US393620A

US393620A - Rotary engine

Info

Publication number: US393620A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1905-11-27

Description

2 SheetsSheet 1.

.(No Model.)

W. H. GONVER, G. M. SHEFFER & R. V. GILBERT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Nov. 2'7, 1888;.

UNETED I STATES :ATENT WILLIAM H. ooNvEE, GEORGE M. snEi EER, AND RUSSEL v. GILBERT, OF EMLENTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARYEYNGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,620, dated November 27, 1888.

Application filed February 2, 1888. Serial No. 262,751. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that We, WILLIAM H. CONVER, GEORGE M. SHEEEER, and RUssEL V. GIL- BERT, citizensof the United States, residing at,

Emlentou, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

' Our invention relates to rotary engines of IO the type shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted to William H. Gonver and George M. Sheffer, November 10, 1885, No. 330,001.

It is our further purpose to provide a packing blocker cushion for engines of this class which shall be capable of a limited automatic adjustment toward and from the piston-case, to compensate for wear, to prevent excessive pressure of friction of the piston=casing upon the cylinder at the lowest point thereof, and to preserve at all times a perfectly tight joint between the exhaust side of the live-steam side of the piston-casing.

It is our purpose, also, to provide simple means whereby the packing block or cushion shall be forced against the piston-casing by the pressure of the live steam, and whereby, also, the engine may be reversed without affecting the action of the steam upon said 0 cushion or producing escape of steam.

It is a further purpose of our prgsent invention, also, to combine with our novel packing-cushion simple means to compensate for undue lateral pressure thereon caused by bolt- 5 ing or drawing the cylinder-heads too closely together. a

Our invention also contemplates a novel and simple construction of parts, whereby the pistons shall closely fit the circumferential and 0 lateral walls of the cylinder, all leakage of steam around the pistons or through the piston-casings and past the pistons being effectually prevented.

It is our purpose, also, to so construct and combine the piston-flanges with the single piston-bar that they may accommodate themselves to any inequality of surface without affecting the relative position of the piston-bar or causing undue friction.

5o It is our purpose, also, to simplify and imative position.

prove the bearings for the engine shaft, whereby the same may be more readily and thoroughly lubricated,and whereby,also, the bearings be more effectually packed.

It is our purpose, finally, to simplify and 5 improve the construction and arrangement of the several parts of a rotary engine, whereby the cylinder-casing is very materially strengthened without material increase in weight, and to so proportion the steam'space in the cylin der as to secure the best results with any given steam-pressure.

To these ends the invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and then definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure Us a vertical section taken in a plane transverse to the axis of the engine cylinder. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken in the line of the axis of the engine-cylinder. Fig. 3 is a detail section, on an enlarged scalc,of the lower part of the engine-cylinder shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the packing block or cushion removed and its several parts slightly separated from each other. Fig. 5 is a transverse section in the axial plane of the pistoncasing, the vibrating piston with its springprojecting flanges, and the engineshaft with the packing-ring removed from the cylinder. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the same, the pistons being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of one of the piston-flanges with its packing-strips removed from the piston and the parts slightly separated,but'in proper rel- Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the cylinder-casing of a single acting engine, takenin a plane transverse to the shaft. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of one of the cylinderheads. Fig. 10 is a detail of the piston removed from the casing.

In the said drawings,the reference-numeral 1 designates the casing or cylinder of a rotary engine, mounted upon any suitable form of 95 foot-brackets, 2. This casing is of general cylindrical form, .and upon opposite sides thereof, at the base,is formed a steam-space, 3, having therein two bracket-bearings, 4, rising from the base-piece and separated from each 10c other by a space, 4, Fig. 8. The upper surface of each of these bearings is turned off to receive the periphery of the piston-casing, hereinafter described. The space 4 is connected with the steam-space 3 bya passage,5, which in the non-reversible engine is cut through one only of said bracket-bearings 4-, as shown in Fig. 8; but when the engine is reversible an opening is formed through both brackets, and a cheek-valve, 6, is placed in each opening, each valve opening to a press ure from a space without or between said brackets.

\Vithin the space lying between the adjacent faces of the brackets 4 is arranged a packing block or cushion. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and in detailin Fig. 1.) This packing-cushion is formed in several separate parts, which'are united together, said parts consisting of blocks or sections 7, having parallel grooved edges 8 and cylindrical articulating pieces 9, lying between adjacent blocks and between the latter and the brackets 4.,a semicylindrical seat, 10, being formed in each of the latter to receive one ofsaid articulations. Whenin place, as shown in Fig. 3, the cushion is capable, by reason of its formation in separate pieces and their articulations slightly resembling the joint of a bone, to yield upward and downward. A spring, 12, placed beneath its center, holds it up at all times; but in order to secure its contact with the piston-casing with a uniform force, live steam is admitted from the livesteani port 3. In the non-reversible engine shown in Fig. 8 the steam passes under the cushion through the opening 5; but in the reversible engine a similar opening is cut in the other bracket also, and checkvalves 6 are placed in each, whereby the reversal of the engine will throw live steam under .the cushion through either valve, and will at the same time close the other valve,as already described. A petcock, 13, may be placed at the bottom of the recess containing the spring 12,to permit the escape of any water which may accumulate from condensation.

