Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, VICTOR FILTEAU, of No. 334, Notre Dame Street, in the City of Montreal,
in the District of Montreal, and Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention, generally speaking, is to provide a more simple,
less expensive, and more efficient rotary engine than has been known heretofore.
My invention has for its object particularly to provide an engine wherein
the steam will act upon the piston with equal leverage throughout approximately
the complete cycle stroke the steam pressure at the same time being caused to
act only upon the piston with abutment upon all the interior faces of the piston
chamber without in any way or at any time exerting what is known as **side lead"
upon the shaft and which is so evident in and detrimental to the efficiency of rotary
engines in general.
The invention may be said, broadly speaking, to consist in constructing a
rotary engine with the interior of the cylinder thereof separated from the
surface of the shaft which passes therethrough, thus constituting an annular chamber.
The piston revolves within this chamber and an abutment chamber is in com-
munication with the after face of the piston during approximately the complete
stroke thereof whatever may be the direction of its revolution.
More specifically, my improved engine comprises an annular chamber formed
by a cylinder having its ends closed and bored for the passage of the shaft and a
divided stationary sleeve enclosing the portion of said shaft within the cylinder
except for a small portion to which the piston is rigidly connected. Within an
abutment chamber a rotary annular cylindrical abutment is fitted in position to
intersect said annular chamber and having a portion cut away to accommodate
the piston in its revolution and within this abutment is a core having a cavity
formed by the portion thereof that intersects the annular chamber being cut
away while the surface of the core and the interior of the casing enclosing the
abutment are circularly grooved from one edge of the cavity around said core
and around the interior of the easing to a point distant from the other edge of the
cavity slightly greater than the width of the opening in said rotary abutment,
means being provided to cause the abutment to rotate in unison with the revolu-
tion of the piston. A steam cushion is adapted to act as a countervailing pressure
upon said rotary abutment to that exerted upon the opposite side thereof by the
steam pressure either direct or in expansion; a novel automatic exhaust control,
an automatically variable cut-off, combined reversing gear and throttle, and novel
means for packing the various points requiring it, also are embodied.
The casing has a main chamber or annular cylinder and an adjoining sub-
chamber both extending from end to end, the ends of the main chamber being
closed by heads cast in one with the casing and bored for the passage of the shaft.
Pinions fast upon the shaft gear with teeth on the ends of the rotary cylindrical
abutment and between said pinions and the faces of the cylinder head, cups
are located with their rims in steam tight contact with the cylinder heads. These

page_text: pinions and cups are enclosed by caps having bearing sleeves for the shaft, said
cups constituting respectively a steam chest and an exhaust chamber as the
engine revolves ahead, said steam and exhaust chambers being connected by
ports with opposite ends of the cylinder. The casing is transversely divided into
two parts bolted together. Within each half of the main chamber and con-
centrically thereof a sleeve length is cast in one therewith, the two lengths
conjointly enclosing the portion, of the shaft within the cylinder (except for a
small space midway of the length of said cylinder) and forming the inner wall of
the annular cylinder of the engine. The 'space between the ends of the sleeve
portions is filled up by the edge of a disc fast upon the shaft and carrying a radial
piston fitting the annular cylinder. Que face of the piston is convex and its
carrying disc is secured to the shaft by means of a hub weighted on the side
opposite to the piston, the portions of the weighted part of said hub on each side
of the disc being preferably of conical form to enable an extended connection
there between and the shaft without weakening the connection between the
sleeve and the cylinder and enable the steam and exhaust ports to be cut in the
cylinder heads.
A steam tight joint is effected between the edges of the piston and the peripheral
wall of the chamber the interior faces of the cylinder heads and the sleeve lengths
forming the central body portion of the annular cylinder by means of a packing
strip embedded in the radial outer edge of the piston and a pair of rectangular
strips embedded in the ends and radially inner edge of the piston. These strips
are pressed against the four walls of the annular chamber by springs located in
sockets in the piston behind said strips. A steam tight joint is established
between the abutting edge of each sleeve portion and the disc by a metallic
ring in a recess extending completely around said edge similarly pressed up by
springs.
