Year: 1896

page_text: I WILLIAM MARSHALL HUSKISSON of 12 Lancaster Road London, W., 'Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines of the Turbine variety
impelled by the explosion of charges of air and gas or air and vapourised oil. The
engines which I am acquainted with driven by the above combinations are very
inefficient, the greater part of the heat generated by the combustion of these
mixtures being given up to the cylinder cooling water or else going out at the
exhaust and only a very small percentage being transformed into useful work.
By this invention I endeavour to increase the efficiency or amount of useful work
obtained by the combustion of the above mixture. I use a turbine in order to take
advantage of the good effects of rapid expansions, and avoiding metallic contacts
in the chamber enclosing the explosive gases of high temperature and also to
render premature explosions a source of gain instead of loss as they are in other
engines. I also recover part of the radiated heat and the heat going out at the
exhaust by using it to heat the air to be used in combination with gas or vapourised
oil for subsequent charges.
I use by preference a parallel flow turbine, and in order that the turbine may
work efficiently but at the same time at a reasonable number of revolutions I fit
a number of complete turbine wheels, or rings of turbine buckets at intervals upon
the outside of the rotating barrel of a cylindrical (or conical) archimedian pump
and enclose it in a cylinder or case (in two halves) in which the guide blades or
vanes are fixed each ring of guides occupying one of the intervals between the
turbine wheels, so that when the cylinder is bolted together the gases can expand
and pass through the first set of guide blades and are deflected against the first
set of turbine buckets reaching from these on to the next set of guide vanes then
on to the second set of buckets and so on through the whole series. One or
more deep spiral ribs of uniform pitch wind round the outside of the casing
from end to end, these are preferably cast with the casing. Lagging is wound
round the casing on the top of these ribs; the lagging at the exhaust end of the
casing terminates in an air suction cowl fitted with a valve controlled by
a lever, afterwards referred to as the air suction lever, the air suction cowl also
communicates with the suction of the archimedian pump, the arrangement is such
that part of the air flowing into the air suction cowl flows into the archimedian
pump while the other part flows round the spiral space formed by the casing and
the spiral webs and the outside of the casing enclosed by the lagging so that in

page_text: travelling from the exhaust end to the top end of the casing the air flows around
the same several times.
The discharge end of the archimedian pump is flared out into a trumpet shape
forming a balance piston to balance part of the thrust of the turbine and rotates
in the cylindrical part of the casting a ring is secured in this casting at the back
of this trumpet shaped end of the pump it projects a short distance into the inside
trumpeted part of the pump and has a number of concentric steps turned in its face
which fit similar steps turned inside of the trumpet shaped end of the pump.
There is a short space left at the back of the ring plate forming an air receiver
for the pump which is closed by a cover with a long boss cast on it and bored to
allow the rotating turbine shaft to pass through it. A deep flange is cast on the
cover of the same diameter as the outside of the spiral ribs of the casing, and the
casing lagging is secured to this, the top of the branch casting is supplied with a
deep flange having a hole core in it covered by a clack valve on the top side. Holes
are cored through barrel of explosion chamber casting between the ring plate and
diaphragm and the coring lagging is so arranged that all the air discharged
from the pump and running through these holes and circulating round the spiral
space around the casting meet on the outside of the explosion chamber and go
through this clack valve opening and pass into the vapouriser.
The Archimedian pump on the outside of which the turbine wheels are mounted
(as explained above) has internal spiral webs of uniform pitch winding along
throughout its length cast solid with it. It is mounted on the rotating shaft, the
suction is at the exhaust end of the turbine and in communication with the air
suction cowl (which also communicates air to the spiral passage outside the turbine
casing) the discharge end is flared out to form the balance piston (as described
above) and when the turbine is rotated this pump discharges air into the air receiver
in the explosion chamber.
The directing vanes of the turbine are formed with hollows, which are made to
communicate through holes in the cylindrical casing with the before described
outer helical air passage and thus the air circulating in the latter also assists in
keeping e vanes cool.
At the upper end of the turbine is a annular chamber communicating on the
one hand with the top guide vanes of the turbine and on the other hand by a
lateral branch with the casing of the apparatus for producing the mixture of gas
or oil vapour and air, and for exploding the same for producing the highly heated
guses under pressure that are to drive the turbine.
