US2176812A - Rotary engine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 17, 19311). l R. P. GLENN 2,176,812

ROTARY ENGINE Filed Sept. 21, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 b/ Mm Oct. 17, 1939. R. P. GLENN y ROTARY ENGINE' Filed Sept.l 21, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 'R P. GLENN 2,176,812

ROTARY ENGINE Filed Sept. 21, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 17, 19,39'. R. P. GLENN 2,176,812

' ROTARY ENGINE I Filed' sept. '21, 193B 5 sheets-sheet 4 R. P. GLENN RoTARY ENGINE 0dn 17, Y1939.

Filed Sept. 21, 19358 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f/f. k a y pi gmc/who@ E D my, u w ,f n j M W.. n Z WM, mm W my @HM M Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES ROTARY ENGINE Russell P. Glenn, deceased, late of Abilene, Tex.,

by James F. Handy, signor to Eureka executor, Abilene, Tex., as- Steam Engine Company,

Abilene, Tex., a corporation Application September 21, 1938, Serial No. 231,077

'' Claims.

This invention relates to rotary engines, more particularly to an improvement upon the construction of the rotary engine forming the subject of Letters Patent No. 2,117,951 granted May 17, 1938, and it not only embodies essentially all of the objects as defined in the Letters Patent aforesaid, but has for another of its objects whereby the engine may be so constructed to meet a wide variety of pressure cycle characteristics.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a rotary engine including rotor cylinders interposed between steam chests and with said cylinders and chests having correlated means to form steam intake manifolds and an exhaust manifold and with the latter acting to maintain an approximately even operating temperature of the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a, manner as hereinafter set forth a rotary engine including a set of spaced steam chests,v a set of spaced rotor cylinders interposed between the chests and having rotor chambers therein, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts to form steam intake manifolds for selectively communicating with said chambers, and said chests and cylinders having other correlated parts to form an exhaust manifold constituting a steam jacket for said chambers and the intake manifolds and acting to maintain an approximately even operating temperature for the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an engine of the class referred to including rotors so constructed to prevent the binding thereof due to unequal temperature expansions between the rotor shafts and the engine body.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a compact, sturdy, durable, dependable, thoroughly efcient and economical rotary steam engine structure which can be economically operated and maintained in service.

Embodying the objects aforesaid and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically rreferred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment f the 0 invention, but it is to be understood that changes,

variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan View of the engine,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2 2, Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an elevation looking towards the governor end of the engine,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 looking towards the power take-off end of the engine,

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively sections on lines 5, 6-6 and l-l, Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a detail in section illustrating the arrangement of a tie bolt with respect to the body of the engine,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary View partly in elevation of a rotor illustrating the lubricant conducting duct or groove therein,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail in section illustrating a lubricant line with respect to the body of the engine,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the reversing shaft with respect to the body of the engine,

Figure 12 is a partial section on line l Figure 1,

Figures 13 and 14 are respectively fragmentary details in top plan and side elevation of the operating connections employed for steam supply controlling valve and the exhaust controlling valves,

Figure l5 is a face view of an expansion indicating chart,

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic View of a pair of correlated rotors,

Figure 17 is a detail section illustrating the gear connection between the rotor shafts.

Figure 18 is a detail illustrating the lever for operating the throttle valve mechanism,

Figure 19 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the governor and throttle valve mechanism,

Figure 20 is a front elevation partly in section of the operating means for the lubricating mechanism,

Figure 21 is a rear elevation broken away of the operating means for the lubricating mechanism, and

Figure 22 is an elevation illustrating the lubricant conducting lines leading from the lubricating mechanism.

The engine is illustrated by way of example as of the three cylinder type with uniformly spaced power impulses.

