IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES." A communication from abroad
by Emmanuel Genty and Jules Deschamps, both of Rouen, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1880.
ور
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES.'
[A communication from abroad by Emmanuel Genty and Jules Deschamps, both
of Rouen, France.]
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of rotary steam-engines
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent dated 29th June, A.D. 1878,
No. 2613.
My improved engine may be constructed to work in one direction only, or it
In the latter case I provide
may be so arranged as to work in either direction.
suitable means which will allow the motion to be reversed when desired.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a large cylindrical
chamber, in which rotates a piston of elliptical or oval form. A copper hoop is
placed around the piston, and there is a piece at the point in contact with the
interior surface of the chamber, the hoop and piece being pressed by springs so as
to effect a tight connection or hermetical closing between the piston and cylinder.
The steam after having done its work enters a small chamber in the piston
through openings provided in the said piston, and then escapes by an outlet
provided for the purpose. I may also allow the steam to escape through openings
on two sides of the cylinder. These openings are provided with cocks or valves
which, by means of exterior cams or excentrics, close when the piston is passing,
and open as soon as the slide-valve is shut. The slide valves are pushed into the
interior of the cylinder by the steam entering at suitable ports, and are pushed back
into their chambers by the piston operating as a cam. Openings made in the walls
of the cylinder or chamber and extending along the slide-valve chambers serve as
passages for the steam to enter the cylinder or cylindrical chamber for actuating
the piston. Steam inlet valves or cocks on opposite sides of the cylinder are
opened when the piston is passing by the aid of mechanism situated on the
exterior.

page_text: It may be desirable in some instances to make the piston of a somewhat rounded
or circular form instead of elliptical, so that the slide valves may be less suddenly
actuated, and that the steam may be better able to act as a spring at the bottom
of the valve-chamber.
The mechanism by which the valves or cocks for the admission of the steam are
opened and shut is constructed as follows, that is to say-On the piston shaft I
provide a cam which pushes against the rods actuating the valves for admitting
the steam; these rods will open or shut these valves as required. The said valves
are closed by means of a movable piece upon a regulator or governor.
This regu-
lator or governor is constructed as follows:-There is a movable disc which rotates
on the piston shaft and a small chain running over a pulley is fixed upon the said
disc, and is attached at one end to a spring, and at the other end to a roller which,
during the working of the engine, tends to actuate the chain by centrifugal force
and moves the disc upon which the said movable piece is placed. This movable
piece works upon an axle, and by the narrowing or contraction of the circle acts
upon the rods which operate the steam admission valves in the direction for closing
the latter. A pointed catch or tooth gears with the teeth of a circular rack when
the ends of the rods bear against the movable piece; a spring tends to keep the
catch or tooth out of gear with the circular rack.
I also provide two rollers which are connected by small jointed cross-pieces and s
slide on connecting bars or rods, and the spring is so arranged that it will tend to
bring the said rollers near to the centre of the plate over which they slide, whilst
when said rollers rotate centrifugal force tends to carry them farther away from
each other by a to-and-fro movement.
These rollers move the disc, and by the movable piece connected therewith close
more or less rapidly the steam-valves, and thus regulate the cut-off.
Instead of providing the disc the regulator or governor may be caused to act
upon a movable cut-off piece or sleeve by imparting to it a to-and-fro motion upon
the driving or main shaft, upon which it is free to slide in a groove provided for
the purpose; this movement compels the rods to rise more or less quickly, and as a
the opposite end of the said rods works the valves the cut-off will thus be regulated.
The to-and-fro motion may also be imparted to the movable piece by a ball-
governor; a pressure screw placed upon one of the rollers allows the cut off to be
regulated beforehand.
In constructing this engine so as to work in either direction the arrangements
are the same as above described, but additional valves are provided to allow of the
introduction of the steam and its escape at the right-hand side or the left hand side
of the slide-valves. Steam enters the cylindrical chamber or cylinder through the
inlet valves and escapes through corresponding valves suitably placed. One of
these outlet valves is shut during the passing of the piston to allow the steam to
act up to the time the slide-valve is completely shut.
The arrangement by which these valves are worked is as follows:-A cam is
provided acting upon the valve rods, and there is a piece projecting from each of
the valves, which pieces are designed to engage in grooves provided in enlarged
portions of the valve rods as follows:-The pieces projecting from the two inlet
valves being engaged in the grooves, these valves will be opened and shut as the
piston works. The other two valves, namely, the outlet valves, serve for introducing
the steam behind the slide valves, and for reversing the motion it is only necessary
to release the projecting pieces of the inlet valves from the grooves and to place
the projecting pieces of the outlet valves in the said grooves. It will thus be seen
that by simply altering the connection of the valves with the rods the motion may
be reversed. Instead of operating the valves by cams they may be worked by
excentrics or other devices, and I may employ any suitable description of valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
February 1881.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY STEAM ENGINES."
A communication from abroad by Emmanuel Genty and Jules Deschamps, both
of Rouen, France.
