IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY STEAM ENGINES AND IN GOVERNORS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS . EXHAUSTERS." ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO PUMPS AND GAS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Bower and Anthony Spencer Bower, of
St. Neots, in the County of Huntingdon, Engineers, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY STEAM ENGINES AND IN GOVERNORS,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
.
EXHAUSTERS."
ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO PUMPS AND GAS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Bower and
Anthony Spencer Bower at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their. Petition, on the 30th October 1873.
We, GEORGE BOWER and ANTHONY SPENCER BOWER, of St. Neots,
in the County of Huntingdon, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY STEAM ENGINES AND
IN GOVERNORS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO PUMPS AND GAS
EXHAUSTERS," to be as follows:-

page_text: Secondly. To a peculiar construction and arrangement of centrifugal
governor or regulator for varying the amount of expansion in the said
rotatory engine, such governor being also applicable to various other
forms of steam or other prime movers.
Our improved rotatory expansive condensing engine consists of an
inner cylinder turned both on the inside and outside, and rotating freely
on rollers (carried in rings) placed round its exterior, these rollers rolling
on the interior of a large concentric fixed cylinder which is bored, and
has standards cast thereon by which it is bolted down to the bed plate.
The entire system of rollers and rings is free to move round the
internal cylinder, but it is prevented from moving laterally by having a
guiding groove formed circumferentially round the exterior of the
cylinder, in which groove the said rollers travel.
The rotatory piston is eccentric to the cylinder, it is hollow and is
divided by a transverse partition so as to separate the steam from the
exhaust port; it is supported at one end by a fixed boss round which
travel a series of rollers which are connected together by rings, and move in
precisely the same manner as those herein-before described. The said
boss is cast in one piece with the steam chest which is bolted to the
external cover of the cylinder. The opposite end of the piston is sup-
ported by the driving shaft which rests in a bearing supported by the
opposite external cylinder cover and by a portion of the condenser. An
annular space is left around this bearing to form the exhaust passage
into the condenser. To cach end of the piston a faced plate is fastened
against which packing rings are pressed by the action of spiral springs,
and by the steam pressure in the jacket which surrounds the cylinder,
thus making a steam-tight joint.
The piston is provided with a hinged wing, the axes of which are or
may be recessed into the faced end plates, and the steam entering
through a port in the side and near one end of the piston presses this a
wing against the inner circumference of the internal revolving cylinder
and exterior surface of the piston, thereby forming steam-tight joints at-
those parts, the ends only remaining to be packed.
The steam valve is wholly contained within the piston and consists of
a hollow cylinder of metal with one-tenth or other proportional part of
its circumference cut out to form the steam port; it is prevented from
rotating with the piston by a cross bar and spindle which are rotated,

page_text: as required, by a worm and worm wheel or other suitable mechanism to
vary the rate of expansion. The steam port in the piston also extends
laterally over the same extent of the internal circumference of the
piston as the valve port, so that assuming this to be one-tenth it would
take one-fifth of a revolution of the engine for one port to pass the
other, after which the steam would be cut off. The volume however.
swept through by the wing attached to the piston during this portion of
the revolution is exceedingly small compared with that of the total
volume contained between the piston and internal cylinder, so much so
in fact that if the steam were not admitted till the wing had accom-
plished this fifth of a revolution the loss by clearance would not be any-
thing like so great as is lost in the long passages of an ordinary engine,
whilst at the same time the steam would not be cut off until the engine
had made two-fifths of a revolution, which is equivalent to cutting off at
rather more than half stroke in an ordinary engine; consequently the
cut off can be varied from about one-thirtieth up. to more than half
stroke with a single valve without any appreciable loss. The rate of
expansion between these limits is regulated by the governor which
consists according to the second part of our Invention of two light.
wheels having raised edges working concentrically, and being connected
hy hevel wearing sn that they rotate on the same avia but in

page_text: the steam casing or jacket to the exhaust passage, and thence to the
condenser.
The air and feed pumps may be driven by frictional or other gearing
reducing their speed to about one-third that of the engine, and pro-
vision may be made for throwing them or either of them out of
required.
gear if
The governor may be driven by a small strap running over grooved
pulleys, some of which may be made to slide up so as to tighten the
strap when required.
The action of the steam in the engine is as follows:-It first enters
the steam chest, then passes through openings leading therefrom, and
past the antifriction rollers which support one end of the piston, then
through the valve and port, and lastly into the revolving cylinder.
Having arrived in the cylinder it is prevented from passing the point
where the cylinder and eccentric piston touch one another by packing
strips in the piston which are pressed outwards by springs, it therefore
forces the hinged wing round together with the piston, the driving shaft,
and driving pulley; the frictional contact of the wing with the internal
surface of the cylinder carrying the latter round also, thus considerably
reducing the friction. The steam is then exhausted into the condenser
through, the exhaust port at or near the opposite end of the piston.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Bower and Anthony Spencer Bower in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
BOWER and ANTHONY SPENCER BOWER, of St. Neots, in the County of
Huntingdon, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the 37th year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said George Bower and Anthony Spencer Bower, Her
special license that we, the said George Bower and Anthony Spencer

