AN IMPROVED ENGINE WITH ROTARY PISTON, APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Laffitte, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ENGINE WITH ROTARY
PISTON, APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Laffitte at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
September 1856.
I, PIERRE LAFFITTE, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ENGINE
WITH ROTARY PISTON, APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an engine having a rotating piston, which is appli-
cable for pumping water and other fluids, forcing and expressing plastic
materials, and also as an engine for obtaining motive power, either by the
pressure of steam, water, or other fluid. This engine consists of a cylinder
having closed ends, in which cylinder the rotating piston is fitted accurately
between the ends of the cylinder, the piston is fixed to and forms an eccentric
on a shaft, which shaft is concentric with the cylinder. At its extreme
diameter, or that part farthest from the shaft, this piston is always in contact
with the interior surface of the cylinder, whereat the passage of any fluid or

page_text: plastic matter is prevented. Between the induction and the eduction ports a
sliding diaphragm or partition is situated, which slides towards and from the
centre of the cylinder, according to the position of the eccentric piston, but at
all times keeping closely in contact with its periphery; this partition forms
an abutment for the steam or other fluid or plastic material to act against, and
with the contact point of the piston and cylinder forms a complete separation
between the induction and eduction passages. The motion of the partition is
regulated and imparted to it by means of a crank on the rotating shaft of the
piston, while the outline form of the piston is such that the partition and piston
are at all points of the revolution in contact, as before-mentioned. When used
as an engine for obtaining motive power, steam, air, or water under pressure
is introduced at the induction passage, it takes effect on the eccentric piston,
forces it round, and then escapes at the eduction passage, a second and third
revolution succeed, and so on. Power may be derived from the rotating shaft of
the piston. When it is desired to use this engine as a pump for raising and
forcing water or air, or as a forcing chamber for plastic materials, these
fluids or materials are introduced at the induction passage, while at the same
time power is applied to the shaft of the piston to cause it to rotate in its
cylinder, the action of which will force the water or air out of the eduction
passage; and in the case of plastic materials, they may be expressed through
apertures or into forms, whereby they are formed or moulded, as may be
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Laffitte in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
LAFFITTE, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Pierre Laffitte, Her special licence that I, the said Pierre Laffitte, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Pierre
Laffitte, my executors, administrators, 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED ENGINE WITH
ROTARY PISTON, APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Pierre Laffitte, my executors or administators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 Pierre Laffitte, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
My Invention relates to an engine having a rotating piston, which is appli-
cable for pumping water and other fluids, forcing and expressing plastic
materials, and also as an engine for obtaining motive power, either by the
pressure of steam, water, or other fluid. This engine consists of a cylinder
having closed ends, in which cylinder the rotating piston is fitted accurately
between the ends of the cylinder, the piston is fixed to and forms an eccentric
on a shaft, which shaft is concentric with the cylinder. At its extreme
diameter, or that part farthest from the shaft, the piston is always in contact
with the interior surface of the cylinder, whereat the passage of any fluid or
plastic matter is prevented. Between the induction and the eduction ports a
sliding diaphragm or partition is situated, which slides towards and from the
centre of the cylinder, according to the position of the eccentric piston, but at
all times keeping closely in contact with its periphery; this partition forms
an abutment for the steam or other fluid or plastic material to act against, and
with the contact point of the piston and cylinder forms a complete separation
between the induction and eduction passages. The motion of the partition is
regulated and imparted to it by means of a crank on the rotating shaft of the
piston, while the outline form of the piston is such that the partition and piston
are at all points of the revolution in contact, as before-mentioned. When used
as an engine for obtaining motive power, steam, air, or water under pressure
is introduced at the induction passage, it takes effect on the eccentric piston,
forces it round, and then escapes at the eduction passage, a second and third
revolution succeed, and so on. Power may be derived from the rotating shaft of
the piston. When it is desired to use this engine as a pump for raising and
forcing water or air, or as forcing chamber for plastic materials, these
fluids or materials are introduced at the induction passage, while at the same
a

page_text: Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus, through the line 1, 2, Fig 2;
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, through the line 3, 4, Fig. 1.
a, a, is the framework, consisting of a foundation plate, an upright standard,
and a horizontal bracket; b is the cylinder, having a chamber 6' opening into
it, which receives the separating diaphragm or abutment. The ends of the
cylinder are enclosed by two plates, secured to the flanges by bolts and nuts.
C is the induction orifice of the water or other fluid, situated on one side of the
chamber b'; d, the eduction orifice, placed on the other side of the chamber b¹;
e is that which by analogy I call the piston, fixed in an eccentric position on
the shaft f. This piston may be either solid or hollow, and extends from end
to end of the cylinder, as seen in Fig. 1, and at one part of its circumference
always bears against the inner circumference of the cylinder b. f, is the main
shaft; it rotates in the centre of the cylinder b, and is furnished with a crank f¹,
and the pulley or motive pinion f". This shaft f is fitted and turns in a
stuffing box bearing in the cylinder end, and in a bearing carried by the
framework. g is a moveable partition accurately fitted in the chamber b¹; h,
rod communicating a movement back and forth to the partition g; i, stuffing
box through which rod h enters the chamber 6'; j,j, guide pullies of the rod h;
k, connecting rod from crank f¹ to l, by which motion is communicated to
rod h.
Supposing now the apparatus in the position as in Fig. 1, with the passages
c and d in communication, the one c with the water to be raised, the other d
being the exit or discharge. If rotatory motion be given to the axis f, the
pistone in the interior of the cylinder 6 pressing constantly on the water
contained in the cylinder, while the diaphragm 9 acts as a water-tight
abutment, the contents will be discharged at the passage a. In all its move-
ments the abutment partition 9 rests and is supported on the piston throughout
its length, as seen in Fig. 1, and in the positions shown black and red in Fig. 2;
it forms thus an obstacle to the return of the water to the induction passage,
and thus acts as a pump.
It is also adapted for a steam engine, for which it is sufficient to admit the
steam under pressure at the orifice c, and permit its escape at orifice d. It

page_text: may also be similarly actuated by a pressure of water or other fluid. I employ
this engine also for moulding clays, soaps, and other materials in a plastic
state. For this purpose the earth or other materials in a plastic state are
introduced at the orifice c, and a mould or plate applied at the eduction
passage d, through or into which the materials are expressed by the rotary
motion of the piston, power being applied to the shaft for that purpose. It is
also applicable as a blowing cylinder. .
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that I claim as my Invention the machine or engine
herein-before described, characterized principally by its eccentric piston and
its moveable abutment partition, applied to any or all of the purposes herein-
before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Laffitte, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
DIATRITTE (L.C.)