[1]Patented Feb. 9, 1926. l@572 577 UNITED S-TATES PATENT OFFICE. JAMES F. THOMAS, OF WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA. POWEP,-G-ENERATING -LYIECHANISYL. original application filed April 8, 1922, Serial llo@ 550,'75S. Divided and this appli-eat i o n f i l e d O c t o b e r 2 1 , 1 9 2 2 . S e r i a l N o . 5 9 6 , 0 6 0 . :Y'o (tlltv7tol)l it eol?ee?,Il,. 13e it knowii th,;t I, TAiNrEs F. THO-LVIAS, 'a stibject of L'Iie T-Ciiio- 'of Gi-etit 13i@itai.i1, residii-i@c,y at AViiidsoi@ iii the Proi,iiiee of 01@tario ,3 aiid Dominioll ol Caiiad@,,, liive iiivelitecl certaiii new aiad useful Impi-o-@-eiiients in POAVerGe-neratiiig Mech@tnisrn, of which the followiiig is a sp@cificatioi-i. This invei-ition rel,,ites to 1-0tli@3, iiiot,c)i10 iiieclianisiii 1)@ti-ticL(larlv @dttpted foi- Lise with ower -eiierating l iiiecliaiiisin, aiid the p zn priiii,,ii-y object of the same is to provide ,t rotoi-- iiieeli,,tnisii-i ada,)ted to receive, compie@sed -,tir deliAI-recl tliereto froiii a 1)illme 1,'5 con-ipressiiig iiieaiis forn-iiiig p,,irt of the pc)NA,ei- o-eiiei-atilig mechaiiisni, or tl-i(, ",,,tter that iiiay be elenate,-l to oi- forced iiito ti TE'sel,voil, iiie,,iiis, aiid to utilize the ponver g3eiierated by the i-otor for (yelleral service. 20 A ftirtlier object of the iiiieiitioii is to siinplify aiid econoii-iize in the geiieral coiistruetioii tlld or(yaiiiz-,itioii of the pai,ts oT ,t i-otor meelianisiai adaptecl for use with power geii,e,i,a,ting jyieehiiiisiii and at the saii:ie time re25 illforce or sl@-.Peii(,Ytheii the severil paits to AA,itlistaiid )vqar eciid te,,ir anci pressures to ivhiel-i the parts n-.iay be subjected cILiring the operatioii of the rotor, aiid also to render the operation of the votoi- effective ai-i@l posi30 tive as ,i power, geiieratiiio, iiieaiis. With these and other objects and adATaiita(,es iii i7ieiiT the irveiltioii coiisists ill the constrt(etioii a'iid arraiige-@i-ient of the several p@irts ii,liieli will be iiiore fully liereinafter .15 desel,ibed and claimed. Ill the drawin-s: Fig. 1 is a sectioi-ial elevation of the ii-iipi-oired rotoil mechf,,nism and coiinectioiis betweeii the sinie ai-id storao,e rose rvoir, the 40 i-otor 1-nechaiiis-yu beiiio,- sl-ioavii in trai-isi,ei-se 17'ertical sectioii aiid p,,trts of the pipe attachments bi-okeii away; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section takeii tlirougl-i f-lie ceiiter of the rotor aild its cas45 iiig as slio)i,n by Fio- I - -' Fig. 3 is ',L pl,,til view of the rotor and a portioii of its sliaft removed froin tl-ie rot6r casin(-; Fii 4 is ,t top plan view of one of the' 50 top inlet plates of the rotor; -al Fig. 5 is aii enlaro'e'd traiisverse verti(. sectioii oii the -.line 5@!5, Fig. 3; and I Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the bot'coi-ii portion of the i-otor casing. 55 This applicatiol'i c6i-istittites a division ofthe stibject-iiiatter originally disclosed by i,-iy Patents Nos. 1,441,135, Jai-i@ 2, 192'0, ,tiad 1,43 0,416 S,-pt. 26, 1922. iii iiay Pqtent No 1,430,416, above iioted, a con vel-giiig coiinection is eiiibodied for the 60 com pro,-zsed air or water elevated tl-iereby -,tiid this coiiiiectioit is att,,Lched to ,t co-Lipling 76 coni-iected to tlile botton-i o-f- i reservoir 77 prefei-ably disposed iii tipricyht positioli aiid sei@i@ii-ig as a storage iiieai-is. The sur- 65 roiin diil@- ii-alls 'TS of tl-ie reservoir are prefcra bl,)7 fol-il--ied of plastic iiliaterial with a bott oiii closure plate 79 aiid ,t cap plate 80. Oii the iniier side of oiie of the wails 78 i,,til ribs 81 ai-e SOCIlried,at'id en,6,ao,-e