IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES." -A communication
from abroad by Winslow P. Eayrs and Timothy Edward Stuart,
hath of Roston Massachusetts Tinited Staton
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 8th July 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTARY ENGINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-

page_text: municated to me from abroad by Winslow P. Eayrs and Timothy
Edward Stuart, both of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming
a part of this Specification :-
The nature of the said Invention consists in the construction and
arrangement of a rotary engine, as will be herein-after more fully set
forth.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which the Invention
appertains to make and use the same I will now proceed to describe its
construction and operation, referring to the annexed Drawing which
forms a part of this Specification, and in which Figure 1 is a transverse
vertical section of the engine; Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections
of the same; and Figure 4 is a side view of the interior revolving wheel;
Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section; and Figure 6 a transverse
vertical section showing a modification of the engine.
A represents an ordinary steam cylinder for a rotary engine supported
on a suitable frame B. C is the interior revolving wheel provided with
or attached to a central shaft, which passes through the heads of the
cylinder A. The wheel C is provided with four circumferential
grooves a, a, and b, b, the side grooves b, b, being for the reception of
sectional packing rings d, d, and the middle grooves a, a, forming the
steam channels. In each of the grooves bare placed two packing rings d,
each ring made in sections, and the sections so arranged as to break
joints, as shown in Figure 4. The packing rings d, d, rest upon
rollers e, placed in recesses formed in the bottoms of the grooves b, b.
Along the centre in the bottom of each groove b is formed a smaller
groove i, as seen in Figure 1. The packing rings d, d, are thrown
outwards against the inner surface of the cylinder A by steam passing
through short transverse grooves or channels formed on the inside of
the cylinder A, and then through passages or channels f formed on the
inner side of each packing ring and down into the groove i. The steam
filling this groove presses the packing rings outwards, forming a

page_text: steam-tight joint to prevent the steam from escaping from the steam
channels a, a, in the wheel. In each of the channels a are secured two
cam shaped abutments D, D, which are arranged as shown in Figure 4,
that is, the abutments in one channel extend beyond or in front of the
corresponding abutment of the other channel. In the outer surface of
each abutment D at or near the square end of the same is a recess for
the reception of a roller h, which is forced outward against the inner
surface of the cylinder A. by steam entering the recess under the roller
through a passage k in the end of the abutment, as shown in Figures 2
and 3, thereby preventing the steam from passing by the same. The
abutments might be made so as to fit closely the interior of the cylinder,
but there would be a large amount of friction and they would soon
wear; but by the employment of the rollers the friction is reduced to
the minimum amount, and the steam packs the joint perfectly, even if
the surface should be worn. On the outside of the cylinder are secured
two valve boxes E and G, the former of which is divided by a central
longitudinal partition into two compartments H, H. In the com-
partment H of the box E is hung a semicircular or segmental valve I,.
through which is a passage m for the entrance of the steam, and in the
cylinder is a suitable aperture, through which the end of the valve may
drop into one of the channels a on the wheel. J is the inlet port for
the steam into the compartment H of the box E. The valve I being in
the position shown in Fig. 2 the steam from the port J goes through
the passage m in the valve into one of the channels a in the wheel, and
pressing against the abutment in front of it revolves the wheel until
this abutment passes a passage or aperture p in the cylinder, at which
time the next abutment has advanced and turned the valve I on its
pivot in the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3. The steam
which passed, as above described, through the valve I and turned, the
wheel C goes through the aperture p and a pipe K into the valve box G,
where is hung a similar valve I¹ with passage m¹. The steam throws
this valve down into the other steam channel a to operate against the
abutments in that channel. Thus the same steam which operates in
one channel to turn the wheel a certain distance goes through another
valve into the second channel to continue to revolve the wheel, and in
like manner it may be used more than twice by having more than two
steam channels in the wheel and a corresponding number of valves.
The steam is finally exhausted through the compartment H' in the
box E and exhaust pipe L.

