Improvements in Rotary Engines Worked by Steam or other Gaseous Fluid.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th May, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Rotary Engines Worked by Steam or other
Gaseous Fluid.
I WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Lodge, Silverdale Road, Eastbourne, County Sussex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvement sought is compactness with simplicity in the construction of
steam or gas engines, and economy in steam or gas by the driving force being
exerted at the end of a long lever; and particularly by the constant flow of the
same body of steam or gas to be continuously reused.
One fixed horizontal axle supports three metal cylinders, one within the other.
The ends of all are closed vertically. The axle is held in position by firm supports
outside. The central, the propelling cylinder rotates air tight on the axle. The
other two are fixtures to it. Along the interior surface of the central, the rotating,
propelling cylinder are layers of equidistant steps in central longitudinal planes of
the axis. Steam or gas enters the innermost cylinder through a tubular opening in
the centre of one of the extremities of the axle. There are narrow rectangular
openings through the circular face of that cylinder, by preference the length of the
cylinder. On their upper and lower edges wide rims are attached inwardly so
inclined that the streams of gas or steam rushing through them are forced to take
a tangential direction. The streams thus strike against the face of the shelves on
the central cylinder and give it rotation. The two cylinders are as close to each
other as is practicable in order to allow but little space for the steam or gas not
acting on the shelves. The shelves and openings are the same in number. The
weakening of the cylinder by the long openings is of trifling injury as there is
steam pressure on both sides. After it has done its driving duty it passes through
any convenient opening on a vertical side into a heated reservoir, from which it is
by pump or other means transferred into the said incoming tubular orifice. Thus a
circuitous flow of steam (or gas) is constantly kept up with little if any waste.
The reservoir but little exceeds in capacity the volume of steam, or gas between
the innermost central cylinders. The outermost cylinder is so heated by naphtha
or other means that the steam cannot condense. Where it ever so required it
would serve as a condenser. The rotating cylinder is cogged on its outward
circular surface in planes of the axis. At an opening at the top of the outermost
cylinder, a chamber, the length of the cylinder, receives shafts of small diameter to
actuate machinery. That part of each which lies within the chamber is cogged
similarly to the rotating cylinder. The less their diameter the fewer the cogs,
therefore the quicker the rotation. These shafts revolve in sockets on the
strengthened vertical sides of the chamber, beyond which they project to be
available for actuating machinery &c. One shaft might be above the other in the
central vertical plane of the fixed axle, or they might lie one alongside the other.
Thus by a primary slow motion rapid rotation is given to the shafts. As they
revolve in opposite directions, shifting connection with the actuated body, changes
the rotation. Compactness as well as power is obtained by diminishing the length
of the cylindrical machine while correspondingly increasing its diameter.
Evidently the second shaft is unnecessary when reverse rotation is never
required.
To prevent injurious friction between the cogs, suitable lubrication is forced
between them through small holes in a tube above the shafts, lying within the
described chamber of the exterior cylinder. The necessary pressure is transmitted

page_text: by similar lubrication kept in a tube outside, acted on automatically by mechanical
means.
Small wheels or rollers on the innermost cylinder, near the axle, help to keep
the rotating cylinder in position should the engine be inclined.
Rarely would a vertical engine be required, but it could be obtained by the a
revolving cylinder being carried on broad wheels having coned axles revolving in a
deep groove near the axle kept air tight.
The described principle of economizing in steam is capable of extensive
application.
Dated this 17th day of Anvil 1902
W. N. HUTCHINSON,
General.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Engines Worked by Steam or other
Gaseous Fluid.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Lodge, Silverdale Road, Eastbourne, County of Sussex 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 improvement sought is compactness in the construction of steam or gas
engines, and saving of steam or gas by the driving power being exerted at the end
of a long lever, and particularly by the constant circuitous flow of a small body of
steam or gas whereby its driving action is continuously reused.
One fixed horizontal axle supports three metal cylinders D, E, F, as shown in
the rough drawing one within the other. The ends of all are closed vertically.
The axle is held in position by firm supports on the outside. The central
cylinder (E) rotates air tight on the axle-the other two are fixtures to it. Along
the interior surface of the central, the rotating, driving cylinder (E) are many
layers of equidistant steps g, g, 9 &c. in central, longitudinal planes of the axis.