The engine as shown by Way of example includes four horizontally disposed steam chests l, 2, 3 and Il and three horizontally disposed cylinders 5, 6, 1 alternately arranged with relation to the steam chests'. The axis of one cylinder endwise aligns with the axes of the other cylinders and also endwise aligns with the axes of the chests. The chests and cylinders are of annular form and correspond in outer diameter. The cylinder 5 isarranged between the chests l, 2; the cylinder 6 between the chests 2, 3; and the cylinder 1 between the chests 3, 4. The chest l is of greater length than the chests 2, 3 and 4. The chests 2, 3 and 4 are of like length. The cylinders are of greater length than the chests 2, 3 and 4, but of' less length than chest I. The chests and cylinders' are arranged in endWise abutting relation and retained in such position by spaced tie bolts 8 carrying clamping nuts 9 bearing against the outer end faces of the chests I, 4, The chest I (Figure 2) has a pair of spacednormally closed openings. II) at its top and a pair of spaced normally closed openings Ia at its bottom for access thereto. The chests 2, 3 andv4 are provided with normally closed openings II at their tops and with normally closed openings: I2 at their bottoms for access thereto. The chest I is of a different construction with respect to the construction of the chests 2, 3, 4. The chests 2, 3 are of different construction with respect to the construction of the chests I, 4 and the chest 4 is of a different construction with respect to the construction of the chests I, 2 and 3. The cylinders` 5, 6 and 1 are of like construction and of a construction different from any one of the chests.

The chests I, 2, 3 and 4 each include, as best shown in Figure 6, an annular steam jacket wall I3, a pair ofsteam inlet manifold sections.' I4, I5 formed with steam inlets I6, I1 respectively for a cylinder. The chests I, 2, 3'and 4 include a pair ofv spacedA bearings I8, I9, for a purpose to be referred to and an exhaust controlling valve cylinder 29 arranged between the bearings I8, I9.

Each chest includes a pair of end walls integral with the wall I3 thereof. 'Ihe end walls for the chest l are designated la, Ib; those vfor the chest 2 at- 2a, 2b; those for the chest 3 at 3105, 3b; and those for the chest 4 at 4a, 4b.

The wall I a. of chest I is provided with a threaded opening 22V for attaching theretoan exhaust pipe not shown, a steam supply opening 23 above the opening 22 and an opening 24 :above the opening` 2-3 for a purpose to be referred to. The chest I has an integral par-t thereof to provide therein. a supply controlling valve cylinder 25 open at each end and with which the steam intake manifold sections i4, I5 (Figure 5) thereof Iare integral. The opening 23 communicates with the cylinder 25 and the lattery is provided with a pair of spaced superposed steam supply openings 25, 21for selectively establishing-communication between the intake manifold sections I4, I5 of saidV cylinder. Each of the chests. has an integral part thereof providing therein an` exhaustv controlling valve cylinder 2U. The wall Ib of chest I has a pair of superposed spaced exhaust openings y28,l 29 which open into its cylinder 28. The chest I has integral With the inner face of its wall la, its` cylinder 25, its Wall Ib, and itsV manifold sections I4, I5 a pair of wall forming portions-39 which-are also integral with the wall I3 and provide a pair ofspaced heads 32 forming continuations of a steam jacket constituting an exhaust manifold to be referred to. The manifold sections I4, I5 of chest I open at their rear. ends through the wall I b of chest I.

The Walls. 2a of chest 2, are formed with a. pair of superposed spaced` exhaust openings 33, 34 which communicate with the cylinder 20 of such chest. The wall 2b of chest 2is formed with a pair of spaced superposed exhaust openings 35,

36 which communicate with the cylinder 25- of such chest. The wall 3a of the chest 3 is formed with apair of superposed spaced exhaust openings 31, 38v which communicate with the cylinder .29 of such chest. The wall 3h of chest 3 is formed with a pair of spaced superposed exhaust openings 39, 4IwhichV communicate with the.cylinder 28 of suchy chest. VThe wall 4a-of chest 4 is provided with a pair of spaced superposed exhaust openings 4I, 42 which communicate With the cylinder 2i? of such chest. The manifold sections of the chest 2 have a portion of their ends opening through the end walls of 5 such chest as at 5a. The manifold sections of the chest 3 have a portion of their ends opening through the end walls of such chest as at 5b'. 'Ihe manifold sections of the chest 4 have a portion of their inner ends opening through the wall 4d and have their outer ends closed by wall 4b.

