US1583560A

US1583560A - Rotary internal-combustion engine

Info

Publication number: US1583560A
Application number: US757514A
Authority: US
Inventors: James K Morris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-12-22
Filing date: 1924-12-22
Publication date: 1926-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 1943-05-04

Description

' May 4', 1926.

' 1,583,560 J. K. MORRIS I ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN T02 JAMES KMoems WM Q A TTOENE Y5 May 4, I926. 1,583,560

J. K. MORRIS ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 22 1924 2 sjnets-sneez' 2 29 4 L a/ 0, 36 a 4o Z4 2 a I 1 I I /9 27 7 36 c Q I 4 v r r m IINVENT'OR. I V JAMES K. Maze/5 BY Q7 v ATTDRNEYS Patented May .4, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,583,560 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES K. MORRIS, OF MONROVIA, CALIFORNIA.

ROTA RY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed December 22, 1924. Serial no. 757,514.

My invention relates to and has for its purpose the'provisionpf a rotary internal combustion engine having the following advantages: simplicity in construction; veconomy in operation; absence of vibration; maximum and uniform power a low speeds; super-compression of the combustible'f-uel by the engine and prior to its entrance to the firing cylinders; and a motor-capable of effective and easy lubrication.

It is also a purpose of'my invention to provide an engine including a plurality of piston and cylinder units in which the cylin ders are rotatable about a fixed axis while the istons are pivoted and rotatable about anot er fixed axis eccentric with respect to the first axis, whereby combustible fuel supplied to and ignited in the cylinders willexert a force on the pistonwhich is tangential with respect to the second axis, thereby effecting bodily rotation of the piston and cylinder units.

I will describe only one form of internal combustion engine embodying my invention, and then will point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the, accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view showing in vertical section one form of internal combustion engine, embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional iew taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalvi'ew taken on the line'3'3- of Figure Figure 4 is a view illustrating diagrammatically the parts of the engine shown in the preceding views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each ,ofthe views, my invention,'in 1ts present embodiment,comprises an axle 1'5 supported in elevated position by spaced standards 16 and suitably locked against rotation in the standards so as to remain stationary during the operation of the engine. Preferably formed integral with -which durin the valve b'oc y are adapted to-register with the axle and disposed at a point between the standards is a valve body V which is of circular form in cross section and associated with the axle so that its longitudinal axis is eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the axle in the manner-clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. This valve body is provided with an intake passage 17 having one end in communication with a passage 18 formed in the axle .15, its opposite end communicating with the periphery of the valve body as clearly shown iii Figure 1. The passage 18 1s adapted to be placed in communication with a source of fuel supply, suclr as a carbureter, (not shown), for the purpose of supplying to the intake passage combustible fuel in a gaseous form. The valve body -V is also provided with a delivery passage 19- which, as clearly shown in Figure 1, extends diagonally of the valve body with its opposite ends com' 'municating with the periphery of the body at substantially diametrically opposite points.

Rotatable on the exile 15 between the standards 16 is a fly wheel unit consisting in the present instance of disks 20 and 211ming hubs 22 at their centersto receive bearings 23 to support the disks for rotational movement on the axle. These disks 20l-and 21 are rigidly secured to each other at circumferentially spaced intervals by means of rods2-t having shouldered ends 25 projecting through suitable openings formed. in the disks and threaded to receive nuts 26. In the present instance, I have shown four such rods 24, and pivotally mounted upon each red are a pair of pistons 27 and .28, each piston consisting of a head 27 :vtubular body 27" or 28 provided with a

bearing

27 or 28 rotatably mounted on the rod 21. These

pistons

27 and 28 are mounted to work in a pair of

cylinders

29 and 30, respectively, having concave inner ends to conform to the curvature of the periphery of the valve body V so as to have sliding contact therewith. The cylinders are rigidly connected to each other by a web 31 which is likewise curved so as to present no interference to the rotation of the cylinders on thevalve body.

' As clearly. shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inner ends of the cylinders of each pair are provided. with

ports

32 and 33, respectively rotation .of, the cylinders on or 28 and the ends of the delivery passage 19, the port 33 being also adapted to register with the discharge end of the intake passage 17.

