IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
ENGINES." A communication from abroad by Frederick Ortlieb, of
Greenpoint, and Edward White, of New York, both in the State of
New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th August 1868.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
5 Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention mainly has reference to that class of rotary engines
which employ a revolving piston made up of or carrying radial slides,

page_text: occupy an excentric position relatively to the cylinder in which said
piston works.
The object and nature of the Invention are mainly to secure a more
economical and advantageous employment of the steam or other
impelling fluid by, in, or through an arrangement of cylinders the one
within the other, firstly, using such gas, vapour, or fluid at a high
pressure at a short piston leverage, and subsequently working the same
under expansion, and at a reduced pressure on a long piston leverage.
The engine may be described as consisting of a stationary external
cylinder fitted with a valve box and slide valve, and closed at its ends
by end plates or covers, which are cast with bosses that project, and are
surrounded by concentric cylindrical projections. Steam passages
leading from the valve box to the annular space between the boss and
the cylindrical projections are also cast in the end plates or covers.
Keyed excentrically to the axle which runs through the centre of the
external cylinder is a kind of skeleton cylinder recessed radially to
receive slides which bear against the inner periphery of the outer
cylinder. A disc or central partition cast with the boss of the skeleton
cylinder or rotary piston runs through the cylinder, and divides the
space contained therein transversely into two equal parts. The ends
of the rotary piston are packed to make steam-tight joints with the
end plates. The like arrangement is made to prevent the escape of
steam between the central disc or partition of the piston and the cylin-
drical projections on the end plates. Openings are made in the disc to
equalize the pressure of steam on both sides thereof. The slides work
in the space between the fixed cylinder and the cylindrical projections
on the end plates, and steam being first admitted into the space formed
between the cylindrical piston and these projections, or what may be
termed the inner cylinder, impinges on the slides and drives round the
piston with its shaft. The steam then escapes from the inner cylinder
into the space formed between the outer periphery of the piston and the
inner periphery of the fixed or outer cylinder, and again acts upon the
slides of the piston, this time in a partially exhausted state. It then
escapes through a roller valve fitted to the outer cylinder, and may be
discharged into the atmosphere or into a condenser. The slide valve
before mentioned is fitted with a cap, which when brought into a
position to cover two ports which it commands allows the partially

page_text: exhausted steam to flow from the inner to the outer cylinder, as above
mentioned. By shifting the valve steam may be admitted from the
valve box directly to the outer cylinder to act with its full force upon
the outer ends of the piston slides. A steam way is formed through the
slide valve for supplying steam to either one of two ports at the
opposite end of the valve box to that where the ports covered by the
cap are situate, a sufficient lap is provided to cover these ports when it
is desired to admit steam to the outer cylinder from one of the ports
on the other side. If, however, the engine is required to be reversed
the slide valve is so adjusted as to bring the steam way before men-
tioned into communication with a port leading to the outer cylinder, and
steam being thus let on to the opposite faces of the piston slides a
reversed rotary motion of the piston will result. Concurrent, however,
with this adjustment of the slide valve the exhaust roller valve before
mentioned must be closed, and a second and similar valve opened on
the opposite side of the outer cylinder for the discharge of the exhaust
steam or impelling fluid.
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 20th February 1869.
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 Twentieth day of August, in the
year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
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 Ircland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE

page_text: MENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES," being a communication to me from abroad,
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 par-
ticularly 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 here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
This Invention mainly has reference to that class of rotary engines
which employ a revolving piston made up of or carrying radial slides,
and that together with the main or driving shaft to which it is secured
occupy an excentric position relatively to the cylinder in which the
piston works.
The object and nature of the Invention are mainly to secure a more
economical and advantageous employment of the steam or other
impelling fluid by, in, or through an arrangement of cylinders the one
within the other, firstly, using such gas, vapor, or fluid at a high
pressure at a short piston leverage, and subsequently working the same
under expansion and at a reduced pressure on a long piston leverage.
The Invention also consists in a combination of parts and disposition
of ports for thus using the steam; whereby the piston itself or radial slides
thereof serve without it may be the aid of valves to control not only
the exhaust or final escape of the impelling fluid but also its passage
after being utilized in a high-pressure form to work expansively in a
separate cylinder upon or in connection with one and the same piston.
Furthermore, the Invention consists in such an arrangement of inner
and outer cylinders with single piston and ports or passages for working
the impelling fluid, firstly; at a high pressure in the one cylinder, and
subsequently in an expanded form in an independent cylinder, in the
employment of a suitably constructed inlet valve, and such an arrange-
ment of ports or passages as that by the mere adjustment of said

