US773649A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 773,649. v PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904. A. M. KRUEGER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1902.

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i A Tram/Em No. 773,649. PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904.

A. M. KRUEGER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 1, 1904.

PATENT Trice.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,649, dated November 1, 1904.

Application filed March 31, 1902.

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. KRUEGER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, and especially to that class employing compressed air, steam, and analogous gases as a source of energy or propelling medium.

The object of this invention is to provide an engine of this class which will be simple and compact in construction and economical and powerful when in action.

With this object in view my invention comprises a new and improved piston, new and improved means for equalizing the wear on the surface of the piston, new and improved means for automatically compensating for the wear on the surface of the piston and steam chamber, and new and improved valve-opererating mechanism.

My invention also consists of the new and original features of construction and combination of parts, as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I provide a cylindrical piston-chamber in whichI arrange a cam-shaped piston which extends longitudinally of the piston-chamber. The piston is secured on a shaft which is mounted centrally in the piston-chamber, and the piston is so suspended thereon that only a small part of the surface thereof will touch the interior surface of the piston-chamber during a complete revolution of the piston. In the side of the cylinder I form an opening which extends the full length of the cylinder, and in this opening I arrange an abutment which extends into the pistonchamber a sufiicient distance to come into contact with the surface of the piston. This abutment is supported on a leverarm which is pivot-ally mounted at one side of the cylinder. This arrangement reduces the Serial No. 100,814. (No model.)

friction between the abutment and the edges of the opening in the cylinder to a minimum, as the abutment is supported independently of the cylinder, and theabutmentcan be moved easily in and out when under steam-pressure, and it will not bind against the sides of the opening. Springs are provided which exert a constant pressure against the abutment, so as to hold it in contact with the surface of the .piston during the complete revolution of the piston, and as the piston revolves the abutment will move in and out following the contour of the piston. A steam-inlet is formed in the cylinder above the opening for the abutment and is provided with a valve which is operatively connected with the piston. An exhaust is formed at the same side of the cylinder below the opening for the abutment.

VVhen the steam is first admitted to the piston-chamber, it fills the triangular space between the abutment and the adjacent surfaces of the cylinder and piston. the steam causes the piston to revolve, enlarging the steam-space and exposing a greater portion of the surface of the piston to the action of the steam. As the piston revolves it opens and closes the steam-valve through its operative connection therewith, and the abutment moves in and out under the combined action of the piston and springs.

In the accompanying drawings, FigureI is a vertical section of my improved rotary engine. Fig. II is a section on lines II II, Fig. 1, showing a hatching across the steam-inlet. Fig. III is a section on lines III III, Fig. I, showing a similar hatching across the exhaustport. Fig. IV is a section on lines IV IV, Fig. I. Fig.Vis a section on linesVV, Fig. I, showing the construction of the abutment. Fig. VI is a section on lines VI VI, Fig. I, for the same purpose.

Again referring to the drawings, a represents the cylinder of my engine,which is provided with the end pieces (fiand a", removably secured thereto by means of bolts a. The interior surface of the cylinder is slightly beveled at both ends. At each end of the cylinder are arranged packing-rings a and a Each ring is triangular in cross-section and is preferably split, so that it can be sprung into po- The pressure of sition and leave a small space between its ends, so as to allow for adjustment. Screws a are provided, which pass through the respective end plates and engage the packing-rings a These screws a prevent the packing-rings from turning and also serve to adjust them to compensate for the wear on their surfaces.

Openings (0 and a, respectively, are formed in the sides of the cylinder and constitute the steam inlet and exhaust port. Across each opening is arranged a hatching formed of a series of bars a and a respectively, arranged parallel with each other and at an angle to the top and bottom edges of the respective openings, and the arrangement of the bars is such that the bottom edge of one bar is in a vertical line with the top edge of the adjacent bar. The object of the hatching is to form a stop across the respective openings. and the peculiar arrangement of the bars eq ualizes the wear on the surface of the portion of the piston which comes into contact therewith and prevents it from becoming grooved, as there is no part of said surface but what will come into contact with one of the bars.

