Improvements in Rotary Engines, Pumps, and Meters.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1889
Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
[Communicated from abroad by JOSEPH THORNE, of Port Richmond, in the State of
New York, United States of America, Machinist.]
Improvements in Rotary Engines, Pumps, and Meters.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Breams Buildings Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 relates to an engine or motor of that general class known as rotary
engines, it being the purpose of the invention to provide an engine of this class which
will secure economy both in the cost of construction and in the use of steam. These
ends I attain by so constructing the engine as to avoid the use of reciprocating parts
which prevent the attainment of high rates of speed and cause loss of power; by
causing the abutment and piston to rotate in the same direction, which prevents waste
of steam; by dispensing entirely with ordinary stuffing boxes, which entail expense
in the construction and cause great friction and consequent loss of power; and by so
constructing and organizing the engine that the pressure of the steam is exerted almost
continuously upon the piston.
As a full understanding of the construction and mode of operation of the engine
embodying the present invention can only be given by an illustration and a detailed
description, all preliminary description of the invention will be omitted and a full
description given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which :
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rotary engine embodying the present invention.
Figure 2 is a central vertical cross section of the same.
Figure 3 is a section, taken upon the line 3 of Figure 2, the piston being shown in
elevation.
Figure is a rear elevation of the engine, the casing for the gearing being
removed.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the parts in a different position.
Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6 of Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken upon the line 7 of Figure 3.
Figure 8 is a similar view taken on the line 8 of the same figure.

page_text: Figure 11 is a section taken on the line 11 of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a section taken on the line 12 of Figure 9.
Figures 13 and 14 are views similar to Figures 2 and 8 illustrating a double
engine.
Figure 15 is a view of the rotary following abutments showing them removed from
the engine.
Figure 16 is a similar view of one of the induction valves.
Figures 17 and 18 illustrate a slight modification which will be hereinafter
explained.
Referring now particularly to Figures 1 to 12 it is to be understood that the
cylinder of the engine is composed of two head plates, A, of substantially circular
form which rise from a base, K, and are connected by a rim, B, so as to form a
circular chamber. The plates A, forming the heads of the cylinder, and the rim B,
are securely bolted together by bolts a, which pass through the heads and the rim,
as indicated. Passing through the centre of the cylinder and mounted in suitable
bearings in the heads A is the main shaft C, upon which is mounted the piston, D,
which is of a thickness just sufficient to fill the space between the cylinder heads.
The body of the piston D is of circular form, but is provided with a projection or
lobe 4, the sides of which form ares of two circles described around different centres,
and the piston is so set upon the main shaft that its point or lobe 4 will, as the
piston revolves, maintain close contact with the rim B of the cylinder.
Located in the base K of the cylinder is a circular recess. of about one-fourth the
diameter of the cylinder which opens upward into the cylinder. Fitted into this
recess is a rotating following abutment d, the body of which is of circular form,
but is cut away upon one side (as shown at 5), so that upon being rotated turn for
turn with the piston, and in the same direction, it will always maintain close contact
with the periphery of the piston. The portion 5 of the abutment, like the lobe 4 of
the piston, forms ares of two larger circles described about different centres. It will
be observed that by reason of this construction all parts of the peripheries of the
piston and abutment form parts of true circles. The abutment is mounted upon or
made integral with a shaft g which is supported in bearings in the base K of the
cylinder. The main shaft C and the shaft g of the abutment project through the rear
lead A of the cylinder, and are provided with gears 6, 7, which are connected by an
intermediate gear S mounted upon a stud projecting from the head. The gears 6, 7, 8
are of such size that the abutment is caused to make turn for turn with the piston
and in the same direction. In some cases it will be preferable to make the
gears 6, 7, 8 of larger size than shown, and this can be done by enlarging the
gears 6, 7, and locating the intermediate 8 at one side of the line through the axes of
the gears 6, 7. As before stated the piston and abutment are so set with relation to
each other that as they are thus rotated in unison a close contact will always be
maintained between their peripheries-that is to say, they are so set that the projecting
lobe 4 of the piston will. maintain contact with the depression 5 of the abutment.