suitable 70 giooves 82 foi@iiied in tlae tdjaceiit side of a giavitatilig pistoi S" for gtiidilig the said pist on in its action aii(,l lioldiiig the same ill cei itral positioll ivithin the reservoii@. The pist oii 83 is preveiited froni lowei-iiio, beyond 75 a I)redeterii:iiiied point withiii the cyliii.der '(7 by a stop pin 84. The, air under presstire, oi, the iyater desirect to be stoiied il'i elevatioii, pas ses tl-ii-ougli tl-ie couplilig or Supply coiiiie ctioii 76 and eliters the lower portion of tlie reserioir or storage tanii: 77. The ful'ICtio n 6f tl-ie, stoii 83 is to maii-itain t ,iir sto red in tlie reservoir or taiik under certaiii pr esstir.e, the pressure stored witl-iiii the res ervoir or tank ivhei-i sufficieiitly strong to 85 ov ercoii-ie the Aveight of the piston 83 gll,,idiiil ly i-aising the latter aiid as It consequence the weight pressure oii the air stored in the e3 TIinder -N@ill be inere,,ised and perf6riii an iin port,,tnt ftii-iction relatively to the pres- 90 stir e of the air in the sticl reservoir or t,,tiik. Fr ojii the resei-voir o.r taiik 77 the storecl air uiider pressilire will be liberated for a 'pi @actical service in ,i maiiner whioli will be pr eseiitly expl,,tii-ied. '"Ttit6r may be like- 95 Av ise slipplied to the reservoir 77 and similarl y distributed@ or disel-iaro-ecl from the latt er for operation of tlle i-notor iiieans @ iiicli @.ding a rotor. The preferred foriii of i-otor ancl rotor eii- 100 clo stii-e vvliieh is opertutively associated witb the tai-il@ or reservoir 77 and adnl)ted to be a ct)Li,,ited or rotated either by air@ delivered t hereto froin the re@ervoir or by w,,tter stored i p- sftid reservoir consists of- ,t pla@tic casing 1 05 8 5 of any suitable length ,tiid 1-i,,ti,iiig aii tpp roxiiiiatel.y semi-eylliiclrical botton-i porti oi-i 86 -N-vitli a central olitlet S@ hai@ii-ig flared i a,,tlls 88 ,tdiqcelat thereto. Tlic- casiiig 85 ,i lso 1-ias plastic ends 89, as slio-wn by Fig. 1 10
[2]1,572,577 2, i,iid iii the pi,eliiiiiiiary strticture of the s,,tid casin,y 8i5 as a Ailiole, met,,tl plates 90 are al)plied iii (4lie iiiold tt the eiids ,tllcl haae upright brtee bars ind key devices 91 atr, tached thereto. When the ceiiieiit or plastic ji'laterial is iiiserted in the:riiol.d, it is disposed betiveeii 'tlie i)lates 90 aiicl brace bars anci key devices 91 becoiiie imbeclded tliere@ in, and tliereby hold the said pl@ttes iii fixed 10 as,,,ociated relat;oii vv-ith tlie eiids 89 of the casin,-. the .iLioldiiio- oper-,Ltioii of the casiiio, 85 includiiia. its encls 89 a shaft 92 is plteed iii proper positioii relatively to tl,le iiiterior of the iiiold, the plates 90 hav15 iiig slots 93 fori-tied there@iii and openiiiol tllrol,igli the iipper edges to periiiit the sh,,ift to be let doiiii int6 positioi-i relatively to the said plates, aiid -",hen the cenient or plastic i--Qa't-lerial is dispose(I in the mold be20 tween the plates 90 it fills over the shaft at' the eiids, or closes the sl6ts 93. The sliai't 92-is projected throuo-h opeiiiiio-s iii tl-ie eiids 89 of the saiiie diai-i'leter qs the shalt, the said openiiags beiiig foriiied by turiii@.ig the 25 sliaft in the ceiiieiit or 1,)Iaslic material wiiile, u the latter is soft. It ii7ill b-- -Linderstood tll,,it stiit-able sttiffino- boxes a,@-.d be,,,.riiio- devices la u i-I M"Ly b.