US728536A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

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No. 728,536. PATENTED MAY 19, 190s.

'G. P. BREED 46 B. L. HAWN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

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No. 728,536. PATENTED. MAY 19, 1903.

' .G. P. BREED & E. L. HAWN.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOAHQi FILED 001. 22. 1902. v

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WITNESSES:

LITHCL. wnsmusmn D c No. 728,536. PATENTED MAY 19,1903.

G. P. BREED & E. L. HAWN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

, APPLIGATION FILED OUT. 22. 1902.

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" UNITED STATES PATENT Patented May 19, 1903.

OFFICE.

GEORGE" P. BREED, OF ROOKELM, AND EDD L. HAWN, or OLIVE'I, I WISCONSIN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SEEGIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 728,536, dated May 19, 1903. Application filed October 22,1902. Serial No. 128,267. (N model.)

. To all whom it may concern/ Be it known that we, GEORGE P. BREED, a resident of Rockelm, and EDD L, HAWN, a resident of Olivet, in the county of Piercev and State of Wisconsin, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. V

This invention relates to a-rotary engine comprising, broadly stated, acasing forming a circular passage equivalent to the engine cylinder, and through the casing-passes centrally the engine-shaft. In the said cylinder are arranged two pistons carried on disks loose on the engine-shaft. These disks c oact' with clutch devices, which when the disk moves in one direction connects the piston with the shaft and when the disk starts to move in the other direction connects the piston with the casing, and thus stops the move ment of the piston. These pistons are at v ranged face to face, andeach occupies the entire cross-sectional area of the cylinder, so that of course they cannot pass each other. In the operation of the engine steam is ad- 'mitted between the two pistons and tends to" force them through the cylinder in opposite:

directions. The clutches of the two pistons work oppositely, however, and therefore when the steam presses the pistons apart the clutch of the one piston connects it with the cylinder, while'the clutch of the second piston counects said second piston with the shaft. The steam then forces the second-named through the cylinder,'while the first-named, piston acts as an abutment. complete movement has been made by the second-named piston, steam is again admitted, this steam tending again to spread'the pistons from each other. place, the second-named piston, owing to the change in its movemenuthen becomes fast on the cylinder, while the first-named piston,

formerly acting as an abutment, is, now connected with the'e'ngine-shaft and sweeps through thecylinder,tl 1usimpartingits movement thereto. It will be observed that by means of this arrangement the engine-shaft is given a step-by-step movement by a ratchetlike action of the pistons and clutches and lines 5 5,6 6, and 7 7 ofFig. 1. viewfof the exhaust side of the engine, showpiston W'hen a nearly- When this takes I that owing to the peculiar arrangement of the parts this movement is formed of impulses so rapidly successive that the rotation of the engine-shaft is practically c0ntinuous,involv-' ing no crank movement and the vibration incident thereto.

This specification is an exact description of one example of our invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

" Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

" Figure 1 is an elevational view of the engine with the casing partly broken away and showing the st'eam-feed-valve devices and the clutch mechanism at the steam-feed side of the engine. Fig. 2 is an inner face view of the disk at the exhaust side of the engine.

' Fig. 3 is an elevational view illustrating the interior of the engine at the exhaust side. Fig. 4 is an inner face view of.the disk havingthe steam-feed-valve devices. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are respectively sectional views on the Fig. 8 is a ing part of the casing broken away to dis ,close the exhaust-valve devices; and Fig. 9

is a detail viewof the arm and clutchfor turning over the engine.

10 indicates the base of the engine, and 11 the engine-casing, which isjcircular in form and has at its peripheryan enlarged portion formin aoircular 'assa ell which asabove stated, constitutes the cylinder of the engine.-

'12 indicates the steam-feed pipe, and 12" indicates the exhaust-pipe. In the inner side j of the'casing 11, at'the feed side thereof, is a circular-passage 1a, with which the pipe 12 communicates, this passageextending around the casing just inward of the cylinder ll and being adapted to 'be kept constantly full of live steam.