In our present invention we use a solid piston-bar, 14, and, inasmuch as the center of rotation is eccentric to the center of the cylinder, it is evident that the latter cannot be bored upon a true circle. We therefore bore the cylinder in the following manner: Striking the true circle from the center of the cylinder, we next locate the center of rotation and draw horizontal lines through both points to the periphery of the cylinder. Half the line drawn through the center of the cylinder will be its radius, and, subtracting half the line drawn through the center of rotation therefrom,we add to the difference one-half the difference, which gives the distance by which the boring-tool must be set off to one side and the other of the vertical line passing through the center of the cylinder. The difference between the said radial lines will give the distance by which the tool must, in addition to its lateral displacement, be set below the horizontal diameter of the cylinder, and the three curves struck from these three points, re

spectively, will thereby pass into each other at points a little above the horizontal diameter of the cylinder and provide an interior chamber in which the piston may whirl and have at all times contact with the cylinderwall at both ends.

In each end of the piston-bar 14 is formed a slot, 15, within which is set a flange, 16. Each flange is composed of a flat plate having channeled edges 17, in which are laid packingstrips 18, leafsprings 19 being interposed between the flange and the strips to give an outward project-ion to the latter and cause them to engage with the inner wall of the cylinder. The packing-strips are gained upon theirends 18, as seen in Fig. 7, to permit them to lie flush and in the continuous groove 17. Pins 20 are set at the lower ends of the side grooves to prevent the strips falling too far inward. After the flanges are set in the slotted ends of the piston-bar a rivet, 21, is passed through both,an enlarged opening, 22, being madein the flange to permit a limited movement and ad justment of the flange in the slot, and a spring, 23, is placed behind'the flange to throw it radially outward.

The piston-easing is bored diametrically, as seen in Fig. 6, and channels 24 are out upon each side of the bore to receive the flanges. Circular slots 25 are also cut in the parallel faces of said casing, having their ends near the outer ends of the channels 24., and being carried entirely around theinner ends of the said channels. In these slots packing-rings'26 are placed,with springs 27, which force said rings outward and against the parallel faces of the cylinder to preventleakage of steam.

In the non-reversible enginelive steam may be taken through a port, 28, a steam-passage, 29, being cut in the peripheral wall of the casing, with a corresponding extension, 30, for the exhaust, which passes off through a port, 31. In the reversible engine we form circumferential 'steamways 32 and 33 in the casing,eommunicat-ing with live-steam and exhaust ports 31 and 35 at the top of the cylin- (ler, upon which is mounted a valve-casing, 36, communicating with the steam-pipe 37. \Vithin the valve-casing we arrange a slidevalve, 38, operated by a lever, 39, in the ordinary manner. This valve is so formed that while it may open both thelive-steam and exhaust ports,as seen in Fig. 1, it may also close the former entirely without closing the latter, thereby enabling its use as a throttle. The pipe for the exhaust enters between the two ports,and the engine is reversed by simply sliding the valve to the left in Fig. 1, thereby causing the engine to exhaust by way of port 31 and take live steam through port 35.

The piston-casing is cast with an integral shaft, 41, having expanding portions 42 adjacent to said casing. Upon each part of the shaftisslippedasleeye-bearing, formed of what is generally known as anti-friction bronze,

faces of the caps.

and having a diminished cylindrical portion, 43, and a threaded portion, 44, of somewhat greater diameter, the former entering the shaftopening in the cylinder and lying upon the expanding portion 42 of the shaft. In the outer end of the threaded portion of the sleeve is formed a chamber, 45, for packing, and a follower, 46, enters and compresses the same.

Projecting from each cylinder-cap 47 is a boss, 48, surrounding the shaft opening, and. provided with a chamber, 49, into which an oil-cup, 50, is tapped. An inwardly-turned flange, 51, is formed upon the outer end of the said boss and threaded to engage the threaded portion 44 of the sleeve-bearing, a jam-nut, 52, being afterward turned on to confine the sleeve from rotation. The follower 46 being in place, a second jam-nut, 53, is turned on, and a holding-nut, 54, is then turned on the sleeve, having an inwardly-turned flange to engage the flanged head of the follower. The second jamnut, 53, is turned against the holding-nut 54 to prevent its displacement by the reversal of the engine. ()il-openings 55 are formed inthe diminished portion 43 of the sleeve.

