Improvements in Rotary Steam Engines, Pumps, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Rotary Steam Engines, Pumps, and the like.
I WILLIAM JOHN HENRY DALTON of 109 Fawcett Road Southsea in the
County of Hants Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to steam engines, pumps, blowers, exhausters, and the
like having continuously rotating pistons and movable partitions and the objects
thereof are to enable steam engines of this type to be worked expansively and to
be easily reversed.
Now according to this invention as applied to steam engines I provide a cylinder
of any suitable size and material and of circular section the said cylinder being
provided with a suitable cover at each end thereof.
Each cover is fitted with a stuffing box attached thereto or formed integral there-
with through which passes a rotary shaft concentric with the bore of the cylinder the
steam being prevented from escaping between the stuffing box and shaft by means
of the usual glands and packing.
Secured to the shaft is a rectangular piston rotating therewith and in steam
tight contact with the bore of the cylinder and the inside of the cylinder covers.
I provide also suitable valves to control the admission of steam to the cylinder
such valves being preferably oscillating valves of the "Corliss" type operated by
means of excentrics or other cams attached to the rotating shaft.
A two way valve or cock enables the steam to be admitted to either valve chest
as required in order to enable the engine to be run in either direction.
The exhaust port is opened and closed by means of an oscillating valve or block
which also forms the movable partition dividing the cylinder into steam and
exhaust portions. One edge of the valve or block bears on the boss of the
piston surrounding the shaft or on the shaft itself if the piston is recessed into or
forms part of the shaft.
The exhaust valve or block is bored to the same radius as the cylinder and when
the valve is in its mid position forms a portion of the cylinder against which the
edge of the piston presses to prevent escape of steam. As soon as the piston has
passed the exhaust valve the latter is rotated through an angle of about 80° until
its edge bears on the piston.
The exhaust valve is actuated by a cam secured to the rotating shaft and is
normally kept open by a spring or springs unless a grooved cam is used in which
case the springs may be dispensed with.
When the piston is passing the exhaust valve the exhaust port is closed but is
opened as soon as the piston has passed the valve and remains open during the
remainder of the revolution of the piston.
The position of the exhaust valve has to be reversed in order to reverse the
engine.
A recess may be formed in the back of the exhaust valve to allow the steam to
pass from the ports into the cylinder.
The edges of the piston which bear against the cylinder may be fitted with one or
more packing strips forced outwards by a spring or springs.
Or I may attach to the edges of the piston strips of sheet metal bent to a right
angle one edge of the strips being secured to the piston and the other bearing

page_text: against the cylinder. The free edges of the strips may be faced with gun-
metal.
The pressure of the steam will keep the packing steam tight.
Pumps, blowers and gas exhausters may be constructed similarly to the steam
engine above described except that if it is not required to reverse the
apparatus the two way cock or valve and one admission valve may be dispensed
with.
Dated this 30th day of January 1896.
T. E. HALFORD,
11 Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
I WILLIAM JOHN HENRY DALTON of 34 Northumberland Road late of
109 Fawcett Road Southsea in the County of Hants Marine 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 :-
This invention relates to steam engines, pumps, blowers exhausters and the like
having continuously rotating pistons and movable partitions and the objects thereof
are to enable steam engines of this type to be worked expausively and to be easily
reversed.
Now according to this invention as applied to steam engines I provide a cylinder
of any suitable size and material and of circular section the said cylinder being
provided with a suitable cover at either or both of the ends thereof. Each cover
or cylinder end is fitted with a stuffing box attached thereto or formed integral
therewith through which passes a rotary shaft concentric with the bore of the
cylinder the steam being prevented from escaping between the stuffing box and
the shaft by means of the usual glands and packing. Secured to the shaft is a
rectangular piston rotating therewith and in steam tight contact with the bore of
the cylinder and the inside of the cylinder covers or cylinder cover and cylinder
end if only one cover is used I provide also suitable valves to control the admission
of steam to the cylinder such valves being preferably oscillating valves of the
Corliss type operated by means of excentrics or other cams attached to the
rotating shaft. A two way valve or cock enables the steam to be admitted to
either valve chest as required in order to enable the engine to be run in either
direction.
The exhaust port is opened and closed by means of an oscillating valve or block
which also forms the movable partition dividing the cylinder into steam and exhaust
portions..
