Improvements in Gas and other Motive Power Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 10th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas and other Motive Power Engines.
1, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the County
of Worcester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in high speed motors, and is both
applicable to steam or other fluid pressure engines, or to motors in which the power
is derived from the explosion or combustion of gases or vapours within the
cylinder.
This invention has for its object the construction of a motor in which the
reciprocating and other moving parts are perfectly balanced, and in which the
turning movement due to the recoil consequent on each explosion or admission of
steam or fluid is taken up by the moving parts of the motor, and is not transmitted
to the structure to which it is attached.
In one mode of carrying this invention into effect, I arrange a cylinder open at
both ends, and free to rotate about an axis at right angles to its geometric axis; to
this cylinder two pistons are fitted, each carrying a roller in place of a connecting
rod, arranged to protrude one at each end of the cylinder. These rollers bear and
run on the inside of an external frame, which is arranged on suitable bearings to
rotate about the same axis as the motor cylinder. The interior contour of this
frame on which the piston rollers work is of elliptical, oval, or other suitable form,
so arranged that as the cylinder and frame rotate relatively to one another, the
pistons alternately approach and recede.
Springs may be provided to cause the rollers to follow the undulating contour of
the frame or centrifugal force, or fluid pressure may alone be relied on.
When an engine constructed as berein before described is required to be operated
by fluid pressure, suitable ports are arranged in the journals to admit the fluid during
the receding period of the pistons, and other ports are arranged to exhaust the fluid
during their approach.
When employing gas or oil vapour as a source of motive power, I preferably
arrange both exhaust and feed to take place through a single valve of the mushroom
type whose stem lies in or about the axis of rotation, and I arrange distributing
ports in the journals opening into a chamber beneath this valve to control the respective
functions of the different portions of the cycle.
In arranging a motor in accordance with the present invention to work on the
Otto cycle, I preferably construct the external frame of elliptical form, as aforesaid,
so that the pistons perform two strokes for one revolution, and I suitably arrange on
the frame a cam to operate the valve opening into the motor cylinder.
It will be seen in a motor constructed as hereinbefore described that as the
turning force is exerted between the external frame and rotating cylinder, no
unbalanced turning moment will act on the structure to which the engine is
attached, and the frame and cylinder will spin round in reverse directions.
These two rotating elements may be arranged to do work independently, as
when a set of fan blades or propellor blades is attached to each, but if preferred
they may be so coupled by gearing that the whole power may be taken from either
element. In this latter arrangement a certain turning moment will be transmitted
to the structure through which the gearing is effected, but this will be a uniform

page_text: moment for any given load, and not a series of impulses, as is the case in motors of
the ordinary type.
In another arrangement the frame is prevented from rotating by means of a
spring connection with the structure on which the motor is carried, in this
arrangement an approximately constant turning moment is imparted to the supporting
Structure, the frame having temporary rotary movement imparted to it at each impulse
of the motor cylinder.
Fly wheels of suitable weight and diameter may be keyed to either or both of the
two rotating elements, but in some cases their own mass is sufficient.
01 1
MARKS & CLERK,
16 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the County
of Worcester 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 high speed motors, and is both
applicable to steam or other fluid pressure engines, or to motors in which the power
is derived from the explosion or combustion of gases or vapours within the
cylinder.
This invention has for its object the construction of a motor in which the
reciprocating and other moving parts are perfectly balanced, and in which the
turning moment due to the recoil consequent on each explosion or admission of steam
or fluid is taken up by the moving parts of the motor, and is not transmitted to the
structure to which it is attached."
In one mode of carrying this invention into effect I arrange a cylinder open at
both ends, and free to rotate about an axis at right angles to its geometric axis; to
this cylinder two pistons are fitted, each carrying a roller in place of a connecting
rod, arranged to protrude one at each end of the cylinder. These rollers bear and
run on the inside of an external frame, which is arranged on suitable bearings to
rotate about the same axis as the motor cylinder. The interior contour of this frame
on which the piston rollers work is of elliptical, oval, or other suitable form, so
arranged that as the cylinder and frame rotate relatively to one another, the pistons
alternately approach and recede.
Springs may be provided to cause the rollers to follow the undulating contour of
the frame or centrifugal force, or fluid pressure may alone be relied on.
When an engine constructed as hereinbefore described is required to be operated
by fluid pressure, suitable ports are arranged in the journals to admit the fluid during
the receding period of the pistons, and other ports are arranged to exhaust the fluid
during their approach.
When employing gas or oil vapour as a source of motive power, I preferably
arrange both exhaust and feed to take place through a single valve of the mushroom
type whose stem lies in or about the axis of rotation, and l'arrange distributing ports
in the journals opening into a chamber beneath this valve to control the respective
functions of the different portions of the cycle.
In arranging a motor in accordance with the present invention to work on the Otto
cycle, I preferably construct the external frame of elliptical form, as aforesaid, so that

