Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE DIET
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Buck-
ingham Street, Strand W.C. London in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by
Joseph Henry Dow, and Herbert Henry Dow both of Cleveland, State of Ohio,
United States of America Manufacturers 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 improvements in rotary steam engines, and it consists
in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described
and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1'is an elevation in longitudinal section through
the center of the engine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section, the cylinder-
head of the fore ground being removed and portions being broke away to show the
construction. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the journal-box.
A represents the body or shell of the engine to which are detachably secured
heads B, the latter having suitable boxes in which is journaled the engine-shaft D.
The shell A is provided with internal flanges, a, these flanges being faced off and
Screw-threaded at the internal periphery to receive discs, (, the latter being screw-
threaded at C for engaging the aforesaid flanges. The two flanges and the backs of these
discs are separated to form steam-chamber A', the latter connecting with induction-
pipe, a
Shell A terminates in a supporting base, A, to which exhaust-pipe a² is
Disc on the outer faces
attached, the latter connecting with exhaust-chamber A³.
thereof are provided, respectively, with series of curved wings, or chutes, c, each series
The different
being arranged in concentric order with the axis of the shaft D.
wings, c, of a series, are separated the one from the other, to form ports, c', the latter
being preferably arranged in the curved order shown in Fig. 2, (see lotted line c
with center. E are rotating discs, or wheels, the same being mounted on and
rigidly secured to shaft D. These discs have long hubs, E¹, projecting towards each
other, but separated enough to accomodate the intermediate disc d, the latter also
being made fast to the shaft. The faces of wheels are provided with series of

page_text: buckets operating between series of wings, and vice versa, the vents et being laid out
on curved lines the reverse of line ac, and these vents el being less in aggregate area
of discharge than the aforesaid ports c', the object being to utilize the reactive force
of the steam rather than the impact of steam, and by means of the ports and vents
being arranged on curved lines, deflecting in opposite directions as shown, the
openings of the different series of buckets and wings can be made to cross each
other at substantially equal angles throughout the series, and at such angles as will
give the greatest effectiveness, such angies as at present time advised being approxi-
mately right angles.
This class of engine is intended to run at a very high speed, and to avoid friction,
disc C and wing cdo not come in contact with the opposing wheels E and buckets
although the clearance at the end of the wings and buckets is almost infinitesimal,
say a two-hundredth part of an inch, more or less.
Heretofore, the great difficulty has been to hold the shaft D endwise.
The high
speed attained was such that ordinary collars on the shaft caused too much
friction and were consequently worthless for the purpose. Our improved mechanism
is as follows:
'
The aforesaid dise d overlaps in radial direction the inner periphery of discs C. The
latter are screw-threaded at to engage rings or collars, G, the latter being screw-
threaded externally. These rings are provided with lock-nuts, g. Th rings are
adjusted toward or from disc d to leave suitable and equal passage-ways or ports, i
and, for the passage of steam from chamber A¹ to chamber A³, ia of the ports
and vents.
Rings G having been adjusted and secured by the respective lock-nuts, so long
as there is no disturbing cause, spaces and will remain equal and an equal volume
of steam will issue to the two sides of the engine. But suppose from any cause the
shaft were moved toward, for instance, what is the right hand side, as shown in Fig. 1.
Such a movement would partially close the passage way or port i, and would conse-
quently shut off a portion of the steam to the right hand side of the engine and
would at the same time further separate disc Cand wheel E at this side of the engine.
The reduction of steam volume and the widening of steam-space between disc and
wheel, either would tend to diminish the pressure endwise of the shaft. Meanwhile,
on the other side of the engine the reverse would take place, that is to say, steam-
space would enlarge, thereby giving greater volume of steam on this the left hand
side of the engine, and the dise and wheel on the left hand side of the engine would
approach each other, thereby decreasing the steam-space between the two, and
consequently having greater steam pressure to act in the opposite direction endwise
of the shaft, all of which would tend to return the shaft to its central or normal
position lengthwise of the engine.
The apparatus whereby a steam-balance is had, is very sensitive by reason of
which the bucket may run in close proximity to their seats without absolute contact,
thus avoiding all friction except at the journal bearings of the engine-shaft.
necessarily be on true circles.
In place of a single disc d rigidly secured to the shaft. two such discs might be
employed, and these might be adjusted lengthwise of the shaft instead of the adjusting
rings G.
Also, the curved lines, on which the vents and ports are laid out, need not
Owing to the high speed of the engine aforesaid we have found it impracticable to
use rigid journal-boxes for the engine-shaft. We have therefore devised for the
purpose the journal-box shown more clearly in Fig. 3. B, B are hubs projecting
outward from heads B, each hub having a central bore enlarged or chambered at
the central part thereof. The outer end of a hub is screw-threaded internally at to
engage the external screw-threads of sleeve J. This sleeve is enlarged externally
where such screw-threads occur for engaging the hub, and has a further enlargement
at J which is also screw-threaded externally. This sleeve has a reduced bore at the
outer end or head opposite such enlargement. The balance of the sleeve is thin and
has a series of longitudinal slits, j, that divide this part of the sleeve into a series
of elastic fingers 1.

