Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patent Agents, or
67 Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by JAMES M.
WHITNEY, of Deadwood, Dakota Territory, United States of America, Engineer,
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 an improvement in rotary engines.
The object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine that will be simple in
construction and have few working parts and provide a means of packing the revolving
piston upon its side surfaces so that this packing can be renewed without access to
the interior of the cylinder.
A further object is to provide a valve for a rotary steam engine that will be balanced
in all positions it may assume in regard to live steam and exhaust-steam pressure in
the valve-chamber.
A further object is to so construct a rotary engine than an instant reversal of the
direction of rotative motion can be made at any time without shutting off steam from
the cylinder or valves.
A further object is to provide a rotary engine that by reason of its reduced frictional
bearing surfaces will give a large percentage of power in proportion to steam con-
sumption, and, further that from the practical and simple adaptation of its main
mechanical features this engine can be produced at a low initial cost.
With these ends in view the invention consists in certain features of construction
and combinations of parts that will be hereinaftor described, and pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the engine.
Fig. 2 is a view showing two engines mounted upon one shaft, having a line drawn
through the valve centers and axial center of one engine set at a right angle to a
similar drawn line in the other engine.

page_text: Fig. is a view of the engine with one of the heads removed.
Fig. 4, 5 and 6 are detached views of the valve.
Fig. 7 is a side view of the engine with the tripping-valve spring shown in position.
Fig. 8 is a cross section of the side plates or cylinder bonnets to show the position
of the packing channel and follower taken on line x-x-Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 is a detached view of the packing follower ring.
A represents the cylinder of the engine. It is made of metal, and is cylindrical
in the major part of its peripheral wall. At points E in the circumference of the
cylinder A two circular enlargements for valve chests B are made. The walls of the
valve chambers B are,
in effect, a continuation of the side wall of the cylinder A,
being preferably cast or formed integral there with (see Fig. 3). The walls of the
valve chambers B, as well as that of the cylinder A, are finished to produce a smooth
true surface on their interiors.
The rotary disk D, that answers for a piston head, is made substantially in form as
shown in Fig. 3, upon its peripheral edge, and its thickness is so proportioned to the
width of the engine cylinder A as to afford a neat running fit of the opposed surfaces
of the piston head D and the cylinder heads F, that are secured to the flanged edges
of the cylinder A.
The piston head D may be made of one solid piece of material, or it may be
composed of a hollow chamber with side and edge walls of sufficient thickness for
stability, and thus afford a proper contour of surface without excessive weight.
The piston head D (see Fig. 3) has its peripheral edge reduced so as to form a
steam passage between the edge tace and the inner wall of the cylinder A, and at two
diametrically opposite points the steam abutments D1, D2, are formed intact with the
body of the head, D, being simply swells on the surface of the peripheral edge of this
head D.
The piston head D is finished to have a true bearing surface on its sides and also
upon its edge, and is mounted upon a central shaft S, that is the center of motion of
the engine, and upon which may be mounted proper pulleys for the communication
of the motion and power produced by the operation of the engine.
The valves C, that are placed in the chest B, are made as shown in figures 3, 4,
and 6 and each consists of a body b, that is vertically perforated with a proper sized
exhaust passage b'. This passage b' is preferably made rectangular, and is extended
laterally to form an oblong aperture, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. At points between
the end terminations of the exhaust passage and the end walls g, of the valves C
two transverse apertures e, e¹, are made in the body of the valve to permit the free
passage of live steam through them.
The valve (has its body extended laterally at the upper and lower sides to form
flanges These flanges are produced on each side of the valve C, as shown in
Fig. 3. The top flanges, are preferably extended at right angles to the vertical
wall of the valve, and have their edges made to conform to the rounded inner
face of the valve chamber. The lower flanges f, similarly project at the sides of the
body of the valve C, with the exception that these flanges, as well as the lower face
of the valve, are given the same degree of curvature that is made on the interior
wall of the cylinder A, as shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines. The ends of the lower
flanges, of the valve C are provided with packing strips s, that are inserted in
grooves cut in their edges for their accommodation, and it is important that the lower
corner of the valve flanges, as shown at a², a², in Fig. 3, are rounded to give a
smooth and steam tight bearing upon the peripheral face of the piston rod D, upon
which these edges a a², are made to bear when the engine is in operation. It should
be stated that the packing joints are intended to make a joint in the valve chests and
have a steam tight contact therewith.
