IMPROVE- MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ROTARY ENGINES OR MOTORS, PUMPS, EXHAUSTERS, BLOWERS, AND OTHER LIKE ROTARY APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CEMER THOMAS COLEBROOK, of Union Square, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ROTARY ENGINES OR MOTORS, PUMPS, EXHAUSTERS,
BLOWERS, AND OTHER LIKE ROTARY APPARATUS, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to the con-
struction of rotary engines or motors, pumps, exhausters, blowers and other like
rotary apparatus.
The engine motor pump or other apparatus is formed with an outer cylinder or
casing preferably made of an oval elliptical or approximate formation, and formed
or fitted with suitable inlets and outlets and with end covers in any usual or
suitable manner.
According to the present Invention there is mounted within such a casing.
and excentrically or otherwise in relation to it or to a part of it a drum or centre
piece, a portion or segment of the periphery of which rotates in contact with
a portion or segment (in both cases of no arbitrary extent) of the inner periphery
of the casing. The centre piece is made to fit accurately between the covers or end
parts of the casing and is keyed or otherwise securely fitted on or to a spindle or
shaft passing through the covers or end parts.
The centre piece is made or formed with one or more longitudinal recesses
or grooves in its periphery, and within each groove there is placed a solid or hollow
roller or equivalent contrivance. The roller or rollers is or are made of a lerigth
equal to that of the centre piece and (without confining myself' to the present
dimensions) of a diameter say of about one fourth larger that the greatest width or
distance between the outer periphery of the centre piece and the inner surface of
the casing or of such a relative diameter as will roll freely around and will
not jamb between the centre piece and easing, and the said groove or grooves in the
periphery of the centre piece is or are or may be made of a depth about equal to
the diameter of the rollers, and of such a width as will allow of the roller or rollers
fitting therein loosely or with a little freedom of lateral play.
The rollers may be made of steel or other suitable metal or of ebony, india rubber,
vulcanite or other suitable material depending principally upon the use to which the
apparatus being constructed is intended to be put, for example, where the apparatus
D .

page_text: is intended for pumping acids or other corrosive liquids, the rollers are preferably
formed of a non-corrosive substance.
The portion or common segment where the centre piece revolves in contact with
the inner surface of the casing should preferably be situated at the upper part of
the latter, and the other portions or segments of the casing and centre piece enclose
a crescent or like shaped space which should preferably be situated at the lower
part or towards the side of the casing so that the roller or rollers can by their own
gravity when the engine is running slowly roll or run out of the said groove
or grooves or recesses in the centre piece so far and as they are permitted by the
receding inner surface of the casing at its excentric portion or segment, but it is
not essential that the arrangement should be thus as should the said common
segment where the centre piece revolves in contact with the inner surface of the
casing be situated at the lower part and the said crescent shaped space between
the casing and centre piece be situated at the upper part I can by magnetising
the rollers cause them at all times to be drawn outwards from their recesses in the
centre piece to make the necessary contact with the inner surface of the casing;
or without magnetising the rollers when the engine is always driven at a fast rate
of speed the centrifugal force evolved by the rapid rotation of the centre piece will
keep the rollers at all parts of their period of rotation in contact with the inner
surface of the casing.
The essential feature of novelty which characterises the present improvements
consists in the application to and use in rotary apparatus of the character herein
referred to of a loosely fitting roller or rollers or equivalent contrivances carried by
a grooved drum or its equivalent and which have a limited range of radial or
outward movement, at a part or parts of the revolution of the centre piece for the
purpose of acting as pistons or means of cutting off sections of the said crescent or
other shaped space between the centre piece and casing and effected without the
intervention of mechanical contrivances, but in part by gravity and centrifugal
force or the pressure of the motive agent behind and impelling them.
When an apparatus constructed with such improvements is used as a rotary
engine or as a meter or for like purposes and is driven by internal pressure caused
by steam water or other motive agent, the motive agent as the roller or rollers is or
are successively prevented opposite the inlet or inlets, is enabled by the said excess
of width of the said grooves (or by other equivalent means) to get behind the roller
or rollers and to gradually force them more and more but never quite out of their
said peripheral grooves in close contact with the excentric portion of the inner
surface of the cylinder, thus closing off a portion of the said crescent or like shaped
space, and of necessity giving rotating motion to the centre piece with its shaft,
from which the power is transmitted to where required in the usual manner, when
the steam or other motive power has done its useful work it escapes at the outlet
port. When the apparatus is used as a rotary pump, exhauster or blower, its action
is of course the reverse of the foregoing, that is, the shaft with its centre piece is
rotated by any usual means and the roller or rollers is or are caused by centrifugal
force and gravity to press out against the inner surface of the casing and as they
drive the liquid or fluid before them and through the outlet they continually draw
further liquid through the inlet behind them and which liquid is in turn forced
through the outlet port in the usual manner.
As an engine working by any expansive vapour it is advisable to have a
considerable number of rollers so as to get the benefit of such expansion without
the intervention of valves or like contrivances but in pumps, exhausters, blowers or
meters a much less number of rollers will be found sufficient.
1004
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, CEMER THOMAS COLEBROOK, of Union Square, Islington, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ROTARY ENGINES OR MOTORS, PUMPS,
EXHAUSTERS, BLOWERS, AND OTHER LIKE ROTARY APPARATUS" 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 certain improvements in or applicable to the con-
struction of rotary engines or motors, pumps, exhausters, blowers and other like
rotary apparatus.
An advantageous modification of the Invention is illustrated on the accompanying
drawings in Figs; 1, and, 2, which respectively represent a longitudinal section,
and a side view thereof looking in the direction of the arrow 1.
The engine, motor, pump or other apparatus is formed with an outer cylinder or
casing, 2, which may be made of an oval, elliptical or other suitable formation, and
is formed or fitted with one or more suitable inlets, 3, and outlets, 4, and with end
covers, 5, in any usual or suitable manner.
}
According to the present Invention, there is mounted within such a cylinder or
casing and excentrically in relation to it or to a part of it, a cylindrical drum or
centre piece, 6, which rotates with a portion or segment of its periphery in contact
with a portion or segment 7, to, 8, (which need not be of any arbitrary extent) of
the inner periphery of the cylinder.
The drum or centre piece, 6, is also made to fit accurately between the covers or
end parts, 5, of the cylinder, and is keyed or otherwise securely fitted on or to a
spindle or shaft, 9, passing through the covers or end plates.
Along the outer surface of the drum or centre piece, 6, and parallel with or in
the direction of its axis, there is made or formed one or more recesses or grooves, 10,
and within each of such grooves there is placed a solid or hollow roller or equivalent
device, 11.
:
The groove or grooves, 10, is or are preferably made of a depth about equal
to or a little exceeding the diameter of the rollers, 11, and of such a width as will
allow of the roller or rollers fitting therein loosely or with a little freedom of
lateral play.
The roller or rollers, 11, is or are made of a length equal to that of the centre
piece, 6, and of a diameter preferably not less than or about one fourth larger
than the greatest width or distance (from, 12, to, 13,) between the outer periphery
of the centre piece and the inner periphery of the cylinder, these relative dimensions
are not essential, but the parts should be made of such relative diameters as will'
allow of the rollers rolling freely around the cylinder without jambing between
any part of it and the centre piece.
The rollers, 11, may be made of steel or other suitable metal or material,
depending principally upon the use to which the apparatus being constructed
is intended to be put, for example, where the apparatus is intended for pumping
acids or other corrosive liquids, the rollers are preferably formed of a non-corrodible
substance.
The portion or common segment, 7, to, 8, where the centre piece revolves in
contact with the inner surface of the cylinder or casing should preferably be
situated at the upper part of the latter, or it may be at the side thereof as