Bearings are formed centrally in the respective end plates a and a of the cylinder, and in these bearings is mounted a shaft 6, which is arranged to extend a short distance beyond the said plates. On this shaft is mounted a cam-shaped body b,which constitutes the piston. The cam-shaped body or piston 7/ is so suspended on the shaft 7) that it touches the interior surface of the cylinder only at one point. On each end of the piston is secured an annular plate 6 and b, respectively, of equal diameter with the interior diameter of the cylinder. The edges of the outer surfaces of the annular plates 6 and 6 are beveled corresponding to the bevel on the triangular packing-rings a. Between the end plates (0 and 0. and the plates and Z2 are preferably arranged washers Il The object of these plates 6 and If is to provide a perfectly steamtight packing between the respective ends of the piston and the cylinder, thus preventing any escape of steam around the bearings of the piston-shaft b. The respective packing rings a and a, as before indicated, can be adjusted so that they will always be in close contact with the ct ges of the respective plates 6 and Z1 In the surface of the piston where it touches the interior surface of the cylinder is formed a groove 6 which extends the full length of the piston. In this groove is mounted a plate I), preferably by pivoting or hinging it at one side by means of a pin 6 Underneath the plate 7) is arranged a bow-spring I), which presses the plate 7) against the interior surface of the cylinder. This plate 6 forms a packing which automatically adjusts itself to compensate forthe wear on the piston and the interior surface of the cylinder.

Between the steam-supply pipe (4 and the opening a in the cylinder and in close proximity to said opening a is arranged a balanced rotary valve comprising a valve-casing 0 and rotary valve 0. The valve-casing is recessed, as at c, to provide a steam-space at the back of the valve to balance the pressure on the valve of the steam flowing through the valve. The steam-supply pipe is forked to supply steam above and below the valve. The valvestem 0 extends beyond the casing, and on the end thereof is mounted an arm 0 A pin 0 is secured in the end of the arm 0 On the outer face of the end plate a of the cylinder above the shaft 0 is secured a pin d, on which is mounted a lever (Z. In the end of the longer arm a is formed a slot 03 adapted to receive the pin 0 on the end of the arm 0 secured to the valve-stem 0 In the end of the shorter arm of the lever is secured a pin (i on which is mounted a roller cl. On the end of the shaft 5 without the cylinder (0 is secured a cam a so arranged that during a portion of the revolution of the shaft it will come into contact with the roller (Z on the lever (Z'. A spring d is secured to the lever (SZ', so that the lever in its normal position will hold the valve closed and the roller (2* against the surface of the cam. As the shaft L turns the cam e lifts the short arm of the lever (Z and depresses the longer arm, causing arotation of the valvestem in the direction to open the valve. hen the cam 0 leaves the roller (F, the spring (6 causes the lever (Z to assume its normal position, closing the valve.

At the side of the cylinder is mounted my improved abutment. This abutment comprises two supporting-arms f and f, which are pivotally mounted on a shaftf On top of the arms is mounted a box or frame con sisting of a bottom plate 7 which extends the full length of the opening a a top plate f of equal length, but of greater width than the plate f so that the front edge thereof extends beyond the front edge of the plate f a back plate 7, and vertical plates f for bracing and securing the top and bottom plates together. In this frame are arranged three flat plates 6, g, and equal in length to the top and bottom platesj and f". Slots 1*, and g are formed in the respective plates g, g, and g to accommodate the vertical plates and to allow them to move freely in and out in the frame. In each plate g, g, and are secured pins g g and g which project beyond the back of the frame through openings formed in the platef' Under the respective plates g, g, and g are arranged packing-plates g", g and 9 Slots are formed in these plates, and in the slots are arranged projections which engage projections or shoulders f, formed on the vertical plates f so as to lock them in the frame and prevent them from moving forward when the plates g, g, and g are advanced.

Springs are mounted in proximity to the abutment and are arranged toexert a constant pressure against the-frame of the abutment, so as to hold the plate f in contact with the surface of the piston. Similar springs f and f and f are secured to the arms of the abutment and press against the pins in the ends of the plates g, g, and g forcing them outwardly in the frame of the abutment and against the face of the piston b. A packing-plate h is mounted above the plates 7. Screws it are mounted in the easing above the plate it and are arranged to engage with the said plate, so that it may be adjusted to take up the wear between the two surfaces. A washer [L3 of corrugated copper or other soft material is arranged between the end of the plate It and the wall of the cylinder (0.

