US984358A - Rotary explosive-engine. - Google Patents

Description

J. W. DAWSON.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

AIPLIOATION FILED JULY 29, 1907 Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. DAWSON, OF YALESVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. DAWSON a citizen of the United States, and resident of Yalesville, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in R0- tary Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification This invention has relation to rotary explosive engines of the compression type, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide an engine having a rotary piston provided with a series of cylinders in each of which is located a reciprocating piston. The said pistons are geared up with the shaft of the engine and all coact in contributing momentum to the same. In the operation of the engine the initial force or movement is transmitted to the rotating piston from the explosion of compressed charges which operate upon the rotating piston successively, and the expansion of the exploded gases is also utilized to accelerate the movement of the rotating piston. By such an arrangement the combined power or momentum of the rotating and reciprocating pistons is exerted upon the shaft of the engine from which part it may be utilized in operating portable or stationary machinery.

The engine consists primarily of a stationary casing provided with a water jacket and a shaft passing transversely through the same and journaled for rotation; a rotating piston is fixed to the shaft and a series of cylinders are arranged within the rotating piston but out of alinement of the radii thereof. A reciprocating piston is located in each cylinder and is connected with a minor crank-shaft, each of which in turn is geared up with the major or primary shaft of the engine. The fuel is first compressed preparatory to being fired and I provide means, as for instance a by pass valve for returning more or less of the compressed fuel if desired in a way to regulate the operating of the engine. The casing is provided with explosion chambers and mixture inlet ports and exhaust while the rotating piston is provided with ports for relieving the explosion chambers of burned gases. Each of the said cylinders is surrounded by cooling flanges Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1907.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 386,062.

of peculiar arrangement, as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1, is a side elevation of the engine, with side plate covering gears removed. Fig. 2, is a central vertical sectional view of the same as on line 22 of Fig. 5. Fig. 3, is a detail sectional view of a portion of the engine showing one of the exhaust passages thereof on line 2--2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 4c, is a horizontal transverse sectional view of the engine. Fig. 5, is an edge elevation of the rotating piston of the engine, as seen from the left of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6, is a side elevation of a by pass, used in the engine casing.

The engine consists of the casing 1 which is mounted upon the base 2. The casing 1 is provided with a Water jacket 3 through which water or other cooling medium is circulated by way of the ports 4;. 4 represents a further opening for the introduction of a vaporizing coil, (not shown). The casing 1 is provided with a central circular opening 5 in which is located a rotating piston 6 having attached strips with bevel annular edges 6*, while a suitable bevel annular guide and packing strip 6 secured within the circular opening of the casing fits against the bevel edge 6 of the attached strips of piston to pack the same. The piston is mounted upon the major or primary shaft 7 which passes transversely through the casing 1 and is journaled in suitable bearings 8 provided therein. The piston 6 is fixed to the shaft 7 and rotates with the same. The casing 1 is provided at opposite sides with explosion chambers or ignition chambers 9 in which are located the sparking plugs 10 and which also forms a fixed head for each cylinder. The casing is also provided with a mixture inlet 11, the inner portion of which is bifurcated by the cuneate portion 12. The rotating piston 6 is provided with a series of cylinders 13, and as all of the said cylinders are similar and equipped with like parts a description of one will answer for all. The longitudinal axis of each cylinder 13 is disposed tangentially from the periphery of the piston 6 toward the middle but is out of alinement with the radius thereof. As shown these cylinders are arranged at right. angles to each other and theirrear longitudinal walls are on a line substantially with the center of the axis of the piston. A

reciprocating piston 14 is located in the cylinder 13 and is provided upon its inner face with a deflector 15. The minor crank shafts 16 are journaled for rotation in the cylinders 13 and are provided at their ends with gear wheels 17 which mesh with the gear wheels 18 fixed to the hub 8 A pitman 19 connects the crank-shafts 16 with the pistons 14, and the sides of the piston are recessed, as at 20, in order to receive the crank-shafts 16 when moved toward the same. The roller packing 21 is located in the periphery of the piston 6, and upon opposite sides of the cylinders 13. The piston 6 is provided in its periphery and near one of its sides with the grooves 22, and the inlet ports 23 communicate with said grooves and with the inner ends of the cylinders 13. The sides of the cylinder 13 are channeled, as at 24, and the said channels are slightly longer than the pistons 14. The exhaust ports 25 communicate at their inner ends with the intermediate portions of the cylinders 13 and at their outer end with the grooves 26 located in the periphery of the piston 6 at the opposite side thereof from the grooves 22. The points of communication between the outlet ports 25 and the cylinders 13 are out of alinement with the ends of the channels 24, and when the pistons 14 do not cover the inner ends of the channels and the exhaust ports the deflector 15 is interposed between the channels 24 and the exhaust ports 25, so that the mixture cannot sweep directly through the cylinders 13 from the channels 24 to the exhaust port 25 but must pass down into the said cylinders and sweep the same free of burned gases and products of com bustion.

