in the rotating piston
drum D and in order to reduce the friction of the blades against the sides of these
radial ways or grooves the latter are fitted with antifriction rollers e¹ e¹ as shewn.
If the engine is intended to be used as a motor then the positions of these rollers
should be reversed, or if preferred four of them might be used as will be well
understood.
The blades or pistons E are provided at each end with two guide wheels e² es as
shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 6 working within the annular groove a¹ a² in such a

page_text: manner that the periphery of one wheel always bears against the outer edge of one
part of the groove whilst the periphery of the other wheel always bears against the
inner edge of the other part of said groove. This arrangement ensures a positive
radial movement to the blades or pistons E and holds them firmly against the inside
of the cylinder, and is therefore preferable to using a single annular race or groove
and guide wheel.
If preferred the arrangements illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 may be used for
adjusting the positions of the radially sliding pistons or blades E. In these
modifications the groove a² is made of such a shape as will conveniently retain
either two rows of balls as a³ as illustrated in Figure 7 or one row as illustrated
in Figure 8. A loose metal ring at (made in two or more segments according to the
number of pistons) is then placed within the annular groove a² and is made of
such a shape in cross section that it will rest upon and be retained in position
laterally by said balls whilst remaining free to travel round upon them.
Each
of the blades or pistons E is provided at its ends with a projecting pin or dowell e
which fits into a corresponding recess in the ring at, so that as the latter moves
round it will move the piston in or out of its drum in the same way that the
groove a¹ a² acts upon the wheels e² e³.
Instead of making the ring in segments it may be made continuous and the pins
or dowells may be fitted into grooves or slots instead of into holes in said ring.
The rotating piston drum D is made of such a size and is mounted in such a
position within the cylinder A as to contact with a part of the cylinder between the
inlet and outlet ports B and C and in order to make a tight joint and to take up the
wear at that point a packing piece F is inserted in the cylinder and may be adjusted
by means of a set screw or screws f as it becomes worn. If preferred a small hole
or passage may be bored or otherwise formed from the inlet port B (when the
engine is used as a motor), or from the outlet port C (when the engine is to be
used as a pump) to the back of this packing piece so that the fluid pressure in the
engine may be used for automatically keeping such packing against the piston
drum.
In using this invention as a pump motion is imparted to the spindle & from any
convenient source of power so that as the radially sliding pistons E are carried round
in the direction of the arrows from between the two ports (that is where the drum D
contacts with the cylinder A as shown in Figure 1) they will gradually be projected
from the rotating drum D (by reason of the grooves a acting on the guide wheels e³),
until they come in contact with the inner surface of the cylinder A just beyond the
inlet port B. As these pistons are carried round they will draw water or other fluid
in through the inlet port B and will discharge same through the outlet port C.
On the other hand when using the contrivance as a motor, motive fluid is allowed
to enter through the inlet port B and acting on the projecting pistons E causes the
piston drum Ď and spindle d to rotate as will be well understood.
A tight joint may be made round the spindle d by using metal or other packing
when the engine is to be worked under great pressure and an air chamber may be
fitted upon the delivery pipe of the pump and will be found advantageous when the
latter is used for forcing water to a height.
If preferred two of the above described engines may be mounted upon a single shaft,
the one being used as a motor, and the other as a pump, or two of such motors may
be used, one of larger size than the other to receive the exhaust steam from the smaller
one thus utilizing the steam on the expansion principle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. The herein described rotary engine consisting essentially of a cylinder provided
with inlet and outlet ports and having an annular race or groove in each of its end
plates or covers, a rotating piston drum mounted eccentrically therein and fitted with
radially sliding pistons having projecting guide wheels working within said races or
grooves substantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 2. In a rotary engine, a radial piston (such as E) having two guide wheels at each
end arranged to work in a double annular race or groove (such as a¹ a2) in one of
the end plates or covers of the cylinder, so that the periphery of one of said
wheels will bear against the outer edge of one part of the groove whilst the periphery
of the other wheel will bear against the inner edge of the other part of said
groove substantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a rotary engine an adjustable packing piece (such as F) inserted in the
cylinder or casing between the inlet and outlet ports thereof, the space behind said
packing piece being in open communication with one or other of said ports
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a rotary engine a radial piston connected to and operated by a ring working
upon balls in a groove in the cylinder cover substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and explained and as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of April One thousand eight hundred and
ninety-seven.