US2116897A

US2116897A - Rotary internal-combustion engine

Info

Publication number: US2116897A
Application number: US11278A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dove S Jay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-03-15
Filing date: 1935-03-15
Publication date: 1938-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 1955-05-10

Description

' May 10, 1938. D. s. JAY

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1935 May 10, 1938.

D. S. JAY

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r INVENTOR.

BY H V I ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1 938 v UNITED STATES 4 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary internal com- .bustion engines.

Heretofore rotary engines have usually been many attempts have been made to make a satisfactory rotary engine of the internal combustion type. I am informed and. believe that, on the whole, such attempts failed, although some of 20 them were more indicative of success than others.

I am also informed and believe that the majority I of the failures of the more successful attempts were due in the most part to the fact that the explosion chambers, were located in the rotor where it is diflicult, and so far it has been impossible, to provide a satisfactory cooling system. For this reason I conceived the idea of locating the explosion chambers in the housing surrounding the rotor where they may be readily cooled 30 in the usual manner and my invention embodies this idea. a The principal object of this invention lies in the provision of .a rotary internal combustion type engine of simple construction and few moving 35 parts which is driven by the force of explosions of fuel acting upon the cammed faces of grooves located in the rotor.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of control valves actuated directly .by 40 cam surfaces on the rotor for controlling the intake of fuel into the combustion chamber 'and controlling the exhaust therefrom.

These andother objects and novel features of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: a

Fig. l is a cross sectional view of my rotary internal combustion type engine. 50 Fig'. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation showingthe valve operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of 55 Fig. 2.

well-known fastening means.

PATENT OFFlCE 2,116,897 v ROTARY INTERNAL-COIHBUSTION ENGINE Dove S.- Jay, Detroit, Mich. v Application March 15, 1935 Serial No. 11,278 (01. 123-45) by

numerals

3, 4, 5, and 6. They are cam-shaped,

having a quickly falling surface at one end and 1 gradually rising to the outer circumference of the rotor at the other end, as may be clearly seen in Fig. 1. These grooves act as driving or firing cams as will be hereafter explained.

A circumferential housing I surrounds the rotor and is provided with end plates 8""cooprating therewith in forming a complete housing for the rotor. Each end plate 8 carries a suitable bearing 9 surrounding the drive shaft I.

.A portion of the housing is enlarged to accommodate. certain parts hereinafter to be described.

'I prefer to locate the enlarged part of the hous ing in the upper portion thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

In this enlarged portion of the housing I provide four explosion or combustion chambers of arcuate outline, I0, I I, I2, and IS, in which are respectively mounted, abutment valves ll, l5, l6, and I1, rigidly secured to their respective rock shafts l8, I9, 20, and 2!, as by keys or other 39 These chambers are staggered in the same manner as the semicircumferential grooves in the rotor, thus permitting the abutment valve of each chamber to drop only into its corresponding groove and causing said valve to ride on the offset portion of the rotor over the following groove. 7

The outermost end of each of said rock shafts extends through a bearing 2 l a extending through the end plates of the housing and the end of 40 each such shaft has secured to it a vane member 22 enclosed in a circular chamber vl3 formed by a closure or bracke'tmember 24 secured to the end plates 8 of the housing.-

In each of the chambers 23 there is located a stop member 25, see Fig. 4. This stop member.

serves a two-fold purpose. One side-or face of it prevents its associated abutment valve from turning beyond a certain point in case of a r rear face of the'stop member acts as aseat for 1 any type of spring means that may be'mounted in the circular chamber to press the vane 22 in the direction of the first mentioned face of the stop member, thus causing the said toe of the valve to follow the periphery of the rotor. For this purpose, I have shown a coiled spring 26 mounted in each of said circular chambers 23, having one end abutting against the rear face of the stop member and the other end abutting against one side of the vane 22.

The innermost end of each rock shaft terminates in a central bearing 21 located in the housing 1.

The abutment valves It, l5, l6, and .II are somewhat L shaped, having two arms, one arm preferably being longer than the other. The long arm of the abutment valve is herein designated the toe 28 and the short arm is designated the heel 29. The contour of the explosion or com- 7 sure is equal and opposite in direction, any ex plosion that takes place in the explosion chambers will tend to force the toe 28 into its respective groove in the rotor, thereby aiding the springs 28 in operating the abutment valves. Thus the toe may be described as a follower or follower arm, as it follows the periphery of the rotor, or as a contact arm as it continuously contacts the rotor.