page_text: valve to different positions, not only may the impelling fluid be turned
on and shut off to stop and start the engine, but the latter may either
be worked wholly under full pressure, or under full pressure in the one
cylinder and expansively in the other, or the engine be reversed as
regards its travel.
Likewise the Invention includes a novel combination of oppositely
arranged exhaust valves for reversing the motion of the engine.
Also the Invention covers such an arrangement of passages and main
or inlet valve as that the impelling fluid after it has performed its duty
in the one cylinder under full pressure passes under cover of the valve
to work expansively in the second cylinder, and whereby and through'
the exposure of said valve on its back to the impelling fluid under full
pressure the temperature and pressure of the expanded or expanding
fluid is effectually preserved
Again, the Invention consists in such a disposition of inner and outer
cylinders and piston with its slides working therein relatively to the
exhaust as that in condensing the expanded fluid the cooling effect
thereby produced will be confined to a limited portion only of the outer
cylinder or case, without subjecting the inner or high-pressure cylinder
thereto.
Also the Invention includes a novel construction of skeleton piston
with inner and outer segmental packings, and communications or
passages operating to prevent such impelling fluid as leaks past the
packings from producing end thrust or friction on or of the piston against
the cylinder ends or covers.
Having thus specified the object and nature of the Invention, its
description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying
Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents a plan in part of a rotary engine constructed in
accordance with these improvements having the valve case, cover, and
valve removed; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the engine; Fig. 3 is a
transverse section thereof taken mainly as indicated by the line x, x, in
Fig. 1, but showing the piston in full; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section
taken as denoted by the line y, y, in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an end view of the
skeleton piston with its segmental packings and shewing the openings
for establishing a balance in case of leakage; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal.
section of the same through the line w, w, in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a
4

page_text: transverse section of one cylinder end or cover; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal
view of one of the exhaust valves detached; and Fig. 9 is a transverse
section thereof through the line 2, z, in Fig. 8.
Referring to the accompanying Drawing, A represents an outer
cylinder or case, and B, B', its lids or covers, which are constructed to
project internally at their centres as by cylindrical formations C, C',
that are bored or formed with tubular passages through them and their
lids or covers in directions which are excentric to but parallel with the
axis of the cylinder A for reception of bushes D, D', and stuffing boxes
or glands E, E¹, within and through which the rotating driving or piston
shaft F works. The skeleton piston or revolving cylinder G carrying
the radial slides may either be made in one piece or in halves bolted
together, as represented in Figs. 4 and 6. It is made up of a hub a,
by which it is secured to the shaft F, centrally dividing disc or plate b
and inner ring or periphery c, c', forming in connection with the
cylindrical formations C, C', interior steam spaces, chamber, or double
inner cylinder H, H'. The ends of the cylindrical formations C, C', are
furnished with spring-borne packing rings d, d', which bear or press
against plates I, I, arranged to face or lie against and cover either side
of the dividing disc or plate b, between the hub a and inner ring or
periphery c, c', of the piston, and bolted to said disc so as to rotate with
it. By means of the packing rings d, d', leakage generally is prevented
past the lower ends or portion of the piston, which carries any suitable
number, say thrce, of radial slides J, J', J, which are disposed at an
equal distance apart are or may be fitted with ordinary end packings
forced out by springs, and may be made to slide freely through
recesses in the revolving piston or cylinder G, the excentric position
of which relatively to the stationary cylinder A forms between the outer
periphery of said revolving cylinder and inner periphery of the stationary
one a steam space or chamber, within which and the inner double
cylinder H, H', the radial slides J, J, J, play, and in which outer
cylinder A the steam, supposing such to be the impelling fluid, after it
has done duty at a high pressure in the double cylinder H, H', may be
made to work expansively to impel or rotate the piston. The outer ends
or faces of the revolving piston G are provided between the radial
slides J, J, J, with inner and outer packing segments h, h', which
work in contact with the cylinder covers B, B', to prevent leakage.
In case, however, of leakage past such end packings to the interior of