- provi@led in co iiec'io witli the shaft ,it the ends i@j' foi-tild ii@cessai,y, to 30 render the c,,.siiig ends 89 both air ,tnd Aiater tight arouiid the sli,,tft ivliete the latter ptoiects outwo-rdly thro-Ligh the said ends. Hoii,ever, ii-i vie-w o' the str-Licture of tl@e -L rotor carried by the shaft 92, s'utifrui- boxes as tlae assejiibl,,tge 6f the eii(Is of the r6toi! structlii-e Avitli the inlier sides 6r eiids or eiid -N@-alls 89 of the casiiig 85 vvill be sii(@,i ,is to iii,,ike it possible to dispeiise Nvitlistufflilo40 boxes or like devices. Thi,ouo-hout ti-ie length of the casing or eftsiia@,), bociy 85, iiieltidiii,v the ends 89 tliereof, reinf6reiiig rods 94 aiid also other reinf6reiiiosti'i-ictilires coiiimoiilv used will be iiitrodliced, to uli,-e 45 th-- body of tl-ie casiiig sufficient rixidity ,ts -well as strength aiid dur,,Lbil@t e @ y To r'sist pressure froi-n -v,7ithili ,iri,d overcome aiiy tenclency to fracture or bre,,tl@:aye of the said casiiig. Tlies-- rocis 94, Nibich run leii(ytli50 ivise of the casii-i- 85 @or tliroi-igh the side portioiis of the ,ttter, nre, -@ecured a@x,,iiiist the end pl,,ttes 90, ,ts slioiin by Fig. 2. Below the outlet 87 and the flarecl@ iv,,ills 88 at the bo'Ltciii of the casiqg 85 a loii-itiidi55 n,,il diseliar!,Te. outlet 95 is foriiied, as cle,,trly, illustrated by Fig. 6, s,,iid outlet exteiidii-i(v ftill-v- betweeii the opposit,(, ends 85 and iyhereby,Avlion wi'Ler is used Ps the inotive@ iiiediuiii the disc@haro,-e of t,l-ie -Nv@-Lter throligh 60 the outlet 87 iii,,ty be quickly relieved or carriecl a-way from 'ule lower portion o'L tli-e casino, The lower portioji 86 of the casiiig, as herei,-@ibef--re: expl,,iiiied, is seii ii-eyllildrical bi-it tbe, upper portiolis of the sides of 65 the casiiiu are verticallv strai2lit. as at 95"1, 35 or otl-ier sir).iii-,ir devices ivill b6 - Lilinecessa-fy., Avliereby the floiv or sul)i)ly of the iiiotive 100 opliosite shoulders 96,being produced at the I)olnt of iiitersectioii of the lo-wer opposite ciii-ved A-vall,s and the upper vertic,,tl ivalls. The loiner'curled Avalls have the, rotor clemeiits closely eligLgl,.i,- tli-- and tlle 70 upper i,ertical ivalls pr6vicle for a I)ractical iiitrodlictioll or feed of the itiolu-ive iiiediiiiii, stich as air or Avater t6 the actilatiiig elemel'its of the rotor. On top of the casiiig 85 aiid exteiidiiig ilu.11 leiio-th thereof ,tre iiiiet 5 clevices 97 of siiii-ilar strticture, said i;.ilet devieIs as --:lioNvn by Fig. 4 consistin-- essoiatially of recta-iigillir pl,@ites Avitli ceiitral iiilet collars. 98 opeiiiiio, iiito a distribtitiiig clian-ibei- 99 haviilg side ivalls 100 cloi,;ii- SO wardly coiivergii-ig toAl7ards a compar"Ltively recli,,,ced feed slot 101. The wa-Ils 100 also coiiver"e froi,,i @tlic center of eacli plate t6- ivards the odposite eiids of the I.Ltter, as at 102, see Fig 4 iii dotted lines@ The inle@u de- 85 A,ices 97 col'istitti'L-e c6ver plates for a )Ortion of the top of the casin- 85 a-lilcl 'LIie iiiiaei, flaiiaes 103 of these pl@Ltes pi-ovicite tlilie side wtlls. for a top olitlet 104, ivliieh exteyids the fiill leiigth of the I)Iastic c,,@si.,lg 90 85. The oiitlet 104 is iii the f oriii oi an eloli(-ated inetal tvibe liaving base flanges -lie flal-l(-@-es 103 of ltO5 Avhich are secured on t the plites 97 by suitable f,,isteiiii-i(r devices 1061 as shoiNIii by Fio-. 1. The ii-i,L-erior of 95 the collau-s 98 are tlireaded aiid coiiiiected tliereto are t'iie loaver termil-izils of t U-pipe 107 Avliieh has the iertic,,il legs 108 thereo-f ea-11-i provided ",ith a cutoff vtl!ve 109,, aiid. @lileditiin such as air ol- A,iTat-Ir to either side of the iiiterior of the ca _- foi@ coiitrollin I 9 the operati-on of the ro@uor iii reverse I direetiois i.s i-egulated. To the top o@ ill)i)ei, Ilead meiiiber of the U-pipe 107, t suitable supply 105 110 is comiected aiid also ,ittached to i'llil@le coiiamupictl-es -vvith the iliterior of the @.