US838631A

US838631A - Steam-engine.

Info

Publication number: US838631A
Application number: US24428405A
Authority: US
Inventors: William Loeffler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-02-06
Filing date: 1905-02-06
Publication date: 1906-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1923-12-18

Description

PATENTED DEC. 18', 1906.

v W. LOEFFLER.

STEAM ENGINE. AfPLIOATION FILED FEB. 6, 1905.

4 Exams-sum 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS co wnsmuawu, o. c

No- 838,631. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

W. LOEFPLER. I

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 313. 6. 1905.

4 fiHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

W. LOEFPLER.

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED r1113. 6. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE Nonms PETERS co-, vmsmnarbflr, 11%.

PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

W. LOEPFLEB.

STEAM ENGINE:

APPLICATION FILED FEB. e. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed February 6,1905. Serial No. 244.284;-

T0 all 107mm, 112% may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOEFFLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Em gines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention consists in certain peculiari ties of construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed, its object being to provide simple, economical, and eflicient antileak steam-engines of the rotary type, each organized with especial regard to provision for ready compensation for wear therein and to automatic alinement of its cylinder and piston.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a side elevation of a rotary steam-engine in accordance with my invention, partly broken away Fig. 2, a sectional view of the engine, the piston being in elevation and partly broken away Fig. 3, a transverse section of the engine Fig. 4, a plan view of the engine, partly in horizontal section and Fig. 5, an elevation of a fragment of the engine, partly in section.

Referring by letters to the drawings, Aindicates the shell, and B C the heads, of the engine-cylinder. The shell is provided with diametrically opposite trunnions b, that are preferably loose in roller-sleeves 0, supported on a frame D between posts (1 of same, and bolted to these posts are right-angle caps e, that inclose the trunnions and roller-sleeves thereon. The space between each pair of posts (Z is sufficient to permit shift or skew adjustment of the corresponding trunnion, and a set-screwf is arranged in set-nut connection with a cap 6 opposite one of the trunnions to resist thrust of the engine-cylinder.

The frame D is bolted on pillars E in connection with a base F, and this base is provided with a vertical arm G, having a hollow head in which one end of a live-steam pipe H is fitted.

The cylinder-shell A is provided with a steam-inlet boss 9 opposite an outlet-boss h of the hollow head of the arm G, and a flexible pipe I has steam-tight stuffing-box connection with said bosses. In like connection with the cylinder-shell and a duct t of the base F is another flexible pipe J, and the bore of the gland of each stuffing-box is outwardly flaring to facilitate yield of the corresponding flexible pipe to automatic adjustments of the cylinder.

The inlet-port j of the cylinder-shell A communicates with a segmentallead k in the bore of said shell of said cylinder, and extending at a right angle to the port is a channel m, that registers with a radial channel a in the cylinder-head C, this head being bolted steam-tight to the aforesaid shell and provided with an inner annular recess p, open to said radial channel and opposite a similar recess p in the other cylinder-head. Another radial channel n leads from the recess in the cylinderhead C, and a drain-cock g is fitted in the latter "channel. A pin-valve K in screw-thread connection with the cylinderhead C serves to regulate the flow of steam from the channel m of the cylinder-shell A into the channel a of said head.

The other cylinder-head B is provided with a packing-ring 1" and has steam-tight slip fit in the cylinder-shell A, but is held against turning by keyins s engaging registering notches in it ant said shell. A ringnut L has engagement with a screw-tap ed portion of the bore of the cylinder-shel A against the cylinder-head B, and another ring-nut M is run on the screw-threaded outer end of a hub of said head. By turning up on the nut M when the same is against the cylinder-shell A the cylinder-head B is drawn tight against the inner nut. In practice after the cylinder-head B is drawn tight against the inner nut L the outer nut M is run back on the hub of said cylinder-head, and an aperture of the outer nut is brought into reglster with one of a series of indentations t in said inner nut. The registering aperture and indentation are now engaged by a pin N, and thus the two nuts are locked to turn together for the purpose of adjusting the cylinderhead B to take up wear of both heads and the interposed piston hereinafter specified. A flat sping u is shown arranged in connection with the outer nut M and the spring N to hold said pin against displacement. Fine adjustment of the pin-connected nuts is had by means of a screw 0, that engages a tapped lug v of'the outer nut and is guided in a bracket w, fast on the cylindershe1l, there being loose play of the screw in the bracket to compensate for the rotary movement of said nuts necessary to the adjustment of the movable cylinder-head.

