Fluid engine

Claim 2

A pressure fluid engine, comprising: a rotor rotatable about a central axis, said rotor being hollow and bounded by end walls with a peripherally circular border wall therebetween, said rotor having a central opening in one of said end walls, a plurality of nozzles in said border wall, a smooth vaneless inner chamber portion adjacent said central opening and a plurality of peripherally successive outer vaned impelling portions in said border wall, each of said vanes comprising an airfoil section having an arcuately curved airfoil surface leading to and directing fluid through a said nozzle, each nozzle being located between an adjacent pair of said impelling portions; projecting means defining a smooth axial flow surface extending from the other of said rotor end walls toward said one end wall in the region of said axial opening whereby fluid flow in a path including said central opening and said inner chamber portion has axial and radial components lying at about 90* to each other; a fixed base member adjacent said rotor having a fluid opening communicating with said central opening in said rotor, the base member having a surface around its said fluid opening and adjacent the outer surface of said one end wall of said rotor; a self-centering seal having opposite ends adjacent said base member and rotor surfaces and a fluid flow passage through the seal aligned with said rotor central opening and said base member opening for passage of said pressure fluid through the seal; and means for subjecting one said seal end to said pressure fluid to press the other said end in sealing engagement with the adjacent said surface, thereby resulting in full fluid pressure being applied to said airfoil vanes of said rotor impelling portions for maximum turning torque about said axis.

Claim 3

The engine of claim 1 wherein said seal is positioned at said one end within a cylindrical chamber having a side wall closely adjacent to the corresponding side of said seal.

Claim 4

The engine of claim 2 wherein said chamber is in said rotor and said other end of the seal bears against said base member surface.

Claim 5

The engine of claim 2 wherein said chamber is in said base member and said other end of the seal bears against said rotor outer surface.

Claim 6

The engine of claim 2 wherein said seal is tubular with an inner cylindrical surface substantially parallel to said cylindrical outer surface and with opposite ends substantially parallel to each other.

Claim 7

The engine of claim 1 wherein said impelling portions and nozzles are symmetrically arranged around said rotor, and each said nozzle is of circular cross section.

Claim 8

The engine of claim 1 wherein said rotor is coaxially mounted on a shaft rotatable therewith, the rotor and shaft are rotatably mounted in an enclosing casing having an end wall adjacent said rotor comprising said fixed base member.

Claim 9

A fluid pressure engine operable at high efficiency with pressure fluid flowing therethrough and with low pressure and fluid losses, comprising: a fluid passage means for said pressure fluid having a fixed base member therearound and sealed thereto; a rotor having a surface adjacent to said base member and said fluid passage means rotatable about an axis of rotation that is coaxial with said fluid passage means, said rotor having a hollow interior with mechanical energy conversion means therein subjected to said pressure fluid flowing therethrough, a substantially circular axial fluid portal communicating with said rotor interior and said fluid passage means; means forming an annular axial chamber in one of said base member and said rotor surface and adjacent the other, said chamber communicating with said fluid passage means and said rotor portal; an axially movable pressure fluid operated, annular, floating seal having a central opening aligned with said fluid inlet means for fluid flow therethrough into the rotor, a cylindrical outer surface snugly and floatingly received in said chamber, an end sealing means for bearing in sealing engagement against the other of said Base member and rotor surface adjacent said chamber to prevent fluid leakage; and means for subjecting said seal to said pressure fluid to maintain said sealing engagement.

Claim 10

A fluid pressure engine operable at high efficiency with pressure fluid flowing therethrough and with low pressure and fluid losses, comprising: a fluid passage means for said pressure fluid having a fixed base member therearound and sealed thereto; a rotor having a surface adjacent to said base member and said fluid passage means rotatable about an axis of rotation that is coaxial with said fluid passage means, said rotor having a hollow interior with mechanical energy conversion means therein subjected to said pressure fluid flowing therethrough, a substantially circular axial fluid portal communicating with said rotor interior and said fluid passage means; means forming an annular axial chamber in one of said base member and said rotor surface and adjacent the other, said chamber communicating with said fluid passage means and said rotor portal; an axially movable pressure fluid operated, annular, floating seal having a central opening aligned with said fluid inlet means for fluid flow therethrough into the rotor, a cylindrical outer surface snugly and floatingly received in said chamber, an end sealing means for bearing in sealing engagement against the other of said Base member and rotor surface adjacent said chamber to prevent fluid leakage; and means for subjecting said seal to said pressure fluid to maintain said sealing engagement.

