IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES AND ROTARY BLOWERS AND PUMPS PROALATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Paddock of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Machinist for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES
AND ROTARY BLOWERS AND PUMPS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Paddock at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December 1883.
WILLIAM PADDOCK of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Machinist
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES AND ROTARY BLOWERS AND PUMPS'
"
My improvements relate to rotary engines worked by steam condensed air or
other condensed gas or vapour and to rotary blowers and pumps for exhausting or
forcing gases and vapours and for raising and forcing liquids
I will describe my improvements as contained in a rotary steam engine.
On the bed or base plate of the engine 1 fix a cylindrical case the axis of which
is preferably horizontal. Within this fixed case is a hollow cylinder or drum
carried by or fixed to the principal shaft of the engine and rotating with it.
Within the said rotating drum are two other drums of progressively diminishing
diameter and fixed to or forming one with the first named rotating drum. In the
annular spaces formed between the concentric drums described other drums are
situated these last named drums being concentric with each other and excentric to
the first named series of drums the second series of drums always being in contact
at one line with the first series of drums. The annular spaces enclosed between
the concentric drums of one series are each divided into crescent shaped portions
by the excentrically situated second series of drums the said crescent shaped spaces
having a reverse position with respect to each other. The second drum of the
first series carries a flap or projecting plate constituting a piston the said piston
being situated radially on the outer cylindrical surface of the drum but capable
of an angular motion upon the said drum. The inner drum of the first series has
also a similar flap or piston and the said flaps or pistons pass respectively through
slots or openings in the outer and second drums of the second series of drums
Steam being admitted into the fixed case of the engine it passes into the annular

page_text: spaces between the drums and presses upon the flaps or pistons of the outer series
of drums and causes them to rotate and carry round the principal shaft of the
engine. The inner and excentric series of drums is also carried round by the flaps
or pistons described which pass through slots in them. As the two series of drums
rotate the space enclosed between their curved faces and the flaps or pistons
increases and the motion of the drums is continued through a complete rotation
The first rotation being completed the exhaust steam passes out at a suitable
port when fresh steam entering the spaces between the first and second series of
drums the operations described are repeated.
The steam may be used expansively by duplicating the two sets of drums
described the said duplicate drums having the same diameters and being formed
in one with the first described sets but the length of the said duplicate drums and
consequently their cubic capacity is only one third or one fourth part of the cubic
capacity of the principal sets of drums.
Steam of high pressure being admitted into the duplicate drums and one
rotation of the drums performed the exhaust steam from the duplicate drums is
adimitted into the principal drums and these are worked expansively by the said
exhaust steam. The exhaust steam finally escapes through the principal shaft of
the engine which is made hollow for that purpose.
Instead of making the duplicate drums for working the steam expansively a
continuation of or in the same line as the principal drums the said duplicate
drums may be situated within the principal drums and perform a rotation about
the same axial line as the said principal drums. The action of the steam in
this latter modification is essentially the same as in the first described arrangement
for working expansively.
The steam may also be used expansively without the said duplicate drums by
the following modification.
A
Only one concentric and one excentric drum are employed instead of the three
concentric and three excentric drums herein before described and the said single
concentric and excentric drums are geared together by means of teeth on the outer
edge of the inner drum and on the inner edge of the outer drum the number of
teeth on the outer drum being greater than that on the inner drum.
supplementary drum working steam tight within the excentric drum has a series
of equi distant radial openings made in it. The steam which is supplied from the
interior of the last named or supplementary drum passes to the port which
conducts it to the required part of the engine through one of the holes in the said
supplementary drum when any one of the holes is coincident with the said port.
The said supplementary drum rotates once to about eighteen rotations of the other
drum but this ratio may be varied. By varying the number and width of the
holes in the supplementary drum the passage of steam through one of its holes to
the port may be made to occur at each complete rotation or one half or other
fraction of a rotation.
