Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, JOHN BROWN HARBIS of Eutaw in the County of Green, and State of Alabama,
United States of America, Book-keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a rotary engine which is simple, durable, and effective and
is adapted to utilize the motive fluid to the fullest advantage.
The piston of the engine, which is made star-shaped or ratchet-shaped according as
it is reversing or not, is fitted at the summit of each tooth-like projection with a radial
packing plate pressed outwards into contact with the cylinder. In the rim of the
cylinder are fitted radially-sliding valves or abutments for the steam, each being
fitted to slide in a chamber connected at opposite sides with annular steam and
exhaust passages common to all the chambers, these annular passages being formed
between the ends of the rim and the heads of the cylinder. Each valve is rounded
slightly near its inner end and at this end completely fills the inner end of the slot
or chamber and each valve or abutment has grooves which fit onto correspondingly-
shaped projections in the slot or chamber.
The operation is as follows;-The live steam passing through the annular groove,
the several chambers containing the valves or abutments, and entering the curved
recess of each valve, forces the latter inward in firm contact with the periphery
of the piston. The moment the valve slides inwards, communication is established
between the interior of the cylinder and the live steam port side of the valve
chamber, so that the live steam passes through the cavity of the valve into the
cylinder and exerts its pressure against the projection or tooth of the piston,
turning the latter. It will be seen that the live steam thus moves the valve inward
and by the turning of the piston the valve is moved outward again by travelling on
the back of the tooth-like projection until it passes the packing plate fitted therein.
The exhaust steam on the other side of the valve passes through the other cavity of the
valve to the exhaust annular passage.
In a reversing engine, the annular passages are connected with valve chests at
diametrically-opposite points of the cylinder and respectively-connected with the steam
and exhaust pipes, the communication of the annular passages with the valve chests
being controlled by valves operated by a lever pivoted at the centre of the cylinder
cover so that communication of the one annular passage established with the steam-
chest may be cut-off from the exhaust at same time that communication of the other
annular passage is established with the exhaust and cut-off from the steam, thus
reversing the functions of the passages and ports and consequently the direction of
rotation of the engine.
Th: 11
CA
וי
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, JOHN BROWN HARRIS of Eutaw, in the County of Green, and State of Alabama,
United States of America, Book-keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
5 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 a rotary engine, which is simple durable and effective
and is adapted to utilize the motive fluid to the fullest advantage.

page_text: Reference is to be bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
specification, in which figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the engine, on line y-y
figure 2. Figure 2 is a horizontal section, on line - figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-
section of one of the valve chambers, the valve being omitted. Figure 4 is a sectional
elevation of the valve and its chamber. Figure 5 is an end view of one of the valves,
and figure 6 a face view of the same, shewing the valve-chest in section; figures 3 to 6
being drawn to a larger scale. Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation of the engine,
as adapted for reversing, and figure 8 is a horizontal section of the same. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
B is the cylinder, C D the cylinder heads, E the shaft, and F the piston keyed
thereon. In non-reversing engines, the piston is made ratchet-shaped, as illustrated
in figure 1, and for reversing engines the piston F is made star-shaped, as illustrated
in figure 7. At the summit of each tooth-like projection G of the cylinder F is fitted
a radial packing plate I pressed outward in contact with the cylinder by means of
a spring behind it, as shewn in figures 1 and 2. Or, instead of using the springs I',
set screws may be employed to hold the plates I and adjust the same relatively to
the cylinder B.
In radial chambers K, formed in the cylinder B, are fitted radially sliding valves or
abutments J, of which any desired number may be employed, preferably placed at
equal distances apart, as shewn. Each valve chamber K communicates, by a port a
near its middle at one side, with an annular passage L-formed between the head D
and cylinder B, and connected by a passage L' with the steam pipe N on which
is mounted the usual governor O. Each chamber K also communicates, by an exhaust
port directly opposite the steam port a, with an annular passage P' formed
between the head and cylinder B, and connected by passage PI with the exhaust
pipe Q.
The cylinder B is surrounded by a peripheral ring R provided with small openings R¹
leading into the outer ends of the chambers K. Each valve J is rounded slightly near
its inner end, and, at this end, completely fills the inner end of the chamber K and
the sides J and J of the valve are concaved, the concavity or groove, which runs
out to nothing at the inner end of the valve, fitting on to the correspondingly convex
sides K' or K2 of the chamber K, these convexities K' and K' extending only between
the outer periphery of the cylinder B and the steam and exhaust ports a and b,
as shown in figure 4.
The operation of the engine is as follows;-The live steam entering the annular
passage t passes through the ports a to the several chambers K. The pressure of the
steam in the cavities J of the valves J forces the latter into contact with the piston F.
When one of the points G of the piston F' has passed a valve J, the latter is caused to
slide inwards, thereby establishing communication between the live steam side of the
chamber K and the corresponding space H so that the live steam entering therein
exerts its pressure against the projection G and rotates the piston F in the direction
of the arrow a'. By the rotation of the piston F the valve is moved outward again,
travelling on the back of the tooth-like projection G until it passes the packing plate 1.
The exhaust steam on the other side of the said valve J passes from the said space H
through the cavity J, the exhaust port 6, and the annular passage P to the exhaust
pipe Q.
In order to adapt the engine for reversing, the steam pipe N is connected with a
valve chest S on one side of the cylinder, as shewn in figures 7 and 8, with which the
passage L¹ leading to the annular passage L is connected, the annular exhaust
passage P being similarly connected with the same valve chest by a passage P
Valves T and T, attached-to-a-valve-rod T are fitted to work over the ends of the
passages L and P and control the communication thereof with the valve chest S.
Another valve chest W is provided at the opposite side of the cylinder to chest S, and
is connected with exhaust pipe Q, this chest being similarly connected with the annular
passages P and L by the passages P1 and L2 respectively, the communication being
controlled by valves V and V₁ secured to the valve rod V. The valve rods T and V
are connected with the-cpposite ends of a hand lever U fulcrumed on one of the