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of rotary steam-engines
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent dated 29th June, A.D. 1878,
No. 2613.
My improved engine may be constructed to work in one direction only, or it
may be so arranged as to work in either direction. In the latter case I provide
suitable means for reversing its motion when desired.
The construction of an engine embodying this Invention is illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section shewing the interior of one form of this engine.
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.
This engine comprises a large cylindrical chamber A in which an elliptical or
oval piston or wing B is free to rotate.
A copper hoop C and a piece D upon which springs press form a hermetically
tight joint. The steam, after having done its work, enters the small chamber E
through openings or ways F, F, provided in the piston, and then escapes by the
outlet G. Or I may allow the steam to escape through openings H, H, provided
with valves which, by means of exterior cams or excentrics, are closed when the
piston is passing, but are opened as soon as the slide valve is closed. The slide-
valves I are pushed into the interior of the cylinder by the steam entering at J, J,
and are pushed back into their chambers K, K, by the piston or wing B which acts
on them in the same manner as a cam. Openings L, L, serve as ways or passages
for the steam by which it enters the cylindrical chamber A to actuate the piston B.
Steam inlet valves M, M, are opened when the piston is passing by the aid of
mechanism on the exterior of the engine.
The wing or piston B may be formed as shewn in Figure 8, so that the slide
valves may be less suddenly actuated, and the steam may act more advantageously
at the bottom of the valve chambers than would otherwise be the case.
Figure 2 shews the mechanism by which the valves for the admission of steam
are opened and closed. N is a cam fixed on the shaft O and arranged to act on
rods or bars P which actuate the steam inlet valves M to open or close the same
as required. These valves are closed by a movable piece R upon the regulator or
governor. This regulator is shewn separately in section in Figure 3, and in
elevation in Figure 4. It consists of a disc S which rotates on the shaft O; a small
chain a running on a pulley b is fixed upon the disc S, and attached by one end to
a spring T, and by the other end to a roller c which, during the working of the
engine, tends to actuate the chain by centrifugal force, and displaces the disc S
upon which the piece R is mounted. This piece R is movable upon the axle U,
and by narrowing the circle R it acts upon the rods or bars P of the valves
(Figure 2) and tends to close these valves. A pointed catch or tooth d engages
with the teeth of a circular rack V when the ends of the rods or bars P bear
against the piece R; a spring tends to disengage the catch or tooth a from the
circular rack V.
As shewn in Figure 4, the rollers ✗ are connected by the small jointed toggle-
pieces ffff, and slide on the connecting-bars or rods g, g. The spring T
(Figure 3) tends to move the said rollers toward the centre of the plate, but when

page_text: they rotate centrifugal force tends to keep them away from the same with an
oscillating motion. They move the disc S, and by the piece R connected therewith
close, more or less rapidly, the steam-valves, and thus regulate the cut-off.
Instead of the disc S the regulator or governor may be caused to act upon a
movable cut-off piece or sleeve Y (Figure 5) by imparting to it a to-and-fro endwise
motion upon the shaft O, upon which it is free to slide by means of the groove h.
This end wise movement compels the rods or bars P to rise more or less quickly,
and as the opposite ends of these bars work the valves, the cut-off will thus be
regulated.
The to-and-fro motion may also be imparted to the movable piece R by a ball-
governor; a set screw placed upon one of the rollers (Figure 4) allows the cut-off
to be regulated beforehand.
A rotating engine provided with reversing gear according to this Invention is
shewn in vertical section in Figure 6, and in elevation in Figure 7.
The arrangements in this form of my improved engine are nearly the same as in
that first herein described, but additional valves are provided to allow the
introduction of steam and its escape at the right hand or the left hand side of the
slide valves.
As shewn in Figure 6, steam enters the cylindrical chamber or cylinder A
through the valves M, M, and escapes through the valves M², M². The valve M°
is closed during the passage of the piston to allow the steam to act until the slide-
valve is completely closed.
The arrangement by which these valves are worked is shown in Figure 7, and
consists of a cam e acting upon the rods or bars P, P. The arms k, k, of the
valves M, M, are held in the rods P, P, and this arrangement allows these valves
to be opened and closed when the piston is passing. M1, M2, are valves for
admitting steam behind the slide-valves. For changing or reversing the motion
it is only necessary that the arms or stems k, l, of the valves M, M, be released
from, and the stems c, ¹, of the valves M' and M² be connected with the said rods.
Instead of operating the valves of this engine by cams they may be worked by
excentrics or equivalent devices, and I may employ valves of any suitable
construction, such as conical valves and the like.
During the operation of the engine the slide valves I, I, being rapidly pushed to
the bottom of their chambers K, K, might there suffer from shocks or collisions.
I therefore extend the grooves cut in the sides of the chamber A so that the
rods 1, 1, forming a part of the slide-valve, as shewn in Figure 9, maintain the same
by means of the carriers m, m, in the oval chamber in the piston E (see Figure 8).
These carriers m, m, may be provided with rollers.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,—-
The improved rotary engine constructed to work in one direction only or with
provision for reversing its motion, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.