Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567, Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of compound or multiple expansion rotary engines of the type having hubs
mounted to rotate in chambers or cylinders and provided with pistons or vanes
that travel in contact with the inner surface of such chambers or cylinders;
to valve mechanism for controlling the supply of motive fluid to rotary engines;
and to means for maintaining the pistons or vanes of rotary engines in contact
with the walls of the cylinders in which they rotate.
One construction of triple expansion reversible rotary engine according to this
invention comprises three cylinders arranged in line and each provided with
an eccentrically arranged hub fitted with a sliding vane, the three hubs being
fixed to a common driving shaft which passes longitudinally through the three
cylinders and the steam chest containing the steam controlling valve or valves.
The first or high pressure cylinder is smaller than the second or intermediate
pressure cylinder, whilst the third or low pressure cylinder may either be the
same size as the second cylinder, or larger or smaller than such cylinder. The
cylinders are connected fogether by division plates and to a bedplate.
The distributing valves for effecting the expansive working and reversing of
the engine, are arranged in two sets located in parallel valve chambers which
I will call for distinction A and B disposed at opposite sides of the row of
cylinders, one set consisting of a double coned seated valve and two slide valves
which I will call for distinction C, D and E respectively and which are fixed
upon the same valve rod, and the other set consisting of similar valves which I
will call for distinction C, D and E' respectively, these being fixed upon another
valve rod. The two valve rods are connected at their outer ends by links to a
lever so that by moving one set of valves, a corresponding movement in the
opposite direction will be simultaneously imparted to the other set of valves.
The valve chambers A and B are connected to two steam passages hereinafter
called for distinction and G, formed in the steam chest and in the outer
cover of the high pressure cylinder, the admission ports to these passages being
controlled by a suitable rotary main valve, preferably in conjunction with
supplementary valves as hereinafter described. The arrangement is such that
assuming steam is admitted to the steam passages F, it will enter the outer end
of the corresponding valve chamber A and by acting upon the outer face of the
valve C therein will force such valve backward onto its. rear seat and set the
remaining valves D, E, C, D, E in the proper positions for causing the hubs
in the several cylinders to rotate in the same direction, and also to open the
last cylinder to the exhaust. The backward movement of the valve C closes the
communication between the front end of the valve chamber A and the second
D

page_text: and third cylinders and opens a port through which and a second port or row of
ports the steam passes into the high pressure cylinder so as to act upon the vane
therein and rotate the hub and attached parts. When the vane passes the
lower edge of a second port or row of ports at the opposite side of the high
pressure cylinder, it commences to make the idle part of its rotation and the steam in
such cylinder will exhaust into the opposite valve chamber B through a port located
behind the valve C¹ therein and will thence pass directly through a port or row
of ports into the intermediate cylinder. In order that the steam thus supplied
to the second cylinder shall act upon the proper side of the vane therein to
rotate the corresponding hub in the same direction as the hub in the first cylinder,
the first and second cylinders are arranged out of line or eccentrically to one
another so that the hub of the high pressure cylinder for example may be at the
top of the latter cylinder and the other hub be at the bottom of its cylinder, the
two ranes protruding from their respective hubs in the same directions. The
vane in the third cylinder projects in the opposite direction to the other vanes.
The steam in the intermediate pressure cylinder drives the vone therein around
until it uncovers a port or row of ports at the front of the cylinder whereupon
the said vane commences to make the idle part of its stroke the steam then
passing into the opposite valve chamber A at a point behind the valve C therein.
From this chamber the steam flows into a transverse passage formed in the
division plate between the second and third cylinders the opening into which
passage is uncovered by the slide valve 1) having been opened when the corres-
ponding valve C was moved backward. In order that the steam may act upon
the proper side of the vane in the third cylinder it crosses to the opposite side
of the engine through the said transverse passage, then along a short longitudinal
passage and thence through a port, or row of ports into the third or low pressure
cylinder wherein it acts upon the same side of the vane therein as upon that
of the vanes in the first and second cylinders and causes the vane to make the
active or operative portion of its rotation. When the said vane in the third
cylinder, which is arranged 180° in advance of the vane in the second cylinder,
has rotated to the other side of the said third cylinder, it uncovers a row of
ports, and commences to make the idle part of its rotation, the steam then ex-
hausting through the ports at the opposite side of the cylinder into the exhaust
pipe which is uncovered by the valve E and which may lead to a condenser if
desired.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the vanes in the first and
third cylinders act at the same time to rotate the driving shaft and whilst
the vane in the second cylinder is idle and merely acting as a valve to allow steam
to expand from the high pressure cylinder to the low pressure cylinder through
the intermediate pressure cylinder, and that when the said vanes in the first
and last cylinders are idle, the vane in the second cylinder is acting to rotate
the driving shaft.
The ports of the aforesaid rows of ports, or some of them, may be elongated
in a circumferential direction towards the point where the periphery of the hub
is in contact with the usual packing strip so that when the rotating vane passes
over a row of ports towards the said point of contact, the ends of the longer
ports provide for the escape of steam which would otherwise be imprisoned in
the space between the vane and the said point of contact, thereby obviating the
back pressure on the vane that would otherwise be caused in forcing the imprisoned
steam between the hub and packing strip. When the engine is reversed,
the same action takes place but in the opposite direction, the steam entering
through the steam passage G and valve chamber B and automatically reversing
the position of the two sets of valves, the steam that escapes from the inter-
mediate cylinder passing through a second transverse passage and longitudinal
passage to the low pressure cylinder and afterwards from this cylinder through
a port or ports to another exhaust pipe at the opposite side of the low pressure
cylinder to the first mentioned one.

page_text: the vane.
