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M. Deane HARPER

Rotary Engine

The National Exchange( 1977 )

Revolutionary Rotary Engine to Change Automotive Industry

by

Tom Valentine

M. Deane Harper of Dunbar WV has invented a rotary engine surpassing anything all the money andengineering breainpower of Detroit could come up with. Good, old-fashioned American ingenuity andinventiveness triumph again !

Harper, a machinist, mechanical engineer and teacher who has a number of inventions to his credit, hasdeveloped a rotary engine far superior to the famed Wankel the made Mazda's go hmmm, but also fizzleddue to inherent engineering shortcomings.

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Page 1 of 15M. Deane Harper -- Rotary Engine

06.01.2010http://www.rexresearch.com/harperengn/harper.htm


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One doesn't have to be an expert to realize that an efficient rotary engine is far superior to the present daypiston engines. However, it remains to be seen whether the Harper rotary has come along too late in theheyday of gasoline-driven motors.

On the other hand, Harper stresses his rotary engine will run well on steam and would be an excellentturbine motor, too.

The Harper design has unlimited potential. The inventor's partner, Robert Weidlich of Charleston WV said:

"The number of desriptive names for this engine is readily outnumbered by the vast potential of use for thisnew mechanism that changes expanding gas pressure to rotary motion more efficiently than any otherdesign".

Harper has obtained his patent: # 3,809,025.

The inventor and his partner drove from West Virginia to Chicago a few weeks ago just to show thisreporter the working prototype. "You can't very well write about something you haven't seen", Weidlichemphasized.

The four cylinder, gasoline-driven rotary spins like a flywheel when it runs. The entire engine rotates.

"It's a rough prototype that we run for only a few minutes at a time because we've not designed any coolingsystem", Harper explained. "I built it from scrap materials found around my machine shop".

While my knowledge of engines is limited, I do know enough to understand that I was viewing animportant moment in engine history as the Harper rotary whirred into action.

The future of the gasoline powered engines may be in doubt, but there's no doubt they'll be around at leasta decade or two longer and harper's invention appearsto be the highest state of the art.

The working model was built to prove to doubting patent office officials that the design worked. Then itwas transported to Denver where scientists from the University of Denver, Denver Research Institeanalyzed it.

Dr Charles Lundin and engineer Frank Lynch signed the report which conlcuded:

"The Harper Rotary Engine is difficult to conceptualize at first exposure, but in truth, is very simple in itsoperating principles. Since all the surfaces in the engine are circles, spheres or cones, it should not bedifficult to produce the parts of the engine with standard machine tools.

"The engine is considerably more compact than standard internal combustion engines and aside from asecondary speed oscillation in the pistons, it is vibration-free.

"The seals in the combustion chamber at any given radius sweep though circular arcs over a constant radiussurface through circular arcs over a constant radius surface segments at speeds well within the performance

limits of conventional piston rings. If the unusual geometry of the piston causes difficulties in usingstandard piston ring-type seals, then surely the Wankel-type seals would be more than adequate.

"A cursory mechanical analysis disclosed no unmanageable stress problems. The piston pins in teprototype, however, need to be enlarged.

"One of the most significant features of the engine is its variable compression ratio. By maintaining thehighest permissible compression ratio under all operating conditions, average operating efficiencies may besignificantly improved"

The report was stiffly scientific, but the researchers managed to make suggestions for minor engineeringimprovements which indicated their enthusiasm for the device.

"The original concept was slow in taking shape because of the unique surfaces", Harper explained. "Theconical surfaces are parallel, perpendicular to and at 90 degrees to the center of the output shaft".

But then, after constructing the model, Harper realized he had one of the simplest engines ever built.




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Weidlich listed the possibilities of this Harper design:

"It can be similar to a 2-cycle, or it can run as a 4-cycle gasoline engine; it can operate as a diesel; a Rankincycle steam engine; a steam turbine or a Sterling engine".

Harper and Weidlich, who are knowledgeable automotive engineers, are certain that their concept of a

"positive displacement turbine" will be the greatest imprvement in using steam for motive power sinceJames Watt's engine.

"The positve displacement turbine would have the torque of a steam engine and the low speed of aturbine".

While the technical merits of future production models need to be tested and proved, it is easy to see that asa gasoline-powered engine, the Harper Rotary offers a power-to-weight ratio most appealing to the aircraftindustry -- especially helicopters.

If there are any drawbacks to getting this invnetion into production and out into the marketplace to serveour nation, it appears to be in the area of the automotive aftermarket.