One edge of the valve or block bears on the boss of the piston surrounding the
shaft or on the shaft itself if the piston is recessed into or forms part of the shaft
the exhaust valve or block is bored to the same radius as the cylinder and when
the valve is in its mid-position forms a portion of the cylinder against which the
edge of the piston presses to prevent escape of steam. As soon as the piston has
passed the exhaust valve the latter is rotated through an angle of about 80° until
its edge bears on the piston boss. The exhaust valve is actuated by a cam secured
to the rotating shaft and is normally kept open by a spring or springs unless a
grooved cam is used in which case the springs may be dispensed with. When the
piston is passing the exhaust valve the exhaust port is closed but it is opened as
soon as the piston has passed the valve and remains open during the remainder of

page_text: the revolution of the piston. The position of the exhaust valve has to be reversed
in order to reverse the engine. A recess may be formed in the back of the exhaust
valve to allow the steam to pass from the ports into the cylinder. The edges of the
piston which bear against the cylinder may be fitted with one or more packing
strips forced outwards by a spring or springs.
Or I may attach to the edges of the piston strips of sheet metal bent to a right
angle one edge of the strips being secured to the piston and the other bearing
against the cylinder. The free edges of the strips may be faced with gun metal.
The pressure of the steam will keep the packings steam tight. Pump blowers and
gas exhausters may be constructed similarly to the steam engine above described
except that if it is not required to reverse the apparatus the two way cock or valve
and one admission valve may be dispensed with. And in order that my said
invention may be fully understood I will proceed to explain the same with
reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which;
Fig. 1 represents cross section through the cylinder of a rotary steam engine
constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is the same view shewing exhaust valve closed while piston is passing it.
Fig. 3 is end view shewing method of working the steam valves.
Fig. 4 is view partly in section shewing the construction of the piston.
Fig. 5 is longitudinal section through the cylinder.
Fig. 6 is end view showing method of working the exhaust valve and effecting
the reversal of the engine.
Fig. 7 is end view partly in section of a double piston engine also constructed
according to this invention.
Fig. 8 is cross section on line XX Fig. 9 of a compound steam engine constructed
according to this invention,
Fig. 9 is plan of same.
Fig. 10 is section of a compound engine constructed according to this inven
tion in which each valve serves as steam and exhaust valve and movable
partition.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figs.
a is the cylinder made of cast iron or other suitable material having steam
ports bb and exhaust ports c therein d d' are the steam valves e the exhaust
valve which also forms a movable partition f is the shaft g the piston secured
thereto in such a manner as to rotate therewith. As shewn the cylinder is recessed
on each side of the exhaust port and packing strips ii are fitted into the recesses
to keep the exhaust valve e steam tight. The piston is made in two portions
viz. the piston block 9 formed in one with the boss g' which is secured to the
shaft. and the loose piece o" which corresponds to the junk ring in the piston of
a reciprocating engine. The piston is packed by means of strips 1. 2. 3 whereof
1 bears against the circumference of the cylinder and 2 and 3 against the ends or
covers of the cylinder.
The aforesaid strips are forced outwards by means of springs 5. 6. 7. When the
piston is in the position shewn at Fig. 1 the steam valve d is opening and the
engine will rotate in the direction of the arrow. If the steam is admitted through
the valve d' the direction of rotation of the engine will be reversed the reversal
being effected by means of a two way cock or valve and at the same time the
exhaust valve e is turned into the position shewn in dotted lines see Fig. 1. The
steam valves d d are of the "Corliss " oscillating type and the spindles thereof
have secured to them cranks jjkk are excentrics the rods of which are connected
to the pins of the cranks jj.
If desired cams or trip gear may be used to actuate the steam valves so as to
obtain an earlier cut off than is given by excentrics. The exhaust valves e is
actuated as follows.
As shewn in Figs. 5 and 6 is a cam secured to the shaft which cam has a
projection parallel to the piston. This cam engages with one of two rollers mn
rotating on pins secured in a léver o which lever oscillates on a stud or pin

page_text: nxe
bearing.
to the bracket p forming part of or attached to the cap of the main
Or the stud may be fixed in the lever and oscillate in a bearing in the bracket p.
The other end of the lever engages with the pin of the crank g secured to the
valve spindle el. r is a pin or stud secured in the lever o. is a spring one
end of which is attached to the pin or stud and the other to a nutt moving
on the screw u. v is a hand wheel by means of which the screw u may be
-rotated.
As shewn in Fig. 6 the nut t is in the centre of the screw u the rollers m n are
raised out of contact with the cam and the engine remains stationary.
By moving the nut to one end or the other of the screw the engine will be caused
to rotate in one direction or the other. For example supposing the nut to be
moved to the right the spring a will be extended and the roller n brought into
contact with the cam I and on rotating the shaft/ the exhaust valve will be opened
into the position shewn at Fig. 1 by the tension of the spring & as soon as the
rollern is clear of the projection on the said cam and the piston will rotate in one
direction. The engine will be reversed by moving the nut to the opposite end of
the screw u. As the shaft revolves the cam 1 moves the exhaust valve into the
position shewn at Fig. 2 closes both the steam and the exhaust ports and allows the
piston to pass the valve e. ww are pipes connected to the two way cock by means of
which boiler steam is admitted to the valve chests are the valve spindle stuffing
boxes and y y the stuffing boxes for the shaft f. zz are the main bearings made in
halves for convenience of adjustment.