The ends of the abutment chamber are open on the vertical plane of the
cylinder heads and said ends communicate with the interior of a pair of flanged
caps bolted respectively to flanges cast in one with the casing, these caps being
equal in depth to about one-fourth the distance between the cylinder heads in
order to accommodate steam cushions and said before mentioned pinions and at
the same time provide extended bearings for the ends of the rotary abutment to
be presently described. The interior of the portion of the casing enclosing the abut-
ment chamber is circumferentially grooved midway of its length from the annular
chamber for about two-thirds of the length of the circumferential line of said
abutment chamber. The annular cylindrical abutment corresponds approximately
in diameter to that of the abutment and extends therethrough and into the
caps. Steam-tight relation between said ends of the sleeve and caps is effected by
means of a pair of packing rings in annular recesses in the ends of the
rings being pressed up by coiled springs located in sockets. The annular
caps these
cylindrical abutment has an opening of a length and width to allow the piston to
pass therethrough with its edges in close proximity to, but out of frictional contact
with, the edges thereof during the revolution of the piston. A core extends from
end to end of the interior of this rotating abutment and has a circumferential
groove midway of its length and extending from the annular chamber through
the same angular distance as the groove in the abutment chamber. This core is
constructed of a pair of core portions bolted to the end of each of the said caps
of the abutment chamber each core portion being divided into two pieces. The
outer ends of the outer pieces present circular shoulders taking into recesses in
the ends of the caps and the ends of the inner or middle pieces that adjoin the
outer pieces are circumferentially recessed to accommodate packing rings carried
by the interior of the annular cylindrical rotary abutment. Each packing com-
prises a flanged ring bolted to the rotary abutment and having sockets to receive
coiled springs; a packing ring preferably of cast iron being pressed by said
springs against the face of the adjacent outer core piece. The diameter of these
outer core pieces exceeds that of the middle pieces and the rotary annular

page_text: cylindrical abutment is bored out adjacent to its ends to accommodate the said
packing rings and the outer core pieces and at the same time to provide a
shoulder against which said flanged ring can bear. The middle core pieces have
the lower portions thereof that intersect the annular cylindrical chamber cut
away as before mentioned, to permit the piston to pass. The steam is supplied
to and exhausted from the annular chamber and the supply and exhaust
automatically controlled as follows:-An automatic cut-off for the steam port
consists of a flanged valvular disc cast in one with a short sleeve mounted upon
the shaft and connected thereto, to rotate therewith but free to slide axially
thereof by a slot in said sleeve and a pin on the shaft in a position to engage said
slot. This disc is located in close proximity to the cylinder head in which it
is countersunk and has a series of openings of different areas adapted to con-
secutively communicate with said steam supply port, these openings extend with
intervals of connecting bridge pieces for about one half the circumference of
said flanged disc.
In constructing marine or other portable engines according to my invention
a cut-off of this construction, or under certain circumstances with none other than
the single port of largest area, will be found sufficient as will be clearly pointed
out hereafter.
In constructing engines according to my invention for general purposes and
adapted for use either as a stationary or a portable engine, I provide means
for automatically controlling the amount of steam or other motive Huid employed
in order to maintain uniform velocity with a varying resistance. This automatic
controller or governor consists of a segmental valve plate having ports and a series
of valvular bridge portions separating said ports and being of slightly greater
area than the ports in the valvular flanged disc. This latter plate is seated upon
formed in
with
one
to
the flanged disc and
a short sleeve offset
The shaft
fit over the sleeve and the shaft and having an oblique slot.
is bored longitudinally from the adjacent end thereof to receive a spindle which
passes through a stuffing box and whose inner end is offset to extend through
a radial slot in the shaft and take into the said oblique slot in the sleeve. A
centrifugal governor is connected by one pair of toggle links to the shaft and
by the other pair to the said spindle so as by the centrifugal motion of the balls
to move the spindle longitudinally in opposition to a spring. In order to allow
the valvular plate to have perfect freedom of movement over its seat, I form a
recess on the outer face of each bridge piece of the flanged disc and
provide each bridge piece of the valvular plate with a small perfora-
tion thus causing a steam cushion to be formed behind the bridge pieces
of the valvular plate whether they hear over the bridge piece of said flanged
disc or over the face of the cylinder head. To prevent the escape of steam from
the cylinder to the shaft bearing, I recess the inside faces of the ends of the steam
chest and exhaust chamber to accommodate circular shoulders upon the outer faces
of the pinions while circular recesses concentric of the said recesses accommodate
packing rings, held in contact with the shoulders upon the pinions by coiled
springs. A segmental valve plate formed in one with a short sleeve is secured
rigidly through said sleeve upon the shaft within the exhaust chamber and in
close contact with the adjacent cylinder head which is recessed to accommodate
it. This plate is of a circumferential length to at intervals completely close the
exhaust port.
My improved combined throttle valve and reversing gear consists of a cylindrical
chamber having a horizontal valve seat, a portion whereof encircles and other
portions whereof separate the mouths of four ports communicating respectively
with the steam supply pipe, the steam exhaust pipe, with the steam chest, and
with the exhaust chamber. Resting upon this seat is a valve in the form of a
circular plate having slightly more than one half of its underside recessed on a
line concentrically thereof and of a sufficiently less radius than that of the
periphery of the plate to form an annular bearing face adapted to rest upon the

page_text: circular portion of the valve seat; while the remaining solid portion of the plate
has a radially projected V-notch cut centrally thereof and the upper portion of
the plate contiguous to said notch cut away in an angular plane from the outer
bottom edges of the notch upwardly towards the centre of the upper surface of the
plate which surface is of convex form. This valvular plate is mounted rigidly
upon the lower end of a stem extending upwardly through a short sleeve formed
concentrically of a cover for the cylindrical chamber last mentioned and provided
with a stuffing box, the cover being secured into the said cylinder while a handle
is mounted rigidly upon the upper end of the stem.
