AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY ENGINE, APPLICABLE FOR FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR APPLYING POWER
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Facts,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY ENGINE,
APPLICABLE FOR FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR APPLYING POWER."-A com-
munication from abroad by Addison Smith, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd April 1864.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY
ENGINE, APPLICABLE FOR FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR APPLYING POWER," to be as
follows:
This Invention relates to an improved construction of rotary engine, which
may be applied to forcing air or water, or as a motive power engine. Within
a fixed cylindrical case fitted with heads which are severally provided with a
hollow projecting excentric hub is placed a smaller hollow cylinder. This
cylinder is provided at its ends with hollow journals, which are concentric and
slightly conical. These journals have their bearings in conical thimbles affixed
to but adjustable endwise in the hollow hubs. Through the excentric cylinder

page_text: passes a shaft, which is coned at its ends, and fitted to conical thimbles carried
by fixed bracket bearings, and adjustable endwise therein. The periphery of
the excentric cylinder is fitted longitudinally with rollers, which are slotted to
form guides for sliding plates which form the pistons or vanes of the engine.
Supposing three of these plates to be used, they are set radially around the
shaft that passes through the excentric cylinder, and are of such length as to
extend to and touch the inner periphery of the fixed cylinder. One plate or
vane is bolted to collars keyed to the shaft, and the others to collars loose on
the shaft, the loose collars being fitted with an oil box to ensure freedom of
motion. Inserted in the fixed cylinder is an adjustable packing strip placed
longitudinally of the cylinder, and against this the excentric cylinder is caused
to bear. On the outer edge of each plate or vane is arranged a packing strip
or shoe, which is free to work out radially as the shoe wears away. In the
periphery of the fixed case induction and eduction openings are made for the
air, water, or steam, and the projection of the radial plates or vanes from and.
their withdrawal within the excentric cylinder is effected by the rotation of
that cylinder, which rotation is effected in the case of a motive power engine
by the pressure of the impelling. fluid on the plates, but when the engine is
used as a blower by the application of power through a pulley keyed on the
hollow journal of the excentric cylinder. The guide rollers turn freely within
socket bearings, and are fitted with spring packing to press against the sliding
plates. The adjustable conical thimbles allow of endway adjustment of the
vanes or plates and also of the excentric cylinder so as to keep them from
grinding against the heads of the outer cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 22nd October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County.
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant.
unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigus, or

page_text: such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exccutors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY ENGINE, APPLICABLE FOR FORCING AIR
OR WATER, OR APPLYING POWER," being a communication from Addison Smith,
of the City and State of New York, United States of America, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office.
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
It has been customary to construct blowers or rotary pumps with a series
of vanes or fans arranged to revolve on or around a shaft hung axially within
a cylindrical case or drum, and blowers have been suggested and constructed
in which such vanes or fans were hung on a shaft arranged excentrically
within a drum or cylindrical case, but in this last-mentioned method of
construction numerous great practical objections and difficulties in the general
use of the machines have rendered them very undesirable.
Now the present Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, has for its objects to overcome all these objections, and produce an
improved construction of rotary engine which may be applied to foreing air or
water, or used as a motive power engine.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn in several views the details of
the improved engine, but before referring to the several Figures I will briefly
describe the general arrangement of the engine. Within a fixed cylindrical
case fitted with heads which are severally provided with a hollow projecting
excentric bub is placed a smaller hollow cylinder. This inner cylinder is
provided at its ends with hollow journals which are concentric and slightly
conical. These journals have their bearings in conical thimbles affixed to
but adjustable endwise in the hollow hubs of the outer cylinder. Through
the inner or excentric cylinder passes a shaft which is concentric with the