The openin 5 of the casing 1 is provided in the path 0 the grooves 22 with a groove -27 which communicates with the bifurcated ends of the mixture inlet 11, and the inner side of the casing 1 is provided with grooves 28 located in the path of the grooves 26 of the piston 6 and which communicate with the exhaust outlets 29 provided in the casing 1. The piston 6 is provided with the vents 30 which are adapted to sweep across the explosion or ignition chambers 9 and relieve the same of burned gases and products of combustion as the piston 6 rotates. The cylinders 13 are provided upon their exteriors with the cooling flanges 31 which are diagonally disposed upon the said cylinders, and which are air cooled as the piston 6 rotates. A by pass 32 is located on opposite sides of the casing 1 and are each adapted to be turned manually in its bearings to allow an escape of more or less of the gas from the cylinders while passing over the inlet 32 and under compression to control the amount of force of the explosion. The inlet of each by pass connects with a channel 33 which is brought into register or in the path of an outlet 33 that may be connected with a suitable storage tank (not shown) and from there used for starting purposes.

The operation of the engine is as follows: The mixture is admitted through the inlet 11 into the groove 27. When one of the grooves 22 moves into register with the groove 27 the mixture passes through the groove 22 and inlet port 23 past the heck valve 23 into the connecting cylinder 13 be hind the piston 14 thereof. Presuming that said piston is in the position as indicated in the lower right hand portion of Fig. 2, the mixture passes 'down the channel 24 into the lower portion of the cylinders 13 and sweeps the burned gases therefrom forcing the latter through the outlet port 25, groove 26, groove 28 and outlet 29. Thus the cylinder 13 is filled with a charge of unexploded gas. As the piston 6 rotates the said charge of gas is compressed by the piston 14, which moves longitudinally in the cylinder 13 as the said. piston rotates and when passing the by pass may be more or less released, if desired to lessen the force of the explosion. By the time that the cylinder 13 arrives in register with the explosion chamber 9 the said volume of gas has been compressed and is .then fired through the instrumentality of the sparking plug 10 in the explosion chamber, and the, force of the gas thus ignited operates upon the rotary piston to drive the same, and is applied directly to the reciprocating piston 14, which is moved toward the middle of the piston 6 and the crank shaft 16 is carried around and the movement thereof is transmitted through the gears 17 and 18 to the major shaft 7. It will be noted that the construction of the engine is such that the explosion is eifective intermediate the head formed in fixed casing and the reciprocating pistons mounted in the rotary piston, which explosion serves as a force, to reciprocate the piston 14 to drive the main or'rotary piston 6 by reason of the fact that the cylinder is movable with relation to the head. As the gears 18 are made permanent with the sides of the casing 1 the movement of the piston 6 is accelerated, and as the piston 6 is fixed to the shaft 7 the said movement is transmitted to the said shaft. After the piston 14 is moved sufficiently to uncover the inner end of the exhaust port 25, the exploded gases enter the said port. and the expansion of the said gases operates between the inner side of the opening 5 as an abutment, and the interior wall of the cylinder 13 and the end of the pis ton 14 and still further augments the rotary movement of the piston 6 until the groove 26 is passed into register with the groove 28 when the burned gases pass out through the said groove and the exhaust outlet 29.

By reason of the fact that the cooling flanges 31 are obliquely disposed upon the exteriors of the cylinders 13, the said flanges do not cut through the air but keep the same in a state of agitation and operate substantially as fans for driving the warm air away from the rotating piston 6 and permitting cool air to take its place. In the form of the invention shown four cylinders 13 are illustrated, although a greater or lesser number may be 'used if desired. The cylinders diagonally opposite each other are connected together by the ducts 34: so that the admission of an explosive mixture to one is equivalent to admitting mixture to both, as said mixture may pass from one to the other through the duct 34. By this arrangement but one inlet for the mixture is necessary since it is passed from the near to the far cylinder, thus simultaneously charging both, while the exhaust outlets correspond in number with the explosion chambers. The explosion chambers 9 are located in the path of the vents 30 and as the said vents pass across the said explosion chambers the burned gases contained within the said chambers pass from the same through the said vents.

What is claimed is 1. An engine as described comprising a cylinder mounted for rotation about an axis and having obliquely disposed annular flanges upon its periphery.

2. An engine as described comprising a rotating piston, a cylinder arranged within the piston and having obliquely disposed annular flanges upon its periphery.

3. An engine as described comprising a rotating piston, cylinders arranged within the piston and having their rear walls in radial alinement with the center of the piston and having obliquely disposed flanges upon their periphery.