On
Each sliding vane in this arrangement may be pressed outward and into close
contact with the interior of its cylinder by steam pressure acting directly upon
it. For this purpose each vane is made hollow and of rectangular section and
is arranged to slide radially in a corresponding slot in the hub and shaft and
over a centrally disposed plate fixed within the hub and fitting the interior of
Live steam is constantly admitted to the space in the vane between
the free end of the plate and the closed end of the vane which is consequently
pressed outward. For this purpose steam may be admitted to the space in the
vane of the high pressure cylinder from either side of such vane, according to
the direction of rotation of the engine, by passages that communicate at one end
with the cylinder at opposite sides of the vane, and at the other end with the
opposite ends of a valve chamber provided with a double coned seated valve
adapted to govern an opening into the steam space within the vane, the arrange-
ment being such that when steam enters the cylinder at either side of the vane,
it will force the said valve back to the opposite seat closing the corresponding
steam passage and allowing the steam to pass directly from the opposite passage
through the opening thus uncovered into the steam space in the vane.
steam being admitted to the reverse side of the vane, the position of the vane
will be reversed and steam will enter the vane as before. Steam may be admitted
in a similar manner to the vane in the second cylinder but as one or other
side of the vane in the third cylinder is constantly open to the exhaust, it is
necessary to supply the steam space in such vane from another source, as from
the steam space in the vane of the second cylinder. For this purpose the plate
in each hub of the second and third cylinders may be formed with a passage that
is connected by a tube to a bent passage in the end of the corresponding hub,
the two bent passages being connected by a diagonal passage formed in the
driving shaft at the part where it passes through the division plate between the
second and third cylinders. Steam may be admitted in a similar way to the
vane in the second cylinder from the vane in the first cylinder. Also the steam
space in each hub may be in constant communication with a passage that may
be formed in the driving shaft and to which high pressure steam can be admitted
direct from the steam chest, previous to starting the engine, by a suitable valve.
The inner end of each vane or the plate therein is suitably packed as by packing
strips pressed outward by springs, the outer portion of the vane being packed by
packing strips placed in longitudinal grooves formed in the hub on each side
of the vane and each acted upon by one or more springs through an interposed
In other respects
metal plate and a layer of packing material such as asbestos.
the hubs and vanes are or may be constructed and arranged substantially in the
manner described and shown in the Specification of another application for
Letters Patent filed by me No. 27518 of 1897.
Instead of arranging the first and second cylinders eccentrically to one another,
they may be arranged co-axially, the steam exhausting from one side, say the rear
side, of the first cylinder, then passing through a cross over passage in the
division plate between the first and second cylinders into a chamber at the front
of the second cylinder, thence through that cylinder to a chamber at the rear
side thereof whence it flows through the cross over passage in the division plate
between the second and third cylinders to a chamber at the front and thence
through the third cylinder to a rear chamber to the exhaust pipe, the two sets
of valves, valve chambers and steam passages being suitably modified and arranged
for the purpose.
The driving shaft A has fixed thereto sleeves or collars, those located at the
cover plates of the first and last cylinders having a single flange, and those
located in the division plates between the cylinders having two flanges, each
flange in each case being preferably formed with projections arranged to enter
corresponding recesses in the adjacent hub and so as to strengthen the latter and
facilitate the driving of the shaft from the hubs, as described in my said former
specification. The collars, as well as the ends of the driving shaft, are supported

page_text: in adjustable bearings of the kind described in my said former specification, the
division plates and the cone bearings of the intermediate bearings being suitably
divided longitudinally to admit of their being readily put in place.
The supply of steam to the engine is preferably controlled by compound valve
mechanism so constructed and arranged that high pressure steam can be admitted
to the high pressure cylinder and cut off at any desired point and afterwards
used expansively in the succeeding cylinders; or that high pressure steam can
be continuously admitted from the steam chest to the high pressure cylinder and
thence to the intermediate pressure cylinder without being used expansively
in these cylinders, so as to thereby enable the power of the engine to be con-
siderably increased when desired. The high pressure steam in this case coming
from the first and second cylinders is used expansively only in the third cylinder.
According to one construction the compound valve mechanism comprises three
valves arranged one above the other within the steam chest below the steam
passages and G, and hereinafter respectively called for distinction, the main
valve, the regulating valve, and the starting valve. The main valve is of annular
tubular form and fixed to the driving shaft so as to rotate therewith, and each
of its ends is formed with a recess of angular or helical shape. One side of
each recess is parallel, or approximately so, to the axis of the valve, and the
other side is inclined to such axis, the length of the said inclined side depending
upon the extent of cut off desired, and the degree of inclination of such side
depending upon the required amount of wire-drawing, which is dependent upon
the pressure of the steam in the steam chest. The regulating valve, which also
serves as a reversing valve, has a central opening therethrough and is arranged to
partly surround the main valve upon which it can slide longitudinally. The
starting valve consists of an endways movable plate having two openings there-
through. Between the starting valves and the steam passages and G is a
block that is pressed against the starting valve by springs and is formed with
two ports and two hollow extensions that pass through stuffing boxes, the arrange-
ment being such as to compensate for wear and maintain the faces of the main,
regulating and starting valves in contact. The ports in the regulating and
starting valves and in the spring pressed block may be made of the same width
and are preferably angularly disposed, the inclination of the port corresponding,
or substantially so, to the inclination of the inclined edges of the rotary main
valve. By this means the ports can be readily opened to their full width.
For moving the regulating and starting valves endways, there may be arranged
transversely in the steam chest two spindles each of which passes out through a
stuffing box and has fixed to it within the steam chest two arms the free ends
of which engage pins projecting from opposite sides of the corresponding valve.
