Improvements in Rotary Engines and Pumps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1897
Cumpleto Sonnifination Loft 7th July 1898 Accented 3rd Sept. 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines and Pumps.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, Claremont Lodge, Highlands Road, Leatherhead, Surrey,
Inland Revenue Officer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
This invention consists of certain improvements in rotary engines and pumps,
and refers particularly to the construction and arrangement of the rotary piston
and working parts in conjunction therewith.
In carrying out my invention I provide a curved piston, which, having a larger
and smaller diameter, is keyed or otherwise attached upon the shaft to be driven;,
and which piston extends longitudinally according to the length of the cylinder
in which it is carried; this cylinder being circular and of a diameter sufficient
to allow the piston to rotate in same. Suitable end plates or flanges are secured
to the ends of the cylinder.
Two sliding plates or shutters are provided, and which project through the
sides of the cylinder and bear upon the curved surface of the piston, being
operated by any suitable and well-known mechanism so as to follow the outline
or curve of the piston. The inlet and outlet ports are arranged so that the piston
is acted upon two sides by compressed air, steam, gas, liquid, or other suchlike
motive power, and which causes the piston to rotate; the two sides of the piston
not operated upon by the compressed air, gas, steam, liquids or other suchlike
motive power being in communication with the outlet ports.
The mechanism for regulating and operating the valves for the admission and
exit ports may be of any well-known and convenient form.
It will be seen that by rotating the shaft carrying the curved piston that the
engine may be used as a pump.
Improvements in Rotary Engines and Pumps.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, Claremont Lodge, Highlands Road, Leatherhead, Surrey,
Inland Revenue Officer, 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:―
This invention consists of certain improvements in rotary engines and pumps

page_text: and refers particularly to the construction and arrangement of the rotary piston
and working parts in conjunction therewith.
In carrying out my invention I provide a curved piston which, having a larger
and smaller diameter is keyed or otherwise attached upon the shaft to be driven
and which piston extends longitudinally according to the length of the cylinder
in which it is carried, this cylinder being circular and of a diameter sufficient to
allow the piston to rotate in same. Suitable end plates or flanges are secured to
the ends of the cylinder.
Two sliding plates or shutters are provided and which project through the sides
of the cylinder and bear upon the curved surface of the piston, being operated
by any well-known and suitable mechanism so as to follow the outline or curve
of the piston. The inlet and outlet ports are arranged so that the piston is
acted upon two sides by compressed air, steam, gas, liquid, or other suchlike
motive power and which causes the piston to rotate the two sides of the piston
not operated upon by the compressed air, gas, steam, liquids or other suchlike
motive power being in communication with the outlet ports.
The mechanism for regulating and operating the valves for the admission and
exit ports may be of any well-known and convenient form.
It will be seen that by rotating the shaft carrying the curved piston that the
engine may be used as a pump.
For purposes of illustration I will now refer to the annexed drawings, in
which:-
:-
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view shewing the curved piston and moving
plates.
Figure 2. sectional elevation shewing the connection of the moving plates to
the end of the piston.
Figure 3. diagrammatic view shewing the curvature of the working surfaces
of my piston, the dotted lines indicating the rounding of the surface for the
purpose of working.
l
s is a shaft upon which the piston p is secured or keyed. This shaft and piston
rotate in the cylinder c, the engaging points of the piston with the cylinder c
being provided with any convenient means of packing for the purpose of rendering
it steam or fluid tight. The sliding plates extend the length of the piston P
and move in suitable recesses c¹ and their ends depend as shewn in Figure 2. To
these depending ends d are attached rollers e which engage upon a projecting
outline which corresponds with the outer configuration of the piston p. By
this means the sliding plates are maintained in contact with the outer configura-
tion of the piston p. The ends of the sliding pieces are provided with any
suitable form of packing for the purpose of maintaining a steam or fluid joint
between the outer configuration of the piston p. Live steam from a boiler is
conveyed through the inlets a, a, to the interior of the cylinder c and this causes
the piston p to rotate, b, b, being exhaust outlets. In order to overcome the dead
centres I may employ two or more cylinders having the pistons fixed to the
central spindle at suitable relative positions to one another in order to prevent
a dead centre occurring when the extreme points of the piston p are in contact
with the sliding plates 1. The curvature of the working surfaces of the piston P
which I prefer to use is one in which a tangent at any point makes a constant
angle with the polar co-ordinate, but of course the curvature of the working
surfaces may be varied according to circumstances, and I also find it convenient
to curve or round the piston at its greater and smaller diameter. If desired I
may employ one or more cylinders and pistons so arranged that the live steam
will enter the first and then will operate the other cylinders and pistons through
the steam or fluid by expansion, thus effecting a saving and economy in the steam
or driving fluid. In the case of a pump it will be seen that by rotating the
spindle s and connecting what have before been designated as the driving steam
or fluid with the gas or liquid to be pumped, that the inverse action will take
place and the apparatus will then act as a pump either for exhaust or supplying

page_text: as the gas or fluid will then be drawn through the inlets a and forced out of the
exhaust b.
•
Of course it will be readily understood that there are various modifications of
arrangement of the various parts which may be made without departing from
the principle of my invention.
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 engines or pumps: the combined construction and arrangement
of the various parts substantially as described and illustrated herein.
2. In rotary pumps: a piston the curvature of the working surfaces of which
is so arranged that its tangent at any point makes a constant angle with the
polar co-ordinate, said piston being carried upon a spindle, the whole rotating
in the cylinder provided with sliding plates adapted to engage upon the surface
of the piston, said sliding plates being caused to follow the curvature of the piston
by means of any suitable arrangement such as a cam, the action consisting of
rollers arranged upon the sliding plates which engage upon a projection or groove
formed in the end of the piston aforesaid, said cylinder being provided with inlet
apertures for the live steam and outlet apertures for the exhaust, the engaging
surfaces of the piston and cylinder and sliding plates being provided with any
suitable and well-known form of joint for maintaining a practically steam or
fluid tight joint between the working surfaces, the ends of the piston which
engage with the cylinder and the parts which engage with the sliding plate at
its shortest diameter being rounded or curved as required.
3. In rotary engines and pumps of the class herein described: one or more
cylinders carrying pistons upon a spindle having working surfaces of the con-
figuration herein described, said surfaces being so arranged and set with relation
to each other as to prevent dead centres and also enabling one of the cylinders
and pistons to be operated by live steam direct from a boiler the other or remain-
ing cylinders being operated by the exhaust or escape steam by expansion one
after another, substantially as described and illustrated herein.
Dated this 7th day of July 1900