Improvements in Rotary Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, JAMES NEWLANDS MILLER, residing at Broomlea, Joppa, in the County of
Midlothian, and of no occupation, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The improvements are applicable to rotary engines whose shaft and a cylindrical
frame fixed on it within the cylinder are concentric with the cylinder, and whose
pistons when forced outwards or inwards move radially in a chamber or recess in
that cylindrical frame, and in grooves in circular flanges attached, one to one end
of that frame and another to its other end, and reaching to the concave surface of
the cylinder, and which engines have also a fixed block inserted through the side
of the cylinder and closing, where inserted, the channel between those flanges.
They consist of a method for regulating and controlling the movements and
positions of the piston or pistons by means of pins connected with them, of rollers
on those pins, and of suitable frames on which those rollers bear, and also of a
method of deriving directly and without intermission, from the propelling agent, a
continuous uninterrupted effective impulse for revolving the shaft while the engine
is at work.
At one of those sides of a piston which face an end of the cylinder, or at each of
those sides of it, there is a pin situated in a parallel direction to the axis of rotation,
and projecting towards the adjoining end of the cylinder. Each such pin is either
directly connected with the inner end of the piston, or is indirectly connected with
the piston, being directly connected with an arm to it which projects outside the
cylindrical frame over against one of foresaid sides of the piston and towards the
concave surface of the cylinder. Through this arrangement the pin and the piston
are made to move in conjunction with and in the same directions with each
other.
Each frame on which the roller bears is fixed at or to an inner end of the
cylinder. A part of it is in the form of a portion of a short cylinder concentric
with the shaft and is of such a diameter that when the roller bears or revolves on.
its cylindrical or circular border it forces the outer extremity of the piston to be
and to continue to be in contact or as nearly so as may be with the concave surface
of the cylinder. In each such frame there is also a channel. leading from one end
of that cylindrical border to its other end and so formed that the roller can easily
pass through it and, in doing so, gradually draws the piston out of the channel
between the flanges, detains it in sufficiently to clear the bottom of foresaid block,
and then gradually forces it outwards until the roller begins anew to bear on the
cylindrical border of the frame, simultaneously with which the outer extremity of
the piston is forced anew into contact or as nearly so as may be with the concave
surface of the cylinder. Each such frame may consist of only one piece or of more
pieces fixed in suitable positions with reference to each other, and may have in it
more than one channel similar to that described. Or, a pathway for the roller
similar to that provided by the frame may be formed on an inner end of the
cylinder.
The engine may have more than one suitable inlet and outlet for the propelling
agent, and may also have more pistons than one.
My method of deriving directly and without intermission from the propelling
agent a continuous uninterrupted effective impulse for revolving the shaft while the
engine is at work-is to keep the inlet or inlets for admitting that agent open,-
and also to employ as many pistons at suitable angular distances from each other
(whether or not they be regulated and controlled in their movements and positions

page_text: by the hereinbefore described plan) as are necessary to secure that before the
portion of the steam or other power acting on a piston begins to escape the piston
immediately behind it shall be fully out and directly exposed to the current and
pressure of the power.
Both of the foresaid contrivances may be employed on the same engine, and either 5
of them may be employed without the other.
Dated this Fifteenth day of December 1890. °
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines.
I, JAMES NEWLANDS MILLER, residing at Broomlea, Joppa, in the County of
Midlothian, 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 :-
The improvements are illustrated by the accompanying drawings. They are
specially applicable to rotary engines whose cylinder A shaft B, and a cylindrical
frame C within the cylinder and fixed to said shaft are concentric, whose
pistons D when forced outwardly or inwardly move radially in a recess chamber
or slot E in said cylindrical frame and it may be in grooves in circular
flanges H attached one to one end and another to the other end of said cylin-
drical frame and reaching to the concave surface of the cylinder, and which
engines have also a fixed block G inserted through the side of the cylinder
between those flanges and closing where inserted the channel between them.
They consist of a contrivance for regulating and controlling the movements and
positions of the piston or pistons by means of pins P connected with the pistons, of
a roller on each of said pins, and of a frame or frames as hereinafter described on
which said rollers bear; and also of a contrivance for deriving directly and without
intermission, from the propelling agent, a continuous uninterrupted effective impulse
for revolving the shaft while the engine is at work.
The pins P, which are round, so that their rollers can revolve on or around them,
may be at either or at both of those sides of a piston which face an end of the
cylinder. Each of them projects towards the end adjoining it of the cylinder, and
its axis is parallel to the axis of the shaft. Each such pin is either directly
connected with the inner extremity of the piston or indirectly connected with the
piston, being directly connected with an arm F (of which it may form a part) to it,
which arm projects outside the cylindrical frame over against one of foresaid sides
of its piston and towards the concave surface of the cylinder: Through this
arrangement the piston D is forced to move in conjunction with and in the same
directions with the pin P, whether outwardly inwardly or rotatively. The arm F
to the piston may, if deemed necessary, move in guides.
Each frame on which a roller bears in order to regulate and control the move-
ments and positions of its piston is stationary, being fixed at or to an inner end of
the cylinder. It may consist of only one piece or of more pieces than one suitably
situated with reference to each other. K and L are sections of such a frame.
K is in the form of a portion of a short cylinder whose cylindrical or circular border
is concentric with the shaft and of such a diameter that, when a roller R bears or
revolves on that border, it forces the outer extremity of its piston D to be and to
continue to be, as represented by the piston at the foot of the drawings, in contact
or as nearly so as may be with the concave surface of the cylinder. Between K
and L there is a channel O sufficiently wide and deep to allow the roller R to pass
easily through it. This channel is so formed that the roller R on passing off
foresaid cylindrical or circular border presses on a side of L, which side is suitably
sloped or curved, and thereby draws the piston inwards within the cylindrical
frame C and out of the channel between the flanges;-that the roller R then, by