page_text: the piston, and to prevent the piston being forced endwise by an excess
of leak on one side or end over the other, the disc portion 6 of the
piston is provided with any suitable number of balance openings i, which
permit of the leaking steam passing so as to press equally on opposite
sides of the disc, and on both cylinder covers, and thereby to establish
an equilibrum. k, k, are oil injector cavities leading to the main shaft,
and 7, 1, similar devices for lubricating the pistons; is a cock for
drawing off water arising from condensation of steam within the engine
or its cylinder. Although a slide valve L is here shewn as used the
same working in a chest M to which steam of a high pressure is freely
admitted through a branch m, yet in the general action of the engine,
that is, as regards its being kept running, and as concerns the steam
being used first at a high pressure in the inner double cylinder H, H', to
act upon the piston through its radial slides at a short leverage and
afterwards in an expanded condition at a longer piston leverage within
the outer cylinder, and finally establishing escape from the latter, no
valves are required, but the radial slides operating in connection with
suitable ports or passages serve automatically to establish such action
and keep up the motion of the engine, as will be apparent from the
following description, in which the uses of the valve L, also of opposite
exhaust valves N, N', will be explained:-The slide valve L, which may
be adjusted or operated by hand gear through the stem or rod n by any
suitable means or devices, is shown as constructed at its one end with
a D-shaped bonnet o covering, and in the adjustment of the valve
playing over ports q, q', in the valve seat, while the other end of said
valve consists of a block or plates having a passage through it and
controlling ports u, u'. Each of these ports q, q', and u, u', may be.in
duplicate, as represented in Fig. 1. The one set (q) of them communi-
cates with a passage a² running crosswise of the outer cylinder A and
connected by openings 62 with the interior of said cylinder, some little
on one side of where the outer cylindrical portion of the piston G comes
in contact with the cylinder A. The ports q' communicate with a
passage c² also running crosswise of the outer cylinder and connecting
with ways d in the cylinder ends or covers B, B', said ways d' opening
by side passages e into the double inner cylinder H, H. Similarly
arranged on the opposite side of where the outer cylindrical portion
of the piston G comes in contact with the cylinder A are like or
corresponding ways or passages a³, c³, openings 6³, ways d³, and lateral
openings ; the passages a³, c, being in communication with tho

page_text: ports u, u', openings 63 with the interior of the cylinder A, and lateral
openings with the double inner cylinder H, H. By sliding the
valve L from the position it is represented in the Drawing, so as to put
the opening & through it out of communication with the port u' and so
that the several ports q, q', and u, u', are closed by the valve, then the
engine is stopped as steam cannot pass from the valve chest to either
the inner or outer cylinder. On adjusting however the valve to the
position shown in the Drawing live steam at a high pressure passes
from the valve chest M through the openings & and port u¹ into the
passage c', and from thence down the ways d' and through the lateral
openings into the inner double cylinder H, H', to act upon the
piston G at a short leverage through its radial slides J, J, J', to rotate
said piston and main or driving shaft F, with which it is connected in
direction of the arrow, Fig. 3. After the live or high-pressure steam
has performed its duty in said inner double cylinder H, H', it passes by
the travel of the piston G out through the lateral openings up the
e¹
ways along the passages c through the port q' into the bonnet o of
the valve, and from thence through the port 9, passage a³, and
openings to be worked expansively within the outer cylinder A at
a longer piston leverage on the radial slides J, J', J2, to aid in keeping
up the motion of the piston G and its shaft F in the direction already
indicated, such expanded steam after it has performed its duty in the
outer cylinder finally escaping by a passage or passages fout through
an exhaust valve N' into a chamber or channel g² arranged on the under
side of the cylinder K, and from whence it may pass by an outlet /² to
the air or to a condenser.
From this description too it will be seen that the steam after it has
performed its duty in the inner double cylinder under full pressure
passes under cover of the valve L, which is kept warm by high-pressure
steam, on its back to work expansively in the outer cylinder, by which
arrangement the temperature and pressure of the steam in its way from
one cylinder to the other is better preserved than if the same were
conducted by outside passages and not under cover of the valve. It
will also be seen that the radial slides J, J, J, act automatically (in con-
nection with the lateral openings e, e³, and a suitable exhaust aperture
or apertures in the outer cylinder as they pass said openings and
exhaust aperture or apertures) to control without of necessity the aid
of valves the use of the steam at a high pressure within the inner

page_text: double cylinder and passage after it has performed its duty there to
the outer cylinder for use expansively on the same piston, and afterwards
to establish its escape from the engine.
Likewise it will be observed by the arrangement of the inner and
outer cylinders and piston with its slides working therein relatively to
the exhaust that in passing the expanded steam by the channel g² and
outlet to the condenser (where a condenser is used) the cooling
action or effect of such condenser will be confined to a limited portion
only of the outer cylinder without subjecting the inner or high-pressure
cylinder thereto.
Referring again to the inlet and stopping and starting valve L, also
to the exhaust valves N, N', which though independent of said inlet
valve are used in connection with it, the following further description
is necessary to explain the full and perfect action of these devices :-
The exhaust valves N, N', it will be seen are arranged on opposite
sides of the cylinder A, and may be constructed of a slightly taper or
cylindrical form extending across the width of said cylinder within
cases or boxes arranged at the heads or ends of the channel g², and
in open communication therewith. Said valves are shown as formed
with right angled passages 2 through them, so that on suitably turning
said valves they may be made either to close the cylinder outlets f, ƒ'',
and so cut off connection between the cylinder A and channel g² or
to open communication between the same and said valves, which are
designed to be set by hand according to the direction in which it is
required to run, the engine should be so linked or geared together as
that when the one valve is open the other is closed. Supposing the
engine piston to be travelling as indicated by arrow in Fig. 3 then it
is necessary that the valve N' should be opened, and valve N closed.
If preferred the valves N, N', may be of any other suitable form and
construction for operation to effect reversal of the engine as described,
also the main or inlet valve L may be variously modified to effect its
several specified functions.
Besides the method of working, however, herein-before described, of
first using the steam at a high pressure on a short piston leverage
within the inner double cylinder H, H', and afterwards under expansion
within the outer cylinder A at a long leverage on the same piston,
provision is made by the valves L and N, N', (which when once set

