Improvements in Rotary Engines which are also Applicable as Pumps and as Fans.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 10th Dec.. 1889-Accepted. 11th Jan.. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECLF TOATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines which are also Applicable as
Pumps and as Fans.
I, JAMES NEWLANDS MILLER, residing at Broomlea, Joppa, in the County of Mid-
lothian, and of no occupation, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
It consists, as shown by the accompanying sketches or drawings of a Wheel of a
particular or special form enclosed within a Cylinder which it fits and is capable of
revolving in, of a special Aperture in the Cylinder for admission into it of the Steam
or other propelling agent, which Aperture is specially adapted with reference to the
Wheel, and of a Feed-Pipe of special construction and suitably fitted at that Aperture
to the Cylinder.
ABC represents the Cylinder, D E F the Wheel, JG KI tho Aperture, and
MLPN the Feed-Pipe.
The Wheel DEF has an Axle or Shaft O rigidly fixed in it centrically. It has
in it and around it, at its periphery, a series of similar and equal compartments of
which GHI is one, and the similarly traced figures are the others. Those compart-
ments are all in the same circuit with the compartment G H I.
The aperture J G K I is right opposite to the circuit in which the compartments in
the wheel rotate. It extends, in a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel, as far as
those compartments extend in a similar direction. It has a side J G which is in a
plane that is, at G, tangential to the concave surface of the cylinder. It has another
side K I which is in a plane parallel to its side J G.
MLPN the Feed-Pipe is suitably fitted to the Cylinder, at the aperture J G K I.
Its inner channel QJ RK is so formed that its sides QJ and RK are, for a short
space, projections of the sides of that aperture, being in the same planes with them.
S is an opening in the Cylinder for the escape of the steam or other propelling
agent.
The Engine may have more than one aperture such as JG KI, Feed-Pipo such
as MLPN, and opening of the same nature as S.
The side I of the compartment GHI is in a plane which is parallel to the axis
of the wheel. It is also at the same perpendicular distance from that axis as is the
plane in which the side KI of the aperture JGKI is. GH, another side of that
compartment, is in a plane which passes through the axis. It is also at right angles
to the side H. The sides G H and H L extend to the periphery of the wheel.
The side G H of that compartment also serves as a Vane on which the propelling
agent exerts its motive energy. The side, in each of the compartments corresponding
to it, also serves in like manner as a Vane for the propelling agent to act on.
The stream of steam or other propelling fluid, which passes through the Feed-Pipe
and the Aperture J G K 1, rushes against the Vanes in succession. If there be many
of them, it impinges on them at either a right angle or nearly one, and consequently
imparts a powerful rotary impulse to the Wheel and its Shaft. The centre morcover
of pressure from it on the Vanes will be near the periphery of the Wheel. That
pressure will therefore have a relatively large rotative leverage around the axis, and
will exert itself with corresponding efficacy.
Owing to the smalluess of the compartments in the Wheel, only a very small
quantity of steam or other propelling fluid, relatively to the capacity of the Cylinder,
is required to effect a revolution of the Shaft.
The Engine may, by being revolved in the opposite direction, act as a Pump or
as a Fan.
DL 1
1009

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines which are also Applicable as
Pumps and as Fans.
I, JAMES NEWLANDS Miller, residing at Broomlea, Joppa, in the County of Mid-
lothian, and of no occupation, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
It consists, as shown by the Sketches or Drawings left with the Provisional Specifi-
cation, of a Wheel of a particular or special form enclosed within a Cylinder which it
fits and is capable of revolving in. of a special Aperture or Inlet in the side of the
Cylinder for admission into it of the steam or other propelling agent, which aperture
or inlet is specially adapted with reference to the wheel, and of a Feed-Pipe of a
special construction, which is suitably connected, at that aperture, with the
cylinder.
ABC represents the cylinder, DE F the wheel, J G K I the aperture or inlet in
the side of the cylinder, and M LPN the Feed-Pipe.
The aperture or inlet JG KI, in the side of the cylinder, has a side J G which is
in a plane that is, at G, tangential to the concave surface of the cylinder. It has
another side KI which is in a plane parallel to J G, and is opposite to it.
The wheel DEF is rigidly connected centrically with O, its axle or shaft. It has
in it and around it, at its periphery, a series of similar and equal compartments of which
GHI is one, and the similarly traced figures are the others. Those compartments
are all in the same circuit. All the sides of them extends, at one of their boundaries or
borders, to the periphery of the wheel. The position of the wheel within the cylinder
is so adjusted that its compartments are right opposite to the aperture or inlet JG KI.
They extend, in a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel, as far as that aperture
extends in a similar direction.
