US1284768A - Fluid-motor. - Google Patents

Description

WITNESSES 5% 6. WWW Z/WMW% w. A'. POWELL- FLUID MOTOR.

APPLICATlON FILED MAR 10, I917.

Paten ted Nov. 12, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTOR Z06? Paw/ ZZ- ATTORNEY w. A. POWELL. FLUID MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 10. I9.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

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INVEN'I 'OR is. Faun ill?- BY lifi Wn NEssEs WWQMWUL W. A. POWELL.

FLUiD MOTOR.

APPLICATION mso MAR. IQ. 1911.

1 ,2%,76 Patented Nov. 12,1918.

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/6 c} INVENTOR WITNESSES KoM/(NM BY v v I f ATTORNEY ass at @FTQE.

WILLIAM A. POWELL, OF TRAFFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-MOTOR.

Application filed March 10, 1917. Serial No. 153,915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trafl'ord, in the county of W estmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid- Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of a fluid type rotary engine and has for its primary object to construct an engine of this character in such a manner that the greatest amount of work can be derived from the expansive action of the fluid with practically no leakage of the fluid.

An object of the invention is the novel manner of constructing and associating the parts so that the leakage of fluid is prevented in such a manner that the friction of the movable parts will notbe increased.

A feature of my invention is the manner of constructing the valve mechanism so that a large quantity of steam or other fluid may be quickly supplied to the rotor and in such a manner that condensation of any portion of the steam before action against the abutments will be prevented.

Another feature of this case is the connection between an abutment and the body of the rotor so that expansion can be compensated for so that the center of the abutment will be retained in alinement with the center of the abutment steam passage for preventing an unequal thrust.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view looking from another angle from that illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the valve disks.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the abutmentpasses through the valve disk.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 Fig. 3.

*ig. 6 is a sectional view on the l1ne 6-6 Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View of an abutment.

Fig. Sis an edge elevation of one disk showing the rotor in dotted lines.

My invention contemplates the provision of a rotor including abutments acting in conjunction with diametrically arranged valve mechanism driven directly from the rotor and so associated therewith that leakage of steam between the valve mechanism and rotor is prevented.

My invention also contemplates the use of a valve disk so constructed that the same may perform the dual function of passing steam to the rotor and from the rotor.

Again referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a multi-unit casing housing the valve disks 2 and 3 of valve mechanisms 4 and 5 and the rotor 6. The casing also provides an abutment steam passage 7 arranged concentrically of the shaft 8 on which the rotor is mounted.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the rotor consists of a circular body 9 from the peripheral surface 10 of which projects an annular flange 11. Formed integral with and projecting from the flange 11 are lugs 12 slidably mounted in corresponding shaped slots 13 in the abutments 14.

Thus it will be seen that the abutments are free to slide toward and away from the body of the rotor for the purpose of allowing the proper expansion thereof.

For the purpose of insuring a tight connection between the cylindrical surface of the abutment and the wall of the passage 7 the abutment has passed there around a packing ring 15 enlarged at the point 16 for a purpose to be described later.

The casing 1 supports packing rings 17 that bear directly on the flange, so as to prevent leakage of steam from the steam passage 7, around the flange into the atmosphere.

Cooperating with the rotor as heretofore stated, are the valve mechanisms 2 and 3 arranged at diametrib points relative to the rotor and as the disk valves 4 and 5 are identical in construction the following description with relation to the construction of the valves will be limited to the disk 5.

The valve is arranged at such a point that the peripheral portion of the disk obstructs the passage 7 and the periphery thereof engages the periphery of the flange 11 and for insuring a tight connection at the point of engagement the peripheral surface of the disk has mounted therein a gasket 17. This arrangement prevents the leakage of steam past the contacting surfaces in a direction toward that portion of the passage 7 that is exhausting. Adjacent its periphery the disk is cut away to ,form openings 18 and 19, the number of which corresponds to the number of abutments used. In this particular instance only two openings are shown owing to the fact that only two abutments are shown on the rotor. I wish it to be understood that any number of abutments may be used and a corresponding number of openings formed in the disk.

The disk besides being provided with openings has radially extending steam passages 20 which may be any number.

Alternate passages extend in opposite directions to form two groups A and B. The group A, referring to Fig. 1, extends from the left hand face of the disk adjacent the center thereof to a point in the right face of the disk adjacent the periphery thereof, while the group B extends in a reverse direction.

In the position shown in Fig. 1 the group of passages A, form the exhaust for the steam, while the group of passages B, form the intake for the steam. The function of the groups of passages depends entirely upon t what side of the disk steam is supplied.

The casing adjacent the center of each disk valve is enlarged to form chambers 21 and 22, the former in the particular showing in Fig. 1 communicating with an exhaust pipe 23 while the latter communicates with a steam intake pipe 24:.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the inner ends of the steam passages are constantly in communication with either the chamber 21 or 22 and the outer ends of the passages are successively thrown into communication with the passages 7.

For the purpose of preventing lodging of the steam at any point in its travel from the steam chambers 22 to the passages 7 all of the outer ends of each group of passages are in communication with each other, through a depression 25. Thus it will be seen that although certain passages are in communication with the chamber 7, all of the passages of the steam intake group will contribute to the steam supply. If found advantageous in practice each steam intake pas sage adjacent its communication with the chamber 7 may be formed with a deflector 26 in the shape of a projection arranged in the path of movement of the steam. Each projection is so shaped that pressure created between the engagement of the projection with the steam will help cause rotation of the disk in the proper direction.