15 indicates a corresponding passage at the exhaust side of the engine, which communi- 5 cates with the haust-steaml I In Fig. 3 the position of the exhaust-pipe 12 is indicated diagrammatically by the dotted lines in said view. 16 indicates the onpipe 12 to carry oft the ex- IOO gine-shaft, which is mounted revolubly in the center of the casing 11 and carried in boxes 17, having suitable supports 18 on the base and casing 11 of the engine. The two pistons are designated 19 and-20, respectively. These pistons are of circular form and fit snugly within the cylinder 11, filling the entire cross-sectional area thereof. Said pistons 19 and 20 are respectively fastened to the disks 21 and 22, which extend from the cylinder 11 inward to the shaft 16 and are mounted loosely thereon.

The clutch devices for connecting the disks 21 with the shaft 16 for fastening said disks to the casing 11 may be ofanysuitable form. We prefer, however, to employ the construction shown in the drawings, which will now be described. A notched ring is movably mounted on the outer face of each disk 21 and 22, and in the notches of these rings are arranged clutch balls or rollers 23, said balls or rollers being adapted to lock against the annular shoulders 36, formed inside of the casing 11 respectively inward of the steam- ducts 14 and 15. Fastened to the disks 21 and 22, at the outer sides thereof, are annular flanges or beads 37, which are suitably shaped on their outer peripheries to engage the clutch balls or rollers 23, so that when the flanges 37 turn in one direction they will fasten the clutch balls or rollers to the casing and when the flanges 37 turn in the opposite direction said balls or rollers will lie idly in the notches of the flange 35. To the shaft 16, at each side of the disks 21 and 22, clutch-wheels 33 are fastened, and with these clutch-wheels coact clutch-rollers 39, which are carried in notches formed in flanges 40 of disks 41, which lie in frictional engagement with the outer sides of the disks 21 and 22 and inward of the clutchwheels 38, but in loose engagement therewith. The clutch-wheels 38 are so formed on their peripheries that when the disks 21 or 22, with which one of the clutch-wheels is associated, turns in the direction to render the clutch balls or rollers 23 inactive he frictional movement of the parts 41 and 40 with the said disk willcause the clutch-rollers 39 to bind between the ring or flange 37 and the elutchwheel 38, thus fastening said disk 21 or 22 to the shaft 16. Therefore by means of the devices as above described when one of the disks 21 or 22 turns in one direction it is bound against the casing and its movement is arrested, while the other disk is free to turn without restraint from the casing, but is at the same time coupled directly with the shaft 16. When the movements of the two disks are reversed the clutch action is also reversed.

42 indicates an arm provided to facilitate turning over the engine--that is to say, giving the parts their initial movement when the steam is first admitted. This arm is attached to a clutch-ring 43, and said ring carries rollers 44, which coact with one of the flanges 37. (See Figs. 1, 5, 6, and 7.) This arm 42 may be connected with either one of the two flanges 37; but we prefer to engage the clutch devices 43 and 44 with the flange 37 at the steam-feed side of the engine.

The piston 20 is carried on the disk 22, being fastened suitably to the periphery thereof, and the piston 19 is carried on the disk 21. The disk 22 has its outer face arranged to run against the steam-feed duct 14, and said disk is formed at each side of the piston with a steam-chamber 45. These chambers 45 communicate, respectively, with the steam- feed ports 25 and 25, such ports opening into the cylinder 11, respectively, at the sides of the piston 20. Directly adjacent to the steam chambers 45 are valve-piston chambers 46.

These cham bers lie,respectively,outward from chambers 45 and are adapted to be covered by steam-tight plates 47, one of which is illustrated at the lower side of Fig. 1. At the upper side of Fig. 1 it is assumed that the plate 47 for the valve-piston chamber 46 has been removed to disclose the interior parts.