page_text: the pistons perforin two strokes for one revolution, and I suitably arrange on the.
frame a cam to operate the valve opening into the motor cylinder.
It will be seen, in a motor constructed as hereinbefore described, that as the
turning force is exerted between the external frame and rotating cylinder, no
unbalanced turning moment will act on the structure to which the engine is attached,
and the frame and cylinder will spin round in reverse directions.
These two rotating elements may be arranged to do work independently, as when.
a set of fan blades or propeller blades is attached to each, but if preferred they may-
be so coupled by gearing that the whole power may be taken from either element..
In this latter arrangement a certain turning moment will be transmitted to the
structure through which the gearing is effected, but this will be a uniform moment
for any given load, and not a series of impulses, as is the case in motors of the
ordinary type.
In another arrangement the frame is prevented from rotating by means of a
spring connection with the structure on which the motor is carried; in this.
arrangement an approximately constant turning moment is imparted to the supporting
structure, the frame having temporary rotary movement imparted to it at each
impulse of the motor cylinder.
Fly wheels of suitable weight and diameter may be keyed to either or both of the
two rotating elements, but in some cases their own mass is sufficient.
Referring to the two accompanying sheets of drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation part section of one form of engine.
Figure 3 is a side elevation part section and
Figure 4 is an end elevation of another form of engine.
Figure 5 is a tranverse section on a larger scale through
a rotary valve.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the valve part corresponding to
Figure 5.
Referring to. Figures 1 and 2 which may be used as a fluid pressure engine or a
gas and oil engine; B B are the two pistons; CC are the rollers carried by the.
pistons; D is the surface against which they roll; D is the frame attached to the
rolling part D and rotating with it. The frame D' is connected to. the hollow
circular casing D2 by a cylindrical drum and bolts which casing has suitable exhaust
perforations on its outer periphery as shown. The cylinders and the frame rotate on,
a common axis and in opposite directions. E is a mushroom valve controlling
the admission and discharge of fluid to and from the cylinders. F is a bell
crank operating the mushroom valve, one end operating in a cam groove. G is the
cam groove.
Admission and exhaust of the working fluid is governed by the rotation of the
casing I and the action of the mushroom valve E. At the proper moment for
exhaust a port in the casing I comes in line with passage H and casing D
simultaneous with the opening of the valve E and exhaust gases rush into the hollow
casing D discharging finally through the perforations into the atmosphere; while
again the lifting of the valve E on the forward working stroke of the engine permits
admission into D3 by way of the trunnion D', the casing I at that moment closing the
exhaust port.
Suitable ball bearings are preferred as shown in Figures 1 or 2 but they are
not essential.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4 another modification is shown in which the rolling
path D is oval, which oval is contained in a circular fly wheel K and the whole is
mounted on a fixed frame L. D' is the hollow trunnion. The fly wheel K is shown.
as having wire spokes.
Figures 5 and 6 show the valve arrangements on a larger scale.
The supply fluid enters at the trunnion D and enters as shown by the arrows
Figure 6 by the ports M when these are presented. Further rotation cuts off supply
and opens them to the discharge ports N exhaust taking place into the atmosphere at
the end of the port N shown clearly in Figure 4, and so the engine is actuated.

page_text: by the operation of the rotating valve. Thus the exhaust outlet N and supply
inlet D₁ are governed by the rotating ports M alternately opening to the trunnion
and to the exhaust.
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-
A steam, gas, oil or other fluid motor engine in which the cylinders rotate in one
direction and the body receiving the impulses rotates in the other direction as and for
the purpose herein before set forth.
this 10th day of February 1897.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.