IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES APPLICABLE AS MOTORS, PUMPS, METERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN INDICATORS APPLICABLE TO SUCH AND OTHER ENGINES OR METERS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES APPLICABLE
AS MOTORS, PUMPS, METERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN INDICATORS
APPLICABLE TO SUCH AND OTHER ENGINES OR METERS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
-A communication from abroad by Arthur Perry Emery, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 9th April 1868, and dated the 13th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th November 1867.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
APPLICABLE AS MOTORS, PUMPS, METERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN
INDICATORS APPLICABLE TO SUCH AND OTHER ENGINES OR METERS AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The object of the first part of this Invention is the construction of a rotary
engine or device applicable among other purposes as a motor, pump, or meter,
which while of a simple character and free in its movement is comparatively

page_text: tight or close against leakage, and readily accommodates itself to inequalities
of temperature as affecting the fit of the revolving slides or pistons and their
attachments with which it is provided; and this part of the Invention consists
of or includes two cylinders, one within and excentric to the other, and sliding
pistons arranged radially to the inner cylinder and connected together in a free
or loose manner by links to or through the intervention of a loose rivet or pin
that forms the centre of motion, around which the said pistons with the inner
cylinder revolve, by which construction an interior fixed crank pin or excentric
is dispensed with, and the working parts or pistons with their connections are
left more free to work close and to accommodate themselves to the various
conditions incident to expansion and contraction from changes of temperature.
In some cases, however, the said rivet or pin may be stationary and fast to the
head of the outer cylinder, with the interior of which it is concentric.
The second part of the Invention consists in a similar arrangement of
cylinders with radially sliding pistons and links connecting them in a free or
loose manner with a central rivet or pin, but combines with the same a close
chamber arrangement for the sliding pistons within the inner cylinder, and
sliding rods connecting the pistons with the links as aforesaid for the more
effectual prevention of leakage when working the engine with an aeriform
fluid. These two divisions of the Invention also include or have combined
with them revolving heads or end discs to the revolving cylinder with its
pistons, the one of which heads may be made removable, and the one of which
may be left open at its centre to facilitate adjustment, repair, and oiling of the
interior parts.
The remaining portion of the Invention consists in a novel construction of
indicator or registering apparatus applicable to engines or devices constructed
as described in the first part of the Invention, and which is also applicable to
other engines or meters, and for other purposes where quantities or measures
of various kinds are required to be recorded, and in which are arranged or
combined a series of ratchet wheels disposed one above or in advance of the
other about or around the same axial line, an actuating lever operated at
intervals by the engine or meter, and separate or independent pawls to effect
the movement of the said wheels, which have pointers connected with them for
traverse over a plate with concentric graduations. These wheels or second
and after series of them are moved for a given distance by a stud or pin
attached to the preceding wheel and operating the ratchet that gives motion
to the next wheel in succession, by which combination a compact and simple
yet correct indicator of measures or quantities is secured.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES APPLICABLE AS MOTORS, PUMPS, METERS, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN INDICATORS APPLICABLE TO SUCH AND OTHER ENGINES
OR METERS AND OTHER PURPOSES," being a communication to me from Arthur
Perry Emery, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United
States, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of the first part of this Invention is the construction of a
rotary engine or device applicable among other purposes as a motor, pump, or
meter, which while of a simple character and free in its movement is com-
paratively tight or close against leakage, and readily accommodates itself to
inequalities of temperature as affecting the fit of the revolving slides or pistons

page_text: and their attachments with which it is provided; and this part of the
Invention consists of or includes two cylinders, one within and excentric to
the other, and sliding pistons arranged radially to the inner cylinder and
connected together in a free or loose manner by links to or through the
intervention of a loose rivet or pin that forms the centre of motion, around
which the said pistons with the inner cylinder revolve, by which construction
an interior fixed crank pin or excentric is dispensed with and the working
parts or pistons with their connections are left more free to work close and to
accommodate themselves to the various conditions incident to expansion and
contraction from changes of temperature. In some cases, however, the said
rivet or pin may be stationary and fast to the head of the outer cylinder, with
the interior of which it is concentric.
