No. 869,560. PATENTED OCT, 29, 1907. C, R, FRANCIS, ROTARY ENGINE, APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1907, 3 SHEETS-SHEET l. No, 869,560, PATENTED 00T, 29, 1907, C, R, FRANCIS, ROTARY ENGINE, APPLIOATION FILED MAY 7, 1907, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. I H S eSlsS. a) S S Sy N. 2 2f A 2 S - NNSNSS r -S N AzizV 4. re-re-r-st Serer-r % A sales Siles-and-NSN22ziSEZSz(zgizZS ar Ž Hootes in s NZ & 2NN 2x cate221. s As2.2LES SS ÉEe 2EsWBE N NZ$7. N SS S- 2 S.S & & SS 2. & Q sees Naya2 SKY Af2 Rn & v . se 2 S2 SS35%\s % gas.S. f* 1 - 2 77227zesses. 772-1/e7zzoz. ea E-4A 6-4. this worris sets Rs co., was Nina Tow, D. C. No. 869,560, PATENTED OCT, 29, 1907. C, R, FRANCIS, ROTARY ENCINE, APPLIO ATION FILED MAY 7, 1907. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 72 WZZ72esses. CHARLES R. FRANCIS, OF WARSAW, MISSOURI. ROTARY ENGINE. Patented Oct. 29, 1907. No. 869,560. Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 7, 1907. Serial No. 372,433. w | 6-6 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of the To all whom it may concern: rotary piston carrying plate or member. Be it, known that I, CHARLEs R. FRANCIS, a citizen Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted of the United States, residing at Warsaw, in the county by like characters of reference. of Benton and State of Missouri, have invented new Referring to Figs. I to 6 inclusive of the drawings (it 60 and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which being understood that lig. 7 applied equally to the sev the following is a specification. eral forms of the invention), A designates a base upon This invention relates to that class of rotary engines which cylinders 3 and C are supported in axial aline which are driven by the expansion as well as by the ment; each of said cylinders having a solid integral direct impact of steam which is admitted into a chest or head I and a removable head 2, which latter is secured 65 O casing between a piston which is mounted upon a rotary in the first named manner by stud bolts or lag screws 3; member fixed upon the shaft that is to be driven and the removable heads being located, for convenience, at an abutment which is supported slidably in such a what may be designated as the outer ends of the cylin manner as to recede at the proper times for the passage diers. Each of the cylinders is provided with a cen of the piston. trally disposed boss, the bosses in the cylinders B and 70 15 The invention is applicable to engines of the single C being designated respectively 4 and 4", which is con or multiple cylinder types of engines, its application centric with the walls of the cylinder and which in to the multiple or two cylinder type being for the pur combination with the cylinder walls forms in each cyl pose of enabling the engine to be reversed, at will. inder an annular space or passage which will be desig The objects of the invention are to simplify and in nated as the steam chest 5. The main shaft (3, which 20 prove the construction of the cylinder, the rotary piston extends through the central bosses of the cylinders, is carrying member, and the slidable abutment, and the supported for rotation in suitably constructed boxes or arrangement and assemblage of these parts. bearings 7 that are connected with the cylinder heads Further objects of the invention, which have special and which may be of any well known construction that reference to the multiple type of engine, are to simplify will permit slack caused by wear to be taken up at will; 80 25 and improve the valves, the reversing gear, and the said boxes or bearings being provided with packing means whereby the cut-off valve is automatically oper glands S wherever needed, with lubricators 9. ated to control the admission of steam to the cylinder or IFixedly mounted upon the shaft 6, adjacent to the steam chest from the source of supply. removable cylinder heads 2 are the rotary piston carry Further objects of the invention are to simplify and ing plates or members 10, each carrying a piston plate 30 improve the general construction and assemblage of ll which has been shown as being secured in position parts of this class of engines. by means of stud bolts 12. These piston plates, which With these and other ends in view which will readily are disposed in diametrically opposite relation within appear as the nature of the invention is better under the two cylinders, are preferably Wedge shaped, as stood, the same consists in the improved construction will clearly appear by reference to Figs. 3 and 7, the 90 35 and novel arrangement and combination of parts which walls of the steam chest or space 5 being correspond will be hereinafter fully described and particularly ingly inclined, as by this construction, a perfectly pointed out in the claims. steam tight joint may be readily obtained; to further In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated prevent leak of stean the pistons are provided with a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, metallic packing strips 13 extending around the sides 95 40 however, understood that no limitation is necessarily and inner ends of said pistons into contact or direct made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, engagement with proximate walls of the steam chest but that changes, alterations and modifications within by means of suitably arranged springs 14 which are dis the scope of the invention may be resorted to when de posed in grooves or recesses of the pistoll heads 10 into sired. which the free ends of the packing strips extend. 00 45 In the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view illus Spring actuated packing rings 15 and 16 are seated re trating a two cylinder engine constructed in accordance spectively in grooves in the detachable cylinder heads with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view 2 and in the bosses 4 and 4", to engage the opposite sides taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 3. of the rotary piston carrying plates for the purpose of Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally preventing leakage of steam. Each of the cylinders 05 50 of the main shaft on the plane indicated by the line is provided with a drain cup 17 through which water 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view enlarged, of condensation may be discharged. showing the valve casing and the valve gear. Fig. 5 is The bosses 4 and 4 of the cylinders B and Care pro a vertical sectional view taken through the valve casing vided respectively with a recess or pocket 18 and with and the valves. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sec a transverse slot 18", said pocket and slot being dis 10 55 tional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2 869,560 posed at One side of the aperture or bearing through which the shaft 6 extends for the accommodation of 57 which are connected by links 58 with a hand lever the slidable abutment plates 19 and 19, which extend 59 whereby the several valves may be simultaneously through slots or apertures 20 in the walls of the cylin oscillated and adjusted. The stem 60 of the cut-off ders, and through casings 2 having packing glands valve 41 carries a sleeve 62 in which operates a sliding 22; the abutment plate 19 being provided with an off rod 63 which is pivotally connected with the pitman 70 set 23 to admit of the passage of the piston, and with a 28 which connects the crank of the main shaft with the stem or shank 24. For the upper end of the abutment slidable abutments, said cut-off valve being thus au 19 a suitable guide 25 is provided. The upper ex tomatically rotated when the engine is in motion. O tremities of the abutment l9 and of the stem 24 of the The valves 45 and 45’ are provided with arcuate abutment 19 are provided with clips or bearings 26 for ducts or passáges 64 and 64 which are so located with 75 a cross head 27, which latter is connected by a pitman relation to the axes of said valves as to be capable of 28 with a crank 29 upon the shaft 6, intermediate the establishing Communication between the live steam cylinders B and C, the side members of said crank be pipe and the ducts 47 and 47 leading to the seat of the 15 ing provided with counterweights 30; by this construc cut-off valve 41 at one side of the axis of the latter, tion, when the engine is in motion, a reciprocatory either simultaneously or independently, according to 80 movement will be imparted to the abutments as will the adjustment of said valves; in like manner the valves be readily understood. The casings 2l are provided 46 and 46 are provided with arcuate passages 65 and with recesses 31 wherein are mounted boxes 32 carry 65 which by proper adjustment of said valves will 20 ing anti-friction rolls 33 that serve to steady the move connect the live steam pipe with the seat of the cut ment of the abutments so as to avoid vibration; said of valve at the opposite side of the axis of the latter; 85 - screws 34 being provided for the purpose of adjusting under the construction shown in the drawings, how the boxes carrying the anti-friction rolls.