The cylinders 5, 6, 1- include annular body portions 43 which constitute steam jacket wall sections. The construction of each cylinder is best shown inFigur'e'l and attention is directed thereto. Each` cylinder has arranged and supported within, its body portion a pair of oppositely disposed inner sidewise communicating segmentocylindrical rotor chambers 44, 45 which are D partly closed at their endsI by the opposed end walls of the steam chests between which the cylinder is arranged. The chambers 44, 45 are suspended within the body portion 43 by the spaced ribs 46. Integral with the chamber 44 is a steam inlet manifold section 41 and integral. with the chamber 45 is a steam inlet manifold section. 48. The manifold sections 41, 48 form flush continuations of the open end portions of the manifold sections I4, I5, and establish communication respectively between the manifoldsections of the chest I with the manifold sections of the chest 2, the manifold sections of the chest 2 with the. manifold sections. of the chest 3, and the manifold sections of the 35 chest 3 with the manifold sections of the chest 4. The steam. inlets I6 open into the chambers 44. The steam inlets I1 open into the chambers 45.

Arranged in each pair of communicating rotor chambers ar-e the rotors 48, 49 provided with pockets 59, 5I respectively and with pistons or vanes 52, 53 respectively. The rotors of each pair are disposed horizontally and in inner, edgewise alignment. 'Ihe rotors are similar in construction l 45 and function in the same manner as the pair of rotors set forth in the patent aforesaid, with the exception that the pistons are mounted on shims 54 and providedwith oil grooves 55. The rotors are provided with oil grooves 55a which extend .5o from the inner edge 56 to the outer edge 56a of the rotor and in this connection attention is' directed to Figure 9.

'Ihe rotors are provided with axial openings 51 which provide the inner edges 56. Extending 55 through andkxed to therotors 48 is a horizontally disposed rotor driven shaft 58. The latter is: mounted in the bearings I8 and extends. from the bearing I8 in. the chest I to a point extended rearwardly from chest 4. Extending through 60 and fixed to the rotors 49 is a horizontally disposed rotor driven shaft 59 mounted in the bearings I9 and extending from the bearing I9 in the chest I to a point extended outwardly from the chest 5. The shaft 58 extends a greater distance outwardly from chest 4 than the shaft 59 and it is adapted to be connected to a power transmitting shaft.

The rotors are arranged in a pair of banks, one bank formed by the rotors 48 and the other 70 by the rotors 49. The bank formed by the rotors 48 is carried by the shaft 58, and the bank provided by the rotors` 49 isY carried by shaft 59. The pistons. 52 on the rotors 48 are always fixed thereto. When three rotors 48 are employed 75 they are so mounted on the shaft to position the pistons 120 apart from each other, in a six cylinder engine, the pistons would be placed apart or with respect to a twelve cylinder engine 30 apart. The splines on shaft 58 permit the placing of the rotors at different angles to each other, depending on the number of cylinders used. The statement aforesaid with respect to the pistons 52, rotors 48 and shaft 58 applies to the arrangement of the pistons 53, rotors 49 and shaft 59.

