Improvements in Motors or Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motors or Engines.
We, STEPHEN MARIUS BALZER, of 370 Gerard Avenue, New York City,
County of New York, State of New York, Mechanical Engineer, and WILLIAM
HENDERSON HUMPHREY, of Norfolk, Litchfield County, State of Connecticut,
Merchant, both in the United States of America, 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 consists in a motor or engine having a casing adapted to rotate
around a crank-shaft or axle, and provided with a plurality of cylinders and
pistons, and novel means for taking in, utilizing and exhausting the actuating
medium.
The invention also consists in the novel details of improvement and the com-
binations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out
in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings formning part hereof,
wherein,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the notor or engine, part being removed and part
being broken away, to show the relative positions of enclosed parts;
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the plane of the line 3, 3, in Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a detail side view of the eccentrics for operating the outlet valves of
the cylinders;
Figure 4 is a sectional view through said eccentrics and connected parts;
Figure 5 is a detail edge view showing the connection of the piston rods with the
crank, and
Figure 6 is a side view thereof.
Our improved motor or engine is of the type which rotates around a stationary
shaft, and has a suitable casing which carries the cylinders and other operating
parts.
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar numerals of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the several views, 12 is a shaft which has a crank-pin 14,
shown carried by arms 14", in well known manner, but, of course, the crank shaft 12
can be made in any desired manner and may be carried in any suitable supports.
The casing shown consists of a central shell 15 which surrounds the crank 14, and
on the sides of this shell are bolted or otherwise fastened shells 16, 17 which have
tubular extensions ur bearings 16, 17, which receive and rotate upon the shaft 12.
Of course the central shell and one of the side shells could be made in a single
structure, and the extensions or bearings 16, 17, can be fitted with ball bearings
to reduce friction on the shaft 12. This easing or shell (its central portion 15)
carries suitably arranged cylinders 18, which are secured thereto by screw threads
or otherwise and open into the interior of the casing (see Figure 2), these cylinders
being closed at their outer ends and aligued with the crank 14. 19 is the piston
within the cylinder and 20 the piston rod, which may be connected therewith by a

page_text: ball-and-socket joint 21, or otherwise, to allow independent movement between the
piston and its rod, (see Figure 2). As there are a plurality of piston rods 20, all
working on the same crank pin 14, we provide each rod with à foot or extension 22,
the under surface of which is curved to correspond with the periphery of the
pin 14, (see Figure 6). The width of the feet 22 of the rods 20 is such as to leave
a space between them so that said rods can have necessary oscillatory movements
on the pin 14 (see Figure 6). The feet 22 of the piston rods 20 are held upon the
pin 14 so that the rods 20 can effect a pulling action on the pin 14, by rings 23
which surround the feet 22 as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6. The feet 22 are held
from movement along the pin 14 by the crank arms 14", (see Figure 2). To adjust
the rings 23 in position around the pin 14 and feet 22 said rings are made in sections
(see Figures 5-6), and these rings are held together, and spaced apart, by studs,
screws or bolts 24. To form a firm structure the sections of the rings 23 overlap
or are dove-tailed together, and the bolts or screws pass through these joints (see
Figures 5-6). By preference the studs 24 are hollow and screws or screw bolts 24"
pass through them and through the sections of the rings 23, as shown in Figure 2.
In order to take up wear that inay occur between the outer surfaces of the feet 22
and the inner surfaces of the rings 23, the outer surfaces of the feet 22 are inclined
outwardly, as in Figure 2, so that as wear occurs the rings 23 may be adjusted
nearer the rods 20.
While the above described devices afford a convenient and simple means for
connecting the piston rods 20 with the crank pin 14, so that independent movement
may take place between the parts it is evident that other means may be employed
for connecting the piston rods with the crank 14.
Our improved motor or engine is designed to be operated by hydrocarbon oil or
vapor and air, but could be used with any other suitable propulsive medium. To
properly use this oil or vapor and air we have provided means for supplying the
cylinders with the oil or vapor and air, for compressing and exploding the same,
and for properly exhausting the expended charge. For this purpose we have
shown the following arrangements, to wit:-The outer end of each cylinder 18 is
provided with a plate or cover 25, suitably connected therewith, and on one side of
each plate is an enlargement, casting or housing 26, having a chamber ur channel 27
into which projects an air pipe 28. These pipes, at the opposite ends, pass into the
chamber 15 of the shell or casing 15, 16, 17, and serve to draw air therefrom to
supply the cylinders 18 through the chambers or channels 27. The portion 12* of
the shaft 12 is hollow throughout to admit air to the chamber 15 and as air thus
enters the casing 15, 16, 17, it serves to cool the latter and the contained mechanism.