This apparatus consists firstly of a pump piston of hollow trunk form working
in the before mentioned casing and held in a raised position by a strong spring
acting on its piston rod. When in this raised position hot air enters the interior
of the piston from a chamber surrounding the lower end of the pump casing,
which chamber communicates with the before described helical air passage sur-
rounding the turbine casing so that the hot air from the latter enters the chamber
and passes thence through lateral openings into the interior of the trunk piston.
When this is in the raised position, also a lateral opening allows a portion of the
air to pass from the casing into the before mentioned chamber communicating
with the top guide vanes of the turbine for the purpose of cooling the turbine.
In the upper part of the pump casing is formed a lateral enlargement which
constitutes the explosion chamber and mixing and vapourising chamber for the
oil vapour and air. This chamber consists of a central cylinder open at the lower
end to the explosion chamber and closed at top; surrounding this cylinder are two
concentric separate helical passages, both communicating at bottom with the ex-
plosion chamber through a non-return valve and at top with an inlet chamber
for oil and for hot air from the interior of the trunk piston.
These helical passages are arranged in opposite directions, that is to say the
one turns to the right hand and the other to the left hand. At the top of this
supply chamber is an inlet for oil controlled by a valve in such manner that by

page_text: a rapid downward movement of the valve one or more drops of oil are made to
flow down into the upper end of the inner helical channel. The action of the
apparatus is as follows. Assuming an explosion of a charge of oil vapour and air
to have accruded in the explosion chamber, the force thereof in acting on a shoulder
of the trunk piston will force it downward in opposition to the before mentioned
spring that holds it up, and will thus cause it to compress the hot air within it
(the lower open end of the piston being made to work over an upward projecting
plunger for this purpose).
The interior of the upper part of the piston, which is of reduced diameter, is
cut off from the lower part by means of a valve held down by a spring, so
adjusted that the said valve will be opened by the air pressure as the piston per-
forms its compressing downstroke, thereby allowing the compressed air to pass
into the upper part of the piston which forms a compressed air chamber. As
the piston travels down it opens the branch opening in the casing leading to the
turbine, so that the hot gases under pressure then pass from the explosion chamber
into the vanes and buckets of the turbine, and thus impart an impulse to the latter.
The piston spring then effects the raising thereof, and thereby brings lateral ports
in the compressed air chamber opposite ports in the before mentioned oil supply
chamber, so that compressed air will 'now flow into the latter, and will flow
simultaneously through the concentric helical channels, in contrary directions.
The air flowing through the inner channel will mix with oil vapour contained
therein and produced by the before described small supply of oil which becomes
vapourised by the heat; the charges of mixture of vapour and air and of air in
issuing at the bottom of the two passages with a considerable speed in opposite
directions, will impinge forcibly upon each other, so that an effectual mixture of
the oil vapour and air is insured.
This mixture passes through the nonreturn valve into the explosion chamber
where the charge is exploded by an electric spark or incandescent wire, and the
above action is repeated.
The before described momentary downward motion of the oil valve for effecting
the feed can be conveniently effected by a tappet on the upper end of the piston
rod which, on the downward motion of the piston, presses down the upper end of
the valve stem against the action of a spring that holds the valve closed.
If required to effect a still greater compression of the air in the upper chamber
of the piston before it issues into the mixing chamber the piston may be open at
the top and a plunger fixed to the top of the pump casing be made to project down
into it so that as the piston rises, such plunger will still farther compress the air.
For regulating the speed or power of the turbine I employ by preference the
following arrangement. The tower end of the turbine shaft carries a cup which
revolves therewith but eau move up and down thereon in opposition to a spring.
This cup is situated on a vessel containing water, so that as the cup revolves,
the centrifugal action imparted by it to the water will cause the latter to raise
the cup the higher, the greater the speed is.
The top of cup carries a conical friction surface on which bears the periphery
of a conical friction wheel which is consequently made to revolye with increased
or decreased speed according to the speed of the turbine shaft and its cup.
