Year: 1886

page_text: I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of N° 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Mr Victor Popp, of
10 Rue St Fargeau, Paris, France, Manager of "La Cie des Horloges Pneuma-
tiques") to be as follows:-
This invention has for object improvements in rotary motors to be operated by
fluid pressure.
In order to explain the nature of the invention there is appended by way of
example two sheets of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section along the
axis of a rotary motor according to this invention showing the piston in its middle
position. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4 is a
section showing the position occupied by the piston at the beginning of its stroke.
In these Figures the same reference letters represent the same parts. The motor
comprises a cast iron vessel A. forming the cylinder and provided with tubes H
and I, of which the former serves for the admission of the compressed air, and the
latter for the exhaust of the same, or vice versa, and a lid B fixed by screws b on
to the cylinder, it has also a piston C consisting of two similar steel wedges a, a,
sliding one within the other, and stayed apart by the rectangular guide-piece a³,
through which passes the shaft. This shaft is furnished with an exhaust opening o
to avoid the compression of the air which might take place in the empty spaces of
the two wedges, and which would necessarily stop the movement of the motor.
The shaft D carries at one end the flywheel E, and on the other a grooved pulley
for the driving band. This shaft rotates freely in two cast fron bearings formed
on the ends of the cylinder. The lubricator G has a regulated feed, the openings
of which are so arranged as to lubricate all parts of the piston. The apparatus is
designed to be fixed upon the machine which it is to drive, either directly or on
an interposed base of wrought or cast iron. At the commencement of its stroke,
the piston occupies the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the inlet port is

page_text: slightly open, and allows air to penetrate into the upper segment of the cylinder,
the exhaust port is wide open and connects the lower segment with the atmosphere.
On the fluid entering under pressure by the tube H, it flows into the upper
portion of the cylinder. It will be easily understood that in consequence of the
position of the axis of the piston, which is situated at a point one third of the
diameter of the cylinder from the circumference and on the extension of the axis
of the two tubes H and I, that the fluid on entering into the upper segment,
forces the piston to perform half a revolution; as soon as this half revolution is
accomplished, the exhaust port re-opens and allows the air to escape, but at this
moment the compressed fluid no longer enters the first segment of the cylinder, and
commences to act on the other piston face, thus forcing it to complete its revolution
around its axis, with or without expansion. Auy suitable system of expansion
apparatus may be used in conjunction with motors according to this invention. The
arrows of the Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing show clearly the course followed by the
air or other fluid, and the movements of the piston. The rotary motion is trans-
mitted to the shaft D by means of the guide-piece a¹ on which is rivetted a pin
working freely in the squared part of the shaft.
The ends of the wedges a, a, which form the piston, are curved so as to have
only one point of contact with the interior surface. Loss of power from friction
is thus reduced. The contact with the surface of the cylinder is constantly
maintained by the pressure of the air, and by the centrifugal force. Springs may
also be used in the space between the two ends of the piston and the cylinder, or
in the space of the two wedges a, a. The small quantity of compressed air which
may perchance get into the spaces o, c of the piston, does not obstruct the action
of the apparatus, for it has a direct means of escape into the atmosphere through
a small circular channel z provided in the axis of the shaft D. The several
component parts of the piston slide alternately one upon the other with an amount
of friction which is of no consequence in small motors, but which may be reduced
in apparatus of greater power, by the interposition of friction. rollers between the
rubbing parts. Motors may be constructed with double pistons so as to avoid the
disadvantages of the dead points of simple engines. A governor may also be applied
to regulate the supply of fluid by controlling a valve or à tap placed in the pipe H.
In the case where compressed air is specially used as the driving fluid, it is preferred
to use the arrangement as shown on the annexed drawing by way of example.
Fig. 5 is an elevation in partial section of the motor. Fig. 6 is a plan in partial
section on the line 1-2.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 3-4, Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on
the line 5-6, Fig. 7, showing the position of the piston at the beginning and at
the middle of its stroke respectively. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing in cross
section the tap controlling the feed of the gas for heating the air. In these Figs.
similar reference letters relate to the same parts A is the driving cylinder. B is
the cover of the same. O is the piston. Dis the driving shaft, and E is the pulley
which serves as a fly. wheel. The cylinder A is provided with two openings X
and Y connected by a pipe P. A reversing tap o operated by means of a key,
serves to reverse the motor either to the right or to the left, according to require-
ments; in such a case, the two openings X and Y must be of equal diameter.
The ball governor F controls and regulates the supply of the air, by acting on a
throttle valve situated in the feed pipe or in the discharge pipe P, according to the
position of the admission, and of the tap O. The compressed air is charged more
or less with water vapour, partly condensed in the piping, and then discharged by
automatically working discharge syphons.
At the moment of expansion when the air escapes at the discharge orifice, a
lowering of temperature is the result, and sometimes when the air is saturated
with water, ice is produced in the discharge pipe.
This property is utilized in some cases to produce cold, but in order to ensure
the proper working of the engine, it is necessary to provide for the preliminary
beating of the air, This heating takes places in an apparatus consisting of a sheet