The second part of the Invention consists in a similar arrangement of
cylinders with radially sliding pistons and links connecting them in a free or
loose manner with a central rivet or pin, but conbines with the same a close
chamber arrangement for the sliding pistons within the inner cylinder, and
sliding rods connecting the pistons with the links as aforesaid for the more
effectual prevention of leakage when working the engine with an aeriform
fluid. These two divisions of the Invention also include or have combined
with them revolving heads or end discs to the revolving cylinder with its
pistons, the one of which heads may be made removable, and the one of which
may be left open at its centre to facilitate adjustment, repair, and oiling of the
interior parts.
The remaining portion of the Invention consists in a novel construction of
indicator or registering apparatus applicable to engines or devices constructed
as described in the first part of the Invention, and which is also applicable to
other engines or meters, and for other purposes where quantities or measures
of various kinds are required to be recorded, and in which are arranged or
combined a series of ratchet wheels disposed one above or in advance of the
other about or around the same axial line, an actuating lever operated at
intervals by the engine or meter, and separate or independent' pawls to effect
the movement of the said wheels, which have pointers connected with them
for traverse over a graduated dial plate, and which wheels or second and after
series of them are moved for a given distance by a stud or pin attached to the
preceding wheel and operating the ratchet that gives motion to the next
wheel in succession, by which combination a compact and simple yet correct
indicator of measures or quantities is secured.
Having thus described the object or objects and nature of the Invention, its
description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: Fig. 1 represents a face view of a rotary engine constructed according to
the Invention when designed to operate as a motor to be propelled by steam
or other aeriform fluid, the outer fixed and inner revolving head on one side
of the engine being removed; Fig. 2 is a transverse section or section at
right angles to Fig. 1 of such engine; Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of
a like construction of engine, or motor when working as a pump; Fig. 5 a
sectional view of the same Invention applied to a measuring faucet; Figures
6 and 7 a face view and transverse section of said Invention operating as a
water-pressure engine or meter with indicator attached.
Referring in the first instance to Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing, A is a
circular case or stationary outer cylinder of the engine as worked, say, by
steam, said cylinder being provided with a steam inlet pipe a and outlet or
exhaust pipe b, and fitted at either end with heads B, C. Situated excentrically
within this outer cylinder, so as to touch or come in close proximity to it at
one point in the circumference to form an abutment as at c, is a smaller
revolving cylinder D provided with discs or heads E, F, one E of which is
removable in order that the cylinder D may be placed within the case A and
receive the pistons G, G, hereafter referred to. This removable head E may
be secured to the inner cylinder D, that has cast to it the opposite head F by
screws or bolts d, d, fitting into projections e, e, cast on to and arranged
within the cylinder D, so that said cylinder and heads all revolve together.
These heads E and F may be provided with packing on their peripheries and
travel in circular recesses or grooves f, f, in the case A. Between these
beads E, F, the case A forms an interior cylindrical surface which is excentric
to the interior of it or to the annular recesses f, f, therein, so that said case A
comes into contact, or nearly so, with the periphery of the inner cylinder D
and forms the abutment c as before referred to for the steam to act against in
the one direction and against the pistons G, G, in the opposite direction within
the space 9 established by the excentric relationship of the two cylinders.
The pistons G, G, are fitted to slide radially through the periphery of the
inner cylinder D, working it may be in grooves on the insides of the discs or
heads E, F, and within cases or chambers H, H, cast to or with the
cylinder D, and provided with stuffing boxes on their inner edges or ends for
rods h, h, connected with the pistons to slide or play through. These rods h, h,
bave pivotted to their inner ends links I, I, which serve to connect them to or
which bug in a free or loose manner a central loose or independent rivet or
bolt J within the cylinder D, and not connected with the outer case, but lying
concentric to its interior. From this description it will readily be understood
hat the pressure of steam against the pistons. moves them and the inner

page_text: cylinder around, and that the links I, I, keep the pistons G, G, the same
distance apart and ensure their retraction and projection as they pass around
in the excentric cylindrical space g, while the bolt J being loose within the
inner cylinder instead of being rigidly attached to the outer case a more
effective self-accommodation of the parts to meet variable contraction and
expansion by changes of temperature is secured. The cases or chambers H, H,
with their stuffing boxes for passage of the rods h, h, that connect the pistons
with the links I, I, prevent steam passing the pistons from escaping into the
inner cylinder or the engine from "blowing" as it were. By the heads
revolving with the inner cylinder and its pistons side friction of the pistons is
avoided, power economized, and leakage reduced. The one head C of the
stationary cylinder and adjacent revolving head F of the inner cylinder are
constructed with openings k, k, in or through them to facilitate adjustment or
repair of the interior or working parts or lubrication of them while running.