The side HI of the compartment G H I, as well as each side similar to it of the
other compartments, is in a separate plane of its own which is parallel to the axis of
tho wheel. All of those similar sides, including H I, are at the same perpendicular
distance from that axis as is the side 1 of the aperturo J G K I.
GH, another side of the compartment G H I, as well as each of the sides similar to
it of the other compartments, is in a separate plane of its own which passes through or
along the axis. It is at right angles to the side III. Each side similar to G H of
the other compartments is also at right angles to its side similar to or corresponding
to H I. But this side of each of the compartments must not necessarily be in a
plane, or at right angles to H I. Yet it should be nearly in the same position
with G H.
MLPN, the Feed-Pipe is suitably connected, at the aperture J G K I, with the
cylinder. Its inner channel QJ RK is so formed that it has two opposite sides Q J
and RK which are (nerr the cylinder) projections of the sides J G and KI of that
aperture, being there in the same planes with them. By this arrangement the steam or
other propelling agent rushes into the cylinder in a current which is nearly tangential
to it, and is of the samo breadth as the foresaid compartments.
The other two sets, than those herein before specified, of similar sides of the
compartments in the wheel DEF may, as shown by G H and GE in figure 2, bo in
two planes at right angles to its axis. The other two sides than those bereinbefore
specified of the aperture J G K [I, and of the Feed-Pipe M L P N (near the cylinder)
may also be in those two planes.
S is an opening, in the side of the cylinder, for the escape or outlet of the steam or
other propelling agent.
The Engine may have more than one aperture such as J G K L, Feed-Pipe such
as M LPN, and opening such as S.
The stream or current of steam or other propelling agent which passes through the
Feed-Pipe rushes in succession against GE and the other sides similar to it of the

page_text: compartments. If those compartments be numerous, it impinges on those sides of
them at an angle which is either a right angle or nearly one; and it consequently
imparts a correspondingly powerful rotary impulse to the wheel and its shaft. The
centre, moreover, of pressure from it on those sides will be near the periphery of the
wheel: That pressure will therefore have a relatively large rotative leverage, and will
exert itself with corresponding efficacy. Hence an enormous speed of rotation can be
attained by the Engine.
Owing to the smallness of the compartments, only a very small quantity of the
propelling agent, relatively to the capacity of the cylinder, is required to effect a
revolution of the shaft.
The Engine may, by revolving the wheel in the opposite direction to that specified,
through power communicated directly to the shaft, act as a Pump and as a Fun.
The Engine may obviously be reversed by having similar compartments, in the
reverse direction, in the wheel, and a corresponding Feed Pipe, and also a corre-
sponding outlet for the propelling agent.
Suitable packing may be applied, if any be, and wheresoever it may be, required.
The Engine may bo propelled by steam or any other suitable propelling agent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what I
claim is:
1. An aperture or inlet in the side of the cylinder of a Rotary Engine, for the
admission of steam or other propelling agent into it, which aperture or inlet has a
side which is in a plane that is tangential to the concave surface of the cylinder.
2. An aperture or inlet, substantially as hereinbefore described, in the side of the
cylinder of a Rotary Engine, for the admission of steam or other propelling agent
into it, which aperture or inlet has two sides, such as J G and KI, which are in
planes parallel to each other, and one of which is tangential to the concave surface of
the cylinder.
3. A Feed-Pipe, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a Rotary Engine, the
inner channel of which feed-pipe has two opposite sides, such as QJ and RK, which
are (near the cylinder) in planes parallel to each other and at the same distance from
each other as are the parallel and opposite sides J G and KI of the herein before
described aperture or inlet J G K I in the cylinder: so that, when said feed-pipe is
properly connected with the cylinder, its said sides are, near the cylindor, projections
of said sides of said aperture or inlet, and are in the same planes with them.
4. A Wheel, constructed substantially as herein before described, rigidly connected
centrically with its axlo or shaft, and suitably inserted within the cylinder of a Rotary
Engine which it fits and can revolve in, and of which Engine said wheel forms a
part, which wheel has in it and around it at its periphery a series of similar and
equal compartments, substantially as horeinbefore described, one similar side of each of
aid compartments being, as EI L, in a separate plane of its own which is parallel to
be axis of the wheel and at the same perpendicular distance from it as is that side KI
of the hereinbefore described aperture JG KI in the cylinder which is parallel to
ts opposite side J G that is tangential to the concave surface of the cylinder.
5. In a Rotary Engine, the combination and arrangement of, or any mere
nodification of, the parts substantially as bereinbefore described, or of any of thom.
6. The employment of the hereinbefored described Rotary Engine as a Pump or as
Fan, by revolving the wheel within the cylinder in a direction the reverse of that
pecified, through power communicated directly to its shaft or axle.
Dated this 9th day of December 1889.
JAMES N. MILLER.