Improvements in Steam or Fluid Pressure Motors.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application: 2nd Nov. 1892-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or Fluid Pressure Motors.
A communication from abroad by EDGAR AMBROSE EDWARDS, of Winton Place,
Hamilton County, in the State of Ohio, United States of America, Electrician,
and CHARLES LINTON DOUGHTY, of 231, Langland Street, Cincinnati, Ohio,
aforesaid, Agent.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56, Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, 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 what are broadly known as steam motors, and it relates
more particularly to, that class of motors which involve what is commonly understood
as the turbine system of impact and re-action. It has for its object to provide a
simple, cheap and effective construction and arrangement of parts whereby the
steam or other fluid admitted to the motor, may act and re-act upon the parts and
be gradually expanded as it passes through the motor, causing a fall of pressure
and increase of volume of the steam. To these ends the invention consists in a
motor having the various features of construction, arrangement and mode of
operation, substantially such as is hereinafter more particularly pointed out.
Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated one embodiment
of the general principles of the invention sufficient to enable it to be described,
Fig. 1, is an end view of the engine;
Fig. 2, is a longitudinal, vertical section of the same;
Fig. 3, is a plan view on a somewhat enlarged scale of one of the stationary
plates;
Fig. 4, is a similar view of the other stationary plate;
Fig. 5, is a similar view showing one face of the propeller wheel; and
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Fig. 6, is a detail view showing means for adjusting the rings upon the stationary
plates;
Fig. 7, is a sectional perspective view of the plates and wheel;
Fig. 8, is a vertical section of a modification; and
Fig. 9, is a plan view of one of the plates.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a motor having a comparatively
great efficiency, which shall be small, compact, simple, cheap, and not liable to get
out of order, while at the same time, it may be capable of running at a very high
rate of speed. The uses for such a motor are many, and need not be recited, but it
may be stated that primarily the object of the construction is to provide means for
operating a dynamo electric generator through direct connections in order to secure
the greatest efficiency from a generator of comparatively small dimensions and
cheap construction.
A further object of the invention is to provide a structure having the characteristics
before mentioned, which at the same time shall be capable of using steam in the
most economical way; that is by taking advantage of the gradual fall of pressure,
and increase of volume of the steam, as it passes through the engine, and again in
utilizing in connection therewith the forces of impact and re-action. It is to meet
these requirements and others, which need not be stated, that the present invention
is made.
While there is illustrated and will now be described the details of the construction
and arrangement of parts of what is considered the preferred embodiment of the
invention, it will be understood that these details can be varied by those skilled in
the art to suit various purposes without departing from the general principles of the

page_text: .
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invention, and it is therefore not limited to the construction and arrangement
illustrated and described.
The motor in the first place is provided with a suitable casing forming the
internal chamber in which the operative parts of the engine are enclosed, this casing
is shown as consisting of the heads 1, 2, united together by a ring or short cylinder
portion 3, the parts being secured in any suitable way, as by bolts 4. In order to
support the motor, the ring or cylinder portion of the case is provided with suitable
feet 5, by which the engine may be secured in any proper position. The heads 1,
and 2, are extended laterally in opposite directions, to form bearings 6 through
which passes the shaft 7, suitable bearing sleeves 8, being interposed between the
shaft and the bearings in the heads. These bearings may be provided with; the
usual means for lubricating, as the cups 9.
The head 2 is provided with a suitable inlet 10 for the steam, and from this inlet
there is a passage 11, extending to an annular recess 12, for distributing the steam
in a manner hereinafter set forth. This head is also provided with an extension or
ring 13, against which one of the stationary plates bear, forming a steam tight
joint.
The operative parts of the engine consist essentially of two plates, which are
fixedly mounted within the chamber of the case, the adjacent faces of which are
provided with a series of annular recesses or grooves, and a propelling wheel suitably
mounted to rotate within the space between the stationary plates, and having its
two faces similarly grooved or recessed to correspond with the grooves in the fixed
plates.
The fixed plates 14 and 15 may be mounted in various ways. There is shown a
convenient, simple, and effective means of mounting them, in which the plate 14, is
provided with a hub 16, having lateral extensions, one of which is screw threaded
at 17, and secured in the head 2, while the other end is screw threaded at 18, and
receives and forms a support for the fixed plate 15. In this way, both plates are
securely held in their proper position within the chamber, the hub 16 supporting
the plate 14, which is preferably integral with the hub, and the plate 15, which is
mounted thereon.
The hub is provided with a series of passages 19, extending from the annular
chamber 12, parallel to the shaft where they meet radial passages 20, opening into
what may be termed the steam chest 21. While more or less passage-ways may
be made, in the present instance there is shown (as seen in Fig. 3) a large number
to furnish a free conduit for the steam from the annular chamber to the steam
chest.
