Improvements in Rotary Engines
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Rotary Engines.
SAMUEL QUINCEY Electrical Engineer 567 Seven Sisters Road South Tottenham
Middlesex I do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:---
A Cylinder, in which revolves Eccentrically therewith, a Piston, Carrying a
Curved Diaphragm on its outer surface, and recessed into same, one end of which
is jointed or hinged to above mentioned Piston, the other or loose end running in
Contact with the internal wall of Cylinder, thereby being free to follow the
Eccentrically disposed position of Cylinder with Piston: To convey Steam or any
Elastic Pressure to operate Piston, I use a Piston shaft which is Hollow through a
part of its whole length, a Port Hole being Cut through from under Diaphragm or
Diaphragms in Piston, and made to communicate with the said Hollow Shaft
whose open end enters the Steam Chest, and which thereon carries a Sleeve, with
its outer end closed and in its side a Port Hole is cut, this same sleeve with its
Port Hole rotating under a Saddle Piece and in connexion with one edge of the
said Saddle Piece slides a V shaped Piece, its object being to give an early or later
cut-off of the Steam or Elastic Vapour.
Or I may use a Disc Valve having a Port sunk into its Face, the said Port
taking a gradual Curve from near the Edge of Disc towards the Centre, extending
Partially round said disc, and on the Face of which is a sliding mask or Cover with
a Hole or Slot for regulating the Cut off.
The above Valves would be enclosed in suitable Steam Chests.
A Port Cut through the outer walls of Cylinder at a suitable place allows
discharge of Exhaust.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1896.
igine
I, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567 Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, London,
Electrical 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 has reference to improvements in rotary engines as I shall now
proceed to explain with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1
is an end elevation, with cover removed and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section on the
line of Fig. 1 showing one construction of such an engine according to this
71

page_text: invention. Fig. 3 is an underside view showing an expansion valve and attached
parts and Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. The rotary engine shown comprises a
cylinder 1 within which is eccentrically mounted so as to touch it at the point 1" a
rotary cylindrical body 2 which is called in my Provisional Specification a piston
but which is hereinafter called the hub. This hub is formed with a recess 3 at one
side of which is hinged or jointed as at 4° one edge of a curved diaphragm 5 (here-
inafter called the piston) the other or free edge of which is adapted to travel in
close contact with the inner periphery of the cylinder which, as the hub rotates
gradually returns the piston to its closed position in which it fits the recess 3 and
its outer curved surface travels in contact with the cylinder wall at 1. The hub is
fixed upon a shaft 6 that extends at one end into a valve chest 7 and at the other
end is provided with a fly wheel 8, steam tight joints being made by stuffing
boxes 9 where it passes through the end covers 1b of the cylinder. Steam or other
motive fluid (hereinafter called steam) for working the engine is admitted from
the valve chest 7 through a hole 6 extending through part of the length of the
shaft 6 and a hole or port 10 in the hub 2 whence it enters the recess 3 and acts
against the inner or underside of the piston and forces the latter outward into
contact with the inner surface of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1 and by then
acting against the opened out piston causes it and the hub and shaft to rotate in
the direction of the arrow shown in that figure, until the free or outer edge of the
piston passes the rear edge of an exhaust opening or port 11 whereupon the steam
that has done duty in the cylinder exhaust through an outlet pipe 12. 7 is a pipe
for supplying steam to the valve chest 7.
The admission of steam to the cylinder 1, through the shaft 6 from the valve.
chest 7 is controlled as follows:-To the end of the shaft that enters the valve
chest is fixed a sleeve or tube 13 that is closed at its free end and is formed with an
inlet port 14 in its periphery. This sleeve or tube, which may advantageously be
of brass or gun metal, rotates under and in close contact with a fixed saddle
piece 15 which acts as a valve to cut off the supply of steam through the port 14
as the sleeve rotates. For the purpose of obtaining an early or late cut off of steam
to suit varying loads, there is provided below and in sliding contact with the
sleeve 13 an expansion valve 16 that is approximately of triangular shape as seen
in side elevation and in underside view and the inclined edge 16 of which controls
the port 14. The adjacent edges of the main and expansion valves abut against
each other and are preferably made of knife edge section as shown. The expansion
valve is carried and adjusted endways along the sleeve 13 by a rod 17 that slides
through a stuffing box at 18" in the outer end wall of the valve chamber and is
connected to a lever 19 which is connected by a rod 20 to any suitable form of
engine governor as well understood. The arrangement is such that with heavy
loads the inclined edge 16 of the expansion valve will be automatically moved
back by the governor so that the closing of the port 14 and consequent cutting off
of the steam will take place later than when the engine is running with a light
load at which time the edge 16 of the valve will occupy a more forward position
so as to cut off the steam earlier. The lever 19 may be provided with a handle 19"
to admit of its being moved by hand when necessary. The saddle piece 15 is
preferably made as long or nearly as long as the sleeve 13 to ensure a more uniform
wear of the latter. It rests upon the sleeve 13 agamst which it is kept tight
by the steam pressure and is prevented from turning by a fixed rod 15 which
enters a slotted projection 15 at its upper part. The expansion valve 16 is free to
rise relatively to its rod 17 to compensate for wear.
Fig. 5 is a face view and Fig. 6 a vertical section showing a modified valve
arrangement. In this arrangement there is fixed to the end of the shaft 6 extend-
ing into the valve chest, a dise 21 in the face of which is formed a recess 21" that
serves as a port and is of gradually curved or snail shape extending from near the
edge of the disc towards the centre thereof where it communicates with the interior
of the shaft 6. On the face of this disc works a sliding mask or cover 22 which
is formed with a slot or port 23 for controlling the point of cut off. The mask

page_text: or cover is arranged to slide in guides 24 and is provided with a rod 17 for con-
nection with an engine governor for varying the radial position of the slot or
port 23 in accordance with the load on the engine. When the slot or port 23 is
in the position shown in Fig. 5, the steam will be cut off earlier than will be the
case if the hole or slot be moved nearer to the centre of the disc 21.
A steam tight joint may be made between the hub 2 and the cylinder 1 at the
point 1 by a longitudinal packing strip 25 located in a corresponding recess in
the cylinder and pressed against the hub by a spring 26, divided packing rings 27
located in grooves in the ends of the hub and piston serving to effect a steam tight
joint between these parts and the cylinder covers 1b as well understood. Each end
of the hub may advantageously be also provided with a second or safety packing
ring 27".
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. A rotary engine wherein a hub eccentrically arranged within a cylinder is
provided with a hinged or pivoted piston adapted to travel in contact with the
interior of the cylinder and is formed with a fluid supply passage that terminates
in a recess in which the piston fits when in its inner or closed position and is in
communication with a passage in the hub shaft the inlet to such passage being
controlled by a cut off valve, substantially as described.
2. In a rotary engine of the kind referred to in the preceding claim, the combina-
tion with the hollow rotary hub shaft of a sleeve closed at its outer end and formed
with a peripheral port, a stationary saddle in contact with which the sleeve rotates,
and an automatic cut off valve arranged to slide in contact with the sleeve, these
parts being constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing annexed.
3. In a rotary engine of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the combination with
the hollow rotary hub shaft of a disc having a curved or snail like recess in its
face and an adjustable mask or cover with hole or slot arranged to work over the
face of said valve, these parts being constructed arranged and operating substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of
the drawings annexed.
4. My improved rotary engine constructed arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of
my drawing annexed, or modified according to Figs. 5 and 6.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.