Improvements in Rotary Steam Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by BRUNO BECK, Mechanic, of 57, Finnell Street,
Chicago, Illinois, and CHARLES CHRISTOPH LUDWIG HARTUNG, Tradesman, of
2131, State Street, Chicago, Illinois, both in the United States of America.]
Improvements in Rotary Steam Engines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 rotary steam engines, and it has for its object to provide
such an engine with two sliding pistons at diametrically opposite sides of the
piston wheel, both connected together for one at the time to be in action during one
half of a revolution and to provide in combination therewith an
oscillating valve
with a cut off mechanism for using the steam expansively, and with these objects in
view my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices herein-
after described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents a side elevation.
Figure 2 a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the engine, and
Figure 3 a vertical cross section on line 3 3 in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side and edge view of one of the pistons, and
Figure 5 an elevation of the valve operating mechanisin detached.
Corresponding letters of reference in the several Figures of the drawings dosignate
like parts.
A denotes an annular chamber having the function of a cylinder and being made
in two semi-circular sections bolted together on top and having bolted between its
bottom ends a key stone shaped body B, that forins the abutment for the steam
pressure and at the same time provides the steam chest and steam inlet valve chamber.
This annular chamber is U-shaped in section and its interior flanges have a series
of semi-circular grooves that engage and snugly fit corresponding projections of
the rim of piston wheel C the hub c of which being connected with such rim C
by arms b. The hub of this wheel C is mounted upon a shaft D journalled in
standard bearings E E and F F' all rigidly bolted upon a bed-plate G. The
standards E E' are also provided with flanges e for securing between the annular
chamber A to be rigid therewith.
At diametrically opposite positions the rim of wheel C is provided with interiorly
projecting pockets a each having a stuffing box d and into these pockets a are
fitted the pistons H radially to reciprocate therein the rods of which pistons
after being passed through the stuffing boxes d are secured with their screw
threaded ends to the opposing ends of an open rectangular frame by screw nuts
so as to be adjustable. The shaft D is passed through this frame f clearing the
same while being reciprocated. The pistons H are U-shaped snugly fitting the
annular chamber and the pistons H are so connected by frame that one of these
pistons only reaches into such annular chamber while the other one is withdrawn
into its pocket a.
For insuring a steam tight joint with annular chamber A each
piston His grooved in its U face for U shaped straps g fitted into these grooves to
provide a packing for the piston, and for the purpose of preventing these U-bars
from disengaging they are slotted in their ends to engage the ends of gibs i,
projected through holes in the pistons H.
The abutment B, is fitted between the flanged ends of the two sections of the
annular chamber, that its upper end will but against the piston wheel C, and form
a close joint therewith. This abutment B is cast hollow to provide a steam chest j

page_text: into which leads the steam pipe k, from the boiler, and a port from this steam
chest leads to the. oscillating valve I, turned a little conical and snugly fitted into
its socket in abutment B, and is secured by a nut l, upon the reduced screw
threaded end of such valve projected through the end of wall of the abutment B.
This valve is diametrically slotted to provide a communicating channel between the
steam chest and an L port, m in the abutment directing the steam through one
side into the annular chamber. This valve I, has secured upon its end crank, J,
to which is pivoted the lower hub of a Y shaped arm o, having hooks p, to both its
arms. Against a bracket q' forming part of annular chamber A is pivoted a small
beam L, provided with rigid pendent arms q, each with a a set screw r, and having
pivoted near its ends pendent hooks s, held against the set screws by a leaf-spring t
and in such position that with swinging beam I, alternately one of the hooks s
will engage a hook p for swinging crank J, upward, which crank after being released
will be pulled downward, again by a spring n connecting such crank with the bed
plate G. One end of beam I, is also pivotally coupled with the end of rod u,
forming part of strap v, of an eccentric M, mounted upon shaft D, in a manner that
the rotation of such shaft D, will impart an oscillating movement to beam L, whereby
the hooks S, will alternately engage hooks P₁ after turning the crank J and the valve I,
connected therewith so to admit steam between the abutment. B, and one of the
pistons H to a certain amount the swinging movement of such beam L, will discharge.
the hooks when spring n will instantly shut the valve J, again whereby the steam
admitted will continue to exert its power by its expansion. After the piston F, thus
pushed to follow the circle of chamber A, has reached near the top it is released of the
pressure by the steam escaping through ports w, into the exhaust pipe N.
