US744614A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

No. r144,614. PATBNTED Nov. 17, 190s.

M. A. RICE. ROTARY ENGINE.

' APPLITION FILED JULY 6; 1903.

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PATBNTBD Nov. 1v, 1903.'

M. A. RICE.` ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOATIONTILED JULY e. 1903*.

No MODEL.

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Uivrrsn STATES' Patented November 17, 1903.

MARK A. RICE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY lENGINE.

SPECIFICATIO forming na-rt of Letters Patent No. 744,614, dated November 1'?, 1903.

Application filed J'uly 6,1903.1 Serial No. 164,348. (No model.)

lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new'and improved rotary engine which is sim-A ple and durable in construction and arranged to insure easy running, to allow of cutting off the motive agent at any desired point, to permit reversing the engine, to prevent endwise thrust of the piston in the cylinder and to utilize the motive agent expansively to the fullest advantage.

'Ihe invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims. Y

A practical embodiment ofthe invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. 4

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improvement on'the line l-l of' Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.'

Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the saine on` the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4Ais a like view of the same on the line 4 tof-Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the cylinder, the piston, and the pist0n-heads 5 and Fig; 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the inlet and exhaust ports leading from the reversing-valve to the cylinder.

In the cylinder A of the engine is mounted to rotate a piston B, secured on a main shaft O, journaled in suitable bearings in the heads of the cylinder A, and in the said piston B are mounted to slide radial piston-heads D, pressed on at'their inner ends by springs E to hold the said piston-heads at their outer ends in contact with the inner face of the cyl.

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:chambers As A4 by grad sally-inclined faces A5- fforthe inward and outward movement of the piston-heads D, it being understood that Ithe springs E allow such inward movement ofthe piston-heads and cause outward move- -ment thereof when the piston B rotates either.

forward or backward, according to the direction in which the engine is running at the From the upper end of the chamber A3 and the lower end of the chamber YA4 lead ports ctv -and a' to a common port a2, opening into the 4valve-body F of la reversing-valve inv` the shape of a four-way valve having a valveplug F, adapted to be turned by the operag tor, as hereinafter more fully explained. p

' The upper end of the working chamber A4 and the lower end of the working chamber A3 are connected by ports b and b with a common port h2, leading into the valve-body Fat the side opposite the one atlwhich the port a2 opens into the said valve-body. (Se'eFig. 3.)

From the top of the valve-body F leads an In this steamchest G is mounted to rotate a rotary admission-valve H, mounted to slide on and to rotate withthe main shaft O, so that when the latter rotates the said admission-valve H rotates with it. As shown in the drawings, the

inner end of the shaft O is provided for the purpose with keyways engaged by keys in the hub of the spider or open web at the apex end of the conical valve H.

The rotary admission-valve H is provided in its peripheral wall or rim with spaced narrow ports d, adapted to register with Wide ports e, formed in a cut-off valve I, fitted into and mounted to turn in the admission-valve H, and this cut-off valve I is under the control of the operator and is openvat its outer end and engaged at this end by the free ends of a spring J, secured at its middle on a shaft K, .journaled in the head G of the steam-chest G, and on the outer end of the said shaft K is secured a handle K', provided with a spring K2, adapted to engage one of a4 series of notches in a notched segment K3, attached to or forming part of the head G.

(See Fig. 2.) Now by the operator moving the spring K2 out of engagement with the notched segment K3 the handle K becomes unlocked and can then be turned to the right or to the left to turn the cut-off valve I within the admission-valve H to allow the ports cl to register for a longer or shorter period with the ports e, to establish a longer or a shorter connection between the interior of the cut-oi valve I and the ports c and c2, to cut off the steam sooner or later from the latter, as the case may be.

The live motive agent is supplied to the interior of the valve I by a supply-pipe L, connected with a boiler or other suitable source of motive-agent supply, and when the several ports are in the position illustrated in the drawings then the live motive agent passing into the valve I passes by way of the port e to the corresponding registering port (Z into the branch ports c c2, from which the motive agent passes to the port c and into the valvebodyF at one side of the valve-plug F to then pass through the port a2 into the ports a and a', opening into the chambers A3 and A, to act on the piston-heads D to turn the piston B in the direction of the arrow 0c, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4. Thus steam passes simultaneously into the cylinder A at two diametrically opposite points to act on two piston-heads D at the same time. The exhaust-steam in front of the piston-heads D now passes by way of the ports Z7 and b' into the port b2 and into the valve-body F, from which the motive agent can pass into the exhaust-pipe F2, leading to the outer air. By having steam acting on two diametrically opposite piston-heads at the same time all sidewise pressure is equalized.

