US1047227A - Internal-combustion turbine. - Google Patents

Description

E. F. HOPKINS. INTERNAL OOMBUSTION TUBBINE. rrLIoATIon FILED .1.111. 11, 1910.

1,047,227. Patented Deo. 17,1912.

w ,o -BETS-SHEET 1.

.aw ...r

E. F. HOPKINS. INTERNAL coMBUs'rIoN TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1910. 1,047,227 Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

3' SHHETBSHEET 2.

.NIMHil 38 Ezra fbg/@1522s,

E. F. HOPKINS. INTERNAL OOMBUSTION TUBBINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 11, 1910.

Patented Dec. 17,*1912.

15G/pans /Jzzwg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA F. HOPKINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION TURBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

Application led January 11, 1910. Serial. No. 537,447.

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that I,'EzRA F. HOPKINS, a

citizen ofthe United States, residing at is a sectional view of an internal-combus.

tion turbine embodying the features of my invention, the view being taken substan' tially in the plane of dotted line 1 of Fig. 4. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views taken in the planes of dotted lines 2 2, 3 3 and 4 4,

respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section onA line 5 5 of Fig. 2 illustrating the spark plugs. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the valve ring and the spark plugs moving with said ring. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

. Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are fragmental detail sections illustrating various forms of buckets or blades. Fig. 12 is a fragmental det-ail illustrating one of the packing rings for'the outlet ports. Fig. 13 is a section on line 13 13 ofFig. 4.

The embodiment which I have selected for illustration comprises a stator l (Fig. 1) containing a suitable number of chambers in which an explosive mixture is compressed and ignited, and a rotor 2 carrying buckets or blades adapted to be acted upon by the expanding products of combustion. As herein shown, the stator consists of a casing having the general form of a disk and comprising the parallel annular side flanges 3 and 4 and the peripheral wall 5. stator has an axial stem 6 by means of which it is supported and held against r0- tation, the stem being fixed in a bearing 7 of the supporting frame.

The rotor is in the form of a casing which `incluses the stator and consists of an annular flange 8 surrounding and ttingupon the periphery of the stator, said iiange being connected by a web 9 with a shaft 10 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 11 of the supporting frame. :The rotor further comy fluid-tight contact with the inner 'of the rotor.

prises an 'annular inwardly extendingian'ge 12 secured by suitable means, as screws 13, to the flange 8. y

.Within the stator is a plurality of cylinders 14, in this instance four c linders being provided. The outer end o each cylinder is closed by a head 15. Each cylinder is provided with an outlet port 16 extending from the closed outer end of the cylinder'- to the peripheryv of the stator, said port having its major axis coincident with the .major plane of the'rotor and extending in a forward direction from the cylinder. lAs indicated in Figs.` 4 and 13, the port 16 is relativelyV narrow in the direction of the length of the cylinder, but in the direction at right angles thereto the width of said port is preferably equal to the Vdiameter of the cylinder.

If it be deemed desirable to provide special means for preventing leakage of gases between the rotor and the stator, some such means as that illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 s may be provided. In said views I have illustrated a rectangular packing member 16a movably seated in a correspondingly shaped recess in the stator. The ends of the packing member 16a are beveled and overlie the beveled edges of the- rings 24 and 31, as shown in Fig. 13. vExpansion of said rings willtend to keep the packing member 16a in periphery In each of the cylinders 14 is a piston 17 which is connected by means of a rod 18-to a crank19 upon a shaft 20. ',Ihe `four shafts 20 are connected by means of gear `wheels 21 to a gear wheel'22 xed upon @a stud23 forming an axialextension of the shaft 10. The ` gear wheels 21 and 22 are of equal size, therefore it will be seen that each piston Will make two strokes (or one reciprocation) in each revolution of the rotor.

Contacting with the flange`3v of the stator is a ring 24, the beveled ledge 25 of said ring' contacting with the beveled surface 26 vof the rotor. The ring 24 is caused to rotate with the rotor by any suitable means, as pins 27.

The explosive mixture is drawn into the cylinders 14 upon the inward stroke ofthe pistons 17. In the construction herein shown, the means ffor admitting the combustible mixture to the cylinders comprises a passage 28 formed in the .stem 6 and leading from a carbureter or other suitable source of supply (not shown) vto radial channels 29 formed inthe st-ator. let ends of the channels 29 open upon the flange 4 of the stator, adjacent to the cyl' inders, and each of the latter is provided with an intake port 3() communicating with- `edge of a ring 33. The valve ring 31 in this instance is caused to travel ,with the rotor by reasonof the fact that thespark plugs 34 extend through the; flange 12 and said valve ring. For 'convenience in manufacture, the spark plugs 34m'ay be seated-in a 'section 35 formed separate from the remainder of thevalvering. Said section extends through the flange 12, as' shown in Figs. 2,' 54 and 7. The inner ends of the spark plugs liewithin a chamber 36 formed in the inner face of the section 35, said chamber being arranged to'communicate in succession with -the intake ports 30. i I have, i in this instance, provided vtwo spark plugs,

the one offering the `leastzresistance operati f ing until in needof cleaning or replace-- ment, when the other automatically. goes into service.

