Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
Date vi Application, 27th mar., 1037
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, MONTAGU DURANCE MARTINDALE, of 36, Basinghall Street, in the City of Lon-
don, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
In the Provisional Specification of my Application for Letters Patent, No. 2123
dated 26th January 1897 I describe a motor operated by fluid pressure (liquid or
gaseous) issuing under pressure from a revolving part and acting on another part
of the motor revolving in the opposite direction and conveying the motion to another
part or other parts revolving in the same or opposite directions.
The object of my present invention is to provide a motor operated by fluid issuing
under pressure from a fixed part or parts and acting on a revolving part and there-
after acting upon another part or upon other parts which revolve either in the same
direction or in directions opposite to each other. The several parts may be so
connected that all of the movements may be combined and converted into one
movement in the same direction or the movements of the several parts may be
utilized separately. The invention may be applied to motors for land, marine or
aerial purposes and the motive agent employed may be any suitable liquid, gas or
vapour, or the gases or force resulting from the explosion of oils, gases or vapours,
coal dust, gun-powder, gun-cotton, cordite, nitro-glycerine, or other explosive may
be used. In the case of any fluid or gas issuing from a jet or from jets at very
high initial velocity and when it is desired to reduce such velocity before impinging
on the impact wheel or wheels I surround the jet or jets through which the fluid
so issues by a cone or nozzle or by cones or nozzles so that air or other fluid is drawn
through the said cone or nozzle or cones or nozzles to join the fluid issuing from the
jet or jets and thereby increase the volume of fluid acting on the engine and reduce
the velocity before the fluid impinges on the impact wheel or wheels. Such high
initial velocities may also be reduced by the employment of mechanical or steam
injectors to increase the volume of the fluid issuing from the jet or jets by the ad-
mixture therewith of fluid moving at a less velocity before the combined fluids im-
pinge on the impact wheel or wheels. The opposite revolving motions of the
different parts of the engine may be combined into revolving motion in the same
direction by means of friction or toothed gears fixed on each of the shafts or axles
of the engine, and working on or into, but on the sides facing each other, of a
central friction or toothed gear which communicates the combined motion to the
load shaft either directly or through counter shafting or other device or gear. The
engine velocity so communicated to the load shaft may be increased, maintained or
decreased by any suitable means such for example as by varying the relative sizes
of the friction or toothed gears or by belting on different sized pulleys or by worm
bevel or parallel gearing; or the opposite revolving motions of the different parts
of the engine may be combined into one revolving motion in the same direction
by means of belts working on pulleys fixed on each of the shafts or axles of the
engine and driving other pulleys fixed on a counter shaft or on the load shaft, one
of these belts being an open belt and the other belt being crossed. The relative
speeds may be increased, maintained the same, or decreased by varying the sizes of

page_text: the pulleys; or the opposite revolving motions of the different parts of the engine
may be combined into revolving motion in the same direction by means of con-
necting rods attached at one end to cranks fixed on each of the shafts or axles of
the engine and at the other end to cranks fixed on a counter shaft or on the load
shaft. By setting the crank pins and cranks to which the connecting rods are
attached either on the different engine axles or shafts or on the load or counter
shaft at such angles respectively to each other as to produce the effect that while
one of the connecting rods acts as an open belt on a pulley would act, the other rod
acts as a crossed belt on a pulley would act and as the engine shafts are revolving
in opposite directions to each other the combined effect is to cause the load or
countershaft to revolve in the same direction. The motion of the load or counter
shaft may be reversed without reversing the engine by changing the relative
positions of the crank pins thereon through an angle of 180° or by changing the
relative positions of the crank pins on the engine shafts or axles through an angle
of 180° or while leaving the relative positions of the crank pins unchanged by
altering the positions of the connecting rod ends through an angle of 180° i.e. half
a revolution of each part of the engine so that the rod which formerly acted as if
it were an open belt acts as if it were a crossed belt and vice versa with the other
rod. The relative speeds of the counter shaft and load shaft may be increased
maintained the same or decreased by belting on different sized pulleys or by worm,
bevel or parallel gearing. The revolving motions of the different parts of the engine
may be converted into reciprocating motion either single or combined by any
suitable means such as by connecting rods attached at one end to crank pins on
cranks on each shaft or axle of the engine and at the other end to a motion block
sliding between guide bars or to a rocking lever. If the opposite revolving motions
of the different parts of the engine are to be combined into one reciprocating motion
the crank pins on the shafts or axles of the engine will be placed relatively to each
other so as to produce a combined movement of the motion block or rocking lever.
The opposite revolving motions of the engine can be used as such for driving screw
propellers of vessels placed either as twin-propellers or one behind the other, but
revolving in opposite directions one having a right handed pitch and the other a
left handed pitch. The pitch of propellers placed one behind the other may be
equal or increasing as desired. Ventilating fans blowers centrifugal pumps and
machinery in which vanes are used for propulsion or suction of liquids or gases can
also be worked by the opposite revolving motions of this engine by the use of right
and left-handed screw blades revolving in opposite directions.
