IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING, PUMPING, BLOWING, AIR COMPRESSING, FLUID MEASURING, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES,
APPLICABLE ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING, PUMPING, BLOWING, AIR COMPRESSING,
FLUID MEASURING, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication from abroad
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office
of the Commissioners, of Patents on the 21st April 1881.
•
"
IMPROVE-
PUMPING,
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING,
BLOWING, AIR COMPRESSING, FLUID MEASURING, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES."
A communication from abroad by Anders Johan Atterberg, of Gothenberg,
Sweden, Engineer.
This engine consists of a cylinder with plain ends. In one of the ends a
cylindrical centre boss is fastened which goes all through the cylinder to the other
end. Three, four, or more sector shaped pistons are moving, one following the
other around this centre boss. The pistons are kept tight at the inner circum-
ference of the cylinder as well as at the ends, and the centre boss by means of
packing pieces or by helical or labyrinth grooves. An axle which is the driving
axle of the engine runs in bearings parallel with the cylinder centre line through
the other bottom or end. At the inside end of the axle a disc is fastened which
moves in a cavity in the bottom or end cover of the cylinder in such a way that
the inside of the disc forms a part of and moves in the same surface line with, the
said bottom cover. To the disc are fastened crank pins which move in radial guide
slots in the pistons, or which are coupled to the latter by connecting rods.
The disc is kept tight at the cavity in the bottom by means of labyrinth grooves
or packing pieces and a packing ring. The disc can be made so large as to cover
the one end of the cylinder, and the engine can be arranged either so that the disc
separates two cylinders from each other, at the same time serving as the common end

page_text: or bottom for both, or so that it is provided wth two dscs connected by the
crankpins. The engine can also be constructed with the driving axle running
through the cylindrical centre.
The driving axle is placed eccentric to the cylinder which causes the pistons to
hold close together at the one side of the cylinder and to separate as much as is
practicable on the other side.
This construction is particularly suitable to be used as water-motor or water-
meter.
When the water has been let in through the admission pipe on one side of the
cylinder it works between two pistons with the same pressure on either of them,
but as one piston presses on the upper crank pin with greater momentum than the
other piston on the lower one the pistons are forced to move upwards, while the
water enters between them. As soon as the pistons on the other side of the engine
move downwards they approach each other and force the water out through the
exhaust pipe.
The driving axle works in a long bearing which on the outside is furnished
with a stuffing box to prevent leakage.
This engine is also particularly suitable to be used as a pump and for different
purposes; the whole engine can be turned in such a position as to place the
suction and delivery pipes downwards or upwards, or in any direction
required.
The axle may be passed through the whole of the cylinder. In this case the
centre boss is enlarged so as to be able to serve as bearing for the axle, and thus
the eccentricity is lessened. This arrangement is convenient for various purposes,
chiefly for water-meters, to make same more compact, or for pumps or water-
motors when for certain purposes the axle is required to work on both sides of the
engine.
The engine may be constructed with so large a disc that the latter separates the
cylinder into two parts. Instead of, as in the other cases in which guide slots
were cut into the pistons, slot apertures are here made in the disc, and the pistons
on either side of the disc are coupled by means of pins passing through the pistons
and the aperture of the disc in which the pins are moving with guide blocks.
In this case the two parts of the engine may be used for different purposes.
Instead of the disc small arms may be used which move in guide slots in the
pistons.
According to another arrangement the engine is provided with connecting rods
and used as a steam engine. In this case the connecting rods are placed in the
pistons, and in order to prevent steam from passing into and out of the pistons
the latter are furnished with packing pieces at the two ends. The disc is also
provided with packing pieces at its circumference as well as with a packing ring
against the end cover to prevent steam from passing the clearance space around
the disc.
In order to obtain more or less expansion or to alter the moving direction of
the engine a plain slide valve is placed on the bottom or end of the cylinder to
regulate the admission of steam through different ports.
The lubricating of the connecting rods is effected by the waste oil from the
axle bearing, which is thrown out by the centrifugal force to the crank pins through
lubricating holes in the disc.
4.
The sides of the pistons are lubricated from the centre by a passage fed by the
steam inlet. The steam in the clearance space at the back of the crank disc
presses the latter against the centre, which makes the former move tight against
the latter.
In altering the inlet and exhaust ports accordingly the same engine can be used
as a blowing machine or air compressor. or similar apparatus.
When constructed to be used as a blowing machine it is provided with an axle
passing all through the cylinder. In their forward motion the pistons approach
each other and compress the air, until they discharge the same on the other side

page_text: of the engine. To prevent the air between the pistons from escaping into the
delivery. pipe before it has obtained the same pressure as the air in the pipe,
i.e., to prevent back blows, several valves are provided, some of which are always
kept closed and others always open, depending upon the pressure in the blast
pipe.
A rotatory steam engine of a similar kind may be constructed with the connecting
rods placed outside, i.e., not enclosed in the pistons but intermediate between them.