Claim 11

The engine of claim 8 wherein said seal is tubular, the chamber is in said rotor, and the seal bears against said base member with the rotor rotating relative to the seal.

Claim 12

The engine of claim 8 wherein said seal is tubular, the chamber is in said base member, and the seal bears against said rotor and rotates therewith substantially clear of said chamber means.

Claim 13

The engine of claim 8 wherein said rotor is coaxially mounted on a shaft rotatable therewith, the rotor and shaft are rotatably mounted in an enclosing casing having an end wall adjacent said rotor in which said fluid conduit entrance means is located with a portion of said end wall comprising said fixed base member.

Claim 14

A pressure fluid engine comprising a rotor rotatable about a central axis, said rotor being hollow and bounded by end walls with a peripherally circular wall therebetween, said rotor having a central opening in one of said walls, said rotor having a smooth vaneless inner chamber portion adjacent said central opening and an outer vaned impelling portion, each of said vanes being of airfoil section having a substantially rounded leading edge, and an inner surface spiraling smoothly, arcuately outwardly and terminating in a trailing end lying in said peripheral circular wall, said adjacent vanes having cooperating relation and defining tangential substantially unrestricted discharge nozzles therebetween. each of said vanes extending substantially 180* about the axis of said rotor; projecting means defining a smooth outwardly extending flow surface from said other of said end walls toward said central opening whereby fluid flow into the hollow rotor from said central opening is turned smoothly from an axial direction to radial in said vaneless portion of the rotor to enter said vaned portion with a radial component; a fixed base member adjacent said rotor having a fluid opening communicating with said central opening in said rotor, the base member having a surface around its said fluid opening and adjacent the outer surface of said one end wall of said rotor; a self-centering seal having opposite ends adjacent said base member and rotor surfaces and a fluid flow passage through the seal aligned with said rotor central opening and said base member opening for passage of said pressure fluid through the seal; and means for subjecting one said seal end to said pressure fluid to press the other said end in sealing engagement with the adjacent said surface, thereby resulting in full fluid pressure being applied to said airfoil vanes of said rotor impelling portions for maximum turning torque about said axis.

Claim 15

A pressure fluid engine comprising a rotor rotatable about a central axis, said rotor being hollow and bounded by end walls with a peripherally circular wall therebetween, said rotor having a central opening in one of said walls, said rotor having a smooth vaneless inner chamber portion adjacent said central opening and an outer vaned impelling portion, each of said vanes being of airfoil section having a substantially rounded leading edge, and an inner surface spiraling smoothly, arcuately outwardly and terminating in a trailing end lying in said peripheral circular wall, said adjacent vanes having cooperating relation and defining tangential substantially unrestricted discharge nozzles therebetween. each of said vanes extending substantially 180* about the axis of said rotor; projecting means defining a smooth outwardly extending flow surface from said other of said end walls toward said central opening whereby fluid flow into the hollow rotor from said central opening is turned smoothly from an axial direction to radial in said vaneless portion of the rotor to enter said vaned portion with a radial component; a fixed base member adjacent said rotor having a fluid opening communicating with said central opening in said rotor, the base member having a surface around its said fluid opening and adjacent the outer surface of said one end wall of said rotor; a self-centering seal having opposite ends adjacent said base member and rotor surfaces and a fluid flow passage through the seal aligned with said rotor central opening and said base member opening for passage of said pressure fluid through the seal; and means for subjecting one said seal end to said pressure fluid to press the other said end in sealing engagement with the adjacent said surface, thereby resulting in full fluid pressure being applied to said airfoil vanes of said rotor impelling portions for maximum turning torque about said axis.

Claim 16

The engine of claim 12 wherein said seal is positioned at said one end within a cylindrical chamber having a side wall closely adjacent to the corresponding side of said seal and wherein said chamber is in said rotor and said other end of the seal bears against said base member surface.

Claim 17

The engine of claim 12 wherein said seal is positioned at said one end within a cylindrical chamber having a side wall closely adjacent to the corresponding side of said seal and wherein said chamber is in said base member and said other end of the seal bears against said rotor outer surface.