US716470A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 23, |902.

J. w. PICKEL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Sept. 9- 1901.\

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

we Noam: PEYERS co, PHOTO-Lima, wAsHlNaTon, D. c.

Patented Dec. 23, |902.

N0. 7|6,470. J. W. PIGKEL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

"Application filed Sept. 9, 1901.\ Y

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 7l6,470. Patented Decq. 23, |902.

J. w. PICKEL. BUTARY ENGlNE.

(Application filed Sept. 9. 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' Arent OFFICE.

JOHN W. PICKEL, OF CRYSTAL CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- EIGHTHS TO LOUIS PHILLIPPI AND ROBERT SNYDER, OF CRYSTAL CITY, MISSOURI, AND JESSE F. DONNELL, OF FESTUS, MISSOURI.

ROTARY ENGINE.

,SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,470, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed September 9, 1901. Serial No. 74.817. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN W.P1cKEL,a citizen of the United States, residing at Crystal City, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is an elevational View of my improved rotary engine, the near cylinder-head being removed to more clearly show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing part of the piston and its connected mechanism in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the pistonhead packing. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the packing around the piston-head, and Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through a modified form of engine.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in rotary engines of that type wherein the piston-heads are moved radially across the space encircling the piston. Appropriate inlet and exhaust ports are arranged to admit steam to one or the other side of the pistons for the purpose of driving the engine in one or the other direction. A cut-off valve is also provided for controlling the admission of steam through the inlet-port.

The novel features of mypresent invention reside in the construction and arrangement of the means for moving the piston-heads radially, in a novel arrangement of the packing carried by the piston-heads, and also in the packing around the piston-heads, in the manner in which the piston coperates with the cylinder, and in the novel arrangement of the packing employed for making joints at this point steam-tight, in the novel construction and method of operation of the cut-off valve, in the novel construction of the reversing-valve, and finally in the arrangement consisting in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the base, provided With a chamber 2, into which steam for driving the engine is admitted.

3 indicates the cylinder, having afoot portion which is secured to the base 1. The

Vlower-.face of this cylinder is provided with a recess forming a portion of the chamber 2 and in which is arranged a cut-off valve 4 for controlling the admission of the motive fluid through port 5. This cut-od valve is provided with a rod 6, connected to a cross-head 7, mounted in suitable guideways. To the crosshead is pivotally attached alink 8,whose outer end is adjustably mounted upon a rocking 1ever 9. 'lhisrockng lever is mounted upon an appropriate rock-shaft, which receives motion from a rock-arm 10, to the outer end of which is connected a pitman 11. This pit` man is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as vibrated by an eccentric 12, mounted on the main shaft 13 of the engine.

In the engine shown in Figs. 1 to 4 an abutment lefis arranged in the bottom of the cylinder, said abutment being provided with ports 15 and 16, which are controlled by arotating valve 17. This valve is designed to establish communication between the inlet-port 5 and one or the other of the ports 15 or 16, and when one of the ports 15 or 16 receives the live motive fluid the other of said-ports serves as an exhaustthe valve 17 connecting the exhaust-port with a passage-way 18, formed in the cylinder and preferably entirely encircling the same. The exhaust from the engine is carried out through an exhaustpipe 19.

Ports 20 and 2l connect the chamber in the cylinder with the exhaust-passage 18 at points on each side of the abutment and remote therefrom, said passages being controlled by rotary valves-22 and 23.

As shown in Fig. 1, the valves 17, 22, and 23 are connected, so as to be simultaneously operated by the manipulation of a single handle 24:. In the construction shown in the drawings this handle 2-1 is mounted upon the spindle of valve .3, said spindle also carrying abell-crank lever 25,0ne member of which is connected by a link 26 to the rock-arm on the spindle of valve 22, while theA other member of said bell-crank lever is connected by a link 27 to a rock-arm on the spindle of valve 17. When the handle is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the valves will be in the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein it will be seen that the admission-port 5 is placed in communication with the space in the cylinder through port 15, tending to drive the piston in the direction of the full-line arrow, that port 21 is closed by the valve 23, that port 20 is open and acts as an auxiliary exhaust-port, and that port 16 is connected with the exhaust-passage 18.

To reverse the direction of rotation of the piston, it is only necessary to throw the lever 24 to the left, which will result in establishing communication between the inlet-port 5 and port 16. Port 15 will now be connected with the exhaust-passage 18, port 2O will be closed, and port 2l opened.

