An Improved Fluid Motor, Pump, or Meter with Variable Adjustable Capacities.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar.. 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fluid Motor, Pump, or Meter with Variable Adjustable
Capacities.
I, CHRISTOPHER JOHN MAYHEW, of 5, Delta Villas, Walmer, in the County
of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus, which, being worked by a fluid supply, or
pressure, would act as a rotary motor, or otherwise, the apparatus would serve to
measure the quantity of fluid passed, or vice versa by having a rotary motion
imparted to it, would act as a pump.
In each case it could be used either with gases, or liquids, but it has special
advantages for use with liquids, where no expansion is required, where variable
adjustment of the flow of the liquid through the apparatus is of great value.
To carry my invention into effect, I form the body of my apparatus as an internal
spherical chamber conveniently divided in half, and bolted together by suitable
flanges.
Bisecting this sphere, I employ a diaphragm mounted on two trunnion bearings,
forming an axis through the centre of this sphere, on which the said diaphragm
may be moved through a considerable angle and be adjusted to any particular
position by an external lever, or other apparatus, as desired.
I set out the driving shaft in an axis at right angles to the aforesaid trunnion axis
of the diaphragm, and in the same plane.
I may use two driving shafts working in the same axis for obtaining from, or
communicating to the apparatus, rotary motion or may use only one shaft, and
substitute for the other a permanent fixed stud.
These driving shafts, or shaft and stud, only project a short distance within the
spherical chamber, and such part, or parts as it may be desired to use as a driving
or driven shaft, terminate in a rectangular head within the sphere.
The heads of these shafts, or shaft and stud engage in slots in the peripheries of
two semi-circular segmental plates, or piston discs, which individually, by rotating,
and oscillating relatively to either face of the aforesaid diaphragm, form the
working pistons of my apparatus, operating the said shaft, or shafts, by reason of
the rectangular heads of the latter engaging in the peripheral grooves of the half
discs which rotate about such shaft heads in the axis of the said shafts, or shaft
and stud.
Where the diaphragm is placed exactly at right angles to the axis of the working
shafts it is obvious that the heads of the shaft, or shafts would lie in the centre of
the peripheral groove of the said semi-discs, or working pistons and thus each part
of the area of such semi-dises would be equally distributed on either side of the
working shaft axis, and consequently there would be no tendency to rotation on
the part of these semi-discs by admission into the interior of the spherical chambers
of fluid pressure on one side of these working pistons.
In this position my apparatus is in equilibrium, no fluid under pressure passing
through the apparatus, nor producing motion nor vice versa if rotation is artificially
produced is there any discharge of fluid as a pump.
To operate my apparatus however as a motor, or a pump, I place the diaphragm
by suitable mechanical adjustment of the said supporting trunnions, so that it lies
at a considerable angle to the axis of the working shaft or shafts; 45 degrees
being a suitable angle for maximum capacity.
The axis of the working shaft or shafts, and the internal heads of the said shaft

page_text: or shafts now lie at the extreme ends of the peripheral grooves in the said working
pistons, or semi-discs and the rotation of the said semi-discs, or working pistons, will
take place about the axis of the working shafts, if fluid pressure is admitted on
one side only of the said working pistons, for the area of the said semi-discs on
one side of the working axis, is much greater than upon the other, and rotation
therefore ensues.
The consequent movement of the semi-discs is therefore a combined rotary
motion about the shaft axis upon the face of the diaphragm, with an oscillating
angular movement thereto. These rotary, and oscillating movements of the semi-
discs, or working pistons, relative to the diaphragm, are permitted as follows:
Upon each face of the diaphragm is applied a segmental cylindrical packing
piece, placed preferably at right angles to one another on opposite faces of the
diaphragm.
These segmental packing pieces are united by a short shaft passing at right
angles to the plane of the diaphragm and passing through its centre, uniting both
segments to one another, and permitting their free rotary motion in the plane
of the diaphragm.