The piston is a circular device eccentric in the cylinder, and it may be fast on a shaft or provided with trunnions P, said shaft or trunnions being rotary in steam-tight stuffing-boxes, with which the cylinder-heads are provided. The shaft or trunnions of the piston also turn in boxes Q, that of themselves are provided. with trunnions at at right angles to those of the cylinder-shell. The trunnions :1: are chucked by centering-screws R, having set-nut adjustment in brackets S, and these brackets are bolted to the engine-frame. The piston being in the described adjustable connection with the engine-frame, ac :urate setting up of the engine is facilitated.

The piston comprises a block T, having right-angle notches, segmental blocks U, adjustably held in said notches of the former block by countersunk screws V and sliding gates X in spaces between blocks. There is tongueand-groove connection of the piston-blocks, and the countersunk screw-apertures in the blocks U are of such area in cross-section as will permit of the adj ustment of said blocks to compensate for wear occasioned by reciprocation of the gates. Each of the gates X .is provided with transverse apertures, and a spiral spring y is contained in each aperture under tension between packing-strips 2 in recesses of the gate.

Arranged in the spaces between the blocks T U, back of the gates X, are bars Y against spiral springs I), set in recesses in said gates, and antifriction-rollers Z are loose on round ed ends of the bars in the annular recesses of the cylinder-heads. Hence it will be understood that compensation is had for wear on the outer ends of the sliding gates that are kept in contact with the bore of the cylinder by steam-pressure and expansive force of the springs b, the live steam from the annular recess 1) in the fixed cylinder-head having passage through the piston, back of the bars Y, into the corresponding recess p of the adjustable cylinder-head. Slide-blocks may be substituted for the rollers.

A belt-pulley P is herein shown in connection with one of the trunnions P of the piston, said trunnions and the piston-block T being in one piece; but, as before stated, a shaft may be substituted for the trunnions.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the cylinder is hung in connection with the engine-frame to automatically aline itself at right angles to the axis of the piston. Hence wear of the piston-shaft or trunnions in the bearings for same will not result in any binding in the cylinder of the engine, and the live-steam and exhaust-steam. pipes being yielding in connection with said cylinder they are not strained by the same in its automatic adjustment. It will also be understood that the live steam entering the cylinder of the engine pushes against the pistongates to rotate the piston, and the disposition of the gates and the cylinder-ports is such that each of said gates passes the exhaustport before the gate ahead passes the inletport, thus preventing escape of steam from said. cylinder until it has done its work on the aforesaid gates.

Having thus desc. ibed my invention, What .I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rotary steam-engine provided with bearings capable of rotary and skew movement, and the cylinder of the engine supported in said bearings to at all times automatically aline itself at right angles to the axis of the piston rotative therein.

2. A rotary steam-engine comprising a cylinder having the shell thereof provided with trunnions in rolling as well as rotary connection with their support to provide for automatic alinement of the cylinder at right angles to the axis of the piston rotative therein.

3. A rotary steam-engine comprising a cylinder having the shell thereof provided with trunnions, roller-sleeves on the trunnions in contact with the engine-fame, and posts between which the roller-incased trunnions have their play.

4. A rotary steam-engine comprising a cylinder automatically adjustable to aline itself right angles to the axis of a piston rotative therein, and means for resisting thrust of the cylinder axially of the same.