Fig. 7 shews an engine constructed according to this invention provided with two
pistons one or both of which may be actuated by boiler steam. If only one piston
is actuated by boiler steam the other may be actuated by the exhaust steam from
the first piston thus making the engine a compound one. The construction of
the working parts of the engine is the same as herein before described for a simple
engine the cam for actuating the exhaust valve having two projections thereon
instead of one the said projections being parallel to the pistons as aforesaid. The
compound engine shewn at Figs. 8 and 9 is constructed similarly to the simple
engine hereinbefore described but instead of one piston and exhaust valve there
are three pistons G G' G'arranged round the shaft at an angle of 120° from each
other. This engine is provided with three exhaust and three steam valves as
shewn. The three steam valves may be worked by means of trip gear excentrics
or cams and the three exhaust valves be actuated by one cam having three
projections thereon the said projections being parallel to the pistons and separated
from each other by an angle of 120°. A is the pipe to admit steam from the boiler
behind the piston G. Bis the pipe to admit the exhaust steam from the front of
the piston G behind the pistons Gi and G. C is the exhaust pipe. The double and
triple piston engines are shewn in the drawings as single acting but they may he
made to be reversed as herein before described. In the engine shewn in section at
Fig. 10 the boss g¹ is made of variable diameter so that as the engine rotates in
the direction of the arrow the exhaust valves e bear on the smaller diameter of the
boss as shewn and steam is admitted to the cylinder. When the engine has
. rotated a portion of a revolution the edges of the exhaust valves bear on the
larger diameter of the said boss and the steam port is closed; the further rotation
of the engine closes the exhaust port. The exhaust valves are operated by means
of a cam or cams so shaped as to give the required motion to the valves so as to
enable them to open the steam and exhaust ports close them and allow the pistons
to pass the valves at the proper time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. A rotary steam engine pump or blower having a piston rotating in a cylinder
having steam and exhaust ports therein an oscillating exhaust valve forming a

page_text: movable partition and suitable admission or expansion valves substantially as
hereinbefore specified.
2. In a rotary steam engine pump or blower the exhaust valve e of approximately
crescent shape oscillating in chambers formed in the cylinder ends or covers the
said valve forming a movable partition allowing steam gas or air to be admitted to
one side of the piston and discharged from the opposite side thereof substantially
as hereinbefore specified.
3. In a rotary engine pump or blower the combination of an approximately
crescent shaped valve e with a cam having a projection parallel to the piston g
substantially as specified.
4. In a rotary steam engine pump or blower as herein before described the
combination of an approximately crescent shaped exhaust valve e with steam
valves d d actuated by excentrics or cams and a means for enabling the said exhaust
valve to form a partition on either side of the piston substantially as herein before
specified and for the purpose stated.
5. In a rotary steam engine pump or blower as hereinbefore specified the packing
strips ii substantially as and for the purpose stated.
6. In a rotary steam engine pump or blower as herein before specified the method
of and means for packing the piston substantially as hereinbefore specified.
7. In a rotary steam engine constructed substantially as herein before specified
the combination of an exhaust valve e and a crank q secured to the valve
spindle e with an oscillating lever o having rollers m n rotating on pins secured
to the said lever and a means whereby either of the said rollers may be
maintained in contact with a cam l secured to the shaft for the purpose stated.
8. In a rotary engine constructed as herein before specified the combination of a
cylinder having a rotary piston g secured to a shaft f steam valves d d' and exhaust
valve e actuated by a cam l attached to the said shaft with a lever o carrying
rollers m n and a springs attached at one end to the lever o and at the other
end to a nut t working on a screw u and a hand wheel v whereby the said
nut may be moved from one end of the said screw to the other for the purpose
stated.
9. In a rotary engine constructed as hereinbefore specified the reversing gear
consisting of a hand wheel va screw u a nut t working on the screw u and a spring
connected at one end to the nut t and at the other end to a pin r secured to the
lever o the spring s when the nut is at the ends of the said screw keeping one or other
of the rollers m n in contact with the cam I whereby the piston is compelled to rotate
in one direction or the other substantially as described.
10. The modification of my invention substantially as herein before described and
shewn at Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.
11. The modification of my invention substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn at Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
12. The modification of my invention substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn at Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings.
13. The construction of rotary steam engines (simple and compound) pumps
blowers and exhausters as shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of August 1896.
T. E. HALFORD,
11 Furnival Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.