The inner edges of the working pistons, or semi-dises are recessed to fit over
these segmental cylindrical packing pieces, and they are secured thereto by two or
more tongues pivotted at the centre of the short shaft passing through the centre
of the diaphragm, so as to be free to oscillate in transverse slots in the said
segmental packing pieces, and at the same time to be carried round by the rotation
of the segmental cylindrical packing pieces in their rotation round the central axis
of the diaphragm. The working pistons or semi-liscs are secured to these fingers
and thus are free to make an oscillating movement to the plane of the diaphragm
upon the cylindrical faces of the said segments, whilst at the same time they are
capable of rotation about the plane of the diaphragm upon the axis of the
working shafts.
When used as a motor the fluid pressure is admitted through one of the aforesaid
trunnions, supporting the stationary but adjustable diaphragm and allowed to issue
into two alternate semi-compartments in my spherical chamber, thus supplying
motive pressure on one side of each working piston, or semi-disc, to produce its
rotation about the axis of the working shafts.
Corresponding exhaust or discharge ports, are provided on the face of the
diaphragin with the other alternate semi-compartments in my spherical chamber,
towards which the working pistons have a tendency to move, by means of
the fluid pressure.
The said inlet and exhaust passages are carried in the
substance of the diaphragm to the hollow trunnion supports respectively of the
diaphragm.
Thus the semi-cylindrical segments carrying the bases of the working pistons or
semi-dises serve to close, and open the ports upon the diaphragm into corre-
sponding alternate chambers, as is required to fulfil the pressure conditions of
supply and exhaust.
Let it be clearly understood that either of the semi-spherical chambers may be
made a complete motor or pump of itself, two working shafts being then used in
a single axis; or by the substitution of a fixed stud in place of one working shaft,
to form the axis of rotation, each working piston or semi-dise will reinforce the
other, and produce rotation of the working shaft.
It is obvious from my above description of the relative positions of the diaphragm
and shaft axis to produce equilibrium in my apparatus, a maximum effected is
produced by placing the diaphragm at an angle of about 45° with the axis of the
working shaft or shafts. I therefore vary the power by altering the angle of the
diaphragm to a more or less degree from the position of equilibrium, viz.: at right
angles to the axis of rotation of the working shafts, to a limit of maximum effect at
about 45°.
The above description of the action of my apparatus is that of a motor, & if the
resistance to motion is reduced to a minimum, it is obvious that in the self-same way

page_text: my apparatus becomes a meter, any desired capacity of the meter per revolution
being regulated by the position of the diaphragm.
To act as a pump, the construction would be the same, but the working-shaft
would be caused to revolve and the orifices described as the inlets, and outlets for
motive fluid pressure would become the suction and delivery passages respectively
for the fluid to be pumped.
Dated this 25th dex of March 1800.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: working shaft axis, and consequently there would be no tendency to rotation on
the part of these semi-discs F, by the admission into the interior of the spherical
chamber A of fluid pressure, on one side of these working pistons. In this position
my apparatus is in equilibrium no fluid under pressure passing through the apparatus
nor producing motion; nor, rice versú if rotation is artificially produced is there any
discharge of Huid as a pump.
To operate my apparatus as a motor or pump, I place the diaphragm B by means
of an external regulating lever C, or other equivalent mechanical adjusting device,
so that it lies at a considerable angle to the axis of the working shaft or shafts d d
as shown in Figures 1, 2, & 3, 45° being a suitable angle for maximum capacity.
The axis of the working shaft or shafts Ï D' and the internal heads d d', now lic
near the extreme ends of the peripheral grooves E, in the said working pistons or
semi-dises and the rotation of the said semi-discs or working pistons E will take
place about the axis of the working shafts, if fluid pressure is admitted on one side
only of the said working pistons, for the proportion of area of the said semi-discs
on one side of the working axis is much greater than upon the other, and rotation
therefore ensues.
The consequent movement of the semi-dises F is therefore a
combined rotary motion about the shaft axis upon the face of the diaphragm B
with an oscillating angular movement thereto. These rotary and oscillating
movements of the semi-discs or working pistons, relative to the diaphragm arc
permitted as follows:-
Upon each face of the diaphragm B is applied a segmental cylindrical packing
piece G, placed preferably at right angles to one another, on opposite sides of the
diaphragm B. These segmental packing peices are united by a short shaft passing
at right angles to the plane of the diaphragm, and passing through its centre and
uniting both segments G G to one another permitting their free rotary motion in
the plane of the diaphragm B.
