US1700077A - Engine - Google Patents

Description

Filed March 15, 1927 ,2 Shets-Sheet 1 Jan. 22, 1929.

- 1,700,077 5. G. ROBERTS ENGINE Filed Mrch 15, 1 927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 22,.

UNITED 1 STATES SIDIi'EY GO'ITSEELIG ROBERTS, OI GHATT ANOOGA,

i,7oo,o11 PATENT OFFICE.

Application fled larch 15, 1927. Serial No. 175,884.

l atums of the invention to provide a novel form of means for receiving the initial fuel charge,- converting the same into an expansible gas and then introducing said gas into engagement, with the engine rotor for im- 18 parting rotary motion thereto and thereby,

developing the desired power.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention. and its mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have in the following detailed description and in the illustrative drawings based thereupon, set out 95 one possible embodiment of my invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a. vertical section through the improved apparatus showing the piston of the charge forming and delivering device in one position,

i Figure 2 is asimilar view wherein the piston of the charge forming and delivering device is in its uppermost position whereat the spring returning means therefor is compressed,

- Figure 3 is a horizontal sectlon taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the; di-

rection in which are arrows point,

- Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal secton taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is an 'enlargedfragmentary de tail in section showing the construction of the valve means employed for controlling communication between the com ressed. air

i 5 chamber and the combustible fue supplying chamber, and I Figure 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the improved Y apparatus may be stated to comprise a rotor casing or housing generally indicatedby the numeral 1, said casing being provided with a suitable supporting base 2, while a water receiving and circula jacket 3 is arranged there'about and as w1ll be understood, is adapted to receive and to circulate therethrough water or some other suitable cooling medium. A'reversible rotary inlet valve 4-is positioned in suitable bearings adjacent the upper and intake end of the rotor casing 1 while. an exhaust port or opening communicates with theway 5 at the lower portion of said casing; the inlet valve 4, obviously serving to permit of the proper introduction of a motive charge mto engage- A second casing generally indicated by the numeral 8 is received upon and sup-. ported by the upper end of the rotor casing .1, as is shown in the Figures 1 and 2 and is fixedly connected to said upper end of the rotor casing through the mediumof con- 'necting bolts 9 passed through appropriately flanged portions of the lower end of said ment with the rotor 6 mounted within said casing 1 upon a suitable shaft 7.

second casing 8; this casing being also formed with a cooling medium receiving and circulating jacket 10 while a plurality of chambers 11 and 12 are provided therein and arranged in relatively vertical parallel relation.

That the upper end of the second casing 8 may be effectually closed, a head 13 is provided the same and, as will be understood, this head is adapted to be securely connected to said upper end of the casing 8- throu h the medium of bolts or other suit able fastening devices, not shown herein.

Communication is effected, at times, be-

tween the chambers 11 and 12 to ways or ports 14 and 15, the ports 14 being formed. in one portion of the the Figures v1 and 2 while the port 15 is formed in that partition or wall separating the chambers 11 and 12, adjacent their ead 13 asis shown in respective bottoms. Also the conduit or manifold 16 is provided the. outer open end of theport 14 and is adapted to be fixedly connectedthereto, said manifold having a sprin' actuated check valve 17 normall seate therein whereby to prevent the bac flow of air or other motive fluid therethrough; a similar check valve 18 being mounted within the head 13 adjacent the point of communication between the port 14 and the chamber 12 whereb the flow of Y compressed air from the chem r 11 under urge of the piston workingtherein '(hetein- 11 p sides of these slots having after more fully described) will be permitted to discharge into the chamber 12 but will be prevented from passing therefrom at this particular point of communication.

