Improvements in Rotary Engines or Pumps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Rotary Engines or Pumps.
I, WILLIAM EVAN TANTON, of 219, New Street, Great Torrington, in the County
of Devon, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to rotary engines and has for its object to provide an
improved construction of engine and means whereby the direction of rotation of
the same may be very readily reversed.
According to my invention I provide a solid or partially hollow drum secured to
a shaft supported in suitable bearings in a casing. Said drum is slotted dia-
metrically for the reception of a plate adapted to slide in the slot in a direction
perpendicular to the axis of the drum. Roller bearings or other suitable means
may be provided for reducing the friction of the plate in said slot. The casing
is formed with a cavity within which the drum can revolve being so shaped as
to fit the drum for about one third of its circumference, the remaining portion
of the cavity is formed of three curves, the middle curved part which approximately
covers a third of the circumference is formed to a radius larger than that of the
drum. The two side portions of the internal periphery of the casing form parts
of a cylinder of similar radius but eccentric to the drum. It will be seen therefore
that the internal periphery of the casing is formed by two cylinders of different
radii each co-axial with the drum, said cylinder being joined by curved portions
which form parts of a cylinder eccentric with the drum. The plate which passes
through the drum as above mentioned is in width equal to the sum of the large
and small radii of the casing. It will be seen that between the drum and
casing a more or less crescent space will be formed across which the plate
through the drum will project. In the eccentric portion of the internal periphery
of the casing I provide two ports which are connected by passage through the
casing to ports in a valve chamber at the top of the casing. Said chamber is
furthermore provided with a port leading to the exhaust pipe. Located in the
valve chamber is a valve which may be of the locomotive sliding type and
which is capable of being placed in three positions in one of which both the
passages leading from the interior of the casing are shut, and in the other
two positions one or other of said. passages is connected with the exhaust pipe,
the other passage being open, to the valve chamber.
The operation of my improved rotary engine is very simple and is somewhat
as follows:---
The working fluid under pressure is admitted to the valve chamber and if
the valve be placed so that one of the passages in the casing is connected to
the exhaust pipe the other being open to the chamber, the working fluid will pass
down the open passage into the interior of the casing and press upon that part
of the plate which projects from the drum. Said plate is provided with a packing
strip making a substantially tight joint with the internal periphery of the casing
so that the fluid under pressure cannot pass round the same and the plate there-
When the active side of
fore acts like a piston and causes the drum to rotate.

page_text: the plate has, owing to the rotation of the drum reached the opposite port in
the casing the plate will gradually by the eccentricity of the surface of the
casing at that part be pressed through the drum and project on the other side.
The chamber will then be opened to the exhaust port and the pressure fluid will
press on the other end of the plate, causing the drum to continue rotating in
the same direction. In order to reverse the direction of rotation of the drum the
position of the valve is altered so that the passage which was before connected
to the exhaust is now open to the valve chamber and the other passage is connected
to the exhaust. To stop the engine the valve is operated to close both passages.
In the passages in the casing I prefer to provide valves which can be turned
so as to partially close the passage or fully open the same. The said valves are
preferably so connected to the stopping and reverse valve that the passage which
serves for the admission, of pressure fluid to the casing is partially closed, while
the other valve is open, and when the direction of rotation is reversed the valves
in the passages are altered automatically so as to partially close that passage
which before was fully open and fully open the other passage.
In a modification of my invention instead of varying the curvature of the
internal periphery of the casing I make the same cylindrical of a diameter equal
to the width of the piston plate, and greater than that of the drum. Said drum is
mounted eccentrically within the chamber so as to be closely applied to one side
thereof, the remaining parts of the engine and operation of the same being
arranged as before.
I sometimes arrange to connect the reversing valve to the governor of the
engine so that the admission of the motive fluid is regulated directly by the
governor.
My improved construction is obviously applicable as a pump if the drum be
rotated by power applied to its shaft.
ד
Improvements in Rotary Engines or Pumps.
1, WILLIAM EVAN TANTON, of 219, New Street, Great Torrington, in the County
of Devon, Registrar, 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:-
My invention relates to rotary engines and has for its object to provide an
improved construction of engine, and means whereby the direction of rotation of
the same may be very readily reversed.
The invention is best described by the aid of the accompanying drawing, which
is a transverse section of the cylinder piston and valve and contiguous parts.
A B are two halves of a drum fitted together by a shaft or axle E substantially
as shewn and having their ends and internal portions closed. C is a flat rect-
angular plate without holes or perforations extending diametrically across the
drum and through the axle or shaft and moving to and fro on the roller
bearings D D as shewn. The piston C extends longitudinally the whole length
of the drum and is provided at both ends with piston packing or blades as shewn
at I of any usual kind employed in rotary engines. The piston C has no actual
contact with the drum or axle shaft and communicates with the drum only
through the rollers D D and with the axle shaft by the end packing blades.
The drum a B is secured to a shaft shewn at E passing through the end of

