US1475509A - Rotary engine - Google Patents

Description

o fb Sheet l NVENTORS 7* W ATTORNEY ROTARY ENGINE F )ed mep* Q 191 NOV' 9 Nov. 27, 1923. I ,475,509

C. L.. RAGOT ET AL ROTARY ENGINE Filed Sept. 9, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,b ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 1923.

` y 1,475,509 PATENT oFFlcE.

CHARLS L. RAGOT, OF KINGSBRIDGE, NEW YORK, AND LOUIS F. RAGOT, F MILFORD, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNORS TO RAGOT MOTOR CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YoEx.

Eo'rAlEY ENGINE.

Application tiled September 9, 1919. Serial No. 822,620.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES L. RAGOT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kingsbridge, New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, and OUIs F. RAeo'r, also .a citizen of the United States, the county of Pike and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention isan improvement in r0- tary motors of that type in which the cylinders are arranged radially in respect to the axisof revolution and the pistons have members engaging with a track encircling said axis and at varying distances therefrom. An en ine of that type is disclosed in our prior atent 1,302,709 issued May 6, 1919 and certain features of our present in# vention are there broadly claimed.

s an important feature of our present construction we provide an inwardly facing track on each side of a single row of cylinders, each inwardly facing trackl being opposed by a smaller track parallel thereto and in the same plane and spaced radially 'therefrom 'a distance approximatelypequal to the diameter of a roller so that the pistons are controlled in their inward as well as their outward movements. v

n connection piston and cylinder with co-acting key and keyway, thereby preventing rotation of the piston about its axis and also holding the roller axis at right angles to the planes of the tracks and insuring proper engagement of the rollers with the tracks. l y

The engine is provided with a distributor having two concentric tubes, one for the in4 gress, and the other for the egress of the motive Huid, and said tubes have ports valternately arranged in the same transverse plane so that the cylinders communicate first with one andthen with the other tube during the revolution.

As one feature of our invention 4wepro vide an improved throttle construction involving a member axially movable in respect tothe stationary distributor so as to permit either of saidtubes to carry the incoming motive Huid and the other the exhaust, and

thus control the direction of rotation of the engine. (In the accompanylng drawings to which and a resident of Milford, in-

Ldrical bosses, sleeves, or

therewith, we provide each' reference is to be had, we have illustrated one embodiment of our invention, although it will be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the details of construction there illustrated except in so far as they are defined specifically in the appended claims.

In these drawings Figure 1 `is a .transverse section at right angles to the axisof rotation, the three equal radial segments of the figure being taken on three separate planes.

F lgure 2 is a central longitudinal section on al plane indicated bythe line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are sections on the lines 3 3, 4-4, and 5)*5,l respectively, of Figure 2,`and

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

In. the specific form illustrated, there is provided a stator casing including end walls orplates 10 and 11 spaced apart by a peripheral wall 12, the three walls being held rlgld in respect to each other in any suitable manner, as for instance, by stay bolts 13. The end walls 10 and 1l have central cylinextensions 14,-and coaxial with the motor. Within the casing there is mounted a rotor including a sleeve-or tubular body portion 16 coaxial .with the motor and presenting an annular rowof radially disposed cylinders 17 rigid therewith, and if desired, integral therewith. The rotor is journalled within the casing in any'suitable form of bearings, as for inst-ance, a pair of ball bearings 18 and 19 upon opposite sides of the row of cylinders and between the periphery of the tubular member or sleeve 16 of the rotor and the inner surface of the casing.v The one end of this sleeve or body portion of the rotor is illustrated as being formed integral with an extensionk 20- projecting through the boss 15 on the end plate 11 of thecasing and constituting a hollow shaft to nism to be driven by the rotor may be connected to the latterl either internally or externally. This boss 15 is illustrated as being provided with a packing gland 21 encircling which the mechathe hollow shaft 20 so as to make the interiolr1 of the casing substantially air and oil tig t.

As` important features of our improved motor, each cylinder is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots 22 roller is but slightly less along opposite sides facing in the direction of the axis of the motor and within each cylinder is a piston 23 having a spilldle 24 parallel to the axis of the motor and extending through these slots/ Each of the end walls of the casing presents two parallel tracks 25 and 26 in the same plane and spaced a uniform distance apart. These tracks are at varyin distances from the axis of the rotor anY are preferably elliptical so as to provide two outstrokes and two instrok'es of each piston during a single revolution of the rotor. Each spindle 24e has a roller 27 upon each end thereof and located between the corresponding pair of ellipitical tracks. The diameter of each than the distance between the two tracks sothat as the rotor turns, the rollers will engage only one track of each pair at one time, depending on whether'the I=piston is forced outwardly as during the power stroke or the piston is caused to move outwardly by rotating the motor by applying some power from the outside. By this construction the pistons are positively guided and controlled to effeet their outward and inward movements. As the main pressure of the rollers is against the outer tracks 25 during the power stroke and the inner tracks 26 serve primarily to keep the pistons from falling inwardly and thus rattling or jarring when the rotor is turning without motive fluid, we lind it desirable to make the outer tracks of harder material. The main casing may be. made of comparatively light material and may have the tracks 26 formed directly on the inner surfaces of the end walls 10 and 11 but the outer tracks 25 are preferably formed on plates 28 of hardened steel or other suitable wear resisting material. These plates are shown as being clamped in pos1t1on by the same bolts 13 which hold together the three main sections of the casing.

