US935641A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

J. CLARK.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATIoN FILED 001,13, 190e.

ANDREW4 B. GRAHAM oo.. Priora-LlrsGRAPHERS, wasnm'eo. D. c.

J. CLARK.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED ooT.13.19oa.

Patented 001:. 5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES CLARK, OF MEDINA, NEW YORK.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1999.

Application led October 13, 1908. Serial No. 457,460.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medina, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented a new and useful lotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to engines or motors of the turbine type, and designed to be operated by steam, 'though motive fluid of any suitable character may be employed.

The primary object is to provide a novel structure in which end thrust is materially reduced and the expansive force of the motive fiuid is secured.

A further object is to provide a motor or engine made up of parts, which can be readily constructed and easily assembled, the various elements or parts being entirely accessible for the purpose of repair or renewal.

@ne embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it will be clear from an inspection of the claims hereto appended that the invention is not limited solely to this structure.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the engine or motor structure. Fig.v 2 is an end view, with portions broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view upon an enlarged scale, showing the manner of mounting the blades and abutments. Fig. 4 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a. perspective view of one of the blades. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the filler blocks.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1n the embodiment illustrated, a base 7 is employed provided with spaced standards 8' carrying journal boxes 9, and at one end of the base is located a casing 10 comprising a cylindrical wall that is composed of sections 11 and end walls 12'and 13 secured to the cylindrical wall by bolts 14 or other fasteners. The vinner end wall 12 is provided with a packing gland or stufling box 15, and journaled in the boxes 9 is an engine shaft 16 that extends through the box 15 into the casing, terminating short of the end wall 13. Rings 17V of cast iron or other material, are located in the box 15, and are provided in their opposite faces with oil grooves to take the place of packing.

Located within the casing 10 is a partition comprising spaced walls 18 and 19, these walls being carried respectively by the sections 11 of the peripheral wall and forming between them, an annular motive fluid chamber 2O having a suitable intake port 21 that may be located at any point around the casing. This partition thus forms spaced piston chambers 22 in which operate rotary pistons 23 and 24. The piston 23 comprises a disk 25 having a hub 26 that is threaded on the shaft, as shown at 27, and is abutted against a shoulder 28 formed on the shaft. This disk carries on one face only concentric rings of blades 28il that are interposed between the disk 25 and the adjacent wall 18 of the partition. Said wall is in like manner provided with concentric rings of abutments 29 that are arranged between the rings of blades 28a. The opposite wall 19 of the partition also has rings of outstanding abutments 30 between which operate rings of blades 31 carried by the disk 32 of the piston 24. By reference particularly to Figs. 3 6 inclusive, it will be noted that the blades and abutments are fitted into channels 33 and 34 formed in the disks and partition walls respectively, and have outstanding ears 35 litting into grooves 36 that open through the sides of said channels. Filling blocks 37 are interposed between the blades and abutments and also have outstanding retaining ears 38 engaged in said grooves.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 1 that the wall 19 of the partition is shorter than the wall 18, and a sleeve 39, fitted into the wall 18 and disposed concentrically to the shaft, extends through the wall 19, and has an outstanding annular flange 40. Thus an annular port 41 is produced through which the motive fluid can pass from the motive fluid chamber 2O to the inner portion of the outer piston 24. The flange 40 and coacting face of the disk 32, have oil grooves 42, and clamped between the flange 40 and the wall 19 is a ring 43, which, as shown, in Fig. 2, has a series of obliquely disposed ports 44 that direct the motive fluid from the port 41 against the inner ring of blades.

It will be noted by referenceY to Fig. 1 that the outer end wall 13 of the casing is spaced from the disk 32, and thus a channel or conduit 45 is produced between the outer piston and said end wall of the casing. The outer piston disk 32 has its central portion formed of radial spokes 46 forming ports 47 between them, and these ports thus constitute means of communication between the space or channel 45 and the interior of the sleeve 39, while said sleeve communicates with the inner portion of the space between the inner disk Q5 and the partition wall 1S. It will also be seen that said inner disk 25 is spaced from the end wall 12 of the casing, thus forming a chamber or conduit 4S with which communicates an exhaust pipe 49 that may be placed in any convenient position about the casing.