-esei@voir or tailk 77 at a poii-it ,I@OOV(@ the bottoii of tle --[,,itter. @The shaft 99 has t-, rotor Ill keyecl or 110 -iernvise ot-I , fastened tlieileto and con-iposed of i. series of h-Lib sections 112 fitted over the S.'ilift iil eild to ei-id r lat-ion as sho-@in b,, e f Figs. 2 and E'), and e-,ich havilig a. pl-Lirality. of T-aiigle-arms projectiilg tllerefr6li@, 115 there being six ari-iis iii the present instalice oii each iii-ib soctioi-i. AI)plied to the ano@le ariii@@ 113 ,ire tliiii sheet metLLI plates 114 tncl 115, .ts sliown by Fig. 5 the pl,,ttes beiiig disposed bet-weeil the, ste,.ii flttiiges @ il6 of 120 the T-,,irms 113 ai,.d s,,iit,,@alv secured against t-li-- lioi@izontil or r;.o--ht-ailo-tilar irelliber.-, llL7 of scli-d T-arjias. @ The )Iiites,115 are eacli of a -v,,-idtli jti.Qt equ,,Ll to the distaliee; beta-veeii tbe.,-,teiii riieiilber-, 116 Ind sni-i<,' abi-it 125 ,-y igf,@iiist tiie lattei-, ihd eacli 1)1,,ite or slieatliiiip-, 114 is coiitii-iiious aeross ii-s (,,,!7otip of ll(;@izont,,il iueiiibers lli@ By this iiteaiis ,L space Is fori-iie,-! betaveen the two series Of pla'Les 114 -,ind 115 alid iii this sl)aC(' is in- 130
[3]1,572)577 trodticed a filliiig 118 of cement or plastic inaterial so as to solidify the structure and @it til,e, saiii-e tilne reduce the, weio;lit -,Yithout @leti-acting froiii the necess,,try strength tind dul-,tbility of eael-i blacle organizatioli of the rotor, ivl-iieli is produced by the structure just explained. The stem meinbers 116 ,staiid outavardly @nd project , beyond the pl,,t,tes 115 and reinforce the blades of the iO rotor and coactil'ig ivith the horizoiital integral i-neiiibers 117 prevent bueldiilg or distoi-ti6n of the blades. The ()uter edges of the plates 114 is shonvn by Fig. 1 project slio-litly beyond the edge's @f the plates 115 an(,t c@li'leiii or, plastic fillings 118, so@ as to closel3T contact @vitli the clirved walls of the loliteiseiiii-c,),lindrictl botton-i port-ion 86 of the ea iii 85 and in the preliminary cons g strtictioii of the casiiig these plates are ctiised t6 f6rl'l the said curved -,valis while the mgteri,,il of the latter is sufficiently soft by i-@ota-tiiig the sliaft 92 to which fhe hub -,ections 112 and the parts carried thereb37, or the blades, ai-e priinarily secured. By '5 iiie,,ins 6f this preliminary preparation a C16se fittliig 6f tlie projecting ends of the I)Iates 11.4 aiid the etirited end walls of the lower seiiii-c),I.iiidi-ical orti6n 86 of th6 casp ing is prodiiced. The rotor bl,,ides c6r.L30 structed as just exl)lained are alternatively clit@ aivay or slotted, as at 119, adjacent tlo 'Lhe li-Lib sectioiis, These slots 119 extend in)),ardly abotit iiiidwa,y of the ends of the 35 , t closed or unslotted,portion,of the adjacent blicle, and so on aroulid the series 6f ,tdiacent bl,,tdes. The 6bject of these slots is to partic-Lil,@rly adipt, the rotor for wate@r impact and prevent the formation of resist40 e .ilig cushi6i-is at the inner poi-tions of th blades' close to, the htib sections, the slots reliei,ilio I - water that may accumulate ,it the inrier portions of the blades tind.thereby.insui-ii-ig lea,st i-esistance to a sensi ve opera45 ti6n oi@ di-ive. of the blades by the impact O@f inco'niinfr -water tliere,,Lg,,iinst. Li.lTe-wise, iese opei-iings eqiially @well function wh Li en ec,ii-ipressed air is introduced into the c,a.siiio, 85 ,is the opertiting meditim, the air -Dassin; 50 ii-i close to tl-ic hlib sections, or beinv@en the i-educed portions of the ano,,ular spaces betweeii the blades, escaping upwardly through the openings of tl-ie blades above thos(-, below ai-id liberated ,tt the t6p portioiis of the rotor casing, or throuo;l-i the otitlet means or device 1,94. The outer ends of the onteriuost hub sections 112 extend into the inner sides of the encl plastic walls 89 of the rotor casiii 85, as at 120, see Fi.,&. 