page_text: bearing or revolving along the inner extremity of L, detains the piston in until it
clears the inner extremity of the block G, which is suitably situated with reference
to Land that the roller then, by bearing or revolving on a sloping or curved
side of K, gradually forces the piston outwards until the roller begins anew to bear
on foresaid cylindrical or circular border and forces the piston anew into contact or
as nearly so as may be with the concave surface of the cylinder. The piston there-
upon closes the channel between the flanges and exposes itself fully and directly to
the current of the propelling agent which, by its pressure on it, forces the shaft to
continue revolving. Each such frame may have in it more than one channel
similar to O. There will be a corresponding block similar to G with reference to
each such channel. A pathway for the roller or rollers similar to that provided
by such frame may be formed on an inner end of the cylinder or otherwise.
If foresaid pins be directly connected with the inner extremities of the pistons,
the frames on which the rollers on those pins bear will be similar to that described
but accommodated to the rollers.
At each side of the block G-either in the block itself, as M, or adjoining it in
the side of the cylinder-there is an opening in order to serve as a passage for the
steam or other propelling agent. By admitting it through the opening at one side
of the block and allowing it to escape through the other opening the shaft will
rotate in the direction in which that agent moves. By admitting it through the
opening at the other side of the block and allowing it to escape at its opposite side
the engine will reverse. Or, an opening serving as an outlet for it may be situated
at any more suitable position.
My contrivance for deriving directly and without intermission from the propelling
agent a continuous uninterrupted effective impulse for revolving the shaft while the
engine is at work is twofold. One part of it is to have as many pistons for the
engine, at suitable angular distances from each other, (whether or not they be
regulated and controlled in their movements and positions by the hereinbefore
described plan) as are necessary to secure that, before the portion of the steam or
other propelling agent acting on a piston is allowed to escape, the piston immediately
behind it shall be fully out and directly exposed to the pressure of the current of
that agent. The other part of the contrivance is to keep the opening or openings
for the inlet and the corresponding opening or openings for the outlet of the steam
water gas or other propelling agent constantly open while the engine is working,
thereby permitting an unintermittent current of it to press continuously on a piston
or pistons. The drawings illustrate a case of this in which there is one opening for
admitting the propelling agent, and there are two pistons on one or other of which
it exerts itself continuously. It is obvious from Figure 1. that, before the portion
of the propelling agent acting on the piston fully out is allowed to escape, the
piston behind it (represented as drawn in) will be fully out and directly exposed to
the action or pressure of that agent; and also that the former of those pistons will
be again fully out and directly exposed to the pressure of that agent before the
portion of it pressing on the latter is allowed to escape.
Both of the foresaid specified contrivances may be employed in the same engine;
and either of them may be employed without the other.
Suitable packing may be employed, if any be, and wherever it may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The contrivance substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings for regulating and controlling the movements and positions
of the piston or pistons of rotary engines to which it is applicable, and consisting of
pins directly or indirectly connected as described with their pistons and having
rollers on them, in combination with the frames described on which those rollers
bear and revolve.
2. The contrivance substantially as hereinbefore described for deriving, in rotary

page_text: engines to which it is applicable, directly and without intermission from the
propelling agent a continuous uninterrupted effective impulse for revolving the shaft
while the engine is at work, and which contrivance is twofold,-
,- one part of it
being to have as many pistons, at suitable angular distances from each other, as are
necessary to secure that, before the portion of the steam water gas or other
propelling agent acting on a piston is allowed to escape, the piston immediately
behind it shall be fully out and directly exposed to the current and pressure of that
agent, and the other part of the contrivance being to keep the opening or openings
for the inlet of that agent and the corresponding opening or openings for its outlet
constantly open.
3. The combination in a rotary engine for the purpose set forth of the contrivances
substantially as hereinbefore described or of any mere modification of them or of
either of them.
Jour
1001
JAMES N. MILLER.