The outer end of the regulating valve spindle is provided with a regulating and
reversing lever, and the corresponding end of the starting valve spindle is pro-
vided with a forked or two-armed lever adapted to be operated by the said lever.
For this purpose the regulating lever has pivoted thereto a spring pressed arm
one end of which is in proximity to the handle of such lever and the other end
of which carries a pin which normally protrudes into the path of the free ends
of the two-armed lever. The arrangement is such that when the pin projects
between the two arms of the said lever, the regulating valve can be moved a
certain distance without movement being imparted to the starting valve, but
when the said pin comes in contact with one or other arm of the said two-
armed lever, both valves can be moved simultaneously, or by withdrawing the
projecting pin, the regulating valve can be operated without affecting the starting
v.,ive,
When steam is cut off, the regulating valve is in its mid position and the
starting valve is at one of its end positions, say to the right, the right hand port
of the starting valve coinciding with the right hand steam passage G, and both
being closed by the right hand end portion of the regulating valve, the left hand
steam passage F being closed by the left hand end portion of the starting valve.

page_text: By now moving the regulating valve to its right hand position, steam will be
admitted to the right hand steam passage G. If the rotary main valve is in
a suitable position as regards its rotatory movement, i.c. if the recess at that
end of the valve is opposite the port in the regulating valve, the engine will
then start and the supply of steam thereto can be regulated by suitably adjusting
the position of the regulating valve. If however, at starting, the port in the
regulating valve should be closed by the main valve, the regulating valve is
moved to its opposite end position, the projecting pin on the regulating lever
having first been withdrawn from possible contact with the two-armed lever of
the starting valve so as to leave the latter in its right hand position. When the
valves are thus arranged, steam can pass freely over the right hand end of the
main valve through the right hand port in the starting valve to the right hand
steam passage G and thus effect the starting of the engine, after which the
regulating valve can be brought back more or less into the working position. To
reverse the engine, the projecting pin of the regulating lever is withdrawn and
the latter lever is pulled over so that the said pin can be located between the
arms of the two-armed lever whereupon both valves can be moved into their
extreme left hand positions. Should the rotary main valve at this time be in a
position to close the port in the regulating valve, the regulating valve is moved
to the right independently of the starting valve so as to admit steam over the
main valve to the left hand port in the starting valve and thus effect the starting
of the engine, after which the regulating valve is moved back more or less into
the working position. By maintaining the regulating valve in its extreme
position to the left or right and the starting valve in its extreme position to the
right or left high pressure steam can be admitted continuously to the first and
second cylinders, when this is desired.
Valve mechanism such as herein before described can be used with rotary
engines having one or two cylinders and the regulating valve, when used, instead
of having a single port may have two ports corresponding to the two steam
passages and G.
Multiple expansion engines such as hereinbefore described can be made non-
reversible if desired. In this case the two sets of valves C, D, E, and C, D, E¹
and one of the passages F and G are dispensed with and also one of the ports
in the starting valve, when such valve is used, the two chambers A and B being
each divided up or suitably modified to conform to the altered conditions. Thus
when the first and second cylinders are arranged eccentrically to one another
the arrangement may be such that the steam supplied by the one steam passage
enters a chamber say on the front side of the high pressure cylinder, flows
through that cylinder into a chamber on the opposite side thereof, thence through
a passage in the division plate between the first and second cylinders into a
chamber on the rear side of the second cylinder, thence through that cylinder
into a chamber on the front side thereof, thence through a cross over passage in
the division plate between the second and third cylinders into a chamber at the
rear side of the third cylinder, and through that cylinder into a chamber at
the front side thereof whence it passes to an exhaust pipe. When all the
cylinders are arranged in line, the steam enters the first cylinder say on the
front side exhausts therefrom on the opposite side, then crosses over to the
front side of the second cylinder and exhausts on the opposite side and crosses
over to the front side of the third cylinder from the rear side of which it
passes to the exhaust pipe. Similar arrangements to the above are used in the
case of non-reversible compound engines having only two cylinders, the exhaust
from the second cylinder then passing direct to the exhaust pipe. In a non-
reversible engine also, only one end of the rotary main valve need be formed
as described.
Multiple expansion engines such as described can also be provided with sliding
vanes, shaft bearings and other details constructed, arranged and operating other-
wise than as hereinbefore described.

page_text: Thus in a modified arrangement for forcing the vanes outward by direct steam
pressure, each vane is arranged to slide in a recess or chamber formed in its
hub and to the inner end of which steam is admitted through one or other of
two oppositely arranged ports controlled by two valves that are connected by a
spindle and work in valve chambers connected to pipes or passages extending
through the hub and terminating at opposite sides of the vane, the length of
the spindle being such that when one valve is closed the other is open.
When two or more cylinders with steam actuated vanes are used, springs
may be arranged between the hubs and vanes to keep their outer ends in contact
with the cylinder walls when there is no steam in the cylinders. Or, for this
purpose, the steam space in each vane may be in connection with a suitable
passage, formed say in the driving shaft, adapted to be put in communication
with the steam chest just before starting the engine.
Again the vanes instead of being kept in contact with the interiors of the
cylinders by steam pressure acting separately upon each of them, may be con-
nected together in such a way that the forcing inward of one vane by the wall
of its cylinder will effect the outward movement of the other vane or vanes. In
one arrangement of this kind, suitable for a three cylinder engine, each of the
hubs has pivoted therein a bent lever one arm of which is arranged to bear,
for example through a pivoted block, against the inner edge of the corresponding
vane. To the short arm of the lever pivoted to the intermediate hub are jointed
two rods one of which extends longitudinally into the high pressure hub and
through the short arm of the bell crank lever pivoted thereto, a coiled spring
being interposed between such arm and a collar or pin on the end of the rod.