The said friction wheel carries electrical contacts which close an electrical circuit
leading to the electrical igniter of the explosion chamber at each revolution so that,
according as the turbine shaft runs at an increased or decreased speed, the closing
of the circuit will be effected with decreased or increased frequency, and con-
sequently the frequency of the explosions will be correspondingly diminished or
increased.
Dated this 17th day of Anconst 1896
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Rotary Turbine Engines.
I, WILLIAM MARSHALL HUSKISSON, of 12 Lancaster Road, London, W., Civil
Engineer, 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 improvements in rotary engines of the turbine variety
impelled by the explosion of charges of air and gas or air and vapourised oil. The
engines which I am acquainted with driven by the above combinations are very
inefficient, the greater part of the heat generated by the combustion of these
mixtures being given up to the cylinder cooling water or else going out at the
exhaust and only a very small percentage being transformed into useful work.
By this invention I endeavour to increase the efficiency or amount of useful work
obtained by the combustion of the above mixture. I use a turbine in order to take
advantage of the good effects of rapid expansions, and avoiding metallic contacts
in the chamber enclosing the explosive gases of high temperature and also to
render premature explosions a source of gain instead of loss as they are in other
engines. I also recover part of the radiated heat and the heat going out at the
exhaust by using it to heat the air to be used in combination with gas or vapourised
cil for subsequent charges.
I use by preference a parallel How turbine and in order that the turbine may
work efficiently but at the same time at a reasonable number of revolutions I fit
a number of complete turbine wheels, or rings of turbine buckets at intervals upon
the outside of the rotating barrel of a cylindrical (or conical) archimedean pump
and enclose it in a cylinder or case (in two halves) in which the guide blades or
vanes are fixed each ring of guides occupying one of the intervals between the
turbine wheels, so that when the cylinder is bolted together the gases can expand
and pass through the first set of guide blades and are deflected against the first
set of turbine buckets reaching from these on to the next set of guide vanes then
on to the second set of buckets, and so on, through the whole series.
One or more deep spiral ribs of uniform pitch wind round the outside of the casing
from end to end, these are preferably cast with the casing. Lagging is wound
round the casing on the top of these ribs; the lagging at the exhaust end of the
casing terminates in an air suction cowl that may be fitted with a valve controlled by
a lever, the air suction cowl also communicates with the suction of the archí-
medean pump, the arrangement is such that part of the air flowing into the air
suction cowl flows into the archimedean pump while the other part flows round the
spiral space formed by the casing and the spiral webs and the outside of the casing
enclosed by the lagging so that in travelling from the exhaust end to the top end of
the casing the air flows around the same several times.
The discharge end of the archimedean pump is flared out into a trumpet shape
forming a balance piston to balance part of the thrust of the turbine and rotates
in the cylindrical part of the casting; a ring is secured in this casting at the back
of this trumpet shaped end of the pump it projects a short distance into the inside
trumpeted part of the pump and has a number of concentric steps turned in its face
which fit similar steps turned inside of the trumpet shaped end of the pump.
There is a short space left at the back of the ring plate forming an air receiver
for the pump which is closed by a cover with a long boss cast on it and bored to
allow the rotating turbine shaft to pass through it. A deep flange is cast on the
cover of the same diameter as the outside of the spiral ribs of the casing, and the

page_text: easing luggage is secured to this, the top of the branch casting is supplied with a
deep flange having a hole in it covered by a clack valve on the top side.
The archimedean pump cu the outside of which the turbine wheels are inounted"
(as explained above) has internal spiral webs of uniform pitch winding along
throughout its length cast solid with it. It is mounted on the rotating shaft,
the suction is at the exhaust end of the turbine and in communication with the air
suction cowl (which also communicates air to the spiral passage outside the turbine
casing) the discharge end is flared out to form the balance piston (as described
above) and when the turbine is rotated this pump discharges air into the outer air.
The directing vanes of the turbine are formed with hollows, which are made to
communicate through holes in the cylindrical casing with the before described
outer helical air passages and thus the air circulating in the latter also assists in
keeping the vanes cool.
With this construction of rotary turbine engine is combined an apparatus for
producing successive explosive charges, the explosion of which furnishes the motive
power of the engine as will be hereinafter more particularly described.