The other revolving head E has secured to it the driving shaft K of the
engine, which shaft works through a stuffing box m, and carries if needed a
driving pulley L. Grooves or recesses as at p, p, may be formed in the
cylinder A, to allow the steam to escape from behind the piston that is being
drawn in so that it cannot cushion against the abutment at c.
Other parts or
appliances connected with the engine, such as a stopping or starting valve,
governor for regulating the velocity, and other expedients or attachments
common to engines generally, it has not been deemed necessary here to show
or describe.
In Figures 3 and 4 of the Drawing, in which the Invention is shewn as
applied to a pump that is worked by rotating the shaft K through a pulley L
or otherwise, a like combination of parts is used so far as concerns the outer
case A, with inlet and outlet passages a, b, interior and excentric revolving
cylinder D, with radially sliding pistons G, G, links I, I, and independent
central bolt J, but in this case neither of the outer cylinder heads B, C, have
an open space k in them, and the inner cylinder D is differently constructed,
being formed with only one head F cast to it, which fits or works in a recess f
in the fixed head C, and the radially sliding pistons G, G, are not boxed or
cased in by chambers H, H, and have the links I, I, pivotted direct to them.
In these and other respects the differences in detail, which may be more or
less varied, have no essential bearing upon the general principle of action, which
remains the same as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, similar parts
being referred to by similar letters throughout all four and in other Figures of
the Drawing. In some instances, as, for example, when the engine is used as a
blower, the same combination of cylinders A, D, radially sliding pistons G, G,

page_text: with their links I, I, may be used in connection with a bolt J occupying the
relative position shown and described for it, but made fast to the head of the
outer cylinder, the links at their inner ends working loose or free round said
central bolt.
A like or mainly similar construction and arrangement of working parts to
that exhibited in Figures 3 and 4 is shewn as applied to a measuring faucet
illustrated in Fig. 5 of the Drawing, and in which M is the spigot end of the
faucet, communicating on the one side with the space g between the cylinders
A and D, while the opposite side or edge is furnished with a delivery nozzle
and spout N controlled by a valve regulated by a screw O, but in this instance,
as illustrated principally in red lines, the shaft K is provided with a crank or
handle P (shewn in red lines) for rotating the cylinder D with its pistons,
which pump or draw the liquid through the spigot end of the faucet and
discharge it through the nozzle or spout end N, said handle P carrying a stud
n, which as the handle revolves serves to vibrate at regular intervals a yoke Q
(shewn by red lines) pivotted as at o. The yoke carries a pawl 9 that
operates a ratchet wheel R, which is made fast to a graduated dial plate S that
is hung free to turn on or around a central axis beneath or behind a fixed
pointer T. By this arrangement the capacity of the working chamber of the
faucet being known the quantity discharged or to be delivered may be readily
ascertained or regulated, the working or adjustment of the dial plate relatively
to the pointer being effected by turning the handle P.
