US1808084A

US1808084A - Rotary engine

Info

Publication number: US1808084A
Application number: US274034A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank E Tidd
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-04-30
Filing date: 1928-04-30
Publication date: 1931-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1948-06-02

Description

June. 2, 1931. F. E. TlDD I ROTARY ENGINE Filed A ril so. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 2, 1931. F; E. TlDD ROTARY ENGINE Filed April 50, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /T?. -/r E. 7/00 ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 2, 1931 PATENT OFFICE FRANK E. T1131), YERINGTON, NEVADA ROTARY Application filed April 30,

My invention relates to improvements in a rotary engine, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed. I

An object of my invention is to provide a rotary engine that employs novel means for compressing the gas prior to its entrance into the combustion chamber. A valve controls the flow of compressed gas into the chamber and in this way the speed of the engine is controlled.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that employs an automatic spark for igniting the gas,

this spark occurring after the gas has been admitted into the combustion chamber.

The spark is timed for igniting the gas when the piston starts its firing stroke or when the piston has partially moved through its firing stroke.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that makes use of a novel method for lubricating the piston vanes.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specifications, and the novel features of my invention will be particularly pointed out in what I hereinafter claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a section along the line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure the rotor;

Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 show elements for sealing the moving parts;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a vane Figure 8 is a perspective view of a sealing element for the vane;

Figure 9 is a section along the line 9-9 of Figure 7 Figure 10 is a section along the line 10-10 of Figure 2;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a vane guide; and

3 is a top plan view of a portion of ENGINE 1928. Serial No. 274,034.

Figure 12 is a erspective view of an element used with t e vane.

In carrying out my invention I provide a stator 1, see Figures 1 and 2. In the stator I mount a rotor 2. This rotor is carried by a shaft 3 which constitutes a power takeoff shaft. The rotor 2 has a plurality of radially extending slots 3 therein, these slots having enlarged recesses l that extend throughout a portion of the length of the slots. In each slot I mount a vane of a particular construction.

Figures 3, 4, 7, and 9 show the particular type of vane. The vane'has a body portion 5 that extends substantially across the width of the rotor 2, see Figure 3. This vane is supported by an upright 6 and is movably connected to a cross piece 7 having a length substantially the same as the width of the vane. The upright is hollow and slidably p receives a cylindrical member 8. A spring 9 is interposed between the member 8 and the bottom of the recess in the upright 6. The member 8 carries fins 10 that are slidably received in slots 11 in the upright 6. This prevents a turning movement between the cross-piece 7 and the vane 5.

The vane is slipped into the slot 3 in the manner shown in Figure 4. The cross-piece 7 bears against cams 12 carried by the side walls of the stator 1, see Figure 1. The cams are of the shapes shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2. A turning of the rotor will cause the cross-piece 7 to ride upon the cams and to move the ends of the vanes 5 toward and away from the periphery of the rotor 2, thereby causing the vanes to contact with the irregularly-shaped inner surface 13 of the stator. The springs automatically take up any wear between the vanes and the stator, and causethe vanes to contact with the stator in a manner to prevent leakage of gas thereby. a

The stator is provided with a combustion 9r chamber 14 that communicates with an eX- 0 haust passageway 15 and a compression chamber 16 that communicates with an intake pipe 17 and a storage reservoir 18. The intake pipe 17 is connected to a carburetor, not

shown, which will deliver the correct mixture I munieation is cut off between reservoir to be removed when r part 26 extends.

of gas to the engine. The gas passes through the pipe 17 and then into the com pression chamber 16. The vanes 5 force the gas from the chamber 16 into the storage reservoir 18, the gases passing through a passageway 19. A check valve 20 is disposed in this passageway for preventing the fiow of gas from the reservoir 18 back into the compression chamber 16.

It is well to note at this point that the stator 1 has a section A that carries the storage reservoir 18, a valve 21, to be hereinafter described, and an ignition device 22. Bolts 23 removably secure the section A to the stator and when this section is removed, access may be had to any one of the vanes carried by the rotor. Bolts 24 secure the storage reservoir 18 to the section A and permit this desired.

I will now describe the valve 21. This valve is shown in Figures 2 and 10. The valve has a conical-shaped hollow body 25 that has openings 27 therein. The body 25 seats in a conical sleeve formed of two

parts

26 and 26. The two parts extend longitudinally the length of the valve and have their adjacent edges spaced from each other for providing a port 29 that may be changed in s1ze.

To effect this change, the part 26 is movably disposed between the body 25 and a cover plate 33. The plate 33 has an opening through which a handle 31 The handle may be manually moved to vary the size of the port 29. The part 26 is secured against movement by a set screw 31.