page_text: cylinder heads, as shewn, so that communication of the steam chest S may be estab>--
lished with the one annular passage L, for example, at the same time that it is cut-off
from the other passage P and at same time that communication of the exhaust
chest W is established with passage P and cut off from L, and conversely, the arrange-
ment of the valves being such that when the valve T, for instance, uncovers passage L¹,
as in figure 8, the valve V closes passage L' and when valve T¹ closes.passage P³ the
valve Vuncovers passage P. In the position shewn in figure 8; the steam enters the
cylinder through annular passage L and ports a and the piston F then rotates in
the direction of the arrow a¹. When the lever U is moved so that the valve T closes
the passage L' and valve T¹ uncovers passage P' at same time that the valves V
and V₁are reversed so that V¹ closes P' and L' is opened to the exhaust chest W, the
steam will then enter the annular passage P and the ports b now become the live
steam ports while the ports a become the exhaust ports and L the exhaust passage.
It is to-be understood that for this form of engine a ratchet-shaped piston will not
answer, and the piston must be made star-shaped, as shown in figure 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a cylinder and a piston mounted to
turn therein, of valves fitted to slide radially in the said cylinder and forced in
contact with the piston by the action of the motive fluid, substantially as shewn and
described.
2. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a cylinder provided with radial
chambers connected at opposite sides with inlet and outlet ports, of a valve fitted to
slide in each of the said chambers and provided on opposite sides with inlet and outlet
cavities adapted to connect the interior of the said cylinder with the said inlet and
outlet ports, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a cylinder provided with radial
chambers connected at opposite sides with inlet and outlet ports, of a valve fitted
to slide in each of the chambers and provided on opposite sides with inlet and outlet
cavities adapted to connect the interior of the said cylinder with the said inlet and
outlet ports and a piston fitted to turn in the said cylinder and provided with pro-
jections in contact with the inner surface of the said cylinder, the said valves being
pressed in contact at their inner ends with the periphery of the said piston by the
action of the motive fluid, substantially as shewn and described.
4. In a rotary engine, a valve mounted to slide and provided at opposite sides with
inlet and exhaust grooves or cavities, substantially as shewn and described.
5. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with radial
chambers, and inlet and outlet ports leading at opposite sides into the said chambers, of
cylinder heads held on the said cylinder and forming with the latter annular grooves
into which lead the said inlet and outlet ports, substantially as shown and described.
6. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with radial
chambers and inlet and outlet ports leading at opposite sides into the said chambers,
of cylinder heads held on the said cylinder and forming with the latter annular
grooves into which lead the said inlet and outlet ports and a valve fitted to slide in
each of the said chambers and provided at opposite sides with grooves or cavities
registering at all times with the said inlet and outlet ports, substantially as shewn and
described.
7. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with radial
chambers, and inlet and outlet ports leading at opposite sides into the said chambers, of
cylinder heads held on the said cylinder and forming with the latter annular grooves
into which lead the said inlet and outlet ports, a valve fitted to slide in each of the said
chambers and a piston fitted to turn in the said cylinder and provided with projections
in contact with the inner surface of the said cylinder, the said valves being forced in
contact at their inner ends with the periphery of the said piston by the action

page_text: of the motive fluid entering through the said inlet ports, substantially as shown and
described.
8. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with radial
chambers and inlet and outlet ports leading at opposite sides into the said chambers, of
cylinder heads held on the said cylinder and forming with the latter annular grooves
into which lead the said inlet and outlet ports and inlet and outlet pipes connecting
with the said annular grooves to admit and exhaust the motive fluid, substantially as
shewn and described.
1
9. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with radial
chambers and inlet and outlet ports leading at opposite sides into the said chambers, of
cylinder heads held on the said cylinder and forming with the latter annular grooves
into which lead the said inlet and outlet ports, a valve fitted to slide in each of the
said chambers and a piston fitted to turn in the said cylinder and provided with pro-
jections in contact with the inner surface of the said cylinder, the said valves being
forced in contact at their inner ends with the periphery of the said piston by the action
of the motive fluid entering through the said inlet ports and inlet and outlet pipes
connecting with the said annular groove to admit and exhaust the motive fluid, sub-
stantially as shewn and described.
10. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with radial
chambers and inlet and outlet ports leading at opposite sides into the said chambers, of
cylinder heads held on the said cylinder and forming with the latter annular grooves
into which lead the said inlet and outlet ports, a valve fitted to slide in each of the
said slots and a piston fitted to turn in the said cylinder and provided with projections
in contact with the inner surface of the said cylinder, the said valves being forced in
contact at their inner ends with the periphery of the said piston by the action of the
motive fluid entering through the said inlet ports, inlet and outlet pipes connecting
with the said annular groove to admit and exhaust the motive fluid, and means,
substantially as described, for reversing the motion of the engine, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1890.
a a
ᎠᏆ Ꮖ
J. B. HARRIS.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.