page_text: the cylinder in suitable bearings. This drum and piston rotate in a casing F, G, H
formed at F of a cylindrical curve the same radius as the drum; at H from a
larger radius struck from the same centre as F, and a portion between these two
circles formed of a curve on each side of such contour that the distance across
the centre of the drum, as shewn in the drawing, from surface to surface of the
casing, shall be exactly at all points the same as the radius of F plus the radius
of the part H. The casing at two points K opposite each other and on a line with
the centre is perforated on the side nearest F by two ports J and L. On these
ports I prefer to have a peculiar valve M. This valve is circular, and in a circular
valve seat, and has two passages N and at right angles. These two valves lead
to the same chest P in which a steam valve Q worked by means of a rod in the
usual manner can be moved to and fro over the valve face q. Inside this valve
face is the exhaust port R, and opening from any convenient point in the steam
chest is the steam inlet pipe S.
The mode of action of this apparatus is as follows:-
The steam valve is of such dimensions that it can either open the exhaust fully,
as shewn, to either port, leaving the other port fully or partially open to the
steam chest or it can close both ports. The valve rod of the valve Q and. of
the valves M are so connected that whichever port is open to the exhaust has the
full width of the passage N in line with the port as shewn on the left hand side,
and the narrow width of passage is open to the steam port. By this means
the steam is somewhat throttled, whereas the exhaust is not. It is obvious that
the throttling of the steam can be done by the valve Q, also that other forms of
valve can be put in the place of M so that a single passage can be used fully opened
for the exhaust, partially opened for the inlet port.
The steam entering the
inlet port which is continually open strikes one end of the piston and drives it
round. The moment the piston C passes the point K the other end clears the
other point K, and thus opens the space between the drum and the surface H
marked T to the exhaust. The other end of the piston in the meantime passes
round the surface F, thus forcing out the acting end to the full diameter of H
until it again comes to the portion G when it is slowly and gradually pressed
the other way.
The rollers D take off most of the friction, and the packing I
prevents escape of steam.
The rollers D are controlled by suitable link mechanism (not shewn) con-
necting the piston C the drum A B and the rollers D) so that they always retain
their proper relative positions with regard to the position of the piston C.
In order to prevent the packing I catching in the ports the ports can be bridged
at intervals with parts having a surface continuation of the cam part G. When
it is desired to reverse the engine the valves are reversed. The inlet port becomes
the exhaust, and the previous exhaust port becomes the inlet.
When it is desired to stop the engine the steam can be shut off, or the valve
placed at a neutral point. Further, by putting a little lap or lead on the valve
the steam, and even the exhaust, can be throttled to a greater or less extent.
It will he obvious that this engine can be used as a pump instead of as a motor
by being driven by power applied to its shaft. Further, if used in a motor car
a pump and a motor could be placed on the same shaft, and the pump could be thus
employed in going down hill as a brake whilst the steam was shut off, the pump
pumping air into a receiver, and this air can be used as a fluid for the running
of motive power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I would mention
that I am well aware that pistons sliding in a drum in a casing of larger diameter
have been well known before the date of my specification, also that slide valves
have been used for regulating steam engines generally, and I make no claim to
these two points broadly, but what I do claim is;-
1. In a rotary engine or pump, the combination of a slide piston with roller

page_text: bearings taking off the friction from the larger part of the surface of the slot
through which the piston passes.
2. The combination in a rotary engine or pump of a slide valve or its equivalent
with a port throttling valve, so arranged that the exhaust port shall always
be unthrottled while the steam port is throttled, substantially as described.
3. The combination of parts forming a rotary engine or pump, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 19th day of Auril 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.