Any-suitable means may be provided for connecting .the spark plugs in circuit at the'v proper times. I have herein shownv a ring 37 of suitable insulatin material, saidvring being attachedto the ange 12 by suitable means, -such as bolts 38. periphery of saidring' is a ring 39 of conducting material which is .connected by-A means of a binding post 40 and a wire v41 with the spark plugs 34. Upon the ring 39 are :fourcontact projection`s`42 (Fig. 8) arranged to hev brought successively in contact with a spring-pressed contact brush 43 pivoted at 44. upon a collar 45 of insulat. ing material fixed on the bearing 7. The brush 43 is connected by the Ywire 46 to a suitable source of electrical energy.

In the present embodiment a charge is exploded in each of the cylinders in succession, one explosion taking place in each cylinder during each revolution of the rotor.

equivalent devicesA positioned so as to come into operative relation with each cylinder 'as the charge in said cylinder is ignited.

The buckets or blades may take various forms, a. few practical constructions' being lillustrated inFigs. 4, 9, 10 and 11. I n-Fg.

U on the inner Thel `rotor is provided Withbuckets, blades, or

4 are shown six buckets 47, 48, 49,. 50,151 and 52 formed in the peripheral flange 8 'i of the rotor, each being of the same width as the outlet ports 16, as shown-in Fig. 7.

vEachbucket comprises a wall 53 which may ybe radial, or approximately so,- ai wall 54 extending substantially at right angles with thewall 53, anda wall 55'inclined with relation to the wall 54 so as to. make the bucket slightly tapering with its smaller or exhaust' end`56 opening upon the periphery of the rotor.

. Inorder to muiiiethe noise of the exhaust throughthe 4openings 56 vand cause a strong voutward flou;` or suction through the last two or"A three buckets. to reach' the port 16,

I place upon the 'periphery of the rotor an -elongated hood 57 4open at its forward and rearends. Saidvv hood is restrictedv in size toward itsrear end,b'eing of smallest crosssection at a' point rearwardly of theexhaust opening of' t he'1ast bucket, andrearwardly' of said point being ofincreasinglv larger cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 4. The hood 57 causes a rapid flow of air past the outlet -ends ofthe buckets, thus causing a free and quick exhaust from said buckets,

especially from the rearmost bucket. The hood 57 serves four purposes: It acts as a muiler; it accelerates the exhaust from the buckets and the cylinder; it cools that .pori

tion of the rotor which requires cooling, the extensive superficial area of the hood facilitating the rapid radiation of heat, and it'balances the rotor bycompensating for Athe metal removed in forming the buckets- The-construction illustrated in Fig. 9 comprises threebuckets 58 vofthe same general form as those shown in Fig. 4, but the inlet ends of the buckets 58 are proportionately largerthanas shownin Fig. 4.

In Fig. 1 0 I have represented 'three 4buckets 59 60 61, each having a radial wall and a wall tangential -to the periphery. of the stator', said walls. forminga triangular bucket having one of its apexes directed rearwardly. The rearendsof the buckets .60 461 are provided with exhaust ports 62.

Fig. 11 illustrates a rotor provided with .eleven similarbuckets 63 eachliaving its smaller or exhaust end opening upon the periphery of the rotor.A The inlet ends of the buckets. 63 are proportionately smaller than those ofthe buckets shown in Figs. 4, 9.

and 10.

In explaining the operation Vof the present embodiment of the inventionthe,.several cylinders will be indicated in` Fig.;14lby theletters a b c d, and the pistonsibytl'ichai acters a Zi c d', and the direction.ofi"piston .travel by arrows. In cylinder a. a charge is being ignited, in cylinder b a charge is being compressed, in'cylinder c a charge has been .nearly drawn in, and in cylinder d the draw# into communication with the outlet port 164 of said cylinder, the pressure ofthe expanding products of the combustion being exerted upon the walls 53 and 54 of said bucket. The buckets 48, 49 and 50 successively come into register with said outlet port 16 and receive the pressure of the expanding gases. By the time the buckets 51 and 52 reach the port 16 the force of the gases has been substantially spent and the larger part of the gases remaining in the cylinder a is, exhausted through the openings 56 of said buckets 51 and 52 by the action of the air current flowing through the hood 57. While expansion is taking place in the cylinder a, the port 16 and the buckets-of the rotor, the piston a. is moving outwardly. Just before the last bucket passes the port 16, the piston a begins its inward stroke and the inlet port 32 in the valve ring comes into register with the intake port 30 of the cyl inder a, whereby a fresh charge is drawn into said cylinder during the inward stroke of said piston. The suction begins just before the last bucket passes the port 16 and while the burnt gases are being exhausted through said port, hence the incoming charge follows the burnt gases into said port and assists to clear the cylinder of the products of the preceding explosion. Before the inner end of the stroke is reached, the port 32 h as passed the intake port 30, and the valve ring has blanked said intake port. Upon the succeedlng outward stroke of the piston the new charge is compressed, the spa-rk plugs again reaching the port 16 when the piston a is thirty degrees from the outer end of its stroke. The cycle just described as 'taking place in cylinder a occurs in each cylinder in succession, whereby' as many impulses are .nnparted to the rotor 1n each revolution as'there are cylinders,-in this in-` stance, fo-ur impulses. l