I prefer to make the joints of metallic bearing strips that are located in grooves,
as stated before, and place beneath the strips an elastic indestructible spring or
substance that will hold the strips s in yielding contact with the surface of the valve
chamber B.
The steam abutments D' D2 upon the piston head D are produced upon its surface

page_text: such a distance from the axial center as to have a slight running clearance with the
interior surface of the side wall of the cylinder A, (see Fig. 3) and are given the same
curvature.
The abutments D1 D2 are made with a slope or incline on each of their sides to give
a gradual approach to the apex of the abutment, as shown in Fig. 3, and have trans-
verse packing strips that seat on elastic base pieces, so as to make these strips n have
a yielding steam tight contact with the cylinder wall. It is essential that these
packing strips n are so affixed as to prevent their dislodgment from their containing
grooves when not in surface contact with the cylinder face.
The valves C are mounted upon trunnions d, that project laterally from their end
faces. These trunnions d are held in sockets or perforations in the side plates of the
engine that close the valve chambers also to make them steam tight.
The pivoting of the valves C, as just described, should be at a point central with
the outer edges of the flanges f, and at such a relative distance above the
lower face of the flange on the valve as to permit the vibration or oscillation
of the valves to cause the flanges to have surface contact with the peripheral face
of the piston head D, as shown in Fig. 3. As shown in the figure just named,
the side walls of the valve chambers are perforated with two steam passages to
each chamber. These are made upon each side the valve bodies, and in such a
location as to avoid obstruction by the flanges of the valves when these valves
are rocked on their trunnion bearings.
The valve chambers B have each a proper sized exhaust passage O, formed at the
crowns of these arched chambers. Any suitable method of connecting an exhaust
pipe may be adopted, and, if desired, the exhaust steam from both the chests may be
led off by a common pipe.
The two cylinder heads or bonnets F, that also cover the valve chests B are each
made up of two parts, an inner and outer annulus as shown in Fig. 8. I will describe
one head as both are of like construction.
The concentric rings G1, G2, that taken together form the bonnet F, are of such
relative diameter as to premit the outer ring G', to he bolted onto a suitable flange
on the periphery of the cylinder A, and the width of the annulus or outer ring G³,
to be such that its inner edge will slightly overlap the side surface of the piston D.
The inner ring G2, is made somewhat less in diameter than the inner edge of the
annulus G. This method of constructing the two rings, respectively, forms a groove
or circular packing space m. This packing space m is of such width that it will
permit a proper amount of hemp, rope or other suitable packing to be inserted in it,
and embedded so as to have a surface contact with the side face of the piston head D.
An annular follower H, is placed in the packing groove m.
This is held in proper
position by the fixed bracket plates 1, 2, 3, 4, that are bolted in place. The outer
ends of the plates 1, 2, 3, 4, are secured to the ring G¹, the inner ends being rigidly
affixed in contact with the inner ring or annulus G³. At a central point in these
plates 1, 2, 3, 4, set bolts I are inserted. These are adapted to bear with their points
upon the follower H, and force it down upon the packing in the groove m.
It is not
material that the inner ring or annulus G have a steam tight contact with the head D,
as the packing-joint just described will prevent any escape of steam past that point
toward the axial centre of the piston-head D, and, if desired, the surface of the inner
annulus G, may be recessed to form a shallow chamber with a bearing surface at
each edge of proper width. This will reduce contact-surface with the side of the
piston-head D, and thus obviate friction at these points of contact therewith. The
plates 1, 2, 3, 4 are notched, as shown in Fig. 8 at p. These notches are made to
permit the plates to be placed over the flange of the follower-ring H, and the notches p
are of such a depth as to permit the removal of the ring from the packing
channel, in which it seats, by the removal of but one of the plates, as the
ring H can then be pried up and slid out of place, a sufficient width of the notches p
permitting this displacement to renew packing when necessary.