The second rod extends longitudinally into the low pressure hub and is fitted
to slide in a tubular rod jointed to the short arm of the bent lever pivoted to
said hub, and between a collar, on the said rod and the free end of the tubular
rod a coiled spring is interposed. The arrangement is such that inward move-
ment of each vane will compress one or other or both springs and act to force the
other vanes outward. A similar arrangement is applicable for two cylinder
compound engines, one of the two rods and corresponding bent lever being then
omitted.
For a single cylinder engine, the vane thereof may be pressed outward by one arm
of a bent lever the other arm of which is acted upon by a spring arranged
between it and a rod or bar that is guided at one end in the hub and has its
other end working, through a roller, in a cam groove formed in the adjacent end
of the engine cylinder.
In a modified arrangement suitable for a single cylinder engine, the vane is
pressed outward by one end of a spring lever pivoted to the hub and having
its other end working in a cam groove in the cylinder end.
Although I have herein spoken of the vessels containing the hubs and vanes
as cylinders, it is to be understood that such vessels may be made of a more or
less oval section. This may advantageously be so in the case of engines designed
to run at a comparatively slow speed and suitably for example for motor car
and other purposes where it is desired to obtain a larger and more uniform
action during a greater portion of each rotation than would be the case if the
vessels were of circular section.

page_text: I, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567, Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical 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 has reference to improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of compound and multiple expansion rotary engines of the type having
hubs mounted to rotate in chambers or cylinders and provided with pistons or
vanes that travel in contact with the inner surface of such chambers or cylinders,
as described in the Specification of another application for Letters Patent filed
by me No. 20106 of 1898; to valve mechanism for controlling the supply of
motive fluid to rotary engines; and to means for maintaining the pistons or
vanes of rotary engines in contact with the walls of the cylinders in which they
rotate, as I shall now describe by the aid of the accompanying illustrative
drawings wherein, Figs. 1 and 1* are longitudinal vertical sections on the
line ii of Figs. 2 and 2*; Figs. 2 and 2* are horizontal sections on the linek k
of Fig. 5; and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines ll, m m of Fig. 1*
and of Fig. 1 respectively, showing a construction of triple expansion
reversible engine according to this invention. Figs. 6 and 7 show respectively
in plan and rear elevation, the steam chest and high pressure cylinder end of the
engine, and Fig. 8 shows in front elevation, the low pressure cylinder end of
such engine. Fig. 9 shows in central section, and Fig. 10 in underside view,
the hubs, sliding vanes and adjacent parts of the intermediate and low pressure
cylinders. Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line oo of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a cross
section of one of the vanes corresponding to the line of Fig. 10 but drawn
to a larger scale. Figs. 13 to 17 are diagrammatic views showing in different
positions, the valve mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1* and 2*. Fig. 18 is a
plan of a regulating valve. The remaining figures are hereinafter referred to.
The construction of triple expansion reversible rotary engine shown in the
drawings comprises three cylinders 1, 2 and 2ª arranged in line and provided
respectively with eccentrically arranged hubs 3, 4, and 4ª fitted with sliding
vanes 5, 6, and 6, the three hubs being fixed to a common driving shaft A
which passes longitudinally through the three cylinders and the steam chest 11.
The first or high pressure cylinder is smaller than the second or intermediate
pressure cylinder 2, whilst the third or low pressure cylinder 2ª may either be the
same size as the second cylinder 2, as shown, or larger or smaller than such
cylinder. The cylinders are connected together by division plates 9 and to a
bedplate 7.
The distributing valves for effecting the expansive working and reversing
of the engine, are arranged in two sets located in parallel valve chambers 48, 49
disposed at opposite sides of the row of cylinders, one set of valves consisting
of a double coned seated valve 50 and two slide valves 51 and 52 fixed upon the
same valve rod 53 and the other set consisting of similar valves 50, 51, 52
fixed upon a valve rod 53. The two valve rods are connected at their outer
ends by links 54 to a lever 55 pivoted at 56, so that by moving one set of
valves, a corresponding movement in the opposite direction will be simultaneously
imparted to the other set of valves. The valve chambers 48 and 49 are re-
spectively connected to two steam passages 13, 13ª formed in the steam chest
and in the outer cover 7 of the high pressure cylinder 1, the admission ports
to these passages being controlled by a suitable rotary main valve 57, preferably

page_text: in conjunction with supplementary valves as hereinafter described. The arrange-
ment is such that assuming steam is admitted to the steam passages 13, it
enters the outer end of the corresponding valve chamber 48 and by acting upon
the outer face of the valve 50 therein, forces such valve backward onto its
rear seat as shown in Fig. 2* and sets the remaining valves 51, 52, 50, 51, 52*
in the proper positions for causing the hubs in the several cylinders to rotate
in the direction shown by the arrows in Figs. 2, 2* and 4, and also to open the
last cylinder to the exhaust. The backward movement of the valve 50 closes
the communication between the front end of the valve chamber 48 and the
second and third cylinders 2 and 3 and opens a port 58 through which and a
row of ports 59 the steam passes into the high pressure cylinder 1, so as to act
upon the vane 5 therein and rotate the hub and attached parts in the direction
indicated. When the vane 5 passes the lower edge of a row of ports 59° at
the opposite side of the high pressure cylinder, it commences to make the idle
part of its rotation, and the steam in such cylinder will exhaust into the opposite
valve chamber 49 through a port 58ª located behind the valve 50 therein and
will thence pass directly through ports 60 into the intermediate cylinder 2. In