Each of the explosion or combustion chambers In, H, I2, and i3 is provided with an intake port 38 and an exhaust port 33. Each intake port 3| is so located that, when the toe of the abutment valve located in its associated combustion chamber is not riding in its respective groove in the rotor, fuel may pass through the port 3i into the combustion chamber, as clearly shown in the dotted line position of the abutment valves l6 and I1 shown in Fig. 1. The said dotted lines not only show the position of the abutment valves l4 and 15 when riding on the surface of the rotor, but also show the position of the abutment'valves l8 and I1 in the other two explosion chambers when toe 28 of abutment valve M is about to ride up on the surface of the rotor and toe 28 of abutment valve 15 has ridden down the cam surface of its respective groove in the rotor.

The heel 29 of each of said abutment valves is of greater thickness than the toe and is arranged to close the exhaust port to its respective combustion chamber when its respective intake port is open to said combustion chamber and vice versa.

This abutment valve and the inlet port and exhaust port construction permits fuel to enter each associated combustion'chamber prior to the time that the toe of its associated abutment valve drops into its respective groove in the rotor, at which time the usual ignition system (not shown) is timed to explode the charge, the pressure of -the explosion acting upon the cammed groove in the rotor and forcing the fly wheel to rotate;

the exhaust of the previous explosion passes out through the groove, thence through the lower portion of the explosion chamber beneath the abutment valve and thence out .the exhaust P rt 33.

The fuel is fed to the motor under pressure by any suitable means (not shown) through valves communicating with the inlet ports of the respective explosion or combustion chambers. I have shown two oscillating valve units 31, each unit supplying gas or fuel alternately to two associated explosion chambers. Each oscillating valve unit comprises a stationary hollow casing 39 enclosing a hollow sleeve 4 I said sleeve being oscillatable by a shaft 43 attached to and enclosing one end thereof. Each of said rock shafts 43 extends through a cap 45 threaded or otherwise secured to one end of the hollow casing 39.

Each of the said oscillatable valve sleeves ll is provided with two discharge ports 41, spaced to I .with its associated operating mechanism. Each 'such mechanism comprises an eccentric or cam member 5| mounted on the drive shaft I, a supporting collar or band member 53 having a projecting member 55, a connecting rod 51 having one, end secured to said projecting member, and a rocker arm 59, one end of which is pivotally connected to the other end of the connecting rod and the other end of which is fixedly. secured to the rock shaft 53.

Any suitable ignition system may be used. I have shown the usual spark plugs 6| mounted in chambers 63 registering with their respective explosion chambers.

The enlarged portion of the casing is suitably bored to provide for a water cooling system 65. The firing'end of each driving cam or groove in the rotor is preferably provided with sealing means to prevent leakage of pressure or of explosive charge, etc. between the outer surface of the rotor and the inner surface of the housing. Preferably some expansible sealing means should be used. I have provided a pivotally mounted expansible sealing check. 61 having a projecting arm 69 which is adapted to be forced against the inner surface of the housing by the driving force of the explosion. This sealing means is of considerable benefit as it is advisable to make the outer diameter of the fly wheel smaller than the bore of the housing so as to avoid excessive friction.

It will be seen that my rotary internal combustion engine comprises four explosion chambers which are arranged in the rotor housing to cooperate with respective ones of four semi-circular grooves in the rotor. chambers are arranged in staggered pairs so that the toe of the abutment valve in each combustion chamber is prevented from following the depressed surface of any other but its correspond--' .ing groove after which it rides up out of the groove onto the outer periphery of the rotor and doesnot enter the following groove. As the rotor turns in a counter-clockwise direction the sparking is timed to explode the gas in each combustion chamber just as the toe of its valve begins to follow the depressed portion of the.cor-

' responding groove.

The grooves and the parts in the approximate position that they.

valve M riding up the'inclined surface of groove 3 onto the outer periphery of the rotor, subsequent to the explosion of the chamber I 0. In a diagrammatic view Fig. 5, the parts are shown in the same position. In Fig. 1, I have also shown will occupy when the gas in chamber II is exploding and this may also be seen in Fig. 5, it being remembered that the groove 4 is directly adjacent or under chamber II at this time. Also in Fig. 1, the abutment valves 16 and I1, designated in dotted lines, are shown in the positions they would then occupy in chambers 12 and I 3 since they are riding over the ofiset grooves at this time, as shown in Fig. 5, due to the fact that toe 28 of valve 16 is only adapted to ride in groove ii and toe 28 of valve I1 is only adapted to ride in groove 5. As the rotor revolves further to the left, toe 28 of valve I will ride over but will not enter groove 4 and toe 28 of valve l5 will ride over but will not enter groove 3.

