Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (A communication to me from
La Société Boyer et Conti, of 2, Rue du Souvenir, Courbevoie, Seine, in the Republic
of France) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a rotary engine in which the shaft is fixed to the lateral
walls of the motor cylinder whilst the cylindrical body is fixed to the frame which
supports the engine.
In this engine, the rotary movement is effected by the employment of several
movable blades or wings, each capable of displacement in a plane passing through the
axis of the motor shaft so as to always remain in contact with the inner surface of a
fixed cylinder, the axis of which is eccentric with respect to the axis of the shaft.
Each blade is provided at its end with a foot which is jointed thereto the said foot
having enlarged portions or wings.
The cylinder is fixed and serves as the frame of the engine; it supports the shaft
through the medium of a frame which carries the hearings. The lateral walls of the
cylinder are movable and are formed integral with the shaft; they are connected
together by a grooved drum; the blades engage in these grooves as well as in
grooves made in the movable walls. The tightness of the lateral ends of each blade
as well as of its lower part is obtained by the application of the blade itself against
the sides of the grooves made in the movable walls as well as in the drum, that is to
say, each blade always remains applied by the steam on a slide which moves with it
and is consequently always supported upon three sides.
In order to isolate from one another the steam chambers comprised between two
consecutive blades, it is, therefore, only necessary to constantly apply each blade
against the fixed cylinder. To this end the part of the blade which is engaged in
the lateral groove is surmounted by a rectangular stuffing-box above which is an air
space. It will thus be clear that the two stuffing-boxes which are at the lateral ends
of each blade fulfil the function of two spiral springs which would constantly apply
the wing against the fixed cylinder. It is understood that spiral springs or other
suitable arrangements can be employed to supplement the effect of the stuffing-boxes
for the purpose of constantly pressing the blades against the fixed cylinder.
To make a joint between the movable walls, the cylinder has on each face a
channel which serves to receive three contiguous rings namely, a triangular ring of
copper or other suitable anti-friction metal, the vertical face of which is provided
with circular grooves, a ring of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material and a
metal ring which is acted upon by means of pressure screws. This packing is
designed to make a joint against the lateral walls as well as against the packings
with which the part of each blade engaged in its corresponding groove is surmounted.
In this method of closing, the screws can be replaced by a suitable fluid under
pressure, such as compressed air or steam, which would circulate in the recess in the
channel. The packing of the blades which serves as a stuffing-box is made in the

page_text: following manner: the blade receives two screw threaded pins, the upper thinned
portion of each of which forms a flat rod. This flat rod passes freely into a brass
plate surrounded by a flat case of india-rubber or other suitable material such, for
example, as asbestos, which is provided with a recess for receiving a small copper
plate designed to work frictionwise against the joint, the fixed cylinder and the
copper ring. The packing is compressed to a greater or lesser degree by means of
the box which passes through the flat rod; the notched piece is placed on the said
two rods, and above this are placed split keys which bear against the upper shoulders
of the flat rod. The screw which is provided with a shoulder beneath the notched
piece allows when it is turned in one direction or the other of more or less lowering
the box and consequently of more or less compressing the packing. A safety screw
serves to keep the blade at a small distance from the cylinder without pressure when
the machine is at rest.
The operation of the engine is as follows: the inlet and exhaust ports are first
opened; the steam after having expanded by reason of the increase of the volume
comprised between two consecutive blades passes out through the exhaust port. To
facilitate starting, steam is admitted behind a blade, the effective length of which is
sufficient to start the engine.
This engine, as it can rotate at a low speed allows of the wheels of a vehicle being
directly arranged upon the shaft of the engine which then actually constitutes the axle
whereby all intermediate gear is dispensed with.
1007
G. F. REDFERN & Co,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London, Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (A communication to me from La
Société Boyer et Conti, of 2, Rue du Souvenir, Courbevoie, Seine, in the Republic of
France) 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 engine in which the shaft is fixed to the lateral
walls of the motor cylinder whilst the cylindrical body is fixed to the frame which
supports the engine.
Figure 1 of the drawing is a section of the engine through the longitudinal axis on
the line a, b, c, Figure 2, and,
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the axis d, e of the engine:
Figure 3 is a plan partly in section through the line f, g, Figure 1.
In this engine, the rotary movement is effected by the employment of several
movable blades or wings p, each capable of displacement in a plane passing through
the axis of the motor shaft A so as to always remain in contact with the inner surface
of a fixed cylinder C, the axis of which is eccentric with respect to the axis of the
shaft A. Each blade is provided at its end with a foot. q which is jointed thereto
at x, the said foot shewn in detail in Figure 4, having enlarged portions or
wings h²
The cylinder C is fixed and serves as the frame of the engine; it supports the
shaft A through the medium of the frame B which carries the bearings P. The
lateral walls of the cylinder are movable and are formed integral with the shaft A ;