It will be noticed by inspection of Fig. 3 that the form of the valve C permits a
steam space upon each side where the steam-inlets a a perforate the side, and also a

page_text: similar vacant space at the top of the valve C, on account of the arching of the
valve-chamber B. The utility of this provision will be manifested presently.
"
The trunnions on one side of the valve-chambers of engines of this type, that are
designed to reverse motion," are extended upon the outside of the side bonnet, so as
to permit a spring lever L, to be affixed to this projecting shaft d (see Fig. 7) and at
a point immediately above the shaft d, upon the edge of the valve chamber B, a
quadrant, P, that is properly notched, is affixed to retain the valve by means of said
spring lever L, in an inclined position on its axial bearings, so as to throw either of
its edges a¹a in contact with the peripheral face of the piston D to cause the
introduction of steam fron either one side or the other of the valve-chamber B into
the steam space V V₁ of the cylinder D, so as to bear upon the faces of the
abutments D1 D2 oppositely as the steam-inlet is changed, and so change the motion
or reverse the engine, as may be desired; and it is evident that by hooking the
lever L into the center notch of the quadrant P steam will be cut off from the
cylinder D, and thus arrest motion without shutting off the regular throttle-valve
of the engine.
If it is desired, in order to give greater power in a limited area or space, two or
more engines may be mounted upon one shaft, as shown in Fig. 2; and in case two
engines are employed, it is considered advantageous to set these engines so that
axial lines through their valves will quarter, or be at right angles to each other.
In operation the valves are adjusted to run the engine in the desired direction. To
illustrate this, a reference to Fig. 3 will show the valves in proper position to run
from the left to the right. By throwing the lever L over to the other sido of the
quadrant P the position of valve C will be correspondingly changed so as to make a
steam-inlet to the piston on the side the valve is then inclined upon, and thus reverse
the rotative direction of the engine-piston, giving a motion to the axis or shaft d, or
from right to left. It is evident that the instantaneous reversal of the engine is
effected by a simple movement of the lever L.
The valve C is perfectly balanced as will be seen by inspection of Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6
in which it appears in different positions. The ports e in its body permit the live
steam to have access to each side if steam is admitted on one or both sides through
the inlets a, the result being that the pressure of the live steam is equalized and the
valve can be moved with ease by the elasticity of the spring lever 1, and this elastic
lever I is only required to exert a few pounds pressure to hold the valve in its
inclined position to engage the peripheral surface of head D; and, further, the
exhaust port through the valve fills the upper cavity with exhaust steam at a normal
pressure, and thus the exhaust assists to preserve the balance or equilibrium of
pressure obtained by the distribution of live steam in the manner explained.
The location of two cylinders on one shaft and set "quartering" is of advantage
where high speed and perfect counterbalance and consequent steadiness of motion are
desired. In such a case the piston-heads are keyed onto the shaft, so that one set of
valves will be taking steam while the other set are passing the dead-point of which
there is but one in each engine-viz: when the crowns of the abutments Q of the
pistons D are in direct line with the centers of the valve-trunnions. This position
will hold the valves for an instant to prevent steam inlet to the steam pissage W.
When two engines are employed and situated on the shaft, as above stated, there
are no dead points, and the motion, in consequence is perfectly regular, and no
vibration will occur, so that great velocity can be attained with remarkable steadiness
of rotative movement.
It will be noticed that there is a reduction of frictional contact of wearing parts to
inere lines, no extended bearing surfaces being employed, and that in the joints on
the sides of the piston where the greatest wear is had an adequate provision is made
to permit speedy and perfect renewal of worn-out packing; also that these packing
joints can be made of materia! best approved in ordinary engine practice for such
purposes, preference being given to prepared hemp fibre as possessing superior
durability and economy in cost to the user.
