Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr.,
1899
5
40
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, HORACE STUART CUMMINGS, of No. 1416, "F" Street, City of Washington,
in the District of Columbia, United States of America, Attorney-at-Law, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement;-
This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines in which the several
elements are so constructed as to permit of lubrication of the working parts, which
are exposed to friction and wear, by the action of steam as it is fed to, and exhausted
from, the cylinder.
A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction and promote the
efficiency and durability of the machine.
With these ends in view, the invention, briefly stated, consists in the combina-
tion with a valve mechanism of peculiar form to be described specifically herein-
after, of a rotary expansion chamber and double, open ended cylinder, pistons in
said cylinder, an engine shaft the axis of which is out of alinement with the axis
of rotation of said corrected expansion chamber and the cylinder, a rotatable ring
or annulus the imaginary axis of which is between the axial plane of the engine
shaft and the connected cylinder and chamber, and mechanical devices connect-
ing said rotatable ring or annulus with the cylinder pistons and with the engine
shaft.
And the invention further consists in the novel combinations of elements, and in
the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described
and claimed.
To enable others to understand the invention, the preferred embodiment thereof
is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,
and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotary engine constructed in accordance
with the invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the
dotted line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the working parts of the invention.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the hollow shaft or spindle.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the spindle.
Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings, referring to which,-
1 designates the bed plate, on which is erected the box or casing 2 for housing
the operative parts of the engine and for retaining, to a certain extent, the exhaust
steam for lubricating the surfaces of the working parts which are exposed to fric-
tion and wear. A pillar block or standard 3 is erected at one end of the base,
and between this pillar block and one side of the box or casing 2 is provided a
long bearing 4 for the accomodation of the cylindrical part of the hollow spindle
or shaft 19. From the other side of the box or casing extends an elongated arm,

page_text: and on this arm and the casing 2 are provided the alined journal bearings 6, 6, in
which is journaled the engine shaft, 7, which carries a belt pulley 8 or other form
of power transmitting appliance. One of the important features of the engine
consists in arranging the engine shaft in a position at one side of the hollow spindle
or shaft 19 so that the axes of the two shafts are out of alinement with each other.
The revolvable ring or annulus 10 is arranged to have its imaginary axis in a
plane about midway between the axial lines of the two shafts to occupy an eccentric
relation thereto.
The hollow shaft or spindle 19 carries a double ended cylinder 11, the ends of
said cylinder being open. Through the center of the double cylinder is a rotary
sleeve-like valve 12 which may be made as an integral part of the cylinder or it
may be made in a separate piece of steel united rigidly to the center of the cylinder.
It is preferred to make the double cylinder with an integral partition at the
center thereof, and in the metal forming the partition is bored or drilled a conical
passage or hole, in the walls of which are produced diametrically opposite openings
forming the ports for the admission and exhaust of steam or air to or from the
piston chambers of the double cylinder. The ports for the sleeve-like valve are
indicated at 20, 21, in Figure 6 of the drawings, and the two ports are quite short
for the free escape of the motive fluid under pressure and to give the necessary
clearance to insure quick action to the parts.
The spindle or shaft may be made in a peculiar way consisting of two parts.
Generally speaking that part of the spindle which occupies the long bearing 4 is
cylindrical in form, while the length of the shaft that passes through the expansion
chamber and fits in the sleeve-like valve 12 is conical or tapering in form to snugly
fit in said valve, the latter being for a part of its length of tapering form to corre-
spond to the taper of the shaft. By reference to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will
be seen that the valve 12 tapers and conforms for a part of its length to the tapered
shape of the spindle and that the tapered part of the valve extends to a point beyond
the ports 13, 14, but from said point where the taper ceases the interior of the valve
is to be of cylindrical form or it may be of flaring form to provide a clear space
around the spindle or shaft. This spindle extends to and through the wall of
the cylinder, and it is centered or supported in a hollow boss which is cast upon the
outside of the cylinder in a position to receive the open end of the spindle and
thus permit said end of the spindle to discharge the exhausted motive fluid through
to the outside of the cylinder.
The major part of the spindle is provided with a longitudinal feed channel 16
which communicates with the passage through the hollow spindle, and said member
of the spindle is furthermore provided with an exhaust channel 17. The feed and
exhaust channels through the major conical part of the spindle are separated from
communication by an intervening abutment or wall 18. The feed channel 16
opens into and communicates with the port 20 in one lateral face of the conical
length of the spindle. In like manner the exhaust channel 17 opens into and com-
municates with the exhaust port 21. The feed port should have a branch duct or
passage which should extend therefrom and open through the spindle or shaft in
the form of a supplemental port which should be normally exposed beyond the
large end of the conical sleeve-like valve so that this supplemental port is normally
exposed or uncovered to insure a free supply of steam or air to the cylinder. The
exhaust port 21 from the exhaust channel opens through that face or side of the
conical part of the spindle opposite to the feed port 20, and said exhaust channel 17
extends through the conical part of the spindle to open through the end of the
same where the spindle extends through the cylinder. A nut should be screwed
on one end of the shaft to take up any wear due to friction between the valve 12
and the conical part of the spindle.
