US681919A

US681919A - Rotary engine.

Info

Publication number: US681919A
Application number: US349200A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred Kitchen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1900-01-31
Filing date: 1900-01-31
Publication date: 1901-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1918-09-03

Description

Patented Sept. 3, |90l. A. KITCHEN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application led Jan. 31, 1900.,

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

IIIII m le.

l I I I Inv/Zuton W f W172i w @da Patehted Sept. 3, 190|.

No. 6a|,919.

- A. KITCHEN.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N Mndel.)`

6, Inv/n tor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED KITCHEN, OF DUNNVILLE, CANADA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,919, dated September 3, 1901. Application tiled January 31,1900. Serial No. 3,492. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t 11i/tty concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED KITCHEN, carpet-manufacturer,of the village of Dunnville, in the county of Haldimand,` in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines; and the object of the invention is to devise a simple, compact, and steamtight rotary engine in which, first, the power may be transmitted directly from the periphery of the engine; secondly, in which the steam may be introduced into the interior of the engine at a point where there is no danger of condensation while passing through the engine, and, thirdly, in which the strain on the bearings of the rotating portion may be reduced to a minimum; and it consists, essentially, of a stationary hollow shaft, both the inlet and exhaust ports of which lead to the inlet and exhaust ports in a solid cylinder, such cylinder being eccentric to the axis of the hollow shaft and being surrounded by a rotatable cylinder, forming a crescent-shaped chamber between it and the stationary cylinder, such rotating cylinder carrying wings, which are caused to follow the periphery oi the eccentrically-placed solid cylinder by means of suitable eccentrics on the shaft to which they are connected, and the latter cylinder having connected to it a suitable peripheral casing, which is supported at the ends on suitable bearings on the shaft and is designed to rotate with it, the parts being arranged and constructed in detail as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure l is a cross-section of my improved rotary engine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail of the governor in the form shown in Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a compound or doublecylinder form. Fig. 5 is a detail of the reversing-plug used in the compound form. Fig. 6 is a plan view looking from below of the center solid cylinder used in the reversing form, showing the position of they ports in the solid cylinder and in dotted lines the position of the inlet passage-ways leading to such ports.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each gure.

A A' are the standards.

B and B' are the hollow portions of the divided shaft, which are suitably keyed, as indicated, in the standards, so as to prevent them from rotating and have attached to or forming part of them at the inner end the solid cylinder B2, which is, as will be seen, eccentric to the shaft. v

b and b are the exhaust and inlet pipes, which lead through the hollow portions B and B to the interior of `the cylinder B2 near its center, as indicated.4 The pipes b and h are surrounded by suitable packing 2, made of mineral wool, asbestos, or other suitable heat-non-conducting material.

C is the inlet-port, and 3 the exhaust-port, (shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and in light and dark dotted lines, respectively, in Fig. 2,) such ports being connected to the inlet-pipe ZJ and exhaust-pipe b, respectively.

D is the rotating casing, which, it will be noticed on reference to Fig. 1, is concentric to the shaft, but eccentric to the cylinder B2,

`thereby forming a crescent-shaped chamber.

Such cylinder is provided with the sides D' and D2, which abut or overlap the cylinder B2 and are rendered steam-tight at such point by the packing-rings d' and cl2.

D3 is the outer casing, attached to or forming part of the inner cylindrical casing D and provided with the recesses d, having suitable caps d3. The casing D3 is also provided with peripheral lugs d4, upon which is suitably secured by lugs d5 the peripheral pulley or driving-ring D4. A,

D5 and D6 are the ends of the casing D8, which are suitably secured to the same by the bolts d6 and are provided with hubs 0X7, which are supported on the bearings d8, secured to the standard.

E indicates the radial pistons, which extend through slots f in the crossplugs F, which have the end packing-disks f at the end resting in recesses f2 in the sides D of the casing D.

f3 is suitable packing on each side of the plugs F.

Gr is a packing-dog extending across the periphery of the cylinder B2 at the point of contact with the interior of the cylinder D.

The win gs E are provided with lateral projections E', which are connected by the rods ICO e to the eccentric rings e', which are designed to rotate on the stationary eccentric e2. The outer eccentric e2 in each case extends into the end D6 and is provided with a suitable ring 4.