2, and form 30 9 tio it, joints arouiid the sh-,tft or adjacent to the points where the latter extends outwardly throiigli the ends 89. This associatioii of the olitermost hub sections 112 with the el-icls Of the casing will obvi,,tte leali:age 65 froiii the interior of the casing around the shaft, and as hereilnbefoi.,e explained, any suitable pa,clcino- means may be introduced at this point to increase the non-lea-king efficieii@y of these associated end parts. I The . opei,ation of the @improved rotor is 70 very siiiiple. The stored air or water in @tlie reservoir 77 is peri-nitted to pass to the rotor through tl-ie inediulii of either one of the iertical legs 108 of tlle U-pipe 107 by openino- the one valve 109 the other similar vtlve 75 beinu closed. lvhen air is stored ill the reser@voir or t,,tnl@ 77, it is delivered in compressed form into the said tank or reservoir against the weight of the gr,,tvitatitig piston 83, which maintains the pi-esstire of the air 80 at a inaximum. Wheii it is desi@ed to@ Lise the compressed ali-, either one of the v,,tlves 109 is opened, and if the one at the right is opened as shown by Fio-. 1, @ir will be adn-iitted into the distribi@ting chaiiiber 99 at 85 the right of the rot6r aiid then thro-Ligh the constricted outlet 101 between the downwardly conve I i,oino, ivalls 100 and:impact against the blade of the rotbr nearest the said outlet 101. The incoming air strikino_- 90 the rotor blade will force the rotor 111 and its sliaft 92 around to bring a s-Lieceeding blade into position for in-ipact of the @tir under pressure, alid so oil throu.(,Yhout the -,vhole series of blades. The incomiiig air strili:ing each blade ivill expand and be liberated iii an upward direction betnveen the outer extremity of the next@ blade tbove 7aiid in View @ Of the fact that the inner e-xtremity of the 100 blad e clears the said inclined lwall sucli t dista nce as to permit f i,ee escape of the air it being preferred that the inlet 101 be proporti on,,Ltely srnaller than the open space betwee n the outer end of each blade and ti, 105 e inne riiiost wall iOO. The air enterino- the casin g 85 and stiilk:ing the successive blades will also be libe,rated through the slots or O'pe nings 119 at' the inner poi,tions of the seve ral blades aiid pass upwardly tbrough 110 the common 6utlet 104, and fron-i this outlet the air m,,ty be conveyed to a'f urther means Of storage or be@utilized for any other purpose desired. In reversing tEe rotor the ,Mi- 115 valv e 109 on the right is closed and the s' Jar valve oii the left as shown by Fig. 1 is ope ned, thereby causing an impact of the air against the blades on the left side of the rotor and a consequent reversal in the direc- 120 tion of roiation. This simple method of reversing the rotor ivill be exceptionally advantageous in operating different kinds of mechanism, and such reversal may be expeditiously effected without requirilig maniptii 2 5 l a t i o n o f c o m p l e x d e v i c e s . The water is stored in the reservoir or tank 77 the same supply operation to the rotor Ill ensues througli either of the inlets 101 by way of either distributing chamber 130 99 in accordance Nvith tl-ie open or closed co4- i@otor blades, the slot of one bl,,tde being3, over the innermost inclined wall 100,
