Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, SEBASTIEN LACAVALERIE, a citizen of South America, residing at Caracas,
in the Republic of Venezuela, Doctor, 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 :-
This invention relates to rotary engines and injectors; and the object thereof is
to provide an improved rotary engine which is simple in construction and operation,
and which is adapted to produce great power with a minimum application of steam
thereto, a further object being to provide an improved injector which is adapted to
be used in connection therewith, or with any desired form of engine; a further
object being to provide an injector by which steam and cold water, or any two
substances may be injected into an engine, said injector being simple in construction
and operation; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in
the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and
claimed.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the
accompanying drawings form a part, in which ;-
Fig. 1, is a sectional view of my improved engine and injector, the engine being
shown in section, and the injector or governor being shown in full lines;
Fig. 2, a central longitudinal vertical section of the injector;
Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the engine.
In the practice of my invention I provide a rotary engine which consists of a
circular shell or casing A, which is composed of two equal parts a, and a³, and
through which passes a shaft a³, and mounted on the shaft a³, inside of the casing A,
is a wheel B, and secured to the perimeter of the wheel B are a plurality of
semi-spherical cups or buckets 6, which are set at a backwardly directed angle, as
clearly shown in Fig. 1, and said cups or buckets b, are provided with base
plates 6, by which they are secured to the wheel B.
The wheel B, may be connected with the shaft a³, by spokes, which connect with
a hub 3, or a circular disk or plate may be substituted for the spokes, and the
wheel B, formed thereon, and this is the form of construction shown in the
drawing.
At the bottom of the casing A, is an outwardly directed exhaust pipe C, which
may be provided with valves in the usual manner, and mounted on one end of the
shaft as, is a pulley wheel, not shown, on which is placed a belt C2, the operation of
which will be hereinafter described.
1 also provide an injector which is shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and in longitudinal
vertical section in Fig. 2, and this injector consists of a casting D, in which is
formed at one side thereof a chamber d, with which communicates a pipe d², which
is adapted to serve as a water supply pipe, and said casting is provided at its
opposite side with a pipe d³, which is adapted to serve as a steam supply pipe, and
the central casting D, is preferably circular in form and provided at one end with
a cap d, having a tubular extension do, to which the injector nozzle de, is secured,
and the opposite or outward end of the casting or head D, is provided with
a tubular extension or projection d', having a central bore ds, which communicates
with a cylindrical chamber d with which the steam pipe d³, communicates; and
formed in the outer end of the casing or head D, and in the cap d', is a conical

page_text: chamber do, the apex of which is directed outwardly, and communicates with the
discharge nozzle do, and the base of which is directed inwardly and communicates
with the chamber d, and by means of the conical chamber do, a valve seat E, is
formed at the inner end of the discharge nozzle.
I also provide a longitudinally movable tube G, which passes through the tubular
projection or extension d', and through the annular chamber d', and that portion
thereof which passes through the annular chamber do, is provided with a plurality
of longitudinal slots g, which are formed in the sides thereof, and the inner end of
said tube is provided with a discharge nozzle g², which is smaller in diameter than
said tube, and in which adjacent to the inner tube thereof, is a valve seat 9³.
Passing longitudinally through the tube G, is a valve rod J, the inner end
of which is enlarged, as shown at J2, and is adapted to act in connection with the
said valve seat g³, to close the passage through the nozzle g², and I also provide two
tubular casings H, and K which are located at the opposite sides of the tubular
projection or extension d'. The tubular casing H, passes through a tubular
sleeve h, by which it is held in place, and the tubular casing K, is screwed into the
end of the head or casing D, and mounted in the tubular casing H, is a screw
threaded rod 2, and in the tubular casing K, is a similar screw threaded rod k.
