US560194A - Rotary motor - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. E. CRISP.

ROTARY MOTOR.

{No Model.)

No. 560,194. Patented May 19, 1896.

F1 g-l- INVEN THE.

WiTNEExSES- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. CRISP.

ROTARY MOTOR.

No. 560,194. Patented May 19, 1896.

WiTNEEIEEE- Fig-Z- INVENTEIR- we 5. wmwmm ANDREW B GRAHAM,PflUIO-L|THO WASHINGTON. D

ROTARY MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,194, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed March 3, 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOSEPH E. CRISP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Rotary Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rotary motor of novel construction, which is shown and described as a steam-motor with a variable cut-oft.

In the drawings which form a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine with the front head removed and showing a portion of the outside casing and motor-ring in section upon line A A, Fig. 2, and also the exhaust-port, which is formed in the back head. Fig. 2 shows the casing and the front and back heads in vertical crosssection on line B B, Fig. 1, and also shows the motorring on lines 13 and B. This figure also shows a side elevation of the power-shaft and the central block which is fixed in the center of the machine between the front and back heads, with other details to be hereinafter described.

Similar figures refer to similar parts in both views.

The outside casing 1, of any desirable length and diameter, is made from any suitable metal and has attached to or formed upon it stands 2, which support the machine in the preferred position.

The interior of the casing is finished out round, and fitted and secured to its ends by suitable bolts are the front and back heads 3 and i.

To the interior of the casin g there are fitted the rings 5 and 0, whose inner edges are bevfitted to slide between the angular edges of the rings (3 and 7 is the segment of a ring 8, having one of its ends inclined to fit the in Serial No. 464,596. (No model.)

cline of the segment 7 and also having gearteeth formed upon its back.

Fitted to a suitable bearing in the casing is a shaft with the pinion-gear 9 formed upon or secured to it, and the teeth of said gear correctly intermesh with the teeth of the segment 8, so that by the operation of a crank or other handle on the end of the shaft the segment 8 can be reciprocated through the vacant space between the ends of the segments 7 and 8. The pinion-shaft passes through a suitable gland 10, formed upon the front head, as shown by Fig. 2. The segment 8 forms the variable cut-ofli', and when its i11- clined end is brought into intimate contact with the incline of the segment 7 it also acts as a throttlewalve.

To the interior of the rings and segments there is fitted the motor-ring 11, so that it is free to revolve therein, but when so revolving will be substantially steam-tight, and on the outside of said ring, between the front head and the ring 5, are formed the gear-teeth 12, as shown by Fig. 1.

A power-shaft 13 is fitted to revolve in bearings formed below the motor-ring in the easin g 1 and front head 3, where itpasses through the gland 14, and fixed upon this shaft is a pinion-gear which intermeshes with the gear upon the motor-ring and causes the powershaft to revolve when said ring is in motion.

Inside of the motor-rin g there is firmly fixed to the front and back heads by the bolt 15 the block 16, whose lower surface contacts with the interior of said ring about one-third of its circumference. This block is provided with a groove on the side next the back head, to which are fitted the ends of steady-pins fixed in said head, so that the block can be adj usted with reference to the interior surface of the motor-ring, but cannot change its angular posit-ion. This adjustment is for the purpose of causing the sides of the motor-ring to run steam-tight between the block 16 and the rings and segment '7, forming the lower part of the bearing in which the motor-ring revolves. To provide an automatic adjustment for the same purpose, a portion of the lower part of the block 16 is cut away and the swinging valve 17 is set therein, so that its free end can be pressed by the springs 18 toward the interior of the motor-ring. This valve is jointed to the block 16 in the same manner as'are the pistons to the motor-ring, which will be described hereinafter.

The swinging pistons 19, 20, and 21. are hung upon the interior of the motor-ring, and they swing back into recesses formed therein and substantially preserve the continuity of the surfaceof said ring when they are passing under the block 16. The joints upon which these pistons swing are made in pintle form of two sizes, the larger central part taking a bearing in the metal of the motor-ring and the smaller ends taking a bearing in the collars 22, which in turn are fitted into counterhored recesses in the edges of said ring, as shown by the section of the piston 21 in Fig. 2. This combination allows the pistons to swing free, and at the same time when pressure is applied forms a perfect joint. Back of the free ends of the swinging pistons ports 23 are formed through the motor-ring, and the projections 21, formed at the back of the pistons, fill the ports when the pistons are swung back. To the back sides of the pistons are secured light springs 25, which contact with the motorring as the pistons are swinging back and resist the tendency of centrifugal force to cause the pistons to clash against the interior of the motor-ring and cause noise. These springs also cause the inner sides of the pistons to bear against the lower portion of the block 16 and preserve the joint, and they also act to start the pistons when they commence to swing toward the center of the casing.