page_text: iron cylinder K, enclosing two boxes of cast iron or other metal, provided with
wings or ribs serving as baffle plates between which circulates the compressed air
which enters by the tube J. A gas burner N heats the apparatus. The key of
the tap controlling the gas feed L is operated directly by the governor F, so as to
allow of the intensity of the heating to be increased or diminished according to
the greater or less speed of the motor. The small gas burner M serves to light the
large burner on starting the engine, and has also the object of maintaining the
combustion during momentary stoppages of the motor, in order to relight the large
burner N. The apparatus R receives the exhaust air and diffuses it noiselessly into
the atmosphere; it consists of two concentric cylinders T of sheet metal, the space
between them being packed with fragmentary material such as horse hair waste or
leather scrap. The counting apparatus $ fixed on the motor registers the number
of revolutions. The volume of air consumed may be found by multiplying the
number of revolutions made in a day's work, with the capacity of the motor,
increased by a constant co efficient for the loss.

page_text: Pressure.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of No 46 Lincoln's Inn Field, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Mr Victor Popp of 10, Rue
St Fargeau, Paris, France Manager of La Cie des Horloges Pneumatiques and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention has for object improvements in rotary motors to be operated by
fluid pressure. In order to explain the nature of the invention there is appended
two sheets of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section along the axis of a
rotary motor according to this invention showing the piston in its middle position.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4 is a section showing
the position occupied by the piston at the beginning of its stroke.
In these Figs. the same reference letters represent the same parts. The motor
comprises a cast iron vessel A forming the cylinder and provided with tubes H
and I, of which the former serves for the admission of the compressed air, and the
latter for the exhaust of the same, or vice versâ; and a lid or cover B fixed by
screws bon to the cylinder. It has also a piston C consisting of two similar steel
wedges a, a, sliding one within the other, and stayed apart by the rectangular
guide-piece a¹, through which passes the shaft. This shaft is furnished with 'an
exhaust opening o to avoid the compression of the air which might take place in
the empty spaces of the two wedges, and which would necessarily stop the move-
ment of the motor. The shaft D carries at one end the flywheel E, and on the
other a grooved pulley F for the driving band. This shaft rotates freely in two
cast iron bearings formed on the ends of the cylinder.
The lubricator G has a regulated feed, the openings of which are so arranged as
to lubricate all parts of the piston. The apparatus is designed to be fixed upon the
machine which it is to drive, either directly or on an interposed base of wrought
or cast iron. At the commencement of its stroke, the piston occupies the position
shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the inlet port is slightly open, and allows air to
penetrate into the upper segment of the cylinder, the exhaust port is wide open
and connects the lower segment with the atmosphere.
On the fluid entering under pressure by the tube H, it flows into the upper
portion of the cylinder. It will be easily understood that in consequence of the
position of the axis of the piston, which is situated at a point one third of the
diameter of the cylinder for the circumference and on the extension of the axis of
the two tubes H and I, that the fluid on entering into the upper segment, forces
the piston to perform half a revolution; as soon as this half revolution is
accomplished, the exhaust port re-opens and allows the air to escape, but at this
moment the compressed fluid no longer enters the first segment of the cylinder,
and commences to act on the other piston face, thus forcing it to complete its
revolution around its axis, with or without expansion. Any suitable system of