The tube G, is provided with a cross-head g', which is provided at one end with
a screw threaded sleeve go, which is adapted to operate in connection with the screw
threaded rod 2, and at the opposite end with a tubular sleeve 9, which is not
screw threaded and which is adapted to slide on a portion of the rod k, which is not
screw threaded; and the rod J, is provided with a similar cross head h³, one end
of which is provided with a tubular screw threaded sleeve 4, which is adapted to
operate in connection with the screw threaded portion of the rod k, and the other
end thereof is provided with a tubular sleeve ³, which is not screw threaded and
which is adapted to slide on a part of the rod h2, which is not screw threaded.
The outer end of the rod h2, is provided with a gear wheel L, and the gear
wheel L2, which is one half of the diameter of the gear wheel L, is mounted on the
rod and is adapted to operate in connection with the gear wheel L, and the rod ³,
which is preferably provided with a handle or wheel L³.
The casting or head D of the injector, as shown in Fig. 1, is supported by
a suitable frame L, in the top of which it is placed, and secured by a block
or bolts L, and I also provide a vertical standard M, which is supported on
suitable base at the outer end of the injector and through the top of which passes
a drive shaft m, the outer end of which is provided with a pulley m², over which
the belt C2 is passed, and which is also provided with a bevel gear wheel m³, which
operates in connection with a corresponding bevel gear wheel m², which is mounted
on a vertical shaft me, and the shaft m, is provided at its lower end with a
collar m, with the sides of which are pivotally connected levers m', of the governor,
the lower ends of which are provided with balls or weights m³, and to which are
pivoted rods m³, which connect with a collar o, mounted on the upper end of
a vertically movable shaft o2, the lower end of which is formed as a rack bar o³,
which passes through a keeper o, and is adapted to operate the gear wheel L, of
the injector.
By means of the form of the motor as herein before described, an annular
chamber P is provided in the casing thereof in which the buckets carried by the
wheel B move when the wheel is revolved and it is into one side of this annular
chamber P that the commingled steam and cold water is ejected from the pipe de
of the injector and it will be understood that the shaft as may be connected by
means of a power belt or other device with any suitable machinery, and a pipe d
of the injector connected with a suitable supply of cold water and by mingling the
cold water and steam as before described, I add very largely to the force applied
against the buckets 6 to turn or operate the wheel B, the force of the steam when
it strikes the buckets or cups being increased by the additional momentum of the
water which is propelled with a velocity only slightly reduced from that of the
steam and being much heavier than the steam, the propelling force of the combined

page_text: water and steam is much greater than that of steam only and will be readily
appreciated. There is also an explosive force generated by injecting a current of
the hot steam under a high velocity into the cold water, and this force is also
utilized and caused to assist in operating the motor.
The commingling cold water and steam is ejected from the pipe d' at a tangent
to the annular chamber P directly upon the buckets 6 to turn or revolve the wheel B
as already described.
The cold water supply pipe may be in communication with any desired supply
tank or main, and the water may or may not be under pressure, and the steam
pipe d³, may be in communication with any desired form of steam generator.
The motor is exceedingly simple in construction and operation and by means of
the form thereof, and the position and arrangement of the buckets or cups b, great
power is attained wth a minimum amount of steam pressure.
The injector is operated by means of the governor and the rack bar o³, operating
in connection with gear wheels L, L' the power being transmitted to the governor
through the driving belt C2, the amount of steam discharged from the injector
being regulated as hereinbefore described. The commingling steam and cold water
passing through the pipe d and being discharged directly upon the cups or
buckets 6 and by reason of the fact that the gear wheel L is greater in diameter
than the gear wheel L the quantity of steam which passes through the nozzle g³
and through the main discharge and injector nozzle de may be regulated and
a passage through hoth of said nozzles may be closed whenever desired, by means
of the mechanism before described.
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. A rotary engine which consists of a circular casing, through which passes a
power shaft, on which is mounted a circular wheel, which is provided on its
perimeter with a plurality of backwardly directed cups or buckets said wheel being
adapted to revolve on said shaft, and said casing being provided with an injector,
substantially as shown and described.