page_text: The steam in the channel where the valve I' operates exhausts through
a ports directly into the compartment H³, while the steam in the other
channel goes through a port s¹ into the compartment H under the valve,
and thence through a passage t into the compartment H¹. The upper
side of the passage m (or m³) in the valve I (or I¹) is cut out at n, so
that when the valve is closed and an abutment has passed this end of
the valve there will be a larger surface on one side for the steam to
operate against, and therefore it will tip the valve into position again
for the steam to enter.
It will be noticed that all the parts of my engine are circles or parts
of circles, and are arranged so as to be balanced, thereby reducing the
friction. The wheel C is constantly surrounded by steam, whereby the
friction of the journals or central shaft is reduced to almost nothing,
thus preventing wear of these parts. The packing rings move upon
rollers, the abutments have rollers, and the inner end of each valve may
also have a recess with a roller, all contributing to make the engine easy
running and not liable to get out of order.
For road engines the rotating wheel should be so to say double, that
is, have additional steam channels with abutments running in the
opposite direction, and the steam pipes or entrances so arranged that
the steam can be thrown into either set of channels, and thereby readily
reverse the engine and cause the same to run in either direction.
In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a modification of our engine, which
may be used for any desired purpose, but is particulary designed to be
used where it is desired to have a large wheel. In these Figures C¹
represents the wheel provided with a single circumferential steam
channel a', in which at suitable regular intervals are abutments D¹, D¹.
In each of these abutments is a roller h¹ extending across the channel a¹
and forced outward by steam to form packing, the steam passing into
the abutments under the rollers through suitable steam passages. At
opposite points on the wheel C³ are arranged segmental casings A¹, A¹,
each having a valve box with a valve hung in the same.
E and E3 are
these valve boxes, and G³, G³, the valves. J², J³, are the steam inlets
into the valve boxes; m³, m³, the steam passages in the valves; and
L³, L³, the exhaust or outlet ports. In front of each abutment D¹ in
the steam channel a¹ on the wheel is secured a cleat f, which is the
thickness of the passage in the valve. The steam passes in through the

page_text: inlet Js and through the port m³ in the valve G², thence into the steam
channel a¹, striking against the abutment D' directly opposite, forcing
the wheel C¹ to the exhaust L² and passes out. At the same time steam
passes through the inlet Js into the valve port m³. When the valve G³
is on the cleat f, as shown in Figure 5, the steam is shut off at the
mouth of the port m³ and allows of the use of the expansion of the
steam, while the wheel turns to bring the valve G³ over the next
abutment; therefore the valve G³ is working on expansion when the
valve G² is working on full steam, and vice versa, the steam in the
valve ports m³, m³, forming a piston at n to keep the valve in position
against the wheel.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, what I claim as new
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,—-
1st. In a rotary engine the wheel C provided with two or more
circumferential steam channels a, each having abutments D provided
with packing and rollers h and a balanced valve, constructed to operate
as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2nd. The packing rings d made in sections and placed in grooves b
on the rotating wheel, in combination with the rollers e, groove i, and
passages f, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
3rd. The combination of the cylinder A, wheel C, with grooves a
and b, packing rings d, and abutments D, the valve boxes E, G,
valves I, I, pipe K, and the various ports, all constructed' and arranged
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
4th. The wheel C₁ in combination with sectional or segmental
casings A¹, A¹, each casing enclosing the circumference of the wheel
only from, at, or near one inlet to, at, or near the corresponding outlet,
substantially as herein set forth.
5th. The rollers inserted in the abutments and operated by steam,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
6th. The cleats f, f, arranged in front of the abutments D', 'D', in the
steam channel of the wheel C' and operating on the valves G³, G³,
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
7th. The combination of the wheel C¹ having steam channel a¹,
abutments D', rollers h³, and cleats f, the casings A', valve boxes E³, E³,

page_text: valves G, G³, inlets J, J³, and outlets L³, L³, all constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)
Witness,