The construction and mode of action of my improved rotary turbine engine will
be readily understood on reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1
shews an elevation of the machine partly in section. Fig. 2 shews a part sectional
underside view of the turbine detached from the base Q and Figs. 3 and 4 shew
cross sections taken respectively on lines A-B and C-D, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shews a
detail of the vapouriser, Fig. 6 the commutator for regulating the explosions.
Fig. 7 a detached perspective view of the turbine cylinder, and Fig. 8 a perspective
view of one half of the enclosing cylinder carrying the directing and deflecting
vanes.
The turbine motor consists of a cylindrical shell G on the outer surface of which
are formed or fixed a series of rings of buckets H H, as shewn more clearly at
Fig. 7, while internally it is connected by helical blades F' to the turbine shaft E,
which is supported at top by the suspension collars a carried by the cap & screwed
at c on to the cover l' of the turbine: thrust collars a carried on a shoulder of the
turbine shaft transmit the thrust of the turbine to the cap bc. It will be seen
that by screwing the cap be more or less up or down on the cover, it will raise or
lower the turbine so as to adjust the clearance between the faces of the buckets
and directing vanes without interfering with the thrust action. At bottom, the
shaft E is carried in hearings yg in the base Q. It carries a fly wheel S, and
imparts motion by worm gearing R, E, to a mill shaft W.
Enclosing the turbine-cylinder is the easing or cylinder L, against the inner
periphery of which the outer peripheries of the turbine buckets fit closely.
To such inner periphery of L are fixed rings of directing and deflecting vanes J
and K, these rings being at such distances apart that the turbine buckets H fit in
between them, with their upper and lower edges in close contact with the edges
of the said vanes.
In order to enable the cylinder L with the directing vanes to be fitted round
the turbine, it is made in two halves, as shewn at Fig. 8, which are secured together
by screws as shewn at Fig. 4.
On the outer surface of the cylinder L are fixed or formed helical ribs M, the
outer periphery of which is enclosed by a casing 1 with internal lagging, so as to
form closed helical passages M' between the ribs, into which the outer air can enter
at bottom through opening so as to flow upward and take up heat from L. At
the lower end the cylinder L has openings T communicating with the annular
space containing the turbine buckets, and constituting the exhaust openings for
the escape of the explosion gases after having done duty in the turbine.
The lower end of the turbine cylinder G has a flange 2 which bears with a stepped
surface against a correspondingly stepped surface on the end of cylinder L; the
upper end of the turbine cylinder has a flared extension N, the inner surface of
which hears with a number of stepped annular surfaces, against corresponding
stepped surfaces on an abutment piece O which is screwed into a threaded part of

page_text: the cylindrical cover 1', the extended central boss 1 of which carries the before
described cap b, c.
The abutment piece O and cover P may be made to take a portion of the end
thrust to which the turbine motor is subjected by the pressure of the explosion
gases when working, which thrust is mainly taken by the thrust collars 'a' and
cap b, c; the stepped contact surfaces between X and O however mainly serve
to throttle any leakage of the explosion gases passing to the turbine. The abut-
ment piece O is open at its inner end to the central space of the turbine cylinder G
and openings are provided in the cover P so that the central space containing
the archimedean blades F is in communication with the atmosphere both at top
and bottom.
The directing and deflecting vanes J and K are made with hollows, com-
municating by openings in the cylinder L with the helical passages M' formed
between the ribs M, so that air can enter the said hollows from such passages, and
thus assist in preventing the vanes from becoming unduly heated.
The cylindrical cover piece P, which is fixed by a flange to the upper flanged
end of the cylinder L, has an upper wide flange 1 to which the casing 1 is fixed,
with lagging, so as to form an enclosed upper space, the casing being extended
laterally at 1 so as to form a chamber communicating with the helical passages M³,
which chamber surrounds the lower part of the apparatus in which the explosive
charges are produced and ignited.
The casing 1 of this apparatus is preferably formed in one with the cover
piece P and communicates with the interior thereof by a lateral passage v.
The apparatus for producing and igniting the combustible charges is constructed
as follows.