A piston 19 is mounted for rectilinear movement within the chamber 11 and carries upon its upper side a longitudinally disposed hollow piston rod 20, said rod passin the reduced and screw threaded upper end' of'the hollow piston rod 20, for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fully described. Fixedl mounted upon the outer and upper si e of the casing 13'are a plurality o vertically disposed relatively (parallel standards 25 having longitudinally isposed slots formed therein for the greater portions of their respective lengths and the. inner gear teeth 26 formed thereupon throughout their respective len tbs, as is shown in the Figures 1 and 2; t e lower rtidns of these standards being formed wit feet which turn receive connectin or securing bolts 27 herethrough in order ards 25 upon the casing 13 will be efieeted. Another standard 28 is mounted upon the upper side and. oppositeend rtion of the casing head 13, being secure to said head through the medium of a connecting bolt 29 passing through a laterally offset foot thereon into engagement with an adjacent portion of said head 13; the up er end portion of this standard 28 be' i ormed with an ofiset and substantially rlght angularly formed extension 30 having a bell crank lever 31 mounted uponits free end. 7

A table or plate 32 is fixedly carried upon the upper extremities of the standards 25' and 28 and is formed with an intermediately arranged opening while upon the under side of the same, a circular rib 33 is formed, for

a purpose which will be presently described.

Interposed between the disk like element 22 and the plate 32 is a coiled spring 34,

the lower convolution of said spring being engaged with a ring like retaining device ormed upon the upper side of the ele- "ment 22"wh1le the ggpper convolution 'of said spring is en'ga with the ring like device 33 upon the plate 32. Through the arrangement of this spring 34 between the at a fixed mounting of the stsinda su plate 32 and the disk like element 32 carried upon the upper end of the hollow piston rod '20, it will be understood that a normally downwardly directed pressure will be transmitted to said rod 20 and its piston 19 thus, tending to urge the same to its lowermost position within the chamber 11, aforesaid.

With a View toward providing a iston 19 3 with means for raising the same in t e cham r ber 11 as when starting the engine, a shaft 35 carrying pinions on the opposite end portions thereof as indicated by numeralff36,,

is arranged within and transversely of the slots or ways of the uprights 25; the inions 36 meshing with the gear teeth 26 an being ada ted'to be rotated thereover through the me ium of a crank handle 37 secured to one end of the shaft 35, while another handle or gripping device 38 is fixedly secured to an adjacent portion of-the shaft 35 whereby to facilitate the rotation of the crank 37 and the proper steadying of the shaft 35 during such movement. A hooked arm 39 is pivotally carried by the shaft 35 and this arm is adapted to have enga ement under an adjacent portion of the disk like element 22, in the manner as is shown in Figure 1, whereby with rotary movement of the shaft 35 from the crank handle 37 in the proper I direction, the pinions 36 will be caused to ascend the-vertical racks 26 of the uprights 25 and consequently thereupon, to draw the said disk-like element 22 upwardly thereby compressing the coiled spring 34, hereinbefore described. 4

That communication as between the cham- "ber- 11 and the "chamber receiving the rotor 6 may be controlled at predetermined times,

stantially frusto-conical valve 40 is adapted to be seated upon'a valve seat 40 formed in the bottom of the casing 8, as is shown in'the Figure 2, whereas said valve is provided with an elongated stem 41 adapted to be extended lon 'tudinally through an opening formed in t e concentric portlon of the piston 19 and through the rod 20 thereof to a tposition above it and through an opening ormed. in th plate 32. A coil spring 42 is arranged afiout the upper portion of the valve stem 41, having bearing upon 'an abutment or similar'stop 43 secured to the stem while the upper portion of saidsprin has bearing upon an adjacent part of. the plate 32, hence, imparting a normally downwardly directed pressure to the valve stem 41 and consequently, serving to retain the valve 40 upon its seat 40' in the bottom of the-chamber 11. Also, the upper extremity of the stem 41 is screw threaded and receives thereupon an adjusting nut 44, said adjusting nut being arranged above the plate32. A stop collar 45' is adjustably connected to the upper portion of the valve stem 41 through the medium of a set screw 46 and is adapted, at times, to be engaged end of such trigger or bolt being adapted to be engaged under the adjusting nut 44, at times, while the outer or remaining end of said bolt is provided "with an angularly' disosed finger 47 adapted to be engaged by the lice or lower leg portion of the'bellcrank lever 31, hereinbefore described, whereby with locking of said lever 31 in one direction, the bolt 45 willbe slid in an outwardly direction from the stem 41 and the adjusting 'nut 44 thereupon; the said bolt 45 being adapted to be normally returned to its inner position whereat it will engage under the adjusting nut 45, through the medium of a contractile coiled spring 48 having one end anchored toa portion of the late 32 and its opposite end connected to sai bolt 45. Thus,