To the end of the cylindrical part of the spindle which protrudes from the
long bearing 4 is intended to be connected a swiveled coupling of any suitable
style, and this coupling serves to attach a feed pipe or hose to the hollow spindle,
from which hose the steam passes through the passage 16 and the port 20 to and

page_text: through the port 13 in the valve to admit steam to the cylinder 11 at one side of
the axial partition in which the valve is formed, while at the same time the port 14
of the valve is brought into registration with the port 21 to permit exhaust steam
from the opposite part of the cylinder to pass into the channel 17 and thence
be exhausted from the open end of the conical length of the spindle.
The cylinder 11 is cast in a single piece and it is provided with an integral
partition to provide for the boring of the valve therein, or to enable a steel valve
to be fitted in the cylinder so as to rotate with the same. The spindle is normally
stationary, and the valve and cylinder are rotatably fitted on the conical length
of the spindle; but this spindle is not fixed in the bearing 4 by positive locking
devices because the spindle is intended to be adjusted axially for the purpose of
cutting off or reversing the engine. To this end the spindle is provided with a
suitable handle 26 and is mounted in the bearing 4 to turn axially therein to
bring its ports 20, 21 in reverse relation to the ports 13, 14, in the valve 12, thus
reversing the order of admission and exhaustion of the motive fluid to and from the
cylinder. I may also provide the spindle with means for locking the same in
position for the purpose of cutting off the motive fluid partially or wholly, and
such locking device for the spindle may be of any suitable construction.
The cylinder is open at both ends, and in it is fitted the pistons 28, 29, the rods
of which are extended to the annulus or ring, 10. The piston heads are beveled
backward from the central portions thereof toward the edges, and the central
partition which forms the inner heads to the double cylinder has its faces toward
the pistons formed with dished surfaces, the contour of which is the reverse of the
contour of the faces of said pistons. This construction of the cylinder prevents the
loss and waste of steam to a very large extent, because the partition is made quite
thin by the peculiar form of the faces and by boring the hole to form the valve,
whereby the thin metal of the partition produces ports 13, 14 of minimum depth.
The ports in the valve and the piston chambers of the cylinder thus communicate
directly with each other through exceedingly short ports 13, 14, and the loss and
waste of steam, by leading it along the length of and across the cylinder, is thereby
avoided.
From the ends of the cylinder extend the piston rods 31ª, and this cylinder fits
between the slide ways which are cast as an integral part of the ring or annulus 10,
and which serve to sustain said ring or annulus in slidable relation to the cylinder
and also to connect the ring and the cylinder to secure rotation of the ring and
cylinder together. The piston rods 31" have their outer ends connected pivotally
to lugs 32 which are provided on the inner periphery of the ring 10, and the
pistons are thus connected operatively with the ring, see Figure 3. The ring or
annulus is furthermore provided with radial flanges 34 which are cast as an
integral part of the ring and are arranged at right angles to the slide ways 30
within the ring for the accomodation of the cylinder. These flanges 34 constitute
the ways or tracks for the anti-friction rolls 35 journaled on the ends of a cross
head 36 which is attached to the end of the engine shaft 7 in order to operatively
connect the engine shaft with the rotatable ring and provide for the play of the
latter under the action of the pistons when the latter are influenced by the motive
fluid admitted to the cylinder. It is not desired to limit the invention to the
particular connection described between the engine shaft and the rotatable ring
which is set in eccentric relation to said cylinder and the engine shaft, because
the ordinary engine slides may be used in lieu of the rolls and the tracks 34
therefor.
The operative elements of the engine are housed within the casing 2 and a cover
which is set upon the casing and which completes the boxing that is adapted to
constantly confine a volume of the exhausted steam in relation to the engine to
insure lubrication of the working parts by the action of the exhaust steam thereon.
This feature of lubricating the working parts of the engine by the steam which
is supplied to and exhausted from the cylinder is one of the peculiar features of
the invention and importance is attached to the construction and arrangement of

page_text: .
parts by which this desirable result is attained. Suitable oil cups are provided,
however, at the bearings for the shafts 7, 19, as will be readily understood by a
skilled mechanic. The casing 2 should be provided with an exit port at or near its'
bottom for the escape of the water of condensation and said casing should also be
provided with a small port for the escape slowly of the exhausted motive fluid.
