US155160A - Improvement in eccentric-piston engines - Google Patents

Description

' 2 shee ts -sheet 1 I C. C. KLEIN. Eccentric 'Pis-toh-Engines.

N ,155,160, Patented Se pt.2 2,1874.

Fml. F162.

WITNESSES 32 pm we sw m-ac comuo'ro-uwjsswl PAM PLACE,N.Y.

2Sheets--Shee t2.

c. c. KLEIN. Eccentric Piston-Engines. N0.l55,l6(), Patentedse nzzlsn.

| w/ f I INVENTOR THE GRAPHIC CO-PHOTO LlTrL398\4-l PARK PLACE,NY a

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES o. KLEIN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ECCENTRlC-PISTON ENGINES.

pecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,160, dated September 22, 1874; application filed March 10, 1874. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLEs C. KLEIN,

certain new and useful Improvements in Ec centric-Piston Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sections, illustrating the invention under various modifications. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the duplex form of engine shown in Fig. 4.

My invention consists, first, in the combination of two concentric cylinders and an eccentric cylinder mounted on a center adjustable relatively to the said concentric cylinders, as hereinafter described; second, in the combination of two opposing adjustable plates or flanges for the attachment and adjustment of two concentric cylinders, as hereinafter described, to form a duplex engine; third, in a novel construction of guide to control the movement of the concentric cylinder relatively to the concentric rims or cylinders within which it works.

The engine consists of five essential parts: First, an outer cylinder, d,- second, an inner cylinder, to, placed concentric with the first; third, an eccentric abutment-ring, cl; fourth, a piston, e,- and, fifth, an adjustable bearing, 1", for the eccentric ring, which is capable of adjustment from and toward the center of the concentric cylinders.

There are four different modifications which may be made in the arrangement of the parts, and with each modification two distinct motions may be produced precisely in the same way as in a reciprocating engine, where the cylinder may stand still while the piston moves, and the piston may stand still while the cylinder moves. In the first-case the cylinder-heads are the abutment, but in the second case the. piston becomes the abutment and the cylinder-heads the pistons.

In the following description, however, I will call the partition placed across the annular space between the two concentric cylinders the piston, whether the same be movable or stationary.

The following are the modifications:

In Fig. 1, the piston c is rigidly attached to inner cylinder a, and eccentric bearing a" is adjustable on head of outer cylinder d. In this example the inner cylinder at and eccentric ring 61 may'revolve upon their respective centers, and the outer cylinder d and eccentric hearing may stand still, or vice versa.

In Fig. 2, the piston e is rigidly attached to outer cylinder (1, and eccentric bearing 1' is adjustable on inner cylinder (1.. In this exam ple the outer cylinder cl and eccentric ring (1 may revolve upon their respective centers,- and the inner cylinder and eccentric hearing may stand still, or vice versa.

In Fig. 3, both concentric cylinders are rigidly fastened to each other, and the eccentric bearing is attached to them. The piston traverses the annular space between a and cl. In this example the piston may traverse the annular space, While the eccentric ring revolves upon its center, and the two concentric rings may stand still, or vice versa.

In Fig. 4, the two concentric cylinders a and d are rigidly attached to each other, and the piston e is set rigidly across the annular space between them, and the adjustable hearing or axis of the eccentric cylinder is attached to the axis of the concentric cylinders. In this example the adjustable bearing of the eccentric cylinder (in this case a crank-pin) may revolve around the axis of the concentric cylinders, and the latter stand still, or vice versa.

In Figs. 1, 2,-and 3, two of the five essential parts have to move, While, at the same time, only one of them transmits the useful effect of the steam. The total pressure upon the other moving part produces only friction. Take, for instance, Fig. 1, in which the piston e is fastened to the cylinder to, the eccentric ring 01 revolving upon the adjustable bearing 7'. That pressure of the steam only which acts upon the piston 0 produces useful effect, while the far greater total pressure upon the surface of the cylinder a and eccentric ring d produces an enormous friction upon central bearing of the cylinder at and upon the eccentric bearing.

