US1238870A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

B. F. AususxlNE.V

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPucATloN FILED DEc.8. 1915.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

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@bho/mmf B. F. AUGUSTINE.

ROTARY NGINE. APPLICATION FILED DECLB. 19,15. lpy@ PatentedSept. 4, 19171'.

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`IBEINJ.AIVIIN F. AUGUSTINE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Original application filed July 29, 1912, Serial No. 712,136.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept.. f1, 1917. Dividedand this application tiled December 8, 1915. Serial No. 65,?74.

To all whom 2f may concern.'

Be itlrnown that I, BENJAMIN F. AUGUS- TrNn a citizen of the United States, residing at Bulialo, in the county of -Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines.

In my Patent 1,009,213, granted November 21. 1911, there is disclosed a rotary engine wherein is embodied a cylinder in which is mounted a piston carrier rotatable under the iniiuence of an operating Huid, a portion of which is utilized to create an opposing force on the piston carrier substantially equal to the non-rotating :torce of the operating Huid against the piston carrierto counterbalance the same. The cylinder contains an abutment formed to provide a chamber to receive the piston carrier. The ends of the abutment arel reduced and telescoped by caps secured to the piston carrier. The reduced ends of the abutment are formed to provide pockets between the abutment and caps. These pockets have com* munication with the piston carrier chamber through ports leading from the pockets to said chamber. The portion of the operating fluid which effects a counterbalance of the piston carrier passes through these ports and the said caps float or run smoothly on the fluid in the pockets.

In my application filed July 29, 1912, Serial No. 712,136, now Patent No. 1,199,229, dated September 26, 1916, I disclose another type of rotary engine embodying the above and other characteristics and, among other features, I provide the type of engine disclosed in my said application with means in the ports, which establish communication between the pockets and the piston carrier chamber, to prevent the leakage of- Huid from the pockets back into the piston carrier chamber and it is upon said leakage preventing means that the present application is based, it being a divisional application from the one led by Ine on July 29, 1912.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter `more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, it being understood that changesl may be made in the form, proportion, sizeand minor details without departing from the spirit or sacricing `any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through one type ot engine, illustrating my invention, the water for cooling purposes being not shown in the rotatable member or abutment, and the section being taken on a line between one end oi' the engine and the external rib on the abutment.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the abutment.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of'one of the telescoping caps.

Fig. l is a transversevertical sectional view of the invention, taken through the engine at a point in line with the external rib on the abutment.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing parts of the Huid forming and compressing valve controlling means.

`Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings` it is believed unnecessary to illustrate an engine in its entirety but to illustrate only sutHcient structure of the engine as will enable a clear understanding of that part of the invention which it is desired to claim in this application.

The invention consists generally in providing a main engine casing consisting of a suitable supporting base 10 on which is mounted a cylinder 11 which is preferably cast integral with the base. An abutment 12 is located in the cylinder and this abutment is formed to provide a chamber 13 which constitutes the cylinder proper. This abutment may have a water cooling chami ber 12, the water being supplied by a pipe 12a. The water may be withdrawn from the chamber 12l by way of a pipe 12b, 12c

being apipe for priming7 purposes. A

rotatable pist-on carrier 1d is eccentrically mounted in the chamber 153 on a suitable axis 15 in concentric relation to the casing cylinder 11. This piston carrier may have a `water cooling chamber 1S supplied with water by the branched pipe lila. Radially slidable pistons 16 are mounted on the carrier 14 and may be operated after the fashion illustrated in my aforesaid patents or in anysuitable4 manner. The operating fluid may be supplied to the chamber 13 for driving the piston carrier 14 in any suitable manner, as for instance, after the fashion described, illustrated and claimed in `my said prior` patents. p