Arranged within the cylinder 25 and controlling the steam supply openings 26, 21 is a steam supply reversing valve 60 having a pair of spaced heads 6 I, 62 for selectively opening and closing the openings 26, 21 to the manifold sections I4, I5 respectively. Arranged within the valve chambers 20 are exhaust reversing valves 63 for controlling the exhaust openings provided in the steamchests. The valves 66, 63 are connected to squared portions of a common reversing shaft 64 therefor by pivoted stems 65 and crank arms 66. The shaft 64 is journaled in the chests and cylinders and extends inwardly into the chest I through opening 24 and has its rear end journaled in the chest 4. The outer end of shaft 64 has connected thereto a reversing lever 61. The shaft 53 is what may be termed a power take-off shaft forming an element of the three cylinder engine, as shown. One end of the shaft would be machined to meet power take-off requirements. A portion of the shaft will be machined to take on double helical timing gears and roller bearings. The remaining portion of the shaft will be machined to take the required number of rotors and intermediate bearings. The shaft 58 reduces in size from the timing gear section to its other end. The bearing surfaces subject to wear are made oversize to allow for remachining after service wear has taken place. The shaft 58 extends through a gear box 68. The shaft 59 is of the same form as the power take off shaft 58, except that one end of shaft 59 extends into a cap 69 on the gear box 68 and has its other end provided with a socket 69a to take the square or haxagonal end 5917 of a shaft 10 for the purpose of driving a governor 1I. The shafts 58, 59 and the rotors will be machined with spaced sets of twelve splines 11a to the circumference in order to permit building engines with one, two, three, four, ve, six or twelve cylinders with uniformly spaced power impulses. The gear box 68 is secured tothe outer end of steam chest 4 and held in proper alignment by suitable holdfast means. The gear box 68 is to be provided with a cover 1Ib, an oil ller plug 'I2 and an oil drain plug 13 and an oil gage not shown. The gear box 58 (Figure 12) is formed on its inner side with a pair of annular horizontally aligned bosses 13a., only one shown and 'on its outer side with a pair of horizontal bosses 13b only one shown. Arranged in the said bosses are bearing structures 14a. The cap 69 is secured to one of the bosses 13b. A cap 15 is secured to the other boss 13b and through which extends the shaft 58. The gear box 68 has arranged therein a worm gear 13e (Figure 20) for service as a cone retaining nut for shaft 59. The bosses 13d align with the bosses 13b. The shaft 5B extends through one pair of aligned bosses, and the shaft 59 is mounted in the other pair of aligned bosses. A stop collar 15a is carried by the shaft 58 for one of the bearing structures 14a.

The spaces between the steam jacket wall section and the wall forming portions of chest I and the spaces between the steam jacket wall sections and the steam inlet manifold sections coact to provide a continuous steam jacket providing for the engine operating at an approximately even temperature. The steam jacket constitutes a pair of exhaust manifolds opening into each other and which are co-mmon to the sets of rotor chambers. The steam jacket is common to the intake manifolds and the sets of rotor chambers.

The steam inlet manifold sections of the steam chests are provided with auxiliary steam inlet ports 11. The valve chambers 20 and the valve cylinder 21 are open at each end. A pressure lubricator 18 is mounted on the gear box 68. The drive for lubricator 18 is indicated at 19 and it is operated from worm 13o in gear box 68. Individual lubricator lines 89 lead from lubricator 18 and pass through packing boxes 8I secured to the walls of the chests 2, 3, 4 and the inner wall of chest I. There are six lubricator lines to the top of the rotor cylinders and six lines to the bottom of the rotor cylinders and they are supported in the steam chests by clips 82 held in position by certain of the assembly bolts. The timing gears 83 are double helical and keyed to the shafts 58, 59. The governor 1I is of the fly-ball spring controlled type. Attached to the wall Ia of chest I is a steam inlet valve mechanism 84 controlled from the governor 1I. The mechanism 84 has an outlet 85 which registers with the opening 23.

Each rotor assembly has a balancing core for balancing purposes. Additional balancing holes are drilled after all other machining operations are completed and with the pistons assembled on the rotors in order that the assembly may be perfectly balanced. The oil grooves 55 will be arranged at the sides and in the tops of the pistons. The oil grooves 55al will be arranged at the sides of the rotors. Certain of the grooves 55a will register with the inner ends of the oil groove on the sides of the pistons. The grooves 55, 55a are for lubricating and steam seal purposes. The pistons are bored concentric with the circumference and breached splines are on the shafts 58, 59'. This construction prevents binding of the rotors due to unequal temperature between the shafts 58, 59 and the engine body.