The construction of engine thus far described will allow of reversal and will
be found both economic and to possess great efficiency; but I have discovered that
the wearing relation between the rotary abutment and the partitioning sleeve is
very great and the cause of much unnecessary frictional resistance. To obviate
this defect I provide a steam cushion to countervail to a certain extent the pressure
of the steam in abutment upon the abutment and through the abutment upon
the partitioning sleeve. To this end I mill away about one half of the periphery
of each outer core piece and for the full length thereof. At each circumferential
end of this milled away portion I cut an axially extending recess in which I
locate a pair of packing strips expansibly held in steam tight contact with the
interior of the intact end portions of the abutment by a series of springs set in
sockets in said core pieces. The chamber thus formed is made to communicate
with the abutment chamber by a passage bored therefrom through said outer core
pieces and the central core pieces to the angle formed by the milled away portion of
the milled core pieces; while draw-off passages for the condensed steam are bored
from the side of the core opposite to said chambers to the outer ends of the outer
core pieces where they communicate with draw-off pipes provided with stop cocks.
Dated this 30th day of January 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, VICTOR FILTEAU, of 334, Notre Dame Street, in the City of Montreal,
in the District of Montreal, and Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada,
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:
The object of my invention, generally speaking is to provide a more simple,
less expensive and more efficient rotary engine than has been known heretofore.
My invention has for its object particularly to provide an engine wherein the
steam will act upon the piston with equal leverage throughout approximately its
complete cycle stroke, the steam pressure at the same time being caused to act
only upon the piston, with abutment upon all the interior faces of the piston
chamber without in any way or at any time exerting what is known as
load" upon the shaft, and which is so evident in, and detrimental to the efficiency
of rotary engines in general.
side
The invention may be said, broadly to consist in constructing a rotary engine
with the interior of the cylinder thereof separated from the surface of the shaft
which passes therethrough, thus constituting an annular chamber. The piston
revolves within this chamber and, I form an abutment in communication with the

page_text: after face of the piston during approximately the complete stroke thereor whatever
may be the direction of its revolution.
More specifically my improved engine comprises an annular chamber formed
by a cylinder having its ends closed and bored for the passage of the shaft and a
divided stationary sleeve enclosing the portion of the said shaft within the
cylinder, except for a small portion to which the piston is rigidly connected, the
piston completely bisecting said annular chamber.
Within the casing of the engine I form an abutment chamber by mounting a
rotary sleeve therein in a position to intersect said annular chamber and having
a portion cut away to accomodate the piston in its revolution. I locate a core
within this sleeve with the portion thereof that intersects the annular chamber
milled away on the periphractic line of said chamber; while the surface of the.
core and the interior of that portion of the casing enclosing said rotary sleeve are
correspondingly grooved from one milled edge of said core around said core and
the interior of the casing, to a point a distance from the other milled edge
slightly greater than the width of the opening in said rotary sleeve; means
being provided to cause the sleeve to rotate in unison with the revolution of the
piston; a steam cushion being adapted to act as a countervailing pressure upon
said rotary sleeve, to that exerted upon the opposite side thereof by the steami
pressure either direct or in expansion; a novel automatic exhaust control, an
automatically variable cut-off combined reversing gear and throttle, and novel
means for packing the various points requiring it also are embodied, for full
comprehension whereof and of my invention in its entirety reference must be
had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which
like symbols indicate the same parts and wherein Figure 1 is a complete vertical
sectional view of my engine, taken on an axial plane; Figure 2 a transverse
vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 (Figure 1) and illustrating particularly
the exhaust port and its controlling valve; Figure 3 a detail view illustrating in
plan the operative connection between the governor valve and its actuating gear;
Figure 4 an enlarged transverse sectional view of one of my improved peripheral.
packing rings Figure 5 a transverse vertical sectional view of the engine taken
on line 5, 5 (Figure 1) and illustrating the parts in position to first admit steam
to the annular cylindrical chamber;
Figure 6 a similar view but illustrating the parts in position to cut off the
steam when the engine works under maximum load; Figure 7 is also a similar
view but illustrating in full lines and dotted lines respectively, the parts in the
positions they assume at the commencement and completion of the interval, that
I designate the dead point, in the cycle of the revolution of the piston; Figure 8
is a similar view but taken on line 8-8 (Figure 1) and illustrating the combined
throttle valve and reversing gear, the steam chest, the automatic cut-off valve and
is a horizontal sectional view,
governor valve, and the steam cushion; Figure
taken on line 9-9 (Figure 8) and illustrating my improved combined throttle
and reversing gear:
Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view looking towards the interior
of the engine taken on line 10-10 (Figure 1) and illustrating the pinion and
gear toothed surface of the rotary abutment; Figure 11 is a similar view but
looking in the opposite direction and illustrating the interior of the caps that
enclose the steam chest and adjacent end of the rotary abutment, and Figure 12
is a detail elevation partly in section of the front side of the piston as it travels
ahead.
The direction of going ahead of the engine is indicated by plain arrows, and
the direction of flow of the steam is indicated by feathered arrows.
