US154118A - Improvement in rotary steam-engines - Google Patents

Description

H. BU ETTG H ER Vnt-ary Steam-Engies.

Patented Aug. 18,1874.

AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BOETTCHER, OF BUNKER HILL, ILLINOIS.

`IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES..

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,118, datedAugust `18, 1874; application filed April 1,1874.

- .steam-,chamber has diametrically-positioned piston-heads, which areconnected to peculiar cam-plates, and operated'by motions imparted from same. The actionV of steam upon one piston-head when completed is passed intoV the opposite steam-chamber, and again ntilized to perform the same action upon the remaining piston. Thus the steam acts upon twoopposite piston-heads uninterruptedly and at the same time, but the steam for the lirst piston-head is from the boiler, the steam for thether piston being the same steam before use Of the drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of the engine with parts broken away, showing detail constructive features. Fig. 2 is also a side elevation from the opposite side of enginewith parts broken away to show detail features. Fig. 3 is a plan section at line m zo,

4 Figs. 4 and 5 being respective detail views of connections to operate the pistons.

A is the steam-cylinder. The steam-cylinder A I provide with two annular steam-chambers, a al, divided by a center wall, a2. (See Fig. 3.) Each of the steam-chambers a al is slotted to allow for the operation of two pislton-heads in each chamber, B B being the pistons for the chamber a, and G C' being the pistons for the chamber al. Thus there are four (4) piston-heads in all used, and these I position diametrically in their respective chambers, as shownin Fig. 3. The pistons B B C C are to be operated at proper times to close their respective chambers, and be acted upon by the power of steam, and also to open said steam-chambers to allow the eX- haust of steam. I therefore connect the piston-heads B B by their stems b b1 to a crossbar, b2 b3. The inner end of each cross-bar b2 b3 passes through a vertical slot provided in a bearing-plate, D, which is secured to the shaft of the cylinder. (See Fig. 3.) Further, the inner` ends of cross-bars b2 b3 are connected to one end of an arm, b4, the other end thereof being pivoted to the end of an arm, b5, which is pivoted to said bearing-plate D, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The outer end of each crossbar b2 b3 of pistons B B is similarly connected-that is, to engage a vertical slotin a bearing-plate, D', which is secured to one side of cylinder A. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) Also, the outer end of cross-bars b2 b3 is connected to one end of an arm, c, the other end thereof being pivoted to the end of an arm, c1, which is pivoted to the outer bearing-plate D', as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each of the pivoted arms o1 has a crank-pin, o2, engaging a camplate, E. The cam-plate E I provide with a cam-slot, e, of the constructive shape shown in Fig. l, the design thereof being to operate the piston-heads B B to enter and close their steam-chambers a, and be acted upon by the pressure of steam, and also to withdraw from and open said steam-chamber to permit a free passage of the steam from said chamber into the opposite chamber, as well as to exhaust the steam. The cam-plate E is properly secured along one side of the cylinder A by its branch arms e', bolted to the frame that supports the engine. The opposite pistonheads C C', by their stems d, connect to a vibrating lever, d1, pivoted to a standard, d2, which. has its bearings near end of shaft of engine. (See Fig. 3.) The outer ends of the levers d1 form crank-pins to engage a cam-plate, F. The cam-plate F I form to have the cam-slot fof the constructive shape shown in Fig. 2, so' as to impart to the piston-heads O G the same action at required times to open and close the steam-chamber a1, so as to be acted upon by the steam and exhaust same, similar to the operation performed by the piston-heads ,B B aforesaid. The cam-plate Fis on the opposite side of the cylinder A to that of E, and is also properly secured to the frame by its branch arms f. (See Fig. 2.)

The combined operation of the piston-heads B B G C thus connected to the cam-plates E and F is therefore such that two (2) opposite pistons, say B and C', will be simultaneously actuated to raise or close their respective steam-chambers preparatory to being acted der A, with a communicating port, g2.

upon by steam-pressure, whileA the remaining Atwo pistons, B and C, will be in reeeded position and inactive, and vice versa, viz., when the latter are acted upon by the steam the former are inactive. In order, therefore, to utilize the same steam, so that it can act upon two oppositely-positioned pistons, as aforesaid, I provide the Wall a? (that divides the steam-chambers) with the cored communicating ports g g1, also oppositely positioned. (See Fig. l.) Also, I provide the steam-drum or housing G, that incloses the top of the cylin- (See Figs. l and 2.)

When either of the ports g g1 are brought in line with the port g? of the steam-drum, the communication is established, and the steam that has been used in the rst steam-chamber, a, is permitted to pass into the opposite steamchamber, al. Thus the steam that has completed its action upon one piston head is passed over, to again act upon the opposite piston, and, having performed its action upon both said piston-heads, is linally permitted to exhaust.

H H are stationary heads that pass through the steam-drum G, and close the steam-chambers t al, dividing them into separate chambers for each set of pistons. h is the inlet for steam. Opposite thereto is the exhaust h1, 'for the steam-chamber a.. h2 is the exhaust for the steam-chamber el. (See Fig. 2.) h3 are cored ports in the steam-drum G, so as to permit Vthe lsteam to rise above the piston-heads, and in doing so relieve side pressure of steam from said pistons, and otherwise facilitate their action to recede or withdraw from their chambers, as well as ease the operation of pistonconnections to cam-plates.

The ports h3 in steam-drum are for the purpose of permitting the steam to pass over the pistons, (when the same are in the act of going down,) the little steam that thus passes in the ports h3 of course in that degree relieves the steam-pressure from the sides of the piston. The steam pressing powerfully the sides of the pistons renders the same difficult of operating down, or to be Withdrawn; hence, by relieving this side steam-pressure and permitting part ofthe steam to rise to the top of pistons in ports h3, there is steam-pressure at the top of pistons as a result, and this facilitates the downward action of the pistons, and necessarily does not make it so difficult for lever and cam connections to operate the pistons.4 The ports g g1 gz are communicating ports, those of g g1 being oppositely positioned and cased in the wall a2, that divides the cylinderchamber. When the port g2 gets in line with either of the ports g g1, then steam from the iirst chamber passes into the opposite chamber. Thus, while steam is acting upon the pistontop of chamber a, it pushes that piston along until it is below in the act of receding. The same steam that has then acted to pass the piston or its cylinder half -round passes ofi' into the port g through the port g2. Thus the irst steam is again obliged, in the second steam-chamber, to operate upon a piston that is ready to operate when the piston that leaves off the steam to pass over to it has withdrawn itself.

l. The described engine, provided with chambers a al, having ports g 91 relatively arranged so that connection is made between the chambers, to permit the exhaust of one to be used in the other, as described.

2. The combination of the pistons B B C C', cross-bars b2 b3, arms b4 b5, bearing-plate D, arms c c1, bearing-plate D', and;y cam-plates E F, all constructed to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the steam-drum G, having ports g2 h3, heads H H', steam-cylinder A, its annular chambers a al andv ports g g, v

HENRY BOETTCHER.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, CHAs. F. MErsNER. l

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