To prevent rotation of the pistons within i their cylinders and to thereby hold the axes of the spindles at right angles to the planes of the tracks, the pistons/and cylinders are rovided with coacting keys and keyways.

ach cylinder is shown as having a pair of oppositely disposed slots 29 extending lengthwise thereof upon opposite sides and spaced from the slots 22, althoughone such key and slot may be employed with a.

similar result. rlhese `slots 29 are preferably at the outer ends of the cylinders and beyond the slots 22 which latter are intermediate of the ends of the cylinders. Each piston is shown to be of such length thatv the slots 22 are always completely covered, the outer ends of the pistons projecting be- Ayond the outer ends of the slots 22 but this 1s not essential as long as the inner ends of the lSlots 22 me notuneovered by the4 piston ineaaeoa head which would provide an escape of motive fluid. Each piston at its outer end presents a pair of outwardly extending pron jections engaging in the slots 29. These are shown as formed of a transverse key 3() secured in a transverse groove in the outer end of the cylinder and of such length as to extend into the `slots 29. Thus the engagement of this key with the slots 29 which constitute keyways, prevents any rotation of the cylinder about its axis and as these keys and keyways are in line with the side thrust of the piston against the cylinder wall, they take up none of the said thrust leaving a 'free movement of the piston to aline itself within the cylinder bore.

rlihe boss or sleeve 1li of the casing has a transverse outer end wall 31 carrying a distributor projecting coaxially of the motor and spaced from the peripheral wall of the sleeve 1a and into the main sleeve or body 16 of the rotor. vlhis distributor is illustrated as including two concentric tubes 32 and 33 rigid in respect to each other and coaxial but they may be eccentric with one another without impairing their performance. rll`he body or sleeve 16 of the rotor has an annular series of radial orts 34, one connecting with the inner en of each cylinder. ln the transverse plane of these cylinder ports 3d the outer tube 32 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed ports 35 each of which may register with each port 34 during the revolution of the rotor. rlhe inner tube 33 has a transversely extending branch passage 36 terminating 1n a pair of ports 37 in the same plane with the ports 35 and spaced midway between the latter. Thus during the rotation of the rotor, each cylinder port registers first with a 'port 35 and then with a port 37 and communicates with the interior of the tubes 32 and 33 alternately and twice during each rotation.

'llhe boss or sleeve 14 of the casing has a pair of passages or chambers, l 38 and 39 extending along the inner surface circumferentially thereof, as shown particularly in Figures 3 and It. The assage 38 communicates with a motive fluld passage 40, which for purposes of description, may be considered as the inlet passage, while the passage 39 communicates with a similar motive fluid assage 41, which for present purposes may e designated as the exhaust passage. The inner tube 33 of the distributor has a pair of branch passages 42 and 43 in the same transverse planes with the passages 38 and 39 and extending through the outer wall of the outer tube 32 without communicating with the interior of said outer tube.` rlhe outer tube is illustrated asA having a pair ofports M and ll'diametrically opposite to the branch passages 42 andI 43 and also in the same transverse planes as the Casin passages 38 and 39. lit will lie understoo however, that the location of branch sages 42 and 43 may be at any position around the circumference of the said distributor, the same being true of the ports 44 and 45 and that they are shown to be all inthe same longitudinal plane with ports 37 4 for convenience in illustration. Between the outer surface of the distributor and the inner surface of the casing part 14,)there is provided a longitudinally slidable sleeve 46 constituting a throttle. This has a single port 47 `which may register with either the port 44 or the port 45 and' a pair of ports 48 and 49 for registry with the branch passages 42 and 43 of the inner tube of the distributor. These three ports in the throttle are so positioned that when the throttle is moved endwise toward the left from the position shown in Figure 2, the port 47 will register with the port 44 and connect the interior of the outer tube of the distributor with the casing passage 38. At the same time the port 49.w1ll register with the branch passage 43 of the inner tube and connect the latter with the casing passage 39. Assuming that the motive fluid be admitted through the inlet it will flow along the casing passage 38 and through the ports 47 and 44 to the outer tube and from the latter through the ports 35 to the engine cylinder ports 34. At the same time the exhaust from other engine cylinders may flow through ports 37, inner tube 33, and branch passage 43 and port 49 to the casing passage 39 and thus to the exhaust, and there will result a rotation of the rotor in one direction. If the throttle be moved to the opposite limiting position, namely, toward the right from the position shown in Figure 2, the ports and 47 will register and the port 48 will register with the inner tube passage 42. Thus the motive fluid entering the inlet 40 will flow direct to the inner tube and out through the ports 37 to the engine cylinders while the exhaust will flow through the ports 35 to the 'outer tube and thence through 45 and 47 to the outlet 41 and a rotation in the opposite direction will result. The same' result will be obtained if the position of the throttle sleeve ports is reversed, that is, if the port 47 is located to register with branch passages 42, 'and 43, and ports 48 and 49 vof the throttle are located to register with ports-44 and45 of the outer tube 32. By holding the throttle in the intermediate position as shown in Figure 2, all the`ports will be closed and the engine will remain at rest. It will of course be evident that the designation 'of the part 40 as the inlet and the part 41 as the exhaust is purely; arbitrary as either part may serve either purpose. Anyrlsuitable means may be employed for operating this throttle sleeve 46 and limiting its mOtiOn. As s hown, the casing exi pastension 14 is provided with'a longitudinal slot 50 through which extends a handle 51 rigid with the throttle sleeve. The length and position of this slot may be such that with the handle at one end, rotation in one direction will be secured and when at the other end, rotation in the opposite direction will result. This slot is preferably on the side of the casing opposite to the passages 38 and 39 as indlcated particularly in Figures 3 and 4.