The casing of my improved engine is of a form to present a main chamber 5
and an adjoining sub-chamber 6, both extending from end to end of the casing,
the ends of the main chamber being closed by heads 7, 7" cast in one with the
casing and perforated to allow a shaft 8, to extend therethrough.
A pinion 45 is mounted rigidly upon each end of the shaft outside of the

page_text: casing and between said pinion and the faces of the cylinder heads 1 locate a
pair of cups 150 and 151 with their rims in steam tight contact with the cylinder
heads, the adjacent portions of the cylinder heads and said rims being grooved
to form said steam tight joint.
These pinions and said cups 150 and 151, are enclosed by caps 66 and 46
said cups constituting respectively a steam chest and an exhaust chamber, as
the engines revolves ahead; while said caps have bearing sleeves 67 for the shaft,
cast in one therewith. The steam chest encloses a port 64 leading into one end of
the cylinder of the engine and the exhaust chamber encloses a port 100 leading
to the opposite end of the cylinder.
The function of the pinions just mentioned is to actuate a rotary abutment to
be presently described.
The casing is transversely divided into two parts which are secured together
by series of screws bolts 9, taking through flanges formed upon the adjoining
edges thereof.
Within each half of the main chamber 5 and concentrically thereof, a sleeve
length 10 is cast, the two lengths conjointly enclosing the complete surface of
the portion of the shaft within the cylinder (except for a small space midway of
the length of said cylinder) and forming a partition that establishes between it
and the inside face of said main chamber 5, an annular chamber 11 constituting
the cylinder of the engine. The space between the ends of the sleeve portions 10
is filled up by the edge of a disc 12 mounted rigidly upon the shaft and having
a piston 13 (Figures 5 and 6) rigidly carried thereby and completely bisecting
the said annular cylinder 11.
The piston is in the form of a bar 60 (Figure 12) of a length and breadth to
present a steam bearing surface equal and conforming to, the transverse area of
said annular chamber 11, and of a thickness sufficient to accomodate a series of
packing strips.
This piston is formed integrally with the periphery of the said disc 12, and one
side thereof is of convex form, as at 61, and this disc is in turn secured rigidly
to the shaft by means of a hub 62, weighted, as at 63, on the side thereof opposite
to that at which the piston is mounted, in order to counterbalance said piston,
the portions of the weighted part of said hub on each side of the disc being
preferably of conical form to enable an extended connection therebetween and the
shaft to be effected without weakening the connection between the sleeve portion 10
and the cylinder and at the same time enable the material of the cylinder heads
to be of sufficient thickness to allow the before mentioned steam supply and
exhaust ports 64 and 100 respectively to be cut.
A steam tight joint is effected between the edges of the piston and the peripheral
wall of the chamber 11, the interior faces of the cylinder heads 7, and the
sleeve lengths, 10, by means of a packing strip 52 (Figure 12) embedded in the
radial outer edge of the piston, and a pair of rectangular strips 53 embedded in the
ends and radially inner edge of the piston. These strips are caused to bear
respectively upon the four walls of the annular chamber by means of a series of
expansile coiled springs 54, located in a series of sockets 55, in the piston edges
and bearing outwardly upon said strips.
A steam tight joint is established between the abutting edge of each sleeve
portion and the disc, by a metallic ring 14 in a recess 15 extending completely
around said edge, and having a series of axial borings or sockets 16 in which a
series of expansile coiled springs 17 are located and bear outwardly upon the
adjacent face of the said ring 14 and cause it in turn to bear upon the adjacent
side of the disc.
The ends of the sub-chamber 6 are open on the vertical plane of the cylinder
heads 7, 7 and said ends communicate with the interior of a pair of flanged
caps, 18 and 19, bolted respectively to flanges 20 cast in one with the casing, these
caps being equal in depth to about one fourth the distance between the cylinder
heads in order to accomodate steam cushions and said before mentioned pinions 45,

page_text: and at the same time provide extended bearings for the ends of the rotary abut-
ment to be presently described. The interior of the portion of the casing enclosing
the sub-chamber is circumferentially grooved as at 95 from the annular
chamber 11, for about two-thirds of the length of the circumferential line of said
sub-chamber.
A sleeve 21, corresponding approximately in diameter to that of the sub-
chamber, extends therethrough and into the caps 18 and 19 and the ends thereof
extend in close proximity to the ends of the caps. Steam-tight relation between
said ends of the sleeve and caps is effected by means of a pair of packing rings 22
corresponding in diameter and radial thickness to the sleeve and set in annular
recesses 23 in the interior of the ends of the caps, these rings being caused to
bear upon the ends of the sleeve by a series of expansile coiled springs 24 located
in a series of borings or sockets 25 extending axially from said annular recesses 23.