llhe abutment 12 is formed on the outer face thereof with a central circumferentially `disposed rib 17 which fits tightly within the cylinder 11. The abutment has exterior cut away portions at each end adapted to receive caps 18 secured to the piston carrier 14 by means of suitable fastenings 18h operative through the apertures 181 in the caps. rl`he outer face of the abutment is still further cut away at its ends so as to `form a series of pockets 19 which are circumferentially arranged about the abutment and extend from a point adjacent the aforesaid central rib 17 to a point adjacent the ends of the abutment. These pockets are separated by ribs 20 extendingl longitudinally of the abutment. The caps 18 are so proportioned asto have a smooth ruiming t with the ribs 20 and each has an annular tongue 21 adapted to have smooth running lit in the respective annular groove 22 formed in the sides of the annular rib 17 to prevent leakage. Each cap 18 has an internal animal' ring 23 adapted to run smoothly on the respective outer end of the abutment adjacent the outer ends of the respective ribs 20, whereby the sides of the pockets 19 are `closedby the ribs 20 and the outer ends of said pockets closed by the annular portions 23 of the caps and together with the caps forming closed pockets.

The rotatable member may be driven by any suitable operating fluid, the character of which is immaterial as far as the present invention is concerned. The means of introducing the operating fluid into the chamber 13 is immaterial, as is also the means of exhausting the fluid from said chamber. However, the means for supplying the operatingtluid to the chamber is shown as being the same as disclosed in my said Patent No. 1,199,229, dated September 26, 1916, and the operating fluid is subsequently discharged from said chamber 13 in the same manner asin my prior patent, just alluded to. F .or instance, the main drive shaft 15 has a hollow portion which is provided with upper and lower ports 30 and 31, (Fig. 4) which are adapted to rotate into and out of registration with a recess 32 in the valve member located lixedly within the hollow portion of said main drive shaft 15. The hollow portion of the `main drive shaft 15 has other upper and lower ports 34 and 35 (Fig. 4) which are adapted to be rotated into and out of registration with the recess 32 in said valve member 33 as the main drive shaft and rotatable piston carrier rotate so as to provide for the discharge of fluid to the compression chambers 37 and 38.

For instance, referring to Fig. 4, and assuming that the rotatable piston carrier is in rotation, theplunger 39 inthe compression chamber 38 is compressing fluid and forcing it through the port 31 and into the recess of the valve member 33 and through the port 35 in the hollow portion of the main drive shaft and into and through ductr41 in the rotatable member into the chamber 13 in' the rear of the piston 16 when it is exploded by means'of a suitable sparking device 42l connected up in any suitable manner with any suitable source of electric energy. The exploded compressed fluid expands and impinges against the piston 16, furnishing the force or impulse to rotate the rotatable member. lThe products of combustion pass out of the explosion chamber 13 through the exhaust ports 43 in the abutment and into the exhaust chamber 44 in the base 10 and finally out through the exhaust port 45. As the plunger 39 moves inwardly in the compression chamber 38 and thus compresses and forces the mixture into the explosion chamber 13, it will be understood that the plunger 46 in the compression chamber 37, is movingoutwardly in its chamber, creating a ,vacuum or suc tion for drawing a charge of `fluid into such chamber through the port 36 in the valve member 33 and a port 40 (Figs. 1 and 6) in the axis 15 into the compression. chamber 37, there being a duct 41 in the rotatable member for coperation with the` recess 32 in said valve member and the ports 30 and 34, in Fig. 4, to effect discharge of fluid from the compression chamber 37 into` the explosion chamber 13 through the duct 41. The plungers 39 and 46 operate alternately to receive the mixture and compress and force the mixture into the explosion cham# ber 13. Inasmuch, as the invention involved in this case is not directed to the means for supplying or exhausting the operating fluid from the engine, it would seem that further explanation in this connection would be unnecessary, especially in view of the fact that this is a divisional application from that disclosed in my said Patent No. 1,199,229, dated September 26, 1916, to which reference may be readily had, if necessary.