The part 26' has a large opening 28 communicating with the storage chamber 18. In the present drawin s I have shown five vanes and ten openings 27. One of these openings is always in registration with the opening 28, and therefore the same gas pressure is maintained in the interior .of the body 25 as is maintained in the chamber 18. The port 29 re 'sters with a passageway 30.

he

parts

26 and 26 are carried in grooves 27 in the cover plate 33.

The valve 25 1s mounted upon a shaft 24 and this shaft is operatively connected to the main shaft 3 by a chain and sprockets 35. In this way the valve is timed with the rotation of the rotor 2 and brings its openings 27 into alignment with the openings 28 and 29 at the proper times.

- Gas flows from the opening 29 through the passa eway 30 and against a flap valve 36 see i re 2 The valve swin s to uncover the passageway and permits the gas to enter the combustion chamber 14. soon as comthe valve 25 and the passageway 30, the flap valve 36 will drop into the position shown by gravity.

e flap valve 36 swings into closed position, it moves a terminal 37 away from an a combustion chamber integral with the adjustable terminal 38. A wire, not shown, is connected to the terminal 38 and the terminal 37 is grounded. A spark will therefore jump between the terminals as they are moved apart, and this will ignite the gas within the 14 The exploded gas will force the vane 5 in a clockwise direction.

The chamber is relatively long, and therefore the full force of the expanding gases is utilized in the power stroke prior to the passage of the gases out through the exhaust port 15. It will be seen that varying the amount of opening between the valve and passageway 30 would cause a greater or lesser amount of gas to be forced into the combustion chamber 14. This will vary the length of time it takes for the flap valve 36 to close, which in turn will vary the timing of the explosion stroke. A large quantity of gas admitted to the combustion chamber 14 will therefore cause the vane 5 to move a considerable distance before the flap valve 36 can move away for creating the necessary spark.

I have shown a Water compartment 39 having an inlet pipe 40 and an outlet pipe 41.

his compartment keeps the engine cool in the usual manner.

I have also shown a novel oiling mechanism. Figure 1 shows an oil cup 42 contain-' ing a quantity of oil. This'oil feeds into a chamber 43 and from there into a passageway 44 to the center of the shaft 3. The passageway 44 communicates with an annular groove 45 in the rotor 2. Oil ducts 46 lead from the groove 45 to the vanes 5.

Reference to Figure 11 shows a perspective View of a bearing plate 47. A plate is disposed on each side of each vane 5 and adjacent to the periphery of the rotor 2. One of these plates (there are two for each vane) has an opening 48 that communicates with the duct 46 and with an oil groove 49. The groove extends transversely to a keeper plate 50 and feeds oil into slots 51 in this plate. The plate is secured to one side of the vane 5 by bolts 52, or other suitable fastening means, see Figure 4. Inter-posed between the keeper 50 and the vane 5 is a wick 53. This wick is held in place by pins 54 that project from the face of the vane 5, see Figure 7, and enter openings in the wick, see the opening in Figure 2. The wick is saturated with oil fed from the slots 51 and groove 49, and this oil is conveyed to the end and sides of the wick 1 by centrifugal force. In this way the inner surface 13 of the stator 1 is lubricated. Of course, there is a wick for each vane and a keeper for each wick.

The rotor is provided with segmental sealing rings 55 of the shape shown in Figure 5. These rings are received in grooves 56 fashioned in the sides of the rim 57 of the rotor 2. The plates 47 have notches 58 for receiving the ends of the ring sections 55, see F igring sections will abut ures 4 and 11. In this way the ends of the against the vanes 5. The combined slots 3' and 4 extend to the periphery of the rotor 2. These slots are out still deeper for providing recesses 59, see Figure 4:, for receiving the plates 47. The plates have ears 60 and these ears extend beneath the rim 57 and straddle the web 60' of the rotor. The ears have slots 61 for receiving screws 62 by means of which the plates are secured to the rotor. The sectional rings 55 are yieldingly held 1n contact with the sides of the stator by corrugated sectional rings 63, see Figure 6, that are interposed between the rotor and the rings 55, note the wavy dotted lines in Figure 3 denoting the rings 63.

The edges of the vanes 5 are provided with sealing means which are in the shape of T shaped members 64, shown in Figure 8. The edges of each vane are provided with grooves 65, see Figure 3, for receiving the members 64:. Corrugated rings 66 are placed between the wall of the vane and the member 64. The members 64 are prevented from moving in a longitudinal direction with respect to the .vanes by pins 67, see Figure 7, that are carried by the vanes and. enter notches 68.

The engine is designed to combine the four of an internal combustion engine, i. e., intake, compression, explosion, and exhaust, in a single cycle. The greater number of the working parts of the standard engine are eliminated, such as pistons, connectoperations ing rods, valves, cam, shaft, gears, et cetera..