5. A rotary stean1engine having a cylinder supported to permit automatic rotary and skew adjustment of the same, a rotative piston in. the cylinder, and fixed bearings for the piston-shaft or trunnions, the piston being thus held in normal position at approximately right angles to the bearings for the,

cylinder that is self-adjustable to at all times aline itself at right angles to said. piston.

6. A rotary steam-engine having the rotative piston thereof mounted in adjustable bearings, and the cylinder having support that permits of its automatic rotary and skew adjustment to at all times aline at right angles to the axis of said piston.

7. A rotary steam-engine having the cylinder tl'iereof provided with an adjustable head, and a nut arranged in said cylinder to hold the head in adjusted position.

8. A rotary steam-engine having the cylinder thereof provided with an adjustable head, a nut arranged to hold the head. in adjusted position, and. another nut on a hub of said head in opposition to the adjacent end of the cylinder.

9. A rotary steam-engine having the cylinder thereof provided with an adjustable head, key-pins engaging the head and cylinder to hold said head against rotary movement, and a nut arranged to hold. the aforesaid head in adjusted position.

10. A rotary steam-engine having the cylinder thereof provided with an adjustable .being guided in the cylinder-head recesses.

head, a nut arranged to hold the head in adjusted position, another nut on a hub of said head in opposition to the adjacent end of the cylinder, means for locking the two nuts together, and adjusting mechanism in connection with the outer nut.

11. A rotary steam-engine having the cylind er thereof provided with an adjustable head, a nut arranged to hold the head in adjusted position, another nut on a hub of said head in opposition to the adjacent end of the cylinder, means for locking the two nuts together, a tapped lug on the outer nut, a screw engaging the lug, and a support for the screw in connection with said cylinder.

12. A rotary steam-engine having a circular piston comprising a main block provided with notches, other blocks adjustable in the notches of the main one, and sliding gates in spaces between the blocks.

13. A rotary steam-engine havin the cylinder-heads thereof provided with inner annular recesses one of which has communica tion with a live-steam inlet of the engine, a circular piston in the cylinder provided with sliding gates, and movable cross-bars in said piston back of the gates, the ends of the bars 14. A rotary steam-engine having the cylinder-heads thereof provided with inner annular recesses one of which has communication with a live-steam inlet of the engine, a circular piston eccentric in the cylinder and having sliding gates thereof in radial spaces crossing the cylinder-head recesses, and bars that are guided at their ends in the aforesaid recesses and also engage the radial spaces of the piston back of the gates.

15. A rotary steam-engine having the cyl inder-heads thereof provided with inner annular recesses one of which has communication with a live-steam inlet ofthe engine, a circular piston eccentric in the cylinder and having sliding gates thereof in radial spaces crossing the cylinder-head recesses, bars crossing the radial spaces of the piston and guided at their ends in the aforesaid recesses, and springs set in said gates under tension against the bars.

16. A rotary steam-engine having a circular piston comprising radial sliding gates provided with transverse apertures countersunk at their ends, packing in the countersinks of the apertures opposed to guide-surfaces for said gates, and spiral springs in said apertures under tension against said packing.

17. A rotary steam-engine comprising a circular piston having adjustable bearings for its shaft or trunnions, a cylinder inclosing the piston eccentric therewith and automatically adjustable to aline itself at right angles to the axis of said piston, yielding steam inlet and exhaust pipes in connection with the cylinder, slide-gates constituting elements of the aforesaid piston, and means for compensating for wear on the contact-surfaces of the piston.

18. A rotary steam-engine comprising a circular piston having exterior bearings for its shaft or trunnions, a cylinder inclosing the piston eccentric therewith and self-adjustable to always aline at right angles to the axis of the piston, yielding steam inlet and exhaust pipes in connection with the cylinder, slide-gates constituting elements of the aforesaid piston, and means for compensating for wear on contact-surfaces of the piston.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LOEFFLER.

Vitnesses:

F. A. DENISON, G. SIEBELINK.