By adjusting the link 8 nearer or farther from the axis of movement of the slotted rockarm 9 a smaller or greater vibration will result in the movement of the cut-off valve 4. Thus the amount of steam admitted to the engine can be controlled by the cut-off valve, and the valves 17, 22, and 23 can remain in their full open position. A governing mechanism may be employed for automatically adjusting the stroke of the valve 4 by moving the link 8 in its slot, depending upon the speed of the engine, as is well understood.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the cylinder 3 is of less width than the face of the piston. This piston (indicated at 28) is flxedly mounted upon the shaft 13. Those portions of the piston at its side edges which protrude beyond the cylinder 3 are provided with expansible packing-rings 29, which bear upon concentric shoulders of corresponding radii formed in the cylinder-heads 30 and 3l. The cylinder-head 30, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, is practically closed with the exception of the opening in its center for the passage of the main shaft, said cylinder-head at this pointbeing provided with the usual packinggland. The cylinder-head 31 is extended outwardly beyond the circular track or bearingface, which receives the packing-rings at this side of the piston, said cylinder-head 31 being provided with a iauge at its outer end, to which is secured a closing-head 32, said head being provided with a central hub portion, forming a bearing for the main shaft and having the usual packing-gland. Fixed to the hub of this head 32 are cams 33, whose working faces are formed with a radial enlargement 34 and a face 35, respectively, at apoint adjacent to but to one side of the abutment 14.

36 indicates a spider-ring rotatably mounted on the hub of the head 32 or on one of the fixed heads of the cams, whose arms aord bearings for the ends of rock-shafts 37. These rock-shafts also find bearings in the rimflanges of the piston. (See Fig. 4.)

38 indicates arms secured to the rock-shafts 37, the opposite ends of said arms carrying rollers 39, which engage, respectively, with the working faces of the cams 33. These rollers are designed in the rotation of the pistou to ride over the working faces of the cams, and when one of the rollers rides over the face 35 the other roller on the opposite side of the rock-shaft 37 rides up the radial enlargement 34, causing the shaft 37 to rock in one direction. When the last roller referred to rides down the radial enlargement, the first-mentioned roller is approaching the concentric face of its cam, so that the shaft 37 is rocked in the opposite direction. This rocking of the two shafts 37 occurs as therespective piston-heads connected to and controlled by said shafts approach and leave the abutment 14, so that the piston-heads are caused to recede into the piston opposite the abutment and to be projected outwardly after they pass the abutment.

To effect the above, each shaft 37 has an arm 40 fixed thereon between the flanges of the piston, said arms carrying links 4l, which -are pivoted upon suitable rods carried by the piston-heads. To center the arms 40, bosses 42 are provided on each side thereof, and in order to conveniently X said arms to the shafts 37 said shafts are enlarged at one end, two attened faces being formed for receiving the arms 40, whereby said arms can be slipped in position and rotated with the shafts without requiring the use of pins, the opposite ends of the shafts being circular, the diameter thereof being no larger than the distance between the two flat faces referred to.

In introducing a shaft in position its small Yend first passes through the proper boss, after which the small end passes through the opening in the end of arm 40,the non-circular opening in said arm registering with the flattened portion of the shaft, and then the small circular end of the shaft is seated in its bearing in the opposite boss.

The piston-heads referred to are mounted between guides43, so that said piston-heads may move radially, their inner faces being recessed to form pockets for the reception ot' the links 4l. The outer faces and the end faces of the piston are formed with seats or grooves for the reception of a packing-block. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 5.) This block is formed in sections, which sections when assembled form a U-shaped packing, the legs thereof being received in the grooves in the ends of the piston, appropriate springs 44 cooperating therewith, which tend to move and separate sections of the block and form a tight joint with the inner side faces of the cylinder-heads.

A leaf or any other suitable spring 45 is ar-v ranged in the bottom of the groove in the outer face of the piston-head, the ends there- IOO IIO

of engaging the sections of the packing-block, tending to force said sections outwardly and thus hold the packing of the piston-head in its outer position against the inner periphery of the cylinder. However, as the piston-heads are retracted means must be provided for holding the sections of this packing in proper position to prevent displacement, but permitting a slight independent movement thereof with respect to the piston-head in which it is mounted. To accomplish this, I arrange a key 46 on the side wall of the groove. in the outer face of the piston-head and form alining grooves in one of the side faces of the sections of the packing. This groove is indicated at 47 in Fig. 5.

