Improvements in Rotary Steam-engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by VIGGO MOTTLAU and OSCHAR SVENDSEN, both
of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark.]
Improvements in Rotary Steam-engines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a rotary steam-engine which by reason of its simple
construction and suitable arrangement presents considerable advantages as
compared with the steam-engines heretofore used.
To the cylinder of the improved engine is removably fixed a cover plate so as to
form a steam-tight joint.
Its piston presents the form of two half-discs arranged eccentrically upon the
driving shaft passing through the centre of the cylinder so that only the two outer
points of the piston touch the wall of the cylinder.
The openings through which the driving shaft extends to the outside of the
cylinder are closed steam-tight by means of stuffing-boxes. A fly wheel is fixed
upon the driving shaft.
In the cylinder is formed an opening for the discharge of the steam and an opening
for the outlet of the water of condensation. Both these openings may be provided
with cocks and they are in communication with the discharge pipe.
Moreover the steam cylinder has a bore fitted with a sleeve or socket through
which a sliding tube extends. A steam tight joint is made around the said sleeve
or socket through the medium of a stuffing-box.
This sliding tube is closed in front, but its upper half is removed a length
corresponding to the eccentricity of the two half-discs upon the driving shaft so
that the front end of the sliding tube presents a spoon-shaped form.
Two semi-cylindrical plate springs are riveted along the horizontal edges of the
sliding-tube and form a tight joint between the latter and the walls against which
they are forced by the steam.
Upon the sliding-tube is secured a ring which compresses a helical spring when
This spring bears against the stuffing box on the
the said tube moves back.
valve chest.
At its rear end the sliding-tube is provided with an exterior screw thread and
receives the slide valve held in its position by two nuts.
The under side of this
slide valve bears upon the bottom of the valve chest secured to a bed plate. An
opening formed in the bottom of the valve chest admits the steam from a steam-
pipe. At the top of the valve chest is arranged the lubricator.
For setting the engine in motion steam is introduced into the valve chest. The
steam passes through the sliding tube to the steam cylinder and causes the piston
to turn. By the rotary movement of the piston the said tube is caused to slide
backwards so that the valve at its end will close the opening in the bottom of the
valve chest, the piston continuing to move by reason of the expansion of the
steam.
When the piston has performed half a revolution the above-mentioned helical
spring pushes the sliding-tube forwards. In this manner steam is admitted by the
slide valve and acts upon the second half of the disc, whilst the exhaust steam
leaves through the discharge opening hereinbefore referred to. The sliding-tube is
then moved backwards and closes the admission opening, whereupon it is again
moved forwards after half a revolution of the piston and so on..

page_text: By means of the two aforesaid nuts the slide valve can be adjusted upon the
sliding tube so that so as to regulate the degree of expansion.
In lieu of the said sliding tube use can be made of an ordinary slide which by its
motion opens and closes a steam pipe, terminating in the wall of the cylinder in
front of the said slide.
Instead of making the piston as described it may be arranged so that the sliding
tube is moved forwards and backwards only once in every revolution of the
piston.
Dated this 6th day of December 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMITETE DI PITIVATION.
Improvements in Rotary Steam-engines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to a rotary steam engine which by reason of its simple
construction and suitable arrangement offers considerable advantages as compared
with the steam engines heretofore used.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the improved engine,
Figure 2 is a cross section through the steam cylinder and piston, and
Figure 3 shows a transverse section on the sliding tube.
A is the cylinder of the engine secured to the bed plate. B is the piston secured
to the shaft C and D is a cover plate removably fixed to the cylinder so as to form
a steam tight joint.
The piston is formed as shown in Figure 1 of two half discs the plane surfaces of
which bear against each other the said discs being arranged eccentrically upon the
driving shaft C passing through the centre of the cylinder so that only the two
outer points of the piston touch the wall of the cylinder.
The openings through which the driving shaft extends to the outside of the
cylinder are made steam-tight by means of stuffing boxes and a fly wheel V is
fixed upon the said driving shaft.
The cylinder is provided with an exhaust opening L for the discharge of the
steam and an opening K for the outlet of the water of condensation.
Both these openings may be provided with cocks which are then in communi-
cation with the discharge pipe.
The said cylinder is moreover provided with a hole fitted with a steel sleeve or
socket T through which one end of a sliding tube E is arranged to work. A
steam tight joint is made around the said sleeve or socket by means of a stuffing
box S.
The said sliding tube E which fits steam-tight into the steel sleeve T is closed at
the end which enters the cylinder but its upper half is cut away for a length
corresponding to the eccentricity of the two half discs upon the driving shaft
so that the front end of the sliding tube presents a spoon shaped form.
Two semi-cylindrical plate springs P are riveted along the horizontal edges of the
sliding tube and form a tight-joint between the tube E and the walls against which
they are forced by the steam.
Upon the sliding-tube E is secured a ring O which compresses a helical spring I
when the said tube moves back. This spring bears against the stuffing box on the
valve-chest G.
At its rear end the sliding tube is provided with an exterior screw thread and

page_text: receives the slide valve F which is held in its position by two nuts q. The under
side of this slide valve F bears upon the bottom of the valve chest & secured to a
bed plate N. An opening or port H formed in the bottom of the valve chest
admits the steam from a steam-pipe R. At the top of the valve chest is arranged
a lubricator M.
When the engine is to be set in motion steam is admitted through the port or
passage H into the valve chest G (Figure 1). The steam passes from the said
chest through the sliding tube E to the steam cylinder and causes the piston B to
turn in the direction indicated by the arrow. By the rotary movement of the
piston the said tube is caused to slide backwards so that the valve at its end will
close the opening H in the bottom of the valve chest, the piston continuing to move
by reason of the expansion of the steam.
When the piston has moved through half a revolution the above-mentioned
helical spring I pushes the sliding-tube forwards. In this manner the port or
passage H is opened again and steam is admitted by the slide valve and acts upon
the second half of the disc, whilst the exhaust steam leaves through the exhaust
opening L or through the opening K. The sliding tube is then moved backwards
and closes the admission opening whereupon it is again moved forwards after
half a revolution of the piston and so on.
By means of the aforesaid nuts q the slide valve can be adjusted upon the sliding
tube so as to regulate the degree of expansion.
In lieu of the said sliding tube use can be made of an ordinary slide which by its
motion opens and closes a steam pipe terminating in the wall of the cylinder in front
of the said slide.
Instead of making the piston as above described it may be arranged as shown in
dotted lines in Figure 1 so that the sliding tube is moved forwards and backwards
only once in every revolution of the piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
A rotary steam engine characterized by the piston B fixed to the driving
shaft C and adapted to rotate in the steam cylinder A, which piston acts upon the
movable admission tube or upon a slide in such a manner that the same is moved
back after each admission of steam for the purpose of closing the admission orifice
during the expansion.
1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.