The gears 6, 7, 8, or the gear 8 alone, are made double, as shown, the two parts
being secured to each other by bolts 3, and made capable of slight adjustment so as
to compensate for any slight wear or looseness in the gears, and thus prevent back
lash. The gears 6, 7, 8 and the ends of the shafts C, g are enclosed in a casing f
which is secured to the cylinder head by means of bolts. The chamber thus formed
for the reception of the gears 6, 7, 8 may be kept filled with oil for the lubrication of
the gears, the oil being supplied through a suitable duct. The bearings for the shafts C
and in the cylinder heads are provided with double or triple bushings 10, which
are lubricated through suitable ducts formed in the cylinder heads. The end of the
shaft C, opposito to the gear 6, is extended through the head of the cylinder, and is
supported in a long bearing or sleeve 12, and carries at its end the main driving
pulley 40.
In order to properly balance the abutment d, the gear 7 may be made heavier upon

page_text: one side and the shaft of the abutment may be extended at the opposite end and
provided with a fly-wheel, which is so proportioned that it and the gear compensate
for the depression 5. And to properly balance the piston the side which carries the
lobe 4 may be cored out to compensate for the weight of the lobe.
Formed in the base K of the engine upon each side of the abutment & are
chambers 13, 14, having ports 15, 16, which communicate with the cylinder, and
pipes 17, 18, by which the steam for operating the engine can be admitted through
the chamber and port upon either side of the abutment and exhausted through the
chamber and port upon the other side, according to the direction in which the engine
is to be operated. The ports 15, 16 are controlled by rotary valves F, G, which are
fitted into circular seats formed in the sides and bottoms of the chambers. The
valves F, G are arranged to make turn for turn with the piston and abutment and in
the same direction, and for this purpose the shaft g of the abutment which projects
through the cylinder head is provided with a gear 19, which engages through long
intermediates 41 with gears 20 of like diameter secured to the spindles m of the valves.
The gears 19, 20, 41 and the projecting ends of the shaft g and spindles m are enclosed
in a casing H secured to the cylinder head.
The operation of the engine thus constructed and organized is as follows :
Assuming that it is desired the piston shall rotate in the direction indicated by the
arrows in figures 3 and 5, the steam will be admitted through the chamber 14 and
port 16 and exhausted through the port 15 and chamber 13; the valve G will be moved
inward into its seat so as to control the admission of the steam through the port 16
and the valve F will be moved outward into the casing H so as to leave the port 15
unobstructed for the exhaust of the steam. When the valve F is in this position its
gear 20 will remain in engagement with the gear 41, but the valve will revolve idly.
The steam connections will be so adjusted that the live steam will enter the
chamber 14 through the pipe 18 and that the exhaust steam can pass off through the
pipe 17.
Assuming the engine to be in operation and the parts to be in the position
shown in figure 5, the steam will pass from the chamber 14 through the port 16
and enter the space in the cylinder between the abutment d and the projecting
lobe 4 of the piston D and act upon the lobe of the piston so as to rotate it
in the direction indicated by the arrow. As the piston advances from this point
the abutment will, through the gears 6, 7, 8, be correspondingly rotated in the
same direction so as to maintain its contact with the periphery of the piston,
and the steam entering the cylinder will continue to act upon the projecting lobe 4
and drive the piston onward; and this will continue until the piston has made about
a half revolution and arrived in the position shown in figure 3. At this time the
valve G will have completed a corresponding part of a revolution and be in the position
shown in said figure so as to nearly close the induction port 16. Directly after this the
valve G will close the port 16 and cut off the further admission of steam to the
cylinder. The steam already in the cylinder will, however, continue to act expansively
upon the projecting lobe 4 of the piston, so as to drive the piston onward until said
lobe passes the exhaust port 15 upon the opposite side of the abutment d, and as
soon as this takes place the steam in the cylinder will be exhausted through the port.
It will be observed, however, that before the port 15 is thus opened the piston has
nearly completed its revolution, having been acted upon continuously by the steam.
After passing the port 15 the piston will be carried onward by the momentum of the
parts, aided, if necessary, by a fly wheel, until it again arrives at the position shown
in figure 5, at which time the valve G will have arrived in position to again admit
steam behind the lobe 4 to drive the piston forward during the next revolution, and
so the operation will continue to be repeated.