The form of engine so far described and shown is an engine designed to rotate in the bue way only, and in order to regulate its speed I provide in a cylindrical chamber C', intermediate of the length of the port C, the rocking valve C2. The position of this valve C2 is regulated by the governor, which consists of the plate I-I, secured to the end D6, the pivoted Weight h, connected by the spring h' to a hook h2 on an offset h3 of the plate H, and the rod h4, connected by the link h5 to the arm h6, attached to or forming part ot' the eccentric k7, which is provided with a stationary strap ha, connected by the link 7i to the spindle c of the valve C2. rIhe operation of this governor is merely that the Weight 7L is thrown outwardly when the centrifugal force increases, and consequently pulls upon the eccentric h?, throwing the strap hs farther from the center at the point Where the link li is connected, thus turning the valve C2011 its pivot, so as to close or partially close the port C. This of course depends, as in ordinary governors, upon the speed of the engine as to how lnnch ot' the port is closed.

The operation of my invention is very simple, as the steam enters through the pipe h and port C, thereby carrying around the pistons E, which are controlled by the eccentric e, so as to followr the periphery of the eccentrically-placed solid cylinder and carry With them the outer cylinder D, the steam of course exhausting through the exhaust-port 3.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I show a compound or double-cylinder engine; but it will of course be yunderstood that I might have a triple or multiple expansion engine adopting the same principle as I shall now describe in reference to these figures. The cylinder B2 in these latter figures is formed in two portions B3 and B", and the crescent-shaped chambers are separated by a ring B5, having suitable packing b2 abutting the ring B5, so as to keep the space between the chamber steam-tight.

I form a tapered hole B7 in the portions B3 and B4 and provide a tapered plug I to iit the same, which has an extension pipe or tube b3 extending through the packing 2. This pipe has a shoulder 4. The ring 5, provided with a handle 6, has an external thread which fits into a corresponding recess in the standard. A ring 7, provided with a handle 8, is keyed to the pipe and abuts the ring 5. The pipe 'b3 is capable of being turned and is provided esi,9i9

an inlet-port 13, extending into the'passage- Way Ba, and a port Bd, connected by a serpentine groove Be to the controlling-port Bf, which is in the path of the ports in the cylinder. A port Bg is provided at the opposite end of the plug, which is vopposite the inlet and exhaust ports C and 3 in the portion B". This plug is specially designed to form a reversing plug, and consequently is provided With a duplicate of the portions Bc, Bd, Be, Bf, and Bg, the only dierence being that the portions Bd, BC, and Br are reversely formed on the side of the plug, Whichis not shown in Fig. 5, but which is indicated in Fig. 6, the portions shown in Fig. 5 being indicated by heavy dotted lines and the portion not shown by light dotted lines. The steam is introduced through the port BC and passes around through the port C (Which in this instance would have no valve O2) and around the crescent-shaped chamber, carrying with it the Wings and outer casing to the exhaustport 3, from which it passes back into the plug I into the port Bd, thence by the passage-Way Bf into the inlet-port C of the portion B4, where it passes around the crescentshaped chamber again and out through the exhaust-port 3 into the passage-Way Bg op-v posite the exhaust, whence it is carried out from the plug I. To reverse, the corresponding ports formed on the plug are turned opposite the inlet-ports. In order to turn the plug, however, to reverse, it is simply necessary to loosen the ring5 by turning the handle 6, When the handle 8 may be manipulated so as to turn the plug, when the said ports may be restored to their normal position, so as to push the plug home again and hold it rigid.

From the construction I have described it will readily be seen that I can form with equal facility a simple or compound engine and can reverse such engine Whether coinpound, triple, or multiple expansion. The steam is introduced into the engine at a point where it is not likely to be'condensed, which is a decided advantage, and it also expands Within a heated cylinder, thereby economizing the steam. Extra pulleys and standards' are dispensed with as the power is transmitted from the periphery of the cylinder. In applying the power by a belt of course the direction of the pull of the belt Would be from the wide side of the crescent-shaped chamber, thereby reducing to a minimum the strain on the bearings, as of course the greatest pressure is exerted by the steam at the largest point of the crescent-shaped chamber. It will also be seen that my engine is perfectly steam-tight and that should any steam escape from the crescent-shaped chamber it can only escape into the outer' casing and the steam-cylinder and will only serve to keep the interior portion hot, but cannot escape completely and be Wasted.

