Improvements in Rotary Motors and Pumps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1889-Accepted. 30th Nov.. 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Motors and Pumps.
I ANDREW MCFARLAND of Thomaston in the State of Maine, one of the United
States of America, Mechanic 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 rotary motors and has for its object to provide a simple,
compact and efficient motor.
In accordance with my invention, the piston of my improved motor is composed
of two concentric rings joined by preferably a central web, to form with a valve seat
annular chambers into which the steam, water, or other medium or power is admitted
continuously.
The concentric rings referred to are connected as shown by radial arms to a hub
on a shaft or arbor having a bearing in one head or cover of the motor.
The inner ring and connecting web, as herein shown, are provided with radial slots
in which are reciprocated sliding abutments or wings having their inner ends
pivotally connected to rods, pivotally secured as shown to a hub having a pin or.arbor
eccentrically mounted in a boss on one of the covers, so that when the piston is
revolved the wings are reciprocated, for a purpose as will be described, by the eccentric
referred to.
The particular features of my invention will be pointed out in the claim at the end
of this specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a rotary motor embodying my invention, one of the
covers or heads being removed.
Fig. 2, a section of the motor shown in Fig. 1 on line x-x.
Fig. 3, an underside view of one of the heads removed, and
Fig. 4, a detail to be referred to.
The shell or cylinder in which the rotary piston is located is composed, as shown,
of a ring a mounted upon legs or supports a', and heads or covers a, a³, firmly
secured to said ring, as by bolts a¹.
The head or cover a is provided, as shown, with a hub a³ forming a bearing for
the shaft a of the rotary piston constructed as will be described.
The rotary piston referred to is composed of two concentric rings b, 61, connected
together, as shown, by a web , the ring being connected to arms extended
radially from a hub 6, herein shown as cast integral with the shaft a, a washer 15
being shown interposed between the hub and head or cover a², the said rings,
radial arms 63, hub b being preferably cast in one piece.
The ring 6, and web are provided with a series of slots 6 extended radially
with relation to the centre of the rotary piston, the said slots receiving within them,
as herein shown, flat pieces of metal constituting sliding abutments or wings, the
ring having ears 10 extended from its inner periphery to afford increased bearing
surfaces for the wings b'.
The wings 6' are connected as by pivot rod c to one end of a rod c¹ provided at its
other end as shown with a stud or projection e, see Fig. 2, fitted into a socket in a
cylinder mounted on a spindle or rod c eccentrically supported in a hub or boss co
herein shown as secured to the head or cover a³, the said hub or boss forming the
second bearing for the rotary piston, a flange c on a ring 9, forming one of the
covers for the piston, being fitted over said hub or boss.
The rods are held in the sockets or openings in the cylinder as shown by a
washer clo

page_text: The heads or covers a², a³, on their inner sides near their periphery, are provided
with annular ribs or projections e constituting guiding surfaces for the sliding
abutments or wings, the said ribs or projections extending between the piston rings.
Each head or cover is provided, as shown, in Fig. 3, with ports d d', d², and when
steam is to be used as the motive power, the ports d, d' alone will be used, the port
being omitted, but when water or fluid is to be used the port d will be omitted and
the ports d, employed, the port d' constituting the inlet for the water, and the
port the outlet therefor.
Each rib or projection c² has secured to or forming part of it, a metallic block d³,
which in practice is fitted steam tight into the space between the piston rings b, b, as
will be described, and forms an abutment or stop for the steam, water or other medium
employed to drive the motor.
The block d³ is shown in Fig. 3 as fitted between the ports d, d¹, whereby tlie
direction of rotation of the motor may be reversed when desired, the supply of steam
or other medium to the ports being controlled by a suitable cock or valve in a pipe,
not shown.
In operation let it be supposed that the piston is rotating in the direction of
arrow 20, Fig. 1, and that steam is used as the motive power. In this case the
port d is cut off, and steam admitted into the space between the rings through the
inlet port d', the sliding abutments being in substantially the position shown in
Fig. 1.
The steam admitted into the passage or space between the piston rings acts on the
sliding abutment & marked 2 and turns the rotary piston in the direction of
arrow 20.
