IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Outram, of Sevenoaks, in the County of
Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Outram at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st June 1870.
I, JAMES OUTRAM, of Sevenoaks, in the County of Kent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
I provide a cylinder of that kind adopted for rotary engines, and, as
I prefer, divided by a partition into two unequal parts or chambers, the
smaller chamber for high pressure and the larger for condensing or low
pressure, and in each side of this partition I place internal cylinders or
drums, which have slide guides or grooves formed therein with slides
inserted in them, to which slides the requisite action is given (when
motion is imparted by pressure of the steam or prime mover) by means of
wheels on the edges of the said slides, such wheels travelling in a curved

page_text: groove, the path of which is eccentric, there being one such groove on
cach face of the said partition (and one on each cylinder cover if desired)
so as to guide the action for the high pressure arrangement on one side
of the partition and the low pressure on the other, the result of this
arrangement and the provisions hereafter mentioned being that as steam
or motive fluid is admitted by the steam admission port (behind which
there is a fixed projecting plate, the edge of which abuts against the surface
of the drum or internal cylinder) the slides are caused upon revolution
of the drums to slide out and in as required to pass the said projecting
plate or steam fulcrum. Steam shut-offs are provided for admission and
discharge of same, and arrangements are made for leading the steam
from the high pressure to the low pressure chamber when both high
pressure and low pressure are desired to be used. The steam on entering
the cylinder acts against two, three, or more slides (according to the
number adopted) that work out and in as aforesaid in order to pass the
steam fulcrum, as before mentioned. The engine may, if thought
desirable, be restricted to the high pressure chamber only, instead of
both high and low pressure being adopted. The action is instantly
reversible, as I have an inlet on each side of the steam fulcrum each
leading to the outlet.
The axis for the drums forms the working shaft for supplying the
power for any mechanical purpose. The bearings are on the outer cases.
or covers with suitable stuffing boxes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Outram in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 21st December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, James
OUTRAM, of Sevenoaks, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of 3
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Outram, Her special licence that I,
the said James Outram, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: such others as I, the said James Outram, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Outram, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Outram, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
which shows internal arrangements of engine with cover off.
I provide a cylinder of that kind adopted for rotary engines, and, as
I prefer, divided by a partition into two unequal parts or chambers.
The smaller chamber for high pressure and the larger chamber for
condensing or low pressure, and on each side of each partition I place
internal cylinders or drums A, A, which have slide guides or grooves
B, B, B, formed therein with slides inserted in them, to which sides the
requisite action is given when motion is imparted by pressure of the
steam (or prime mover) by means of wheels C, C, C, on the edge of
said slides, such wheels travelling in a curved groove D, D, D, the path
of which is eccentric. There being one such groove on each face of the
partition (and one on each cylinder cover, if desired), so as to guide
the action for the high pressure arrangement on the one side of the
partition and the low pressure arrangement on the other side of the
partition. The result of this arrangement and the provisions hereafter
mentioned being that steam, air, water, or liquid fluid is admitted by
the steam admission ports, behind which there is a fixed drum (or
internal cylinder A, A, A,) and is kept steam-tight (or nearly so) by
means of a thumb screw F or otherwise; the slides being caused upon
revolution of the drum (or drums) to slide out and in of the internal
drum to allow the steam to pass by the end of the slides and also to

page_text: pass the metallic fulcrum E, and also to keep the slides steam-tight (or
nearly so) where required. Metallic or other packing is used when and
where required. Steam shut-offs G, G, G, are provided for admission
and discharge of same, and arrangements are made (or provided) for
leading the steam from the high pressure to the low pressure where both
high pressure and low pressure are desired to be used. The steam (or
other fluids) on entering the cylinder (or cylinders) acts against two,
three, or more slides (according to the number adopted) that work out and
in H, H, H, of the internal cylinder as aforesaid. The engine may, if
thought desirable, be restricted to high pressure only instead of both
high pressure and lower pressure being adopted, or by using a cam (or
otherwise) to work a slide can cut off the steam at half stroke, 'quarter
stroke, or otherwise, in order to save steam and work more by expansion.
It is also especially adapted for pumping air, water, or other fluids, or
by fixing one or more high-pressure engines on the same driving shaft
can pump air, water, or other fluid by the same shaft, and all at the
same time if desired; the area of the steam way I, I, I, or the diameter
of the cylinder (or cylinders) can be increased or diminished according
to the power or speed required. The internal cylinder or drum is keyed
on the axle, which forms the driving shaft K for all mechanical
purposes. The action is instantly reversable, as I have an inlet L, L,
on each side of the metallic plate (or steam fulcrum), each leading to
the opposite outlet, and all the slides (or steam shut-offs) are reversed
by the one handle or lever. The bearings are on the outer covers with
suitable stuffing boxes, and there is also a bearing between the high and
low pressure when high and low pressure are used. The high-pressure
drum and the low-pressure drum are keyed to the same driving shaft K,
and the steam passes out of the high pressure through the internal
partition G, G, into the larger cylinder and works by expansion against
two or more slides at the opposite angle to the high pressure and passes
out of an outlet at opposite angle to the inlet of the high pressure.
M, M, shews outer case of engine.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner
in which the same is constructed, I claim as my Invention,---
First. The constructing of rotary engines with the internal cylinder
(or drum) being placed out of the centre, the edge of which abuts
against the side of the outer case or cover (or metallic fulcrum if pre-
ferred), the internal cylinder being on a shaft eccentric with the cover.

page_text: Second. I claim as my Invention the constructing of rotary engines
with high and low pressure, whether condensing or otherwise.
Thirdly. I claim as my Invention the constructing of rotary engines
with wheels working in a groove (or the end of slides working against
a cam), if made, or any one or more of my plans.
Fourth..I claim as my Invention all rotary engines and pumps,
separate or together, all being on one shaft (or otherwise), if made
on my plan, whether high pressure only or both high pressure and low
pressure to condense (thereby forming a vacuum) or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Outram, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
JAMES OUTRAM. (L.S.)