Year: 1886

page_text: We, JOHN HICK, of Mytton Hall, Whalley, Gentleman, and JAMES FREDERICK
PHILLIPS, of The Cliff, Lower Broughton, Road, Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in rotary engines applicable
for measuring or forcing water or for exhausting or compressing air or other fluids
and consists in an improved method of applying and transmitting the power.
In the specification of our Provisional Application No 4741 dated April 17
A.D. 1885 we referred to and described the method of connecting a piston to an
outer drum and causing them both to rotate, as applied more particularly to that
class of engine patented by John Hick aforesaid, N° 9971 A.D. 1843, but during
the course of our experiments we have found that such an application of principle
is more advantageous as applied to engines or apparatus having cylinders of the
ordinary type in which the pistons are caused to reciprocate during the rotation of
the cylinders and drum in the manner hereinafter described.
According to our invention we mount a cylinder or cylinders eccentrically to the
outer drum and this latter is caused to rotate owing to the said difference in their
centres as will be seen from the annexed drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side
elevation partly in section and Fig. 2 is a transverse section.
The cylinders, a, a, a, rotate on the hollow crank axis b which latter is shown in
cross section at Fig. 3 through the steam and exhaust ports c and d. Fig. 4 is a
sectional plan of same showing the direction the steam or other fluid takes in
passing through the engine. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through Fig. 4.
This crank axis is provided with another shaft or axis 6¹ being part thereof and
in which are the steam and exhaust passages. This axis 6' forms the centre bearing
for the outer rotating drum e the said axis 61 being stationary and secured at the
side in suitable standards f. The pistons a¹ are connected to the drum e by the
rods a and are free to turn on their centres to adapt themselves to the various
angles which they will assume and which will be hereinafter referred to. The
web h between the cylinders serve to carry the one portion of a link or crank i, the
other end being carried in a bearing, or by a stud, on the inner side of the drum e.
The throw of this crank i is of the same distance as that which the centre of the
cylinder is from that of the drum as shown in the various positions in the diagram
view Fig. 6 where X represents the centre of the cylinders and Y that of the drum,
and radius lines ✗¹ Y₁ drawn parallel to each other and bisecting their respective

page_text: circumferences will at all points of the circle give a vertical line Z equal to the said
eccentricity.
By these means the cylinder or cylinders are always maintained in their relative
position to that of the outer drum and the positions which the connecting rods
assume in their various positions of a revolution are shown in the diagram Fig. 7
in which is the outer drum turning on the centre Y and the cylinders rotating
around the centre ✗.
The connecting rod a' is represented as being (at the end a²) connected to the
piston and at a³ to the drum or wheel. The lines a³ show the direction and extent
of angular thrust on the drum at a³ at the various degrees of the circle.
By putting the centre of the crank b and cylinders a below that of the drum the
engine is caused to rotate in a direction opposite to that shown in the drawing
Fig. 1.
We have shown the cylinders as being three in number but it is obvious that we
may employ more or less as circumstances may require and they may be cast in one
or more parts and secured in such a manner as may be found desirable for attach-
ment to the crank in which case the latter would advantageously be in one piece as
shown in the drawing, but where the cylinders are cast in one then the crank must
necessarily be in two or more parts.
The transmission of power may be effected from the periphery of the drum e or
from the pulley.e¹ formed on the side of the said casing.
We have shown the engine without a fixed cover but it must be understood that
the rotating drum or casing e may be open and work within a fixed cover into
which the exhaust could be admitted and in this case we are enabled to couple the
engine direct to the shaft of a dynamo or other apparatus in which case the crank b
projects and is secured at one side only.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our invention and in what
manner the same is advantageously carried into effect we would have it understood.
that what we desire to claim by Letters Patent is-
First. In rotary apparatus the mounting of one or more cylinders a on an axis b
eccentrically to that of a rotating drum e in the manner herein set forth and
described with reference to Fig. 1 and 2 of the drawings hereto.
Second. In rotary apparatus the connecting of a piston or pistons a¹ to a drum
by a rod or rods a* and causing the said drum to rotate in the manner and by the
means herein set forth with reference to the drawings hereto.
Third. In rotary apparatus the connecting of the cylinders to the drum or disc
by the compensating link i for causing the two parts to run at the same speed
substantially in the manner herein described with reference to Fig. 1, 2 and 6 of
the drawings annexed hereto.
Fourth. The construction of stationary crank axis for the passage of steam
or other fluid to or from the cylinders as described and shown at Fig. 3, 4 and 5 of
the drawings hereto.
Fifth. The construction of fixed crank having a steam port meeting with corre-
sponding openings in a cylinder or cylinders and so arranged as to automatically
cut off the steam or other fluid at a given point substantially in the manner herein
described with reference to Fig. 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
"