US814389A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

` PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

W. S. MOSES.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1905.

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l In? fff 2' PATENTED MAR. 6, 190e.

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W. S. MOSES.

ROTARY ENGINE APPLIGATION FILED JULYzs. 1905.

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No. 814,389. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

W. S. MOSES. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 :g1/wanton P'ATENTED MAR. 6, 1906. W. S. MOSES. ROTARY ENGINE.

f of Minnesota,

vWILLIAM SHEPHERD MOSES, OF TRACY, MINNESOTA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

\ Application led July 25, 1905. Serial No. 271.167.

To @ZZ whomr't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SHEPHERD MOSES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tracy, in the county of Lyon and State have invented a Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines of the compound type; and the principal objects of the invention are to provide a rotary engine of this character which shall be simple and compact in its construction, will develop a maximum power and speed for the expense of steam-pressure applied, will be reversible and easily controlled, and will provide for starting the engine in either direction irrespective of the position at which the piston may have previously stopped, thereby overcoming the possibility of a dead-center. These and other though minor objects are attained by a peculiar construction and arrangement of feeding and exhaust mechanism in combination with the rotary piston and movable abutment, all as hereinafter fully described, and more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of a compound rotary engine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. 3 isa similar view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. r5 is a detail side elevation of the piston. Fig. 6 is a similar view, the piston being turned one-quarter around from the position shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the main feed and exhaust valve which communicates with the inlet and exhaust ports. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the auxiliary feed mechanism. Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view showing the arrangement employed in a direct-driven engine.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention l employ, in the first place, a casing or engine-cylinder, (designated A in the drawings,) and the same is formed with a supporting-base a and at its upper endA with a housing a, in which latter is located the rmovable abutment hereinafter described. The' engine-cylinderis vertically disposed, and tli'e'- end zwalls c2412 thereofare each provided *centrally with an opening rig. 2i,

through which the main shaft B passes, having bearings in the usual stuffing-boxes a3.

Mounted within the cylinder`A upon the shaft B and suitably keyed to the latter is the rotary cylindrical piston C, which is of such length and width with respect to the A cylinder as to fit therein, and this piston is provided with two circumferential channels c c, which in connection with the engine-cylinder form a pair of steal -chambers spaced apart, as shown, and into which the steam is admitted for turning said piston.- The extreme depth of each channel extends nearly half-way around the piston and from opposite points gradually decreases in depth to the periphery, forming the head c of the piston and against which head the steam impinges to turn said piston, the inclined bottoms of such oppositely-tapered portions of the channel serving to operate an abutment D, which latter is mounted to move in and out of the housing a. It will be noted that the two heads c c of the piston'are located at diametrically opposite sides thereof, so that they will operate alternately when steam is admitted into the two steam-chambers c through the valves and ports hereinafter described. The usual peripheral packing-rings c2 are provided at the ends of the piston and between the channels or steamchambers therein.

The piston is provided with inlet-ports e and ef, which open out into the channels or steam-chambers c at opposite sides of the head c by way of the cavities or recesses c3, said ports extending longitudinally through the piston toward the center thereof and communicate, respectively, with steam-passages 04 and c5, the latter being disposed circumferentially of the piston and in the periphery thereof. There are two passages c4, one for each port e of the companion steamchambers, and likewise two passages c5, communicating with the ports e, whereby to regulate the admission of steam to either side of the piston-heads. The steam-passages c4 and c5 are disposed side by side and spaced apart, as shown, and the passagesv of each series are separated from each other, so as to feed steam alternately to the steam-chainbers, being of such length as to feed steam for only a small part. of the rotation of the piston. It will be understood, of course, that the steam may be fed by way of either series of passages, according to the direction IOO IOS

the engine is to be driven, and to provide for controlling the admission of steam to these passages I provide valves F and F disposed at opposite sides of the cylinder, the valve F opening into the path of travel of the steampassage c4, while the valve F opens into the path of travel of the steam-passages c5. The valves F and F are of the rotatable plug type and are operated by levers F2 and F, respectively.