For the purpose of overcoming these difficulties I have constructed the engine shown in Fig. 4, in which the eccentric ring only revolves, not, however, upon its own center, but its axis revolves in a circle around. the axis of the cylinders a and d. Although this seems, at first sight, to be a departure from the original principle of the engine, it, in fact, is not, as the center of the eccentric ringd, whichin this case is a crank-pin, 0, takes the place of the adjustable bearing 4, and, like this, must be made adjustable in a line drawn from the center of a and d to the center of (1, so that the inner surface of d can be kept in contact with a, and the outer surface of d in contact with d.

It will now be evident that, as the two abutments thus formed are always in a straight line drawn through centers of a and d, it follows that the pressure upon the surface of the eccentric cylinder must always act upon the crank-pin at right angles with the radial line of the crank. I

By this means perfect uniformity in the power of the engine is gained, and dead-centers are entirely avoided. If, however, the steam were admitted simply to the exterior of the eccentric cylinder d, little more than onehalf of the annular space between a and 01 would be utilized, and, moreover, a deadpoint would be produced once in each revolution-namely, when the crank attains its upper vertical position.

In order to avoid this, I put the ports 0 0, into such a position, and'make them of such size, that the steam will have access to the exterior and interior of the eccentric cylinder (1, and yet that there shall always be one of the abutments interposed to prevent the steam from flowing from induction-port 0 to the eduction-port 0 without producing any effect. To effect this I make the pi'stone (which, in this case, acts simply as an abutment) as thin, and place the ports as close together, as is consistent with strength, taking care that neither port shall quite touch the inner or outer circular surface of the annular space. 7

As mentioned previously, the cylinder d, Fig. 4, does not revolve upon its own center, except incidentally, because the piston 6, passing through its periphery, prevents it, and only a sliding motion of the ring d upon the piston 6 takes place; but I prefer to remove this sliding motion to the exterior of the steam-chambers, where I am enabled to extend the wearin g surface and control lubrication.

For this purpose I provide a guide, K, in which the box m slides. Through the box passes the pin a, fastened into the flange of plate l, to which the ring d is attached. I prefer to place this pin somewhat farther from the center of d than the external radius of d, so that the eccentric ring (1 will have a slight rubbing motion upon the inner and outer cylinders a and cl at each side of the piston 6, so that the amount of wear at these points will approach nearer to that upon points directly opposite. By this means uniformity of wear is insured.. The slit in the ring d, through which the piston passes, has to be wide enough to permit this motion. From the above .it will appear that the adjustability of the crank pin 'r-or, in other words, the means of varying the distance be tween the center of a and d and the center of d",- which maybe efi'ected by set-screws t u or springs-is all that is necessary to keep the engine tight in a radial direction. Longitudinally,,t h e apparatus is kept tightbythe following,"namely: The eccentric ring at is provided with a flange or plate, I, Fig. 5, which touches the rims a and d of the cylinders a and 01, while the edge of the eccentric ring 01 touches the bottom of the annular space between a and d, and by pressing the flange ltoward the rims a and d,by means of screws 10, wedges q, helices, or other suitable means, the leakage which wear would cause is prevented; but it will be observed that if the ad justing devices, or part of them, were stationary, and the flange Z did revolve against them, the whole pressure against the interior of the flange wouldbe thrown upon these rubbing surfaces, causing great friction.

To prevent this I employ two engines, placed in such arposition that the flanges L on -the 7 rings 01 shall come directly opposite each other,

placing the adjusting devices between them. By this means the pressure inone cylinder balances that in the other, and as both rings are caused to revolve together thesteam-s'pace and exhaust-spaces in one cylinder or annular space will always be directly opposite those in the other cylinder or annular space, so that always a perfect balance is maintained, and no friction from steam-pressure results.

The effect of both eccentric rings may be concentrated upon one common hearing or pin, 1', and shaft 8, or separate cranks and separate shafts may be used for each eccentric ring.

Any of the self-acting adjusting devices described in my patent for rotary engine granted 16th December, 1873, may be applied to this.

The following is claimed as new:

1. In combination with the cylinder cl and flange l, the adjustable pin 1', placed in the center of the cylinder 61, and revolving around the center 8 of the concentric cylinders a. d, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the opposing adjustable plates or flanges Z l with attached cylinders d d and the cylinder d, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the guide K, box m, and pin with the connected plate or flange L and cylinder cl, for'the purpose set forth.

CHAS. O. KLEIN.

Witnesses:

GHAs. E. PANCOAST, D. H. STONE.

Images