But it is evident that air could be admitted to chamber 15, otherwise, say, for
instance, by apertures in the side of the casing. But by the means shown the
danger of dust etr. entering the casing is reduced. It is also obvious that the
pipes 28 could take in air without receiving it from the chamber 15º.
The chamber or channel 27 communicates with the cylinder 18 by a channel 29
in the plate or cover 25 and a valve 30 regulates communication between said
chanbers. The valve stem 31 is shown passing through the plate or cover 25 and
provided with a spring 32, suitably arranged, which normally holds the valve 30 to
its seat. The valve 30 is operated by suction, as hereinafter explained, to admit
air and oil or vapor to the cylinder 18. 33 is a plug which closes the opening that
admits the valve 30 to its seat.
The valve 30 regulates the admission of vapor or oil to the cylinder 18 as well
as air, and for this purpose a pipe 34 leads to the valve seat and is fastened in the
plate or cover 25, (see Figure 2), its delivery end being in line with the valve 30,
as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.
As the casing 15, 16, 17 rotates, we have provided means for supplying oil or
vapor to the pipe 34 through the portion 12, of the shaft 12, which for this purpose
is hollow, its inner end being plugged, or in other words the portion 12 of the shaft
has a bore to receive oil or vapor. For convenience of manufacture a hollow shaft
or tube is used, the inner end of the portion 12 being plugged. 12 is a hole in

page_text: the shaft leading to its bore 12, and the bearing 16 of the casing 15, 16, 17, is
provided with a chamber 16 into which the hole 12 opens. The chamber 16"
communicates with a channel 34 in the bearing 16", which channel connects with
the pipe 34. The pipe 34 for this purpose passes into the casing 16 as in Figure 2.
35, 36 are suitable bushings in the bearing or extension 16. through which the
shaft 12 passes, the bushing 35 having an annular cavity 35° and an aperture 35°
leading from the cavity 35 to the chamber 16. The bushings hold packing in
place to keep oil properly in position, a cap 37 on the bearing 16* serving to keep
said bushings and packing in place. Oil ur vapor may be supplied to the bore 12ª
of the shaft 12 in any suitable inanner.
It will be understood that after the proper proportions of air and oil or vapor
have been admitted to the cylinder 18 it is to be compressed, and then exploded,
and that any suitable means may be employed for exploding the mixture. For
convenience we utilize an electric battery and circuit to produce a spark in the
cylinder 18, and for this purpose we have shown the following arrangement:
Carried by the plate 25 and within the cylinder 18 is a contact 41 which is connected
to a wire 42 which leads to a inetal ring 43 that is carried by the bearing 17" and
insulated therefrom and from the shaft 12, as by insulation 44, 45. 46 is a contact
or brush in engagement with the ring or commutator 43, and it leads to one pole
of a battery (not shown) the other pole of the battery being connected by a wire 47
with the shaft 12. The circuit leads thence, through the metal of the motor
mechanism, to a contact 48 carried by the piston 19, and adapted to engage the
contact 41, when the piston is at the outer part of its stroke, so that when
contact is broken a spark will be produced to explode the oil or vapor and air
mixture.
The oil or vapor and air are retained in the cylinder during compression and
while propeling the piston, and must then be exhausted therefrom. For this
purpose the plate or cover 25 is provided with an enlargement or casting 50, on the
side opposite the enlargement 26 (see Figure 2). A port or channel 51 lends from
the outer end of cylinder 18 to a valve chamber 52, in the part 50, in which
chamber a valve 53 works to open and close said port 51. 54 is a plug closing
the chamber 52, and this plug is shown provided with a recess or counterbore
in which the valve 53 works. 55 is the exhaust outlet for the chamber 52. To
prevent a noise being made as the exhausted gases pass from the cylinder 18,
we connect a pipe 56 to the exhaust openings 55, which pipe is provided with a
series of holes 56 which serve to permit the escape of the gases while preventing
them from making a noise. As there are a plurality of cylinders 18, we
preferably connect the ends of the pipes 56 with the two adjacent cylinders, but
each pipe only opens into one chamber 50. These pipes are curved and also serve.
as well, as a balance wheel for the motor or engine. The valve stem or rod 57
projects through a suitable stuffing box 52 and connects with an eccentric
supported by the shaft 12, one for each cylinder.