The latter are here shaped according to the movements of the connecting rods, and
when the pistons in the nethermost position of the crank pins are nearest to each
other they close up as near as possible to each other and to the crank pins and
connecting rods.
The only obnoxious space existing is the triangular aperiure in the pistons for
the movement of the connecting rods. This engine has less obnoxious space than
most of the other steam engines, and the influence of this obnoxious space oan be
balanced by the engine going with compression at the end of the exhaust.
The pistons are kept tight with double packing pieces which cross each other
at the joints. The packing pieces are pressed out either by means of small flat
springs or by spiral springs or any elastic material.
The disc is tightened by a ring pressed to it by springs. The disc is also provided
with small tightening pieces at its circumference to prevent steam from passing the
play room around the disc.
The connecting rods can be made in different ways; they are 'best made of metal
only.
The inner bearings can be tightened by means of a conical screw. Inside the
connecting rods there is a lubricating pipe to enable the oil which enters through
the crank pin to reach the bearing of the connecting rods in the pistons.
.
710
The engine may be provided with several steamports for admission of steam for
a cut off at th th and 14th admission, as well as for complete filling, and be
further provided with a three way cock which unites all ports of the one side with
the exhaust pipe, and at the same time opens one after the other all the ports on
the other side for the admission of steam. Hereby the different expansions and
the alteration in the moving direction of the engine is regulated. However, this
part may also be made in the shape of an ordinary plain slide, or as a cylindrical
slide or a fourway cock, and any shape of slide can be thus arranged as to
regulate the working of the engine and the degree of expansion, or in any way.
required..
If this rotatory engine is used as a water motor the whole cylinder with the
centre can be made to turn thus as to alter the eccentricity of the engine, and in
this way to determine the consumption of water according to the power
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st October
1881.
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING, PUMPING,
BLOWING, AIR COMPRESSING, FLUID MEASURING, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES.'
(A communication from abroad by Anders Johan Atterberg, of Gothenberg,
Sweden, Engineer.)
This engine consists of a cylinder with plain ends. In one of the ends a
cylindrical centre boss is fastened which goes all through the cylinder to the other
end: Three, four, or more sector shaped pistons are moving, one following the
other around this centre boss. The pistons are kept tight at the inner circum-
ference of the cylinder as well as at the ends, and the centre boss by means of
packing pieces or by helical or labyrinth grooves. An axle which is the driving-
axle of the engine runs in bearings parallel with the cylinder centre line through
the other bottom or end. At the inside end of the axle a disc is fastened, which
moves in a cavity in the bottom or end cover of the cylinder in such a way that
the inside of the disc forms a part of and moves flush with the surface line of the
said bottom cover. To the disc are fastened crank pins which move in radial guide
slots in the pistons, or which are coupled to the latter by connecting rods. The
disc is kept tight at the cavity in the bottom by means of labyrinth grooves, or by
packing pieces and a packing ring. The disc can be made so large as to cover the
one end of the cylinder, and the engine can be arranged either so that the disc
separates two cylinders from each other, at the same time serving as the common
end or bottom for both, or so that it is provided with two discs connected by the
crank pins. The engine can also be constructed with the driving axle running
through the cylindrical centre.
The driving axle is placed excentric to the cylinder, which arrangement causes
the pistons to hold close together at the one side of the cylinder, and to separate as
much as is practicable on the other side.
Figures and 2 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections shewing
such a construction, with the crank pins g furnished with guide blocks m moving
in slides in the piston b, and latter joined in the shape of hinges on the fixed
centre . The pistons band the crankpiece are kept tight relatively to each
other by labyrinth grooves d and k.
This construction is particularly suitable to be used as water-motor or water-
meter.
When the water has been let in through the admission pipe on one side of the
cylinder, it works between two pistons with the same pressure on either of them.
but as one piston presses on the upper crank ping with greater momentum or
force than the other piston on the lower one the pistons are forced to move upwards
while the water enters between them. As soon as the pistons on the other side of
the engine move downwards they approach each other and force the water out
through the exhaust pipe o. The driving axle e works in a long bearing which on
the outside is furnished with a stuffing box p to prevent leakage.
This engine is also particularly suitable to be used as a pump and for different
purposes; the whole engine can be turned in such a position as to place the suction
and delivery pipes downwards or upwards, or in any direction required.
The axle e may be passed through the whole of the cylinder, as shown in
Figures 3 and 4. In this case the centre boss a is enlarged to be able to serve as
bearing for the axles, and thus the excentricity is lessened. This arrangement is

page_text: convenient for various purposes, chiefly for water-meters, to make same more
compact, or for pumps or water-motors, when for certain purposes the axle is
required to work on both sides of the engine.
The engine may as shewn in Figures 5 and 6 be constructed with so large a disc f
that the latter separates the cylinder into two parts. Instead of as in the other
cases in which guide slots were cut into the piston slot, apertures q are here made
in the disc, and the pistons b on either side of the disc are coupled by means of
pins passing through the pistons and the aperture of the disc in which the pins
are moving with guide blocks m. In this case the two parts of the engine may be
used for different purposes. Instead of the disc small arms may be used which
move in guide slots in the pistons.