As the motive fluid, steam or air, under pressure is supplied through the bore
of the spindle it passes through the port 20 and the port 13 of the valve and thence
to one of the cylinders to act against the piston in said cylinder so as to force the
latter radially. As this piston is connected to the ring or annulus, and the latter
is set in eccentric relation to the cylinder, the ring is given a rotary impulse, there-
by setting in motion the ring, the cylinder and the valve. When the parts make a
half turn the port 13 of the valve is brought into registration with the port 21 to
exhaust the motive fluid from one side of the cylinder, and at the same time the
port 14 is alined with the port 20 to admit steam or air to the opposite side of the
cylinder, whereby live steam or air is fed to and exhausted from opposite sides of
the cylinder alternately. The rotation of the ring carries with it the cross head and
engine shaft, but as the crosshead is connected slidably to the ring it compensates
or adjusts itself automatically to the eccentricity of the ring to the engine shaft.
The engine consists of comparatively few parts, each simple in construction.
The cylinder, and the ring, each constitute a single casting. The pistons are
likewise each cast in a single piece, and they are of such construction that it is
not necessary to finish them but very little in order to fit said pistons to the
cylinder. The two part spindle is very simple, each part being in a single piece,
and each of the parts of the engine require very little machine work to finish
them for service. In this engine, the loss of steam is minimized by having the
ports located to establish direct connection of the valve to the piston chambers,
and the latter receive double lubrication, i.e., from the live steam and from the
exhaust steam.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
―
1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a revoluble multiple cylinder, an
engine shaft in eccentric relation to the axis of rotation of said cylinder, a fly.
wheel slidably connected to and revoluble with the engine shaft, and pistons con-
nected operatively with the fly wheel, substantially as described.
2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a revoluble multiple cylinder, a fly
wheel slidably related to said cylinder and revoluble therewith, pistons in said
cylinder-chambers and connected actively with the fly wheel, and an engine-shaft
in eccentric relation to the axis of rotation of the cylinder and slidably connected
with the fly wheel to be rotated thereby, substantially as described.
3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a hollow cylinder shaft carrying a
revoluble multiple cylinder, means for supplying motive power to and exhausting
the same from the piston chambers of said cylinder, an engine shaft in eccentric
relation to the axis of rotation of said cylinder, pistons in the chambers of said
multiple cylinder, and a shiftable fly wheel operatively connected with the
cylinder pistons to be shiftable therewith, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a rotatable open-ended cylinder, and pistons therein,
of a revolvable member slidably fitted to the cylinder and connected to the pistons,
an engine shaft, and slidable connections between the revolvable member and said
engine shaft, as and for the purposes described.
5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a revoluble cylinder provided with
a sleeve-like valve-seat, having ports which communicate with the piston-chambers
of said cylinder, the non-revoluble hollow valve fitted accurately to the valve-seat
and having the live and exhaust passages which terminate in ports isolated one
from the other by an intermediate abutment, pistons in the chambers of said

page_text: ylinder, an engine shaft, and operative connections between the pistons and said
engine shaft to rotate the latter, substantially as described.
6. In a rotary engine, the combination of a hollow cylinder shaft, a multiple
cylinder fast with said shaft and having a sleeve-like valve-seat, an axially-
adjustable non-revoluble valve housed within said hollow-shaft and the valve-
seat and provided with separate live and exhaust passages, means connected with
said valve to reverse the relation of its ports to the piston chambers of the cylinder,
an engine-shaft, pistons in the chambers of said cylinders, and means actuated
by the pistons and connected with the engine-shaft to rotate the latter, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In a rotary engine, the combination of a revoluble multiple chambered cylinder,
an engine shaft in eccentric relation to the axis of rotation of the cylinder, a shiftable
fly wheel revoluble with the cylinder and connected operatively with the cylinder
pistons to be shiftable therewith, and a crosshead carried by the engine shaft and
slidably connected with the fly wheel to be rotated thereby, substantially as
described.
8. In an engine, the double cylinder having open ends and a central partition,
said partition forming a valve and provided with ports for the admission and
exhaust of steam or air, as and for the purposes described.
9. The combination of a suitable boxing or housing, with an engine situated
therein and having its working parts exposed to the action of steam which may
be confined in said housing, as and for the purposes described.
10. In a rotary engine, a multiple chambered cylinder having the tapered sleeve-
liko valve-seat and with the dished inner heads of the piston-chambers provided
with the shallow ports, combined with a tapered valve fitted in said seat of the
revoluble cylinder, pistons in the cylinder chambers, an engine-shaft, and means
connecting the pistons with said shaft, substantially as described.
11. In a rotary engine, the combination of an inclosing casing, a hollow shaft
supported in casing, a multiple chambered cylinder fast with said shaft and having
a valve-seat, a valve contained in said hollow-shaft and having independent live
and exhaust channels, the exhaust channel of the valve discharging into the casing,
means for supplying live motive fluid to the valve, an engine-shaft, pistons in the
chambers of the cylinder and a fly wheel slidably related to and connected with
the cylinder and the engine-shaft to rotate therewith; the working elements of
the engine being contained in said casing and having the surfaces thereof exposed
to the exhausted fluid discharged by the valve to said casing, substantially as
described.
HO
1
L 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.