Compensating apparatus consisting preferably of a coiled spring is employed to
keep the inner drums to their bearing within the outer drums and thus prevent
leakage by wear. There is no tendency to leakage between the inner drums and
the outer drums end wise in consequence of the pressure of the steam in the fixed
case of the engine this pressure being always in excess of that contained in the
moving parts it tends to press the moving parts together and prevent leakage.
The friction between the flaps or pistons and the slots in which they work may
be reduced by making the said flaps or pistons in the form of rollers rolling in
instead of sliding in their slots.
In place of the two series of drums described rotating in a fixed case two cones
preferably obtuse cones may be employed. These cones rotate upon their axes and
are situated within a spherical case fixed on the principal shaft of the engine.
The sides of the cones touch each other that is are in contact at one line and the
opening between those parts of the cones which are not in contact is crossed by a
diaphragm or partition which may be carried by one of the cones or the rotating

page_text: case the other cone having in it a slot into which the said partition gradually passes
as by the rotation of the said diaphragm the place it occupies between the two
cones becomes less.
A rotary engine constructed according to my inventiom may be worked by
condensed air or other condensed gas or vapour instead of by steam and by driving
the moving parts of the engine by giving rotation to the principal shaft the engine
described may be used as a blower for exhausting and forcing air gas and vapours
or when driven at a slow speed for raising and forcing liquids
The details are varied to accomodate my invention to the several purposes to
which it has to be applied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Paddock in the Patent Office on the 26th June 1884.
WILLIAM PADDOCK of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Machinist
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES AND ROTARY BLOWERS AND PUMPS
"
In
My improvements relate to rotary engines worked by steam, condensed air or
heated air or other condensed gas or vapour and to rotary blowers and pumps for
exhausting or forcing gases and vapours and for raising and forcing liquids.
I will describe my improvements as contained in a rotary steam engine.
On the bed or base plate of the engine I fix a cylindrical case the axis of which
is preferably horizontal. Within this fixed case is a hollow cylinder or drum
carried by or fixed to the principal shaft of the engine and rotating with it. Within
the said rotating drum, one or two drums of progressively diminishing diameter
are situated and fixed to or forming one with the first named rotating drum.
the annular spaces between the concentric drums described, other drums are
situated, these last named drums being concentric with each other and excentric to
the first named series of drums, the second series of drums always being in contact at
one line with the first series of drums. The annular spaces enclosed between the
concentric drums of one series are each divided into two crescent shaped portions
by the excentrically situated second series of drums, the said crescent shaped spaces
having a reverse position with respect to each other. The first drum carries a flap
or projecting plate constituting a piston, the said piston being situated radially on
the inner cylindrical surface of the said drum. The said flap or piston passes
through a slot or opening in the outer drum of the second series of drums. Steam
being admitted into the fixed case of the engine it passes into the annular spaces
between the drums and presses upon the flap or piston described and causes it to
rotate and carry round the principal shaft of the engine. The inner and excentric
series of drums is also carried round by the flap or piston described, which passes
through a slot in them. As the two series of drums rotate the spaces enclosed
between their curved faces and the flaps or pistons increases and the motion of the
drums is continued through a complete rotation.
The first rotation being completed the exhaust steam passes out at a suitable
port, when fresh steam entering the spaces between the first and second series of
drums the operations described are repeated.
The steam may be used expansively by duplicating the two sets of drums
described the said duplicate drums having the same diameters and being formed in
one with the first described sets, but the length of the said duplicate drums and
consequently their cubic capacity is only one third or one fourth part of the cubic
capacity of the principal sets of drums. Steam of high pressure being admitted
into the duplicate drums and one rotation of the drums performed the exhaust
steam from the duplicate drums is admitted into the principal drums and these are
worked expansively by the said exhaust steam. The exhaust steam finally escapes
through the principal shaft of the engine which is made hollow for that purpose.
Instead of making the duplicate drums for working the steam expansively, a
continuation of or in the same line as the principal drums, the said duplicate drums
may be situated within the principal drums and perform a rotation about the same
axial line as the said principal drums. The action of the steam in this latter
modification is essentially the same as in the first described arrangement for
working expansively.