In the present instance, I have shown four pistons 27 and four cylinders 29 arranged apart, and each piston and the cone spondlng cylinder constituting a tiring-pr working piston and cylinder unit in which the explosion of the combustible fuel is adapted to occur. To this end, each cylinder 29 is providedwith a spark plug 3-1- disposed adjacent the intake port 3". and to which current is'adapted to be supplied in any suitable manner (not shown), so as to etl'ect ignition of the fuel at the proper 1nstantduring the operation of the engine. I'I'ich cylinder 29 is also provided with an exhaust pdrt 35 adapted to be uncovered when the piston is in its outermost position to allow the exhaust of burnt gases from the cylinder, as will be understood.

For precompressing the combustible fuel supplied to the cylinders 29 and to thus greatly increase the horse power of the engine, I have provided the pistons 28 and the cylinders 30, each piston and cylinder constituting a fuel compressing unit and there being one unit for each of the firing piston and cylinder units. It will, of course, be understood that any number of firing piston and cylinder units may be provided or any number of fuel compressing units, and all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

To prevent the intake and

delivery passages

17 and 19, respectively, .from being uncovered during rotation of the cylinders .29 and 30 about the valve body V, I have provided bridge plates36 which as shown in Figures 2 and 3, have their edges extended beneath recessed portions 37 of the cylinders so as to span the spaces between the cylinders, and to thus cover the passages when the

ports

32 and 33 are not in registration therewith.

To prevent radial movement of

thecylinders

29 and 30 which are subjected to the action of centrifugal force during the operation of the engine, I have provided urging elements each of which is responsive to the action of centrifugal force to exert an inward pressure upon the cylinders, such pressure increasing in direct proportion tov any increase in the centrifugal force. Each urging element comprisesa lever 38 fulcrumed on an annulus 39 at the point indicated at 40 and provided with a short arm which bears against the corresponding web 31 of any pair of

cylinders

29 and 30. The long arm of the lever is provided with a weight 41 adjustable thereon and operating in conjunction with a spring 42 to normally urge the lever about its pivot to exert inward pressureupon the short arm. From this construction it will be readily seen that dur- 1n operation of the engine the weight 41 will be thrown outwardly under the action of centrifugal force to set upa pressure against the web which increases as the rotational speed of the engine increases. In the present instance, 1 have shown one urging element for each pair of cylinders, and all of the levers ot' these elements are mounted upon the annulus 39.

The operation of the engine is as follows: Assuming that rotut ion of the flywheel disks 20 and 21 has been initiated. and the parts of the engine are in the positions shown in Figure l. a charge of vaporized fuel is drawn into the lower compression cylinder fit) under the outward movement of the piston 2 At this instant the port 33 of such cylinder is in registration with the discharge end of the passagc 17 so t'hat fncl from the passage 18 is free to be drawn into the cylinder. As this moves upwardly in its rotation, the piston moves upwardly of the cylinder by virtue of the fact that its path of rotation is cccentric with respect to-thc axis-of the valve body ,Y. ,as will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 4, wherein Y designates the axle of the valve body. 15 the axis of the axle, L the longitudinal axes of the piston and cylinder units, and the path of rotation of the bars 2 1- by the circle 24. "hcn the above referred to cylinder has traveled 180 in a clockwise direction, as when viewed in Figure i, the "piston is moved into its inn'eriiiost extreme position, as illustrated in Figure 1. and under the movement of such piston the fuel charge is compressed. lpon reaching this 180" position, the port 33 registers with the upper end of the delivery passage 19 so that the compressed charge of fuel discharges into the delivery passage for immediate delivery to one of the cylinders 29 oi the tiring, units. As the cylinder 30 reaches the 1H) position, the corresponding tiring cylinder 21) occupies what may be termed the 1) position wherein its port 32 is in registration with the lower end of the passage 19 to admit the compressed fuel to the cylinder. At this instant. the corresponding piston 27 ot the cylinder 2!) has reached its outermost extreme position and is moving inwardly so as to close the exhaust port 25.") and to ultimately furthcrcompress the fuel charge. The closing of the exhaust port 35 may occur immediately after opening of the intake port 32 so that the compressed fuel can be utilized to scavenge the cylindcr'of burnt gases. It will. of course, be understood that the inward movement of the pistonQT is a result of the eccentric mounting thereof with respcctto the mounting of the cylinderas has been describet'l in connection with the movement of the pistons 28. Consequently, when the piston has reached the 180 posilit) tion or its uppermost position, it is moved to its innermost extreme position to effect further compression of the-fuel charge to a relatively high degree. Immediately thereafter or immediately aft-er the piston and cylinder have passed upper dead center, the respective spark plug functions to ignite the highly compressed lnel; charge.