page_text: outer cylinder.
This shaft is coned at its ends and fitted to conical thimbles
carried by fixed external bracket bearings and adjustable endwise therein.
The periphery of the inner or excentric cylinder is fitted longitudinally with
rollers which are slotted and form rocking guides for sliding plates, which
plates constitute the pistons or vanes of the engine, and of which there may be
three or more. Supposing three of these plates to be used (as shewn in the.
Drawing) they are set radially around the before-mentioned shaft that passes
through the excentric cylinder and are of such length as to extend to and
touch the inner periphery of the fixed cylinder. One plate or vane is bolted
to collars keyed to the shaft and the others to collars loose on the shaft, the
loose collars being fitted with an oil box to ensure freedom of motion.
Inserted in the fixed cylinder is an adjustable packing strip placed longitu-
dinally of the cylinder, and against this the excentric cylinder is caused to
bear. On the outer edge of each plate or vane is arranged a packing strip or
shoe which is free to work out radially as the shoe wears away. In the
periphery of the outer cylinder or case induction and eduction openings are
made for the passage of the air, water, or steam, and the projection of the
radial plates or vanes from and their withdrawal within the inner excentric
cylinder is effected by the rotation of that cylinder, which rotation is produced
in the case of a motive power engine by the pressure of the impelling fluid
on the plates, but when the engine is used as a blower, by the application of
power through a pulley keyed on the hollow journal of the excentric cylinder.
The guide rollers turn freely in their socket bearings and are fitted with spring
packing to press against the sliding plates. The adjustable conical thimbles
allow of endway adjustment of the vanes or plates and also of the excentric
cylinder so as to keep them from grinding against the heads of the outer
cylinder.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the improved
engine, which I will describe as a blower; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal
section of the same taken at the line X, X, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross
section at the line y, y, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section
at the line &, &, Figs. 1 and 3; and Fig. 5 are detailed views shewing
the lubricating device for the loose collars which carry the vanes or fans.
In the several Figures the same parts will be found indicated by the same
letters of reference. A are the heads, and A' the cylindrical portion of the
stationary case, which is formed with an eduction opening at K where a pipe
may be connected to convey away the blast generated by the machine, and
which has a portion of its cylindrical part A' cut away at Q for the admission
of the atmosphere (as indicated by the arrows, see Fig. 3). The heads A are

page_text: each formed with a projecting hub or hollow stud F within each of which is
arranged a tapering thimble or collar C formed with an annular flange on its
outer portion by means of which through the medium of screw bolts j it is
connected to the hub F, and within these thimbles C are arranged to turn
freely the tapering hollow journals D of the excentric cylinder G. This
cylinder G is of somewhat less diameter than the internal diameter of the
outer cylinder A', and is hung excentrically within that cylinder, so that it
comes nearly in contact with the latter at a given line, and along this line the
cylinder A¹ is cut away, and has there inserted an adjustable packing strip b
of wood or other suitable material against which the cylinder G runs during
its rotation. On one of the hollow journals D of the excentric cylinder is
keyed fast a driving pulley A through the medium of which power is applied
to the said cylinder to cause it to rotate in its bearings (in the thimble C and
within the cylinder A, A. Through the cylinders A' and G and their hollow
journals runs a straight shaft E which is mounted at each end in a tapering
bearing box d secured by bolts e in the top of the bracket arms B which are
bolted to the heads A of the stationary cylinder of the engine; 9, 9, are two
collars, which are keyed or otherwise securely fastened to the shaft E, and
to which are bolted at 1, 1, (see Fig. 2) one of the vanes or fans c, the
other two fans or vanes are secured respectively to the collars h, h, and i, i,
and these four collars are hung loosely on the shaft E, that is, so as to turn
freely thereon. Each of these collars is formed with an oil box or lubricator
(as shewn at Fig. 5 and as will be presently more fully explained). The
three vanes or fans c are arranged radially around the shaft E, and each
one of them passes through a slotted roll I which is mounted in bearings
formed at H in the cylinder G, see Fig. 3). Each one of the rolls I is
provided with a spring and packing strip t which bears against the fan cand
keeps a tight joint where the fan passes through the slot in the roll I. And
on the extreme outer edge of each fan or vane c is arranged a packing strip or
shoe m which is fitted to the edge of the vane c in such manner as to be
free to slide or work out on the fan as the shoe wears away, and which
is so shaped as to receive a sufficient amount of pressure from the confined
air to insure (in connection with the tendency of the centrifugal force) the
maintenance of the shoe m in contact with the inner surface of the cylinder A¹
and thus effect air-tight contact between the cylinder and shoe. f, f, are
oil cups by which the bearing of the rotatory shaft E are kept oiled.
.
The operation of the engine when used as a blower may be thus explained:-
Power being applied to the pulley A, a rotary motion is imparted to the
cylinder G, and by the cylinder through the medium of the fan c, which bas

