IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES, PUMPS, AND METERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY ENGINES,
PUMPS, AND METERS."-A communication from abroad by Jose
Francisco Denavarro, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 14th September 1869, and dated the 9th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th April 1869.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
ENGINES, PUMPS, AND METERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements on the rotary engine for which
I obtained Letters Patent bearing date 13th November 1867, No. 3219,
as a communication from abroad.

page_text: The present improvements are intended to simplify the construction of
the said engine, and increase its efficiency. The engine may be described
as consisting of a fixed cylinder, within which is mounted excentrically
a rotary cylinder, the periphery of which at one point is in contact or
nearly so with the inner periphery of the fixed cylinder. The periphery
of the inner cylinder is slotted to enable radial pistons to pass through,
and by bearing against the fixed cylinder to form stops to the passage of
the steam or water admitted to the engine. These pistons are pivotted
to links or to rods and links, which serve to connect them to or hug in
a free or loose manner a central loose or independent pin.
Now the first improvement consists in substituting for the central pin,
the links, and the piston rods just referred to one or more rings placed
loosely within the excentric inner cylinder, which rings will enter
grooves in the sliding pistons. The rings are kept concentric with the
stationary outer cylinder by means of the pistons, and the pistons are
kept in contact with the outer cylinder by means of the rings; the
pistons being radial to the inner cylinder shaft will work freely through
that cylinder.
The Invention consists, secondly, in substituting for the ratchet and
pawle indicator shewn and described in the Specification of the said
Patent a large disc, on the edge of which is a screw thread, the said disc
turning with the main shaft, and gearing into teeth on the under side of
the dial plate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent 25
Office on the 9th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 30
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and

page_text: grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTARY ENGINES, PUMPS, AND METERS," being a communication to me from
José Francisco de Navarro, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
:-
The object of the first part of this Invention is the construction of a
rotary engine or device applicable among other purposes as a motor
pump or meter, which, while of a simple character and free in its
movement, is comparatively exempt from leakage and readily accom-
modates itself to inequalities of temperature as regards the fit of its
revolving slides or pistons and parts connected with them.
This part of the Invention relates to engines or motors formed of two
cylinders one within and excentric to the other, and provided with
sliding pistons having a radial relationship to the inner cylinder and
working within and against the outer one which is stationary, while the
inner excentric cylinder revolves with the pistons, and the Invention
in such connection consists of or includes a combination with said parts
or devices of one or more loose rings arranged within the inner cylinder,.

page_text: and clipped by the inner ends or portions of the sliding pistons, which
are thus connected in a free and independent manner to work in unison
with each other, and in close but free contact with the stationary outer
cylinder, said loose ring or rings being kept concentric with the outer
cylinder by means of the pistons, and the latter being kept in contact
with the outer cylinder by means of the ring or rings; this combination
and arrangement of parts admits of the main shaft which is connected
with the inner cylinder and concentric thereto being extended, if
desired, through both cylinders,
The second part of the Invention has for its object simplicity, com-
pactness, and efficiency in indicators worked by the main revolving
shaft of rotary engines or devices when worked as meters or measuring
faucets for (as when applied to faucets for instance) measuring in fixed
or variable quantities the liquid as it is drawn from the cask or vessel,
or in other words, measuring off the liquid and indicating the quantity
drawn.
This portion of the Invention consists in a combination with the
draught and expelling devices of the faucet, and which may be sub-
stantially similar to those described in the first part of this Invention,
of a disc arranged to turn with the main shaft of the faucet, and
provided on its edge with a screw thread, a worm wheel carrying a
dial plate and driven by the peripherically threaded disc or screw and
a stationary index, preferably made adjustable in relation to the dial
plate, the screw or disc having a screw thread on its edge, preferably
being of larger diameter than that of the worm wheel of the dial plate
which it serves to operate.
Having thus specified the object or objects and nature of the
Invention, its description will be proceeded with in reference to the
accompanying Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a rotary engine constructed
according to the first part of the Invention, with the one side cover
or lid to the outer oylinder, and one head or detachable end plate to the
inner cylinder removed; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of said engine,
taken as indicated by the line x, x, in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a rotary measuring faucet, having an
indicator attachment in accordance with the second part of the Inven-