The steam inlet ports I6, I1 may be machined to subtend any desired angle, within limits at the rotor axis. The auxiliary steam inlet ports 11 are optional with the builder and when used will be of a sufficient size to admit steam at full steam chest pressure for starting purposes and at very slow speeds and yet so small as to admit a negligible amount of steam at normal operating speeds.

The joints between the steam chests and the cylinders are machined male and female and are made steam-tight by suitable gaskets, not shown, the thickness of which may be reduced to compensate for wear on the faces of the rotors and pistons. The shims 54 which are disposed between the bases of the pistons and the periphery of the rotors are to compensate for wear on the tops or outer ends of the pistons. The wall 4b (Figure l2) of chest i is formed with a pair of parallel spaced openings 86, only one shown, and a pair of inwardly extended internally shouldered sleeves 81, only one shown which form inward continuations of the walls of openings 86. Mounted in each opening 86 and the sleeve 81 which extends inwardly therefrom is a tubular peripherally shouldered bearing 88 formed with oil seal rings 89 and an oil drain groove 90. The shafts 53, 59 extend through the tubular bearings 88. The sleeves 61' extend from the wall 4a to the wall 4b of chest 4. The shims 54 are provided with notches for registering With the grooves 55, 55a.

The governor 1I includes a shaft structure 9| so forrned and so connected to shaft 16 to provide for the oscillating of a bell crank 92 (Figure 19) supported from the mechanism 84 and employed vfor vertically moving a shift rod 93 which in turn operates the operating lever 94 (Figure 1S) of the mechanism 84. The lever 94 is employed for adjusting the position of the valve stem 95 of mechanism 84 tocontrol supply of steam at the opening of steam inlet 23.

The crank arms 66 are carried by collars 96 (Figures 13 and 14) which are xed to shaft 64 by set screws 91. The stem 65 for the valve 69 is of less length than the stems for the valves 63. The lower end of lever 61 merges into a collar 98, which is secured to the shaft 64 by a set screw 99. Packing means |90 is provided for the end terminal portions of the bolts 8 (Figure 8). Packing means ISI is provided for that end terminal portion of shaft 64 which carries lever 61 (Figure 1l).

The structure provided by the connected together chests and cylinders is supported by a pair of. oppositely ,disposed angle-shaped base members |62 which are secured to the ends of such structure by the holdfast means 63.

With reference to Figure 15 there is shown a chart provided with the representation of an ideal pressure curve for one unit of the engine when exhausting into the atmosphere. Now referring to Figure 16, let bzangle subtended at the axis of rotor by the arc of the steam inlet port, Let d=angle subtended at the axis of the rotor by the arc of the top of the piston. Let c: the angle included at the axis of the rotor by a plane passing thru the two rotor axes and a plane passing thru one rotor axis and the point of intersection of the two cylindrical surfaces of. the cylinderf Let azangle subtended at the axis of the rotor by the gap. Let e=angle subtended at the axis of the rotor by the arc of the base of the piston I1. This angle also equals the angle subtended at the axis of the rotor by the chord across the points of the gap at the periphery of the rotor. Let R=the radius of the rotor. Let R,=the radius of the cylinders.

Then the following statements are true:

c=cos1 R/R'. (R.` and R. are arbitrary with the builder of the engine.)

e=d plus lc where 7c is a function of c.

' a. is arbitrary With the builder of the engine.

Referring to Figure 15, pressures inside the cylinders are platted against the angular travel of. the centerline of the pistons with reference to a line joining the points O O' of the axes of the rotors.

Time of steam admission2o-d/2 Time of steam cut-offzc plus b` plus o-d/2 Time of steam exhaust:360-(c-d`/2 plus e) From the above considerations, it will be seen that this engine can be built to meet a wide variety of pressure cycle characteristics.

The splined shafts are so disposed relative to l the rotors and the rotor chambers to function for maintaining the centers on the rotors, that is to say each splined shaft not only couples the rotors of a bank in spaced relation, but each shaft also acts to maintain a perfect center for the rotors between the side walls of the rotor chambers.

