IMPROVEMENTS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Stowe at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1880.
JOSEPH STOWE, of Lincoln, in the County of Lincoln.
ROTARY ENGINES OR PUMPS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My improved engine consists essentially of a cylinder and casing, preferably
revolving, an eccentric piston which may also revolve in the opposite direction, and a
slide or other suitable valve and box for reversing and governing, and two or more
sliding blocks which I prefer to provide with rollers as will presently appear.
The eccentric piston has hollow shafts or trunnions through one of which the
steam enters, and through the other the exhaust escapes, and I generally prefer to
arrange the piston loose upon these shafts or trunnions and work it by suitable
internal cranks or the like, and cach passage communicates with a suitable port or
ports in the periphery of the piston. The sliding blocks are generally arranged
opposite each other, and I find that a roller lying parallel to the axis of the piston,
and resting against it, will make a covenient steam-tight joint and tend to reduce
the friction; these blocks and rollers may be kept against the piston by springs or
the like, but where steam can be introduced for this purpose (as it generally can be)
I prefer to use it. When steam is so used stuffing boxes may be placed bebind the
blocks if necessary. I usually cast the cylinder-casing with one cover in a piece
with it, but this may of course be varied to suit circumstances; the valve box may
also be solid with the casing if desired. These parts are put together more or less
exactly as follows :-
The piston is placed within the cylinder casing, the sliding blocks and rollers
are inserted, and the covers placed in position; pipes are used with suitable stuffing
boxes if the shafts revolve, to connect the valve chest with one end of the hollow
shaft or shafts, the other end being likewise connected with the exhaust side of the
slide valve previously mentioned. Steam being now turned into the valve chest, it
enters one hollow shaft, and through it the piston passes through one of the ports
in its periphery into the cylinder, causing the piston to revolve in one direction and
the cylinder-casing in the other, and having passed one of the slide blocks it enters
the other piston port (which is separated from the first) and so passes off through the
other hollow shaft and valve box to the atmosphere or condenser, or otherwise as
071

page_text: may be desired. Reversing the direction of the steam and causing it to enter
the other end of the shaft of course reverses the engine; this is accomplished by
simply moving the valve.
I sometimes form the cylinder-casing in form of a pulley, or fly, cog, or other
wheel, so that the power may be taken from it direct; or a bevel wheel may be
formed or placed on one end of the cylinder, and another on the hollow shaft; when
by placing. a third bevel wheel so as to gear into both, the power may bo
advantageously taken off at right angles. Of course these arrangements, like the
other portions of the engine, are susceptible of modification without departing from
the principle of my Invention, Suitable framing is provided where required. I
have heretofore described this engine in connection only with steam pressure, but
it is evident that compressed air, or water, or other known suitable power may be
employed to drive it; the engine or apparatus may also-be used as a pump, when
it will be found that the ordinary valves can be dispensed with.