The steam is exhausted from the channels or steam-passages c by way of the ports g and g, which extend through the cylinder A at opposite sides of the housing a', and in order that the operation of the feed-valves will also open and close said exhaust-ports said valves are extended and provided with transverse openings g2 therethrough at right angles with the feed-opening f, whereby when a valve is turned to supply steam to the piston the exhaust-ports of that valve will be cut off, and the opposite feed-valve being turned off the exhaust-ports thereof will be turned on, so as to exhaust the steam-chambers. Therefore when either valve is-open to feed steam to one side of the piston-heads of the engine the other valve is closed to live steam and open to exhaust. Steam is supplied to the valves F and F through the supply-pipes f, and the exhaust is carried off through the dischargepipes 2.

The abutments D D, which coact with the piston-heads in applying the steam-pressure directly to the latter for turning the piston, comprise in the present instance rollers which have a vertical movement in recesses therefor in the housing a of the engine -cylinder, whereby said rollers may be moved into said housing as the piston-heads c pass the same and may move into the channels or steamchambers c to provide the necessary abutment, which is opposed to the rotary pistonhead. These abutments being located above the piston will fall by gravity into the channels or steam-chambers but in order to force them into said steam-chambers I provide steam-passages d, extending upward through the housing or walls thereof beyond either side of each abutment and leading to a point above the latter, said passages being provided with valves L and L, connected to a rocking beam H, so that they alternately open and close to prevent the steam going.

around the abutment and apply the steam to force the abutment into the steam-chamber against the bottom thereof. The valves h and h operate automatically, inasmuch as the steam entering the steam-chamber at one side of the abutment will open the valve on that side of said abutment, and consequently close the other valve through the interven tion of the rocking beam, and as the valves close downward, as shown, the steam-pressure will serve to hold the same closed. The.

valves h and 7L are connected to the rocking 65 beam by means of rods h2, having yolres at their upper ends, with pintles passing through slots h in the rocking beam, the latter being pivoted in a bifurcated lug 71,4 on top of the housing. Of course means may be employed for holding the abutment D against the bottom of the steam-chambersuch, for instance, as a cam, as D', bearing upon the extended ends d5 of the two abutments, said cams being mounted on the shaft D2, operated from the main shaft by sproclretwwheels w and w and connecting-chain wz.

As heretofore stated, the steam-passages of each series c4 and c5 are spaced apart and individually are of such length with respect to the circumference of the piston as to feed steam for only a small part of the rotation of the latter, and this is for the purpose of utilizing the expansion of the steam to the fullest extent in driving the piston. However, by this arrangement of course the engine could not be started up if the same should be stopped with the inlet-valve closed by that part of the piston between such passages, and therefore in order to provide for starting under such conditions, as wellas to provide for the admission of steam during a greater part of the rotation of the piston in such instances where. the full power of the engine is required, I provide an auxiliary feed mechanism, which latter alternates with the regular feeding mechanism or valves. This auxiliary feed mechanism feeds directly into the steam-chambers at eitherside of the pistonheads and is timed with respect to the rotation of the .piston so as to feed steam only during the travel of the piston from one steam-passage c4 or c5 to the other as regards the inlet-valve.

The auxiliary feed mechanism is duplicated at either side of the cylinder A, so as to feed steam according to the direction the engine is running. The same comprises a horizontally-disposed turning valve I, connected to the cylinder so that the opening i through the plug t" thereof will communicate with the inlet-port m, andat the side of the valve opposite the inlet-port m is a passage m, adapted to communicate with a segmental recess n in the periphery of a rotary plug n in a valve-casing N. The segmental recess n is connected by a diagonal passage n2 to a similar segmental recess n3, also in the periphery of the plug a', but at the opposite side thereof from the aforesaid recess and out of line therewith. The recess n3 is adapted to communicate with an opening o in a steam-chest lO beyond the valve N, thesaid steam-chest being supplied by a pipe o. It will be noted, therefore, that the disposition of the connected segmental recesses n and n3 is such that when the recess n3 is in communication with the opening o the opposite recess n 1s 1n TOO communication with the valve I, and, as heretofore stated, the plug of the valve N is timed so that the communication between the steam-chest and the valve, and consequently the cylinder if the valve is open, will take place when that portion of the piston between the steam-passages c4 or c5 is traveling by the regular feed-openings f of the feedvalve. To accomplish this, the rotary plug n of the valve N is connected by a sprocketchain p to the shaft B, passing over sprocket- Wheels p and p2, fixed to the shaft and valveplug, respectively. The sprocket-Wheels p2 are carried by short shafts p3, let into bosses at one end of the plug and adjustable therein by means of the set-,screw p4.