order that the steam thus supplied to the second cylinder shall act upon the
proper side of the vane 6 therein to rotate the hub 4 in the same direction as the
hub 3 in the first cylinder, the two cylinders 1 and 2 may be arranged out of
line or recentrically one to the other, so that the hub 3 may, for example, be
at the top of the cylinder 1, and the hub 4 be at the bottom of the cylinder 2,
as shown in Figs. 1 and 1*, the vanes 5 and 6 protruding from their respective
hubs in the same directions. The vane 6ª projects in the opposite direction to
the other vanes. The steam in the cylinder 2 drives the vane 6 and hub 4
round until the said vane uncovers a row of ports 60 at the front of the cylinder,
whereupon the said vane 6 commences to make the idle part of its stroke, the
steam then passing into the opposite valve chamber 48 at a point behind the
valve 50 therein. From this chamber the steam flows into a transverse passage 61
formed in the division plate 9. between the cylinders 2 and 2ª, the opening into
which passage is uncovered by the slide valve 51 having been opened when the
corresponding valve 50 was moved backward. In order that the steam may
act upon the proper side of the vane 6 in the third cylinder, it crosses to the
opposite side of the engine through the said transverse passage 61, then along a
short longitudinal passage 62 and thence through a port, or, as shown, row
of ports into the third or low pressure cylinder 2 wherein it acts upon the
sanie side of the vane 6 as upon that of the vanes 5 and 6 in the first and
second cylinders and causes the vane to make the active or operative portion of
its rotation. When the said vane 6, which is arranged 180° in advance of the
vane 6, has rotated to the other side of the said third cylinder, it uncovers a row
of ports 63, and commences to make the idle part of its rotation, the steam
then exhausting through the ports 63 into the exhaust pipe 64 which is uncovered
by the valve 52 and which may lead to a condenser if desired.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the vanes 5 and 6 in
the first and third cylinders respectively act at the same time to rotate the
driving shaft and whilst the vane 6 in the intermediate cylinder is idle and
merely acting as a valve to allow steam to expand from the high pressure and
intermediate pressure cylinder to the lower pressure cylinder, and that when the
said vanes 5 and 6" are idle, the vane 6 is acting to rotate the driving shaft.
The ports of the aforesaid rows of ports, or some of them, may, as shown, be
elongated in a circumferential direction towards the point where the periphery
of the hub is in contact with the ordinary packing strip 39 so that when the
corresponding rotating vane passes over a row of ports towards the said point of
contact, the ends of the longer ports provide for the escape of steam which
would otherwise be imprisoned in the space between the vane and the said point
of contact, thereby obviating the back pressure on the vane that would other-
wise be caused in forcing the imprisoned steam between the hub and packing

page_text: piece. When the engine is reversed, the same action takes place but in the
opposite direction, the steam entering through the steam passage 13 and valve
chamber 49 and automatically reversing the position of the two sets of valves,
the steam that escapes from the intermediate pressure cylinder 2 passing through
a second transverse passage 61 and longitudinal passage 62 to the low pressure
cylinder 2 and afterwards from this cylinder through the ports 63" to the
exhaust pipe 64".
Each sliding vane in this arrangement is shown as being pressed outward and
into close contact with the interior of its cylinder by steam pressure acting
directly upon it. For this purpose each vane is made hollow and of rectangular
section (see Figs. 1, 1*, 9, 11 and 12) and is arranged to slide radially in a
corresponding slot 65 in the hub and shaft and over a centrally disposed plate 66
fixed within the hub and fitting the interior of the vane like a piston or plug.
Live steam is constantly admitted to the space 67 in the vane between the free
end of the plate GG and the closed end of the vane which is consequently pressed
outward. For this purpose steam may be admitted to the space 67 in the
vane 5 from either side thereof, according to the direction of rotation of the
engine, by passages 68 (Fig. 12) that communicate at one end with the cylinder 1
at opposite sides of the vane, and at the other end with the opposite ends of a
valve chamber 69 provided with a double coned seated valve 70 adapted to govern
an opening into the said steam space 67 within the vane, the arrangement being
such that when steam enters the cylinder at either side of the vane, it will force
the valve 70 back to the opposite seat, closing the corresponding steam passage 68,
and allowing the steam to pass directly from the opposite passage through the
opening 71 thus uncovered into the steam space in the vane. On steam being
admitted to the reverse side of the vane, the position of the valve will be
reversed and steam will enter the vane as before. Steam may be admitted in
a similar manner to the vane 6, but as one or other side of the vane 6ª is
constantly open to the exhaust, it is necessary to supply the steam space in such
vane from another source, as from the steam space 67 in the vane 6. For this
purpose the plate 66 in each hub 6, 6 may be formed with a passage 72 that
is connected by a tube 72 to a bent passage 73 in the end of the corresponding
hub, the two bent passages 73 being connected by a diagonal passage 73.
formed in the driving shaft A. at the part where it passes through the plate 9
between the cylinders 2, 2ª. Steam may be admitted in a similar way to the
vane 6 from the vane 5. Also the steam space in each hub may be in constant
communication with a passage that may be formed in the driving shaft and to
which high pressure steam can be admitted direct from the steam chest 11 by a
suitable valve previous to starting the engine. Also, springs may be arranged
between the hubs and vanes, to keep the outer ends of the latter in contact with
the cylinder walls when there is no steam in the cylinders. The inner end
of each vane, or, as shown, the plate 60 therein, is suitably packed as by packing
strips 74, pressed outward by springs 74", the outer portions of the vane being
packed by packing strips 75 placed in longitudinal grooves in the hub on each
side of the vane and each acted upon by springs 5 through an interposed
metal plate 75 and layer 75° of packing material such as asbestos (Fig. 11).