Suitably mounted on the shaft 7, is a support or carrier 31, for the propeller
wheel 30, and it is shown as consisting of a plate having a suitable hab fitting the
shaft, to which it may be keyed or otherwise secured, and provided with a laterally
extending flange 32, fitting the exterior periphery of the propeller wheel 30, and
secured thereto by suitable means, as the screws 33. This flange 32, is provided
with a series of openings 34, for the free passage of the steam into the exhaust
chamber after it has performed its work. It will thus be seen that the propeller
wheel is rigidly connected to the shaft in a manner to rotate freely between the
stationary plates.
As before intimated, the faces of the propeller wheel are provided with suitable
grooves, and the adjacent faces of the stationary plates are provided with similar
grooves. These grooves are illustrated for the sake of clearness on an enlarged
scale in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 respectively. Referring more particularly to Fig. 5,
which shows one face of the propeller wheel (the other being the exact counterpart)
it will be seen that there are ten concentric grooves a to a respectively, and while
this is a desirable number in a structure like that shown, of course it will be
* understood that the number will vary, being greater or less as circumstances may
dictate.
These grooves naturally produce upon the face of the wheel a series of concentric
rings as 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1.5*
and is :11

page_text: alternately complete rings, and segmental rings, the b rings being complete, while
the c rings are made up of sections or segments having grooves d, between the
segments. These grooves d, are shown at an angle to the radial lines of the wheel,
and while this angle may vary within certain limits, the grooves are shown at an
angle of substantially 60 degrees to the radial lines passing through the grooves.
The width of these grooves may also vary, depending upon their number, the
pressure of steam to be used, the speed required, and other contingencies.
and
The adjacent faces of the stationary plate are provided with similar grooves e
to e, separated by the complete rings f to f³, and segmental rings g to g*,
these segments are in turn separated by angular grooves h.
It will be seen on comparing these grooves and rings, and perhaps more clearly
in Fig. 2, that where there is a complete annular ring b, for instance in the
propelling wheel, at the same distance from the centre in the stationary plate, there
is a segmental ring g, and vice versa, where there is a complete annular ring f, in
the stationary plate at the same distance from the centre in the propelling wheel,
there is a segmental ring c. Thus it will be seen that the grooves in the wheel and
plates correspond in position and are at the same radial distance from their axis,
while the complete rings in the wheel correspond with a segmental ring in the
plates, and the complete rings in the plates correspond with the segmental rings in
the wheel. It will further be seen, on reference to Fig. 2, that one side of each of
the grooves, both in the plates and the wheel, are curved on the side of the groove
adjacent the complete rings, and while this construction is preferred, as it furnishes
a better path for the steam in a manner hereinafter set forth, the invention is not
limited to this feature.
From this arrangement of the rings and grooves on the propeller wheel and fixed
plates, it will be seen that when they are in position shown in Fig. 2, the steam
from the steam chest 21, finds a series of passages to the exhaust chamber and
these passages are formed by the complementary grooves and rings. Thus for
instance, in tracing the steam from the steam chamber in one position, it will first
pass through the first series of angular grooves d, to the first circular groove a in
the wheel, impinging upon the curved sides of complete ring band being deflected
into the first circular groove e of the plate, which grooves correspond with each
other in their radial distance, then impinging upon the curved side of this groove,
and being deflected passes through the first series of angular grooves g in the
plates, and these angular grooves are formed at an angle opposite to the angle of
the grooves d of the wheel; from which it passes to the circular groove e¹, of the
plate, and being deflected by the curved side thereof, passes to its complementary
groove a¹ in the wheel, where it is again deflected and passes through the next
series of angular grooves d¹, and so on passing alternately through the angular
grooves in the wheel and plates and being deflected from the curved sides of the
complementary circular grooves in wheel and plates, and thus imparting a rotary
motion to the wheel.
It will be seen that the steam first acts upon the incline faces of a series of
segments in the wheel, exerting a tendency of rotation by the impact of the steam,
and then similarly on the incline faces of a series of segments in the plates, tending
to rotate the wheel by re-action, so that the wheel is under a tendency to rotate
both from the impact of the steam upon the segment on the wheel, and the re-action
of the steam upon the segments on the stationary plates.
It may be further remarked that the wheel and fixed plates are so formed and
adjusted that there is a certain amount of clearance between their adjacent faces,
and this it has been found in practice should be from two to three-thousandths of
an inch.
