IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Simon Salter at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd December
1867.
I, SIMON SALTER, of Stroud, in the County of Gloucester, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ROTARY ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
rotary engines, whereby a direct circular motion is given to the driving shaft
in lieu of the ordinary reciprocating motion converted by the action of the
crank into rotary motion.
I propose to construct the engine of a circular or disc form, supporting the
same on a central axis or shaft carried by standards, being extended to one
side or periphery of the disc for the purpose of containing a fixed stop herein-
after described. The periphery of the disc is grooved throughout its circum-
ference for the purpose of forming a steam way, which is closed on each side,
except that the centre of the outer side or rim is slotted throughout to the
steam way to a width sufficient' to admit a fixed stop of the requisite strength
being attached to the standard, which stop fills the space of the steam way,
and being properly packed performs the office of a fulcrum or bearing for the
pressure of steam. From the two points where the stop is attached to the
standard a band passes entirely round the open slot in the disc, and is attached
to the vertical and horizontal supports of the engine in such a manner that it
fills the open slot, the escape of steam being prevented by suitable packing
between the edges of the slot and the fixed band. On one side of the fixed

page_text: stop and passing through the band is the steam port, and on the other is the
exhaust. The piston consists of a slide which works in a groove cut in each
of the interior plane sides of the steam way, and to such a distance towards
the centre of the disc as to admit of its being withdrawn clear of the steam
way by means of a rod packed in suitable bearings, and attached to the slide
by means of a joint to enable the slide to fit closely in its position, the rod
being controlled by mechanism outside the disc. The piston when protruded
into its working position being wider and deeper than the steam way, and
being supported by the grooves previously mentioned, and being provided with
suitable packing to fit against the fixed circular band already described, forms
an effectual stop in the steam channel; and on the steam being admitted the
disc is carried round until the piston passes the exhaust, when being with-
drawn into the body of the disc it passes the fixed stop, and is immediately
pushed forward into its working position, and the steam being again admitted
the rotary motion is continued. Attached to the piston rod is a cross piece
which projects beyond the sides of the disc, and on the ends of which are swivels
or runners which work in guides fixed parallel to the same; these guides have
a shape or direction similar to that of the pistons in their rotation, and serve
to control them during their motion. Two slides or pistons may be arranged
in the engine diametrically opposite each other, by which means an immense
increase of power is obtained, the pressure of the steam being constant.