48 indicates one of the sections of the packing-block referred to, and 49 the other of said sections. Contiguous ends of these sections are constructed in such manner that they may be keyed together to form a steam-tightjoint, notwithstanding the fact that the sections may be separated slightly by the springs 44. This keyed joint is produced by forming matching projections and recesses upon and in the contiguous ends of the sections, so that in introducing the sections into position in the piston-head they may be slipped over opposite ends of the piston-head on account of the springs 44 and the key 46. This keyed joint is preferably produced by forming an L-shaped projection 49a on one of the sections-as, for instance, section 49-and correspondingly recessing the end of the opposite section 4S. The horizontal leg of the L projection is located above the lower edge of the horizontal members of the section for the purpose of preventing, if possible, steam from getting into the space containing the leafspring 45, from which space it would have an easy access to the interior of the piston.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that in their outermost position the sections of the packing under consideration do not protrude very far beyond the face of the piston, it being preferable in this construction to house as much of the joint in the piston as can be conveniently covered. These packing- sections 48 and 49 pack the piston-head when it is in its outermost position and prevent the steam from blowing through or escaping past said piston-head to the space in advance thereof, which advance space is connected to the exhaust.

To pack the sides of the piston-heads to prevent the steam from escaping into the interior of the piston, I arrange a sectional packing 50 around the opening into the periphery of the piston through which the piston-heads operate. This sectional packing is seated in grooves, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the several sections thereof being pressed inwardly againstthepiston-headsbyspringsl. From an examination of Fig. 6 it will be observed that the sections of this packing 50 are rectangular, the contiguous ends thereof being reduced, so as to form a vertical lapped joint, while at least one of said reduced portions is formed with steps 52, matching with correspending inverted steps on the opposite contiguous ends of the next adjacent packingsection.

As the piston-head should make a close joint with the abutment 14, I also prefer to provide a packing-block in the inner face of said abutment, said packing-block being indicated at 53 in Fig. This packing-block is designed to t snugly in its seat and is recessed on its under side to receive a rib 54, said packing-block being pressed inwardly by springs 55. This packing-block 53 is of such width that it spans the opening in the piston through which the piston-head is projecting.

In order to counterbalance the centrifugal force acting upon the piston-heads, I arrange springs 56 upon the hub of the piston, the outer ends of said springs engaging the ends of the arms 40, tending at al1 times to pull said arms inwardly. By this arrangement the work of the cams in retracting the pistonheads is considerably reduced, especially when the engine is running at a high rate of speed and considerable centrifugal force is being exerted upon the piston-heads. While I have shown springs 56 as leaf-springs, it is obvious that coil-springs could as well be used.

' The guides 43, between which the pistonheads are mounted, also form what might be termed the spokes7 of the piston. The valves 17, 22, and 23, or at least the stems thereof, preferably project out on one side of the enginesay beyond the cylinder-head 30-each of said valve-stems being appropriately packed.

As all of the moving parts of the engine' are inclosed in a tight-'fitting case, oil (indicated at 57, Fig. 2) may be introduced into the interior of said casing, so that the parts will be well lubricated. In fact, by providing a vent-pipe leading from the upper portion of this oil-chamber said chamber could be entirely filled with oil, the vent-pipe taking care of the displacement of the oil caused by the reciprocation of the piston-head.

In the above construction the piston and cylinder are concentric with each other, an abutment being employed in the cylinder. The rollers on the ends of the arlns 38 also cooperate with what might be termed concentrically-placed cams, said rollers traveling over the outer peripheries of said cams. It is obvious that these rollers could coperate with cam-faces provided by the inner peripheries of cam-rings and accomplish the same purpose.

As shown in Fig. 7, itis obvious that the working` faces of the cams 33 may be so shaped without changing the principle of their action that they will operate the piston-heads with an eccentrically-mounted piston. In this ICO construction the periphery of the piston engages the cylinder, so that apronounced abutment is dispensed with.

In view of the long throw of the pistonhead, resulting from a gradual approach between the periphery of the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder, I have shown circular cams in Fig. 7, said cams being placed eccentrically on the shaft, they bearing such relation to each other that the roller-arms will coperate with their working faces in such manner as to actuate the rock-shafts connected to the piston-heads throughout the entire rotation of the piston.