page_text: Bower, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said George Bower and Anthony Spencer Bower, our executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTATORY STEAM ENGINES AND IN GOVERNORS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE PARTLY
APPLICABLE TO PUMPS AND GAS EXHAUSTERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said George Bower and Anthony Spencer Bower,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed; and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Bower and Anthony
Spencer Bower, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon that is to cove

page_text: cylindrical piston, hollow (except where the partition comes dividing the
steam from the exhaust port) and carried at one end by rollers (similar
in their arrangement to those above described) revolving on the external
cylindrical surface of a projecting portion of the steam chest; the other
end of the piston is carried by a driving shaft which projects from it and
is supported by a bearing formed partly in the external cover to the
large fixed cylinder before mentioned and partly in the condenser, and
by an outer bearing formed in a standard or bracket bolted to the bed
plate. On this driving shaft are fixed the fly wheel and gear for driving.
the air and feed pumps, and any other work that the engine may be
applied to, such as pumping or exhausting gas, &c. To each end of the
piston a faced plate is fastened against which the packing rings fitted to-
the ends of the inner cylinder are pressed by the action of springs and by
the pressure of steam in the jacket surrounding the inner cylinder, thus
making steam-tight joints at those parts. In contact with the internal
hollow surface of the piston is a cylindrical valve which is kept from
revolving with the piston, but rendered capable of a rotary adjustment
therein, as required, by a cross bar and spindle attached to the valve and
acted upon by a worm and wheel or other suitable mechanism
in connection with the second part of our Invention as herein-after
described.
Through the shell of the cylindrical valve and extending over a
suitable portion of its circumference a steam port or opening is formed
corresponding with a similar port or opening through the cylindrical
shell of the piston, the latter port opening in front of a segmental wing
hinged and recessed on the external surface of the piston and side.
plates. Packing strips are placed at suitable distances apart round the
external surface of the piston for preserving a steam-tight contact
between the latter and the inner cylinder, and for preventing steam too.
early blowing through to the exhaust; the said packing strips are acted
upon by springs and kept in position by rings of wire fitted into suitable.
recesses in piston as shown.
The action of the steam on the engines is as follows:-It. first enters
the steam chest, then through the steam passages therein, past the rollers
carrying that end of the piston into the cylindrical valve of the latter,
through the port formed in the valve and through its corresponding
opening in the piston, till finally it presses upon the. segmental wing of
the latter, and not being able to escape either past it or the. points of

page_text: contact between the packing strips of the piston and the inner cylinder,
the consequence is that the segmental wing and with it the piston
are forced round in or with the inner cylinder, the wing gradually
opening or spreading outwards to its full extent in the. latter and
gradually closing again as it returns to its original position. At the
desired portion of the stroke or revolution the steam is cut off from the
inner cylinder and works expansively until the completion of the
revolution. The segmental wing on the piston having returned to its
original position and with the latter performed a complete revolution
steam is again admitted and the operation repeated.
The cut off or rate of expansion of the steam is regulated by a
peculiarly constructed governor which constitutes the second part of our
Invention, and consists of an upright revolving spindle formed with two
arms at its upper end, on which slide segmental blocks or pieces so
combined with springs that when their centrifugal force is greater or
less than the tension of the latter they are brought in contact alternately
with the turned up edges of two concentric circular discs or drums
having a common axis with the upright spindle and connected by
suitable gearing with the cylindrical valve inside the piston in such a
manner that when the engine is running at its proper speed the
segmental pieces will be in a position midway between the two discs or
drums and will revolve freely without affecting either. When the
engine is running too fast they will be brought in contact with the
external disc or drum, causing it to revolve and turn the cylindrical
valve so as to partially close the port therein, thereby cutting off the
steam earlier in the stroke or increasing the rate of expansion. On the
other hand when running too slowly they will be brought in contact
with the internal disc or drum which will have the effect of causing the
cylindrical valve to rotate in the opposite direction, thereby prolonging
the admission of steam or decreasing the rate of expansion.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood wo
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
. Figure 1 on the Drawing represents a longitudinal section of our
untamu Y
inc
and Ticum & a trangtroNNA