There are narrow rectangular openings t, t, t &c. through the circular face of the
cylinder, the length of the cylinder or divided into parts.
On both edges of an opening are deep lips (p p, p &c.) so inclined inwardly that
the streams of gas or steam flowing through them are forced to take an almost
tangential direction-the more tangential the better. The streams thus strike
against the faces (9, 7, 9) of the shelves on the central cylinder (E) and give it
rotation. Thence the steam flows through openings in the vertical sides of E
into D, whence it passes at H into the reservoir. That & the innermost
cylinder (F) are as close to each other as is practicable in order to allow but little
space for the steam or gas not acting upon the shelves. The weakening of the
cylinder by the long rectangular openings is of no moment as there is steam
pressure on both sides. Through valves on reservoir (R) air is extracted and
steam or gas admitted. Steam or gas enters the innermost cylinder (F) through a
bent .tube (T) in the centre of one of the extremities of the axle, which is there
increased in diameter to receive the tube. The upper part is cylindrical. In it a
screw rapidly revolves, its upright spindle being actuated by the revolving shaft B
or C, whereby steam or gas is pressed into the innermost cylinder-or the circulation
is effected by a forcing pump or other mode. The less the steam the quicker the
flow. The exaction on the power of the actuating shaft is trifling, for little would
the steam or gas resist circulation. Thus a continuous flow of steam or gas is
maintained with little if any waste. The addition of a cogged bar to the cones
on B would give the same rotation to the spindle. To replace any waste a small
supply of steam or gas would be generated in the outside engine that at starting
filled it. To lessen the quantity of steam required, the spaces p, p, p, &c. are
hollow. The reservoir (R) need not hold more than what would enable the screw

page_text: or other contrivance, to give good circulation to the steam or gas acting on the
driving arrangement. Great pains would be given to keep the outermost cylinder
so heated that the steam could not condense. One method might be, to have the
whole affair encased in a metal, covering protected from cold, containing a highly
heated fluid.
The rotating cylinder (E) is cogged on its exterior circular surface in planes of
the axis. At an opening at the top of the outermost cylinder a chamber, the
length of the cylinder, receives shafts (B, C) of small diameter to actuate
machinery. That part of each shaft which lies within the chamber is cogged
similarly to the rotating cylinder. The less their diameter and the greater the
number of cogs on the rotating cylinder the quicker their rotation. These shafts
rotate in air tight sockets on the strengthened vertical sides of the chamber, beyond
which they project to actuate machinery &c. One shaft might be above the other,
both being in the vertical plane of the axle, or along side each other. When filled
with steam or gas, power applied exteriorly gives rotation to shaft B or C and
starts the engine. Thus by primary slow rotation, rapid rotation is given to both
shafts. As they revolve in opposite directions, shifting connection with the actuated
body changes rotation. Compactness as well as power is gained by diminishing the
length of the cylindrical engine while correspondingly increasing its diameter.
Evidently the second shaft is unnecessary when reverse rotation is never required.
To prevent injurious friction, suitable lubrication is forced between the cogs
through small holes in a tube (A) above the shafts. The necessary force is
transmitted by the supply kept outside which is subjected to automatic, mechanical
pressure. That pressure distributes it where required through small pipes. The
refuse lubrication drops into an inclined trough and runs to an air tight vessel
beyond the engine, to be occasionally extracted.
Small wheels, or rollers ou the innermost cylinder, near the axle, help to keep
the rotating cylinder in position should the engine be inclined. Rarely would a
vertical engine (the axis vertical) be required, but it could be obtained by the
rotating cylinder (E) travelling on wheels revolving in a deep groove kept air
tight.
Economy in steam or gas by giving constant circuitous flow to the steam or gas
within an engine is capable of extensive application. The space for steam or gas
is advantageously diminished by much of the innermost cylinder being occupied by
an empty cylinder, strengthened to resist compression fixed to the axle--not shown
in the drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, I declare that what I claim is,
The effecting much saving in steam or gas by giving it circuitous flow in any
suitable engine, whereby only an unusually small quantity is required, as the same
is continuously reused to furnish the power necessary to efficiently act on all kinds
of machinery, substantially as described in the letter press and shown in the rough
drawing.
Dated this 27th day of Anril 1893.
W. N. HUTCHINSON,
General.