43 indicates valves which are placed, respectively, in the steam chambers 45 and which serve to command the ports 25 and 25. These valves 48 are attached to stems 49, which pass into the valve-piston chambers 46 and carry therein the valve-pistons 50. By throwing the parts 48, 49, and 50 from the position shown at the top of Fig. 1 to that shown at the bottom of Fig. 1, and vice versa, the ports 25 and 25 may be opened and closed, as desired. The valve-piston chambers 46 are completely closed from the steam-feed duct 14 by the cover-plates 47, steam being admitted into these chambers 46 only through certain ports, as will be hereinafterdescribed. The steam-chambers 45 are, however, continually in direct communication with the steanrduct 14, so that whenever the valves 43 are opened steam passes into the cylinder 11.

The valves 48 are operated by a certain peculiar arrangement of steam-ports, which will now be described. Passing transversely through the disk 22 and leading respectively from the steam-chambers 45 are ports 27 and Passing from the inner side of the disk 22 outward into communication with the piston-chambers 46 at one side of the pistons 50 therein are steam- ports 27 and 30. At the opposite side of the pistons 50 steam- ports 23 and 31 lead from the inner side of the disk 22 outward into the piston-chambers 46, and the ports 28 and 31 lead from the outer side of said disk 22 transversely to the inner side thereof. These ports 27, 27,28, 28, 30, 30, 31, and 31 are shown bestin Figs. 1 and 4. When steam passes through the ports 27 and 30, it forces the pistons 50 away from the engine-piston 20,and thus opens the valves 48, and when steam passes through the ports 28 and 31 the valves 48 are moved in the opposite direction. On the inner face of the disk 21 are formed ducts 27 and 30",which are adapted to coact with the ports 27, 27, 30, and 30,and the said disk 21 has on its inner face ports 28* and 31 ,which are adapted to coact with the ports 28,228, 31, and 31. The various ports of the disks are arranged in groups respectively occupying four concentric imaginary circles on the disks. These circles have been indicated by the broken lines in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 and are designated, respectively, 00,1), 0, and d.

The ports 28, 28 31, and 31 are each arranged in the circle (1, and in order that these ports shall register with the ports 28 and 31 the said ports 28 and 31 are also arranged in the circle 0. The ports 27, 27 30, and 30 are arranged in the circle cl, and in order that these ports shall register with the ducts 27 and 30 said ducts are arranged in the circle d. Now, therefore, it will be observed that steam is continually under pressure in the ports 28, 27, 30, and 31. When the piston 20 moves into the position shown in-Fig. 1, it places'its two ports 27 and 27 over the duct 27", and steam therefore passes through the port 27, duct 27 and port 27 into the pistonchamber 46' and throws the upper valve in Fig. 1 into the open position illustrated. Steam is then admitted through theport 25, and the piston 19 moves in'the direction of the arrow in'Fig. 1. The clutch mechanism of this piston 19 serves to fasten the piston to the engine-shaft, and the clutch mechanism of thepiston 20 serves to fasten said piston to the casing. The movement of the piston and consequent movement of the shaft 16 continues until the duct 28' of the disk 21 (see Fig. 2) moves under the ports 28 and 28*. (See Fig. 1.) This allows the steam to pass from the port 28 through the duct 28 and port 28*, thus moving the aforesaid valve 48 back to closed position and cutting oi the steam. The steam now acts expansively on the piston 19 until the proper exhaust-valve is opened, which exhaust-valve and its operating devices will be hereinafter described. The piston 19 will then, it may be assumed, have completed nearly an entire movement through. the cylinder 11 and will lie below the piston 20 in the position opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Then as the disk 21, moving with the piston 19, runs the duct 30 under the ports 30 and 30 steam will be permitted to pass from the port 30 through the duct 30 and port 3O into the lower pistonchamber 46, (see Fig. 1,) and the lower valve 48 will be thrown into open position, thus permitting steam to pass through the feedport 25*. The piston 20 will now be driven in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, and owing to the clutch devices of the'piston the shaft 16 will be accordingly turned; but the piston 19, having the steam pressing thereon in the direction contrary to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, will be immediately clutched with the engine-casing and will act as an abutment for the steam-pressure. The movement of the piston 20 will continue until the ports 31 and 31 are run over the duct 31, and then these ports 31 and 31 being connected steam will be permitted to pass through the port 31 into the lower piston -chamber 46 (see Fig. 1) and the lower valve 48 will be returned to its closed position, thus cutting ofl the steamfeed. The enginev will then work expansively until the operation of the exhaust valves, as above referred to. tion it will be observed that the period of cut-off may be regulated as desired by positioning the ducts 28 and 31 on the disk 21. 29 indicates two ports which communicate with the piston-chambers 46 and pass inward to the inner side of the disk 22, these ports being for the purpose of exhausting the steampressure from said piston-chambers. These ports 29 are arranged in the circle I) and are adapted to communicate with an exhaustduct 29 on the inner side of the disk 21 and lying in the circle 6. This duct 29 has at each end a port passing laterally to the outer or exhaust side of the disk 21 and communicating with the exhaust-passage 15. (See Figs. 5, 6, and 7.) By these ports 29 and 29 the piston-chambers 46 are kept exhausted of spent steam and needless cushions are avoided.

