Improvements in Rotary Motors or Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 16th June, 1900
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Improvements in Rotary Motors or Engines.
I, RICHARD FRANCIS MARSH, of East Maitland, in the Colony of New South
Wales, 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 the construction and mode of operating rotary
motors provided with a disc or discs revolving within an outer casing, and
operated by fluid pressure.
It is designed with a view to increasing the efficiency of such motors, and
cheapening the cost of their construction, working, and maintenance, and
comprises the use of a peculiarly constructed outer casing, having one or more
fluid pressure chambers suitably attached, either fixed or removable, and in direct
communication with the supply pipe used for conveying the operating fluid. The
said pressure chamber is provided with a suitable outlet slot through which the
escaping fluid passes to the rotary disc. This outlet slot may also be provided
with means for diminishing and enlarging its dimensions, and adjacent thereto
is placed a projecting lip, which may be either fixed, flexible, or adjustable, to
act as a director for the operating fluid. On the outlet side of the said slot, and
immediately above it, a recess is formed in the outer casing, which, in conjunction
with the projecting part of the fluid pressure chamber, serves as a re-action
chamber, and to control and direct the fluid. The aforesaid lip is so located as
to slightly bear upon the points of the serrations formed upon the revolving disc.
In the immediate vicinity of the pressure chamber suitable recesses are provided
both in the inner portion of the circumferential part of the casing, and on the
sides, to receive adjustable plates, two, of which are adjusted to slightly touch
the sides of the rotary disc, and another is employed to take a bearing upon the
points of the serrations. These plates are made flexible, and are used to assist
in confining and directing the operating fluid, causing it to impinge upon the
serrations. If shrouded discs are used it is only necessary to use the upper
adjustable plate. The main casing enclosing the disc is made adjustable, as are
also the associated stuffing boxes through which the disc spindle passes.
supporting main bearings which carry the disc are made independent of the casing,
the object being to establish the accurate adjustment of the casing, so as to
accommodate it to the changing conditions incidental to wear. To provide for
the rapid exit of the expended pressure fluid, the circumferential portion of the
casing connected with the exhaust port is suitably enlarged. The discs are con-
structed to operate in either direction, and the inlet pressure chambers and tho
exhaust ports are relatively placed to obtain the results desired.
The
To illustrate the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings,
in which similar letters are used throughout the different views to indicate similar
parts, and in which:--
Figure 1 is an end elevation shewing casing and foot plate, with means for
adjusting same.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation shewing outer casing with disc and fluid
pressure chamber in position.

page_text: of Figures and <.
Figure 1s a transverse sectional elevation on line
Figure 4 is a similar section to Figure 2 with the disc removed.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation shewing casing constructed for double action
disc.
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of a fluid pressure chamber, re-action chamber,
and associated directing plates.
Figure 7 is an end elevation of a fluid pressure chamber shewing outlet slot.
Figure 8 is a detail shewing, in section, a portion of a disc provided with double
serrations.
Figure 9 is a side view of Figure 8.
Figure 10 shews an alternative method of constructing disc serrations to produce
-reverse movements of the motor, as applied to one disc.
Upon the sole plate A are secured the independent spindle bearings B one of
which is shewn in section in Figure 3. The spindle C may be any desired length,
or may be coupled to a secondary shaft by means of any well known form of
coupling, and may be provided with thrust or other collars if necessary. The adjust-
able stuffing. boxes D, and the glands E, which also carry the said spindle, are
secured to the side plates which form. part of the disc casing. The enlarged
central hole G receives the loosely fitting boss H. A loosely fitting gapped
flange is held in position by bolts or studs J. The foot plates K are secured
to the sole plate A by the bolts L, and are adjusted as may be required by means
of the set screws M provided with the clamping nuts N. The adjustable stuffing
boxes and the foot plates with their set screws, are provided so that the
casing may be adjusted expeditiously and accurately in the event of wear taking
place in the independent bearings B, and for the purpose of maintaining the disc.
in its correct relative position, which is slightly out of the centre, so as to form
the smaller passage nearest to the pressure chamber and adjustable director plates.
The circumferential portion 0 of the casing may either be an integral part of a
side plate F, or may be bolted thereto with the clamping bolts P, or, the side
plates may be independent of that portion. The disc Q, having serrations R, is
secured to the spindle C. The said serrations are provided with impelling and
following surfaces, the impelling surface being placed so as to meet the inflowing
fluid. The diminished part S of the circumferential portion 0 of the casing
provides a clear passage way for the expended fluid to pass into the exhaust port T.
The enlargement of this passage may also be accomplished by other means, such
as by the removal of portion of the casing, or by providing a set off in the cast-
ing. The form and location of the exhaust may be varied to suit the changing
conditions of manufacture, which would vary according to the purpose to which
the motor would be applied. The inner facing strips U formed on the side
plates F, (ride Figures 3 and 4) are recessed to receive the flexible directing
plates V, which are secured in position and provided with set screws W or other
suitable means for adjusting them against the sides of the disc. A similar plate X
is also placed in a recess formed in the circumferential part O, and. is similarly
adjusted so as to slightly bear upon the points of the disc serrations R. The
object of these flexible plates is to confine the pressure fluid sufficiently to prolong
its operating influence and to prevent its dispersion or vitiation at too early a
stage of the operation. The fluid pressure chamber Y is situated in the circum-
ferential part of the outer casing, and may be either fixed or removable as
may be considered necessary, and if removable may be made reversible to operate
the motor in either direction. The said chamber is in direct communication
with the supply pipe % from whence the fluid used enters the chamber and
passes out of the slot a, which is made the desired width and length, the latter
not necessarily being the same width as the disc serrations or pressure chamber,
(vide Figure 7).
To provide for an absolutely free egress of the pressure fluid, and in order
to create a re-action chamber b, the obstructive outer portion of the metal sur-
rounding the slot is removed both from the bottom portion and the front

