US937824A - Rotary engine. - Google Patents

Description

F. H. LBFTWIGH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

z,PPLIGATION FILED MAY e, 1909.

937,824. v Patented 0015.26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

,E attorneys F. H. LEPTWIGH.

ROTRY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 6,1909.

937,824, Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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at the opposite UNITED STATES PATENT OFETCE.

FREDRIC HARRIS LEFTWICH, OE FLAT WOODS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0 THOMAS D. TATROM, OF LOVIC, TENNESSEE, AND ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE A. ARY,

0F FLAT WOODS, TENNESSEE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application led May 6, 1909. Serial N o. 494,262.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIC HARRIS LEFT- wIor-r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flat Voods, in the county of Wayne and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines of that type having an annular steam cham'- ber in which the head of a rotary piston travels, a sliding abutment being also provided which extends across the steam chamber and is periodically withdrawn therefrom to permit the piston head to pass.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a piston of novel structure, and also to provide improved means for operating the abutment. f

The invention also has for its object to provide a novel arrangement of inlet and exhaust ports, together with a valve of great simplicity for controlling the inlet port.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the general structure of the engine, and to increase its efficiency.

Vith the foregoing objects in view vthe invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference bein had to the drawing hereto annexed in whic Figure 1 is a transverse section of the engine. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 denotesthe cylinder of the engine, the same being provided with a suitable base 6 on which it is supported. Extending lengthwise through the cylinder is a shaft 7 provided with a fly-wheel 8 and a pulley 9. The shaft 7 carries a pair of rotary pistons, each of which comprises a substantially semi-circular disk 10 formed with a hub 11 through which the shaft 7 passes. The piston is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft so as to turn therewith. At one end of the disk 10 is a follower head 12, and end the periphery of the disk terminates in a cam 13. The bore of the cylinder 5 is suitably enlarged to receive the hub 11, and the cylinder is also formed with circular recesses 14; in which the piston disks 10 travel, and these recesses are formed with annular steam chambers 15 in which the piston heads 12 travel. Between the piston heads 12 and the cam 13, the pistons carry a semi-circular rim or band 16 which is so located as to fit over the ends of the recesses 14 where they merge into the steam chambers 15, whereby that portion of the recesses 14 between the piston heads and the cams is kept closed, and the entry of steam thereinto prevented.

At 17 is indicated the steam chest of the engine, steam being delivered thereto by a pipe 18. From this steam chest a port 19 extends to each of the chambers 15, and each of said ports is controlled by a valve 2O carried by one arm of a lever 21 which i is pivotally mounted at 22 on a stud 23 in the valve chest. The other arm of the lever 21 is operatively connected to an abutment 24C working in an opening in the cylinder wall, and adapted to be extended radially across the steam chamber 15, and normally held in thisfposition by means of a' spring 25 mounted in the valve chest andpressing against that end of the lever to which the abutment is connected. Inasmuch ,as vthe valve 20 is carried by the other arm of the lever, it vwill be seen that when the abutment is extended across the steam chamber 15, the valve 20 will be lifted off the port 19, and the latter is thus opened and steam is permitted to enter the steam chamber 15. The piston is moved out of the path of the piston disk 1() and head 12, upon being engaged by the cam 13. When the abutment is thus moved out of the way, the valve 20 closes the port 19 and shuts off the steam to the chamber 15. 90 At a point substantially diametrically opposit the inlet port 19, is an exhaust port 26 through which steam is exhausted from the chamber 15 when the piston head passes the same. Behind this exhaust port is located a radially sliding abutment 27 mounted in the walls of the cylinder 5, and held normally extended across the steam chamber 15 by means of a coiled spring 28. This abutment is pushed outwardly upon being engaged by the cam 13, and thus moved out of the way of the approaching piston disk and head. When the head clears the abutment, the latter drops behind the same and prevents the steam from following the piston head after it passes the exhaust port.

Each of the rotary pistons is provided with the herein described valve mechanism and abutments, and their operation is identical. The respective piston heads aretlocated 180O apart in order to balance the engme' Y.

The operation of the engine willbe ev1- ldent from the foregoing description, but it may be summarized as follows: Fig. 2 shows the abutment 24 extending across the steam chamber l5, and the piston head l2 in position about to uncover the inlet port 19. As soon as the piston head passes said port, steam enters the chamber l5 behind the piston head, and it is propelled in the direction of the arrow. When the cam 13 reaches the abutment 27, the latter is pushed outwardly, and held in this position by the piston disk l0, the periphery of which fits snugly on the wall of the steam chamber. As soon as the piston head passes the abutment 27, the latter is pushed forwardly behind the same, and the exhaust through the port 26 takes place. lVhen the cam 13 reaches the abutment 24, said abutment is pushed out of the way of the approaching piston disk 10, and as soon as the latter passes the'abutment, the abutment drops behind the iston head whereupon the parts are again 1n the position they occupied at the beginning of the hereindescribed cycle.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the engine is entirely automatic in its action, and all valve gearing is dispensed with, thus Vgreatly simplifying the structure.

VVhat is claimed is l. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having an annular steam chamber, and inlet `and exhaust ports to said chamber, a rotary piston working in the steam chamber, and having a cam, a steam chestfrom which the inlet port leads, a lever pivotally mounted in the steam chest, a valve controlling the inlet port, said valve being carried by an arm of the lever, and an abutment sliding across the aforesaid and an abutment kslidable across the steamv chamber behind the exhaust port. Y

8. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having an annular steam chamber, and inlet and exhaust ports to said chamber, a rotary piston working in the steam chambensaid piston having a follower head and a` canna'steamchest from which the inlet port leads, a lever pivotally mounted in the steam chest, a valve controlling the inlet port, said valve being carried by one arm of the lever, an

abutment slidable across the steam chamber,

the other arm said abutment being carried by of the lever and operable by the aforesaid cam, and an abutment.extending'jacross the steam chamber behind the exhaust port, the last-mentioned abutment being operable Yby the cam to permit passage of the piston, and said abutment closing the steam chamber behind the piston, when the latter clears said abutment. Y

4. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having a circularrecess, and an annular steam chainber communicating with said recess, a rotaryY piston, said piston comprising a semi-circular disk traveling in the aforesaid recess, and carrying a follower head, and a band extending between the ends of the disk, and fitting over the aforesaid recess to close the same to the steam chamber'.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses; Y FREDRIC HARRIS LEFTWICH. Witnesses:

IRA LUNA, Y Ross J. WHITEHEAD.

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