Formed in the disk 22 and lying in the outermost circle a are two ports 32 and 33, which pass transversely through the disk 22 and are adapted, respectively, to register with ports 32 and 33 in the disk 21, these ports 32 and 33 passing transversely through the disk 21 to lead steam to the exhaust-valve devices,

which will now be described. As shown best in Figs. 3 and 8, there are formed in the periphery of the disk 21 two ports 26 and 26,

which constitute the exhaust-ports, these municate with an exhaust-chamber 52, formed in the disk 21, and 53 indicates an exhaustvalve which is arranged to slide in this chamber 52 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 8, in which the port 26 is open,.or to a position opposite this position, in which the port 26 willbe closed and the port 26 open. Formed in the disk 21, adjacent to the exhaust-chamber 52, is an exhaust-valve piston-chamber 54, which carries a piston 55,- this piston being connected with the valve 53 through the medium of a stem56. The piston-chamber 54 is adapted tobe covered by a steam-tight plate 57, (see Fig. 3,) this platebeing orificed correspondingly to the exhaust-chamber 52.

In this connec- ICO IIO

In Fig. 8 it may be assumed that this plate .an opposite position. In the cover-plate 57 is formed a port 34, which is adapted to exhaust the surplus steam from the piston-chamber 54. Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 8, when steam is ad-- mitted through the port 33 the valve 53 will be moved to uncover the port 26, and after this operation has been effected the steam previously admitted through the port 33 will be exhausted through the opening or port 34. The valve 53 is moved to the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 8 by steam admitted to the port 32.

Recurring now to the description of the operation of the steam-feed valves 48 and the various ports incident thereto,assuming that the parts are now in the position shown in Fig. 1 and that the piston 19 is beginning its movement in the direction of the arrow in said view it will be necessary to open the exhaust-port 26 by throwing the valve 53 to the position shown in Fig. 8. To do this, the positions of the various parts are so timed that at this moment the port will register with the port 32 and the live steam from the passage 14; will pass through the ports 32 and 3:2 into the pistonchamber 54:, and the valve 53 will thus be thrown so as to open the port 26. The exhaust-valve will lie in this position until the piston 19 approximately finishes its stroke, and then the port 33 will be moved into register with the port 33, whereupon steam will pass through the ports 33 and 33 into the piston-chamber 54 atthe opposite side of the valve-piston 55, and the valve 53 will then be thrown into the position opposite to that shown in Fig. 8, thus closing the exhaustport 26 and opening the port 26 The orifice in the cover-plate 57 of the piston-chamber 54 communicates directly with the exhaustduct 15, and thus the exhaust-steam is carried off.