"it will be understood that with raising of the valve stem 41 and opening of the valve 40, the springtensioned slidable bolt 45"will immediately engage under the adjusting nut 44 and hence, -will prevent return-vertical movement of the valve -stem 41 and the valve to closed position. However, when rocking movement, in the proper direction, is imparted to the bell crank lever 31, the free leg portion of said lever will swing in a direction to permit slidin movement of the bolt 45 under urge of tie contractile coil spring 48 to a position under said adjusting nut 44, hence holding the valve 40 and its stem 41 in open position.

A control device, serving as means for efiecting the starting and stopping of the improved apparatus is provided in form of a substantially bell crank lever 49 having a handle portion 50 formed on one extremity thereof while a laterally'slidable bolt or pin 51 is connected or pivoted to the free leg portion of the lever and is slidably received through a suitable guide way or bracket 52 formed in the lower portion of the upright- 28, the free end of the pin 52'being so arranged that it may be engaged under the disk-like element 22,-by rocking such b'ell crank lever 40 upwardly and thus imparting inward movement of the stem 51. In this connection, it will be noted that the bell crank lever 49 has pivotal mounting upon a suitable bracket 53, which in turn is fixedly connected to an adjacent, portion of the easing head 13.

In order that a combustible fuel may be delivered tothecliamber 11 below the piston 19, at predetermined periods, there is secured to one side and lower ortion of the casing 8, a substantiall cylin rical casin or housing 54, throug the medium 0 passed through appropriately flanged portions of said casing and into fixed engagement with the adjacent portions of the side wall of the casing 8, as is shown in the Figures 1 and 2; The inner portion of this casing 54 is formed with a lateral enlargement 56 and engaged therein is one element of an electrical circuit make and break device 57 Also, a fuel inlet pipe or manifold 58 is connected to and communicates with the interior of the casing 54, having a check valve bolts v 59 interposed therein whereby to prevent any back flow .of fuel from the chamber of nected to said piston, said stem, in turn, car- 1 rying a valve 63 thereonf A coil spring 64 61 is arranged about the hollow piston ro having one end thereof engaging the adjacent slde of the piston 60 while the opposite end thereof has bearing upon an adjacent portion of the wall of the casing 8. Thus, it will be understood that a normally outward thrust will be imparted to the piston 60 and consequently thereupon, that said piston will be normally held adjacent to the head of the cylinder chamber. A second makeand break circuit closing element '65 is fixedly connected to one portion of the piston 60 and is adapted, at times, to be engaged with the element 57, hereinbefore described, also, the end .of the cylindrical casing 54 is provided with a movable head, preferably in form of a piston like element 66 slidably arranged in the outer end of the chamber of said cylinder and secured to a screw threaded rod 67 passing through an internally screw'threaded opening in the outer end wall of said casing 54 whereat it is provided with a suitable form of handle 68. Thus, by rotating the screw threaded rod 67,

the positioning of the head 66 may be varied with res ect to the piston 60.

That t e stem 62 of the valve 63 may have v a pulling movement imparted thereto, whereby the plston 60 may be moved in a direction to effect an intaking of fuel into the chamber of the cylindrical casing 54 and that the valve 63 may be moved from its seat 69 formed in the lower portion of the wall separating the chambers 11 and 12, a lever 70 is provided, said lever being pivotally connected as at 71 to the outer end of the valve stem, while one end thereof is formed with a bearing device 72 and the opposite end theredinal passage way through the stem or extension 62, hence, controlling the communication of said way with the interior of the chamber 11.

A spark plug or other suitable ignition means indicated by the numeral 75 is adapted to be engaged in the lower portion of' the chamber 11, whereby, with the introduction of a properly carbureted and compressed fuel into. said chamber, the same may be exploded at a predetermined time for imparting a working impulse to the piston 19.