The sleeve 21 is formed with an opening 51 extending the full length of the
space between the cylinder heads 7, 7 and of a width to allow the piston to
pass therethrough with its edges in close proximity to, but out of frictional contact
with, the edges thereof during the revolution of the piston as will be presently
shewn. The circumference of this sleeve adjacent to each end thereof is gear-
toothed as at 30 to intermesh with the before-mentioned pinion 45 with which said
gear-toothed portion corresponds in circumference. A core extends from end to
end of the interior of this sleeve 21 and has a circumferential groove 96 midway of
its length and extending like the before mentioned groove 95 from the annular
chamber 11 to a point on a radial line with the end of said groove 95. This core
is constructed of a pair of core portions secured by bolts 35 rigidly to the end of
each of the caps 18 and 19, each core portion being divided into two pieces 36
and 37. The outer ends of the pieces 36 are formed to present circular shoulders 38,
taking into recesses in the ends of the caps and the ends of the pieces 37 that
adjoin the pieces 36 are circumferentially recessed to accommodate packing rings
carried by the interior of the sleeve 21. Each of these packing rings consists of
a flanged ring 40 (Figure 4) secured by bolts 41 to the interior of the sleeve and
having a series of sockets 42 formed therein to receive and localize a series of
expansile coiled springs 43, while a ring 44, preferably of cast iron, lies inter-
mediate of said springs and the face of the adjacent core pieces 36. The diameter
of the core pieces 36 exceeds that of the pieces 37 and the sleeve is cored out
adjacent to its ends to accommodate the packing rings 44 and the greater diameter
of pieces 36 and at same time to provide a shoulder to assist the bolts 41 in
affording an abutment for the springs 43. The core pieces 37 have the lower
portions thereof that intersect the annular cylindrical chamber 11 milled away,
as at 50, on the periphractic line of said chamber and on a line in the vertical
plane of the interior of the cylinder heads 7, 7*.
The steam is supplied to, and exhausted from, the cylinder 11 and the supply
and exhaust automatically controlled as follows:-The steam is fed to the steam
chest through a pipe 68 (Figure 8) and thence passes through the port 64 to the
cylinder 11. An automatic cut-off for said port 64 consists of a flanged valvular
disc 69 cast in one with a short sleeve 77 mounted upon the shaft and connected
thereto, to rotate therewith but free to slide axially thereof, by a slot 70 in said
sleeve and a pin 71 carried rigidly by said shaft in a position to engage said slot.
This disc is located in close proximity to the cylinder head 7* in which it is
countersunk and has a series of openings 72, 73, 74, and 75 (Figure 8) of different
areas adapted to consecutively communicate with said port 64; these openings
extend, with intervals of connecting bridge pieces 7b for about one half the
circumference of said flanged disc.
In constructing marine or other portable engines according to my invention,
a cut-off of this construction, or, under certain circumstances, with none other
than the main port 72, will be found sufficient as will be clearly pointed out
hereinafter.
In constructing engines according to my invention for general purposes and

page_text: adapted for use either as a stationary or portable engine, I provide means for
automatically controlling the amount of steam or other motive fluid employed, in
order to maintain uniform velocity with a varying resistance. This automatic
controller or governor consists of a segmental valve plate 78 having ports 82
and a series of valvular bridge portions 79, 80, and 81 of slightly greater area
than the ports 73, 74, and 75 respectively. This plate 78 is seated upon the
dise 69 and formed in one with a short sleeve 83, off-set as at 84, to fit over the
sleeve 77 and the shaft and having a diagonal slot 85 (Figure 3). The shaft is
bored longitudinally from the adjacent end thereof to a point about in a line with
the cut-off and a spindle 87 extends within this boring and has its inner end off-
set as at 88 to extend through an axial slot 89 in the shaft and take into the
diagonal slot 85 in the sleeve 83 and a stuffing box 90 closes the end of the shaft.
A collar 91 having two pairs of lugs 92 arranged diametrically opposite to one
another, is secured rigidly upon the outer end of the spindle 87 by a set screw 93.
A pair of rods 94 are cach pivotally connected to one of said pairs of lugs and the
other ends thereof are pivotally connected to a pair of governor balls 95" which are
in turn pivotally connected by a pair of rods 96" to the lugs 97 of a collar 98
similar to the collar 91 but rigidly mounted upon the shaft, while an expansile
coiled spring 99 encircles the spindle 87 and bears between the collar 91 and the
stuffing box 90.
In order to allow the valvular plate 78 to have a perfect freedom of movement
over its seat 69, I form a recess 92 on the outer face of each bridge piece of the
disc 69 and provide each bridge piece of the valvular plate 78 with a small
perforation, thus causing a steam cushion to be formed behind the bridge pieces
of the valvular plate 78 whether they bear over the bridge piece of said flanged
disc 69 or over the face of the cylinder head. The exhaust port 100 from the
cylinder is, as before mentioned, cut through the portion of the cylinder head 7
enclosed by the exhaust chamber, similarly to the steam supply port 64, and effects
a communication between the annular cylindrical chamber 11 and said exhaust
chamber. The cup 150, as before mentioned, constitutes the exhaust chamber
and the cap 46, like the cap 66, is formed with a bearing sleeve for the shaft.
In order to prevent the escape of steam from the cylinder to the shaft bearings,
I recess the inside faces of the ends of the caps 66 and 46, as at 160, to accomodate
circular shoulders 161 formed upon the outer faces of the pinions 45, while circular
recesses 162 concentric of the recesses 160 accomodate the packing rings. Each
of these packing rings consists of an intact ring 163 fitting closely in each of said
recesses 162 and held by a series of coiled springs 164.