page_text: part d, so that only the slot remains, and the surfaces which have thus been
created form, together with the impelling and following portions of the disc
serrations, a peculiarly constructed chamber, in which the operating fluid per-
forms the work of rotating the disc most effectively. A projecting lip e is
provided immediately below the slot, which may be either fixed, flexible, or
adjustable, and may be in the form of a flexible plate and secured on the under
side of the bottom portion c of the pressure chamber and take a slight bearing
upon the points of the disc serrations. This projecting lip serves as a director
plate for the fluid as it escapes through the slot a, guiding it into the right
direction and in a manner that will be most serviceable to produce the desired
results. To provide for altering the dimensions of the slot a, an adjustable
plate may be used, such as is shewn in Figure 7, which may be regulated
by means of the adjusting screw g, or other suitable device. Such a plate may
also be made to form an adjustable side of the said slot. Sight holes, to be
covered by flanges, may be placed in suitable positions in the outer casing for
the purpose of inspecting the parts referred to herein which require adjustment.
The action of this rotary motor is as follows:
The operating fluid, having entered the chamber Y, and passed out through
the slot into the re-action chamber b, is, by the peculiar construction of that
chamber, caused to pass into the serrations, acting upon the impelling surfaces
confined between the said chamber and the directing plates V and X, and
producing a rotary movement of high velocity, resulting in the developement
of great power.
A feature of this invention is, that the expended fluid, when discharged from
the outlet port, would, in the case of steam, have expended its energy to such
an extent, as to appear in the form of vapour wholly expanded.
To regulate the ingress of the pressure fluid governors of any suitable type
may be used, the pulley being provided for that purpose.
Where double serrations are provided upon one disc, as in Figures 8, 9, and 10,
the associated pressure chambers and director plates, together with the outlet
passages and ports, are suitably placed to obtain the desired reverse motions,
but where casings are provided with separate rotary discs to operate in reverse
directions, the inoperative disc for the time being serves as a fly wheel. In either
case the pressure chambers and the director plates and other necesssary associated
parts occupy the relative positions essential to obtaining motion in the desired
direction.
This form of rotary motor, in either of the forms described, is serviceable to
many purposes to which engines are adapted.
I desire to state that I am aware that a revolving disc and an outer casing
are not in themselves novel, but when associated with the peculiar features
embraced by this invention they are capable of producing results not heretofore
obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is:-
1. In rotary motors operated by fluid pressure and having an outer casing
and a revolving disc, a fluid pressure chamber connected with the operating
fluid supply pipe and placed in the circumferential portion of such casing and
having an outlet slot and a lower projecting lip either fixed, flexible, .or adjust-
able, to serve as a director plate, as described and shewn, and for the purposes
set forth.
2. In rotary motors of the class set forth, the combination, with a fluid pres-
sure chamber as claimed in Claim 1, of an adjustable plate for regulating the
dimensions of the outlet slot of the said chamber, as described and shewn, and
for the purposes set forth.
3. In rotary motors of the class set forth, an upper adjustable plate and adjust-

page_text: able side plates, placed within the casing in close proximity to the fluid pressure
chamber, as described and shewn, and for the purposes set forth.
4. In rotary motors of the class set forth, a projecting lip, a passage in close
proximity thereto, an upper and two side directing plates, and, serrations con-
structed upon a rotary disc, all forming a re-action chamber in communication
with an outlet slot of a fluid pressure chamber, as herein described and shewn,
and for the purposes set forth.
.
5. In rotary motors of the class set forth, the combination, with an outer
casing provided with pressure chambers, directing plates, and outlet passages
and ports, of, a rotary disc having serrations whose impelling and following
surfaces are so placed as to obtain reverse movements of the disc, as described
and shewn.
6. In rotary motors of the class set forth, the combination, with a casing having
upper and side adjustable director plates, of, adjustable stuffing boxes and foot
plates provided with means for adjusting the position of said casing relatively
to an enclosed rotary disc whose serrations are in contact with a projecting lip
of a fluid pressure chamber, as described and shewn, and for the purposes set
forth.
7. In rotary motors of the class set forth, an outer casing having upper and
side director plates, and provided with inner side facing strips, the lower part
of such casing being of a diminished thickness so as to form an outlet passage
for the expended fluid, and communicating with an exhaust port, as described
and shewn.
8: The general combination and arrangement of the parts herein described,
the whole forming an improved rotary motor operated by fluid pressure, as
described, and as illustrated in the drawings.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.