Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, KARL THOMANN, of 74, Wuchererstrasse, Halle on Saale, in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object an improved rotary motor for steam, gas or
compressed air. The annular working chambers of the same are divided in the
ordinary manner into sickle-shaped compartments by means of a ring mounted
on a rotary plan disc and the said compartments again divided by means of slides
or pistons arranged in the rings, into admission, expansion and discharge chambers.
This improved motor is characterised-
1. By the working chambers lying on both sides of the plan dise being mutually
diametrically displaced, that is to say lying eccentric to one another;
2. By the slides or pistons, through which the sickle-shaped chambers are divi-
ded, oscillating in the ring of the plan disc, and by the rings travelling on the
inner core of the casing being guided;
3. By the central position of the shaft being secured by means of a special form
of the bush ;
4. By the charge of the motor being adjustable ;
5. By the slide surfaces lying eccentrically to one another being capable of being
mutually adjusted so that the motor always remains tight;
6. By the parts which work one in the other being adjustable by reason of their
conical shape and thereby allowing of an exact tight fitting of the same;
7. By the casing being rendered perfectly tight to the outside by means of an
adjustable ring.
The object of the apparatus is shown in the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical diametrical section of this improved motor with tapering
or conical inner surfaces;
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section on the line II-II of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 of the internal appearance of the casing,
whilst
Figure 4 is a sectional view of the plan disc on the line IV-IV of Figure 5 and
showing the position of the feed passages formed in the plan disc of the slides or
pistons;
Figure 5 is a diametrical section of the plan disc;
Figures 6-8 are separate views of the slides arranged at each side of the plan
disc with their guide rings;
Figure 9 is a vertical section of a similar motor with cylindrical inner surfaces:
Figure 10 a vertical horizontal section of Figure 9 on the line IX-IX;
Figure 11 is a detail view.
The constructive arrangement of the motor is as follows:-
The two parts 1 and 2 of the casing have internally a core 3 projecting towards

page_text: the inside so that as usual an annular chamber results. Both halves of the casing
are however mutually displaced diametrically in such a way that they stand eccen-
trically vertical to one another, and the driving shaft 4 mounted in the inner core 3
is also eccentrically mounted in the said chamber. A pian disc is mounted on
the driving shaft 4 and carries on each side a ring 6 mounted concentric on the
driving shaft. On each internal core a number of slide rings 7 is arranged, the
number of which agrees with the number of the slides or pistons 8 situated on
each side of the plan disc. In the present case. three such slides S are employed
on each side of the plan disc in the annular working chamber and corresponding
therewith there are on each inner core 3 slide rings 7 each of which is connected
with one of the slides 8. In each ring 6 bolts 9 which are slotted but which are
revoluble are mounted and each of them carries a slide 8. As each ring 6
encounters with its outer surface at the point a the inner wall of the casing and
at the point y the outer surface of the slide rings 7 the annular working chamber
is divided into sickle-shaped compartments as may be seen in Figures 2 and 10.
As therefore each inner core 3 on which the slide rings 7 with the slides S rotate
lies eccentrically to the driving shaft 4 and therefore also to the axis of rotation of
the plan disc 5, the slides 8 execute not merely a reciprocatory movement in the
bolts 9 but also an oscillatory one, and for this object the bolts 9 are provided so
that the slides are always guided in a tight slot and yet can oscillate. But also in
order that the slides in any position of the plan disc 5 may lie in the radius of the
inner core they are as already mentioned guided by means of the rings 7.
The slides 8 divide each sickle-shaped chamber in the indicated number into an
admission chamber a, expansion chamber e and discharge chamber 2, see
Figures 2 and 10. The medium of pressure acts first in the inner sickle-shaped
chamber III, passes through the transfer passage 10 into an outer sickle-shaped
chamber V and there acts again in order to finally escape through the discharge
passage 11 to the exit. This action takes place on both sides of the plan disc 5
at different places but in the same direction, so that the driving shaft 4 does not
experience a strain on one side.
In order to be able to work with a variable charge, the steam admission passage 12
opens into a segment shaped recess 13 on the inner side of the inner core 3, in which
recess a segment shaped slide is arranged. The latter is mounted on a shaft 15
and may be regulated from the outside by means of a setting lever 16. The plan
disc 5 has on each plane surface so called feed passages 17 as shown in Figure 4.
As may be seen from this latter figure the feed passages 17 have a special form.
When by the rotation of the plan disc 5 they reach the dotted position they are
closed against the passage 12 and the charge is finished. If the slides 14 be moved
in the direction of the hands of a watch further to the right the charge is increased,
because the part of the segment shaped recess 13 corresponding with the passage 12
connects longer with the feed passage. If two of the slides 8 in the sickle-
shaped chamber III or V assume a symmetrical position to the vertical in the
indicated position of the motor, the chamber contained between them must be
regarded as a maximum expansion chamber and the expansion reaches its end.
From this position onward the discharge must take place, and for this object a
transfer passage 10 provided with a trough-shaped recess r arranged in the casing
is provided, which recess expands or enlarges up to the position so that on the
further movement of the slide a discharge may take place from the said wedge
shaped expanding chamber.
In order however that a charge or feed may take place after the transfer of the
medium of power from the sickle-shaped chamber III to V has taken place
already in the indicated position of Figure 2, the transmission passage in this
chamber is also provided with a trough-shaped extensions, Figures 2, 3 and 10.
A discharge passage 11 through which the consumed medium of power escapes
also provided with a similar trough shaped passage n. If the cylinder surfaces
which travel one in the other become worn at the points and y they may be again
rendered tight in case the motor is given a conical form as is shown in Figure 1
is