page_text: Lis the journal-box proper consisting of a sleeve of suitable anti-friction metal and
having a cylindrical bore nicely fitting the engine-shaft. The outer end of the box.
fits easily in the bore at the outer end of sleeve and is held from turning by a small
key not shown. The central portion of the box is enlarged by an external rounded
rib, L', that, when the box is in position, is crowded within and is embraced by the
series of fingers j aforesaid. The outer end of the box is therefore held in a manner
rigid, but may yield a trifle to form a universal joint for this end of the box, and the
balance of the box, being supported wholly by the elastic fingers aforesaid, may yield
or vibrate a trifle to accommodate itself to the shaft. The box may therefore always
fit the shaft nicely without the slightest tendency to cramp, and the friction of the
journal-bearing is thereby reduced to a minimum. The inner end of the box has an
external flange, l, that abuts the inner face of head B. The box has also several
slight longitudinal grooves, &, along the bore thereof that admit exhaust steam from
chamber A3 along the journal-bearing to lubricate the same.
As lubricants are freely used in the engine such lubricants are carried along by the
exhaust steam passing through the box and is found sufficient to lubricate the latter
adequately. The outer or solid end of sleeve J has internal grooves, 7", that lead into
the slits aforesaid and that allow the steam passing through the box to return outside
the box into chamber B of the hun from whence a drip-pipe B33 leads into the atmo-
sphere. Hence, a current of steam constantly passes through the box. Outside the
journal-box a collar, M, is secured to the shaft, this collar coming as close as may be,
without contact, to the end of the box. A cap, N, is screwed on the outer end of
sleeve J as shown. This cap embraces collar M without contact, leaving a chamber, m,
surrounding the collar. The condensation of the exhaust steam passing through the
journal-box, supplies this chamber with water and the centrifugal force of collar M
keeps this water packed at the periphery of the chamber and thus forms a water-seal
that prevents any steam from escaping at this point.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is,
1. In rotary steam engine, the combination, with stationary dises with steam-
chamber located between the discs and opposing rotating wheels located outside the
discs, the wheels being mounted on the engine-shaft, substantially as indicated, of an
engine-shaft without end bearing, a disc mounted on the engine-shaft between the line
of the stationary discs, said rotating-dise extending into and dividing the eduction of
the said steam-chamber, substantially as set forth.
2. In rotary engine, the combination, of shaft carrying with it two wheels and a
dise between them, these wheels being opposed inwardly by stationary discs, the
central or revolving dises being opposed on opposite sides or rings connected with the
stationary discs, leaving annular spaces between the central discs and rings that act
as steam-ports, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with rotary engine of the variety indicated, having stationary
dises and movable disc; the latter being mounted on the engine-shaft and extending
into the steam-space between the stationary discs, of rings mounted on such stationary
discs and adjustable toward and from the rotating disc, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination, with stationary discs and intervening rotating disc, the latter
being mounted on the engine-shaft substantially as indicated, of screw-threaded rings
engaging stationary discs, such rings being adjustable toward and from the rotating
disc, lock-nuts mounted on the respective rings, substantially as set forth.
5. In a rotary steam engine, the combination, with stationary discs and rotating
wheels, the former bearing wings and the latter bearing buckets arranged substantially
as indicated, of ports separating the said wings of a series, vents separating the
buckets of a series, the system of ports and vents being laid out on curved lines
deflecting in opposite directions whereby the lines of ports and the lines of vents
cross each other at approximately the same angle throughout the series substantially
as set forth.

page_text: 6. In a rotary engine, the combination, with shaft having no end bearings, revolving
wheels with a system of vents laid out on curved lines, stationary discs with a
system of ports laid out on curves the reverse of wheel vents, central steam-chamber,
of revolving disc or discs extending radially into and dividing the eduction of the
said steam-chamber, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination, with a journal-box having the one end thereof held approxi-
mately rigid, of a series of springs embracing the journal-box for holding the free
end thereof whereby the free end of the journal-box may vibrate or yield slightly to
adjust itself to the shaft, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination, with engine and journal-box substantially as indicated, of a
series of internal grooves along the journal-box, such grooves connecting with exhaust-
chamber of the engine for supplying exhaust steam for lubricating the box, sub-
stantially as set forth.
9. The combination, with engine, engine-shaft and journal-box and means of
supplying exhaust steam to the box and for discharging such steam to the atmosphere
substantially as indicated, of a collar mounted on the engine-shaft adjacent the outer
end of such journal-box, a cap enclosing, without contact, such collar, whereby a
water-seal is had to prevent the escape of steam from the end of the journal-box,
substantially as set forth.