The construction and arrangement hereinbefore described are adapted for a reversible engine, and the operation thereof is as follows: Supposing the engine parts to be in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings-that is, with the feed-valve F open and the exhaust-ports thereof closed, with the opposite feed-valve F closed' and the exhaust-ports of same open, and the auxiliary feed mechanism to the right in operative arrangement, the piston being in the position shown in said figure and steam admitted through the valve F will enter the steampassage c4 and pass through the port e into the space between the head c of the piston and the abutment D, causing the piston to turn to the right, and When it has passed the inlet-port m of the auxiliary feed the segmental recesses n and n3 will be in position to take steam from the chest O and pass it through the open valve I into the steamchamber c, so as to admit a further supply of steam after the steam-passage c4 in the piston has passed the 'feed-opening f of the regular feed-valve. When the piston has revolved to bring the head thereof past the exhaustport g of the valve F, the steam will exhaust. It will be understood, of course, that When the piston has made a half-revolution from l the position shown in Fig. 2 the other steampassage c4 will take steam and pass it to the other steam-chamber c, so as to act on the other piston-head. After the engine is started up and for light Work the auxiliary feed mechanism can be cut off by turning the valve I through the intervention of the lever I, in which instance the feed will be only through the inlet-port e, and the expansion of the steam will be utilized to the fullest extent in turning the piston. In the operation of the engine, as described, the abutment D will enter the steam-chamber c, and such abutment being in the form of a roller will revolve and reduce the friction, being held down by the pressure of steam above the same entering through the passage d. It will be seen, therefore, that by the opposed piston-heads c a compound engine is provided, To reverse the engine, it is only necturned on at any time that heavy work is required of the engine as well as for the purpose of starting up When the steam-passages c4 or c5 are out of communication with the feed-valves F F.

The direct engine (illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings) is very similar to the engine illustrated in the other figures of the drawings, with the exception that only a single feed-valve and auxiliary feed mechanism are provided, and of course as the piston in this instance turns in but one direction it is only necessary to provide a single inlet-port opening out at one side of the head of the piston, Also instead of a reciprocating abutment a swinging abutment, as S, is provided, being pivoted in a block s, let into the housing a and swinging up into a recess or cavity s in said housing to permit the piston-head to pass. Said abutment is provided with a flat spring s2, which serves to project the abutment into the steam-chamber c, so that it may be caught by the steam and fully opened. Rearward movement of the swinging abutment S beyond a vertical line is prevented by reason of the wall or stop-shoulder s3. This engine is of course also provided with opposed piston-heads c; but having only the inlet-ports e it is provided with only one series of steam-passages c4, and as the exhaust is always opposite the feed-valve T said exhaust-port, as u, is connected directly to the discharge-pipe u".

It will be readily seen that an engine constructed as herein shown and ,described is extremely simple and compact, may be easily controlled, and will develop a maximum speed and power with the expense of comparatively ttle steam pressure. The engine may be put to numerous uses and will be found well adapted for automobiles.

Obviously many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts, such as the regular and auxiliary feed mechanisms providing other styles of valves, and I therefore do not limit my protection to what is herein precisely shown and described, but reserve the right to make modifications or changes Within the spirit and scope of my claims. y

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder having a housing in one side thereof, of a piston rotatable in the cylinder and provided with steam-chambers decreasing in depth to provide heads, ports leading out through the piston at opposite sides of the heads, steam-passages arranged circumferentially of the piston and communicat- IOO IIO

ing with said ports, and inlet and exhaust valves, the former communicating with the aforesaid steam-passages.

2, In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder having a housing at one side thereof, of a piston rotatable in the cylinder and provided with steam-chambers extending circumferentially around the piston and decreasing in depth to provide opposed heads, ports leading through the piston longitudinally and opening out at opposite sides of the piston-heads, two series of steam-passages disposed circumferentially of the piston side by side and the passages of each series spaced apart, said passages communicating with the aforesaid ports, feed-valves opening into the line of travel of the steampassages, and an abutment located in' the housing and adapted to move in and out of the steam-chambers, the cylinder having exhaust-ports.