In view of the description given with respect to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 it is deemed unnecessary to repeat here the operation of the construction shown in Fig 7. However, I have taken advantage of the opportunity offered in the illustration of what might be termed an eccentrically-placed7 piston to illustrate a modified form of rollerarm, the same being here shown as mounted upon shaft 37a, the rollers beingjournaled in spring members 38a, said spring members being so mounted upon the shaft that they tend at all times to press the rollers in contact with the working faces of the cams. Arms 38 extend laterally from the rock-shaft and lie over the spring members 38, and setscrews 38c are seated in said arms near their outer ends and bear upon the respective spring members. By properly adjusting the set-screws of the arms mounted upon one of the shafts-t'. e., by turning one screw inwardly and the other outwardlythe arms and the rock-shaft carrying them can be rocked slightly with relation to the spring members 38a, the flexibility of said spring members permitting such rocking. Thus the spring members and their rollers constitute, in eect, a relatively fixed frame at all times held in position upon the cams or rocking members, while the rockshaft is flexibly mounted upon said spring members or framearms and is provided with adjusting members, whereby said rock-shaft can be rocked upon said fixed frame. Consequently the position of the rock-arm with respect to the member rocking the same can be so adjusted that the throw of the piston-head can be regulated for various purposes-aa for example, for preventing pounding of the piston-head against the inner circumference of the cylinder.

It will be observed that the rotary engine in both forms of my invention is provided with two sliding piston-heads, with means for operating said piston-heads. AThese pistonheads are arranged in opposite sides of the piston and are retracted to escape the point of contact or engagement so as to traverse the space between the piston and the cylinder, and thereby form an e`ectual abutment upon which the pressure may operate.

Valve 17, before described, performs a dual i function, admitting pressure to one or the other side of the point of engagement between the piston and cylinder and opening the exhaust to the opposite side. This valve is preferably operated manually and is independent of the cut-off valve. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, valve 17, or rather the body portion thereof, is made in two parts, the division-line extending in the direction of the central opening through the valve, whereby the steam which passes through said central opening forces the two halves` of the body portion outwardly, `so that they will form a tight joint.

The function of the auxiliary exhaustports 2O and 21 is to diminish the friction between the piston and piston-heads as the latter are retracted by permitting the escape of a portion of the motive iiuid before the piston-heads are actuated. In other words, in the construction shown in Figs. l to 4, the piston-heads remain in an operative position outwardly against the cylinder until after they pass the auxiliary exhaust-ports -20 or 2l, (depending upon the direction in which the engine is rotating,) and one or the other of these exhaust-ports will relieve the pistonhead of pressure thereb'ehind, so that the operating mechanism for the piston-head will not have to overcome the friction which would otherwise result from the pressure against the piston-head were the ports l5 and 16 relied upon as the only passages for the escape of the exhaust.

The cutoff valve is operated by an eccentric on the main shaft, which eccentric is equivalent to a one-throw crank, and consequently the inlet-port 5 is open to an extent permitted by the position of the point of connection between the link 8 and the arm 9 with respect to the axis of movement of said The opening in the cut-off valve passes the inlet-port when the engine is in normal operation, so that said inlet-port 5 is fully opened to the pressure in chamber 2. Thus the inlet-port is opened twice during every revolution of the main shaft, and consequentlyeach piston-head receives it-s impulse of steam. Depending upon the point of connection between the link 8 and the arm 9 the amount of motive iiuid admitted behind each piston-head may be regulated and controlled.

As the cams give a definite and positive action to the piston-heads, it is easy to so adjust their throw that said heads will not come into direct contact with the internal periphery of the cylinder, but close enough so that the space will be sealed by the packing carried by the piston-heads. The shape of the cams is such as to admit of a gradual approach of the piston-heads to the cylinder, so that hammering and friction between the piston-heads and cylinder is prevented.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination IOO TIO

of the several parts of my invention may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having a passage therearound provided with an exhaust-opening, of a piston engaging said cylinder at one point, a cylinder-port on each side of said point of engagement, and a rocking valve in the line of said passage and controlling the said cylinderports and the ports of said passage which open upon said valve; substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having a passage therearound provided with an exhaust-opening, of a piston engaging said cylinder at one point, a cylinder-port on each side ot' said point of engagement, auxiliary exhaust-ports connecting the space in the cylinderwith said passage, valves for controlling said auxiliaryexhaustports, an inlet-port, and a valve in the line of said passage and having provision for connecting said inlet-port with either of said cylinder-ports, connecting the other ot' said cylinder-ports with one of the ports of said passage adjacent said valve, and closing the passage between the inlet-port and the other port of said passage adjacent said valve; substantially as described.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder formed with a passage therearoun d provided with an exhaust-opening, of auxiliary exhaust-ports 20 and 2l, connecting the space in the cylinder with said exhaust-passage, valves for controlling said ports, one of said ports being open and the other closed when the piston is rotating in one direction,