In Figures 6 and 7 of the Drawing, in which the Invention is illustrated as
adapted to work either as a water-pressure engine or as a meter with indicator
attached, the revolving cylinder D, carrying the radially sliding pistons G with
their links I, I, and having the bolt J within it, is constructed or provided with
two close revolving heads E, F, working in circular grooves or recesses f.f.
in the heads B, C, (which are also both of a close character) of the outer
cylinder or case A. In case of such engine being used as a meter receiving
fluid through the inlet a and discharging it through the outlet 6, then the
support and steadying of the revolving cylinder D may be effected by suitable
centre pins or screws, but such in case of the device working as a water-
pressure engine may be dispensed with, and the driving shaft K be furnished
with a pulley if necessary for communicating or conveying the power of the
engine as it is operated by water or other liquid under head or pressure. In
either case however it is proposed to affix to the one revolving head Fa
shaft U for operating as it revolves an indicator or registering device for
recording the quantities of fluid passed through the engine or meter. This
indicator may be of any suitable description, but one constructed and operating

page_text: as follows is preferred, the same being moreover applicable to meters generally
and to various other devices where measures or quantities are required to be
recorded. Such indicator, that may be screwed to or carried by the outer
case A of the engine or meter as at a¹ or otherwise, has a circular dial
plate A', which may be graduated to any desired extent, commencing at the
unit of measure and running upwards to the tens of thousands. This plate, as
shown in Fig. 6, is divided into three annular scales or graduations, the first
or outer one indicating units up to (say) one hundred; the second scale,
hundreds up to thousands; and the third scale figures from one thousand to
ten thousand. The pointers or indicator hands equal in number the scales,
and each one is attached to a separate shaft running through the centre of
and behind the dial, the said shafts being each connected rigidly to independent
ratchet wheels. B¹ represents the ratchet wheel with which the unit hand b¹
is connected through the medium of a central slid shaft c¹, as shown in
Fig. 7 by the dotted lines. The wheel B¹ is divided on its edge into any
required number of teeth, and receives motion from a vibrating lever C',
operated by a pin or excentric d¹ on the revolving shaft U of the engine or
meter, and working it may be on or round the shaft c¹ as a centre of motion.
This lever C carries on its outer end a stud e¹, bearing three pawls f, g, h,
the first of which f¹ engages constantly with the first wheel B¹, and at
each vibration of the lever C¹ the wheel B' is moved the distance of one tooth,
and through its shaft gives motion to the unit hand b¹. When the first
wheel B¹ has completed one entire revolution a pin attached to it comes in
contact with a tail end formed on the second pawl g¹ (which has until this
part of the operation remained by means of a spring out of connection with
the second ratchet wheel B2), and causes it to engage with the teeth of the
wheel B' during one vibration of the lever C¹, thus moving said wheel the
distance of one tooth, which movement the wheel through its hollow shaft c³
communicates to the second index hand b². The wheel B is also provided
with a pin 2, which serves to engage the pawl h¹ against the pressure of a
spring with the wheel B³ in a like manner to that already described, and
the motion thus given to the wheel B³ is communicated through its hollow
shaft to the third index hand b. The arrangement of wheels one above
the other as here shown and described may with their respective parts be
multiplied or increased to any desired extent, but three are deemed sufficient
for general purposes. Such a combination and arrangement of parts forms
a compact and simple yet correct indicator of any measures or quantities that
it is required to have registered or recorded.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of improvemen's in

page_text: rotary engines and in indicators communicated to me from abroad, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The combination with the excentric inner cylinder D of the loose or
independent bolt J, concentric with the outer cylinder A and links I, I,
of the sliding pistons G, G, for operation together, substantially as
specified.
Second. The combination with the outer case A and excentric revolving
inner cylinder D, with its radially sliding pistons G, G, of the links I, I,
connected in a pivotted manner to the latter, and arranged at their inner ends
to move freely around a bolt concentric to the interior of the outer cylinder,
and which may be made fast to the head of the latter, or be otherwise a
stationary projection within the inner or revolving cylinder, as specified.
Third. The revolving excentric cylinder D, provided internally with boxes
or chambers H, H, in combination with the sliding pistons G, G, with their
rods h, h, and links I, I, free to revolve about or round a bolt arranged
concentric to the interior of the outer cylinder or case A.
Fourth. The combination with the excentric cylinder D of the revolving
heads E, F, of solid or open work construction, made fast to or part of the
same for operation in contact with the outer cylinder or its heads, sliding
pistons G, G, with their links I, I, and centre bolt J, or its equivalent.
Fifth. The indicator constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 6 and 7 of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.B.)