In other respects the hubs and vanes are or may be constructed and arranged in
the manner described and shown in the specification of my Patent No. 27518
of 1897.
The driving shaft A has fixed thereto sleeves or collars 76, 76ª those, 76,
located at the cover plates 7", 8" having a single flange, and those 76 located in
the division plates 9 having two flanges, each flange in each case being pre-
ferably formed with projections 47" arranged to enter corresponding recesses in
the adjacent hub end so as to strengthen the latter and facilitate the driving
of the shaft from the hubs, as described in my said former specification No. 27518
of 1897. The collars 76 and 76ª are supported in adjustable bearings each com-
prising a split cone 41 with encircling ring 42 connecting pins 43 operating

page_text: worm 44 and spindle 45, the ends of the shaft being supported in adjustable
bearings each comprising a cone 41, a boss 8h, cover or gland 46 with lock
mut 46", and connecting pins 43 and grooves 43, the various parts being
arranged and operating as described in my said former Specification No. 20100
of 1898. The bearing plate 9 between the cylinders 2 and 2 and the corresponding
bearing are divided longitudinally to admit of their being placed around the
doubly flanged collar 76 which they surround.
Each vane may be provided at its outer end with a shoe 34 provided with a
removable wearing piece and mounted to turn on pins 34° carried by plates 34"
fixed by screws 34 to the two ends of the vane which may be fitted with fillets 35
and springs 35", similar fillets 35* being provided at the ends of the said shoe,
all as and for the purposes set forth in my said former Specification No. 20106
of 1898.
The supply of steam to the engine is preferably controlled by compound valve
mechanism so constructed and arranged that (a) high pressure steam can be
admitted to the high pressure cylinder and cut off at any desired point and
afterwards used expansively in the succeeding cylinders; or that (6) high pressure
steam can be continuously admitted from the steam chest 11 to the high pressure
cylinder 1 and thence to the intermediate pressure cylinder 2 without being
used expansively in these cylinders, so as to thereby enable the power of the
engine to be considerably increased when desired. The high pressure steam
in this case, coming from the first and second cylinders is used expansively
only in the third cylinder.
In the example shown in Figs. 1 to 17 inclusive, the compound valve mechanism
comprises three valves 57, 77 and 78 arranged one above the other within the
steam chest 11 & below the steam passages 13, 13" and hereinafter respectively
called for distinction, the rotary valve, the regulating valve, and the starting
valve. The rotary valve 57 is annular and fixed to the driving shaft A so as
to rotate therewith, and each of its ends is formed with a recess of angular or
helical shape. One side 57 of each recess is parallel or approximately so, to
the axis of the valve, and the other side 57b is inclined to such axis, the length
of the said inclined side depending upon the extent of cut off desired, and the
degree of inclination of such side upon the required amount of wire-drawing,
which is dependent upon the pressure of the steam in the steam chest. The
regulating valve 77, which in conjunction with the rotary valve 57 serves as
an expansion valve, has a central opening 77" therethrough and is arranged to
partly surround the main valve upon which it can slide longitudinally. The
starting valve 78 which also serves as a reversing valve, consists of an endways
movable flat plate having two openings 78, 78b therethrough. 16 is a block
that is pressed against the starting valve by springs and is formed with two
ports 16, 16b and two hollow extensions that pass through stuffing boxes, the
arrangement being such as to compensate for wear and maintain the several valve
faces in contact. The ports 77, 78", 78b, 16ª and 10, may be made of the same
width and are preferably angularly disposed, as shown in Fig. 18 with respect to
the part 77 in the regulating valve 77, the inclination of the port corresponding,
or substantially so, to the inclination of the inclined edges 57b of the rotary
valve 57. By this means the ports can be readily opened to their full width.
For moving the valves 77 and 78 endways, there may be arranged transversely
in the steam chest 11, two spindles 79 and 80 each of which passes out through
a stuffing box 81. The spindle 79 has fixed to it within the steam chest two
arms 79 the free ends of which engage pins 82 projecting from opposite sides
of the regulating valve 77. The spindle 80 is provided with similar arms 80°
engaging pins 83 projecting from opposite sides of the starting valve 78. The
outer end of the spindle 79 is provided with a regulating lever 84, and the
corresponding end of the starting valve spindle 80 is provided with a forked or 5
two-armed lever 85 adapted to be operated by the regulating lever. For this
purpose the regulating lever has pivoted thereto a spring pressed arm 86 one

page_text: end of which is in proximity to the handle of the reversing lever and the other
end of which carries a pin 87 which normally protrudes into the path of the
free ends of the said two-armed lever 85. The arrangement is such that when
the pin 87 projects between the two arms of the said lever, the regulating valve 77
can be moved a certain distance without movement being imparted to the starting
valve S but when the said pin comes in contact with one or other arm of the
said two-armed lever, both valves 77 and 78 can be moved simultaneously, or by
withdrawing the projecting pin 87, the regulating valve 77 can be operated
without affecting the starting valve 78.
