IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Ambrose Brydges, of the Firm of Brydges and Co.,
Patent Solicitors, of 111, Landsberger Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, and No. 33, Cricketfield Road, Clapton, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY STEAM ENGINES." A com-
munication from abroad by Monsieur Raoul Bazin, Engineer, of the City of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 0th September 1878, and dated the 17th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1878.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES, of the Firm of Brydges and Co., Patent Solicitors, of
111, Landsberger Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, and No. 33, Cricket-
field Road, Clapton, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
STEAM ENGINES." [A communication from abroad by Monsieur Raoul Bazin,
Engineer, of the City of Paris, in the Republic of France.]
This Invention relates to improvements in rotary steam engines, and is more
especially applicable to that class of rotary steam engine known as the Bazin
system.
In carrying out the said Invention I construct the main shaft of a hollow form.
I also construct curved channels, canals, or channels in a wheel or drum, which is
rigidly attached to the said main shaft. The said main shaft is provided with
orifices, so that the steam entering this said main shaft escapes through these orifices
or openings into the curved chambers afore mentioned.
Plates of metal or other suitable material are used for closing the extremities of
the said curved chambers, canals, or channels. These plates are provided with
openings or longitudinal triangular slits or cuts to allow the steam to escape into
the enclosing chamber, the said chamber being rigidly connected to the condenser.
The steam from the boiler enters the main shaft, and passes up through the per-
forations of the same into the curved chambers, canal, or channels, the extremities
Din Br

page_text: of which said chambers are closed by the plates afore mentioned, and only a small
longitudinal slit or opening is left for the steam to escape.
The steam flowing in from the orifices in the main shaft presses against the
curved sides of the chambers, and causes the same to revolve. These chambers
being formed in a wheel or drum made of two pieces of metal, or other material,
and bolted air-tight together, with a solid flange connection or joint, impart great
solidity to the construction, and admit of the parts being easily and rapidly taken
apart when necessary. The outer sides or partitions of the said wheel or drum are
also solid, and are joined to the main shaft by means of four or any convenient
number of arms.
All these parts are enclosed in a chamber or casing of suitable
size, and made of iron or other suitable material, provided with stuffing boxes for
the main shaft to pass through, so as to prevent the entrance of atmospheric air into
the chambers. The exhaust stcan passes from the afore-mentioned curved chambers
into the casing, and from thence into the condenser, which is fixed at the lower part
of the casing or cylinder mantle.
The condenser, alimentary pump, regulator, fly wheel, &c., are operated through
the movement communicated to the main shaft by the wheel or drum afore
mentioned. It will thus be seen that this arrangement of the parts combines
extreme simplicity with cheapness and durability.
The main shaft is supported by suitable bearings, and the steam which passes
through the orifices in the said shaft into the curved chambers causes the drum or
wheel to revolve, and the said drum or wheel being rigidly attached to the maiu
shaft the latter is forced to revolve with the afore-named wheel or drum, and thus
a direct movement is obtained without the aid of pistons, connecting rods, valves,
eccentrics, aud other appliances as now used in similar steam engines.
The saving attained by the use of this Invention is equal to 30 to 50 per cent.
over all machines at present in use, and the machine occupies much less space than
ordinary machines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th November 1878.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES, of the Firm of Brydges and Co., Patent Solicitors, of
1114, Landsberger Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, and No. 33, Cricket-
field Road, Clapton, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
STEAM ENGINES." A communication from abroad by Monsieur Raoul Bazin,
Engineer, of the City of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to improvements in rotary steam engines, and is more
especially applicable to that class of rotary steam engino known as the Bazin
system.
In carrying out the said Invention I construct the driving or main shaft of a
hollow form. I also construct curved chambers, canals, or channels in a wheel or
drum, which is rigidly attached to the said main shaft. The said main shaft is
provided with orifices, so that the steam entering this said driving or main shaft
escapes through these orifices or openings into the curved chambers aforo
mentioned.
Plates of metal or other suitable material are used for closing the extremities of
the said curved chambers, canals, or channels. These plates are provided with
openings or longitudinal triangular slits or cuts to allow the steam to escape into
the enclosing chamber, the said chamber being rigidly connected to the condenser.
The steam from the boiler enters the main shaft, and passes up through the per-
forations of the same into the curved chambers, canals, or channels, the extremities
of which said chambers are closed by the plates afore mentioned, and only a small
longitudinal slit or opening is left for the steam to escape.
The steam flowing in from the orifices in the main shaft presses against the
curved sides of the chambers, and causes the same to revolve. These chambers
being formed in a wheel or drum made of two pieces of metal or other material, and
bolted air-tight together, with a solid flange connection or joint, impart great
solidity to the construction, and admit of the parts being easily and rapidly taken
apart when necessary. The outer sides or partitions of the said wheel or drum are also
solid, and are joined to the main shaft by means of four or any convenient number
of arms. All these parts are enclosed in a chamber or casing of suitable size, and
made of iron or other suitable material, provided with stuffing boxes for the main
shaft to pass through, so as to prevent the entrance of air into the chambers. The
exhaust steam passes from the curved chambers into the casing, and thence into the
condenser, which is fixed at the lower part of the casing or cylinder jacket.
The condenser, feed pump, governor, fly wheel, etc., are operated through the
movement communicated to the main shaft by the wheel or drum afore mentioned.
It will thus be seen that this arrangement of the parts combines extreme simplicity
with cheapness and durability.
The driving or main shaft is supported by bearings, and the steam which passes
through the orifices in the said shaft into the curved chambers causes the drum or
wheel to revolve, and the said drum or wheel being rigidly attached to the main
shaft the latter is forced to revolve with the afore-mentioned wheel or drum, and
thus a direct movement is obtained without the aid of pistons, connecting rods,
valves, eccentrics, and other appliances, as now used in similar steam engines.
The saving attained by the use of this Invention is equal to from 30 to 50 per
cent. over all machines at present in use, and the machine occupies much less space
than ordinary machines.
I now proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to describe an
engine constructed according to the Iuvention.
As seen on Sheet 1 of the Drawings, the steam coming from the boiler through
the interior of the shaft a of the machine (Figures 2 and 4) is distributed through