4:- An engine as described comprising a rotating piston, four cylinders mounted within the piston and arranged at a right angle to each other with their rear walls in radial alinement with the axis of the cylinder and having obliquely disposed flanges.

5. An engine comprising a stationary casing having a cylindrical opening therein, ignition chambers formed 1n the opposite sides of the wall of the opening, a piston rotatably mounted within the opening having a series of four cylinders formed therein and disposed at right angles to each other and so situated withln the piston and with respect to said oppositely located ignition chambers as to insure the simultaneous registration of two of said cylinders with said chambers with each rotation of the piston.

6. An engine comprising a stationary casing having a cylindrical opening therein, ignition chambers located in opposite sides of the wall of the opening, a series of four cylinders tangentially arranged within the piston adapted to register with. the ignition chambers before mentioned with the rotation of the piston, rollers mounted in the periphery of the piston intermediate of the said cylinders and adapted to engage the internal wall of the opening of said casing to form a bearing and a packing intermediate of said cylinders.

7. An engine comprising a stationary casing having a cylindrical opening there through, a. rotary piston mounted within the opening, cylinders formed in the piston,

ports to and from the cylinders, a by-pass valve located in the casing, at opposite points to control the force of the explosion and govern the running of the engine.

8. An engine comprising a stationary casing having a cylindrical opening therein, ports leading into the said opening, a piston rotatably mounted within the opening of the casing and having grooves in its peripheral surface to register with the ports leading to the said grooves for conducting gas to the cylinder ports connecting the opposite side of the cylinder with the periphery of the piston and ports within the cylindrical wall of the casing to register with said ports from the piston to form an exhaust for the cylinder.

9. An engine comprising a casing with a cylindrical opening therethrough having explosion chambers within the said opening, a piston mounted to rotate within the opening and having a beveled annular edge, an annular guide and packing strip with a beveled edge to fit against the beveled side edge of the piston, cylinders within the piston to register with the ignition chambers, reciprocating pistons located in the cylinders and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing.

10. An engine comprising a casing having a mixture inlet and exhaust outlet and an opening forming a bearing for a piston, a piston mounted in the opening, cylinders tangentially arranged in the piston, ignition chambers in the casing arranged diagonally with relation to the piston to simultaneously register with two cylinders, reciprocating pistons located in said cylinders and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing.

11. An engine comprising a casing having explosion chambers, a piston mounted for rotation in the casing, cylinders arranged upon the piston, reciprocating pistons located in said cylinders and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing, said rotating piston having vents adapted to sweep across the explosion chambers of the casing.

12. An engine comprising a casing having a mixture inlet communicating with an internal groove located at one side of the casing, and exhaust outlets communicating with internal grooves located at the opposite side of the casing, a piston mounted for rotation piston, reciprocating pistons located in said cylinders and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing, said rotating piston having inlet and exhaust ports which register with the inlet and exhaust grooves respectively of said casing.

13. An engine comprising a casing having a mixture inlet and exhaust outlets located at opposite sides of the casing, a piston mounted for rotation in the casing and having cylinders, reciprocating pistons located in said cylinders and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing, said rotating pistons having inlet and ex haust ports adapted to register with the mixture inlet and exhaust outlets respectively and successively in the casing.

14. A11 engine comprising a casing having a cylindrical opening therein, and ignition chambers formed in the Wall of said opening, a mixture inlet through the said casing, a piston mounted for rotation in the casing, cylinders arranged Within the piston and adapted to register with the said ignition chambers and having ports to register with the mixture inlets, reciprocating pistons located in the cylinders and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing, said cylinders having exhaust ports which communicate with the periphery of the piston.

15. An engine comprising a casing having a cylindrical opening therein, and ignition chambers formed in the wall ofsaid cylindrical opening, an inlet and exhaust outlets, through the said casing, a piston mounted for rotation in the opening of the casing, a cylinder arranged within the piston adapted to register With the said ignition chambers, ports leading through the piston to and from the cylinder to register with the inlets and outlets of the casing, a reciprocating piston located in said cylinder and being operatively connected with fixed portions of the casing, the parts being so arranged that the reciprocating piston is operated upon by an explosion of the mixture, and the rotation of the rotary piston is accelerated by the expansion of the mixture after explosion has occurred.

16. An engine comprising a casing hava cylindrical opening therein and ignition chambers within said opening, a single mix-' ture inlet through the said casing, a piston mounted for rotation in the openin of the casing, cylinders arranged diagonal y opposite each other within the piston forming pairs, ports connecting the alternate pairs of said cylinders whereby the mixture is led from one to the other to insure the simultaneously charging of the respective pairs of cylinders, ports to connect the said cylinders with the mixture inlet, and exhaust outlets also connected with the said cylinders to permit of the escape of the exploded gases.

Signed at Yalesville, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut this 22nd day of July, A. D., 1907.

JAMES WV. DAWSON.

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