and vice versa, a rotary piston in the cylinder, engaging the cylinder at one point, cylinder-ports l5 and 16 leadingto opposite sides of said point of engagement between the piston and cylinder, an inlet-port, a rocking valve 17, coperating with said inlet-port, said cylinder-ports and said exhaust-passage in the manner described, means for operating all of said valves simultaneously, and a cutoif valve for the inlet-port; substantially as described.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston carrying two pistonheads and engaging the cylinder at one point, means for operating said piston-heads, cylinder-ports leading to each side of said point of engagement, an inlet-port, exhaust-ports, a valve for controlling said ports, a cut-off valve which is effective for admitting pressure behind each piston-head, and means for operating said cut-od valve, said means including a rocking lever actuated by the engine and a link connection between said rocking lever and said cut-ott valve, said link being adj ustably mounted upon said rocking lever; substantially as described.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a piston, of a sliding piston-head, and means for operating said piston-head, said means including two working cam-faces, and a lever having portions upon opposite sides of its fulcrum which engage said respective camfaces; substantially as described.

G. In a rotary engine, the combination with a piston, ot' a sliding head mounted in suitable ways therein, cams, a lever, having its ends in operative relation to the working faces of said cams, a rock-shaft upon which said lever is mounted, and connection between said rock-shaft and said piston-head; substantially as described.

7. In a rotaryengine, the combination with a rotary piston, of a piston-head mounted in guideways and radially movable therein, cams, one ot said cams having a working face with a radial enlargement, and the other of said cams having a Working face circumferentially displaced with respect to the radial enlargement on the companion cam, a lever fixed upon a rock-shaft and carrying rollers on its ends for coperating with the working faces ot' said cams, an arm mounted upon said rock-shaft, and a link connection between said arm and said piston-head; substantially as described.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with a piston, of a sliding piston-head arranged therein, and means for operating said pistonhead, said means including cams, a lever, and yielding devices on the ends of said lever carrying rollers for coperating with the working faces of the cams; substantially as described.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination with a piston, of a piston-head slidingly mounted therein, and means for operating said pistonhead, said means comprising a cam, a rockshaft of various diameters, an arm mounted upon a non-circular portion ot said rock-shaft, and a link connection between the end of said arm `and said piston-head; substantially as '.lescribed.

10. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston and its piston-head, of a packing for said piston-head, said packing comprising sections 4:8 and 49, and an L- shaped projection on one of the contiguous ends of said sections, which is received in a corresponding recess in the other of said sections, and springs for forcing said sections laterally and outwardly; substantially as described.

ll. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a piston and its piston-head slidingly mounted therein, of a packing arranged in a rectangle in grooves around the opening through which the piston-head operates, the contiguous ends of said sections overlapping each other and formed with matching shouldered projections and recesses, and springs for forcing said sections IOO IIO

inwardly against the piston-head; substantially as described.

12. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder, the piston and its pistonhead, of means coperating with said pistonhead, and exerting a force at all times to pull said piston-head inwardly, the said means exerting a force substantially only sufficient to lcounterbalance the centrifugal force; substantially as described.

13. In a rotary engine, the combination With a cylinder and piston, of a plurality of sliding piston-heads mounted therein, means for operating said piston-heads, and springs coperating with said piston-heads, the force of said springs being substantially only sufflcient to counterbalance the centrifugal force acting upon the said piston-heads; substantially as described.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination with, a cylinder, a'piston and a sliding piston-head, of a frame, means for rocking said frame, a rock member pivotally mounted upon said `frame, means for adjusting said rock member pivotally with relation to said frame, and connection between said rock member and said piston-head; substantially as described.

15. In a rotary engine, the combination With a cylinder, a piston and a sliding piston-head, of a rock member, connection between said member and said piston-head, a spring-arm extending from said rock member, a part upon which said arm bears at its free end and adapted to rock said arm, and means for pivotallyadjusting said rock member with relation to said arm; substantially as described.

16. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, a-piston and a sliding piston-head, of a rock-shaft connected to said piston-head, an arm upon said shaft, aspringarm also carried by said shaft and bearing at its free end upon a member for rocking the same, and an adjusting member engaging said arms; substantially as described.

17. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder,a piston and a sliding piston-head, of a rock-shaft having connection with said piston-head, frame-arms having flexible connection With said rock-shaft and extending oppositely therefrom,rocking members upon which said frame-arms bear, rockarms oppositely extending from said shaft, and adjusting members between the respective sets of said arms,whereby said rock-shaft and its rock-arms can be pivotally adj usted

Images