3. In a rotary engine, the combinationA with the cylinder having a housing at one side thereof, of a piston rotatable in the cylinder and provided circumferentially with steamchambers decreasing in depth to provide piston-heads opposed to each other, ports leading through the piston longitudinally and opening out into the steam-chambers at opposite sides of the piston-heads, steam-passages disposed circumferentially of the piston between the steam-chambers and communicating with the ports respectively,

valves disposed at opposite sides of the housing and provided with inlet and exhaust openings at right angles to each other, the inlet-openings adapted to register with the steam-passages of the piston and the exhaustopenings adapted to aline with the exhaustports through the cylinder into the steamchambersl of the piston together with an abutment adapted to move in and out of the steam-passages and operated by the pistonheads.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder, of a rotary piston mounted therein and provided with two circumferential steam-chambers decreasing in depth as shown to provide opposed piston-heads, ports extending longitudinally through the piston and opening out at opposite sides of the heads,two series of circumferentially-disposed steam-passages connected to the ports respectively, inlet-valves leading to the passages, and exhaust ports leading to the steam-chambers 3 together with rollers adapted to move in and out of the steam-chainbers, steam-passages at opposite sides of the rollers or abutments and leading to a point above the same, valves adapted to close said passages alternately, and a rocking beam to which the valves are connected.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder, of a rotary cylindrical pison mounted in the cylinder and provided with steam-chambers spaced apart and decreasing in depth to provide piston-heads, ports extending longitudinally through the piston between the chambers therein and opening out into the steam-chambers at opposite sides of the piston-heads, steam-passages arranged in series circumferentially of the piston between the steam-chambers and connecting with the ports respectively, inletvalves communicating with the steam-passages, exhaust-ports leading through the cylinder on a line with the steam-chambers, and reciprocating abutments operated by the piston-heads and adapted to enter the steamchambers; together with auxiliary feedvalves opening into the steam-chambers.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder, of a rotary cylindrical piston mounted in the cylinder and provided with steam-chambers spaced apart and decreasing in depth to provide piston-heads, ports extending longitudinally through the piston between thel chambers therein and opening out into the steam-chambers at opposite sides of the heads, steam-passages arranged in series circumferentially of the piston between the steam-chambers and connected to the ports respectively, inlet-valves communicating with the steam-passages, exhaust-ports leading through the cylinder on a line with the steam-chambers, and reciprocating abutments operated by the pistonheads; together with auxiliary feed mechanisms comprising a valve, a steam-chest and an intermediate rotary plug having opposite connected segmental recesses out of line with each other and adapted to communicate, respectively, with the steam chest and valve, and sprocket chain and wheel connections between the shaft of the engine and the aforesaid rotary plug, whereby steam is admitted directly to the steam chambers intermittently and in addition to the feed through the ports in the piston. l

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder, of a rotary cylindrical piston mounted in the cylinder and provided with steam-chambers spaced apart and decreasing in depth to provide piston-heads, ports extending longitudinally through the piston and opening out at opposite sides of the piston-heads, opposite valves having feed and exhaust openings, an intermediate reciprocating abutment, a cam operating the latter, and an auxiliary feed comprising a rotary plug having segmental recesses out of line with each other and connected by a diagonal passage, an inlet-port through the cylinder in line with one of said segmental recesses, and a supply-opening in line with the other of said recesses, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder, of a rotary cylindrical piston mounted therein and provided With cir- IOO ITO

IIS

'cumrerential steam-chambers decreasing in depth to provide piston-heads, ports extending longitudinally through the piston and opening into said steam-chambers, steampassages extending circumferentially around the piston and connected to said ports, inletl other, one communicating With an inlet-port and the other with a steam-supply opening, said segmental recesses being connected by a diagonal passage through the plug, and

means for turning the plug from the shaft of lzo the engine, substantially as shown and described.

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

WILLIAM SHEPHERD MOSES.

W'itnesses:

ALFRED SNOFFER, J. R. FITCH.

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