2. A rotary engine consisting of a circular casing through which passes a power
shaft, on which is mounted a wheel the rim of which revolves in an annular
chamber, said wheel being provided on its outer surface with a plurality of buckets
or cups which are set an angle thereto, and said casing being provided at one side
and near the bottom with an injector, and also with an exhaust pipe, substantially
as shown and described.
3. The combination with an engine of an injector consisting of a head or casting,
which is provided at one side with a steam supply pipe, which communicates with
a chamber formed therein, and at the other with a water supply pipe which
communicates with another chamber formed therein, and also provided at one end
with a main discharge nozzle and at the opposite end with a tubular extension
through which passes a sliding tube, which passes through the chamber with which
the steam pipe communicates, and which is provided with longitudinal slots formed
in the sides thereof, and at its inner end with a discharge nozzle which is adapted
to regulate and close the passage through the main discharge nozzle, and a
longitudinally movable rod which passes through said tube end and which is
adapted at its inner end to regulate and close the passage through the nozzle
connected therewith, and means for operating said tube and said rod, substantially
as shown and described.
4. The combination with an engine of an injector consisting of a head or casting,
which is provided at one side with a steam supply pipe, which communicates with
a chamber formed therein, and at the other with a water supply pipe which
communicates with another chamber formed therein, and also provided at one end
with a main discharge nozzle and at the opposite end with a tubular extension
through which passes a sliding tube, which passes through the chamber with which

page_text: the steam pipe communicates and which is provided with longitudinal slots in the
side thereof, and at its inner end with a discharge nozzle which is adapted to
regulate and close the passage through the main discharge nozzle, and a movable
rod which passes through said tube and which is adapted at its inner end to
regulate and close the passage through the nozzle connected therewith, and means
for operating said tube, consisting of a suitably supported governor which is
operated by the engine and operative device connected therewith, and said tube and
said rod, substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination with an engine of an injector consisting of a head or casting,
which is provided at one side with a steam supply pipe, which communicates with
a chamber formed therein, and at the other with a water supply pipe which
communicates with another chamber formned therein, and also provided at one end
with a main discharge nozzle and at the opposite end with a tubular extension
through which passes a sliding tube, which passes through the chamber with which
the steam pipe communicates, and which is provided with longitudinal slots in the
sides thereof, and at its inner end with a discharge nozzle which is adapted to
regulate and close the passage through the main discharge nozzle, a revolubly
movable rod which passes through said tube and which is adapted at its inner end
to regulate and close the passage through the nozzle connected therewith, and
means for operating said tube and said rod, consisting of a suitably supported
governor which is operated by the engine, and operative device connected
therewith, and said tube, said device consisting of screw threaded rods connected
with the casting or head of said injector, and revolubly mounted thereon and
provided with gear wheels at their outer ends, and a rack bar connected with said
governor, said screw threaded rods being in operative connection with the sliding
tube, and the rod which passes therethrough substantially as shown and
described.
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6. The combination with an engine, of an injector consisting of a head or casting,
which is provided at one side with a steam supply pipe which communicates with a
chamber formed therein, at the other side with a water supply pipe which
communicates with another chamber formed therein, and which is also provided at
one end with a main discharge nozzle which communicates with both of said
chambers, and at the opposite end with a tubular extension through which passes
sliding tube, which passes through the chamber with which the steam pipe
communicates and which is provided with longitudinal slots in the sides thereof,
and at its inner ends with a discharge nozzle which is adapted to regulate and close
the passage through the main discharge nozzle, and a movable rod which passes
through said tube and which is adapted at its inner end to regulate and close the
passage through the nozzle connected therewith, and means for operating said tube
and said rod, consisting of a suitable supported governor, which is operated by the
engine device connected therewith, and said tube and said rod, substantially as
shown and described.
7. The combination with a rotary motor, of an injector connected therewith, and
adapted to inject steam and hot water thereinto, said motor being provided with a
governor and said governor being in operative connection with said injector and
adapted to regulate the steam substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 1st day of June 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.