When steam is cut off, the regulating valve 77 is in its mid position and the
starting valve is at one of its end positions, say to the right, as shown in Figs. 1*
and 15, the right hand port 78" of the starting valve 78 coinciding with the right
hand steam passage 13, and both being closed by the right hand end portion of
the regulating valve 77, the left hand steam passage 13 being closed by the left
hand end portion of the starting valve. By now moving the regulating valve 77
to its right hand position (see Fig. 13) steam will be admitted to the right hand
steam passage 18 if the rotary valve 57 is, as shown in Fig. 13, in a suitable
position as regards its rotatory movement, i.e., if the recess at that end of the
valve is opposite the port 77" in the regulating valve 77. The engine will then
start and the supply of steam thereto can be regulated by suitably adjusting the
position of the regulating valve. If, however, at starting, the port 77 should
be closed by the rotary valve 57, as it would be if this valve were in the position
shown in Fig. 16, the regulating valve 77 is moved to its opposite end position
(see Fig. 16) the projecting pin 87 on the regulating lever 84 having first been
withdrawn from possible contact with the two-armed lever 85 of the starting
valve 77 so as to leave the latter in its right hand position. When the valves are
thus arranged, steam can pass freely over the right hand end of the rotary valve 57
and through the right hand port 78" in the starting valve to the right hand
steam passage 13" and thus effect the starting of the engine, after which the
regulating valve can be brought back more or less into the position shown in
Fig. 13. To reverse the engine, the projecting pin 87 of the regulating lever 84
is withdrawn and the latter lever is pulled over so that the said pin can be
located between the arms of the two-armed lever 85 whereupon both valves can
be moved into their extreme left hand positions (Fig. 14). Should the rotary
valve 57 at this time be in a position to close the port 77, as it would do if it
were in, the position shown in Fig. 17, the regulating valve 77 is moved to the
right independently of the starting valve (see Fig. 17), so as to admit steam over
the rotary valve to the port 78b in the starting valve and thus effect the starting
of the engine, after which the regulating valve 77 is moved back more or less
into the position shown in Fig. 14. By maintaining the regulating and starting.
valves in the positions shown in Fig. 16 or 17, high pressure steam can be
admitted continuously to the first and second cylinders 1 and 2 when this is
desired.
Valve mechanism such as hereinbefore described can be used with rotary
engines having one or more cylinders, and the regulating valve 77, instead of
having a single port 77" may have two ports corresponding to the two steam
passages 16, 16
Instead of arranging the first and second cylinders 1 and 2 eccentrically to
one another as in Figs. 1, 1* and 2, 2* they may be arranged co-axially as shown
diagrammatically in Fig. 19. In this case the steam admitted
say to the
chamber 48, after passing through the cylinder 1 and rotating the hub and vane
therein in the opposite direction to that when the cylinders are arranged eccentri-
cally, exhausts from the rear side of the high pressure cylinder and passes through
a cross-over passage 61b formed in the division plate 9 between the two cylinders 1
and 2 into a chamber 48" arranged at the front side of the second cylinder 2
and separated from the valve chamber 48 by the division plate 9.
The steam
then passes through the second cylinder -to a-chamber 49 arranged at the rear

page_text: side thereof but separated from the valve chamber 49 by the said division plate 9.
From the chamber 49" the steam flows through the cross over passage 61" to
the chamber 62 and thence through the third cylinder 2" and rear chamber 62"
to the exhaust pipe 64", the two sets of valves 50, 51 and 52, and 50, 51*
and 52" being suitably arranged as shown for the purpose.
When high pressure
steam is admitted first to the valve chamber 49, the hubs and vanes will rotate
in the reverse direction, the steam exhausting from the front side of the first
cylinder passing through a second cross over passage 61 in the adjacent division
plate 9 to the valve chamber 49" and so on as before.
Multiple expansion engines, such as hereinbefore described, can be made non-
reversible if desired.
In this case the two sets of steam distributing valves 50, 51, 52 and 50", 51ª,
52 and one of the steam passages 13, 13" is dispensed with, the steam ports and
passages being suitably arranged to lead the steam to the first cylinder and from
that to the next and so on and finally to the exhaust.
Fig. 20 shows, in sectional plan view, a triple expansion engine like that
shown in Figs. 1, 1 and 2, 2 but non-reversible. In this case, the two
cylinders 1 and 2 being arranged eccentrically to one another, steam entering by
the steam supply passage 13 and front chamber 48 flows through the high pressure
cylinder 1 into the rear chamber 49, thence through a passage 9 in the adjacent
division plate 9 into the rear chamber 49" whence it passes through the second
cylinder 2 into a front chamber 48" that is separated from the chamber 48 by
the intervening division plate 9. It then passes through a cross over passage 61
in the division plate 9 between the second and third cylinders 2, 2 into the
separate chamber 62" at the rear of the third cylinder and through that cylinder
into the front chamber 62 and thence to the exhaust pipe 64. If all of the
cylinders 1, 2 and 2" be arranged co-axially, then the steam may enter the
first cylinder 1 by the front chamber 48, exhaust from the rear chamber 49
through a cross over passage in the adjacent division plate 9 to the front
chamber 48" and second cylinder, then exhausts from the rear chamber 49ª
through a cross over passage in the second division plate 9 to the front chamber 62
and finally escape from the rear chamber 62" to an exhaust pipe in connection
therewith.
Fig. 20 shows in sectional plan view a compound engine similar to that shown
in Figs. 1 and 2 of my said prior Specification No. 20106 of 1898 but made
non-reversible. In this case the steami supplied by the steam passage 13 passes
direct to the inlet port 23 by which it enters one side of the high pressure
cylinder and after partly rotating the high pressure vane and hub, exhausts
through the opposite outlet port 23" and cross over passage 22" to the inlet
port 25 of the low pressure cylinder 2 from the opposite outlet port 25" of which
it exhausts direct into the exhaust passage 24.
In these non-reversible engines only one end of the rotary main valve 57
need be formed as hereinbefore described, and one of the ports in the starting
valve 78 when such valve is used, is dispensed with.
Multiple expansion engines such as herein described can be provided with
sliding vanes, shaft bearings and other details constructed, arranged and operating
otherwise than as herein before described.