One of the sleeve-bearings 43 44 is provided with a right-hand and the other with a lefthand thread to enable the bearings to be adjusted to compensate for wear, and the worn portions brought into the same or substantially the same relative position to the cylinder, and thereby avoid the danger of throwing the pis ton-casing out of true parallelism with the cylinder-heads.

We strengthen the cylinder caps 47 by casting upon the exterior face of each, radial ribs 56, which unite with the boss 48, and give great strength and solidity without any very material increase in weight or in cost of material or construction.

In bolting the cylinder caps upon the cylinder it may possibly happen that they will be drawn together with a little more force than is necessary, and thereby cause the ends of the packing-cushion or the ends of the blocks comprising said cushion to bind upon the interior To avoid this We bevel off one end of each of said blocks, as shown in Fig. 4, and insert against the beveled ends wedge-shaped compensating-strips 57, each having in cross-section the form of a rightangled triangle, the hypotenuse lying against the beveled end of the cushion, the angle of the latter being such that the outer face of the strip will be parallel with the opposite end of the cushion-block. Each strip or wedge is jointed to the adjacent strips by means of a seat, 58, cut in one end and a correspondinglyformed lug, 59,- in the other. Itwill be seen from Fig. 4 that with this construction the central cylindrical. articulating piece 9 will have its end beveled at the same angles as the blocks against which it lies.

Vhen in place, any undue pressure thereupon by the cylinder-caps caused by drawing the bolts up too tightly will depress the wedging compensating-strips relatively to the cushion against which they bear, thereby preventing the parts from binding and tending to lift the cushion 7 up against the piston-casing.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the Width and depth of the effective steamspace at the top of the cylinder are equal, thereby making the crosssection of the said steam-space at this point a square. This gives the most effective results with any given steampressure. In order to prevent the steam leaking through the piston-casing from the livesteam side of the cylinder, we mount upon the piston-bar a central packing composed of split rings 60, which are held against the circular space in which the piston vibrates by their own elastic expansi0n..

By this invention we provide a rotary engine having its vibrating pistons formed in or mounted on one integralpiece or bar and having throughout the entire sweep of the cylinder close contact with the wall of the latter. We also separate the exhaust and the livesteam side of the cylinder by means which form a close perfectlyfitting joint, in which excessive pressure upon and friction of the piston-casing are wholly avoided,while a perfect compensation is provided for the wear of the parts and the permanent preservation of the closejoint between them, which is improved by wear instead of being deteriorated, the flexible packing-cushion being at all stages of its wear held in engagement with the pistoncasing with an equal force,or with a force proportioned to the pressure of the steam upon the pistons.

These several improvements not only simplify and cheapen the construction of the engine, but they greatly promote its efficiency and prolong the term of effective service.

\Vhat we claim is-- V 1. In a rotary engine, the combination,with a piston-casing, of a packing-cushion separating the exhaust from the live steam side of the cylinder, and composed of separate blocks orpieces jointed or articulated together and at the ends to brackets within the cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination,with a piston-casing and with a cylinder having brackets, of a packing-cushion lying between said brackets and composed of separate pieces or blocks, the adjacent edges being grooved to receive cylindrical articulating pieces,whereby the central portion of the cushion may rise and fall, substantially as described:

3. In a rotary engine, the combination,with

a piston-casing and with a cylinder having brackets between the live-steam and the exhaust space, of a packing-cushion composed of separate pieces or blocks jointed to each other and to the brackets, and check-valves between the space beneath said cushion and the livesteam and exhaust space, substantially as described.

4. In a rotary engine, the Combinatiomwith a piston having aslotted end, of a flange lying in said slot and a pin or rivet passing through piston and flange, the latter being provided with an enlarged circular opening to receive said rivet and allow limited play of the flange in all directions, substantially as described.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination,with a piston casing having a piston vibrating therein, said piston having flanges projecting through the sides of said piston -casing, of packing-rings lying in circular slots in the parallel outer faces of said casing, said slots being carried around the inner ends of the projecting portions of the flanges, substantially as described.

6. In a rotary engine, the eo1nbination,with a cylinder having bosses containing oil-chambers and provided with inwardly turned flanges having a right and left hand thread, respectively, of a piston-easing having a shaft which tapers or diminishes outwardly on each side of said casing, bronze bearingsleeves having diminished portions fitting said tapered sections of shaft, and provided with right and left hand threaded portions engaging with the inwardly-turned flanges of the bosses on the cylinder-heads, said threaded portions having packing chambers, followers entering said chambers, and holding-nuts turned on the sleevebearings, substantially as described.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the piston casing, of a flexible cushion arranged in the lower part thereof between the live-steam and exhaust ports,and composed of two or more sections jointed or articulated to each other and to the casing, and means for forcing the said cushion toward the cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM H. CONVER. GEORGE M. SHEFFER. RUSSEL V. GILBERT. Witnesses:

J iicoB SBEIRLEY, J. R. CUBBISON.