It will be observed that in this operation the piston and abutment rotate in the same
direction that is to say, with their peripheries moving in opposite directions at the
point of contact. This is a feature of very marked advantage, as it results in a great
saving in the use of steam. If the abutment moved in the opposite direction a
quantity of live steam at full pressure would, at each revolution of the abutment, be

page_text: -
"
J
cut out of the cylinder and carried around in the cavity formed by the depressed
portion 5 of the abutment and finally discharged upon the exhaust side of the lobe 4
of the piston, having performed no work and being an entire waste. The amount
of steam thus wasted would be considerable. By so constructing and organizing the
engine that the abutment moves in the same direction as the piston this waste is
entirely avoided, as no live steam is cut out of the cylinder by the abutment.
Another important feature of the invention relates to the means for preventing
leakage of steam past the piston and abutment. In order to maintain a tight joint
between the cylindrical portion of the abutment and the piston, the periphery of the
cylindrical portion of the abutment is made up of a number of loose packing blocks 21,
which are so formed and secured to the abutment as to be incapable of moving
circumferentially around the abutment and yet be free to be moved outward away
from the axis of the abutment by centrifugal force, and thus form a tight joint between
the abutment and piston and the abutment and its seat. In the construction shown
there are two of these blocks employed, and this number is sufficient, but there may
be a greater number employed if preferred.
As shown in the principal views of the drawings, the packing blocks 21 and the
body of the abutment are only equal in length to the thickness of the piston, but
it will usually be preferable to make the body of the abutment and the blocks
slightly longer so that they will enter the openings formed in the head plates A,
and have a bearing therein, as shown in figures 17 and 18. This will make it
impossible for the blocks to become displaced to any such extent as to cause
damage.
To maintain a tight joint between the sides of the piston and the heads of the
cylinder the piston is provided on its sides with annular recesses in which are fitted
loose packing rings 22, which are pressed outward into contact with the cylinder
heads by light springs 9 (see figure 12) seated behind the rings. To maintain a
tight joint between the point of the lobe 4 and the rim B of the cylinder and the
portion of the abutment, the lobe is provided at its point with a transverse recess
in which is seated a loose packing block 23 (see figures 9, 10 and 11), which is
arranged to be moved outward by centrifugal force so as to always maintain contact
with the rim of the cylinder or the portion 5 of the abutment, as the case may be.
The block 23 will, preferably, be provided with flanges 2, as shown, in which case
the piston will be recessed so as to permit the steam to act upon the inner sides
of the flanges and thus hold the block in contact with the rim of the cylinder.
The ends of the block 23 are provided with recesses in which are seated small
packing blocks 11, which are pressed outward laterally by springs 1 so as to form
tight joints between the ends of the block 23 and the heads of the cylinder.
To reverse the engine it is only necessary to withdraw the valve G from its seat so
as to leave the port 16 uncontrolled and move the valve F inward into its scat so
as to control the port 15 and adjust the steam connections so as to permit the live
steam for operating the engine to enter the chamber 13 and the exhaust. steam to
pass out through the chamber 14. For the purpose of shifting the valves F G
to reverse the engine the spindles m of the valves may be provided with any
suitable form of operating devices. The point at which the steam is cut off and
from which it is allowed to work expansively may be varied to suit different running
conditions by so forming the valves F G as to cause the induction port to be
closed earlier or later in the revolution of the piston.
It is not desired to make the engine reversible one of the valves, F or G, will
simply be omitted.
It is preferable that the valves F G should rotate in the same direction as
the piston and abutment, as shown, but this is not essential. They may rotate in
the opposite direction.
The chambers 13, 14 or the pipes 17, 18 will preferably be provided with valves
or cocks, the stems of which will be connected to any suitable form of speed
governor which will operate the cock or valve on the induction side to vary the
quantity of steam admitted and thus control the speed of the engine.

page_text: In the organization which has been described the engine consists of but a single
piston and abutment, but in many cases it will be desirable that the engine should
consist of a plurality of pistons and abutments and this can readily be done by
duplicating the construction which has been described. Figures 13 to 16 illustrate a
double engine consisting of two pistons and abutments and their auxiliaries. In this
case the two pistons D E are mounted side by side upon the main shaft and the cylinder
is divided by a partition & so as to form a separate cylinder for each piston. The two
abutments e are made integral, as shown, and the valves F G are made double, as
shown in figure 16. The pistons D E are set upon the main shaft with their lobes 4
opposite each other and the abutments and valves are correspondingly arranged so
that the steam is admitted to act in one cylinder at the time it is cut off from the
other and vice versa.