According to another arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8 the engine is
provided with connecting rods i and used as a steam engine. In this case the con-
necting rods are placed in the pistons band in order to prevent steam from passing
into and out of the pistons the latter are furnished with packing pieces c at the
two ends. The disc is also provided with packing pieces r at its circumference as
well as with a packing ring against the end cover to prevent steam from passing
the clearance space around the disc.
In order to obtain more or less expansion or to reverse the moving direction of
the engine, a plain slide valve s is placed on the bottom or end of the cylinder to
regulate the admission of steam through different ports.
The lubricating of the connecting rods i is effected by the waste oil from the
axle bearing, which is thrown out by the centrifugal force to the crankpins g
through lubricating holes in the disc.
The sides of the pistons bare lubricated from the centre a by the passage u fed
by the steam inlet n. The steam in the clearance space at the back of the crank
disc presses the latter against the centre a which makes the former move tight
against the latter.
By altering the inlet and exhaust ports accordingly the same engine can be used
as a blowing machine or air compressor or similar apparatus.
When constructed to be used as a blowing machine as shewn in Figure 9 it is
provided with an axle e passing all through the cylinder. The pistons are drawn
in such a position that those uppermost are separated as far as is practicable from
each other, and at a moment when the space between them is filled with air. In
their forward motion the pistons approach each other and compress, the air until
they discharge the same on the other side of the engine. To prevent the air
between the pistons b from escaping into the exit or delivery pipe o before it has
obtained the same pressure as the air in the pipe, i.e., to prevent back blows, several
valves are provided, some of which are always kept closed and others always
open, depending upon the pressure in the blast pipe.
A rotatory steam engine of a similar kind may, as shown in Figures 10 and 11,
be constructed with the connecting rods i placed outside, i.e., not enclosed in the
pistons b but intermediate between them. The latter are here shaped according
to the movements of the connecting rods, and when the pistons in the nethermost
position of the crank pins are nearest to each other they close up as near as
possible to each other and to the crank pins and connecting rods.
The only obnoxious space existing is the triangular aperture w in the pistons b
for the movement of the connecting rods i. This engine has less obnoxious space
than most of the other steam engines, and the influence of this obnoxious space can
be balanced by the engine going with compression at the end of the exhaust.
The pistons bare kept tight with double packing pieces (c), which cross each other
at the joints. The packing pieces c are pressed out either by means of small flat
springs, as shewn in the Drawing, or by spiral springs or any elastic material.
The disc is tightened by a ring I pressed to it by springs, which however do
not appear in the Drawing. The disc is also provided with small tightning
pieces at its circumference to prevent steam from passing the play room around
the disc.

page_text: The connecting rods i may be made in different ways for small engines; the
construction which is given in the Drawings is the most convenient; they are best
made of metal only. The inner bearings of the connecting rods may be tightened
by means of a conical screw y. Inside the connecting rods i there is a lubricating
pipe or passage z. to enable the oil which enters through the crank ping to reach
the bearing A of the connecting rods in the pistons b.
th
The engine may, as here shown, be provided with several steam ports for
admission of steam for a cut-off at 3 th and 10th admission as well as for
complete filling, and be further provided with a three way cock s, which unites all
ports of the oneside with the exhaust pipe o and at the same time opens one after
the other all the ports on the other side for the admission of steam. Hereby the
different expansions and the alteration in the moving direction of the engine is
regulated. However this part may also be made in the shape of an ordinary plain
slide, or as a cylindrical slide, or a fourway cock, and any shape of slide can be
thus arranged as to regulate the working of the engine and the degree of expansion
or in any way required.
If this rotatory engine is used as a water-motor the whole cylinder with the
centre can be made to turn so as to alter the eccentricity of the engine, and in this
way to determine the consumption of water according to the power required.
The advantages of this engine are as follows:-
The engine consists of a small number of parts and is therefore simpler, and can
be manufactured at a less cost than other engines which are in use for similar
purposes. In comparison with other steam engines which have hitherto been used
this engine requires much less room, even if it is worked with the same velocity
as other engines. The engine has no dead points, the steam works continually in
driving the axle. The engine can be arranged for any expansion required, and
when high expansion is used it works as a compound engine in such a way that
when the steam works with high pressure between two pistons it works at the
same time with expansion between one or two other pair of pistons, and conse-
quently the engine possesses in the highest degree equality of relative force at
different degrees of expansion.
As all moving parts are rotatory and the gases or fluids which pass through the
engine always move in the same direction through the steam ports, this engine can
be worked at a higher speed than most other motors:
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention, and in
what manner the same may be performed (as communicated to me),-
I hereby declare that I claim the arrangement of rotatory, engines with several
moving pistons, one following the other in the same direction, and the various
ways described to determine the movement of the pistons, how the same sometimes
approach cach other and at other times separate, whatever alterations and
variations in the arrangement of the engine may be required to suit different
purposes, all substantially as described, and as shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one
PETER JENSEN. (L.S.)