IMPROVE- MENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Moore, of Packington Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."
Sealed the 28th April 1876, and dated the 2nd November 1875.

page_text: and steam pipes may be connected with the abutment chambers to
supply steam for pressing the slides inwards and keeping them tight
against the piston.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Moore in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MOORE, of Packington Street, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Moore, Her special licence,
that I, the said Thomas Moore, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Moore, my executors,
administrators, 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,
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTARY ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Moore, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar.
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
the
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Moore, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to

page_text: irregularity or imperfection in some of the rubbing parts the piston
will be enabled to yield slightly thereto and thus prevent undue
friction.
In order still further to reduce the friction of the rubbing surfaces
a portion of the sides of the piston is countersunk, and the oil or lubri
cating substance is supplied thereto through suitable apertures, and
from the countersunk parts of the piston the lubricant finds its way to
the other rubbing surfaces, as will be best understood by referring to the
sectional view, Fig. 5.
In order to keep the piston & steam-tight in the cylinder an internal
metal ring 9, Figures 5 and 6, is employed, and is kept pressed up
against one end of the piston by means of the tightening screws 9', I',
Fig. 5, whereby the ring g might be pressed forward and tightened up as
the piston wears away. The abutment pieces or slides h, h, Figures 4, 6,
and 7, are kept to the face of the piston & by springs or other equivalent
means, or by the pressure of steam which is admitted behind them at i,
Fig. 6, into the abutment box. The abutment pieces work in grooves
j, j, Fig. 6, made in the head at one side of the cylinder, and in the
ring at the other side. The cut-off of the steam from the engine is
regulated and controlled by a valve k which is worked by means of a
cam on the main shaft.
The arrangement of steam and exhaust ports is best seen at Figures
3 and 8, the cam and valve cover m, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5, having
been removed in Fig. 3 in order that the internal parts may be more
clearly seen.
It will be seen that the steam and exhaust ports and the movable
valve plate n are concentric with the main shaft, and that the valve
plate is provided with a small toothed rack n' into which gears a
toothed sector o, Fig. 3. The stem of this sector passes through the
valve cover m, so that a key or handle may be adapted thereto in order
to turn it, and thereby move round the valve plate " in order to change
the course of the steam and reverse the engine.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Rotary
Engines," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent
as aforesaid,
-

page_text: First. Adapting the piston to the main or central shaft, as herein set
forth, or in any equivalent manner instead of rigidly connecting the two
parts together as is usual, the main object of the Invention being to so
connect these parts that the piston may have a slight independent motion
in order to accommodate itself to any slight irregularities in the con-
struction and wearing of the working parts.
Second. I claim, constructing the piston and abutment slides in the
manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
Lastly. I claim, the manner herein set forth of constructing and
arranging the steam and exhaust ports.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Moore, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Second day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.