Improvements in and relating to Rotary Motors and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1899
Comutata Carnification Laft 7th Ann 1000 Annanted 8th Sent 1000
Date of Application, 8th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1000
Accepted, 9th Sept 1900
Improvements in and relating to Rotary Motors and the like.
I, MAURICE GUSTAVE DEMOULIN, of Dieppe, in the Republic of France, Inspector
at the Dieppe Maritime Station, do bereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
This invention relates to motors in which the shaft is fixed and where the
cylinders rotate as a result of the action of steam, compressed air, or explosive
mixtures in accordance with the various forms in which the invention is carried
cut; the invention also relates to the adaptation of such motors to the compound
system and others derived therefrom.
One form of my improved motor comprises three cylinders but any other
desired number may be employed; these cylinders are single acting and closed
at their outer ends. Their axes are arranged radially in the same plane and
intersect at the centre of rotation of the system. When three cylinders are
employed, their axes are arranged at angles of 120° one with respect to the other.
These cylinders are maintained between two plates by means of fittings and of
flanges and bolts or screws. These cylinders thus rotate with the plates and are
strongly supported in such a manner as to offer sufficient resistance to centrifugal
force and to the effort of the motor. A metal band may, however, be added
externally for the purpose of consolidating the cylinder ends.
One of the cylinder carrying plates supports the driving shaft which runs in a
bearing which may be provided with bearing collars in order to resist the longi-
tudinal pressure of the steam in the section corresponding to that of the admis-
sion aperture.
The other cylinder carrrying plate is provided with a boss which is journalled
upon the fixed shaft. Each cylinder comprises a cylindrical slide valve liaving a
box and a 'movable portion. The admission and exhaust above the piston take
place through apertures. The admission steam coming from the chamber in the
cylinder carrying plate enters the slide valve through a conduit which opens
between the two bars of the slide valve, the exhaust takes place directly into the
cavity formed by the casing which surrounds the motor and communicates by
means of an exhaust pipe with the condenser. In addition to this, there may be
provided for each cylinder an auxiliary exhaust consisting of conduits opening
in proximity to the extremity of the cylinder and which the piston uncovers ou
reaching the end of its travel; these conduits also open into the cavity.
The whole motor is supported by a casing which surrounds it and which at
its lower portion constitutes the sole or foundation plate. This casing consists
of two cylindrical parts which are secured together by means of flanges and bolts.
The one half of the casing is provided with a support or bearing for the fixed
shaft and with the steam admission pipe, the other half is provided with the
hearing of the driving shaft. In order to facilitate inspection and dismounting,
the casing may be made in three parts, the joint of the flanges and the parts of

page_text: the casing terminating towards the upper portion approximately in the corre-
sponding horizontal plane above the bearings.
The whole of the upper portion of the casing is then replaced by a cover or
other part which is fixed above the casing.
The fixed shaft is a cranked shaft; it is provided with a driving crank and
with a distribution crank making a suitable angle with the first. The checks
or webs of these cranks may be constituted by thin excentric plates in order to
reduce the total length.
The fixed shaft is secured in a bearing by means of a cone and of a fitted part
corresponding in conical shape with the bearing. The whole is maintained by
means of keys and by a nut screwed upon the screw-threaded extremity of the
shaft.
Upon the opposite side, the fixed shaft is provided with a prolongation which
is adjusted in a bearing, fitted at the centre of the cylinder carrying plate. The
plungers or pistons are jointed directly upon the driving rods, each of such parts
being constituted by two plates united by their heads which are fixed upon the
spindle by means of a collar in two adjustable parts, the two portions of which
are connected by bolts. The slide valves are in the same manner connected with
the cranked shaft by means of rods the heads of which are rigidly connected
one with the other by means of a lateral collar. These rods may be formed with
forks in the same manner as the driving rods.
'
The live steam is first of all admitted to the cavity formed within the bearing
and thence into the annular chamber from which it passes into the movable
portion of the motor, through apertures formed within the bearing part; it then
passes along the annular passage, through the apertures, the chamber in the
cylinder carrying plate and the conduits which conduct it to the slide valve boxes.