A segmental valve plate 101 formed in one with a short sleeve 102 is secured
rigidly through said sleeve upon the shaft within the cup 150 and in close contact
with the cylinder head 7 which is recessed to accomodate it.
This plate is of a circumferential length to completely close the port 100
during a dead point interval clearly pointed out in the description of the
operation hereinafter.
My improved combined throttle valve and reversing gear consists of a cylindrical
chamber 105 (Figures 8 and 9) having a horizontal valve seat, a portion 100
whereof encircles, and other portions 107 and 108 whereof separate, the mouths of
four ports 109, 110, 112 and 113 respectively.
The port 109 communicates with the steam supply pipe 114, the port 110
communicates with the steam exhaust pipe 111, and the ports 112 and 11
communicate respectively, through pipe 68 (before mentioned) with the steam
chest 66, and a pipe 116 with the exhaust chamber 46.
Resting upon this seat is a valve in the form of a circular plate 115 having
slightly more than one half of its underside recessed, as at 114", on a line con
centrically thereof and of a sufficiently less radius than that of the periphery of the
plate to form an annular bearing face 117 adapted to rest upon the circula
portion 106 of the valve seat; while the remaining solid portion of the plate ha
a radially projected V-notch 118 cut centrally thereof, and the upper portion

page_text: of the plate contiguous to said notch cut away in an angular plane from the
edges of the notch upwardly towards the centre of the upper surface of the plate,
which surface is of convex form.
This valvular plate is mounted rigidly upon the lower end of a stem 119
extending upwardly through a short sleeve 121 formed concentrically of a cover
and provided with a stuffing box 122, the cover being screwed into the cylinder 105
while a handle 123 is mounted rigidly upon the upper end of the stem 119.
The construction of engine thus far described will allow of reversal and will
be found both economic and to possess great efficiency; but I have discovered
that the wearing relation between the rotary abutment sleeve and the partitioning
sleeve 10 of the cylinder is very great and the cause of much unnecessary frictional
resistance.
To obviate this defect I provide a steam cushion to countervail to a certain
extent the pressure of the steam in abutment, upon the abutment sleeve and
through the abutment sleeve upon the partitioning sleeve. To this end I mill
away about one-half of the periphery of each outer core piece 36 and for the full
length thereof. At each circumferential end of this milled away portion I cut an
axially extending recess 125 (see Figure 8) in which I locate a pair of packing
strips 126 expansibly held in steam tight contact with the interior of the intact
end portions of the abutment sleeve by a series of expansile springs 127 set in
sockets 128 in said core pieces.
The chamber 129 thus formed is made to communicate with the abutment
chamber by a passage 130 (Figure 1) bored therefrom through said outer core
pieces 36 and the central core pieces 37 to the angle formed by the milled away
portion (as at 50) of the middle core pieces 37; while draw-off passages 131 for
the condensed steam, are bored from the side of the core opposite to said
chambers 129 to the outer ends of the outer core pieces 36 where they communicate
with draw-off pipes 132 provided with stop cocks 133.
The operation of my improved rotary engine is as follows:-
In order to start the engine, the handle 123, should be moved to the position
shown in Figure 8 thus causing the recess 114" in the valve plate 115 of the throttle
to register with both ports 112 and 110 (Figure 9), and the V-groove to register
with the port 113, thereby establishing a direct communication from the steam
supply pipe 114 through ports 109 and 113 to the steam chest 66 and from the
exhaust chamber 46 through pipe 116 and port 112, recess 114", port 110 to the
exhaust pipe 111.
The admission of the steam to the annular cylinder 11, will then be under the
control only of the automatic cut-off valve 69 and the governor valve 78.
Upon starting the engine the steam will pass from the steam chest through
port 64 into the portion of the annular cylinder 11, that is enclosed by the abut-
ment sleeve 21, as shown in Figure 8.
The steam will continue to be admitted to act directly upon the piston for
from 55° to approximately 180° of the revolution thereof, according to the resis-
tance to or steam pressure acting upon, the engine, after which excepting for a
5 comparatively speaking, diminutive dead point (the interval before mentioned)
the balance of the stroke will be under the power of expansion, as will be presently
pointed out.
As the piston revolves and with it the shaft rotates, in the direction indicated,
the abutment sleeve 21 will, through the gears 45 and 30, be rotated in an opposite
0 direction, and the steam will then be admitted between the after face of the piston,
and the adjacent portion of the abutment sleeve intersecting the annular cylinder.
It will not however abut upon this portion of the sleeve, but will find its way
through groove 95, the opening 51 in the abutment sleeve 21 and the groove 96 to
the chamber 50 where abutment will take place with the result that much
5 greater force will be exerted upon the interior of the sleeve at that point than
upon the exterior of the portions thereof that intersects the annular cylinder.