page_text: its collars g, g, keyed fast to shaft E, the latter is caused to rotate also in its
bearings. As the cylinder G rotates it carries around with it also the other
two fans C, the hinges or collars h, i, of which turn loosely on the shaft E.
It will be understood that although the fans c are each and all carried
around by the cylinder G once during one revolution of that cylinder, yet
they each travel with an uniform or irregular motion, and are at no time
during their circuit of motion moving at the same velocity; hence only one of
the fans can be fast to the shaft E, (which by that fan is rotated with an
irregular speed during a revolution,) while the others turn freely on or around
said shaft. As the fans C are thus carried around the air is taken in between
two fans at Q, as indicated by the arrows, see Fig. 3, and is discharged at K.
When the fans c leave the inner surface of the cylinder A', for the blast
to escape, they rapidly disappear within the cylinder G, so that as the fau
approaches the packing b, where it again comes in contact with the case or
cylinder A', it does not protrude from the cylinder G, and there is consequently
no back action of concussion of the fan against the volume or current of
escaping air, or pressure created against air compressed between the protruding
portion of a fan, and the abutment of the case A¹. During the motion of the
fans C, the packing strips m are held out against the internal surface of the
case A', (as before explained,) and the escape of air is prevented, and as the
strips m wear away they keep always up to the case A', as shown. These
strips, it will be seen, are formed with a thin projecting portion, which is
adapted to receive the pressure exerted by any medium confined between tho
cylinder G and the case A', and where this machine is used as a rotary engine
for steam, this peculiarity of the strips m will be of great utility in packing
the joint between the fan and the case A' steam-tight. As the fans C play
in and out through the slots of the rolls I, the latter will be worn away, and
unless some means is provided for taking up the play thus made between the
surface of the fan and the roll there will result a leakage. To overcome this
difficulty and thus gain a great desideratum, (especially where the machine is
used for steam purposes,) a packing strip is arranged within the roll I,
which strip rests against that side or face of the fan C against which the
pressure of the confined medium or fluid comes. The strip t is kept up against
the fan by a spring o, confined with the roll I, and at the back of the strip t,
(see Fig. 3). The strips m are prevented from being forced or thrown off the
fan's edges while passing the open space Q by means of retaining strips p, which
are secured by means of screws n (see Fig. 3). It will be understood that by
making the shaft E to rotate with one of the fans as described, while the collars
h, i, of the other fans move once around the shaft in the same direction as the

page_text: shaft during one revolution of the shaft nearly all friction of the collars / and i
on the shaft E is avoided, while the bearings on the shaft E are outside of the
running parts of the machine, and where they can be readily oiled through
oil cups f (see Fig. 2).
This feature of construction dispenses with the difficulty of oiling those
parts which are located within the case of the machine, and is therefore
deemed an important part of the Invention. By loosening the screws e at
one end of the shaft E, and tightening up those at the other end, (and vice
versâ,) the shaft E may be adjusted longitudinally, and thereby the fans C be
set or adjusted within the cylinder G so that their ends will not create any
friction against the heads of the said cylinder. The form of oil box on the
collars h, i, is best seen at Fig. 5, where V is the receptacle for the oil, or tallow,
or saturated waste, and is provided with a screw cap W, which retains the
lubricating material, and by the removal of which the contents of the box V
may be taken out and replaced.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved Con-
struction of Rotary Engine, applicable for Forcing Air or Water, or Applying
Power, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,. I
wish it to be understood that, under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
I claim constructing rotary engines in the manner and for the purposes above
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)