The cylinder and its piston are preferably of considerable length, while the difference between the diameter of the cylinder at the abntments A A2 and that of he working chambers A3 A4 is comparatively small, so that the sliding motion of the piston-heads D is reduced to a minimum without reducing the area of the working faces of the `pistonheads.

When itis desired to reverse the engine, then the valve-plug F is turned, and for this purpose the stem of the valve-plug F is provided with a handle F3 Linder the control of the operator and adapted to abut against pins F4. (See Figs. l and 2.) Now when the handle F3 is thrown over from the right to the left (see Fig. 2) then the vvalve-plug F is shifted to connect the interior of the valvebody F with the exhaust-pipe F2 and to connect the port c with the port Z22. The motive agent now passes from the valve-body F by wayof the port b2 to the ports i) and b', which open at diametrically opposite points into the cylinder A, and thereby act on two pistonheads D at the same time to turn the piston B in the inverse direction of the arrow 0c.

The admission-valve I-I and the cnt-off valve I are preferably made in the shape of frusturns of cones to insure a snug fitting of the admission-valve II on its seat in the steamchest Gand a corresponding fitting of the cut-off valve I within the admission-valve I-I.

rThe inner end of the shaft C is made hollow and extends into the cut-off valve I, so that the motive agent can pass through the said hollow end and a part go into the outer end of the cylinder A to press against this end of the cylinder and the outside of the flange B2 of the piston B, and in the latter are formed longitudinally-cxtending passageways BQ so that the motive agent passinginto the outer end of the cylinder can pass by way of the passages B' to the inner end of the cylinder, thus relieving the fianged end of the piston B of the pressure over these passageways and preventing excessive pressure on the fianged end of the pistou, butretaining enough pressure on the flange B2 to hold the same in steam-tight contact with the annular shoulder A7 on the cylinder A and also hold the inner end of the piston B in steam-tight contact with the inner end of the cylinder. The end of the piston-heads D extend into the flange B2, (see Fig. 5,) and on the end of the piston-heads D, in the said flange, are secured springs D', pressing with their free ends against the inside of the Harige B2 to force the inner ends of the said piston-heads D steam-tight against the inner end of the cylinder A.

Ready access is had to the valves 1I and I on simply removing the head G of the steamchest G. The ad mission-valve His mounted to slide lengthwise on theV shaft C (but turns with the latter) to allow snug fitting of the valve II in its seat in the steam-chest G. For a similar reason the outer end of the cut-oil valve I is formed with notches engaged by the free ends of the spring .I to allow longitudinal movement of the cutoff valve I in the admission-valve II to compensate at all times for wear. The ports c' and c2 are located opposite each other in the circular valve-seat, and the two ports e in the cnt-off valve I are also opposite each other. By this arrangement the side pressure on the admission-valve H and the cutoff valve- I is perfectly balanced.

By the arrangement described a rotary engine is produced free from excessive friction, self-adjusting to take up wear at the working parts, and capable of utilizing the steam expansively to any desired degree by setting the cnt-off valve I correspondingly relative to the admission-valve I-I and the ports c' and c2.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction shown and described, as it is ovident the same may be varied in its minor features without deviating from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a

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piston mounted to turn therein and provided with slidable piston-heads, a rotary admission-valve in axial alinement with the cylinder and rotating inV unison with the said pisprovided with ports registering with the oppositely-arranged ports in the steam-chest, and a reversing-valve between the steamchest and the cylinder, the common port of the steam-chest opening into the body of the reversing-valve, asset forth.

3. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder provided at one end with a steam-chest having oppositely-disposed ports, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinder, a rotary admission-valve fitting in said steam-chest and rotating inunison with said piston, the said admission-valve being provided with ports registering with both of said oppositely-disposed ports in the steam-chest, and a-manually-coutrolled cnt-olf valve for the said admissionvalve, as set forth.

4. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted to turn therein and provided with slidable piston-heads, a rotary admission-valve in axial alinement ywith the cylinder lrotating in unison with the said piston, and a manually-controlled cut-off valve for the said admission-valve, the said manuallycontrolled cut-od valve being fitted within the hollow admission-valve and a spring engaging the outer end of the cut-o valve, as set forth. Y

5. A rotary enginecomprising a cylinderv provided at one end with a steam-chest, a piston mounted to turn in the said cylinder and having slidable piston-heads, a rotary admission-valve in axial alinement with the cylinder and fitted in the said steam-chest, the admission valve rotating in unison with the said piston, a manually-'controlled reversingvalve for controlling the motive agent on its passage from the admission-valve to the cylinder, and a manuallycontrolled cut-off valve, fitted 4in the said admission-valve and connected with the motive-agent supply, as set forth.

6. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted to turn therein and provided with slidable spring-pressed piston-heads, a main shaft carrying the piston, a steam-chest into which extends the said main shaft, the said shaft having a passage opening into the steam-chest and communicating by a port with the outer end ofthe cylinder, and a rotary admission-valve in the said steam-chest and turning with the said main shaft, as set forth. I

' 7. A rotary engine com prisinga cylinder, a piston mounted to turn therein and provided with slidable piston-heads,a main shaft carrying the piston, a steam-chest into which extends the said main shaft and provided with oppositely-disposed ports leading to a common admission-port, connected with the cylinder, and a cylindrical rotary admissionvalve in the said steam-chest, rotating with the said shaft, the admission-valve being open at one end and provided in its rim with longitudinalports registering with the ports in the steam-chest, as set forth.

8. A rotary engine provided with acylinder having opposite fixed abutments, opposite Working chambers between the abutments and peripheral .inlet and exhaust ports, va steam-chest at one end ot' the cylinder, and apiston mounted to turn in the said cylinder and having radially-sliding piston-heads, the piston being provided at one end with a flange and also provided with longitudinal passages for the passage of the motive agent from one end of the cylinder to the other, asset forth.`

9. A rotary engine provided with a cylinder having opposite fixed abutments, opposite working chambers and peripheral inlet and exhaust ports, a steam-chest at one end of the cylinder, a piston mounted to turn in the said cylinder and having radially-sliding piston-heads, the piston being provided at one end with a flange and also provided with longitudinal passages for the passageof the motive agent from one end of the cylinder'to the other, and a shaft carrying the piston and having a hollow end extending into the said steam-chest, the shaft having a port opening into the end of the cylinder containing the piston-flangefas set forth.

10. A rotary engine comprising a cylinderv having oppositely-arranged Working chambers, a piston mounted to turn therein and having kslidable piston-heads, a main shaft for the said piston, a steam-'chest at one end of the cylinder, into whichprojects the s aid shaft, a rotary admission-valve fitted in the said steam-chest and secured on the said shaft, and ,a reversing-valve in the passage between the Asteam-chest and the cylinder, the engine being provided with ports leading from op-L of the cylinder, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinder and having radially-sliding piston-heads, the piston being provided at one IOO IOS

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end with a flange and also provided with'longitudinal passages for the passa-ge of the n1otive agent from one end of the cylinder to the other, and a shaft carrying the piston and having a hollow end extending into the said steamchest, the shaft having a port opening into the end of the cylinder, containing the piston-flange, and the piston-heads extending into the flange, with springs on the end ot' the piston heads in said flange, bearing against the inside of the flange, to press the piston-heads steam-tight against the inner end of the cylinder, as set forth.

l2. A rotary engine provided with a cylinder having fixed oppositely-disposed abutments and oppositely-arranged Workingchambers between the abutments, the Walls of the a-butments and Working chambers being connected with each other by inclined faces, a set of ports connecting the upper end of one working chamber and the lower end of the other Working chamber with a common port, a second set of ports connecting the other ends of said chambers with a second common port, a reversing-valve for admitting the motive agent to either of said common ports, a piston mounted to turn in the said cylinder and in peripheral contact with the said abutment-s, and spring pressed piston heads mounted to slide radially in the said piston and adapted to engage the Walls of the said abutments in the Working chambers, as set forth.

13. An engine-valve mechanism comprising a rotary conical admission-valve, having ports in its rim, and a conical manually-controlled cut-oli:l valve, tted in the said admissionvalve and engaged by a spring at its outer end, the said cut-olf valve having cut-off ports for register with the ports in the said admission-valve, the motive agent passing into the said cut-off Valve, as set forth.

14. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder provided at one end with a steam-chest, apiston mounted to turn in the cylinder and having slidable piston-heads, a rotary admissionvalve fitted in the said steam-chest and rotating in unison with the piston,a cut-oil? valve iit ting in the said admission-valve, a shaft under the control of the operator andjournaled in the head of the steanrchest, and a spring secured at its middle on the inner end of the shaft and engaging with its free ends notches in the outer end of the cut-off valve, as set forth.

l5. An engine-valve mechanism comprising a steam-chest, a rotary conical admissiouvalve mounted in the steam-chest and having ports in its rim, a conical cut-off valve tted in the said admission-valve and having cut off ports for register With the ports in the said admissionwalve, a shaft journaled in the head of the steam-chest, a spring secured at its middle on the inner end of said shaft and engaging with its free ends notches in the outer end of said cut-olf valve, and a handle on the outer end of said shaft and provided wilh a spring adapted to engage a notched segment on the head of the steamchest, the motive agent passing into the said cutoff Valve, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. f

VIARK RICE.

Vitnesses: 4

JAMES E. DOTY, THOMAS LLOYD.

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