By reference to Figure 4, it will be clear that with the piston a-nd cylinder unit at upper dead center,- the centers 24,\' and 15 are vertically alined, but that as soon as the unit passes to the right from deadcenter, the relation of the

centers

24, and 15, change to set up a lever arm between the centers Y and 15 against which acts the force ofthe expanding fuel. However, as the center Y is stationary in the sense that it will not respond to the force of the expanding fuel thus causing the hitter to react on the piston and thereby set up a force tangent to the.

' axis 15 which results in driving the unit in the circular 'path 24. As the unit pro gresses in a clockwise direction, the length of the-lever arm increases, reaching'a maximum at the position of the unit where the greatest. rotational force is exerted on the. unit. and diminishing from this point to the 180 position. at which the lever arm no longer exists. At this 180 position or lower dead center, a new charge of fuel is forced into the cylinder and the burnt gases simultaneously exhaust.

In actual operation the firing of each cylinder occurs once in every revolution of the unit, and irrespective of the speed ot rota tion, each charge of fuel is precompressed in the corresponding cylinder 30 and further compressed in the cylinder 29. to substantially thesame maximum'degree, whereby the power impulses at low speeds will be eli'ective to propel the engine, irrespective of the load imposed thereon.

Although I have here described and shown only one form of rotary internal combustion engine embodying my invention, it is to be. understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without. departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An engine comprising a plurality of piston and cylinder units. in which the cylinders of all of the units are rotatable about a tixed axis and the pistons of all of the units are pivoted and rotatable about another fixed axis eccentric to the first fixed axis whereby combustible fuel supplied to and ignited in the cylinders will exert a force on the pistons which is tangential to the second axis, there- -by .ettecting bodily rotation of thepiston and cylinder cylinder units mounted to'rotateabout the same axes as the'tirst mentioned piston and 7 cylinder units, thereby effecting compression units, fuel compressing piston and.

cylinder units having the pistons thereof pivoted on the flywheel and rotatable therewith and concentrically of the axle, and the cylinders slidably secured to the valve body to rotate about. the latter as a center, ports in the cylinders which during rotation of the latter are adapted to successively register with the delivery passage, and means operable rotation, of the piston and cylinder units for supplying combustible fuel under pressure to the delivery passage.

' 3. An engine comprising an axle, a valve body fixed eccentrically to the axle and having an intake passage and a delivery passage, a. flywheel 'fixed'concentrically to the axle, firingpiston and cylinder units having the pistons thereof pivoted on the flywheel and rotatable therewith and concentricallyot' the axle, and the cylinders slidably secured to the valve body to rotate about the latter as a center, ports in the cylinders which" during rotation of the latter are adapted to successively register with the delivery passage, fuel compressing piston and cylinder units having the pistons thereof pivoted on the flywheel and rotatable therewith and concentrically of the axle and the cylinders slidably secured to the valve body to rotate about the latter as a center; ports in the cylinders which during rotation of the latter are adapted to successively register with the intake and delivery passages.

4. An engine as embodied in claim 2 wherein means is provided for maintaining the cylinders in sliding engagement with the valve body against the action of centrifugal force.

5. An engine as embodied in claim wherein means is provided for maintaining the cylinders of all of the units-in sliding contact with the valve body against the action of centrifugal force.

(3. An engine as embodied in claim 2 wherein means are provided for urging the cylinders into engagement with the valve body, said means being-responsive to increase their urging action as the centrifugal force increases.

7. An engine as embodied in claim 2 wherein means are provided for urging the cylinders intoengagement with the valve body. said means comprising levers'having weighted ends responsive to the centrifugal force to move the other ends of the levers against the cylinders.

8. An engine as embodied in claim 2 force to move the other ends wherein means are provided for urging the cylinders into engagement with the valve loody, said means comprising levers having weighted ends responsive to the centrifugal of the levers against the cylinders, and springs normally urging the weighted ends of the levers outwardly.

S). An engine as embodied in claim 2 wherein bridge plates extend between the cylinders to maintain the intake and dclivery passages closed when the latter are uncovered by the cylinders.

10. An engine comprising a plurality of rotatable piston and a plurality of rotatable piston and cylinder compressing units, and means operable by rotation of all of the units for supplying fuel to the cylinders of the coi'npressing units where it is compressed and discharged'into the cylinders of the firing unitsfor'subsequent. ignition,-all in a predetermined sequence to effect continuous rotationof all of the units.

J AMES K. MORRIS.

cylinder tiring units,