To operate this engine, place reverse lever 61 in positionshown in Figure 3. Steam inlet valve (60-6I'-62) is then in'position shown in Figure l 6. Steam entering engine through port 23 passes through chamber 25 and port 26 into manifold I4; thence through port I6 into rotor chamber v45 Where pressure is exerted on piston 53 causing rotor 49 to rotate in a clockwise direction and pressure exerted on piston 52 causes rotor 48 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. Exhaust steam ahead of. the pistons passes out through exhaust port 29 and chamber 20 into steam jacket; thence out of the engine through port 22. Steam pressure is applied to the pistons at boiler pressureduring the rotation of the rotors 48 and 49 until inlet ports I6 are covered by rotor 48. Adiabatic expansion of the steam continues to rotate the rotors until the pressure is relieved by the pistons 53 passing exhaust port 29 through which the steam is exhausted. Momentum of the rotors and impulses from adjacent cylinders carry the pistons around to the position shown in Figure '1 again, when the cyclev is repeated,

To reverse this engine, throw reverse lever 61 over to the right. Inlet valve will then be in such position that boss 6I will close port 26 and boss k62 will uncover port 21 and exhaust valve Will be in such position that exhaust port 28 will be open and exhaust port 29 will be closed. Steam entering the engine will now rotate the engine in the opposite direction from that previously described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rotary steam engine, a series of spaced aligned steam chests, a cylinder arranged between each pair of steam chests, spaced means for securing said cylinders and chests together in endwise relation, said cylinders including means providing two sets of aligned rotor chambers, the chambers of one set communicating sidewise thereof with the chambers of the other set, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts providing a pair of steam intake manifolds, one common to and opening into one set of chambers and the other common to and opening into the other set of. chambers, said chests and cylinders having coacting parts providing a pair of exhaust manifolds common to said sets of chambers, said exhaust manifolds providing steam jacket forming means for said intake manifolds and chambers, two banks of steam driven rotors,

one bank arranged in one set of chambers and" the other bank arranged in the other set of chambers, a pair of geared together shafts, each common to a bank of rotors and one constituting a power transmitting means, adjustable controlable means for selectively supplying steam to one of the intake manifolds, and adjustable controllable means for selectively making active one of said exhaust manifolds.

2. in a rotary steam engine, a series of spaced aligned steam chests, a cyiinder arranged between` each pair of steam chests, spaced means for securing said cylinders and chests together in end-wise relation, said cylinders including means providing two sets of aligned rotor chambers, the

chambers of one set communicating sidewise thereof With the chambers of the other set, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts providing a pair of steam intake manifolds, one common to and opening into one set of chambers, said chests and cylinders having coacting parts providing a pair of exhaust manifolds common to said sets of chambers, said exhaust manifolds providing steam jacket forming means for said lintake manifolds and chambers, two banks of steam driven rotors, one bank arranged in one set of chambers and the other bank arranged in the other set of chambers, a pair of geared together shafts, each common to a bank of rotors and one constituting a power transmitting means, adjustable controllable means for selectively supplying steam to one of the intake manifolds, adjustable controllable means for selectively making active one of said exhaust manifolds, and means common to the said pair of adjustable controlling means for simultaneously adjusting them.

3. In a rotary steam engine, a series of spaced aligned steam chests, a cylinder arranged between each pair of steam chests, spaced means for securing said cylinders and chests together in endwise relation, said cylinders including means providing two sets of aligned rotor chambers, the chambers of one set communicating sidewise thereof with the chambers of the other set, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts providing a pair of steam intake manifolds, one common to and opening into one set of chambers and the other common to and opening into the other set of chambers, said chests and cylinders having coacting parts providing a pair of exhaust manifolds common to said sets of chambers, said exhaust manifolds providing steam jacket forming means for said intake manifolds and chambers, two banks of steam driven rotors, one bank arranged in one set of chambers and the other bank arranged in the other set of chambers, a pair of geared together shafts, each common to a bank of rotors and one constituting a power transmitting means, adjustable controllable means for selectively supplying steam to one of the intake manifolds, adjustable controllable means for selectively making active one of said exhaust manifolds, and auxiliary steam inlet means for said intake manifolds.