Each pocket 19 is connected with the cylindrical chamber 13 by a port 24 sorthat the centrifugal force acting on the operat ing fluid will carry the lubricant therein and a certain part of the water of condensation anda portion of the pressure through said ports 24 into the pockets 19 around the outer face of the abutment. The operating fluid will create a pressure against the caps 18 which are secured to the piston carrier to counterbalance the same in the manner described in my aforesaid patent and said application. a j

By introducing av certain amount oflubricant into the cylinder chamber 13 the centrifugal force will carry the same out through the aforesaid ports 24 into said pockets 19 and the caps 18 will practically float on the lubricant support in the pockets in the outer surface of the abutment. By this construction I form a support on which the carrier runs smoothly, even though the carrier be slightly off center.

A valve mechanism is disposed in each port 24k so as to prevent leakage of the fluid or lubricant or both from the pockets back into the chamber 13. As shown, each valve is of like construction and may consist of a ball 2G held normally against its seat 27 at the inner' end of the respective port by means of a suitable spring 2S. The springs are supported by the removable ported plugs or bushings 29 which preferably have a screw threaded fit in the outer ends of the ports 24:. These spring controlled ball valves prevent the escape of fluid or lubricant or both from the pockets back into the chamber 13, sealing the latter against loss of lubricant so that there is always confined within the pockets 19 a full supply of lubricant.

The operating` fluid in the chamber 13 eX- erts its pressure against -these ball valves 26 and immediately upon the pressure being reduced in the chamber 13 the springs 28 force the balls to their seats with the result that the pockets are full of fluid or lubricant or both flush to the balls and the springs are therefore constantly in a bath of lubricant and thereby not unduly affected by the heat. Thus in the event that there is a leak between two adjacent pockets 19 when the pockets are positioned respectively on opposite sides of a radial piston so that the passages leading from the pockets will connect with the high andlow pressure sides of the cylinder, the valves will operate to preventv leakage through the ports 2st from the pockets to the cylinder 13. These pockets 19 being constantly filled with fluid or lubricant or both, the result is that the caps 18 practically float on liquid bearings.

What is claimed is 1. The combination of a cylinder, 'an abutment in thel cylinder having a cylindrical chamber therein, a rotatable piston carrier mounted in said chamber, pistons slidable on the carrier, means for supplying an operating fluid to said chamber to rotate said piston carrier, caps secured to the rotatable piston carrier and telescoping with the ends of the abutment, the exterior of the abutment being constructed to provide fluid receiving pockets between the caps and the abutment, the abutment having ports leading into said pockets, in said ports.

2. A rotary engine including in combination, an abutment having a cylindrical chamber therein, a rotatable member in said chamber, caps connected to said rotatable member and having running contact with the abutment, means for supplying an operating fluid to said chamber for operating the rotatable member, said abutment having pockets formed in its outer face, and valved passages leading from the interior of the abutment to said pockets and operable to permit passage of fluid from said chamber to said pockets and to prevent escape of fluid from the` pockets back into the chamber' so as to provide and maintain a lubricant support upon which the caps revolve.

3. The combination of a cylinder, an abutment mounted in the cylinder and having a cylindrical chamber therein, a rotatable member within said chamber, means for supplying an operating fluid to said chamber to rotate the rotatable member, means for utilizing a portion of the operating fluid to create an opposing force on said rotatable member substantially equal to the nonrotating force of the operating fluid against said rotatable member to counterbalance the same, and valved passages between the cylinder and the means for utilizing a portion of the operating fluid for creating the opposing force on said rotatable member.

4. The combination 0f a cylinder, an abutment in the cylinder having a cylindrical chamber therein, a rotatable piston carrier mounted in said chamber, caps connected to the carrier and telescoping with the ends of the abutment, the abutment and the caps being constructed to provide fluid receiving pockets between the caps and the abutment, and a plurality of independent valved ports establishing coimnunication between said chamber and said pockets to permit passage of' fluid from the chamber to said pockets and to prevent escape of fluid from the pockets back into the chamber.

5. The combination of a fixed member having a cylindrical chamber therein, a rotatable member within the fixed member, means for supplying an operating fluid to said chamber to operate the rotatable member, a fluid pressure means to oppose and counterbalance the non-rotating forces of the operating fluid on said rotatable member, and valved passages between the cylinder and said opposing fluid pressure means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. AUGUSTINE.

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

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