In the operation of this motor each cylinder makes two revolutions around
shalt 12 for each charge of propulsive material, and during the greater part of
these two revolutions the valve 53 keeps the port 51 closed, and only opens at
one instant to allow the escape of the exhausted charge. Or in other words,
when the piston 19 first moves toward the crank it draws in a charge of oil or
vapor and air, (this takes place during the first half revolution of the motor) the
piston next recedes (during the other half revolution) and thus compresses
the charge of oil or vapor and air. During the next half revolution of the motor
the charge is exploded and expanded to give motion to the parts. While the
motor is thus making one and one-half rotations the valve 53 remains closed,
but as soon as the piston starts to move back to the outer end of the cylinder,
during the fourth half-revolution, the valve 53 operates quickly to open the
exhaust port and permit the expanded charge to escape. To cause these valves
to thus operate at the proper time we make the eccentrics 60 independently
rotative and cause them to rotate just one-half as fast as the cylinders, or in

page_text: other words the cylinders make two rotations or revolutions around shaft .12 to
one rotation of the eccentrics 60. As there are three cylinders 18 we have shown
three eccentrics 60, one for each cylinder, and these eccentrics are connected
together and rotated as follows:-61 is a sleeve mounted to rotate on the shaft 12,
which sleeve passes through the eccentrics and is keyed or otherwise secured to
them. The eccentrics 60 are located in proper position relatively to each other to
cause the valves 53 to operate at the proper time. The sleeve o1 carries a pinion
or spur teeth 62 with which a pinion 63 meshes. The spindle 64 of the pinion 63
is journaled in bearings on an arm 65 that is secured to and projects from the
shaft 12, said spindle also carrying a pinion 66 which meshes with spur teeth or a
gear 67 carried by the casing 17." The teeth 67 are shown carried by a tube 68
which is socketed in and secured to the part 17 of the casing or shell. By these
means ns the casing rotates the eccentrics 60 will be rotated together, through the
gearing above mentioned, and the relation of the gearing is such that the eccentrics
will be given but one complete revolution to two revolutions of the casing. The
eccentrics 60 have straps which are connected with the stems or rods 57 to actuate
the valves 53. The relation of the parts is such that a cylinder 18 can make three
half turns before one eccentric 60 will act to operate the valve 53, because as the
eccentrics rotate but half as fast as the cylinders they will be kept from operating.
the corresponding valve 53 until such time as the exploded charge is to be
exhausted.
The operation of the motor or engine above described is as follows:-Suppose
the motor is at rest with one cylinder 18 in the position shown in Figure 2, the
valves 30 and 52 being closed and the piston 19 at the outer end of the cylinder 18
(the positions of all the pistous, at this time, will be seen in Figure 1). The motor
now starts to rotate in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, and thereby the
piston 19 (Figure 2) now travels toward the inner end of the cylinder (for the
present only one cylinder will be referred to) whereupon it acts to suck or create a
partial vacuum at the outer end of the cylinder. When this suction or vacuum is
strong enough it will lift the valve 30 from its seat, whereupon air from the pipe 28
will rush into the cylinder, as will also a proper amount of oil or vapor from the
pipe 34.
