IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF ROTARY STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to James Apperly, of Dudbridge House, near Stroud, in the
"County of Gloucester, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF ROTARY STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 22nd April 1879, and dated the 25th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Apperly at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1878.
$5
JAMES APPERLY, of Dudbridge House, near Stroud, in the County of Gloucester.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY STEAM ENGINES."
This Invention relates to improvements in rotary engines in which high pressure
steam or other elastic fluid moving at a high velocity is employed, and caused to
impart its motive force by frictional contact with the interior surfaces of passages
forined in the periphery of a drum or wheel, the object being to obtain a continuous
impelling action of the steam upon the wheel or drum, so as to produce rotary
motion by causing it to expend all or nearly all the power contained in such moving
elastic fluid before making its escape from the drum or wheel into the condenser or
other apparatus in which its latent heat may be utilised or into the atmosphere.
This improved rotary engine consists of a drum or wheel carried upon axles and
mounted or enclosed within a fixed hollow circular ring or casing. The periphery
of this drum is divided up by walls or partitions into annular channels. These
annular channels are connected together by inclined partitions and openings in the
side walls so as to form one long winding or serpentine course in which the steam
or other elastic fluid is caused to travel on its passage through the engine. In order
to divide up this channel into a series of narrow slits or spaces, and thus offer an
extended frictional surface to the steam or other fluid moving through them, I
provide sets of segmental plates arranged vertically within the said channels.
These plates are kept the required distance apart by means of washers and stay
rods, and each set is secured to the side walls of the channels by screws or bolts
רלח

page_text: and nuts. These sets of plates are placed around the circumference of the drum,
and within the channels, with short intervals between them, leaving longer intervals
near the inclined partitions. The circular ring casing on which the drum rotates
is bored out to receive it, and steam-tight frictional contact between the walls or
partitions of the annular channels and the inner periphery of the case is maintained
by packing made steam tight by spring or steam pressure.
Through the hollow ring case hot air is caused to circulate for the purpose of
preventing condensation of the steam or elastic fluid while passing through the
engine. These hot air passages are arranged so as to form a continuous winding
passage through and around the circumference of the case.
The steam or other elastic fluid enters the engine by an annular passage formed
_in_the_casing which communicates-with-a-similar-passage-in-the-drum,-and-from-
thence the steam finds its way through an opening into the annular or winding
passage above mentioned, and on passing between the first set of segmental plates
will expend a portion of its elastic force thereon. It passes through or between
each set of segmental plates in succession, when it escapes from the engine into an
annular chamber formed in the fixed case, the issue from which may be governed
by a valve so as to regulate the velocity or amount of steam or other fluid passing
through the engine. The distance apart of the segmental plates is to be regulated
so as to receive a nearly uniform amount of force, notwithstanding the varying
density of the elastic fluid passing between them and without materially decreasing
the velocity. After issuing from the engine the latent heat of the fluid may be
utilized for various purposes. For the purpose of increasing the friction of the
steam on the sides of the passages it may be desirable to make some or all of them
of perforated, burred, or roughened plates. In addition it may be found desirable
to provide the passages or inclined partitions with recesses or pockets, so as to
combine impact with the frictional effect of the steam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Apperly in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th April
58
1879.
JAMES APPERLY, of Dudbridge House, near Stroud, in the County of Gloucester.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTARY STEAM ENGINES."
This Invention relates to improvements in rotary engines in which high pressure
steam or other elastic fluid moving at a high velocity is employed, and caused to
impart its motive force by frictional contact with the interior surfaces of passages
formed in the periphery of a drum or wheel, the object being to obtain a continuous
impelling action of the steam upon the wheel or drum, so as to produce rotary
motion by causing it to expend all or nearly all the power contained in such moving
elastic fluid before making its escape from the drum or wheel into the condenser or
other apparatus in which its latent heat may be utilized, or into the atmosphere.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section of a rotary
engine constructed according to this Invention, and showing the arrangement of the
passages formed in the periphery of the drum or wheel; Fig. 2 is a cross section
taken on the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section, and
taken on the line 3, 4, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a plan view shewing the hot air.
passages in the fixed casing.
A. is the drum or wheel which is mounted on the axle B, and is enclosed in the
fixed hollow circular ring or casing C.
The periphery of the drum or wheel A. is divided up by walls or partitions into
annular channels a which are parallel to one another for about two-thirds of the
diameter of the drum or wheel A. These annular channels are connected together
by inclined passages or channels b, so as to form round the drum one long winding
or serpentine course in which the steam or other clastic fluid is caused to travel on
its passage through the engine.
These channels a and b are divided up into series of narrow slits or spaces for the
purpose of gaining an extended frictional surface upon which the steam or other
fluid moving through them may act. These narrow slits or spaces are formed by
bolting or otherwise securing together sets of segmental plates c. These segmental
plates c are kept the required distance apart by means of washers c', and each set of
plates is arranged vertically within the said channels, and may be secured to the
side walls thereof at short intervals by screws or bolts and nuts. Openings are
made in the periphery of the drum or wheel A for the admission and exit of the steam
or other fluid, and these openings are connected with the inclined passages bas
shewn in Fig. 1.
The fixed circular ring or casing C in which the drum rotates is bored out to
receive it, and steam-tight frictional contact between the drum or wheel A and the
casing C is maintained by packing made steam-tight by spring or steam pressure.
The steam or other elastic fluid enters the engine by an annular passage e formed
in the casing A through the opening f in the drum A, into the annular or winding
channels a and b, and in traversing the first set of segmental plates c will expend a
portion of its elastic force thereon. The steam then passes in succession through or
between each set of segmental plates c arranged round the periphery of the drum or
wheel A, and escapes through the opening g into a second annular passage / also
formed in the fixed case A, and from theuce into an exhaust pipe connected with a
condenser or other receiver.
The annular passages e and h are so formed that they are always in communica
tion with their respective openings f and g, and thus the continuous action of the
steam on the drum or wheel A is ensured.
The spaces between the segmental plates are to be regulated so as to receive a
nearly uniform amount of forco, notwithstanding the varying density of the elastic
fluid passing between them, and without materially decreasing the velocity.

page_text: For the purpose of increasing the friction of the steam on the sides of the
passages it may be desirable to make some or all of the segmental plates perforated,
burred, or roughened.
Through passages or recesses & formed in the hollow ring case C, and also in the
drum A, hot air is caused to circulate-for-the-purpose of preventing.condensation of
the steam or elastic fluid while passing through the engine.
These hot air passages are arranged so as to form a continuous winding
passage through and around the circumference of the case C as shewn at Fig. 4, and
-they-are-supplied with hot air from the chamber D, which consists of a hollow
casting, and forms the base upon which the engine is mounted.
Having now described the nature of my Invention for "Improvements in the
Construction of Rotary-Steam-Engines," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim,-
First. The general arrangement and construction of rotary steam engine, as
herein shewn and described.
Second. The use of sets of segmental plates C as shewn and described for the
purpose of subdividing the steam, and to obtain a more extended frictional area.
Third. The arrangement of hot air passages as herein shewn and described,
whereby the condensation of the steam will be prevented.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Apperly, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JAMES APPERLY. (L.S.)