In actual practice, a comparatively great number of rings of blades and abutments are employed, the number in the present instance, being reduced in order to show them on a sufficiently large scale to make the structure intelligible. rlhe arrangement moreover is preferably, though not necessarily such that the space between the outer piston disk and partition wall tapers outwardly. In other words, the adjacent faces of the disk and wall are convergently disposed. It will be evident by reference to Fig. l that the motive fluid introduced through the intake port 2l will pass inwardly through the chamber Q0 and port 41. It will here be deflected by the ports 44 of the ring 43 against the innermost ring of blades of the piston 24, and will pass therefrom to the succeeding ring of abutments. It will thus successively act on the rings of blades, and finally escape from the periphery of this piston. Here it will be directed by the channel or conduit 45 inwardly, and passing through the inner portion of the piston 24 by means of the ports 47, will enter the interior of the sleeve 39. This sleeve will direct it to the other piston 23, and it will in like manner pass outwardly, operating against t-he blades of the piston 23 during its passage, finally escaping through the exhaust 49. In this structure therefore, it will be evident that end thrust will be materially reduced, because of the construction of the parts and the manner in which the motive fluid is passed through the motor. Moreover the parts can be readily produced and easily assembled, while access to them can be gained without difliculty, inasmuch as the end walls of the casing can be removed and either piston thus reached, the pistons being detachably mounted on the shaft preferably by.

being threaded thereon, as shown, though the manner of mounting is not essential.

F rom the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination of a casing, two sets of relatively-movable buckets mounted therein, means'for directing the motive fluid in one direction parallel to the axis of rotation to act on one of the sets of buckets, and means for directing the exhaust fluid from the said set of buckets in the opposite direction parallel to the axis of rotation to act on the second set of buckets, the first means surrounding the second means.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of rotary pistons therein having blades extending from their inner to their outer portions, means located between the pistons for directing motive fluid to the inner portion of one piston, means'for taking such motive fluid from the outer portion of said piston and directing it to the inner portion of the next piston, the fluid directing portion of said second means being surrounded by the first means, and means for directing said motive fluid from the outer portion of said next piston.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a shaft located therein, a pair of rotary pistons mounted on the shaft and having blades on their opposing faces only, said blades extending from their inner to their outer portions, means for directing motive fluid to the inner portion of one piston and directing it against the blades to the outer portion thereof, means for taking such motive fluid from the outer portion of said piston and directing it to the innermost blades of the next piston, and means for directing saidl motive fluid against the blades of the next piston and delivering from the outer portion thereof.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of rotary pistons operating therein, said pistons being provided with blades and one of the same having a centrally disposed motive fluid port therethrough, means for directing motive fluid against and past the blades of one of the pistons, and means for directing such motive fluid from the periphery of said piston inwardly to and through said port and thence parallel to the axis of rotation to the other piston.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of rotary pistons operating therein, said pistons being provided with blades, and one of the same having a motive fluid port through its inner portion, means for directing motive fluid to the inner portion of one of the pistons past the blades, and means for directing such motive fluid from the outer portion of said piston, inwardly through the port and to the other piston.

G. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of spaced pistons operating therein, means for introducing motive fluid into the casing between the pistons and directing it to one of the same, and means for directing the motive fluid from said piston transversely through one of the pistons and to the other piston.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of spaced pistons operating therein, means for introducing motive fluid into the casing between the pistons and direct-ing it to the inner portion of one of the same, and means for directing such motive fluid from the outer portion of said piston to and transversely through the inner portion of the same and to the other piston.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having an intermediate partition forming spaced piston chambers, of rotary pistons operating` in the chambers, means for introducing motive fiuid into the partition and directing the same to one of the pistons, and means for directing the motive fluid from said piston through the partition to the other piston.

9. In a rot-ary engine, the combination with a casing having an intermediate partition forming spaced piston chambers, of rotary pistons operating in the chambers, means for introducing motive fiuid into the partition and directing the same to one of' the pistons, and means for directing motive fluid from said piston through the same and through the partition to the other piston.

l0. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having' an intermediate partition forming spaced piston chambers, of rotary pistons operating in the chambers on opposite sides of' the partition, means for introducing motive fluid into the partit-ion, a sleeve fitted in the partition and constituting means for directing motive fluid to one of the pistons, and means for direct-ing the motive fluid from said piston into the sleeve, said sleeve directing' motive fluid to the other piston.

11. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having an intermediate partition forming spaced piston chambers, the partition having an annular motive fluid chamber and communicating with one of the piston chambers, of a sleeve fitted into the partition and constituting the inner end wall of the motive fluid chamber, rotary pistons `operating in the piston chambers on opposite sides of the partition, one of the pistons receiving motive fluid from the motive fluid chamber, and means for directing' said motive fiuid from said piston into the sleeve, said sleeve directing' it to the other piston.

12. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing comprising sections and a partition located within the casing and forming piston chambers, said partition comprising spaced walls carried respectively by the casing' sections and forming between them a motive fluid chamber that communicates at its inner end with the inner portion of one of the piston chambers, of rotary pistons located in the piston chambers on opposite sides of the partition and having' rings of blades, one of' the pistons receiving the motive fiuid from the motive fluid chamber, a sleeve fitted in the partition and interposed between the pistons, one of said pistons having a port communicating with the sleeve, and means for taking the motive fluid from the periphery of one of the pistons and directing it to the port and into the sleeve, said sleeve directing the motive fluid to the other piston. l

13. In a rotary engine, the combination with a easing comprising a sectional cylindrical wall, end walls secured to the same and a partition comprising spaced walls carried respectively by the sections of the peripheral wall, said partition walls forming a motive fluid chamber between them, of rings of abutments projecting from the opposite sides of the partition, a sleeve fitted within the partition, a shaft projecting into the sleeve, rotary pistons operating in the casing on opposite sides of the partition and having hubs secured to the shaft, rings of blades carried by the opposing faces of the pistons and operating between the rings of abutments, means for directing motive fluid from the motive fluid chamber to the inner ring of blades of one piston, said piston having spokes forming ports between them that communicate with the sleeve, and means for directing the motive fluid from the outer ring of blades of said piston, through the ports and into the sleeve, said sleeve directing such motive fluid to the inner ring of blades of the other piston.

let. In a rotary engine, the combination with a base having spaced journal boxes, of a casing located at one side of the boxes and comprising an annular wall and end walls detachably secured to the annular wall, the inner end wall adjacent to the boxes having a packing box alined with said boxes, a shaft j ournaled in the boxes and terminating short of' the outer end Walls of the casing, a piston mounted on the shaft within the casing, and means for directing motive fluid to the piston. v

l5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a base having spaced journal boxes, of a easing located at one side of the boxes and having an intermediate partition forming spaced piston chambers, a shaft journaled in the boxes and having a portion extending into the casing, spaced pistons secured to the shaft and operating in the piston chambers, alternate rings of' blades and abutments secured to the pistons and the partition, means located in the partition for directing motive fluid to the inner ring of blades of one piston, and means in said casing for directing the motive fluid from the periphery of said piston to the inner portion of the other piston.

16. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a partition therein, forming spaced piston chambers and having a motive Huid chamber connnunicating with the inner portion of one chamber, of rings of abutments projecting from the opposite sides of the partition, spaced pistons operating in the chambers and having rings of blades on their opposing sides that ope late between the rings of abutinents, the motive fluid chamber delivering motive fluid to the inner set of blades of one piston, and means for taking such motive fluid from the outer ring of blades of said piston, directing it through the inner portion of the piston through the partition and to the inner ring of blades of the other piston.

17. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a motive fluid chamber, of a rotary piston operating in the casing and having a ring of blades, a ring associatedwith the chamber and having a plurality of motive fluid ports that deliver to the blades of the piston, and a sleeve fitted in the casing and constituting the inner end wall of the motive fluid chamber, said sleeve constituting means for retaining the ported ring in place.

18. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a partition therein pro vided with a motive fluid chamber, of a rotary piston operating in the casing and coin-- prising a disk and blades carried by the disk and interposed between the same and the partition, a ported ring interposed between the inner portions of the partition and disk and constituting means for directing the motive fluid from the chamber against the blades, and a sleeve fitted into the partition within and in spaced relation to the ring, said sleeve having a flange abutted against the ring to hold it in place. l

19. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination of a casing divided into high and low pressure stages, an annular inlet chamber disposed between the stages, relatively mov? able buckets in each stage, means for directing fluid from the inlet chamber in an aXial direction to act on the buckets in the high pressure stage, and means for returning the exhaust motive fluid in an aXial direct-ion to act on the buckets in the low pressure stage, both said means being located between the axis of rotation and the said buckets.

20. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination of a casing provided with an annular partition and divided into high and low pressure compartments, relatively movable buckets in each compartment, means for conducting steam along the outside `ofthe partition and in an axial direction to supply the buckets in the high pressure compartment, and means for directing the steam from the first set of buckets through the inside of the said partit-ion to act upon the set of buckets in the low pressure compartment.

In 4testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES CLARK.

Witnesses BERTRAM HARCOURT, ELIZABETH B, ALLEN.

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