The joint between the fixed and the rotating portions of the motor may be
formed in various manner. In the above described arrangement the joint is
effected by means of a surfaced ring rotating upon the surfaced bearing part and
connected with the rotating plate by means of a flexible membrane.
A stuffing box or a metallic packing prevents the steam from escaping at the
journal.
The chamber reserved between the cylinder carrying plate and the fitted cover
is intended for the reception of a governor, rotating bodily with the motor and
of the type of those which are placed in the fly-wheels of high speed machines;
it acis upon throttle valves or dampers modifying the admission through the
apertures.
In order to obviate noise arising from the rotation of the apparatus, the
movable portion of the motor may be surrounded with a casing in which are
formed exhaust apertures. This casing may also be replaced by sections bolted
to the cylinder carrying plates and blocking at the circumference the space com-
prised between the cylinders.
The lubrication of the internal parts is effected by means of passages formed
in the fixed shaft; these terminate in apertures conducting the oil upon the
bearing parts within which the oil is forced by means of mechanical gravity of
condensation lubricators. The oil may also be stored in the chamber in which
the connecting rods rotate, in order to form an oil bath.
A modification of my motor is characterised by the fact that it increases the
volume produced by the pistons without increase of the travel of these latter
or of the external diameter of the motor. The fixed shaft is formed with three
cranks, two of which are arranged parallel one with the other whilst the third
is arranged at an angle of 180° from them. The cranks are each provided with
a piston rod and piston and the steam is admitted between the pistons.
COUPLING MOTORS.
Motors in accordance with my invention each form an element consisting of

page_text: In the type of motor above described the number of cylinders may merely be
doubled by arranging them in two planes which are parallel and separated only
in pairs by the slide valves common to them both by means of which the dis-
tribution is effected.
According to another form of carrying my invention into practice I couple, six
cylinders which are arranged between the two cylinder carrying plates, the driv-
ing rods of which attack either the same crank or a second crank making any
suitable angle with the first. If one of the cranks is arranged at an angle of
120° with the other, it enables the distribution into the other group of cylinders
to be effected directly by one of the cranks.
In another form or modification a bearing is interposed between the two groups
of cylinders:
In some cases the two motors are arranged in the same casing and actuate, by
means of pinions, the toothed wheel upon the driving shaft, while in other cases
the two motors are arranged in separate casings, thereby enabling them to be
coupled in order to obtain the compound operation.
The two motors may be arranged in continuation one of the other upon the
same shaft. The 'admission of steam takes place at both ends at the bearings
upon which is fixed the shaft provided with the cranks.
In a similar arrangement the two motors are connected by a shaft which
traverses the fixed shaft secured to the bearing, the steam being admitted through
the intermediate bearing.
I may couple two compound motors which the steam enters through the
bearing.
THE EMPLOYMENT OF FRACTIONAL EXPANSIONS:
Motors in accordance with my invention readily adapt themselves to the
employment of fractional expansions and this in several different manners.
A battery of several motors may be formed which do not differ except as
regards the volume or the number of their cylinders. The exhaust steam pro-
ceeds from the first group into the second and after having produced its effect
there it passes into the third, if the engine in question is a triple expansion
engine, and so on in succession.
In the same motor different diameters may be adapted for the cylinders in such
a manner as to constitute a compound of triple expansion engine. The steam
may be admitted directly into one cylinder only, the others forming the expan-
sion cylinders.
Finally two or more motors constituted by cylinders which are not equal may
be occupied. The live steam is distributed to the one cylinder by means of a
rotary or an ordinary slide valve and then directed to the other cylinder and
finally exhausted into the outer air by means of a slide valve. Each motor may
comprise two, three or four groups of cylinders.
My improved motor may be applied to the propulsion of vessels.
Dated this 8th day of July 1800
Improvements in and relating to Rotary Motors and the like.