page_text: do not move with the engine, and are as it were not absolutely
necessary adjuncts to such method of working) for using the steam
altogether under full or high pressure in the engine, also for reversing
the motion of the latter. Thus by shifting the valve L so as to close
the port u, and open the port q to the steam in the valve chest, the
engine will work wholly under full or high pressure in the same direction
as before, the steam in such case only being admitted to the outer
cylinder A, and after having performed its duty escaping by the
outlet through the valve N₁ to the exhaust. Or again, by shifting
the valve L in the reverse direction so as to make the port u the inlet
in communication with the valve chest, also closing the valve N¹ and
opening the valve N, then the engine will work in a reverse direction
under full or high-pressure steam which is confined to the cylinder A.
the same after having completed its duty therein on the radial slides
of the piston escaping by the opening f, and through the valve N to
the exhaust. Thus the valve L or same in connection with the exhaust
valves N, N', may be said to have a fourfold function, namely, that of
stopping and starting the engine, of causing the engine to be worked
wholly under full or high pressure, of working under full pressure in
the one cylinder and expansively in the other, and of reversing the
direction in travel of the engine. This versatility in action of the
engine will prove of great service in numerous instances, and the
method herein-before described of working the impelling fluid first at
a high pressure and subsequently at a low pressure, or expansively
within separate cylinders and at different leverages on or through the
same piston, will be found very economical and advantageous in many
respects.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Rotary Engines, as 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 a rotating piston carrying radial slides
and occupying an excentric position relatively to the outer case of
separate inner and outer steam cylinders or chambers, when the one
of said cylinder serves to use the steam expansively from the other
in such manner as that the radial slides which operate in common
with both cylinders are acted upon by the impelling fluid under high

page_text: pressure at a short leverage, and after such performance of its duty by
its expansion at a longer leverage, substantially as shewn and described.
Second. The arrangement relatively to the inner and outer steam
cylinders or chambers and rotating piston common to both of the
several inlets and outlets for without extra mechanism, and by the
action of the radial slides composing or carried by the piston, the
admission of high-pressure steam to the inner cylinder or cylinders and
passage therefrom after performance of its duty to the outer cylinder
or chamber to work expansively in the latter on said piston and in
due course discharge from the outer cylinder, essentially as herein set
forth.
Third. The arrangement, substantially as herein described, of the
revolving piston with its radial slides, inner and outer steam cylinders,
and exhaust aperture or apertures in the outer cylinder to the condenser
for preventing the high-pressure cylinder and greater portion of the
low pressure one from being cooled by the condenser, essentially as
specified.
Fourth. The combination with inner and outer steam cylinders or
chambers single piston working therein, and ports or passages for using
the impelling fluid firstly at a high pressure in the one cylinder, and
subsequently in an expanded form in the other, of a suitably constructed
inlet valve and such an arrangement of ports or passages as that by
the mere adjustment of said valve to different positions operating in
connection with suitable exhaust ports not only may the impelling fluid
be turned on and shut off to stop and start the engine, but the latter
may either be worked wholly under full pressure or under full pressure
in the one cylinder and expansively in the other, and may also be
reversed as regards the direction of its travel, essentially as herein set
forth.
Fifth. So arranging the steam passages and main or inlet valve as
that the impelling fluid after it has performed its duty under high
or full pressure in the one cylinder passes under cover of said valve to
work expansively in the second cylinder, substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination with a main or inlet valve of duplicate
exhaust valves so arranged or applied as that by opening the one and
closing the other provision is established for reversal of the engine,
essentially as herein set forth.

page_text: Seventh. The skeleton piston G provided with inner and outer seg.
mental packings h, h', and with balance openings or passages i, sub-
stantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of February, in the 5
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.