The engine above. described may be employed in connection with various different motive iuids, as for instance, steam, comi pressed air, or water, and the rotor may be connected in any suitable manner, as for instance, by the hollow shaft 20 toy any part which it is desired to drive. It will also be evident that by applying power to the shaft 20, the rotor may be mechanically operated and the mechanism may be used as a pump, compressor, or the like. The same general principles of construction may be applied toa two-cycle internal -combustion engine by proper arrangement of ports, cooling means, ignitors, and other appurtenances of such an engine. The elliptical tracks provide for two instrokes and two outstrokes per revolution but it will be evident that tracks of other forms might provide a greater or less number of reciprocations per revolution with a corresponding. change in the number and arrangement of the ports 35 and 37. By making the tracks alongside of the cylinders and projecting inwardly beyond the outer ends of the cylinders and pistons. the latter deliver their power Afrom points intermediate of their ends and the pistons are adequately and properly guided while the casing is of the minimum diameter which, as will be seen, is but slightly greater than the outside diameter of the rotor.

Having thus'described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a rotor -havin'g a plurality of cylinders bodily movable about the axis of rotation of the rotor, and an annular row of cylinder ports, oneport for each cylinder, a stationary distributer including a pair of tubes, each provided with a plurality of ports arranged in th-e same circumferential pathv with the cylinder ports, each alternate one of said second mentioned. ports communicating with one tube and the remaining ones communicating with the other tube stationary motive fluid supply and exhaust conduits, and an axially movable sleeve having ports for connecting either of said passages with either of said tubes.

2. In combination, a casing, a rotor mounted therein and having a row of radially disposed cylinders and an annular row of cylinder ports, one port for each cylinder,

.and a distributor rigidly secured to said casing including an inner tube and an outer tu e, each provided with a plurality of ports arranged in the same circumferential path with the cylinder ports, each alternate port communicating with the inner tube and the remaining ports communicating with the.

outer tube, and means for controlling the delivery of motive fluid through either of said tubes, and the exhaust through the other.

3. In combination, a casing, a rotor mounted therein and having a row of radially disposed cylinders and an annular row of cylinder ports, one port for each cylinder,

and a distributor rigidly secured to said casin including an inner tube and an outer tube, each provided with a plurality of ports arranged in the same circumferential path with the cylinder ports, each alternate port communicating with the inner tube and the remaining ports communicating with the outer tube, and an axially movable throttle sleeve for connecting either of said tubes to the source of motive fluid, and the other tube to the exhaust. .v n 4. In combination, a casing havlng an axially extending sleeve at one end thereof, a

rotor within said casing and having a tubular body portion, a distributor rigid with said sleeve and spaced from the wall thereof and projectinig into said rotor body portion and having a pair of longitudinally extending passages, said casing sleeve having` terence an inlet and an outlet, and said rotor body portion having a row of cylinder ports and a tubular throttle member encircling said distributor within said casing sleeve and axiallymovable for controlling the flow of Huid from said inlet to either of said passages and` the escape of exhaust from the other.

5. lln combination, a rotor having a plurality of radially extending cylinders havf' in through the second mentioned slots, and

ro ers mounted on opposite ends of vsaid spindle, and a stator having an inwardly and an outwardly facing track on each side.

of said row of c linders and engaging with said rollers to e ect the radial movement of the cylinders durin rotation of the rotor.

Signed at New ork, in the count o New York and State of New York, this 29 day of August A. D. 1919.

CHAS. L. RAGOT. LUlS lB.. RAGO'I

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