The invention can also be applied to driving the field magnets and armature of
dynamo machines in reverse directions.
Dated this 27th day of March 1897
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
I, MONTAGU DURANCE MARTINDALE, late of 36, Basinghall Street, in the City of
London, now of 37, Alston Road, High Barnet, in the County of Herts, 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:―
In the Complete Specification of my Application for Letters Patent No. 2123

page_text: dated 26th January 1897 I describe a motor operated by fluid pressure (liquid or
gaseous) issuing under pressure from a revolving part and acting on another part
of the motor revolving in the opposite direction and conveying the motion to another
part or other parts revolving in the same or opposite directions.
The object of my present invention is to provide a motor operated by fluid issuing
under pressure from a fixed part or parts and acting on a revolving part and there-
after acting upon another part or upon other parts which revolve either in the same
direction or in directions opposite to each other. The several parts may be so con-
nected that all of the movements may be combined and converted into one movement
in the same direction or the movements of the several parts may be utilized separ-
ately. The invention may be applied to motors for land, marine or aerial purposes
and the motive agent employed may be any suitable liquid, gas or vapour, or the
gases or force resulting from the explosion of oils, gases or vapours, coal dust,
gunpowder, gun-cotton, cordite, nitroglycerine, or other explosive may be used.
In the case of any fluid or gas issuing from a jet or from jets at very high
initial velocity or temperature and when it is desired to reduce such velocity or
temperature before impinging on the impact wheel or wheels, I surround the jet
or jets through which the fluid so issues by a cone or nozzle or by cones or nozzles
so that air or other fluid is drawn through the said cone or nozzle or cones or nozzles
to join the fluid issuing from the jet or jets and thereby increase the volume of
fluid acting on the engine and reduce the velocity or temperature before the fluid
impinges on the impact wheel or wheels.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:.
Figure 1 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of one form
of my improved motor.
Figure 2 is a view of the same partly in side elevation and partly in vertical
section.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a detached portion of the motor, and
Figures 4 and 5 are views of modifications of certain portions of the motor.
Like letters of reference indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
In the construction shewn in the drawings the engine comprises two co-axial
discs or wheels B, Ba each secured on a separate shaft C or C³ respectively. These
two discs B B are provided with several series of curved blades or buckets b, b
respectively, the buckets 6 of disc B alternating with, and, as shewn most clearly
in Figure 2, being curved in a direction opposite to the buckets 63 of the disc B³.
Each of the discs B B2 is also provided with a series of perforations 6 near its
centre, to allow of the motive agent passing outwards to the exhaust E after it has
acted on the several blades or buckets b 62. The exhaust E is connected to the
casing L which encloses the discs or wheels B Bº.
The two last mentioned shafts C C which, by virtue of the shape of the blades
or buckets 662 are rotated in opposite directions, the former by the direct
impact on the outermost of the blades or buckets 6 of the jets from the
nozzles a³, and the latter by the impact on the blades or buckets 6 of the jets
leaving the blades or buckets b, are provided with cranks ³c respectively, coupled
by two similar connecting rods cc each to a crank pin d or do both of which
latter are rigidly connected to a countershaft D5, with their axes in line with each
other; if desired a single crank may be used instead of the two crank pins d³ do.
The cranks, c, d, do, and connecting rods c³, co are so arranged that one of the
said connecting rods is parallel with a line drawn through the centres of the
shafts C C and D and the other connecting rod cuts through the said line at an
angle; in the example represented in Figure 2 the rod occupies the first-named
or parallel position and the rod 6 occupies the last-named or inclined position. By
this arrangement the connecting rod transmits motion to the shaft D³ in the
same manner as an open belt and the connecting rod transmits motion in the
same manner as a crossed belt by which means the two oppositely rotating discs B B²

page_text: both serve to rotate the shaft D³ in the same direction as that in which the disc B
rotates.
While the discs B B will always rotate in the same relatively-opposite directions
the direction of rotation of the countershaft D in relation to the directions of
rotation of the said discs may be reversed, by turning the countershaft indepen-
dently of the cranks c³c or vice versa through an angle of 180° and thereby
reversing the position of the crank pins d³ do in relation to the position of the
cranks which adjustment causes the connecting rod c³ to occupy the above
named inclined position and act as a crossed belt, and the connecting rod c to
occupy the parallel position and act as an open belt, whereby the shaft will be
rotated in the same direction as that in which the disc B2 rotates.