Harper's engine will not wear out like today's cumbersome Otto-cycle, piston-driven creatures. Costlyrepairs and the need for replacement parts will be virtually eliminated.

The consumer can hail this event with enthusiasm -- but not so the national economy.

Since any new invnetion takes time to move from prototype to production, it seems the industrial complexshould be able to adjust to the efficiency -- however, a realist will suggest that many jobs and businessessupportive of today's aftermarket will die natural deaths.

To get a partial idea of the impact that could generate if all automobiles suddenly switched to the betterengine, consider that Harper's rotary engine has:

-- No parts that stop, start, or change directions...-- No flywheel...-- No gears...-- No distributor...-- No valves, tappets, valve springs, or push rods...-- No rocker arms...-- No counter balances...-- No crankcase...-- No connecting rods..-- No fan...-- No radiator...-- Perfect balance, variable compression, self-lubricating seals and seals having a surface speed one-tenthof the problematical Wankel seals.

Harper and Weidlich said they have also contacted machanix Illustrated and other publications, butExchange was the first to respond. It will be interesting to see how the 'experts" handle it.

This is the beginning of a new era in automotives and this has been a story with a moral.

The moral is: "Our nation would do well to once again rely upon individual initiative, intuition and abilityrather than suppress such qualities with arrogance and waiver forms".

Technical Data for Experts --

Displacement -- 38 cu. in.Bore -- Power segmetn equal to 2-7/8 bore

Stroke -- Angular running plane of power segments equal to a 1-1/2 inch strokeFiring Chambers -- 4, equal to 4 cyclinders...Compression -- 6-1/2 to 1 variable...Intake Vacuum -- 15 inches...




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RPM -- Tested at 3200; capable of 20,000...Physical Size -- 10-1/2 inch diameter; 5-1/4 inches wide, prototype weight 55 lb; could be reduced to 35lb...Ignition -- 6 volts...Balance -- perfect...Heat -- Air-cooled...Main Bearings -- Ball bearings...

Power Impulses -- 4 per revolution...Horsepower -- no rate at this time, but with a 3 hp per cu. in. rating this model would generate 114 hp. Ifwe obtain the same hp as the present day motorcycle engine, we would generate 120 hp...

Murry Deane Harper




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Robert Weidlich

US Patent # 3,809,025ROTARY ENGINE HAVING INCLINED PISTON AND CYLINDER ROTATION

AXES

Abstract -- The rotary engine includes a housing which defines a plurality of chambers for primarycompression and combustion and a plurality of pistons mounted to a piston carrier positioned within thehousing. Both the housing and the piston carrier rotate at the same rate on separate shafts and the axes ofrotation of the two shafts are at an angle to one another. Combustible gas is fed through a central hollowportion of the piston carrier shaft where it is directed into the primary compression chamber by inlet meansin the piston carrier which are exposed to the chamber through the movement of the housing relative to thepiston carrier. Transport means communicate with each primary compression chamber to transport thecombustible gas around the piston from an inlet side to a combustion side of the chamber.

May 7, 1974Inventors: Harper; Murry D. (Dunbar, WV)Assignee: Harper Development Corporation (Dunbar, WV)Current U.S. Class: 123/245 ; 123/43R; 418/164; 418/68Current International Class: F01C 3/06 (20060101); F01C 3/00 (20060101); F02B 75/02 (20060101);F02b 053/00 ()

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

My invention relates to rotary engines and, more particularly, to rotary engines in which the axis ofrotation of the combustion chamber is at an angle to the axis of rotation of the pistons.

Fluid pumps and motors are known in the art which operate on the principle of rotating chambers anddisplacement elements wherein the rotational axes are angularly displaced. Attempts have been madeheretofore to apply these principles to an internal combustion engine, but these attempts have been directedto apparatus functioning in a known four stroke cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My invention utilizes the principle of the angular displacement of the axes of rotation of chambers andpistons, but these principles are adapted to operate in a manner similar to a two stroke cycle engine. Myinvention provides a perfectly balanced engine in which pure linear motion is transformed into rotarymotion. The engine can be air or liquid cooled. My engine provides variable compression and self-lubricating seals. My engine provides high torque at low speeds and there is no side thrust on the




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combustion chamber walls as is produced on a standard piston engine by the angle of the connecting rod.The efficiency of the engine and the power curve are such that the size and weight of the engine can besubstantially less than existing rotary engines for a given horsepower. During operation, no parts stop,start, wobble or change direction. My engine is an improvement on existing engines from the standpoint ofpollution control in two respects. Since the main bearings are sealed ball bearings mounted external of theengine and there is no lateral thrust of the piston on the chamber walls, less oil is required and, therefore,there is less burning of hydrocarbons. In addition, the surface area of the combustion chamber wall to the

cubic inch displacement is easily controlled so the engine can be operated at a lower flame temperaturethan existing engines, thereby reducing the nitric oxide emissions. As a result of the spherical and conicalshapes of the engine components, the seal mechanisms are greatly simplified over known rotary enginesand line contact seals can be easily employed.