That overloading or stressing of the case ing 8 by.an excessive pressure within the chamber 11 may be avoided, a safety valve or similar device 7 6 is engaged with one portion of the casing 8 and has communication with said chamber 11.. r

In operation of my improved apparatus,

the disk like element 22 is engaged by the hooked pivotal arm 39 whereupon the crank handle 37 is rotated to effect ascension of the pinions 36 with-respect to the rack bars 26 of the uprights 25. As the disk-like ele ment 22 passes the inner end of the bolt or slidable pin '51, the handle 50 thereof is moved in a direction to cause the inner extremity of said pin to be arranged in the normal path of downward movement of said element 22. Rotation of the pinions 36 is continued, thereby raising the disk like element 22 together with the piston rod 20 and the piston 19 and simultaneously, compressing the coiled spring 34. Rotation of these pinions is continued until the piston 19 and the disk like element 22 assumes those positions as shown in the Figure 2,

. with the exception that said disk-like element is not raised sufliciently to effect contact as between the stufiing gland 24 thereby carried and the adjustable stop collar During upward movement of the piston 19 in its chamberll, it will be understood'that' air within the upper portion of said chamber 11 would be compressed and will be discharged by way of the passage 14 in the casing head 13 by the spring pressed check, valve '18 into the compressed air storage chamber 12. With the piston thus raised to a position in proximity to the top" of the chamber 11, the crank handle 37 is nowpermitted to rotate in an opposite direction under urge of the compressed spring 34, which, as will be understood, directs a downward stress onto the disk-like element 22 and the piston 19 together with the piston; rod 20;

Said disk-likeelement will descend until it engages with the-inner end v03f the slidable pin 51, at which time, it will be understood that the piston 19 within the chamber 11 is immediately above but in contact with the bearing device 72 of the fulcruming lever 70. To .start the apparatus, the'pin 51 is disengaged from the under side of the disklike element 22 by rocking the handle downwardly. At this time, the still compressed coiled spring 34 will impart a stop or abrupt downward movement to the piston 19 within its chamber 11, causing its piston to engage with the bearing end or device 7 2 of the fulcruming lever 70, whereby said lever will function to impart a pull to the valve 63, the stem 62 and the piston 60. Movement of this piston under this influence will draw a charge of combustible fuel into the base or chamberbetween said piston 60 and the adjustable head 66, while at the same time, inasmuch as the valve 63 is removed from its seat 69, compressed air stored within the chamber 12 will be permitted to rush into the lower portion of the chamber 11 and to engage the lower side of the piston 19, thus forcing the same upwardly for a slight distance, this vertical movement of the piston 19 being suflicient to effect its disengagement from the bearing end of the fulcruming lever 70, whereupon the valve 63 and the piston 60 will abruptly return to their normal ositions under influence of the expansib e coiled spring 64. With abrupt outward movement of the piston 60 in the chamber of the casing 54, the charge of combustible fuel previously in taken thereinto will be forced through-the hollow piston rod and the extension or stem 62 by the check valve 7 4 into the lowerportion of the chamber 11 below the piston 19 and simultaneously with the discharge of thrust to the piston 19, passing said piston upwardly within the chamber 11 to its uppermost position whereupon the upper end of the piston rod 20, and especially, the

's'tufiing or packing gland 24 thereof will engage with the stop collar 45 secured to the elongated valve stem 41, hence imparting an upward movement to said valve stem and removing the valve 40 from its seat 40'. With movement of the valve 40 from its seat 40, it. will be noted that the adjusting nut 44 carried upon the upper end of the valve stem 41 will be raised above the inner end of, the spring pressed slidable bolt 45 so that such bolt under urge of the spring 48 will immediately engage beneath the same and be forced through the valve seat 40 into engagement with the peripheral vaned surface of the rotor 6 mounted within the rotor i i casing, thus imparting rotary motion thereto. As the disk-like element 22 descends with the piston 19 and its rod 20, a portion of said element 22 will engage with an ad- ;ustable abutment 77 carried upon a trp rod;

8, the upper or free end of which 'is pivotaally connected to the adjacent end of the bellcrank lever 31, thereby rocking said bell crank lever in a direction to cause retraction ofthe slidable bolt 45 from the adjustingnut 44 upon the upper end of the valve stem 41 and consequently, permitting said valve stem together with the valve 40 to be immediately returned to closed position under influence of the compressed coiled spring 42, whereupon the cycle of operation is repeated.