In Fig. 1, chamber II is shown with the heel 29 of abutment valve 15 having cut oil the intake port 3| and having opened exhaust port 33 and with the toe 28 of said valve having followed the depressed face of semi-circumferential groove 4, due to the action of the spring 26. As the force of the explosion in this chamber turns the rotor further to the left, toe 28 of abutment valve Ii, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, will follow the depressed surface of groove 6 (see Fig. 5) and then an explosion will take place in chamber I 3 (see Fig. 2) at exactlythe same time that the rotor has revolved ninety degrees counterclockwise from the position shown in'Fig. 1, In like manner, an explosion will next take place in chamber 12, which is under the chamber I 0 shown in Fig. 1, and then in chamber ll,'two explosions taking place simultaneously each half turn of the rotor, and only one explosion taking place in each chamber on each complete revolution of the rotor. I

Aside from the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described, it'will be understood that numerous details of the construction may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed, and that I do not desire to limit the invention to the exact construction herein set forth.

I claim: I

1. In a rotary internal combustion engine, in combination, a housing having an opening therethrough, a rotor rotatably mounted in said opening and having two pairs of opposed and staggered recessed portions therein, two pairs of opposed combustion chambers positioned in said housing and opening into said rotor opening, each combustion chamber having an inlet conduit and an' exhaust conduit, valves communicating with the inlet conduits and adapted to open thereto in series sequence, a pivoted lever mounted in each of said combustion chambers, each lever having two arms, one arm of each lever being longer than the other and being adapted to move into and out of its respective recessed portion of said rotor,

duits.

the other arm of each lever acting as a closing means to close either said intake or exhaust conduit in its respective combustion chamber and means for pressing the longer arm of each lever toward the rotor.

2. In combination in a rotary internal combustion engine, a housing having a substantially cylindrical opening therein, a rotor of suitable conformation for rotating therein, bearing means for journalling said rotor in said opening, a plurality of combustion chambers in said housing connecting through the side walls of said rotor receiving opening, a plurality of grooves recessed circumferentially in the peripheral surface of said rotor, ports connecting from and to each of said chambers, a valve pivotally mounted in each of said chambers for controlling the flow of gas to and from the respective ports, a' valve actuating member projecting from each valve for actuating the same in accordance with the bottom contour of a corresponding one of said grooves, and said chambers, valves and grooves being offset axially in staggered relation so that, as the rotor rotates, each valve actuating member enters only a corresponding one of the grooves and passes freely over all the other grooves.

3. In a rotary internal combustion-engine, in combination, a housing having an opening therethrough, a rotor having recesses therein rotatably mounted in said opening, opposed combustion chambers in said housing and opening into said rotor opening, each of said combustion chambers having an inlet conduit leading through the side wall and an exhaust conduit leading therethrough, and an abutment valve mounted in each combustion chamber, each valve having a long arm adapted to contact the periphery of the rotor and. a thickheel actuated by contact of said contact side wall of each chamber to alternately close the respective inlet and outlet conduits of the combustion chamber in which it is located.

4. In a rotary internal combustion engine, in combination, a housing having an opening therethrough, a rotor having recessed portions therein rotatably mounted in said opening, said recessed portions being axially staggered, opposed combustion chambers positioned in-said housing and opening into said rotor opening, a pair of valves mounted on said housing. intake conduits connecting from said valves through the side walls of said combustion chambers and exhaust conduits leading through the side walls of said combustion chambers, closing means in said chambers for said intake and exhaust conduits, said closing means comprising pivoted levers each having two arms, one of said levers being mounted in each combustion chamber, one arm of each lever acting as a follower and suitably disposed axially for contacting the corresponding recessed portion of said rotor, and the other arm of each lever comprising a thick flow restricting heel engaging the side wall of its chamber and acting as a closing means to close either said intake or exhaust con- DOVE S. JAY.

'am with the rotor and adapted to engage the