page_text: six orifices into six curves channels, chambers, or canals b, which are developed with
a more or less extended radius, Figure 1. Each of these curved channels is closed
at its extremity by a piece or plate c jointed and fixed to the curved channels by
bolts. These pieces or plates form plugs or stoppers; they are crossed longitudinally
by a bevelled slot d of a width varying with the power of the machine. The steam
escapes through this slot after having imparted a movement of rotation to the six
curved channels which form the principal piece of the machine. This six-channelled
wheel or drum is composed of two pieces of cast iron connected together by bolts,
and made air-tight by a central joint e, Figure 2.
The two vertical outside walls f (Figure 2) of the wheel or drum are solid, and
receive the attachments or braces g formed of four or six wrought-iron arms, which
are connected to the driving shaft a, and transmit movement to it.
On the side of the introduction of the steam, the shaft is hollow, and offers an interior
passage h (Figure 2), through which the steam is introduced into the curved wheel
or drum. On the opposite side it is solid.
The steam, having left the curves b, passes into a hermetically closed chamber i
(Figure 2) composed of two equal parts, which permit of an easy unmounting being
effected, and which parts are bolted and connected by a joint, which prevents the
entry of the outer air.
The two orifices, which allow passage to the driving shaft, are closed by stuffing 2
boxes j, answering the same purpose. The steam then enters the condenser k,
Figure 2, fixed to the lower part of the cylinder jacket.
The condenser, the feed pump, and the governor take their movement from the
driving shaft a, which also carries a fly wheel m for assuring the regularity of work
of the system.
2
In order to obtain from the machine a still more considerable useful effect,
mechanism is so arranged as to permit the expansion or cut-off of the steam to be
utilized and regulated, once for all, to the degree of expansion or cut-off with which
the machine must work. For this purpose the steam is distributed into the curved
channels through a slide valve worked by a jointed or articulated plate fx destined 3
to receive the first shock of the steam, such slide valve being constantly urged
downwards by a spring. When the plate fx is raised a certain amount, it closes
the inlet, and the steam can expand during a certain time; then the or
opened, and the steam enters the curves, to there exert its action. At the
its travel the slide valve is stopped by a fixed hook, and it is only when the plate 3
has completely redescended that the slide valve, restored by a spring, returns to its
primitive position, where it opens afresh the inlet, and so on.
iq
The Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of Sheet 2, show a specimen of this machine with six
channels and with six slide valves, three of which are open, and three closed, in
order to avoid the dead points.
The steam enters the curved channels a, a, through the inlet orifices b, b, on
leaving which it passes under the slide valve c, each having an inlet port d, and an
exhaust port e.
4
"When the slide valve uncovers the inlet port, the steam acts under the plate f*,
and raises it by pushing back the spring g, which tends to restore it to its primitive 4
position. It is directed with force against the spring *, which offers very great
resistance, and which is fixed, like the spring g*, to a projection cast on the curved
arm a. During this movement of the plate fx a tail piece i, with which it is
furnished, and which is lengthened beyond its axis of articulation j, brings forward
the slide valve, and closes the inlet port in opportune time.
5
The curve of the arm in the part which corresponds to the travel of the
plate fx, has for centre the articulation of the plate fx, so that the joint should be
possible and that there should be no loss of steam. When the plate f* has arrived
towards the end of its upward travel, the slide valve has sufficiently advanced, so
that the exhaust port is open, and that the hook / arranged at its end may have 5
passed beyond the bolt . This bolt, which is articulated around an axis m*, is
constantly raised by a spring blade n. Its bevilled form permits it to be lowered

page_text: basily by the hook when it departs from the centre, but once hooked it cannot
return backwards under the action of the coiled spring o, which tends to
bring it back. The exhaust then remains open, and the inlet closed during the
whole duration of the desconding movement of the plate fx. When this plate
arrives at the bottom of its travel the spring g* gives it a sufficient impulse, so that
the tappet p arranged at its extremity night lower the bolt l, and thus free the
slide valve, which is quickly brought back by the coiled spring o, and returns to
ts primitive position in closing the exhaust, then in opening again the inlet.
The same facts are produced in the same order for a second travel of the plate f*,
and so on.
The advantages of this system are,—
1st. The principal piece which transmits motive power turns freely without
experiencing the friction, which diminishes the useful effect of ordinary machines.
2nd. The machine is of a much more simple construction.
3rd. The direct transmission of movement permits of a large number of parts
being dispensed with.
4th. The machine having less friction necessitates a less costly lubrication.
5th. This system is applicable to all kinds of engines, vertical, horizontal,
locomotive, traction, and marine.
6th. The costs of setting up of the engine are considerably reduced.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim, the now rotary steam engine with
curved channels, chambers, or canals, having inclined stoppers or plugs fitted at the
extremity of the said channels, chambers, or canals, and determining the rotation
of the machine, such machine being furnished with a system of slide valve and of
articulated plate, permitting the utilization of the expansion or cut-off of the steam,
all substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDWIN A BRYDGES.
(1.9)
EDWIN A BRYDGES (LS)