The lubrication of the peripheries of the piston and abutment and of the sides of
the piston and head plates of the cylinder may be effected by oil introduced into the
steam so as to be carried into the cylinder, in any suitable manner, and in some cases
it will be preferable to cause the exhaust steam, instead of escaping through the
pipe 17, or 18, according to the direction in which the engine is running, to pass from
the chamber 13 or 14, as the case may be, through a port located substantially as
indicated by the dotted lines 24 in figures 3, 6 and 7, into the casing H, thence
through a port located substantially as indicated by the dotted lines 25 in figures 2 and 6,
into the cavity within the piston, thence through a port or ports 26 in the piston and
a port or ports 27 in the opposite cylinder head, into the casing, and thence through
a port or ports 28 to an exhaust pipe, all as indicated by the dotted lines in figure 2.
The exhaust steam and the oil carried thereby will thus serve to lubricate the gears
contained in the casings H and and also the piston. The ports connecting the
chambers 13, 14 and the casing H will of course be provided with suitable valves.
It will readily be understood that the engine may consist of more than two pistons
and abutments arranged in the same manner and also that it may be used as a pump
or meter as well as a motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston and. rotating
in the same direction therewith, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe; of a rotary
abutment formed and arranged to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston,
induction and exhaust ports located upon the opposite sides of the abutment and a
rotary valve for controlling the induction port, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston, and connections
between the piston and abutment for rotating the latter turn for turn with the former
and in the same direction, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston, induction and
exhaust ports located upon the opposite sides of the abutment, a rotary valve for
controlling the induction port, and connections between the piston, abutment and
valve for causing the abutment and valve to make turn for turn with the piston,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston and double
adjustable gearing connecting the two to cause them to make turn for turn in the
same direction without back lash, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston and rotating in
the same direction therewith, induction and exhaust ports located upon the opposite

page_text: sides of the abutment and adjustable valves for controlling said ports, whereby the
steam can be admitted upon either side of the abutment and exhausted upon the other
substantially as described.
7. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact with the periphery of the piston, induction and
exhaust ports located upon the opposite sides of the abutment, and the rotary
valves FG for controlling said ports which are geared to the shaft of the abutment and
arranged to be inserted and withdrawn to reverse the engine, substantially as
described.
S. The combination with a plurality of rotary pistons having projections or lobes
set in different positions with relation to the main shaft, of rotary abutments formed
to maintain contact with the peripheries of said pistons and rotating in the same
direction therewith, substantially as described.
9. The combination with a plurality of rotary pistons having projections or lobes set
in different positions with relation to the main shaft, of rotary abutments formed to
maintain contact with the peripheries of said pistons, induction and exhaust ports located
upon the opposite sides of the abutments, and rotary valves for controlling the induction
ports, said pistons, abutments and valves being connected so as to make turn for turn,
substantially as described.
1". The combination with a rotary piston having a circular body and a lobe,
the sides of which form arcs of two circles described about different centres, of a
rotary abutment maintaining contact with the periphery of said piston and rotating
in the same direction and having a circular body and a depressed portion formed upon
the arcs of two circles described about different centres, substantially as described.
11. The combination with the rotary piston and the rotary abutment having the
gear 19, of the rotary valves F, G, arranged to be inserted and withdrawn and
having the gears, 20, and the long gears, 41, connecting the gears, 19, 20, substantially
as described.
12. The combination with the rotary piston and the rotary abutment, of the
packing blocks, 21, mounted upon the body of the abutment so as to be permitted to
move outward by centrifugal force, substantially as described.
13. The combination with a rotary piston having a projection or lobe, of a rotary
abutment formed to maintain contact therewith and rotating in the same direction,
suitable ports for conducting the exhaust steam through said piston.and through the
chamber containing the gearing which connects the piston and abutment, substantially
as described.
D
1
T
1000