It is apparent that in this device slight modifications of the parts as to form might

page_text: be made, and that their exact relative positions may be changed without departure
from the spirit and scope of the invention, I therefore do not restrict myself to the
exact forms and precise arrangement of parts shown in the drawings, but,--
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
--
1. A valve having a transverse live steam passage through it, a vertical exhaust
passage that perforates it, the valve being pivotally suspended in a valve-chamber to
permit it to vibrate and have a bearing-contact with the peripheral edge of a rotary
piston and its abutments placed in the closed cylinder of a rotary steam-engine,
substantially as set forth.
2. A valve having two transverse live steam passages made through its body, and a
vertical exhaust passage that perforates the body of the valve between the lateral live
steam passages, the valve being pivotally hung in a valve chamber to permit it to
vibrate and have a steam tight bearing contact with the peripheral edge of a rotary
piston-head and its abutments, the head being placed on central bearings in the closed
cylinder of a rotary steam-engine, substantially as set forth.
3. A valve having a central vertical exhaust passage and two transverse live steam
passages made through its body, two laterally extended top flanges at right angles to
the valve-body, two laterally extended bottom flanges that, together with the lower
side of the valve-body, are curved to correspond with the interior surface of the
cylinder, the valve-body being pivotally suspended to permit it to vibrate and have a
bearing on the peripheral edge of a rotary piston head and its abutments, the head
being suspended centrally on a shaft in the closed cylinder of a rotary steam engine,
substantially as set forth.
4. A valve chamber for a rotary steam engine having two steam inlets on its side
and one exhaust outlet on its top, in combination with a balanced valve pivotally
hung in the chamber so as to permit a bearing engagement of its lateral flanges with
the curved side of this chamber, and also a steam-tight contact of the projecting
edges of its lower flanges with the peripheral face of a rotary piston head and its two
abutments, the head being suspended centrally on a shaft in the closed cylinder of a
rotary steam engine, substantially as set forth.
5. In a rotary steam engine, the combination with a pivoted valve having live steam
spaces on its opposite sides and steam passages through it to equalize steam pressure
on its surface, of a piston-head having steam abutments, a cylinder to contain the
piston, and a valve-chamber provided with live steam ports, which admit steam on
two sides of the valve simultaneously, substantially as set forth.
6. In a rotary steam engine, the combination, with a pivoted valve that has steam
passages through it to equalize steam pressure on its surface, of a spring-lever to
change the position of the valve, a quadrant to hold the valve in its adjusted position,
a rotating piston-head that has two abutments on it, a cylinder, and a valve chamber,
substantially as set forth.
7. In a rotary steam engine, the combination with a cylinder having two valve
chambers cast integral with it, the walls of the valve chamber being circular, of a
rotative piston-head having diametrically opposite steam abutments provided with
packing strips placed transversely in their peripheral edge, and two pivoted steam
valves having live steam passages located transversely in their bodies, and each valve
an exhaust passage that is vertical and central to its body, a spring lever to each
valve, and a quadrant to hold the valve in adjusted position, substantially as
set forth.
8. In a rotary steam engine, the combination with a cylinder having a rotary
piston head, of two cylinder heads or bonnets, each composed of an inner and an
outer annulus, the opposing edges of each set of these plate-rings being separated to
form a packing recess or groove, a follower ring for each of these packing channels,
and bars or brackets for securing the rings together and for carrying the follower-
ring substantially as set forth.
9. In a rotary steam engine the combination with a cylinder and a rotary piston

page_text: head, the latter having two steam abutments at opposite points on its surface, of a
valve-chamber for each abutment, a pivoted and steam balanced valve for each
chamber, a spring-lever to change the position of each valve, a quadrant to each lever,
two cylinder-heads that are adapted to hold packing in a groove made between the
two rings that compose each head, a packing ring or follower for each cylinder head,
and retaining brackets to keep the rings in place, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination, with a casing or cylinder having two cylinder heads, each
provided with a packing-channel extending through its body, of bracket-plates,
followers, and set screws for adjusting the followers.
11. The combination with a casing or cylinder and a rotary plunger, of two
cylinder-heads, each provided with a circular grooved packing recess, packing located
within said recesses, and the follower rings adapted to bear on said packing,
substantially as set forth.
Datal this 2nd day of Santombar 1887