page_text: A is the inner cylinder, bored and turned, revolving on rollers B,
arranged at equal distances round the external cylindrical surface of the
inner cylinder A, and themselves rolling on the internal cylindrical
surface of a large outer and concentric cylinder C bored and cast with
feet or standards D, by which it is bolted to the bed plate E. The
rollers B, B, are prevented from changing their relative positions with
cach other by revolving in slots formed at equal radial distances apart|
round the circumferences of the rings F, F, and laterally by the sides of
the circular groove or recess formed on the exterior of the inner
cylinder A, as shewn, and between which they revolve. The rings F, F,
are bored so as just to allow them to turn freely round the cylinder A,
and are prevented from shifting laterally by the enlarged parts G of the
roller axis. Thus the whole system of rollers and rings is free to move
round the inner cylinder A. without any relative shifting of its parts.
H is the piston, which is cylindrical in shape and hollow, except where
formed with a transverse partition for separating the steam from the
exhaust port. It is supported at one end by the cylindrical surfacé J
and the rollers K, K, which are carried by rings, and rotate in a similar
manner to the system of rollers B, B, previously mentioned. The
cylindrical surface J is cast with and projects from the steam chest L,
which is bolted to the external cover M of the cylinder C, and supplied
with steam from the boiler through the pipe c bolted to its outer face, as
shewn. In the steam chest L are openings p, p, through which steam
passes from the former past the rollers K, K, into the piston H, the other
end of which is supported by the driving shaft N resting or revolving in
the bearing O formed in the external cylinder cover N¹ and the condenser
P. To each end of the piston H a face plate R is fastened, against
which the packing rings S fitted to the ends of the inner cylinder A are
pressed by the action of spiral springs and by the steam pressure entering
the jacket & through the pipe e and surrounding the inner cylinder A,
thus making steam-tight joints at those parts. r, r, are packing pieces
or strips fitted to grooves formed at proper distances apart round the
exterior of the cylindrical piston H, and when not in contact with tho
inner cylinder A pressed outwards by springs bearing against their
back edges and the bottoms of the said grooves, and kept from being
forced out altogether by a wire ring fitted into a suitable recess at each
end of piston, as shewn. The packing strips r, r, are for the purpose of
preserving a steam-tight joint at the point of contact between the
piston H and the inner cylinder A. T is a segmental wing, the axes of

page_text: "
which are recessed into the faced end or side plates R, and the steam
entering through the port U in the piston H presses the segmental wing
T against the internal cylindrical surfaco of the inner cylinder A. The
ends of the segmental wing T have suitable packing stirps f, thereby
forming steam-tight joints at those parts. V is the steam valve wholly
contained within the piston H, and consisting of a hollow cylinder of
metal having one-tenth or other proportional part of its circumference
cut out to form the steam port x, and is prevented from revolving with
the piston H, but at the same time capable of a rotary adjustment
therein by the cross bar and spindle W, which is turned as required by
means of a worm and wheel or other suitable gear in connection with
the centrifugal governor or regulator (forming the second part of our
Invention, and hereafter described) so as to cut off the steam earlier in
the stroke or prolong its admission, thereby varying the rate of expan-
sion. The port U in the piston H also extends laterally over the samo
extent of the internal circumference of the piston H as the port x in
the valve V, so that assuming it to be onc-tenth it would require one-
fifth of a revolution of the piston H before the port x would pass tho
port U and the steam cut off. y is the exhaust port or opening in the
piston H (scen in dotted lines on Figure 2) communicating with the
hollow chamber z inside the latter, the said chamber z communicating
with the condenser P by the annular space Q formed therein round the
bearing O, and separated from the steam chamber or cylindrical valve V
of the piston H by the transverse partition before mentioned, and as
shewn on the Drawing. The volume swept through by the segmental
wing T during this portion of the revolution is exceedingly small com-
pared with that of the total volume contained between the piston and
internal cylinder, so much so in fact that if the steam was not admitted
through the port U till the wing T had accomplished this fifth of a
revolution the loss by clearance would not be anything like so great as
is lost in the long passages of the ordinary engine, while at the same
time the steam would not be cut off until the engine had made two-
fifths of a revolution, which is equivalent to cutting off at rather more
than half stroke in the ordinary engine; consequently the cut off can be
varied from one-thirtieth up to more than half stroke with a single valve
without any appreciable loss.

