Pumps, and Blowers.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1888
Specification Accepted, 10 Feb., 1888
Pumps, and Blowers.
I, DAVID WILLIAMSON of Potter Building in the City and State of New York
United States of America Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
My Invention has reference to Rotary Engines, and belongs more particularly to
that class of engine which by slight alterations may be used as a meter, pump or
blower.
The object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which shall have
the fewest working parts possible consistent with easy running and efficiency of
operation.
Broadly speaking, the engine consists of but three pieces, viz. a shaft, a'casing, and'
a revolving disk carrying the vanes. There are, however, other details' or attachments
to these parts which will be fully set forth in the following description and pointed
out in the claimis.
In the accompanying drawings':
Fig. 1 represents a sectional view of the casing, the section being taken at a`right'
angle to the shaft.
Fig. 2'a longitudinal section in the line of the shaft.
Fig. 3 a front view of the revolving disc.
Fig. 4 a central section of the same.
Fig. 5 an enlarged view of one of the vanes.
Fig. 6'a front view and section of one-half of the abutinent; and
Fig. 7 an elevation of the cam by means of which the vanes are feathered; this
Figure also is drawn to a larger scale.
A and A' represent the casing, and A' strengthening ribs for the same. The casing
is constructed in two parts which are facsimiles of each other except as to that part
which forms the inlet and outlet ports. As shown in Fig. 2, each part of the casing
has an annular groove B, B¹, which when the parts are together, form an interior
annular chamber or fluid passage. The shape of a cross section of this chamber is
dependent on the shape of the vane used. I prefer a circular' vane and consequently
the section would be of a similar shape.

page_text: The inlet and exit ports, C and C, respectively, are located side by side and com-
municate with the fluid chamber B on either side of a division wall or abutment D.
This abutment is also in two parts, filling the annular channel in each of the parts of
the casing and facing up flush with the edges a, a'. Thus when the two parts of the
casing are together a space is left between the faces of the abutment. The edge a¹,
above mentioned, is formed on an annular groove a² let into the face of each part of
the casing and a disc, which will be hereinafter described, moves through the space
in the abutment and in this groove.
Besides the fluid chamber B, the casing has formed within it a central chamber E,
in which is located a cam F, and a portion of the disk G.
The cam is a casting consisting of a sleeve having a peripheral cam groove and
a flange, which rests against the inner wall of the casing and is secured thereto by
screws. The sleeve extends beyond the center line of the chamber, as shown.
The
The disk & consists of the flange g and the center box g¹ and sleeve g² all cast in
one piece. The sleeve g² surrounds the shaft, and is tightly secured thereto, while
the box embraces the cam allowing a small space between itself and the can.
flange portion of the disc is perforated or provided with a number of holes, in which
play the vanes. The holes are of somewhat less diameter than the width of the
flange so as to have metal at the inner and outer edges in which to form bearings for
the vanes H.
I do not limit myself to any particular form of vane, but prefer the form illustrated
in Fig. 5. The vane proper is a disk of about the same thickness as the flange, and
is made of such size as to about fill the opening. It is provided with a spindle
which runs in one of the bearings in the flange g and with a neck which is journalled
in one of the bearings formed in the walls of the box. The neck extends through
the walls and is provided with a crank which carries an anti-friction roller h² running
in the cam groove f. The pitch of the cam groove and the position of the cam is such
that the vanes are given a quarter turn while passing through the first quarter of the
channel or chamber. They remain in that position until they reach the beginning of
the last quarter, where they commence to fold in order to pass between the faces of
the abutment. The number of vanes used is preferably four, although any number
consistent with the other proportions of the machine may be used. The rollers on
all of the vanes run in the cam groove and their corresponding vanes are successively
turned or feathered as the disc is rotated.
It will be seen that the space between the faces of the abutment is kept constantly
closed by the flange of the disc G, consequently the exit and inlet fluids cannot
interfere with each other.
I do not confine myself to any particular form or dimensions of either fluid channel,
vanes or cam, so long as the general principle is carried out.
The operation of this device when used as a motor or engine is as follows:
The fluid under pressure enters from passage C to the chamber B, B¹, and fills the
space on each side of the disk G. It forces itself against the first vanc, which must
be partially turned, and forces the disk around until the next vane has come through
the space within the abutment when it receives the pressure and adds as much more
to the rotating power. When the first mentioned vane reaches the abutment it is
closed up flush with the disk and slides through, but the fluid which has followed it
exhausts through the port C³.
I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the cam for feathering the
vanes, as many other mechanical devices might be arranged. Pinions might take
the place of the cranks and racks could be so located as to engage with the pinions
at the proper time and turn the vanes.
It is obvious that this machine could be utilized as a fluid meter, by determining
the capacity of the chamber and attaching a guage to indicate the number of
revolutions.
The apparatus might also be used as a pumping engine or a blower with equal
facility, and the claims which follow are intended to cover a construction which serves
for such purposes.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention'
I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) In a rotary engine, a casing provided with an annular fluid chamber, in
combination with a concentric disc carrying vanes, the disc being located so as to
divide the chamber into two parts, the fluid occupying the space on each side thereof,
substantially as described.
(2) A rotary engine consisting of a suitable casing provided with a fluid chamber
and inlet and exit ports, in combination with a disc carrying feathering vanes, and a
device operating to feather said vanes substantially as described.
(3) In a rotary engine or meter, a suitable casing provided with a fluid chamber
and with inlet and exit ports; an abutment located in said chamber between the
inlet and exit passages in such a manner as to separate the inlet fluid from the exhaust
fluid, the said abutment having a central passage way and a vane-carrying disk
running through said passage way and the fluid chamber, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of January A D 1988
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.