Within the casing P is a hollow plunger » open at bottom and having a
cylindrical extension n' at top, which is connected to a rod 5 that is pressed upward
by a spring 6 so as to hold the plunger in the raised position shewn at Figure 1.
When in this raised position the plunger n n uncovers an air port in the
casing P, through which hot air coming from the helical passages M¹ can enter
the space between the inner surface of the plunger and the correspondingly
formed fixed seat 8. A portion of this air can also at the same time pass through
the passager into P and down into the directing vanes and buckets of the turbine
so as to cool these.
On the downward motion of the pump plunger n, which is effected by the ex-
plosion of a charge as will be presently explained, the air between n and is first
compressed to a certain extent and is then forced through a non-return valve 3
held down by a spring, into the compressed air chamber formed in the upper
part of the plunger. This chamber has lateral ports e, which, while the plungern
is forced down, are closed by the casing 10, but when a rises again after au.
explosion, the ports o communicate with a chamber r. In this chamber are con-
centric helical passages k k', centrally within which is a hollow vapourising stem j,
and immediately above this is an oil supplying device. This consists of a piston f
with tubular rod held up by a spring, and which, at each down stroke of the
plunger and rod 5, is forced downwards by a rod e connected by a bracket 81
to 5. By such downward motion the air in the cylinder f containing piston f
is forced through a passage and through lateral holes 9 in the tubular stem f
When f is in the raised position shewn, the holes 9 of the stem f' are opposite a
circular channel communicating with an oil supply at so that the said holes
become filled with oil, these holes being at that time closed on the inside by a
stationary tube 10.
When piston is depressed so as to bring the holes 9 opposite the opening of
passage, the air blast from the latter will force the oil out of the holes into
the central passage 20, and the combined air blast and oil spray will be propelled
down on to the heated vapouriser j, the resulting mixture of oil vapour and air
will then pass rapidly down through the inner helical passages while at the same
time the before mentioned air blast from plunger a will pass through the outer

page_text: helical passages k which turn in the contrary direction to k¹ and the two sets of
currents, in impinging upon each other at bottom with opposite whirling motions,
will become effectually mixed together; the explosive charge thus formed will
then pass through valve m into the explosion chamber 16 formed in casing P3
above the plunger n.
Here the charge is ignited by an electric igniter at 13 and the resulting explosion
forces down the plunger n; by such downward motion the lower end of the
plunger closes the air port t while at top it opens the communication between the
explosion chamber 16 and the passage e leading to the turbine, so that the ex-
plosion gases now pass down through the directing vanes and the consecutive rings
of buckets of the turbine motor, impinging upon the body of air contained therein,
and effecting the rotation of the motor by the combined effect of the momentum
and expansion of the gases. On issuing from the lowest ring of buckets the
exhaust gases will escape through the ports T.
By the rotation of the motor the central helical blades F act as an archimedean
pump in propelling cold air from the open lower end of the central space up
through the latter and out through O and openings, so that by this means the
motor cylinder G is prevented from becoming overheated.
When the pressure of
the charge of explosion gases has become reduced to a certain extent in the explosion
chamber by their above described expansion, the spring 6 will draw the plunger n
up into the raised position again, when the ports o in the compressed air chamber n¹
will communicate with the chamber r, and the air port t being again opened, heated
air rising through the helical passages I will pass partly through into the
turbine, cooling the same and expelling the remaining combustion gases, and
partly up through the plunger into r. Meanwhile by the above described forcing
down of the plunger nn, another charge of air will have been compressed in n¹
for afterwards forming another explosive charge which will be ignited and
operate as before described, and so on continuously. The cap 4 of the casing P³
is formed with a cylindrical projection, extending down into the chamber
serving to still farther effect the compression of the air therein on the rising of
the plunger.
and
Thus it will be seen that the turbine motor is driven by a succession of impulses
due to the successive explosions of combustible charges, and that between every two
successive explosions a volume of air is sent through the turbine to cool it and
expel the residual explosion gases and operate as an elastic buffer to the succeeding
explosion; at the same time a farther cooling action is effected both by the
current of air forced through the central passage by the helical pump F and also
by the currents of air passing up through the helical passages M¹. On first
starting the engine, the necessary heat is imparted to the vapouriser by a lamp,
for which purpose the screw-plug closing the lower end of is removed, and an
open tubular plug 14 is inserted, as at Figure 5, for the introduction of a lamp
flame.