page_text: expansion apparatus may be used in conjunction with motors according to this
invention. The arrows of Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing show clearly the course
followed by the air or other fluid, and the movements of the piston. The rotary
motion is transmitted to the shaft D by means of the guide-piece a' on which is
rivetted a pin working freely in the squared part of the shaft.
The ends of the wedges a, a, which form the piston, are curved so as to have
only one point of contact with the interior surface. Loss of power from friction
is thus reduced. The contact with the surface of the cylinder is constantly main-
tained by the pressure of the air, and by the centrifugal force. Springs may also
be used in the space between the two ends of the piston and the cylinder, or in
the space of the two wedges a, a.
The small quantity of compressed air which may perchance get into the spaces c, c
of the piston, does not obstruct action of the apparatus, for it has a direct means of
escape into the atmosphere through a small circular channel z provided in the axis
of the shaft D. The several component parts of the piston slide alternately one
upon the other with an amount of friction which is of no consequence in small
motors, but which may be reduced in apparatus of greater power, by the inter-
position of friction rollers between the rubbing parts. Motors may be constructed
with double pistons so as to avoid the disadvantages of the dead points of simple
engines. A governor may also be applied to regulate the supply of fluid by con-
trolling a valve or a tap placed in the pipe H. In the case where compressed air
is specially used as the driving fluid it is preferred to use the arrangement as
shown on the annexed drawing by way of of example.
Fig. 5 is an elevavation in partial section of the motor. Fig. 6 is a plan in partial
section on the line 1-2.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 3-4, Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on
the line 5-6, Fig. 7, showing the position of the piston at the beginning and at
the middle of its stroke respectively. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing in cross
section the tap controlling the feed of the gas for heating the air. In these Figs.
similar reference letters relate to the same parts A is the driving cylinder. B is
the cover of the same. C is the piston. D is the driving shaft, and E is the pulley
which serves as a fly-wheel. The cylinder A is provided with two openings X and Y
connected by a pipe P. A reversing tap o operated by means of a key, serves to
reverse the motor either to the right or to the left, according to requirements; in
such a case, the two openings X and Y must be of equal diameter. The ball
governor F controls and regulates the supply of the air, by acting on a throttle
valve situated in the feed pipe or in the discharge pipe P, according to the position
of the admission, and of the tap O. The compressed air is charged more or less
with water vapour, partly condensed in the piping, and then discharged by
automatically working discharge syphons.
At the moment of expansion when the air escapes at the discharge orifice, a
lowering of temperature is the result, and sometimes when the air is saturated with
water, ice is produced in the discharge pipe. This property is utilized in some
cases to produce cold, but in order to ensure the proper working of the engine, it
is necessary to provide for the preliminary heating of the air. This beating takes
place in an apparatus consisting of a sheet iron cylinder K, enclosing two boxes of
cast iron or other metal, provided with wings or ribs serving as baffle plates between
which circulates the compressed air which enters by the tube J. A gas burner N
heats the apparatus. The key of the tap controlling the gas feed L is operated
directly by the governor F, so as to allow of the intensity of the heating to be
increased or diminished according to the greater or less speed of the motor. The
small gas burner M serves to light the large burner on starting the engine, and has
also the object of maintaining the combustion during momentary stoppages of the
motor, in order to relight the large burner N. The apparatus R receives the exhaust
air and diffuses it noiselessly into the atmosphere; it consists of two concentric
cylinders T of sheet metal,-the space between them being packed with fragmentary
material such as horse hair waste,

page_text: The counting apparatus S fixed on the motor registers the number of revolutions.
The volume of air consumed may be found by multiplying the number of revolutions
made in a day's work, with the capacity of the motor, increased by a constant
co-efficient for the loss.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In a rotary motor operated by fluid pressure
1. A piston formed by plates sliding with or without friction rollers, on a
moveable piece around an axis which is excentric in relation to the cylinder in
which it works, substantially as described and shown in the annexed drawings,
and for the purpose specified.
2. A two-way tap or valve O, Figs. 5, 6, 7, by which each pipe entering the
cylinder may be made to act either as inlet or exhaust pipe, and thus the direction
of motion of the motor may be reversed substantially as described.
-
3.. The cylinder K. provided with ribs formed as baffle plates, Fig. 5, and heated
by a gas burner N which is controlled by a governor, the arrangement being such
that the air is raised to a temperature sufficient at least to avoid the disadvantages
resulting from the freezing of the suspended water vapour, on the expanding of
the air, substantially as described and shown.
4. The silencing apparatus R consisting of two vessels the one within the other,
the space between them being filled with fragmentary material such as hair waste
so that the air escapes without noise into the atmosphere, substantially 'as
described.
5. The improved motor, constructed arranged and operating substantially as
described.