In Fig. 4 I show instead of the ball-bearing shown in Fig. 1 another form of bearing,

IGC

IIO

which it is not necessary here to describe, as there are many forms of bearing which may be adapted to form the bearings of my engine.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaft and the solid cylindrical eccentric portions of the concentric casings having the concentric side plates overlapping the ends of the solid cylindrical portion and the intermediate concentric portion or plate attached to the concentric casing and fitting into a' corresponding recess formed between the eccentric solid cylindrical portion as specified and a suitable port leading through the solid lcylindrical portion and forming a communicating passage-way between the chambers as specified.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaft and the solid cylindrical eccentric portions of the concentric portions,.of the concentric casings having the concentric side plates overlapping the ends of the solid cylindrical portion, suitable ringpacking between the concentric casings and the solid cylindrical portion, the intermediate concentric ring or plate attached to the concentric casings and fitting into a corresponding recess formed between the eccentric solid cylindrical portions and suitable packing-rings in the solid cylindrical portions abutting such intermediate ring on each side and a suitable port leading through the solid cylindrical portion and forming a communieating passage-way between the chambers as specied.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaft and the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of same located intermediate of its length, of the inlet and exhaust passage-ways extending through the shaft, the radial inlet vand exhaust ports extending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the rotating cylinder concentric to the shaft and forming a crescentshaped steam-chamber supported on suitable bearings and the radial pistons suitably held in the cylinder and provided with lateral offsets outside the cylinder, the stationary eccentric secured to the stationary shaft and the eccentric rotatable straps and rods connected to the offsets of the radial pistons as and for the purpose specied.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaft and the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of saine located intermediate of its length and eccentric thereto, of the inlet and., exhaust passageways extending through the shaft, -the radial inlet and exhaust ports extending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the rotatable cylinder concentric to the shaft forming a crescent-shaped steam-chamber and supported on suitable bearings and the radial pistons suitably held in the cylinder, means for imparting a rotary movement thereto to follow the periphery of the solid cylinder in their rotation, the valve-chamber and cut-off valve located therein intermediate of the length of the inlet-port, the eccentric on the stationary shaft, the strap surrounding the same and connected by link to the stem of the valve, the arm connected to the eccentric, the weighted arm and rod and link connected to the aforesaid arm and the plate secured to the rotatable casing on which the said weighted arm is pivoted and the spring connecting the weighted arm to said plate all arranged as shown and for the purpose specified.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaft and the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of same located intermediate of its length, of the inlet and exhaust passage-ways extending through the shaft, the radial and inlet exhaust-ports extending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the tapered hole extending through the solid cylinder, the tapered plug fitting therein and connecting with the inlet and exhaust passage-ways extending through the shaft, the port Bc, the port B, the port Be and port Bf and port IBg designed to coact with the inlet and exhaust port-s extending through the portions of the cylinder, the rotatable cylinder concentric to the shaft, the division-ring situated between the two ends of the cylinder and forming two crescentshaped steam-chambers, the radial pistons and means for imparting a radial movement thereto to follow the periphery of the solid cylinder in their rotation as and for the purpose specified. Y

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaft and the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of same located intermediate of its length, of the inlet and exhaust passage-ways extending through the shaft, the radial and inlet exhaust-ports extending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the tapered hole extending' and exhaust passage-ways extending throughy the shaft, the port Bc, the port Bd, the port B, and port Bf and port Bg designed to coact with the inlet and exhaust ports extending through the two portions of the double cylinder, the rotatable cylinder concentric to the shaft, the division-ring situated between the two ends of the cylinder and forming two crescent-shaped steam-chambers, the radial wings, means for imparting a radial movement thereto to follow the periphery of the solid cylinder in their rotation, the pipe extension of the shaft, the shoulder thereon, the threaded collar tting against the shoulder and provided with a handle and the coacting collar fitting against the aforesaid collar and also provided with a handle for adj ustment as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with IOO IIO

the eccentric inner portion of the casing and are made to follow the periphery of the eothe concentric outer portion forming a. crescentric inner portion as and for the purpose cent-shaped steam-chamber, of the pistons, specified.

the stationary eccentrics on the shaft, the ALFRED KITCHEN. v 5' straps surrounding the eccentrics and the Witnesses:

rods connecting them to the ends of the pis- B. BOYD,

tons whereby such pistons in their rotation Y L. TRIMBLE.