IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY MOTORS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Gurd of Sarnia in the County of Lambton
in the Province of Ontario in the Dominion of Canada Gentleman for an
invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY MOTORS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Gurd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th April 1882.
WILLIAM JOHN GURD,. of Sarnia, in the County of Lambton, in the Province of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, Gentleman
MOTORS"
My invention relates to improvements in motors in which direct rotary motion
is produced by the pressure of a suitable fluid upon a series of. swing buckets
projecting from the rim of the driving wheel.
My improved rotary motor consists of a closed circular casing having induction
and eduction openings in close proximity and containing a driving wheel upon a
driving shaft concentrically journalled upon the casing and working in suitable
stuffing boxes. The partition between the induction and eduction orifices is
extended into the interior of the casing, forming an abutment to fit against tho
rim of the driving wheel, a tight working joint being made on such abutment by,
packing placed under springs.
The
The driving wheel is of proportionately large diameter, carrying at its rim tho
swing buckets which are capable of folding back flush in suitable recesses.
buckets are of bell crank section, centred in the rim of the wheel at right angles to
the plane of rotation, the flaps, when swung out, fitting the race or annular space
between the rim of the wheel and the rim of the casing, to be acted upon by the
inflow, and their tail ends working in a suitable opening within the driving wheel.
and running upon a guide rim projecting from the side of the casing which swings
out, and keeps extended, the buckets during the requisite period of their respective
revolutions, part of the said guide rim being cut away to allow the bucket to be
swung or folded back within its recess in the wheel by a cam or cams near the
induction orifice or by a rubber faced bowl journalled in the eduction orifice, or by
both. The edges of the rim of the wheel have facing rings running tightly in
corresponding grooves in the sides of the casing. The recesses under the buckets
have connected grooves and holes for the escape of any fluid locked there by closing
the buckets:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William John Gurd in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th October 1882.
WIAM JOHN GURD, of Sarnia, in the County of Lambion, in the Province of
Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada Gentleman IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY-
MOTORS'
My invention relates to improvements in that class of rotary motors wherein the
pressure of water, steam, or other fluid is made to act upon a series of wing-pistons
attached to the face of a revolving hub, which is secured upon a horizontal shaft
and inclosed in an outer stationary cuse; and my improvement consists in the
arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully
described in the following specification, and specially pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation
of an improved water-motor with the front portion of the inclosing case broken
away. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof, taken at right angles to the
axis. Fig. 3 is a vertical central cross-section. Fig. 4 is a perspective of part of
the hub, showing the construction of the recesses for the wing-piston.
In the drawings, A is a cylindrical case inclosing the cylindrical hub B, which is
secured to the sliaft C, and placed concentrically within the case A.
D is the annular water-way formed between the face of the hub and the inner
face of the case A. It begins at the induction-opening E and leads around the.
hub into the eduction opening F.
Gis an abutment dividing the annular water-way between the induction and
eduction openings, and its construction is as follows: The lower face, a of this
abutment is inclined so as to form a throat between the induction-opening E and
water-way D, compensating thereby for the necessary contraction of a stream of
water entering through the round induction-pipe into the rectangular-shaped
water-way. To this face a is secured, in any convenient manner, the leather
flap b, whose free end overlaps the abutment and impings upon the face of the hub.
His a spring-plate secured to the face a of the abutment, and with its free end
pressing upon the leather flap,so as to hold it firmly down upon the face of the
hub. The tension of this spring-plate, aided by the pressure of the inflowing
water, insures a water-tight partition between the induction and eduction ports,
which at the same time is yielding enough to prevent unnecessary friction.
A series of wing-pistons, I, are pivoted at equal distances apart in proper recessos
in the rim of the hub. Each of these pistons has a roar extension, c, which projects
into the interior of the hollow hub, and is forced to travel upon the circular guide
ways K, one of which is secured to each of the inner sides of the case A. To allow
the wing-pistons to pass the abutment, a portion of the guideways K from d to c is
cut away, allowing the pistons to turn upon their pivots and fold down into
corresponding recesses, L, cut into the face of the hub. When folded in their
recesses L. the outer faces of the pistons correspond exactly with the face of the
hub, thus enabling the saine to pass the abutment.
To provide for the easy escape of the water when a piston is forced into its
recess, the latter is made slightly longer than the piston, leaving a slit, f, open for
the escape of the water, for which an additional exit is provided througli the small
hole which communicates with the channels g along the bottom of the recess.
The object of this slit f and the channels is also to insure the proper closing
down of the piston when the water is carrying impurities with it, and to obviate
the suction, which would otherwise form a resistance to the opening of the piston
after passing the abutment;

page_text: The folding of the pistons into their recesses is brought about by their striking
against the rubber-faced wheel which is journalled across the eduction-
opening F, just in advance of the abutment. To complete the closing of the
piston two horns, N N, one on each side of the wheel M, may be provided, which
would force down the pistons into their recesses in a more positive manner than
could be obtained by the exclusive use of the rubber-faced wheel.
The use of the wheel M, which is free to rotate, diminishes the friction and
obviates all noise. It has the additional advantage that by its use the folding of
the pistons can be accomplished in a very short interval, thus getting the longest
possible effective water-way. To each side of the hub are secured the rings 0,
which are made to fit nicely into the corresponding recesses in the case, so as to
prevent the water from forcing its way on the sides of the hub to the eduction-
opening. They are made just small enough consistent with such object so as to
give the minimum of friction between the hub and case.
It will be seen that the action of the piston-wings is positive in all their
functions, as the guideways K keep the pistons rigidly extended during their travel
through the water-way, and also force them again from their recesses as soon as
they pass the abutment.
While I have described and shown in the drawings a water-motor as a special
adaptation of a rotary motor, I do not intend to limit myself to this particular
class of rotary motors only, as it is evident that the construction herein described
may be adapted for other rotary motors wherein the motive power is derived from
steam, gas, &c.
What I claim as my invention is
1. In a rotary motor, the combination, with the pivoted wing-pistons, of the
rubber-faced wheel M, as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a rotary motor, the combination, with the pivoted wing-pistons, of the
rubber-faced wheel Mand inclined planes or horns N, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
3. In a rotary motor, the combination, with a series of pivoted wing-pistons, of
the circular guideway K, the rubber-faced wheel M, and the inclined planes or
horns N. substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a rotary water-motor, the pivotted wing-pistons I, in combination with
the hub having recesses L, and with the water-exits f and g, as and for the
purposes specified.
5. In combination with a rotary motor, the abutment G, provided with the
leather flap and spring-plate H, as and for the purpose described.
In Witness whereof I the said. William John Gurd have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty seventh day of July in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
V. J. GURD
(L.S.)