page_text: tion, Fig. 4 a plan of the same, and Fig. 5 a section thereof, taken as
denoted by the line y, y, in Fig. 3.
Referring in the first instance to Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing, A
represents the outer case or cylinder of the engine, having sides or
heads B, C. Within this cylinder A, but excentric to it is a cylinder D
of such diameter as to touch, or nearly so, in or during rotation of the
same the inner periphery of the outer cylinder on one side of its axis;
this inner cylinder carries any suitable number of sliding pistons E,
which occupy a radial position to said cylinder, and pass through slots or
openings therein, also which are guided at their edges by grooves made
in the sides or heads F, G, of such inner cylinder, and it may be through
annular projections a, a, therefrom. K is the main or driving shaft
made fast to the inner cylinder, and which is here represented as
running entirely through said cylinder, and through both heads of the
outer cylinder, the peculiar construction of the engine admitting of
such disposition of the shaft. If preferred, however, said shaft may
project only from one side of the inner cylinder and through one head
of the outer cylinder, or it may be divided to project externally from
both sides of the inner cylinder, but not to pass through the latter. His
the inlet, and I the outlet pipe or passage, both in open communication
with the outer cylinder, as indicated by dotted lines b and c, Fig. 1;
M, M, are loose rings occupying a parallel relationship arranged within
the inner cylinder D, and clipped or held in place in a free manner by
the sliding pistons E, which are grooved or slotted at their inner ends
for the purpose, said pistons bearing or resting as at d, d, on the outer
periphery of said rings, which latter are free to rotate along with the
pistons and inner cylinder in concentric relationship to the outer
cylinder by the friction of the slides or pistons on them. In this way
the several slides or pistons E are connected in a direct or positive or
solid manner by the interposition of the loose rings M, M, to move in
close but free contact with the outer cylinder, and are kept self-packing,
while by reason of said rings being free to rotate along with the pistons,
wear of them, or of the surfaces of the pistons bearing thereon, is avoided.
By this combination of parts all connecting links to or from the pistons
are dispensed with, and the inner cylinder is left free for the main
shaft to pass through it. It is important that the rings M should be
loose or free in contradistinction to rings or hubs rigidly attached to

page_text: the heads of the outer cylinder. Steam, water, or any other suitable
impelling fluid may be used to operate the engine, or in case of the
latter being used as a pump the main shaft K may be driven by
any suitable means to rotate the inner cylinder and its radial slides
or pistons.
Referring in the next instance to Figures 3, 4, and 5, of the Drawing,
A represents the measuring cylinder or chamber of a faucet fitted with
suitable revolving devices for drawing off the liquid through the
spiggot N, and discharging it through the nozzle P, said draught or
draught and expelling devices, which may be substantially the same
as those shewn in Figures 1 and 2, being rotated by means of a crank R
on the main shaft K, which passes through a stuffing box or gland V
on the one side or face of the measuring chamber, and need not be
extended through the inner cylinder, nor the latter be provided on
the side furthest removed from the said shaft with a lid or cover separate
and distinct from the lid or head of the outer cylinder. Fitted to rotate
freely around this stuffing box or gland V as a bearing or centre of
motion is a comparatively large endless screw A¹ formed of a disc
having a screw thread cut around its edge; this endless screw is con-
nected with the crank R through a pin or arm U, by which means
said screw A' is rotated with the shaft K though independent of the
latter, by its arrangement around the stuffing box or projection V on
the face of the measuring chamber, which arrangement allows of the
use of a screw of large diameter without objectionable protrusion, and
the same is made to lie close up against the face of the measuring
cylinder or chamber. This screw A' is made to gear with a crown
wheel B' of less diameter than the screw, and having skew teeth, said
wheel turning on an arbor C³, and carrying or having formed on its
upper face a dial plate S, which is graduated to indicate any desired
quantities, and operates in connection with an index E', that is
preferably so fitted on or to the arbor C¹ as that it may be set or turned
from one fixed position to another over the revolving dial for the
purpose of facilitating the measuring off of the liquid by reversing or
setting the index to any desired starting point or division on the dial,
but when set, said index remains stationary, and the dial only is made
to revolve by the operation of the faucet till the graduation or division
on said dial indicating the quantities to be measured comes in line with

page_text: or under the index. The arrangement of the large endless screw A¹
in proximity to the face of the measuring cylinder A, and so that it
rotates with tho main shaft K around an axis common to both, and is
in direct gear as it were through the worm wheel B' with the dial
plate S, dispenses with much objectionable mechanism, and forms a
most simple and efficient combination for the purpose required.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Rotary Engines, Pumps, and Meters," as communicated to me from
abroad, 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 combination of the loose ring or rings M with the slides
or pistons E arranged to have a radial relationship to the inner
cylinder D, and constructed to freely embrace and bear upon or
against said ring or rings for operation relatively to the outer cylinder A,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
Drawing.
Second. The arrangement in relation to a measuring faucet and its
revolving operating shaft K of the circumferentially threaded disc or
screw A', the worm crown wheel B', and the revolving dial plate S with
its index E¹, essentially as specified with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5
of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.