The abutting force that acts with such excessive pressure upon the interior of

page_text: the sleeve is compensated to a certain degree by the countervailing pressure of
the before mentioned steam cushion 129, which must not however exert sufficient
energy to be detrimental to the steam tight relation between the abutment sleeve
and partitioning sleeve 10.
The steam pressure upon the engine is equalized to the resistance thereto by
means of the governor balls, which act upon the well known centrifugal principle
and to accomodate a decreasing resistance, will draw away from the shaft 8,
thereby causing the spindle to move into the shaft and the off-set end SS thereof
to act upon the inclined faces of the slots 85 in sleeve 83 of the valvular plate 78
which it rotates in the direction indicated in Figure 8 thus gradually closing the
ports 73, 74 and 75 until the pressure and resistance are, approximately equalized.
To accomodate an increasing resistance a reverse action will take place.
During the cycle of rotation of the engine there will be an interval when the
steam tight relation between the rotary abutment and the partitioning sleeve will
be broken. This interval is the dead point before mentioned and occurs between
the time that the forward axial edge of the opening 51 (while the sleeve 21 is
rotating in either direction) leaves the vertical plane of the partitioning sleeve,
and the time that the after axial edge reaches said vertical plane.
During this interval the exhaust control valve 101 incidentally closes the exhaust
port 100 which for the rest of the time is open and the engine completes its
cycle by its own momentum. The true function of this exhaust valve being
exerted as the engine reverses, but the incidental function just alluded to is of
advantage to the engine for economical purposes, as it traps and retains in the
cylinder of the engine, a body of steam representing an energy that would other-
wise be lost.
To reverse the engine the handle 123 should be moved to the position shown
in chain lines in Figure 9, thus causing the recess 114 to register with both
ports 110 and 113 and the V-groove to register with the port 112, thereby
establishing a direct communication from the steam supply pipe 114 through the
ports 109 and 112 to what has constituted the exhaust chamber as the engine
travelled "ahead" but that, now, in reversal, constitutes the steam chest 46, and
a direct communication from the (under the prevailing conditions) exhaust
chamber 66 through port 113, recess 114, port 110 to the exhaust pipe 111.
The cycle of the engine while running reversal and the relative action of all
the parts are directly the reverse of that just described, except that the steam is
continually exhausting through the space between the flanged disc 69 and the
face of the cylinder head, into the chamber 66 and out as described. The sliding
connection 70, 71 between said disc 69 and the shaft allowing the steam to act
detrusively upon and displace said disc; while the steam is automatically cut off
by the segmental valve 101 during the interval that has before been designated
the "dead" point as otherwise a direct passage would be established from the
steam supply to the exhaust port and considerable steam lost.
"
By inclining the face of the piston, that is the leading or forward face while the
engine travels ahead" the steam tight relation between said face and the forward
axial edge of the opening 51 is rendered uniform during the full time they are in
close proximity to one another.
It is obvious that, if desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention
the flanged plate and segmental valvular plate constituting the automatically
variable cut-off or governor, can have the portions thereof with the ports therein
cut away.
This however I consider would impair the efficiency of the governor to a certain
extent. It is also obvious that by connecting the shaft of my engine to any
suitable driving gear that the engine will serve as a pump.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a rotary engine the combination with a rotating part and the part in which

page_text: it rotates, of a steam cushion to partially support said rotating part for the purpose
set, forth.
2. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder; a shaft extending axially
through said cylinder; a piston adapted to revolve within said cylinder and around
said shaft; means for separating the surface of the shaft from the interior of the
cylinder; means for connecting said piston to the shaft, a steam supply to and
exhaust from said cylinder, and means for automatically controlling said exhaust,
for the purpose set forth.
3. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder, a piston adapted to revolve
in said cylinder; means for connecting said piston to the part to be driven, an
abutment chamber communicating with said cylinder during approximately the
complete cycle of the piston; a steam supply to and exhaust from said cylinder
and means for automatically controlling said exhaust, for the purpose set forth.
4. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder, a shaft extending axially
through said cylinder, a piston adapted to revolve within said cylinder and around
said shaft; means for separating the surface of the shaft from the interior of the
cylinder; means for connecting said piston to the shaft, a steam supply to
and exhaust from said cylinder, means for automatically varying said steam
supply, and means for automatically controlling said exhaust, for the purpose set
forth.
5. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder; a piston adapted to revolve
in said cylinder; means for connecting said piston to the part to be driven; an
abutment chamber communicating with said cylinder during approximately the
complete cycle of the piston, a steam supply to and exhaust from said cylinder,
means for automatically varying said steam supply, and means for automatically
controlling said exhaust, for the purpose set forth.
6. A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder; a shaft extending axially
through said cylinder, a piston adapted to revolve within said cylinder and around
said shaft; means for separating the surface of the shaft from the interior of
the cylinder; means for connecting said piston to the shaft, a steam supply to and
exhaust from said cylinder, means for automatically varying said steam supply,
means for automatically controlling said exhaust and means for reversing the
engine, for the purpose set forth.