Thus Fig. 21 shows in cross section, a modified arrangement for forcing the
vanes outward by direct steam pressure. In this case cach vane (say 5) is
arranged to slide in a recess or chamber formed in its hub 3 and to the inner
end of which steam is admitted through one or other of two oppositely arranged
ports 88, 88 controlled by two valves 89, 89" respectively that are connected by
a spindle 90 and work in valve chambers 91, 91 connected to pipes or
passages 92, 92 extending through the hub and terminating at opposite sides of
the vane, the length of the spindle 90 being such that when one valve is closed
the other is open.
Again, the vanes instead of being kept in contact with the interiors of the

page_text: cylinders by steam pressure acting separately upon each of them, may be con-
nected together in such a way that the forcing inward of one vane by the wall
of its cylinder will effect the outward movement of the other vane or vanes.
Figs. 22 shows one arrangement of this kind, suitable for a three cylinder engine.
In this arrangement the hubs 3, 4, 4ª have pivoted thereto the bent levers 93,
94, 95 respectively one arm of each of which is arranged to bear, for example
through a pivoted block 96, against the inner edge of the corresponding vane 5, 6
or 6
To the short arm of the lever 94 are jointed two rods 97 and 98. The
rod 97 extends longitudinally into the high pressure hub 3 and through the short
arm of the bell-crank lever 93 pivoted thereto, a coiled spring 99 being interposed
between such arm and a collar 100 (or pin) on the end of the rod. The rod 98
extends longitudinally into the low pressure hub 4" and is fitted to slide in a
tubular rod 101 jointed to the short arm of the bent lever 95 pivotted to said
hub, and between a collar 102 on the said rod 98 and the free end of the tubular
rod 101 a coiled spring 103 is interposed. The arrangement is such that the
springs 99 and 103 tend to force all the vanes outward, and that inward move-
ment of the vane 6 will compress both springs 99 and 103 and act to force the
other vanes 5 and 6 outward, and that inward movement of the vanes 5 and 6
acts to compress the spring 99 and 103 respectively and force the vane 6 outward.
A similar arrangement is applicable for two cylinder compound engines, one of
the two rods 97 or 98 and corresponding bent lever 93 or 95 being then omitted.
Fig. 23 shows an arrangement for a single cylinder engine, the vane 5 of which
may be pressed outward by one arm of a bent lever 93 the other arm of which is
acted upon by a spring 99 arranged between it and a rod or bar 104 that is
guided at one end in the hub at 105 and has its other end working, through
a roller 106, in a cam groove 107 formed in the adjacent end of the engine
cylinder.
In a modified arrangement, shown in Figs. 24 and 25, and suitable for a single
cylinder engine, the vane 5 is pressed outward by one end of a spring lever 108
pivoted to the hub at 109 and having its other end jointed to a block 110 working
in a cam groove 111 in the cylinder end.
Although I have herein spoken of the vessels containing the hubs and vanes
as cylinders, it is to be understood that such vessels may be made of a more or
less oval section. This may advantageously be so in the case of engines designed
to run at a comparatively slow speed and suitable, for example, for motor car
and other purposes where it is desired to obtain a larger and more uniform action
during the greater portion of each rotation than would be the case if the vessels
were of circular section. It is to be understood that such vessels are intended to
be included under the terms cylinders herein used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a triple expansion rotary engine wherein the cylinders and steam chest
are connected together through division and cover plates and the vanes in the
several cylinders are relatively arranged as set forth connecting the several
cylinders together and to the steam chest by passages and ports constructed and
arranged and controlled by valves arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive and in Fig. 19 of the
drawings annexed.
2. A rotary engine of the kind herein referred to wherein the single sliding
vane in each cylinder is fitted to slide through a slot in the corresponding hub
and in the driving shaft and over a plate or piston fixed within the hub at the
closed end of the slot, and is pressed outward by the pressure of steam admitted
to the space between the vane and the plate or piston, substantially as described.
3. A multiple expansion rotary engine having sliding vanes arranged and
operating as specified in the preceding claim wherein the steam spaces within the

page_text: second and third vanes, or within all the vanes are connected together so that
steam admitted to the steam space of the second vane or to that of the first vane
can pass to the next adjacent vane as set forth, whereby the vanes will be kept
in effective contact with the inner surface of the cylinders, substantially as
described.
4. In a rotary engine of the kind herein referred to, rotary hubs, sliding
vanes, and controlling valve or valves constructed, arranged and operating, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 9 to 12
inclusive of the drawings annexed or modified according to Fig. 21.
5. In a rotary engine, compound valve mechanism comprising a main rotary
valve, a regulating valve, and a starting valve, the regulating and starting valves
being arranged to slide one on the other and upon the main valve and to control
the admission of steam to a steam passage, or to one or other of two steam
passages, in such a way that steam can be successively admitted to and cut off
from the said steam passage, or either steam passage when there are two, or can
be admitted continuously to the steam passage, or either steam passage, sub-
stantially as described.
.
6. In a rotary engine, compound valve mechanism constructed, arranged and
operating substantially as herein before described with reference to and shown
in the drawings annexed.
7. Multiple expansion reversible rotary engines constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in
Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, and in Fig. 19 of the drawings annexed.
8. Non-reversible rotary engines constructed as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Fig. 20 and in Fig. 20 of the drawings annexed.
9. A rotary engine of the kind herein referred to wherein the sliding vanes
in adjacent cylinders are connected together in such a way that the forcing
inward of one vane by the wall of its cylinder will effect, through mechanical
connections, outward movement of the other, vane or vanes, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
10. In a rotary engine the arrangement of sliding vanes and connecting or
operating mechanism constructed and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Fig. 22; in Fig. 23; and in Figs. 24
and 25 of the drawings annexed.