page_text: they are connected together by a grooved drum T; the blades p engage in these
grooves as well as in grooves made in the movable walls J. The tightness of the
lateral ends of each blade as well as of its lower part is obtained by the application
of the blade itself against the sides of the grooves made in the inovable walls J as
well as in the drum T, that is to say, each blade always remains applied by the
steam on a slide which inoves with it and is consequently always supported upon
three sides.
In order to isolate from one another the steam chambers comprised between two
consecutive blades, it is, therefore, only necessary to constantly apply each blade
against the fixed cylinder C. To this end the part of the blade which is engaged in
the lateral groove is surmounted by a rectangular stuffing-box above which is an air
space. It will thus he clear that the two stuffing-boxes which are at the lateral ends
of each blade fulfil the function of two spiral springs which would constantly apply
the wing against the fixed cylinder C. It is to be understood that spiral springs or
other suitable arrangements can be employed to supplement the effect of the
stuffing-boxes for the purpose of constantly pressing the blades against the fixed
cylinder.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate on a larger scale the detail of the end of a blade in the
groove of a lateral wall.
is
To make a joint between the movable walls J, the cylinder C has on each face a
channel D) which serves to receive three contiguous rings namely a triangular ring h
of copper or other suitable anti-friction metal, the vertical face of which is provided
with circular grooves, a ring i of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material and a
metal ring which is acted upon by means of pressure screws k. This packing is
designed to make a joint against the lateral walls J as well as against the packings
with which the front of each blade p engaged in its corresponding groove
surmounted. In this method of closing, the screws k can be replaced by a suitable
fluid under pressure, such as compressed air or steam, which would circulate in the
recess in the channel D. The packing of the blades which serves as a stuffing-box is
made in the following manner: the blade receives two screw threaded pins l, l the
upper thinned portion of each of which forms a flat rod. This flat rod passes freely
into a brass plate m surrounded by a flat case n of india-rubber or other suitable
material such, for example, as asbestos, which is provided with a recess for receiving
a small copper plate o designed to work frictionwise against the joint x, the fixed
cylinder C and the copper ring h. The packing n is compressed to a greater or lesser
degree by means of the box E through which passes the flat rod ; the notched
piece s (shewn in detail plan view in Figure 8) is placed on the said two rods, and
above this are placed split keys t (one of which is shewn detached in Figure 9) which
bear against the upper shoulders of the flat rod l. The screw which is provided
with a shoulder beneath the notched piece s allows, when it is turned in one direction
or the other, of more or less lowering the box E and consequently of more or less
compressing the packing n. A safety screw serves to keep the blade
at a small distance from the cylinder C without pressure when the engine is at
rest.
U
The operation of the engine is as follows: the inlet port O and exhaust port Q
are first opened; the steam after having expanded by reason of the increase of
the volume comprised between two consecutive blades passes out through the
exhaust port Q. To facilitate starting, steam is admitted through Z and arrives
behind a blade, the effective length of which is sufficient to start the engine.
This engine, as it can rotate at a low speed allows of the wheels of a vehicle being
directly arranged upon the shaft of the engine which then actually constitutes the
axle whereby all intermediate gear is dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A rotary engine characterized essentially by the arrangement consisting in fixing

page_text: the motor shaft to or making it integral with, the lateral walls of the cylinder in
which the fluid under pressure acts, the said engine comprising a large number of
blades or wings.
2. In a rotary engine of the kind herein referred to the arrangement consisting
in engaging each blade in guide grooves made in the movable walls of the
cylinder of the engine, the part of the blade engaged in the groove being provided
with a stuffing box allowing the interior pressure to cause the said blades to bear
against the fixed cylinder,
3. The method of exterior closing characterized by the employment of a ring of
suitable metal pressed against the movable walls through the medium of a ring of
elastic material pressed by adjustable means or by fluid under pressure.
Dated this 19th day of August 1898.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.