page_text: our Invention (see Figure 1) and consists of 2 arms a, a, formed at
the upper end of and revolving with the upright stem or spindle a¹ in a
socket or bearing cast on the upper portion of the outer fixed cylinder
C, and driven by a strap or endless band extending from the pulley m
on the stem or spindle a¹ over the guide pulley n to the pulley o on the
driving shaft N. The guido pulley n may be made to slide vertically in
its socket or bearing on the condenser P so as to tighten up the strap
whilst running over it. The arms a, a, are furnished with segmental
pieces 6 sliding over the said arms, and so held by springs c that when
the engine is running at its proper speed their centrifugal force will
overcome the tension of the springs c, and cause them to slide on the
arms a, a, and assume a position midway between the turned up edges of
two circular concentric discs or drums Y and Z, having a common axis
with the spindle a¹, and connected by a peculiar arrangement of bevilled
or other suitable gearing with the cylindrical valve V inside the piston
H. When in this position the segmental pieces will revolve freely
without affecting either of the discs or drums, and the cylindrical valve
V will consequently be at rest or in its normal position inside the piston
H. When, however, the engine is going too fast the centrifugal force
of the segmental pieces 6 will further overcome the tension of the
springs c and come in contact with the turned up edges of the external
circular disc or drum Y, causing the latter to revolve and turn the
cylindrical valve V into such a position as to cut off the steam earlier in
the stroke or increase the rate of expansion. Again, when the engine
is running too slowly the tension of the springs c will overcome the
centrifugal force of the segmental pieces b, and draw them inwards
against the turned up edge of the internal circular disc or drum Z,
which now revolves and causes the cylindrical valve V to be turned in
the opposite direction, so prolonging the admission of steam or decreas-
ing the rate of expansion.
-
The action of the steam on the engine is as follows:-Passing from
the boiler to the steam chest L it then goes through the openings p, p,
in the latter, past the rollers K, K, into the cylindrical valve V, through
the port and corresponding opening U, till finally it presses upon the
wing T on the piston H, and not being able to escape either past it or
the point of contact between the piston H and inner cylinder A, the
consequence is that the segmental wing T, and with it the piston H, are
forced to rotate in or with the inner cylinder A, the segmental wing T.

page_text: Fourthly. That the bearing or system of rollers K, K, reduces the
friction materially, as also that on the other side O, which is the only
one requiring lubrication, and if necessary it may be kept cool by
admitting part of the injection water upon it, a point of considerable
importance at sea.
Fifthly. That the air and feed pumps are only worked at one-third
the velocity of the engine, thus ensuring certainty of action at even
very high engine speeds, while at the same time they are extremely
compact.
Sixthly. That the governor takes up very little space, and has the
collateral advantages of being cheap, and of gearing directly with the
cut-off valve.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination of a rotatory piston and segmental wing,
or its equivalent, revolving eccentrically inside a freely rotating
cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
Second. The method of supporting the revolving cylinder upon anti-
friction rollers travelling round the interior of a fixed concentric
cylinder or outer frame or casing, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. The peculiar arrangement of rotary expansion valve placed
inside the body of the rotatory piston, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
Fourth. The adjustment of the rotatory expansion valve contained
inside the piston of a rotary engine by the action of a governor or regu-
lator for the purpose of varying the amount of expansion in accordance
with the speed of the engine, substantially-as herein-before described.
Fifth. The use of the faced side plates attached to the ends of the
rotatory piston, in combination with self-adjustable packing rings fitted
to the ends of the rotatory cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.

page_text: Sixth. The method of supporting one end of the rotatory piston by a
fixed projecting tubular boss, and a series of antifriction rollers travelling
round the same, substantially as herein-before described.
Seventh. The combination with a piston revolving eccentrically inside
a rotary cylinder of a series of packing strips pressed outwards by springs,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Eighth. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of
expansive rotatory engine and condenser, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Ninth. The peculiar construction and arrangement of governor or
speed regulator for motive-power engines, as herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Tenth. The combination of two or more antifriction segmental pieces
controlled by a spring or springs, with two concentric wheels having
raised rims, or their equivalent, the whole being arranged and mado
to operate together, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Eleventh. The application and use of the eccentric revolving piston.
and segmental wing, or its equivalent, in combination with a freely
revolving cylinder as a rotatory pump, or as a gas exhauster, substan-
tially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Bower, on behalf of myself
and the said Anthony Spencer Bower, have to this our Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness to the signing
of the said Geo. Bower,
O. W. BOWER.
GEORGE BOWER.
(L.S.)