Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1891--Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, CARL GOTTHOLD HILDEBRANDT of 8,9 Schlossfreiheit, Berlin C, Elitor,
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:-
The object of this invention is a rotary multiple compound engine for pressure
liquids, gases or the like.
It has proved necessary in practice to invent a steam engine in which the
expansion of the steam is utilized for rotary engines.
For this purpose I have constructed a steam cylinder uniting in one casing the
expansion steam cylinders of different size, so that the inner circumference of this
casing has the shape of an untrue curve, it having been found in practice that the
division of the single expansion spaces into gradations unfavorably influences the
work of the engine. While with gradatory division of the expansion spaces only
a certain number, three, four and more expansions could be produced, an infinite
number of steam cylinders is created by the application of an untrue curve round
the rotating shaft, whence the denomination rotary multiple compound engine"
is justified.
As, owing to the infinite number of gradually widening expansion spaces, the
rotating steam pistons must assume a shape enabling them to conform themselves
steam-tight to each respective size of the expansion spaces, I have bent the
piston rod employed in cylinder steam engines annularly for the improved engine
and placed through the inner ring thereof the main shaft, whereby any suitable
number of steam pistons a can be arranged in the shape of flaps of wings around
the piston rod, .. rotary piston b, as shown in the accompanying drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a cross section and Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections of the improved
engine. This flap- or wing-shape enables the steam piston a oscillating about a
pivot to adapt itself on each progressive movement to the continually widening
expansion spaces and to lay itself, after leaving the last expansion space, closely
round the rotary piston & thereby effecting the requisite closing of the high pressure
cylinder of this rotary engine. All rotary engines hitherto invented laboured
under the drawback, that the packing thereof was extremely difficult and could be
made possible only for a proportionally short time by systems of flanges, springs
and bolts.
In order to obviate this drawback in my multiple compound engine, the flaps a
oscillating in pivots are given some play, and the rotary piston is provided with
pegs or projections e, against which the steam pistons can lay themselves with their
front end. The steam pistons are furthermore made somewhat longer than the
diameter of the largest expansion space thereby assuming an inclined position, so
that the working steam driving the steam pistons before it, invariably presses the
same automatically, firmly and steam-tight against the pegs and periphery. This
function is not altered even by the greatest wear or grinding off of the steam
pistons.
The lateral packing is effected by two side plates & and d rotating with the
rotary body and the shaft, said plates being fitted into the sides of the cylinder
casing and one of them being arranged laterally displaceable on the shaft. A
mantle body screwed firmly over the plates, packs the two side plates automatically
by means of the steam naturally proceeding from the places of contact of the plates
with the cylinder, as this mantle is only passed through by the main shaft packed
by stuffing boxes, and the side plates offer to the steam pressure from the mantle

page_text: body a larger cross section than to that from inside, the inner centreing ring being
firmly and steam-tight connected with the side plates and '.
As the rotary body is in contact with one side of the cylinder casing and the
expansion spaces e occupy the other side thereof, the danger arises of a non-
uniformity of the working of the engine produced by the lateral pressure. To
avoid this, an exactly like engine is arranged on the same driving shaft which
engine has expansion spaces that are larger corresponding to the escaping working
steam, the position of the revolving body being the opposite of that in the other
engine.
•
Having now particularly described the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
1) A rotary gas or steam engine, the steam cylinder of which represents a
multiple number of expansion spaces e in the shape of an untrue curve, substantially
as set forth.
2) In the engine referred to in Claim 1, the application of movable flaps or
wings a at the rotary piston provided with stationary tooth-like pegs or sprockets 6,
substantially as set forth.
3) In the wings or flaps a referred to in Claim 1, the inclined position thereof,
whereby the automatic packing by the working steam is effected, substantially as
set forth.
4) In the engine referred to in Claim 1, the lateral packing by means of plates d
and d rotating with the shaft and fitted steam-tight to the sides of the main body,
the plate for being arranged laterally displaceable en the driving shaft and
automatically packed by the steam naturally escaping at the packing surface
between plate and mantle body, substantially as set forth.
5) The curved shape of the flaps or wings a referred to in Claim 2, whereby
said flaps or wings lay themselves after rotating closely against the rotary
piston, thus effecting the closing of the high-pressure cylinder, substantially as
set forth.
6) The combination of several of the engines referred to in Claim 1, in opposite
position for the purpose of further utilizing the working steam and compensating
the one-sided pressure occurring in a single engine, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of November 1891.
L GOTTHOLD HILDEBRANDT.
By Huelser & Co.,
His Agenis.