When the proper charge of air and oil or vapor has entered the cylinder
the valve 30 will close. After the casing has made a half turn the piston 19
passes toward the outer end of the cylinder 18 thus compressing the charge of
air and oil or vapor, and when the piston reaches its outer limits the con-
tacts 41, 48, will engage. As the casing starts to make the next revolution
the contacts 41, 48, separate and produce an electric spark, which causes the
compressed charge to explode, thereby creating a propulsive force in the
cylinder during the third half turn. During this complete rotation of the casing
and until the cylinder has made the third half turn around shaft 12 the valve 53
remains closed because its eccentric has rotated less than the cylinder and kept its
narrow part toward the valve. During the next (or fourth) half turn of the
casing the corresponding eccentric 60 will turn so as to present its greatest eccentric
part toward the corresponding valve 53, whereupon the latter will move to open
the ports 51, 55, to permit exhaustion of the cylinder. When the piston 19 reaches
the outer part of the cylinder 18 the valve 53 will close. The length of the
valve 53 and the shape and movement of the eccentric 60 are such that only during
the fourth half of two revolutions will the valve 53 open. It will be understood,
from what has been stated, that when three cylinders are used, placed 120 degrees
apart, as in Figure 1, the piston of one will be pushing, another will be drawing
in a charge and the next will be compressing a charge. But these relations of
action may change as there are three cylinders each of which requires two
rotations to complete a cycle of four operations, that is to say, taking in a charge,
compressing it, exploding and expanding it, and then exhausting it.
As the crank remains stationary and the casing can rotate it is evident that the
piston rods must have independent movement on the crank pin and this is permitted
by the spaces between the feet 22 and by the ball and socket joint 21.

page_text: Motion may be transmitted from the rotative casing of the motor or engine in
any suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a gas or oil motor or engine, the combination of a crank shaft having a
bore, a casing rotative thereon, a plurality of cylinders carried by said casing, each
cylinder having a port or channel leading to it, an air and an oil or vapor supply
pipe leading to each of said ports or channels, pistons connected with the crank,.
means for supplying oil or vapor to one of said pipes for each cylinder from the
bore in said shaft, and for also supplying air to the corresponding air pipe.
valves for simultaneously controlling the passage of air and oil or vapor from the
corresponding port or channel to the cylinder and arranged to be opened by suction
within the cylinders, and means for exhausting the spent charge from said cylinders,.
substantially as described.
2. The combination of a crank shaft, with a casing rotative thereon, said shaft
having a bore at one portion leading to said casing and a bore in its other portion.
that is closed at the inner end, a cylinder carried by said casing, a piston connected
with the crank, an air supply pipe for the cylinder leading into said casing, an oil
or vapor supply pipe leading to a chamber or channel in the casing, said shaft.
having an aperture leading from its bore to said chamber or channel, a chamber or
channel to which said oil or vapor pipe leads and connected with the cylinder,
a valve for controlling the passage of air and oil or vapor to the cylinder, and
means for exhausting an exploded charge from said cylinder, substantially as.
described.
a
3. The combination of a crank shaft having a bore closed at its inner end, with
a casing rotative on said shaft, a cylinder and piston, air and oil or vapor pipes.
communicating with said cylinder, a valve for controlling the passage of air and
oil or vapor to said cylinder, bearing or extension carried by said casing, a.
chamber therein communicating with said oil pipe, a bushing therein surrounding
said shaft, said shaft having an aperture connecting its bore with said chamber,
and means for exhausting an exploded charge from said cylinder, substantially as
described.
2
4. The combination of a crank shaft having a bore, a casing rotative thereon,.
a cylinder carried by said casing, piston, a plate on said cylinder having an
inlet channel or port leading thereto, air and oil or vapor supply pipes leading
to suid channel or port, the oil supply pipe connecting the bore of said shaft with
said channel or port, a valve for controlling said channel or port, an exhaust
channel or port in said plate, a valve therein, means for operating said valve, and
a perforated tube connected with said exhaust channel or port, substantially as
described.
5. The combination of a crank shaft having a bore, with a rotative casing, a
cylinder, a pipe forming communication between the cylinder and the casing,
a piston, means for supplying said cylinder with oil or vapor from the bore in the
shaft, an exhaust port and valve, and a perforated tube connected therewith,
substantially as described.
6. The combination of a crank shaft, a casing rotative thereon, a plurality of
cylinders carried thereby, pistons in said cylinders, means for supplying said
cylinders with a propulsive medium, exhaust ports and valves for said cylinders,
and curved perforated tubes connected with said exhaust ports, to carry off the
spent propulsive medium, said tubes acting as a balance wheel for the casing, as
and for the purposes specified.
7. The combination of a crank shaft, with a casing rotative thereon, cylinders
and pistons, means for supplying the cylinders with a propulsive medium, exhaust
ports and valves for said cylinders, a plurality of eccentrics connected together

page_text: and respectively connected with said valves, and means for rotating said eccentrics
by the rotation of said casing, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of December 1896.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.