As a convenient means for transmitting the rotary motion of the counter-shaft D5
to other mechanism, while allowing of the before described reversal of such motion,
I provide a driving shaft D6 which is co-axial with the counter-shaft D5 and on
which is secured a driving disc 17 having two abutment surfaces d' d³ (Fig. 3)
with one or other of which a part of the crank pin d (which is prolonged for this
purpose) engages according to the direction in which the counter-shaft D5 is
rotated.
In Figures 1 and 2 the engine is shewn provided with two stationary nozzles a³
each connected to an explosion chamber A³ to which the explosive mixture is
supplied from an accumulator N into which the necessary gas and air are forced
by a pump M which draws the gas from a producer F2 supplied with liquid hydro-
carbon from a reservoir F and which pump draws the air through any suitable
valves. Suitable gauze screens or partitions are provided for preventing the back
flash of the flame. In the drawings the pump M is shewn as operated by an eccen-
tric D³ but if desired other means may be employed for the purpose.
When employing as the motive agent a fluid or gas which issues from the delivery
nozzle at a very high initial velocity or at a very high temperature it may be ad-
vantageous to reduce such velocity or temperature before the jet impinges upon the
blades or buckets of the impact discs or wheels and for that purpose, as shewn in
longitudinal section in Figure 4, I surround each such nozzle a³ with, or employ
in conjunction with it, a cone a' or two or more cones such as a' as a the last
named of which may form a casing for containing all the others and be provided
with an opening or two or more openings such as a' for allowing air or other fluid
to enter and mix with and thereby increase the volume, and decrease the velocity
or temperature of the fluid or gas delivered through the nozzle a³. The nozzle
and cones a¹ and a³ are preferably adjustable in the cone aº or vice versa, so that all
these parts may be more or less closed together and the volume of air or other
velocity or temperature-reducing-fluid, allowed to mix with the motive agent,
thereby reduced or increased. The opposite rotary motions of the two discs or
wheels B B may be converted into rotary motion in the same direction by means
of belts working on pulleys fixed on the shafts C C³, and driving other pulleys fixed
on the counter shaft D5 one of these belts being an open belt and the other a
crossed belt.
The blades or buckets 6 63 may be constructed in the form of pipes or nozzles
through which the jets can pass so as to prevent the said jets from spreading.
When a high explosive compound is used, the before described accumulator N
and pump M can be dispensed with and a governor be employed for directly con-
trolling the supply of the explosive compound.
When the engine is operated by steam each explosion chamber A² becomes a
chest into which, as shewn for example in Figure 5, the steam is admitted by a
suitable valve p which may be kept closed by a spring p³, or by the steam pressure
from the boiler, and opened by a tappet p³ or two or more such tappets rotated by
the engine, each tappet in its rotation successively operating a number of such
valves through their rods p so that the steam will be admitted successively at
various points of the periphery or circumference of the impact wheels; by these

page_text: means the steam admitted through one nozzle may be allowed to expand before
fresh steam is admitted through the next nozzle and if the engine is not required
to work at full power some of the jets may be rendered inoperative by disconnecting
them (by suitable valves) from the steam boiler.
The last described arrangement will also serve when the engine is operated by
explosion, for which purpose, it is desirable to employ a spring p5 in each of the
rods p so that the valve p may be closed by the force of an explosion should such
explosion occur at the time that the valve is operated on by the tappet p³.
The engine may be operated hydraulically in which case the nozzles deliver the
jets on to the impact wheels direct from its source of supply.
The opposite rotary motions of the engine can, without conversion, be used for
driving right and left handed screw propellers of vessels, these propellers being
arranged either as twin propellers or one behind the other but revolving in
opposite directions. Ventilating fans, blowers, centrifugal pumps and other
machines in which vanes are used for propulsion or suction of liquids or gases can
also be worked by the opposite rotary motions of the engine by employing right
and left handed screw blades revolving in opposite directions.
My improved motors can be very advantageously employed for driving dynamos
for which purpose the field magnets are connected to one rotating part of the motor
say the impact wheel B and the armature is connected to an oppositely rotating part
such as the impact wheel B³.
The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from the
essential features of the invention for example I may construct the engine shewn
in Figures 1 and 2 so that it may be reversed by moving the crank pins diametri-
cally across the surfaces on which they are mounted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a stationary nozzle connected with
a source of pressure-supply and a wheel adapted to be rotated in one direction by
the impact of the jet issuing from the said nozzle, of a wheel adapted to be rotated
in the opposite direction by the jets leaving the first impact wheel, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a stationary nozzle connected with
a source of pressure supply of a wheel having blades or buckets curved so that
they may receive on their concave faces the jet issuing from the nozzle, and a
second wheel having blades or buckets curved in an opposite direction in relation
to and alternating with those of the first wheel substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In a rotary engine the combination with two crank shafts rotating in relatively
opposite directions of two rods connecting the cranks thereof with a single crank
or with two co-axial cranks of another shaft, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the rotary engine
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
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