The motor-ring and the pistons are fitted to turn between the front and back heads steamtight and the edges of the pistons swing in intimate contact therewith, so that the effective length of the pistons is the distance between said heads and is constant. The free ends of these pistons are properly curved and fitted to move tight upon a portion of the surface of the block 16, which represents the effective stroke of the pistons. The block 16 at this part is suitably curved, and the distance from the interior of the 1notor-ring to the surface of said block at the point where the free end of one of the pistons is resting represents the effective width of the piston at that point, which width is variable. By this it will be seen that the curve of the surface of the block 16 (upon which the free ends of the pistons bear during their active motion) relative to the circumference of the interior of the motor-ring governs the area and of course the power exerted by the pistons to turn the motor-ring at the different points of its revolution. This curve would also have to vary to produce the best results when used for compressible or incompressible fluids.

In the present instance the curve of the bearing-surface of the block 16 is substantially correct for the expansion of steam about fifteen times from the initial pressure in the valve-chamber and cylinder at the time of cut 0fftl1at is, the curve is such that as the steam-pressure decreases by expansion the piston area increases in the same ratio, so that the piston acting will exert a constant force to revolve the motor-ring.

The exhaust-port 26, provided with a suitable outlet, is formed in the back head at, as shown by the dotted lines, and its upper edge is located so that when the edge of one of the pistons is just disclosing it the succeeding piston has moved under the influence of the initial pressure to the position shown by the dotted lines of the piston 19. This blending of the movements of the pistons under pressure further preserves the continuity of the force exerted upon the motor-ring as the pistons succeed each other during the revolution of said ring.

In the casing back of the segment 8 is formed the valve-chamber 27, provided with a suitable inlet through which steam is introduced.

It will be seen from inspect-ion of Fig. 1 that the segment 8, interposed between the valve-chamber 27 and the outer side of the motor ring, when brought into contact with the inclined end of the segment 7, closes the passage from the valve-chamber to the ports formed through said ring,'and that moving the segment 8 from that point in the direction which the motor-ring revolves governs the angular distance for admitting steam to said ports and the point of cut off.

The part of the block 16 which does not contact with the motor-ring orthe ends of the pistons is curved to engage with the inner sides of said pistons and gradually move them into the recesses formed in the motor-ring against the action of the springs 25, as shown by the piston 21.

The operation of one piston, starting from the full lines of the piston 19 with the segment 8 moved back to the dotted line representing its front end, is as follows: At the point designated the port in the motor-ring just discloses the variable steam-passage formed by the separation of the inclined ends of the segments 7 and 8, so that the steam-pressure commences to act upon the piston 19 before it commences its swinging movement. As the motor-ring revolves the action of the steam pressure swings the free end of the piston against the bearing-surface of the block 16 until it reaches the position shown by the dotted lines, when the steam is cut off, leaving the space between the back of the piston and the interior of the recess full of steam at the initial pressure. During this time the bearing-surface of the block 16 and so much of the piston 19 as has swung beyond the interior circumference of the motor-ring forms an abutment against which the reaction of the expanding steam inclosed between it and the back of the piston 20 causes said piston to continue to act until it discloses the exhaust-port 26, when said pis ton is relieved from further labor and the force to move the motor-ring is then entirely supplied by the piston 19. As the steam expands the piston 10 swings farther toward the center of the casing, and its effective area increases as the steam-pressure decreases until it nearly reaches the position of the piston 20, as will be understood from the fine dotted lines between the pistons 19 and 90. \Vhen the piston 19 reaches the position of the piston 20, the piston 21 has arrived at the startin g position of 19 and will operate in the same manner, as will the other pistons so long as the motor-ring revolves. hen the pistons first commence acting against the surface of the block 1b under pressure, as shown by the piston 10, their operation upon the motor-rin g is a thrust nearly parallel with their length, and they push the motor-ring around as if a lever was fulcrumed upon the block and acting against their ends. As the pistons swing out from the motor-ring their action upon said ring changes, and were they permitted to swing diametrically out from said ring they would act as the buckets of a wheel and their pressure upon the block be reduced to nothing. The part of the block 10 against which the ends of the pistons act therefore serves both as a fulcrum to move the motor-rin g and as an abutment against which the steam-pressure reacts to produce motion of the pistons and the 1notor-ring.

The action of the pistons, as just described, causes their ends to bear against the pintles and the surface of the block with a variable pressure, which is governed by the steampressure acting behind them, and as the pressure decreases their friction also decreases. This causes the ends of the pistons to move tight under all pressures without excessive friction at some points of revolution. As the thrust of the ends of the pistons is reduced the inner surface of the motor-ring moves into the chamber formed by said ring, the block, and the back sides of the pistons, and the pressure of the steam within said chamber acts to support the motor-rin As the steannpressure is reduced by expansion there is more of the surface of the ring exposed to its action, so that by the combined action of the pistons and the pressure the weight of the motor-ring, when it is revolv ing, is at all times substantially removed from its bearing in the casing. This is true without reference to the position of the cutoff, for the further the initial pressure is carried the more is the pressure at corresponding points within the motor-ring to resist the larger surface exposed to the direct pressure on the outside of said ring.