In order to insure a clearance in the manner hereinafter described, and prevent a
face of the wheel coming in contact with the face of either plate, the wheels are
5 provided with an adjusting device, such as the rings 40, mounted upon the periphery
of the plates 14 and 15. These are screw threaded to accurately fit the plates,

page_text: and further for the purpose of adjustment. Thus it will be seen on referring more
particularly to Fig. 6, that by turning the rings to a slight degree one way or the
other in their screw-threads, a very accurate adjustment can be obtained. Assuming
for instance, that the screw-threads are twenty to the inch, and that the ring is
divided into one-hundred divisions, as indicated in Fig. 6, it will readily be seen
that a turning of the ring on the plate a distance equal to one division, will give
a lateral adjustment of the face of the ring of one two-thousandth of an inch.
The clearance of the parts is automatically maintained in this construction in the
following manner:
Assuming for instance, that the rings are properly adjusted with relation to the
plates and the wheel, and assuming for some reasons that the wheel is caused to
approach one of the plates as 14, more closely than its normal condition, the
clearance between the face of the wheel adjacent to the plate 14, will be decreased,
and the passage of steam into the exhaust chamber between the ring and wheel
will be throttled, resulting in an increase of pressure between the wheel, and the
face of the plate 14; while on the other hand, the clearance between the ring on the
plate 15, and the adjacent side of the wheel 30, will be increased, resulting in a
more rapid expansion of the steam, and consequent reduction of pressure on that
side of the wheel. The result is that the wheel will be automatically restored to
its normal position between the adjacent plates and all friction and unevenness of
operation avoided, and the steam utilized in the most effective manner.
It is evident that the adjusting rings might be arranged upon the wheel instead
of the plates as shown, and the same results attained, or both the wheel and plates
might be supplied with the adjusting rings.
In Figs. 8 and 9 there is shown a slightly different arrangement, the object of
which is to provide means for the accurate location of the propeller wheel between
the adjacent faces of the stationary plates, and to further provide means for
balancing the propeller wheel in its position, so that the steam pressure upon both
sides of the propeller wheel shall be maintained at a practical equilibrium. To do
this, a connection is made through the wheel so that the steam may find a passage
from. one side to the other of the wheel, if; perchance, there is a difference of
pressure of the steam on the opposite sides of the wheel.
Thus in the present instance holes or openings æ, x, are provided through the
body of the wheel, they preferably being arranged so as to connect the opposite
grooves, and it has been found convenient to arrange them symmetrically, as this
is a convenient way of making them, and furnishes an even and thorough dis-
tribution of the steam, so that it can be equalized at all points, but it will be
understood that they may be in any desired position, it only being necessary to
form passages for the steam from one side to the other, whereby should for any
reason the pressure of the steam on one side of the wheel increase, or be in excess
of the pressure on the other side, the steam will simply pass through the holes,
until a balance or a perfect equilibrium of pressure is restored. As the wheel is
intended to run at high rates of speed, the advantages of this equilibrium of the
pressure or the balancing of the propeller wheel will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art.
In order to aid in accomplishing this result, means are provided for mechanically
assisting in accurately locating the propeller wheel between the plates, and to
accomplish this the ends of the shaft 7, are made tapering as shown at 70, so that
they are substantially cone-like, while the sleeves 8, are of course bored tapering
to fit the tapering ends of the shaft. Not only does this furnish means of accurately
centering the propeller wheel, but also provides means for readily taking up for
wear of the parts, and overcoming the lateral thrust of the shaft. For this
purpose each sleeve 8, may be provided as shown with a projection 80, through
which passes an adjusting screw 81, taking into the end of the bearing 6, by means
of which the sleeves may be readily adjusted, a suitable nut. being provided for
securing the parts in place.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to
the engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates
having grooves in their adjacent faces substantially as described.
2. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates having
grooves on their adjacent faces, which grooves correspond in radial distance from
the centre of the wheel and plates, substantially as described.
3. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates having
rings in their adjacent faces, the rings in the wheel and plate corresponding in
radial distance from the centres of the wheel and plates, substantially as
described.
4. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to
the engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates
having alternate rings and grooves in their adjacent faces, substantially as
described.
5. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to
the engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates
having on their adjacent faces two series of rings, one series being complete rings,
and the other series being composed of segments, substantially as described.
6. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates having
alternate grooves and rings on their adjacent faces, each alternate ring on each
face being composed of segments substantially as described.
'7. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer or
free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates each
having two series of rings on their adjacent faces, one series of complete rings, and
the other series made up of segments, the rings on the wheel and plates being
arranged so that the segmental rings on the wheel correspond with the complete
rings on the plates, substantially as described.
8. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates each
having segmental rings on their adjacent faces, the segments of one having inclined
ends arranged in a direction reverse to the inclined ends of the segments on the
other, substantially as described.
9. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates being
provided on their adjacent faces with annular grooves and rings, and inclined
grooves connecting two adjacent annular grooves, substantially as described.
10. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates each.
having a series of annular grooves corresponding to each other, and each having
two series of rings, one series of complete annular rings, and a second series of

page_text: rings composed of segments, the arrangement being such that the segments on the
wheel correspond with the complete rings on the plates, and vice versa, substantially
as described.
11. A motor comprising plates, one of which plates is supported upon the outer
or free end of the hub, which hub is formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the
engine case, and a wheel rotating between the plates, the wheel and plates being
each provided with two series of rings on their adjacent faces, one series of complete
rings, and an intermediate series of rings composed of segments, the ends of the
segments being inclined, the arrangement being such that the segmental rings on
the wheel correspond to the complete rings on the plates, and the end of the
segments on the wheel are inclined in an opposite direction to the ends of the
segments on the plates, substantially as described.
12. In a motor, a case, plates supported in said case, one of which plates is
supported upon the outer or free end of a hub, which hub is formed integral with
or rigidly secured to the engine case, a rotating shaft and a wheel carried by said
shaft and rotating between the plates, substantially as described.
13. In a motor, a case, plates supported in said case, one of which plates is
supported upon the outer or free end of a hub, which hub is formed integral with
or rigidly secured to the engine case, a shaft supported in said case, a wheel con-
nected to said shaft and rotating between the plates, the plates and wheel being
provided with grooves on their adjacent faces substantially as described.
14. A motor comprising plates, a shaft, a carrier mounted on the shaft, and a
wheel connected to the carrier having radially extending portions and rotating
-between the plates substantially as described.
15. In a motor, a case, plates supported in said case, a shaft, a carrier mounted
on said shaft, and having a laterally extending flange, and a wheel connected to
said flange and rotating between the plates, substantially as described.
16. A motor comprising plates and a wheel rotating between the plates, supports
for the wheel at or near the periphery thereof, substantially as described.
17. A motor comprising plates and a wheel rotating between the plates, rings
mounted on the plates and laterally adjustable thereon, and arranged to control the
-clearance between the rotating wheel and plates, substantially as described.
18. In a motor comprising stationary and rotating parts means for accurately
-adjusting the clearance between the parts comprising a ring or rings screw-threaded,
and having division marks whereby a practical micrometer adjustment between the
pants and ring or rings may be obtained. substantially as described.
19. In a motor, a case having heads, a hub connected to one of the heads, plates
-mounted on the hub, a shaft passing through the hub, and a wheel supported on
said shaft, and rotating between the plates, substantially as described.
20. In a motor, a case having heads, a bub connected to one of the heads, a
steam inlet passage in the head, a steam passage through the hub, plates carried by
the hub, a shaft and wheel carried thereby and rotating between the plates, and
steam passages arranged in the adjacent faces of the wheel and plates, substantially
as described.
21. In a motor, a case having heads, provided with bearings for the shaft, a hub
connected to one of the heads, a plate formed integral with the hub, a second plate
mounted on the hub, steam passages through the hub connected with an inlet
passage to the case, a wheel mounted on the shafts and rotating between the plates,
and steam passages arranged in the adjacent faces of the wheel and plates, and
adjusting devices for controlling the clearance between the wheel and plates,
- substantially as described.
22. In a motor, the fixed plates having steam passages in their faces, a wheel
rotating between the plates and having steam passages in its faces adjacent the
plates, a carrier for the wheel and adjustable clearance devices on the plates, the
-arrangement being such that the rotating wheel will automatically adjust itself in
accordance with the difference in pressure of the steam on its opposite sides to com-.
pensate for lateral displacement, substantially as described.

page_text: 23. In a steam motor having a rotating wheel with opposite grooved surfaces for
the passage of the propelling jets and steam, and connections between the spaces on
opposite sides of the wheel to allow the steam to pass from one side to the other
substantially as described.
24. A motor comprising fixed plates and an intermediate propelling wheel, the
plates and wheel having grooves in their adjacent faces, and passages connecting the
grooves on the opposite sides of the wheel, substantially as described.
25. A motor comprising fixed plates and an intermediate propelling wheel
rotating between the plates and passages extending through the wheel connecting
the spaces on the opposite sides of the wheel, substantially as described.
26. A motor comprising stationary plates and intermediate rotating wheel, the
shaft of which wheel is provided with means for adjusting the same longitudinally,
substantially as described.
27. A motor comprising plates and a wheel between the plates, a shaft carrying-
the wheel, sleeves supporting the shaft, and means for adjusting the sleeves,.
substantially as described.
Dated the 2nd day of November 1899
PHILIP M. JUSTICE.