My invention is a rotary engine in which the combustion chambers and the pistons rotate on separate axiswith the axes being at an angle to one another. Transport means direct the combustible gases around thepistons in each chamber during the engine cycle so that the operation of the engine is similar to a twostroke cycle engine. The pistons are mounted on a spherical piston carrier which also receives thecombustible gas and directs it into the chambers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a section through the rotary engine taken along section line I--I of FIG. 3;

FIG. 1a is an elevation of the engine with the housing removed;




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FIG. 2 is a section taken along section lines II--II of FIG. 1;




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FIG. 3 is a partial section taken through the rotary engine illustrating the piston member-partition memberrelationship;

FIG. 4 is an isometric of the piston member;FIG. 5 is an end view of the piston member;FIG. 6 is a section taken along section lines VI--VI of FIG. 5;FIG. 7 is a section through the piston carrier showing the operation of the inlet ports;




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FIG. 8 is an end view of the partition member and the seals therefor;FIG. 9 is an end view of the partition member showing the milled out portion;

FIG. 10 is a section through another embodiment of my rotary engine illustrating different faces of thepistons; and




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FIG. 11 is another section through the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10.




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The principles described hereinafter can be applied to pumps, fluid motors and compressors, but aredisclosed for the preferred embodiment, a rotary combustion engine.

The engine, generally designated 10, includes a housing 11 and a piston carrier 14, both of which rotate ata common speed, FIGS. 1-3. Housing 11 is annular in shape and has a concave inner surface 17 defined bya segment of a sphere. A top cover plate 12 and a bottom cover plate 13 are bolted to the housing 11 by aplurality of bolts 25 and 26, respectively. Each cover plate 12 and 13 is defined by inner conical walls 27

which terminate in a concave socket 28 which is also a segment of a sphere. Shaft 19 connects to coverplate 13 through a plurality of bolts 20. Shaft 19 represents the power take off for the rotary engine 10.

Piston carrier 14, which is a complete sphere, is positioned within the housing 11 and in operableengagement with concave sockets 28 of the top and bottom cover plates 12 and 13, respectively. Seals 53in cover plate 12 engage the piston carrier 14. Rigidly secured to the piston carrier 14 is shaft 21 whichextends outward through an appropriate opening in the top cover plate 12. Shaft 21 is hollow and includesa central passageway 22 which communicates with chamber 23 located internal of the piston carrier 14.Shaft 21 is positioned with respect to shaft 19 so that the axes of rotation of the two shafts intersect at anangle at the center of the piston carrier 14. This angle, as measured in degrees from a coaxial position andrepresented by theta in FIG. 1, is variable and will normally be between 5.degree. and 20.degree..

Partition members 16 are positioned within the housing 11 in spaced apart relationship so as to form

combustion chambers 35, the inlet side being referred to as primary compression chambers 34, FIGS. 1--3.The rotary engine 10 with four partition members 16 has four combustion chambers 35. Each partitionmember 16 is substantially trapezoidal in shape and includes a spherical concave inner surface 30positioned for slidable engagement with the piston carrier 14 and an outer convex spherical surface 29which cooperates with the inner surface 17 of housing 11. Each partition member is rigidly connected tothe housing 11 by four bolts (not shown) which extend through the housing and screw into bolt holes 51 inthe partition member 16, FIGS. 3 and 9. The partition member 16 also has upper and lower concavespherical surfaces 48 which engage with the conical surfaces 27 of the cover plates 12 and 13, respectively,FIGS. 8 and 9. Sides 45 of the partition member 16 are convexly shaped so that sides 45 of adjacentpartition members 16 define the extreme limits of the combustion chambers 35.

In other words, each combustion chamber 35 and primary compression chamber 34 is defined by pistoncarrier 14, inner surface 17 of housing 11, conical walls 27 of the top and bottom cover plates 12 and 13,respectively, and convex surfaces 45 of adjacent partition member 16.