In order to prevent loss of oil when the engine is not at work, the small tube 10
is held by a stem 10% in the bore of the piston rod f' so as to close the inner side
of the holes 9 when the plunger n is in the raised position shewn at Figure 1.
The regulation of the power of the engine is effected by varying the number
of explosive charges in a given time, the composition of the charges being main-
tained constant; this may be effected in various ways, one arrangement being
shewn by way of example at Figures 1 and 6.
On the shaft W driven by the motor is mounted a tubular commutator V which
rotates with the shaft but can be slid along the same by means of a screw spindle Z,
crewing through the eye of a ring engaged loose in a neck on the commutator;
he latter is formed with variously arranged contacts so that the electric circuit
of the igniter 13 being connected thereto and to the brush X, the circuit will be
losed at varying intervals according as the commutator is shifted relatively to
the brush.

page_text: By mounting the turbine motor in a vertical position there is no unequal wear
of the bearings as would occur with a horizontal construction, and consequently
the moving parts of the turbine can be made to work with great accuracy close
against the stationary parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A rotary turbine engine in which a turbine arranged to work on a vertical
axis is combined with an apparatus for producing and firing a succession of
explosive gaseous charges so that the resulting explosion gases in passing down
through the turbine impart a succession of impulses thereto and finally escape at
the lower end thereof, substantially as described.
2. In a rotary turbine engine in which a turbine is combined with an apparatus
for producing and firing a succession of explosive gaseous charges, the mode of
operating whereby while the explosion chamber is cut off from the turbine, a
charge of air is first introduced into the latter, then an explosive charge is fired
and admitted from the explosion chamber to the turbine so as to impinge upon
the charge of air therein and then, the explosion chamber being again closed,
another charge of air is admitted to the turbine, and so on in alternating succession,
substantially as described.
3. In a rotary turbine engine such as is referred to in the first claim, mounting
the turbine buckets upon a cylinder, the central passage of which is fitted with
helical blades, so that, as the turbine revolves, the said blades act as an archi-
medean pump in propelling a body of air through the cylinder so as to cool it,
substantially as described.
4. In a rotary turbine engine such as is referred to in the first claim, con-
structing the outer cylinder of the turbine that carries the directing and deflecting
vanes with external helical ribs that are enclosed by an outer casing so as to form
helical passages through which an air supply to the mixing and explosion apparatus
and to the turbine is made to pass so as to become heated, substantially as described.
5. In a rotary turbine engine such as is referred to in the first claim, an
apparatus for producing and supplying successive explosive charges to the turbine,
consisting of a chamber containing a hollow plunger fitting over a correspondingly
formed fixed seat, which plunger is held in a raised position by a spring, in which
position it admits a supply of air to a mixing chamber and to the turbine, while
on the admission and ignition of an explosive charge into the chamber above the
said plunger, this is forced downward, thereby closing the said air admission, and
forcing the air within the plunger into the mixing chamber to mix with oil vapour
for producing the next explosive charge, substantially as described.
6. In apparatus for producing explosive gaseous charges such as is referred to
in the fifth claim, a vapourising and mixing device consisting of a heated hollow
stem on to which oil is made to flow so as to be vapourised and which is surrounded
by two concentric helical passages turning in opposite directions, the oil vapour
being made to pass through the inner passages, while the air supply is made to
pass through the outer ones, so that the currents in impinging upon each other
at the lower end become effectually mixed to form an explosive charge substantially
as described.
the
7. In a rotary turbine engine, such as is referred to in the preceding claims, varying
power given out by the engine by combining with the circuit of an electrical
igniter a commutator rotated by the engine and so arranged as to be adjustable
in relation to a contact brush, so that by shifting the commutator a greater or less
number of contacts and consequently of ignitions of explosive charges are effected
in a given time, while the composition of the charges remains constant.
8. A rotary turbine engine combined and operating as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 9. An apparatus for producing and firing explosive charges, combined and
operating as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated thi 17th day of Now 1807
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.