A rotary engine comprising an annular cylinder a piston adapted to revolve
in said cylinder; means for connecting said piston to the part to be driven; an
abutment chamber communicating with said cylinder during approximately the
complete cycle of the piston, a steam supply to and exhaust from said cylinder,
means for automatically varying said steam supply, means for automatically
controlling said exhaust and means for reversing the engine, for the purpose set
forth.
8. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder, a shaft extending con-
centrically through said cylinder, having an axial extension with an interior
peripheral groove extending from one line of junction of said cylinder and
extension to a point distant from the other line of juncture greater than the
5 width of the opening in the abutment; a divided partitioning sleeve carried
rigidly by the cylinder heads and enclosing approximately the complete portion
of the shaft within said cylinder; a piston completely bisecting the space
between said sleeve and the walls of the cylinder; means for rigidly con-
necting the piston to the shaft; means for closing the space between the
O inside ends of the divided partitioning sleeve; a rotary abutment located within
the extension of the cylinder, and consisting of a sleeve extending axially
through the cylinder and having an opening in its side equal in length to the
axial length of the interior of the cylinder and of sufficient width to accommodate
the piston in its revolution; means for causing said shaft to rotate the abutment
5 in an opposite direction to itself; means for establishing steam tight relation
between the ends of the sleeve and the body of the cylinder; a core extending
through said sleeve from end to end thereof and having a portion milled away

page_text: on the periphractic line of the cylinder and having a peripheral groove extending
around the cylindrical portion from one milled edge to a point in the radial plane
of the corresponding end of the first mentioned groove; a steam inlet port to said
cylinder; an automatic cut-off valve for said port; and an exhaust port from said
cylinder substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
9. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder, a shaft extending con-
centrically through said cylinder, the interior whereof is rectangular in axial
plane, anil circular in contour transversely of said axial plane and having an
axial extension with an interior peripheral groove extending from one line of
junction of said cylinder and extension to a point distant from the other line of
juncture greater than the width of the opening in the abutment; a divided
partitioning sleeve carried rigidly by the cylinder heads and enclosing approxi-
mately the complete portion of the shaft within said cylinder; a disc secured
rigidly to said shaft and corresponding in diameter to that of the
exterior of the sleeve; a piston secured rigidly to the periphery of said disc, and
completely bisecting the space between said sleeve and the walls of
the cylinder; a rotary abutment located within the extension of the
cylinder, and consisting of a sleeve extending axially through the
cylinder and having an opening in its side equal in length to the axial length of
the interior of the cylinder and of sufficient width to accommodate the piston in
its revolution; means for causing said shaft to rotate the abutment in an opposite
direction to itself; means for establishing steam tight relation between the ends
of the sleeve and the body of the cylinder; a core extending through said sleeve
from end to end thereof and having a portion milled away on the periphractic line
of the cylinder and having a peripheral groove extending around the cylindrical
portion from one milled edge to a point in the radial plane of the corresponding
end of the first mentioned groove; a steam inlet port to said cylinder; an auto-
matic cut-off valve for said port; and an exhaust port from said cylinder,
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
10. In combination with the cylinder and shaft of a rotary engine, of an
automatically variable cut-off consisting of a plate having a series of ports of
different area therein, the bridge piece between said ports having recesses formed
in their outer faces; said plate overlapping the steam inlet port to the cylinder
and being formed in one with an axially slotted sleeve adapted to take over said
shaft; a pin carried rigidly by the shaft and taking into the slot in said sleeve; a
segmental plate having a series of perforated valvular bridge pieces to control
said series of ports and formed in one with an interiorly off-set sleeve taking
over said shaft and said first mentioned sleeve; said last mentioned sleeve being
formed with diagonal slots; the shaft having an axial slot extending diametrically
therethrough and intersecting said diagonal slots, and an axial boring extending
from the adjacent end of the shaft to said axial slot, a spindle extending through
said boring and having its inner end off-set and projecting through said axial
slot and taking into said diagonal slots; a stuffing box closing the outer end
of said shaft; a collar secured rigidly upon the outer end of said spindle; a coiled
spring bearing between said collar and stuffing box; a pair of lugs projecting
radially from diametrically opposite sides of said collar; a collar secured rigidly
upon the shaft adjacent to the outer end thereof; a pair of governor balls two
pairs of rods pivotally connecting said governor balls to the lugs upon said
respective collars; a steam chest encircling said shaft and enclosing said plates;
a stuffing box for packing the point at which the shaft passes out of the steam
chest a steam supply to said steam chest: a segmental valvular plate for
controlling the exhaust port from said cylinder and means for connecting said
latter plate to the shaft, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
11. In a rotary engine an expansible steam packing device consisting of a
carrying piece secured rigidly to one of the parts between which steam tight
relation is required, a piece located in contact with the other of said parts;

page_text: and one or more yielding resistances intermediate of said pieces, for the purpose
set forth.
12. In a rotary engine an expansible steam packing ring consisting of a carrying
ring secured rigidly to one of the parts between which steam tight relation is
required and having a series of sockets in the axial face thereof adjacent to the
other part, a bearing ring located in contact with said other part; and a series of
expansile springs located in said sockets and bearing upon said bearing ring,
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of August 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.