What I claim is 1. 1n a rotary engine, a cylinder, steamports formed in the said cylinder and hatchings arranged over said ports, comprising a series of parallel bars arranged at an angle to the top and bottom edges of the respective ports and thearrangement of the said bars is such that the bottom edge of one bar is in a vertical line with the top edge of the adjacent bar, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. A rotary engine comprisinga cylindrical casing, end plates secured to said casing, portholes formed in said casing, a shaft mounted centrally in bearings formed in said end plates, a piston keyed to said shaft, a groove formed in said piston, a plate mounted in said groove, a spring arranged beneath said plate and adapted to hold said plate against the interior surface of the said casing, and diagonally-disposed bars arranged across said port-holes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A rotary engine comprising acylindrical casing, hatching arranged across said portholes, a shaft mounted centrally in bearings formed in said end plates, a piston keyed to said shaft, said piston comprising a camshaped body arranged so that only a portion of its surface will be in contact with the interior of the said casing during a revolution of said piston, a groove formed in the said piston at the point where the said piston comes in contact with the interior surface of the said casing, a plate mounted in said groove, a spring arranged beneath said plate and adapted to hold said plate against the interior of said casing, annular plates arranged at the respective ends of the piston, and packing-rings arranged between the said annular plates and the end plates of the said casing, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, end plates secured to said casing, a steam-inlet formed in said casing, a rotary valve arranged to control the admission of steam through the said inlet, a shaft mounted centrally in bearings formed in said end plates, a piston keyed to said shaft, an abutment arranged to move in and out according to the movement of the said piston, a lever pivotally secured on the outer surface of one of said end plates and having one of its ends operatively connected with the stem of the said ro-" tary valve, a roller mounted onthe opposite end of thesaid lever, a springsecured to the said lever for holding the same in its normal position, and a cam mounted on the outer end of said piston-shaft and arranged to come in contact'with the said roller during a part of the revolution of the said piston, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, end plates secured to said casing, port holes arranged in said casing, a shaft mounted centrally in bearings formed in said plates, a piston keyed to said shaft, said piston comprising a cam-shaped body extending the full length of the said casing, and arranged so that only a portion of the surface will be in contact with the interior surface of the said casing during a complete revolution of the said piston, and an abutment arranged in an opening in the said casing, said abutment comprising supports pivotally mounted without said casing plates arranged on top of said supports and adapted to extend through the opening in said casing and means for exerting a yielding pressure on said support so as to hold said plates in contact with the surface of said piston, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, end plates secured to said casing, port-holes arranged in said casing, a shaft mounted centrally in bearings formed in the said end plates, a piston keyed on said shaft, said piston comprising a cam-shaped body extending the full length of the said casing and arranged so that only a portion of its surface will be in contact with the interior surface of the said casing during a complete revolution of the said piston, an abutment arranged in an opening in said casing, said abutment comprising supports pivotally mounted without said casing, a frame mounted on top of said supports, plates arranged to slide in and out of said frame, springs arranged to exert a constant pressure on said support and springs arranged to exert a constant pressure on the respective plates, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7 In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, end plates secured to said casing, portholes arranged in the said casing, a shaft mounted centrally in bearings formed in said plates, a piston keyed to said shaft, said piston comprising a cam-shaped body extending the full length of the said casing, and arranged so that only a portion of the surface will be in contact with the interior of the said casing during a complete revolution of the said piston, and an abutment arranged in an opening in said casing, said abutment comprising supports pivotally mounted Without said casing, plates rigidly secured to said supports, movable plates mounted between the rigid plates, packing-plates arranged between the respective plates, and springs arranged to exert a constant pressure on the respective plates for holding them against the surface of the piston, and packing devices arranged at the top and side of the said abutment, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a rotary engine, a steam-cylinder, a cam-shaped piston operatively mounted in said cylinder, port-holes formed in cylinder, an opening formed in the side of said cylinder, a support pivotally mounted Without said cylinder, an abutment mounted on said support and arranged to extend through the said opening in said cylinder and come in contact with the said piston and a spring arranged to hold said abutment against said piston, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two Witnesses, tOhis 21st day of March, 1902, at Cleveland,

ALBERT M. KRUEGER.

Witnesses:

VICTOR C. LYNCH, GERTRUDE M. HAYES.

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