page_text: by screwing together the two casings. As the exact coincidence of the surfaces
engaging with one another causes very much work, the inner wall of the casing
and the slide rings 7 may be made adjustable against the ring 6 of the plan disc 5
as is shown in the cylindrical form of construction represented in Figures 9-11.
For this object a ring 19 is inserted in the interior of the
casing which forms the inner wall of the casing and may be
exactly adjusted by means of screws 20. The readjustment may however be
effected also by means of an eccentric shaft 21 (see Figure 10) arranged in the
casing or in any other suitable manner. The rings 7 may as shown in Figure 10
also be adjusted for position by means of an eccentric shaft 22 mounted in the
inner core 3 so that they again always travel quite tightly against the ring 6 of
the plan disc.
In order to render the interior of the casing quite tight to the outside, a ring 23
is screwed into the one casing half, which ring engages in a groove of the other
half casing. In this groove washering material is placed which is compressed by
means of the ring 23. The whole casing of the motor may in addition be provided
with a covering casing 26, Figure 1, and also it may be heated by the discharge
steam or by fresh steam from the boiler.
In order to effect the centreing of the driving shaft 4 it is at both sides of the
plan disc
formed conically at the places h, as shown as an example in Figure 1
and surrounded by a bush which suits itself to the partial conicity h of the shaft.
The bush bearing is screwed into the internal core 3 and fixed by means of a safety
nut 24. A stuffing-box 25 of any suitable form of construction may also be
arranged on the outer end of the bush so that the motor is rendered entirely tight
to the outside
The working of this new motor is as follows:-
The power medium enters on both sides of the plan disc through the feed
passage 12 and through feed passages situated in the plan disc into the inner
sickle-shaped chamber III in front of the slide 8 lying nearest thereto, that is to
say in Figure 4 in front of the upper slide, and acts with its entire pressure up to
the feed passage whilst the rotation of the plan disc is controlled through the
slide 14. From this point the expansion takes place up to the maximum expan-
sion admissible in the chamber until the medium of power has thus filled out the
chamber e in Figure 2 and then passes through the trough passage r, overflow
passage 10 and trough passages into the sickle-shaped chamber V in front of the
next slide in order there to act again in the same manner. When it has acted
there it is finally discharged through the passage 11, and this action takes place
on both sides of the plan disc, that is to say in each half of the casing.
If such a motor be operated by steam it may also work by condensation, but
the motor remains a compound motor immaterially whether the driving be effected
by means of steam, gas or compressed air.
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 motor, the annular inner chambers of which are divided by means
of a plan disc (5) revolubly arranged between the same and provided with rings (6)
into sickle-shaped working chambers (III & V), characterized by the annular inner
chambers being displaced eccentrically to one another, with the object of partially
unloading the driving shaft, and by the motor working with a variable charge
whilst the slides serving as working pistons are compulsorily guided, the central
position of the driving shaft being secured by means of bushes and bearings
adjustable from the outside and a tight running of the surfaces which travel one
on the other being attained either by forming the outer surfaces of the casing and
the plan disc rings conical and drawing the casing together in the case of their
wearing away, or by the surfaces which are in frictional contact with the plan

page_text: disc rings being formed of rings adjustable in a radial direction, substantially as
herein before set forth.
2. A rotary motor such as described characterized on the one hand by the
passage (12) intended for supplying the medium of pressure, opening into a
segment-shaped recess (13) on the side facing the plan disc (5) of the casing
core (3), in which recess a segment slide (14) operated from the outside is movably
arranged, and on the other hand by the arrangement of bent passages on each side
of the plan disc which correspond with the segment shaped recess (13) during the
admission period, the whole with the object by the adjustment of the segment
slide (14) of enabling the connection between the recess (13) and the mussel
passages (17) to be interrupted sooner or later according to the required charge
thereby altering the charge, substantially as herein before described.
3. A rotary motor such as described, characterized by each slide (8) being con-
nected with a ring (7) travelling on the inner core (3) of the casings (1 & 2) and
being guided by a revoluble slotted bolt in the plan dise ring (6) and adjustable
simultaneously therein, with the object of enabling the slide (8) to be compulsorily
guided and the radial position of the same to the axis of the casing to be secured
in any position of the plan disc, substantially as described.
4. A rotary motor such as described, characterized by the driving shaft (4)
being provided with projections (h) formed conically and mounted in bearing
bushes (i) capable of being screwed in the inner core (3) with the object of enabling
an even centreing of the driving shaft to be secured by screwing up the bushes,
substantially as described..
5. A rotary motor such as described, characterized by the periphery of the
annular inner chambers and also the rings (6) of the plan disc being shaped conical,
with the object of obtaining again a tight closing or tight-jointing of the parts
travelling one on the other, when worn, by pressing the two casings together,
substantially as described.
6. A rotary motor such as described, characterized by the inner periphery of
the casing being formed of a radial adjustable ring (19) and by the slide ring (7)
being also radially adjustable by means of an eccentric shaft (22) mounted in the
core (3) in case the said ring should become loose on the core owing to the wear,
with the object of enabling the rings (7) and also the ring (19) to be adjusted
against the periphery of the plan disc ring (6) in case of wear of the slide surfaces,
substantially as described.
7. A rotary motor such as described, characterized by an adjustable ring (2)
being inserted in the flange of one half of the casing, to engage in an annular
ring filled with a washering material in the other half of the casing, with the
object of forming a tight joint for the interior of the motor to the outside, sub-
stantially as described.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.