4. In a rotary steam engine, a series of spaced aligned steam chests, a cylinder arranged between each pair of steam chests, spaced means for securing said cylinders and chests together in endwise relation, said cylinders including means providing two sets of aligned rotor chambers, the chambers of one set communicating sidewise thereof with the chambers of the other set, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts providing a pair of steam intake manifolds, one common to and opening into one set of cham- .bers and the other common to and opening into the other set of chambers, said chests and cylinders having coacting parts providing a pair of exhaust manifolds common to said sets of chambers, said exhaust manifolds providing steam jacket forming means for said intake manifolds 'and chambers, two banks of steam driven rotors, one bank arranged in one set of chambers and the other bank arranged in the other set of chambers, a pair of geared together shafts, each common to a bankA of rotors and one constituting a power transmitting means, one of the outer chests of the said series of chests being provided therein with an adjustable controlling means for selectively supplying steam to one of the intake manifolds, each of said chests being provided therein with an adjustable controllable means opening into the exhaust manifolds for selectively making active one of the exhaust manifolds, and a common adjusting means for said pair of controllable means.

5. In a rotary steam engine, a series of spaced aligned steam chests, a cylinder arranged between each pair of steam chests, spaced means for securing said cylinders and chests together in endwise relation, said cylinders including means providing two sets of aligned rotor chambers, the chambers of one set communicating sidewise thereof with the chambers of the other set, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts providing a pair of steam intake manifolds, one common to and opening into one set of chambers and the other common to and opening into the other set of chambers, said chests and cylinders having coacting parts providing a pair of exhaust manifolds common to said sets of chambers, said exhaust manifolds providing steam jacket forming means for said intake manifolds and chambers, two banks of steam driven rotors, one bank arranged in one set of chambers and the other bank arranged in the other set of chambers, a pair of geared together shafts, each common to a bank of rotors and one constituting a power transmitting means, adjustable controllable means for selectively applying steam to one of the intake manifolds, adjustable controllable means for selectively making active one of said exhaust manifolds, and spaced bearings in said chests for said shafts.

6. In a rotary steam engine, a series of spaced aligned steam chests, a cylinder arranged between each pair of steam chests, spaced means for securing said cylinders and chests together in endwise relation, said cylinders including means providing two sets of aligned rotor chambers, the chambers of one set communicating sidewise thereof with the chambers of the other set, said chests and cylinders having correlated parts providing a pair of steam intake manifolds, one common to and opening into one set of chambers, said chests and cylinders having coacting parts providing a pair of exhaust manifolds common to said sets of chambers, said exhaust manifolds providing steam jacket forming means for said intake manifolds and chambers, two banks of steam driven rotors, one bank arranged in one set of chambers and the other bank arranged in the other set of chambers, a pair of geared together shafts, each common to a bank of rotors and one constituting a power transmitting means, adjustable controllable means for selectively supplying steam to one of the intake manifolds, adjustable controllable means for selectively making active one of said exhaust manifolds, means common to the said pair of adjustable controlling means for simultaneously adjustingthem, and spaced bearings in said chests for said shafts.

7. In a rotary engine, endwise aligned cylinders provided therein and spaced from the walls thereof two sets of rotor chambers, revoluble power generating rotors within each set of said chambers, means within the cylinders adjacent said chambers providing a pair of intake manifolds, each common to a set of chambers, a pair of exhaust manifolds between said chambers and intake manifolds and the walls of the cylinders and common to said sets of chambers, and said exhaust manifolds opening into each other and, constituting a steam jacket common to said chambers and intake manifolds for maintaining uniform temperature during the operation of the engine.

JAMES F'. HANDY, Eecutor of the Last Will and Testament of Russell P. Glenn, Deceased.

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