The inner edges of the working pistons or semi-lises Fare recessed to fit over
these segmental cylindrical packing pieces G and are secured thereto by two or
more tongues pivotted at the centre of the short shaft. H (passing through the
centre of the diaphragm B) so as to be free to oscillate in transverse slots gglin
the said segmental packing pieces G and at the same time to be carried round the
central axis of the diaphragm B.
The working pistons or semi-discs F are secured to these fingers and are thus free
to make an oscillating movement to the plane of the diaphragm B upon the exterior
cylindrical faces of the said segments G while at the same time they are capable of
rotation about the plane of the diaphragm B upon the axis of the working
shafts D D. When used as a motor the fluid pressure is admitted through one
of the trunnions which supports the stationary but adjustable diaphragm B, and
is allowed to issue into two alternate semi-compartments in my spherical chamber
through the ports K thus supplying motive pressure on one side of each working
piston or semi-disc, to produce its rotation about the axis of the working shaft, by
reason of the expansion of the chamber into which the motive fluid is allowed to
enter. Corresponding exhaust ports L L are also provided on the face of the
diaphragm B into the other two alternate compartments in my spherical chamber,
towards which the pistons have a tendency to move by means of fluid pressure.
Thus, it is obvious the semi-cylindrical segments G serve to close and open the
ports upon the diaphragm, into corresponding alternate chambers, as is required to
fulfil the necessary conditions of supply and exhaust.
Let it be clearly understood that either of the semi-spherical chambers may be
made a complete motor or pump of itself the two working shafts being then used in
the single axis, or by the substitution of a fixed stud in place of one working shaft
to form the axis of rotation. Each working piston or semi-disc will reinforce the
other and help jointly to produce rotation of the working shaft. It is obvious from
the above description of the relative positions of the diaphragm and shaft axis to
produce equilibrium in my apparatus, a maximum effect is obtained by placing the
diaphragm at a considerable angle with the axis of the working shaft or shafts D D

page_text: more or
I therefore vary the power by altering the angle of the diaphragm to a
less degree from the position of equilibrium viz. at right angles to the axis of
rotation of the working shafts. The above description of the action of my apparatus
is that of a motor, and when the resistance to motion is reduced to a minimum, it is
obvious that in the self-same way my apparatus may become a meter, any desired
capacity of the meter per revolution being regulated by the position of the
diaphragm.
To act as a pump the construction would be the same, but the working shaft
would be caused to revolve and the orifices described as the inlet and outlet for
motive fluid pressure, would become the suction and delivery ports respectively for
the fluid to be pumped.
Having particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In a spherically cased motor or meter the combination with a diaphragm of
two semi-circular blades pivotted on semi-circular segments connected by a shaft or
pin through the centre of the said diaphragm, two driving axles (or one driving
axle and one stud) entering the cylinder from opposite sides in one axis at any
oblique or right angle with the said diaphragm and engaging by rectangular heads
into peripheral grooves on the said semi-circular blades.
2nd. In such a spherical engine or pump the combination of a diaphragm therein
mounted on trunnions passing outside the case with two driving shafts or pivots at
right angles in the horizontal plane with the trunnions of the said diaphragm, the
vertical plane of the said diaphragm being capable of adjustment by an external
lever or apparatus applied to the trunnions to take up any desired obliquity of
plane to the horizontal plane containing the said axes, substantially as described.
3rd. In such a spherical engine two semi-circular blades pivotted upon semi-
cylindrical segments connected by a pin or shaft through the centre of the diaphragm
and provided with grooves upon their outer peripheries in which engage the
rectangular heads of two driving shafts or studs in the same axis, substantially as
described.
4th. In such a spherical engine or pump the combination of the inlet and outlet
ports arranged upon the faces of the diaphragm having connecting passages within
the said diaphragm to the trunnions respectively, with the semi-circular packing
pieces carrying the semi-discs or pistons, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
1.
1
Ր
1
1000
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.