Each time after the piston H extended into the annular chamber A, and exposed to
the pressure of steam, has passed the exhaust ports, the diametrically opposite piston H
retracted into its pocket a, will have passed the abutment B, and is now to be radially
pushed into the annular chamber A to be exposed to the steam pressure, whereby the
other piston will he removed into its pocket a. This reciprocating movement is
governed by two cranks P, sleeved with their hubs upon shaft D, at opposite sides of
oblong frame and to projecting arms a rigid with and to opposite side edges of
frame, are pivoted with their centre portion levers y, one end of each lever y being
pivotally connected with one of the cranks P while the opposite ends of these
levers y, will alternately be brought in contact with a stud z rigid with the frame
standard E, so to swing such lever y to clear such stud z, and thereby shifting the
pistons H radially to the desired positions.
Upon shaft D is mounted at one side of the engine a fly-wheel Q and at the opposite.
side a pulley R for transmitting the power from the engine by a belt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 :-
First. The combination with an annular chamber A, having abutment B, of wheel C,
provided with diametrically opposite pistons H radially sliding into and out of
chamber A and connected together for simultaneous movement, substantially as set
forth.
Second. The combination of annular chamber A, of abutment B, having steam
chest and oscillating steam valve I and of wheel (, provided with diametrically
opposite pistons H, radially sliding into and out of chamber A, and connected together
for simultaneous movement, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with annular chamber A, abutment B, having steam chest j,
and steam valve 1, with crank j, of wheel, C mounted upon shaft D, and provided
with radially sliding pistons H connected together for simultaneous movement, and of
excentric M, also mounted upon shaft D with excentric strap and rod for operating
such valve, as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with wheel C mounted upon shaft D, and provided with
diametrically opposite radially sliding pistons H connected together for simultaneous

page_text: movement, and of excentric M, also mounted upon shaft D, with excentric strap and
rod for operating such valve, as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with wheel C, mounted upon shaft D, and provided with
diametrically opposite radially sliding pistons H, connected together for simultaneous
movement, of annular chamber A, and abutment B, arranged with steam chest and
valve I, having crank J, with Y-shaped hook arm o, and connected to the bed plate
by spring n, of beam L provided with pendent hooks s alternately to engage arm 0,
and of excentric M, mounted upon shaft D, and provided with strap and rod for con-
necting with one end of beam L, for oscillating such beam, all substantially as set
forth, to operate as specified.
Fifth. The combination with a double piston rotating engine, of oscillating steam
valve I, having crank J, with arm 0, having hooks p, and with springs n of beam I,
having pendent rigid arms q, with set screws r, and pivotal hook arms i yieldingly
held to the set screws, by spring t, and of excentric M. mounted upon the engine
shaft and provided with strap e, and rod u, pivotally coupled to one end of beam L,
all substantially as described, to operate as specified.
Sixth. In a rotary engine having radially sliding U-shaped pistons H reciprocating
into an annular chamber A, the pistons grooved in their exterior surface and provided
with U-shaped packing straps g, slotted in their ends for engaging the ends of gibs i,
projected through such pistons, all substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination with annular chamber, A, having abutment B, of
wheel C, mounted upon shaft D, and provided with diametrically opposite pistons H,
radially sliding into and out of chamber A, and connected together for simultaneous
movement by a frame of cranks P, sleeved upon shaft D, and of levers y, pivoted
to frame, of cranks P, and of stationary stud z, swinging such levers by their
contact therewith for reciprocating the pistons H, during their rotation, all substan-
tially as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of An 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.