I, MAURICE GUSTAVE DEMOULIN, of Dieppe, in the Republic of France, Inspector
at the Dieppe Maritime Station, do hereby declare the nature of this invention

page_text: 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 a rotary motor having three cylinders arranged at
120° around the crank shaft, which is fixed, whilst the three cylinders as a whole
rotate, the connecting rods of the pistons being journalled upon the crank of the
fixed shaft which is in alignment with the shaft constituting the driving shaft.
In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent by way of example
a typical form of my said motor in two sections taken respectively along and at
right angles to the axis of the same.
Figure 3 is a detail view illustrating. a lubricating device.
In the three cylinders 1, 2, 3 arranged at 120° around an axis which is also
that of the driving shaft, are displaced the pistons 11 21 3 to which are jointed
the connecting rods 4, 5, 6 which are also joined to the crank pin 7 of the crank
of a fixed shaft 9. The three cylinders are rigidly connected one with the other
and are maintained between two parallel plates 26, 27. These various parts are
arranged in such a manuer as to ensure the plates being exactly central with
respect to the axis of the fixed shaft 9 and of the driving shaft 15 whilst at the
same time permitting both the cylinders and their pistons and slide valves to be
readily dismounted. With this object the plate 27 is rigidly connected with the
plate 26 by means of cross bars 29 which are screw threaded and screwed into
the plates. The central portion 28 of the plate 27 forming a bearing upon the
shaft 9 is attached in such a manner as to permit of the mounting and dismount-
ing of the crank ¡shaft.
The cylinders are bolted to the two plates and are also maintained, in the
direction of the radius, by keys 30 which are half embedded in the two plates on
the one hand, and on the other hand in the cylinder, and the steel straps 31
which surround the cylinders externally and serve to consolidate them..
The keys 30 are maintained by screws traversing the corresponding plate. The
cylinders are fitted into the plates by means of grooves 50 which maintain them
transversely. In order to dismount the cylinders it is only necessary to with-
draw the keys 30, removing the screws attaching them to the plates. Each of
the cylinders may then be removed in a single piece by displacing it towards the
exterior in the direction of the radius.
In the plate 26 are formed conduits 25 through which the steam coming from
the generator reaches the slide valve chests 32 arranged at the side of the cylin-
ders, with which they are rigidly connected.
Upon the plate 26 is fixed the driving shaft 15, which is supported externally
by a lubricating bearing 19. This shaft is screwed into the plate 26 by means
of an enlarged portion 16 within which is arranged the bearing 12 supporting
the extreme journal 13 of the fixed shaft. Between the shaft 15, 16 and the
bearing 12 is provided a vacant space 51 which serves to prevent direct transmis-
sion of the heat of the steam to the bearing 12. The chamber 51 is in com-
munication with the central portion of the motor by means of orifices 52.
The slide valves 33 are connected by means of connecting rods 35 to the
eccentric pin 14 forming part of the shaft 9; the heads of these connecting rods,
which, like those of the pistons, come in contact with their pin only for a frac-
tion of the circumference of this latter, are maintained together by means of a
dismountable collar 36. In order that these connecting rods may always receive
the effort in the proper direction notwithstanding the effect of the centrifugal
force which tends to project them outwardly, the side of the slide valve adjacent
to the shaft is of larger diameter than the external portion which constitutes
the distributing rod. The steam is admitted between this rod and the other side.
of the slide valve.
The steam is admitted to the movable portion of the system, that is to say, to
the rotary assemblage constituted by the cylinders and their slide valves, by means
of the following device. The steam entering through the pipe 23 passes into the

page_text: annular orifice, left free between the shaft 15 and the ring 21 which rubs against
a bearing of the small plate 22 which is joined to the large plate 26.. The tight-
ness of this ring is ensured by means of the segments 54 which are applied upon
the recessed orifice of the boss 56 which forms one with the casing 40 of the
motor. Another similar ring 20 rubs against a collar 18 which is rigidly attached
to the driving shaft 15; this arrangement is preferable to a stuffing box because
it permits of the displacement of the shaft 15 in the transverse direction without
its bearing otherwise than upon the bearings of the bracket 19.