As the piston moves in the direction of arrow 20, the sliding abutments are
reciprocated, the sliding abutment marked 2 being moved further forward into its
slot, until it reaches the highest point of throw of the eccentric, which, as represented
in the drawing, may for sake of clearness be supposed to be, when the point 21 on
the piston ring, and the centre of the stud connected to said sliding abutment, and the
centre of the spindle c', are substantially in the same line.
As the piston is rotated, the next succeeding sliding abutment in rotation marked 3,
is being moved into its slot to gradually close the passage or space until it reaches
the position in the drawing occupied by the abutment marked 4, it being entirely
closed and steam confined between the abutments 2 and 3.
On the further rotation of the piston, the abutment 2 which is supposed to be in
the position now occupied by the abutment marked 4, will gradually be opened,
permitting the steam to exhaust through the port.
Thus it will be seen, that each sliding abutment in its turn is closed and opened
during one revolution of the piston.
The piston may be rendered steam and water tight, as herein shown, by packing
rings e, e preferably made adjustable to take up wear, by screws e² or it may be
springs.
To compensate for wear of the sliding abutments 67, each abutment on its opposite
sides is recessed to receive an independent plate e, see Fig. 2, the said plate being
pressed forward by springs e in sockets in the said abutment, and so also, the face of
the ring on opposite sides of the abutment may be provided with an independent
piece or bearing surface e, located in a recess in the ring and within which is located
a spring e'.
So also to compensate for wear upon the block or abutment d³, the latter is
preferably made as shown in Fig. 3, the said block being cut out or recessed to
receive two smaller pieces es,.", provided with sockets in which is located a spring el
acting to normally force the said pieces against the piston rings b, b; and to
compensate for wear upon the web, the block d³ may be adjusted as shown by push
Screws 12, see Fig. 4, only one of which is shown.
When water or other fluid is to be used as the motive power, the steam port d may
be omitted, or cut off by a suitable valve, not shown, and the water or other fluid,
when the engine is used for a motor, be admitted through the port d' and exhausted

page_text: through the port ³, but when used for a pump the port d² would constituto the inlet,
and the port d' the outlet.
When used with steam as a motor, rotation of the piston may be reversed, that is,
so as to run in a direction opposite to that indicated by arrow 20, and in this case
the port d would form the inlet and the port d' the outlet.
I do not desire to limit myself to the particular form of packing shown.
By constructing the piston with two rings, excessive pressure upon the bearing of
the shaft is relieved, thereby diminishing the friction upon the same.
་
The ring & has secured to its sides, rings 3, 6, constituting covers for the piston,
to keep the valves in place, and one of the said covers forms the bearing surface for
the inner ring of the piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1: In a rotary motor a shell or cylinder provided with an inlet and exhaust port,
of a rotary piston therein consisting of concentric rings b, b, connected by a web b³,
and provided with a series of substantially radial slots, a block or abutment d³
secured to the said shell, a main shaft to which the said concentric rings are connected,
and a series of sliding abutments or wings 67, connected to a hub eccentrically
mounted with relation to the said piston, substantially as described.
2: In a rotary motor, the shell or cylinder composed of the ring a, and heads a², a³,
provided with the annular projections c, and baving an inlet and exhaust port, a
block or abutment & secured to said annular projections, of a rotary piston consisting
of concentric rings b, b', on opposite sides of the said block or abutment, a web ³
connecting said rings and forming with the said annular projections steam spaces, a
main shaft to which the said rings are connected, a series of substantially radial
slots in said rings, and a series of sliding abutments or wings b' fitted into said slots
and connected to a hub eccentrically mounted with relation to the said main shaft,
substantially as described.
3: In a rotary motor, the shell or cylinder composed of the ring a, and heads a³, a³,
provided with the annular projections e, and having an inlet and exhaust port, a
block or abutment & secured to said annular projections, of a rotary piston consisting
of concentric rings b, b, on opposite sides of the said block or abutment, and
provided with substantially radial slots, ears 6 secured to the ring 6', a web b
connecting said rings and forming with the said annular projections steam spaces, a
main shaft to which the said rings are connected, and a series of sliding abutments
or wings fitted into said radial slots and connected to a hub eccentrically mounted
with relation to the said main shaft, substantially as described.
Datad the 1st day of Oatabar 1998
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.