The steam may also be used expansively without the said duplicate drums by
the following modification, Only one concentric and one excentric drum are

page_text: employed instead of the three concentric and three excentric drums herein before
described. In place of the two series of drums described rotating in a fixed case,
two cones preferably obtuse cones may be employed. These cones rotate upon
their axes and are situated within a spherical case fixed on the principal shaft of
the engine. The sides of the cones touch each other, that is, are in contact at one
line and the opening between those parts of the cones which are not in contact is
crossed by a diaphragm or partition which may be carried by one of the cones or
the rotating case, the other cone having in it a slot into which the said partition
gradually passes as by the rotation of the said diaphragm the place it occupies
between the two cones becomes less.
A rotary engine constructed according to my invention may be worked by
condensed air or heated air or other condensed gas or vapour instead of by steam;
and by driving the moving parts of the engine by giving rotation to the principal
shaft, the engine described may be used as a blower for exhausting and forcing
air gas and vapours, or when driven at a slow speed for raising and forcing liquids.
The details are varied to accomodate my invention to the several purposes to
which it has to be applied.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in transverse vertical section and Figure 2 in-longitudinal
section, a rotary steam engine constructed according to my invention; Figures 2ª,
3, 4 and 5 represent details and modifications of the said engine.
a is the bed or base plate of the engine upon which is fixed the cylindrical case b,
the axis of which case is horizontal. Within the fixed case b is a hollow cylinder
or drum consisting of two concentric parts c², c³. This drum is carried by or fixed
to the principal shaft d of the engine and rotates with it. Within the rotating
drum c, ca are two other drums e, f of progressively diminishing diameter and
rotating with the said drum c², c³. The drums e, f are made in one piece; g is a
shaft inclined at a small angle to the shaft d and h is a sphere on the said inclined
shaft upon which sphere the drums e, f rotate. In the annular space formed
between the drums c³ and c³, the drum e is situated, the last named drum being
excentric to the first named drums c², c³ the outer cylindrical surface of the drum e
being always in contact at one line with the inner cylindrical surface of the
drum c². This line of contact is indicated in Figures 1 and 2 by the letter i.
The inner cylindrical surface of the drum e is always in contact with the outer
cylindrical surface of the drum c³ at the line of contact opposite the line of
contact i. Crescent shaped spaces are enclosed between the concentric drums c², c³
and the excentric drum e as seen in Figure 1. The drum c carries a flap or
projecting plate l, constituting a piston, the said piston being situated radially on
the inner cylindrical surface of the drun e² and either fixed thereto or capable of
motion as hereinafter explained. The said flap or piston 1 passes through a slot
or opening in the drum e. The inner drum c³ may also have a flap or piston as
hereinafter described. Steam entering by the pipe m passes through ports n, n
(see Figure 3) in the plate p. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,
the steam is used expansively. For this purpose, two sets of drums are employed
separated by the diaphragm or plate f² (see Figure 2). The spaces on the left of
the diaphragm f2 first receive the steam and the spaces on the right of the
diaphragm f, which are of about three times the capacity of those on the left,
receive the steam which has been partially expanded in the spaces on the left of
the said diaphragm ƒ³. The piston in Figure 1 is situated in Figure 2 on the
right of the plate or diaphragm f2 but the spaces on the left of the diaphragm f'
have also a piston similar to the piston excepting that I prefer to make it in the
manner represented in the section Figure 4, where the said piston is marked l² and
is carried by a ring 13 upon the drum l The piston and its ring are represented
in Figure 6. The piston having just passed the lowest point of its revolution,
steam is admitted behind it and between the drums c² and e. The pressure of the
steam acting on the piston carries the moving parts round in the direction of
น

page_text: :
the arrow Figure 1 until the said piston 12 has again reached its. lowest point when
the steam escapes by a passage through the diaphragm f' into the annular space
on the right of the said diaphragm, the escaping steam passing from the back of
the piston to the front of the piston in the right hand chamber, where its
pressure on the piston tends to augment the force of the rotation of the moving
parts. The waste or exhaust steam escapes by the passages q, q, q into the
atmosphere. Any excess of pressure on the plate p is counteracted by pressure of
live steam on the end p³ of the cylindrical case p', the effective pressure of the
plate pupon the diaphragm f2 being the pressure of the live steam on the plate p
minus the pressure of the live steam on the end p³.