It will be understood that the invention isnot limited to the precise construction shown and described, for various modifications will occur to' persons skilled in the art.

I claimt 1. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprisinga plurality of radially disposed cylinders, each cylinderhaving an outlet port, a piston for each cylinder, a rotor having an element which is concentric to the stator and bears ya surrounding relation thereto, said element having a portion of its extent characterized by al bucket format-ion arranged to traverse the outlet ports, and the remaining portion of its extent imperforate, and a gear connection operatively interposed between the rotor and the pistons.

2. In an internal combustion turbine, in

combination, a stator comprising a plurality of radially disposed cylinders, each cylinder having an outlet port and an intake port, a piston for each cylinder, a rotor having an element which is concentric to the stator and bears a surrounding relation thereto, lsaid element having a portion of its extent characterized by a bucket formation arranged to successively traverse the outlet ports, and t-he remaining portion of its extent imperforate, fluid-admission means including a device common to the cylinders and carried by the rotor, for causing the admission of gas successively to the intake portsand gear connections operatively interposed between the rotor and pistons.

3. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprising a cylinder having an outlet port; a piston in said cylinder; a rotor having a bucket arranged to be brought into communication with said outlet port; a connection between the rotor and the piston for moving the latter; a spark plug mounted on said rotor adjacent to said bucket; a contact member mounted on said rotor and electrically connected with said spark plug; and a contact device mounted on the stator and arranged to engage the rst mentioned contact in the revo- I a rotor having a bucket arranged to be brought into communication with said outlet port; a piston in said cylinder; a connection between the `rotor and the piston for moving the latter; charge-conducting means; a valve ring attached to said rotor for alternately blanking said intake port and connecting said intake port with said charge-conductin means; a spark plug attached to said va ve ring at a pomt adjacent to said bucket; and means for periodically operating said spark plug.

5. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator havin an annular marginal outline and comprising a cylinder having an outlet port opening upon the periphery of the stator, and an intake port Ippeningu on one side of the stator; a piston 1n said cy inder; a rotor inclosing the stator and tting upon the periphery o the latter, saidl rotor having a bucket arranged to be brought into communication with said outof the stator ladjacent to said intake port;

means traveling with the rotor for alternately `blanking said intake portland connecting said intake port with said channel; and charge-igniting means.

6. In an internal combustion turbine, in coru-l bination, a stator having an annular marfginal outline and comprising a cylinder having an outlet port opening upon the periphery of the' statorv and an intake port opening upon one side of the stator; a piston in said cylinder; a rotor inclosing the stator and comprising an annular flange fitting upon the periphery of the stator, and an an- .to said inwardly-extending annular flange upon the rotor, said valve ring being arranged to alternately blank said intake ort and connect said intake port with said c annel; and charge-igniting means;

7. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator having an annular marginal outline and comprising a plurality l of cylinders having outlet ports and intake ports; a rotor inclosing the stator and havl ing bucketsrarranged to be brought successively into communication with the outlet ports of said cylinders; a piston in each of said cylinders; a connection between the rotor and the pistons for moving the latter, said stator having channels therein for the explosive mixture, which channels have outlet openings adjacent to the respective intake ports of the cylinders; an axial supporting stemfor the stator, which stem is tubular and communicates with said channels 'and forms a conduit for the explosive mixture;'means traveling with the rotor for alternately blanking each intake port and Aconnectil'lg such port with the adjacent channel; and charge'igniting means.

8., In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a 'stator having an annular marginal outline and comprising a plurality of cylinders having outlet ports opening upon the periphery ofthe stator',andintake ports opening upon one side ofthe stator; a piston` in each cylinder; a rotor inclosing the stator and fittlng upon the periphery of the latter, said rotor having a'bucket in its peripheryv arranged to be brought 'successively into communication with said outlet ports; a connection between the .rotor and theY pistons for moving the latter, said stator having channels therein for an explosive mixture, which channels open upon one side of the stator at points adjacent tothe respective intake ports; an axial supporting stem for the stator, said stem being tubular and communicating with said channels and forming a conduit for the explosive mixture; a valve rin traveling with said rotor and contacting t e intake-port side of the stator, said ring being adapted to alternately blank each intake porta`y and connect said intake port with the adjacent channel; and charge-igniting means.

9. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a stator comprising a plurality of radially 4vdisposed cylinders, said' stator having on its periphery a plurality of-outlet ports and a continuously uno structed channel connecting each, of said cylinders respectively with one of said ports; a piston in each cylinder; a rotor having an element which is concentric to the stator and bears a surrounding relation thereto, the element having a bucket arranged to be brought into communication with said outlet ports; a shaft driven by said rotor; and means connecting said shaft and each of said pistons whereby said pistons are reciprocated in the rotation of the rotor.

10. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprising a cylinder having an outlet port; a piston in said cylinder; a rotor havlng a plurality of buckets arranged to be brought into communication with said outlet port; a connection between the rotor and the piston for movin the latter; and means havin an ejector-li e action for accelerating the ex aust from one of said buckets.

1l. In an internal combustion turbine, in

`combination, a stator comprising a cylinder having an outlet port; a piston in said cylinder; a rotor having a plurality of buckets arranged to be brought into communication with said out-let` port; a connection between the rotor and the piston for moving the latter; and ahood carried by said rotor and extending over one of said buckets for accelerating' the exhaustl from said bucket. I

, .12. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprising a cylinder having an outlet port; a lston in said cylinder; a rotor having a gucket` arranged to be brought into communication with said outlet port; a connection between the rotor and the piston for moving the latter; and a hood fixed upon and rotating with said rotor and extending over the outlet from said bucket for mulhng the exhaust.

13. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprising a c linder having an outlet port; a plston in sai cylinder; a rotor having a group of buckets arranged to be brought into communication with said out-let port; a connection between the rotor and the piston for moving the latter; and a mutiler hood fixed to said rotor and extending over said group of buckets n 'and serving to balance the rotor by compenp marginal outline and comprising a peripheral flange and radially disposed cylinders having outlet ports opening upon said peripheral flange; a rotor inclosing the stator and tting upon said peripheral flange and having a bucket arranged to be broughtinto communication with said outlet ports, said rotor serving of itself to blank said outlet ports when said bucket is not in communication therewith; a piston in each cylinder; and a connection between the rotor and the pistons for moving the latter.

15. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator having an annular marginal outline and comprising a peripheral flange, an annular side flange, and cylinders having outlet ports, opening upon said peripheral flange and intake ports opening upon said side ange; a rotor comprising an annular peripheral flange fitting upon the periphery of the stator and an annular inwardly-extending flange secured to the pe? ripheral flange of the rotor, the peripheral flange of the rotor having a group of buckets therein adapted to be brought into commu# nication with said outlet ports, the periph-- eral flange of the rotor serving to blank said outlet ports when said group of buckets is not in communication therewith; a piston in each cylinder; a connection between the rof tor and the pistons for moving the latter, said stator having channels therein for an explosive mixture,.which channels open upon the side flange of the lstator at points adjacent to the respective intake ports; an axial supporting stem for the stator, said stem being tubular and communicating with said channels and forming a conduit for the eX- plosive mixture; a valve ring fixed to the inwardly-extending flange of the rotor and contacting the side flange of the stator, said ring being adapted to alternately blank each intake port and connect said intake port with the adjacent channel; a spark plug' carried by the inwardly-extending flange of the rotor and arranged to be brought into operative relation with the successive intake ports; and means for operating said spark plug.

16. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a statorcomprising a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having an outlet port and an intake port, a piston for each cylinder, a rotor including an element which has a bucket formation to traverse the outlet pc-rts, fluid-admission means including a device common to the cylinders and carried by the rotor for causing-the admission of gas successively to the intake ports, and gear connections operatively interposed between the rotor and t-he pistons. l l

17. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprising a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder' having an out-let port and an intake port, a piston 'for each cylinder, a rotor including an element which has a bucket formation to traverse the outf let ports, fluid-admission means including a device common to the cylinders and carried by the rotor for causing the admission of.

gas successively to the intake ports, ignition .means including a spark plug carried by said device and adapted to lbe moved successively into relation to the respective cyl1nders, and gear connections operatively in-` terposed between the rotor and the pistons.

18. In an internal combustion turbine, in combination, a stator comprising a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having an outlet port and an intake port, a piston for each cylinder, a rotor including an element which has a bucket formation to traverse the outlet ports, means operated by the rotor for causing the admission of gas to thecylinders, ignition means mcludlng a spark plug which is associated with the rotor for rotationV

Images