IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Arthur Cotton, of Dorking, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir Arthur Cotton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1876.
Sir ARTHUR COTTON, of Dorking. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rotary engines.
For this purpose I take a metal shaft or rod of suitable length and diameter, its
further end being tapered to a point, which is inserted into an upright support
wherein it works easily, such support being provided at its top with any suitable
lubricator. I fix in any suitable position on such metal shaft or rod a worm or
endless screw,
beneath which is a worm wheel gearing therein, such wheel being.
fixed to suitable bearings. The fore end of such shaft or rod is formed hollow, and
is provided with two, three, or more hollow metal arms having at their extremities,
which are tapering, onc, two, or more holes for the purpose of allowing the steam
to escape, as hereafter described. Such fore end is likewise supported upon any
suitable upright, which is also furnished with a suitable lubricator, and the fore end
is inserted into the main steam pipe leading from the boiler, and is furnished with
a suitable stuffing box and packing. In any suitable position on the fore end of
the shaft I provide a safety or escape valve.
On turning on the steam it enters the mouth of the tube or shaft, and passing
through the hollow arm escapes out of the holes formed in their extremities, as
before described, thereby causing the rod or shaft to revolve, and thus working the
worm or endless screw in the worm wheel, which is thereby caused to revolve. I
attach to such worm wheel in any suitable manner any ordinary drum around
which a driving band is passed, and thereby rotary motion can be at once imparted
to any machinery. If preferred, a disc of any suitable size, furnished internally
with passages tapering towards their extremities to permit of the escape of the
steam, may be employed in place of the arms before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sir Arthur Cotton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th October
1876.
Sir ARTHUR COTTON, of Dorking.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rotary engines, and I will now,
with the aid of the accompanying Drawing, which shews a sectional elevation of
my improved apparatus, proceed more particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention.
For this purpose I take a metal shaft or rod a of any suitable length and diameter,
the further end of such shaft being tapered to a point, as shewn at b. Such point
is inserted into any suitable upright support, as indicated at c, wherein it works
easily, such support being provided at its top with any suitable lubricator d. I
then fix in any suitable position on such metal shaft or rod a a worm or endless
screw e, beneath which is a worm wheel e¹ gearing therein, such wheel being fixed
to suitable bearings. The fore end of such shaft or rod a is formed hollow, as shewn
at ff, and is provided with two, three, four, or more hollow metal arms ƒ¹, ƒ¹,
having at the sides of their extremities, which are tapering, one, two, or more
holes g, g, for the purpose of allowing the steam to escape, as hereafter described.
Such fore end is likewise supported upon any suitable upright, as indicated in the
Drawing at ct, which is also furnished with a suitable lubricator d', and the fore end
is inserted into the main steam pipe leading from the boiler, and is furnished with a
suitable stuffing box and packing. In any suitable position on the fore end of the
shaft I provide a safety or escape valve.
3
On turning on the steam it enters the mouth of the tube or shaft a, and passing
through the hollow arms f¹, f¹, escapes out of the holes g, g, formed in the sides of
the extremities, as before described, thereby causing the rod or shaft a to revolve,
and thus working the worm or endless screw e in the worm wheel, which is thereby
caused to revolve. I attach to such worm wheel in any suitable manner any
ordinary drum indicated at h, around which a driving band indicated at h¹ is
passed, and thereby rotary motion can be at once imparted to any machinery. If
preferred, a disc of any suitable size, furnished internally with passages tapering
towards their extremities to permit of the escape of the steam, may be employed in
place of the arins before described. I enclose the revolving arms in a metal
casing of any suitable shape and size indicated at i; and in order to avoid the
inconvenience arising from the dispersion of the steam when the apparatus is at
work provided with a funnel at the top to allow of the escape of the steam, such
funnel being connected with any suitable outlet, and having a stop-cock at the
bottom to allow of the escape of the condensed steam. It is also fixed in position
by any suitable supports and has an orifice through its centre to allow of the shaft
revolving therein.
Having now described the nature and operation of my said Invention, I would
have it understood that I do not claim either as new or of my Invention any of the
various parts of the machine herein-before described or referred to, as I am aware
that the same respectively have long been well known; but what I do claim as
novel and desire to secure by the lierein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
the peculiar combination of such several parts in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir Arthur Cotton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
· A. COTTON. (L.S.)