' Referring more particularly to Fig. l of the drawings it will be seen that two of the walls 27 and 28 of each abutment opening in the disk are arranged at an incline and adapted to cooperate with the beveled ends 29 and 30 of an abutment. From this arrangement it will be seen that the openings will be closed in such a manner as to minimize escaping of steam, as the beveled ends partly close the opening before the body of the abutment commences its travel through the opening and will continue to be partly closed when the body portion is leaving the opening.

To complete the invention a driven connection 31 is provided between each valve disk and the rotor so that the valve disk may be driven in unison with the rotor so as to insure the proper registration between the abutments and openings in the valve disk.

It is of course to be understood that antifriction devices will be used to minimize friction and suitably arranged gasket rings to prevent leakage but a detail description of the arrangement of all of the gasket rings will be eliminated.

It is to be understood that while all of the several features of my improved fluid propelled rotary engine have special cooperation with one another and together constitute a particularly effective mechanism for the purpose in view certain of these features may be applied in other relations, and I therefore desire to cover the combinations present in the several parts of my improved engine whether employed in the general organization shown or elsewhere.

It is further to be understood that the structural embodiment of the invention as a whole and its various features as shown is merely illustrative and not restrictive since I am well aware that many of the details of construction can be widely varied without departing from the spirit of the inven tion. I therefore do not desire to be limited in these particulars or in any others except as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1; In a fluid motor, in combination. a rotor having a peripheral flange, abutments secured to the flange, a valve disk rotating at right angles to the rotor and having its periphery arranged in engagement with the clrcular edge of said flange, said disk being provided with fluid passages alternately passing from one side of the disk to the other whereby steam may pass to or escape from the abutments.

2. In a fluid motor, in combination. a rotor having a peripheral flange, abutments secured to the flange, a valve disk rotating at right angles to the rotor and having its periphery arranged in engagement with the circular edge of said flange, said disk being provided with fluid passages alternate-1y passmg from one side of the disk'to the other whereby steam may pass to or escape from the abutment, and a. direct drive connection between the rotor and the valvedisk.

3. Valve mechanism for a steam rotor enginc, comprising a valve disk having a portion rotating through the steam chamber of the engine and provided with steam passages alternately extending in opposite directions and establishing communication between one side of the disk and the other side.

l. Valve mechanism comprising a valve disk provided with a plurality of steam passages each establishing communication between one side of the disk adjacent the center and the other side of the disk adjacent the periphery, alternating passages extending in opposite directions and means for passing steam to one side of the disk and throwing the other side of the disk to communication with the atmosphere.

5. Valve mechanism comprising a disk having arcuate depressions formed in each face adjacent the periphery of the disk, steam passages alternately extending in opposite directions and each communicating with a depression at one end and with one face of the disk adjacent the center thereof at the other end.

6. Valve mechanism comprising a disk having arcuate depressions formed in each face adjacent the periphery of the disk, steam passages alternately extending in opposite directions and having communication with a depression at one end and with one face of the disk adjacent the center thereof at the other end projections arranged in the passages at the depressions, and means for passing steam to one side of the disk and exhausting steam from the other side of the disk.

7. In combination with a valve disk having exhaust and intake steam passages, and transversely extending openings adjacent its periphery, a rotor comprising a body and abutments secured thereto and adapted to pass through said openings.

8. In combination with a valve disk having exhaust and intake steam passages and transversely extending openings adjacent its periphery, a rotor comprising a body and abutments secured thereto and adapted to pass through said openings, each of said openings having inclined walls and each. of the abutments having wedge shaped ends adapted to cooperate with the inclined walls for the purpose set forth.

9. A fluid motor comprising a casing having a circular abutment passage, a rotor consisting of a circular body and abutments secured to the body and moving in said passage, a valve mechanism including a valve disk rotating at right angles to the rotor and constructed to rotate in engagement with the rotor and} provided with openings for the passage of the abutments and radially extending fluid exhaust and inlet passages, said casing being constructed to form a steam chamber on one side of said disk and an exhaust chamber on the other side thereof, and inlet and exhaust pipes communicating with the chambers.

10. A fluid motor comprising a casing having a circular abutment passage, a rotor consisting of a circular body and abutments secured to the body and moving in said passage, a valve mechanism including a valve disk rotating at right angles to the rotor and constructed to rotate in engagement with the rotor and provided with openings for the passage of the abutments and radially extending fluid exhaust and inlet passages, said casing being constructed to form a steam chamber on one side of said disk and an xhaust chamber on the other side thereof and inlet and exhaust pipes communicating with the chambers, said fluid passages alternately extending in opposite directions and communicating with opposite faces of the disk, and the passages of each group communicating with each other adjacent the periphery of the disk.

11. In combination with a valve disk having exhaust and intake steam passages and transversely extending openings, a rotor comprising a body and abutments secured thereto and adapted to pass through said openings, certain of the walls of the openings being inclined and each of the abutments shaped to have portions thereof move in parallelism with said wall in the passage of an abutment through an opening.

12. A fluid motor comprising a casing having a circular abutment passage, a rotor consisting of a circular body and abutments secured to the body and moving in said passage, a valve mechanism including a valve disk rotating at right angles to the r0- tor and constructed to rot-ate in engagement with the rotor and provided with openings for the passage of the abutments and radially extending fluid exhaust and inlet passages, each having a portion of its wall offset to be acted upon by the fluid in the passage therethrough for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM A. P OWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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