A stud 55 prevents the rings 20 and 21 from rotating.
The exhaust steam, having passed from the cylinders to the slide valve chests,
passes from these latter through the orifices 38 into the chamber 39 in the box
or casing 40 within which are arranged the whole of the parts, thereby heating
the cylinders and preventing condensation, after which the steam is conducted
from the box 40 into, the pipe 24. It should be noticed that the orifices 37 plac-
ing the cylinders in communication with the slide valve chests, are arranged in
such a manner that by the effect of the centrifugal force the small quantity of
water of condensation which may be formed is expelled.
The movable portions of the machine are supported and encased in the follow-
ing manner: The bearing 19 is rigidly connected with the sole plate 46 upon the
foundation, which plate is cast in one piece with the cylindrical casing 40 which.
latter is closed by the plate 41, fitted and bolted thereto; the centre of this plate
is formed with a boss 11 within which is fixed the fixed shaft 9 by means of the
nut 10.
Covers or doors 57 close orifices formed in the casing 40 for permitting inspec-
tion of the motor and dismounting the cylinders.
It is within this casing 40, in the cavity designated 39, that the exhaust takes
place and is conducted outside by means of the conduit 24.
Lubrication is effected by means of a special device in order to ensure its con-
tinuity and the recuperation of the oil.
A pump 44 arranged in the chamber 42 of the plate 41 is operated by means
of a train of gear wheels to which movement is imparted by the hub, and forces
the oil through the pipe 45 into the central conduit of the shaft, the bearing
parts being lubricated through special orifices.
The central chamber in which is arranged the crank is completely closed by the
sectors 59 (Figure 3) which form a tight joint upon the plates and upon the
cylinders. The oil which issues from the bearings is conducted by centrifugal
force against these sectors, 59, upon the lower side; it then flows through the
small pipes 49 which enter the annular orifice 48 of the plate 41, is projected
cither into the chamber 43 and falls into the chamber 42 or into the chamber 42
direct, from which it is withdrawn by the pump 44, and so on in continuation.
In order to prevent any transverse play, the whole of the movable portion of
the motor is impelled to the right hand against the fixed shaft owing to the pres-
sure of the steam exerted upon the ring 21 the external diameter of which is
greater than that of the ring 20. In order to prevent all risk of heating and to
diminish friction, the movable portion bears upon the centre of the journal 13
by means of the centre 17.
A screw 47, which is adjusted from outside, enables the apparatus to be fixed
when the plate 41 is removed.
Figure 3 shews a modification of the arrangement adapted for the recovery of
the oil. The plate 41 is provided with a central aperture concentric with the
shaft and limited by the partition 63. Almost the whole of this aperture, except
what is absolutely necessary to permit of play, is closed by means of a plate 62
which is rigidly connected with the plate 27 and rotates with it. Through this
plate pass the pipes 49 which permit of oil contained in the motor to flow under
the action of centrifugal force into the recess 43 or into the chamber 42 direct.
Owing to the arrangement adopted, all the oil that is collected in the chamber 43
falls into the chamber 42 from which it is withdrawn by the pump. The pump

page_text: may be arranged upon the opposite side and driven by an eccentric keyed at A
upon the shaft 15 and the oil reservoir may be situated at B.
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. In rotary motors or the like the arrangement of the cylinders rotating
between two plates rigidly attached one to the other, substantially as described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In rotary motors or the like the fixing of these cylinders to the plates by
means of dismountable keys substantially as described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings:
3. In rotary motors or the like the strengthening of the cylinders by means of
steel casings substantially as described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
4. In rotary motors or the like the arrangement of the frame and the casing
into which the exhaust takes place substantially as described and illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
5. In rotary motors or the like the hereinbefore described arrangement of the
crank shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. A rotary motor constructed combined and operating substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings; and for the purpose specified:
Dated this 7th day of April 1900.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.