In recapitulation,assuming that steam is steadily under pressure in the pipe 12 and chamber Li and that the disk 22 is given a partial turn manually through the medium of the arm 42, as soon as the ports come into register, as above explained, steam will be admitted between the pistons 19 and 20. One of these pistons will then become fast to the engine-casing, and the other piston will perform a nearly complete movement through the cylinder 11. Then the second-named piston will become fast to the casing and the first-named piston will take up the movement of the second. This imparts a practically continuous revolution to the shaft 16, one piston being moving and fast to the engineshaft while the other piston is fast to the casing and serving as an abutment. The operation of the various valves is wholly automatic, it being only necessary to turn on or oif the steam-supply,

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of our invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence we consider ourselves entitled to all such variations as may lie within the scope of our claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having an interior shoulder at each side thereof, and a circular passage forming a cylinder proper outward from said shoulders, of an engine-shaft mounted centrally of the casing, two disks loose on said shaft, clutch devices carried by the disks, the clutch devices coacting with the said shoulders of the casing and with the engine-shaft to connect one disk with the shaft and to fasten the other to the casing, and vice versa, pistons carried respectively by the disks, and means for admitting and exhausting the motive agent, the said clutches comprising a clutch ring and rollers coacting with the internal shoulders of the casing, a ring fast to the disk and coacting with the said clutch-rollers, additional clutch rollers and ring having connection with the disk, and a clutch-wheel fastened to the engine-shaft and coacting with the said additional rollers and ring.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a circular cylinder, a centrally-disposed shaft, two disks mounted to turn loosely on the shaft, a piston fastened to each disk, the pistons moving through the cylinder, clutch devices for the respective disks, said clutch devices connecting one disk with the engine-shaft as the other disk is connected with the cylinder, and vice versa, means for admitting and exhausting the steam, and a manually-operated member having connection with one of the disks and lying outside of the engine-casing to permit starting the engine.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a circular cylinder, a centrally-disposed shaft, two disks mounted to turn loosely on the shaft, a piston fastened to each disk, the pistons moving through the cylinder, clutch devices for the respective disks, said clutch devices connecting one disk with the engine-shaft as the other disk is connected with the cylinder, and vice versa, means for admitting and exhausting the steam, and a manually-operated member having connection with one of the disks and l in outside of the en 'ine-casin b b b to permit starting the engine, said manuallyoperated member comprising an arm, a ring carried thereby, and clutch-rollers actuated by the ring and engaging said part of the disk.

4. A rotary engine comprising a casing having a circular passage extending thereth rough and forming a cylinder proper, and also having circular interior ducts located inward of the passage and serving respectively to receive the live and exhaust steam, two pistons mounted in the cylinder, two disks attached respectively to the pistons and arranged to turn in the casing, and valve devices for admitting and exhausting the steam, said valve devices lying respectively opposite the live and exhaust steam ducts in the casing.

5. A rotary engine comprising acasing having a circular passage extending therethrough and forming a cylinder proper, and also having circular interior ducts located inward of the passage and serving respectively to reexhaust ports, and the diskshaving registering ports therein, whereby to operate the valves by the pressure of the steam.

6. The combination of a circular cylinder, an engine-shaft mounted therein, two disks loose on the shaft, clutch devices working between the disks and the shaft, and between the disks and the cylinder, said devices fasten ing the disks to the shaft asthe disks turn in one direction and fastening the disks to the cylinder as the disks turn in the other direction and comprising means forming concentric circular surfaces on' the disks, cylinder and shaft, and clutch-balls working between said surfaces, pistons attached to the disks and moving through the cylinder,'and

means for admitting and exhausting the motive fluid.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE P. BREED.

EDD L. HAWN. 'Witnesses:

H. F. TOUSLEY, A. F. TOUSLEY.

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