The ports n, n are covered by a plate n² having corresponding openings in it.
This plate is carried by the annular spring n³; n is a counterbalance to the
plate n² and opposite to it. The said plate n² acts as a governor in the working of
the engine. By the rotation of the end plate the plate n² and counterbalance n
tend to recede from the centre of rotation the circular spring n³ becoming
elliptical. The motion described of the plate n² destroys the coincidence of its
passages with the ports n, n the said ports being more or less covered as the
plate n² recedes more or less from the centre of rotation.
Only one concentric and one excentric drum may be employed to use the steam
expansively.
Figure 5 represents in cross section this modification, where is the port at
which the steam enters and t the piston. When the piston t arrives at its highest
point the steam in the crescent shaped space escapes by the exhaust passage u
from the back of the piston t in the small crescent shaped chamber to the front of
the piston t in the larger or expansion crescent shaped chamber; v is the passage
by which the waste steam escapes to the hollow principal shaft of the engine.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 illustrate that part of my invention in which two cones instead
of drums are employed. In Figure 7, which is a section, a, b are the two cones, a
being fixed on the inclined axis a and b on the hollow axis b2; d is the diaphragm
and e is the recess in which it works. In Figure 8, which is also a section, the cone a
of Figure 7 is replaced by the flat or plain surface a³; fis the sphere on which the
moveable cone or plane a or a³ works. Figure 9 is an end elevation of Figures 7
and 8; g is an opening at which the steam enters and passes between the two cones,
or the cone and plane surface. This opening.g is made in the sphere fand by the
rotation of the sphere which is fixed on the shaft a² the said opening g is gradually
uncovered, fully exposed for a time and again covered by the rotating body h. In
Figure 9 the dotted opening g' is just covered and is about to be uncovered by the
rotation of the shaft a² and sphere f by the further rotation of which the said
opening becomes covered as represented at 93. By this arrangement the steam is
used expansively. The cones a, b, Figure 7, are kept to their bearing by the
pressure of steam entering the passage h² and pressing on the back of the cone b.
The arrangement represented in Figure 7 is situated in a closed case receiving
steam from the boiler. In Figure 8 a similar arrangement is adopted.
The
Figure 10 represents in horizontal section a double action engine constructed
according to the method last described. In the arrangement Figure 10, the
sphere is carried by the oblique axis k; the said sphere i carries a diaphragm l ;
12 is a cone and a similar cone between and against which cones the diaphragm
rotates, the said diaphragm rolling upon the cones 12, 13. The cone 12 is cast in one
piece with the case m and rotates with the principal shaft n. The other cone l³ is
made separately from but is connected to and rotates with the cone 12.
cones ³ ³ are connected together by a short hollow cylinder the interior surface of
which has a curvature stuck from the centre of the sphere i and concentric with
it against which curved surface the margin of the diaphragm / works.
represents in elevation the cone 12; p, p² are the pistons and q, q openings or ports
in them. The exhaust sides of the pistons p and p² are in the same line, that is,
in the line of a diameter of the diaphragm . The diaphragm and the sphere i are
represented in elevation in Figure 11 and edge view in Figure 12; s represents the
Figure 13

page_text: triangular port in the sphere and t, t' the ports by which the steam entering at s is
delivered on opposite sides of the slots u, u in which slots the pistons p. p work.
Steam entering the fixed case by a pipe at r passes through the triangular port 8,
up the passage t in the sphere i and is delivered at the back of the piston p.
Steam at the same time passes by the passage t to the front of the piston p². By
the action of the said steam the diaphragm and cones are put into rotation
and with them the inclined shaft k and the principal shaft n of the engine. The
diaphragm and pistons p, p² having performed one rotation pass openings in the
upper part of the cone 13 and lower part of the cone 12, the latter opening is shown
at w in Figure 13. The steam which has operated on the pistons escapes through
these openings into the space x and through the hollow shaft n and pipe y into the
air.