Obviously, should it. be desired to stop the apparatus, the handle is rocked in a direction to cause the slidable bolt 51 to be movable to a position to engage with a portion of the under side'of the disk like element 22 as the same. descends. At the time of such engagement, it will be understood that the piston 19,while being in immediate proximity to the bearing device 72 of the fulcruming lever will not be in contact therewith and hence, will. be prevented from rocking said lever and causing movement to be imparted to the valve 63, the stem 62, and the piston 60,- thus interrupting the supply of compressed air to the chamber 11 from the chamber 12 and also,

a the supply of combustible fuel from the cy lindrical casing 54 by way of said stem 62 into the lower portion of the chamber 11.

Manifestl the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the splrit of my claims, I consider within the s'cope'of my inventon.

I claim: 4 i

1. A device ofthe character described comprising in combination, a rotor receiving casing, a second casing above and in longitudinal alignment with the fir st casing having a pair of juxtaposed coincldingly disposed communicable chambers therein, a piston received in one of said chambers,

- spring means carried by said second casing and arranged exteriorly thereof engaged with said piston for normally unpartinga downwardly thrust thereto, valve means for controlling communication between said piston receiving chamber and the rotor casing, adjustable means engageable by the rod of said piston for effecting operation of said valve means, andv means adjacent the remaining chamber operable by said piston for effecting a forced discharge of fuel into the lower portion of the piston receiving chamber.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a rotor receiving casing, a second casing above the first casing having a pair of juxtaposed relatively parallel and longitudinally disposed communicable chambers therein, a piston received in one of said chambers,-sp'ring means carried without said second casing and having engagement with the rod of said piston whereby to impart, a starting downward thrust thereto, valve means for controlling communication between such piston receiving chamber and the rotor casing,- adjustable means 'engageable, at times, by the rod of v piston for efi'ecting operation of said valve means, means adjacent the remaining chamber for effecting a discharge of a predetermined amount of fuel into the lower portion of the piston receiving chamber, and valve means cooperable with said last mentioned means and operable by said piston immediately prior to the finish of its downward stroke 3. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a rotor receiving casing, a second casing-supported above the first casing, having a plurality of a relatively parallel juxtaposed and communicable chambers therein, a piston received in one of said chambers, manually operable spring means carried on said second casing exteriorly of the same for imparting, a starting downwardly directed thrust to said piston, valve means for automatically controlling communication between said piston receiving chamber and the rotor casing operable by said piston, means engageable with said valve means subseq'uentlyto opening of the same by said piston for retaining such valve means inopen-position for a predetermined time, and means operable by said piston immediately prior to the finish ofits downward stroke for effecting the discharge of a predetermined amount of fuel into the lower portion of the piston'receiving chamber. r 7

4. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a rotorcasing, a rotor therein, a second casing supported above the first casing having a pair of relatively parallel communicable chambers therein, a pistonreceived in one of said chambers, spring means on the second casin exteriorly thereof engaging the rod of sai piston for imparting, at times, a downward said piston within the chamber, manually operable means for limiting the extent of downward movement of said piston in its chamber and controlling operation of the device, another chamber secured to and communicable with said second casing, a fuel inlet means, communicating with said last mentioned casing, a piston working within said last mentioned casing, a valve stem extension carried on the outer end of the rod of said last mentioned piston, a valve on said stem for controlling communication between the chambers within said second casing, valve means also within said stem for controlling communication between the piston receiving chamber and the interior of said last mentioned casing, charge igniting means in the lower portion of the piston'receivin chamber, electrical circuit make and brea means operable by movement of the piston within said last mentioned casing, and means movably connected to'the inner end of said stem and arranged within the lower portion of the piston receiving chamber adapted to be engaged by said piston wher by to effect movement of the valve carried by said stem and simultaneous movement of the piston within said last mentioned casing. g In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SIDNEY GOTTSEELIG ROBERTS.

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