The shock of the explosion is away from the bearing which permits compression charge.

The full force of the burning gases is expended on the vanes due to the long combustion chamber disposed at the outside of the rotor and to the clear unobstructed passage to the open air through a large exhaust port. The use of a separate compression chamber larger in size than the combustion chamber, permits a greater quantity of gas under a higher compression to be delivered to the combustion chamber than is possible where both compression and combustion chambers are one as in a standard engine. Carbon deposits are unlikely because the action of the blades wipes the walls clean.

The oiling system delivers oil to the wall of the stator with the aid of centrifugal force. The exhaust end of the combustion chamber is about twenty per cent larger than the ignition end. This provides an ever increasing blade area to the gases as they expend themselves, thereby providing a more uniform power stroke.

The rotary valve is provided with double the number of openings as the number of vanes. The valve can therefore be rotated at one-half the speed of the shaft 3. The engine can be air or water cooled because the use of a higheronly one-fifth of the surface of the stator is subject to the heat of the explosion. Each of the blades is the equivalent of two cylinders of the present four cycle engine. The number of vanes may be varied at will.

A governor to the compression chamber 18 is shown in Figure 2. A pipe communicates with the chamber 18 and with a cylinder 76. The cylinder carries apiston 77, and a piston rod 78, pivoted to the piston, has its opposite end connected to an arm 79. The arm 79 controls a butterfly valve 80 in the inlet pipe 17.

The piston 77 is urged in one direction by a spring 81. The cylinder 76 is provided with an enlarged portion for receiving the spring. One end of the spring bears against an end wall 82, while its other end bears against a support 83 secured to the piston rod.

The piston 77 is moved to swing the valve 80 into closed position when the pressure within chamber 18 reaches a predetermined point, and the spring moves the piston in the opposite direction as soon as the pressure falls, thus opening the valve and admitting more gas to build the'pressure up to standard. In this way a constant pressure is maintained within chamber 18 irrespec tive of speed, and the engine is controlled by opening or closing port 29, the port permitable fastening means 'may be employed for securing the block in place such as bolts 85 that have their ends secured in the block B and their midportions adjustable in'the slots 86 in the stator 1.

Although I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of vari ous changes, and I reserve the right'to em ploy suchchanges as may come within the scope of the invention as claimed.

, Iclaim:

1. In a rotary engine, a combustion chamber, a gas'i'nlet for said chamber, a timed valve for causing said inlet to intermittently deliver a gas to said chamber and spark-controlling means consisting of a stationary terminal and-a movable terminal, said movable terminal being controlled by gravity when the compressed gas ceases toflow into said chamber.

2. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor, a combustion chamber, a valve for delivering gases under pressure to said combustion chamber, means for varying the amount of opening of said valve for delivering predetermined quantities of gas to said combustion chamber, a spark plug consisting of a fixed member and a movable member, said movable member dropping away from the fixed member when gas ceases to fiow from the valve into the combustion chamber, the movement of said member away from the first one causing a spark, which will ignite the gases only when the entireamount of charge is received in the combustion chamber.

3. A valve for a rotary engine comprising a casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means for varying the size of the outlet opening, and a rotary valve disposed within said casing and having openings of a predetermined size, said openings registering with the inlet and outlet openings for permitting the entrance of gas into the valve and out from the valve through the outlet opening in the casing.

4. In a rotary engine, a combustion chamber, a gas inlet for said chamber, means for causing said inlet to intermittently deliver a gas to said chamber and spark-controlling means consisting of a stationary terminal and a movable terminal, said movable terminal being controlled by gravity when the Igompressed gas ceases to flow into said cham- 5. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor, a combustion chamber, a valve for delivering gases under pressure to said combustion chamber, a spark plug consisting of a fixed member and a movable member, said movable member dropping away from the fixed member when gas ceases to 'flow from the valve into the combustion chamber, the movement of said member away from the first one causing a spark.

6. In a rotary engine, a stator, a rotor, a combustion chamber, means for delivering gases under pressure to said combustion chamber, means for varying the amount of opening of said valve for delivering predetermined quantities of gas to said combustion chamber, a spark plug consisting of a fixed membed and a movable member, said movable member dropping away from the fixed member when gas ceases to flow from the valve into the combustion chamber, the movement of said member away from the first one causing a spark, which will ignite the gases only when the entire amount of charge is received in the combustion chamber.

7 In a rotary engine, a combustion chamber, vanes movable therein, a chamber for holding gases under pressure, a timed valve for delivering gas from the compression chamber to the combustion chamber, and means for varying the size of the valve opening for causin 'difi'erent quantities of gas to enter the combustion chamber, these difi'erent quantities being-at the same pressure.

FRANK E. TIDD.