The motor-ring can be made in longitudinal sections, if found desirable, with the joints in the thick parts between the recesses, into which the pistons fit.

To the outer end of the power-shaft pulleys or gears may be attached to communicate motion to any desired mechanism, and should it be necessary to reverse the movements of this mechanism an auxiliary shaft may be mounted at the side of the power-shaft and connected thereto by swinging gears, preferably friction, in the usual manner.

The advantages of the construction herein shown and described are many and impor taut, the principal of which are:

First. Securing the block between and to the center of the front and back heads largely reduces the leak-surface common to machines of this class and allows of the use of much lighter heads and at the same time secures greater rigidity of the sides which contact with the edges of the motor-ring and swinging pistons, so that said edges will run free and at the same time be sufliciently close to insure a good steam-joint.

Second. The steampressure being balanced upon both sides of the motor-ring and the fact that there is no power-shaft fixed thereto prevents its edges from grinding upon either head by the effect of outside strain.

Third. The movement of the ends of the swinging pistons over the surface of the central block when acting is about one-half of what it would be if they operated against the interior of the casing in the usual manner, and this reduces the friction and wear of the machine, and the action of the pistons against said block tends to ease the weight of the motor-ring and cause it to revolve free, while at the same time the centrifugal action of said ring causes it to throw and hold the lubricant in the requisite places.

Fourth. The outer circumference of the motor-ring moves the ports therein past the valve at a high rate of speed and produces a square cut-off, and there being no waste by clearance the best possible result from expansion is attained, and the increasing effective area of the pistons renders it possible to obtain the same benefit from a high grade of expansion as is now given by the use of complicated compound engines of the best class and with a lower rate of piston speed.

Fifth. WVhen used for boat service the weight will be placed low, and, if desired, several motors could be geared tandem to the auxiliary shaft, and, while the gyroscopic action of the revolving motor-ring would counteract the tendency to roll, the equal efficiency of the power applied to the propeller at all. times would increase the steadiness of motion, and the perfect balance of the motorring would prevent injurious results from racing.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a rotary motor, a stationary outside casing, an independent motor-ring fitted to revolve therein, a stationary abutment, substantially as described, located within said ring, suitable heads fixed to said casing and abutment, swinging pistons mounted on said ring and acting against said abutment to revolve said ring, and inlet and outlet passages to admit and exhaust the motive fluid to and from said pistons, all operating substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rotary motor, a casing, a central abutment, suitable heads fixed thereto, a motor-ring fitted to revolve therein with inlet ports formed through the sides of said ring, swinging pistons mounted on said ring having projections to enter said ports, in combination with a segmental sliding valve interposed between said casing and ring and suitable gearing to slide and hold said valve,-

whereby the motive fluid can be admitted to act upon said pistons for any desired part of their active motions, substantially as described.

3. In a rotary motor which is operated by the expansive force of an elastic fluid, a casing, a motor-ring fitted to revolve therein, a cut-off interposed between said casing and ring, swinging pistons mounted on said ring, a central abutment against which said pis tons act to revolve said ring, whose contactin g surface is so curved with reference to the interior circumference of the motor-ring that the effective area of said pistons increases in the same ratio as the fluid-pressure decreases after the time of cut-off, and suitable heads for said casing to which said abutment is secured, all substantially as shown and de scribed.

i. In a rotary motor which is operated by the expansive force of an elastic fluid, a casing having a valve-chamber provided with a suitable inlet, a central abutment provided with a swinging valve operating substantially as described suitable heads secured to said casing and abutment, a removable lining for the casing supporting an adjustable segmental valve to close said valve-chamber, a motor-ring having ports formed through its sides and fitted to revolve within said lining in intimate contact with said valve, swinging pistons mounted on said ring, having springs fixed to their backs which act against the interior of said ring and a fixed exhaust-port formed in the back head and provided with a suitable outlet, all substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rotary motor, a casing, a central abutment, suitable heads fixed thereto, a motor-ring fitted to revolve therein, having gearteeth on a portion of its outer circumference, swinging pistons mounted on said ring and acting against said abutment to revolve said ring, a power-shaft mounted on said casing,

having a suitable gear thereon to connect it to said ring, and passing out through one of said heads, and inlet and outlet passages to admit and exhaust the motive fluid to and from said pistons, all operating substantially as shown and described.

JOS. E. CRISP.

\Vitnesses:

EDMUND II. TALBOT, MARY E. \VooDBURN.

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