The concave bearings in which the sphere i works are pressed against the said
sphere by steam of full pressure which entering the cylinder 2 by the openings 3
presses upon the piston 4 and keeps the concave bearing 5 in contact with the
sphere . The steam entering at presses upon the concave bearing 6 and keeps
it in contact with the sphere &
Figure 14 represents in longitudinal section and Figure 15 in plan, a modification
of the last described engine. This arrangement consists of two engines of the kind
represented in Figure 10, one of smaller size than the other and connected to the
same shaft. This engine is driven by compressed and heated air. The smaller
engine on the right arranged to act as a pump and to collect and condense air
which is passed to the larger engine on the left and on its way to the said engine
on the left is heated in the manner hereinafter described.
The base 21 of the engine may be hollow and receive the condensed air from the
pump on its way to the heater and the pipes 22 by which the waste heat from the
engine escapes pass through the reservoir 21, the air in the said reservoir thereby
receiving a preliminary heating before its final heating. The motion of the shaft 7
may be transmitted to any required place by the bevil gearing at 8. Air enters
the pump at 23 and passes through the hollow shaft 24 and hollow sphere 25 and
passage 26 into the interior of the pump by the passage in the diaphragm
indicated in dotted lines. The air pumped and condensed passes out at the two
passages 20 into the case and from thence by the passage 27 into the reservoir 21.
From the reservoir 21 the air passes by the passage 28 to the heater. Each of the
passages 20 terminates in a flexible valve opening outwards, by which valves any
return of the condensed air is prevented. The heating apparatus which I employ
for heating the condensed air in its passage from the pump on the right (Figures 14
and 15) to the motive power engine on the left is represented in elevation in
Figure 16 and vertical section in Figure 17. The heating apparatus is drawn to a
scale about double that of Figures 14 and 15.
30 is a chamber constituting a fire place having a grating or fire bars at 31 and
lined with fire brick at 32. The fire place is contained in the outer case 33, the
lower part of which constitutes the ash pit. The upper part of the chamber or
fire place 30 terminates in the funnel or neck 34 having an air tight cover 35,
screwed down upon and raised from it by the screw 36 and hand wheel 37. The
screw 36 is carried by the shackle 38 turning upon centres at 39. The chamber 30
and neck 34 are filled with coke or charcoal or other carbonaceous fuel introduced
at the top of the neck 34 after the removal of the cover 35. The fuel being
ignited in the chamber 30 the neck 34 being closed, air is passed through the
apparatus the said air entering at the pipe 40 and the heated air and products of
combustion passing out at the pipe 41, the said air being heated in its passage
through the chamber 30 and effecting the combustion therein. In entering the
chamber 30 the air passes through the valve 42 by the action of which valve
the whole of the air may be caused to descend to the ash pit 33 and be heated
by rising through the chamber 30; or any desired proportion of air entering
at the pipe 40 may be delivered at the passage 43 in which case that portion of the
air would not pass through the ignited part of the fuel but would pass to the exit

page_text: pipe 41 without being materially heated and mix with the heated air which had
passed from the ash pit 33. The construction of this valve will be understood by
reference to the horizontal section Figure 18; 44 is the valve seat and 42 is the
valve rotating upon the valve seat 44 by means of the stem and handle 46. By
the motion of the valve 42 either one or other of the openings in the valve seat
may be opened or closed, or the said openings may be partially opened and partially
closed, thus determining the ratio between those portions of the air which pass
through the apparatus strongly heated and the portions not heated.
Figure 19 is a horizontal section of Figures 16 and 17, showing the grate on
which the fuel is supported and also the opening 47 by which access to the ash pit
is obtained.
For the purpose of keeping the bearings on which the spheres work tight I
employ instead of the arrangement represented in Figure 10, two or three small
cylinders 11 containing pistons 12 and in conjunction with these the arrangement
described with reference to Figure 10 is employed to produce the requisite
pressure on the opposite or concave bearings of the spheres.