page_text: illustrated on the accompanying drawings, and the other portions or segments of the
cylinder and of the centre piece enclose a crescent or like shaped space which
should preferably be situated at the lower part or towards the opposite side of the
casing, so that the roller or rollers, 11, can by their own gravity, when the engine
is running slowly, roll or run out of the said groove or grooves or recesses, 10, in
the centre piece, so far and as they are permitted by the receding inner surface
of the cylinder at its excentric portion or segment, but though it is generally
advantageous, yet it is not essential in all modifications that the arrangement should
be thus, as in such modifications wherein the engine is always driven at a fast rate
of speed the centrifugal force evolved by the rapid rotation of the drum or centre
piece will keep the rollers at all parts of their period of rotation round the centre
of the cylinder in contact with the inner surface or periphery thereof, and in such
cases the said common segment, 7,-8, where the centre piece revolves in contact
with the inner surface of the cylinder might be situated at the lower part, and the
said crescent shaped space between the cylinder and centre piece might be situated
at the upper part.
When an apparatus constructed with such improvements is used as a rotary
engine, or as a meter or for like purposes, and is driven by internal pressure
caused by steam, water or other motive agent, the motive agent, as the roller or
rollers, 11, is or are successively presented opposite the inlet or inlets, 3, is enabled,
by the said excess of width of the said grooves, 10, (or by other equivalent means),
to get behind the roller or rollers, and to gradually force them more and more but
never quite out of the said peripheral grooves, 10, in the drum, 6, in close contact
with the excentric portion, 8, 13, 7, of the inner surface of the cylinder, thus closing
off a portion of the said crescent or like shaped space, and of necessity giving
rotating motion to the centre piece, with its shaft, 9, from which the power
is transmitted to where required in any usual manner, and when the steam
or other motive power has done its useful work it escapes at the outlet port, 4.
When the apparatus is used as a rotary pump, exhauster or blower, its action, is,
of course, the reverse of the foregoing, that is, the shaft with its centre piece
is rotated by any usual means, and the roller or rollers is or are caused by
centrifugal force and gravity to press out against the inner surface of the cylinder,
as illustrated, and as they drive the liquid or fluid before them and through the
outlet, they continually draw further liquid through the inlet behind them, and
which liquid is in turn forced through the outlet port in the usual manner.
As an engine working by any expansive vapour, and so as to get the benefit of
the expansion thereof without the intervention of valves or like contrivances, it is
of advantage to have a larger number of rollers than would be sufficient in pumps,
exhausters, blowers, meters, or like apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of my
said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is:-
In rotary apparatus of the character herein before referred to,
1. The combination of a cylinder or casing provided with suitable inlets and
outlets and formed with a segment common to an inner rotating drum and with
the remaining portion or segment of its interior periphery excentric thereto, with
an inner drum or its equivalent rotating in contact with such common segment and
formed with one or more grooves or recesses in its periphery parallel with or in the
direction of its axis of rotation, and with a roller or rollers or equivalent means
fitting loosely within the groove or gooves of such inner rotating drum; when
such parts are arranged, combined, and co-operate, substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The application and u-e of a loosely fitting roller or rollers or equivalent
means carried by a grooved drum or its equivalent, and which has or have a
limited range of radial or outward movement at a part or parts of the revolution
of the drum, (for the purpose of acting as pistons or meaus of cutting off sections

page_text: of the crescent or other shaped space between the centre piece and an enclosing
cylinder at an excentric portion thereof,) effected without the intervention of
mechanical contrivances, but in part by gravity and centrifugal force and the
pressure of the motive agent behind and impelling it or them, substantially in the
manner herein before described.