The arrangement represented in Figures 14 and 15 is especially applicable for
driving light machinery where steam cannot be conveniently employed and for
driving tricycles and other velocipedes.
In order to keep in steam and air tight contact the conical surfaces which roll
upon one another in the various modifications of my invention I adopt the
arrangement represented in Figures 2 and 24, and Figures 10 and 10%. A cylin-
drical piece 13 turning in the outer case 14 so as to be set at any angle has a
slot 15 in which the block or bearing 16 of the inclined shaft
g works. The
pressure of the steam between the drums e and c tends to give a side motion to the
shaft g. By making the bearing 16 of the shaft g work in a slot 15 the said side
pressure is made to depress the said bearing 16 and thereby bring the working
surfaces into close contact. The arrangement Figures 10 and 10 differs in no
essential respect from that represented in Figures 2 and 24 and the several parts
are marked with the same letters of reference, the latter arrangement keeping
the cones and rolling diaphragm in close contact. Either of the arrangements
Figures 10 and 14 may be modified by the use of one only of the pistons p, p
instead of two pistons. When only one piston is used two of the passages s in the
sphere must be employed, the second passage of the two passages 8 (see Figure 11)
being exactly opposite the first passage. By the action of these passages in the
rotating sphere, steam or heated air is delivered on both sides of the rotating
diaphragm and on the same side of the piston alternately. Openings immediately
at the back of the piston are made in each cone through which openings the waste
steam alternately passes after the diaphragm has made one revolution.
The passages qq represented in the pistons p p² are dispensed with when only
one piston is employed.
The action of the single piston arrangement is as follows:-The cones and
diaphragm in rolling upon one another are always in contact in the same plane,
say, a vertical plane. When the piston is in this same plane it has virtually no
acting area and the steam passage in the cone is closed by the diaphragm but the
rotation of the moving parts through a small angle uncovers the port in the cone
and the piston acquires an acting area which goes on increasing until the parts
have performed a semi revolution when the acting area of the piston is at its
greatest. During the passage of the parts through the second half of their revolu-
tion, the acting area of the piston gradually diminishes and becomes evanescent &
when it again reaches its lowest point the steam port in the cone at the same time
being closed by the contact of the diaphragm. The steam which has operated now
passes out through a port in that part of the piston opposite the acting face. As
the acting area of the piston on one side of the diaphragm increases its acting area
on the other side decreases and the action which has been described takes place 5
alternately on opposite sides of the diaphragm as the acting area of the piston
alternately increases and diminishes on opposite sides of the diaphragm.

page_text: By driving the moving parts of the engine by giving rotation to the principal
shaft the engines described and represented may be used as blowers for exhausting
and forcing air, gas and vapours or when driven at a slow speed for raising and
forcing liquids.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my invention.
But I claim as my invention of "Improvements in rotary engines and rotary
blowers and pumps
"
First The arrangement of the two series of drums situated excentrically with
respect to each other within the fixed case of the engine, blower or pump, whereby
the working parts are kept to their bearings and packing dispensed with or rendered
unnecessary, the several parts being constructed combined and acting substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 2ª, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly-The arrangement or combination of parts hereinbefore described and
represented in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the accompanying
Drawings; that is to say, the combination of a rotary diaphragm with two
rotating cones, the said diaphragm being situated between the said cones, the said
cones and diaphragm having pistons at opposite points and working in a fixed case
similar to the arrangement of fixed case claimed in the first claim; also the arrange-
ment of cylinder and piston represented in Figure 10 for preserving steam and air
tight, one of the bearings upon which the spheres carrying the diaphragm works.
Thirdly-The modification described of the revolving diaphragm and cones in which
one piston only is employed instead of two pistons.
Lastly-The combination of two of my improved engines represented in Figures 14
and 15 which combination consists of a smaller engine driven and made to act as a
pump for condensing air and the other or larger engine working as a motive power
engine and actuated by the air pumped by the smaller engine after the said air has
been heated substantially as described and illustrated.
In Witness. whereof I the said William Paddock have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty fourth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four