Each partition member 16 includes transport grooves 33 which extend along and are recessed in a portionof the surfaces 45 of the partition member 16, FIGS. 1-3. As will be explained hereinafter, the transportgrooves 33 serve to transfer the gases from the primary compression chamber 34 around the piston to eachcombustion chamber 35. Therefore, as long as the grooves 33 perform this function, there can be a singlegroove or a plurality of grooves and the two grooves 33 on each surface 45 for a total of four grooves pereach partition member 16, FIG. 3, or two grooves 33 for each partition member 16, FIG. 2, are exemplaryonly.

Operating within each combustion chamber 35 is a piston 15, FIGS. 1-6, connected to the piston carrier 14.The piston 15 is also substantially trapezoidal in shape and includes an outer convex spherical surface 31

which slidably engages the spherical inner surface 17 of the housing 11 and an inner concave sphericalsurface 32 which engages the piston carrier 14, FIGS. 1-3. The side surfaces 46 of the piston 15 areconcavely shaped as segments of a sphere so as to slidably cooperate with the convex sides 45 of adjacentpartition members 16. The pistons 15 separate the chamber into the combustion chamber 35 and primarycompression chamber 34.

Each piston 15 is connected to the piston carrier 14 as follows. The piston 15 includes a rectangularopening 39 extending through the piston and terminating in a cylindrical opening 40 so as to form ashoulder at the juncture thereof, FIGS. 1-6. Piston pin 37 provides the connecting means and is circular incross section, threaded at one end to threadably engage the piston carrier 14 and has an enlarged head at theother end to shoulder against the rectangular opening 39. A cross sectionally square block 38 includes acylindrical clear through passageway which accommodates the cylindrical piston pin 37. The block 38 inturn is positioned within the rectangular piston opening 39 in the piston 15. The walls of block 38 are

tapered slightly inward from the piston carrier end to the housing end. This tapered axial extent of theblock 38 provides increasing clearance in a direction away from the piston carrier 14 and this clearance isnecessary for the relative movement of the piston 15 as rotation takes place, with the total relativemovement being not unlike a universal in that respect, FIG. 1a. The distance between common points




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along the center lines of adjacent pistons 15 increases slightly as the adjacent pistons 15 move from aposition along the center line of the combustion chamber to a position adjacent opposite ends of thecombustion chamber, FIG. 1a. This slight movement of the piston 15 is relative to the piston pin 37 andthus the piston carrier 14 is accommodated by the clearance formed by the tapered walls of block 38.

Exhaust ports 18 extend through the housing 11 and communicate with each combustion chamber 35,FIGS. 1-3. Spark plugs 36 extend through the top cover plate 12 and through the conical wall 27 thereof

into communication with the combustion chamber 35.

The fuel mixture such as gas is fed from a carburetor (not shown) into passageway 22 of the shaft 21 andinto the chamber 23 internal of the piston carrier 14. Four curved gas inlets 24 extend outward fromchamber 23 and an inlet 24 communicates with each of the four primary compression chambers 34, FIGS.1 and 7. These inlets 24 are opened and closed by the relative movement of the piston carrier 14 withrespect to the socket 28 of the bottom cover plate 13. The curvature of the inlets 24 matches the curvatureon the socket 28 so that a maximum exposure of the inlet 24 occurs and yet the opening can beimmediately closed, FIG. 7.

Each piston 15 is recessed about its periphery by slot 43 which accommodates a piston ring. This pistonring slot 43 is positioned as close to the combustion side face of the piston 15 as possible. Each piston alsoincludes on the combustion side face opposing deflector notches 44 which serve two functions. Namely,

the notches 44 place the gases closer to the seal 43 thereby avoiding a wasted length of piston movement.In addition, the shape of each notch directs the gas in a loop scavenging stroke and away from the exhaustports 18 as will be described hereinafter.

In order to minimize the horsepower requirements on the inlet side of the piston 15, the bottom surface 41of piston 15 adjacent the inlet port 24 is recessed by cutout 47, FIGS. 5 and 6. Cutout 47 may be recessedin any desired shape to minimize the horsepower required in the compression stroke in the primarycompression chamber 34.

The partition members are sealed against the piston carrier 14 and opposite sides of the piston 15 by seals49 and 50 positioned in mating slots recessed in surface 30 and in the form of a cross. Seal 50 extends intoseal 49 so as to provide a lock for seal 49. In order to reduce the weight of the engine, the partition member16 may be hollowed out such as by conical cutout 52 milled deeply into the interior of partition member16, FIG. 9.

The operation of my rotary engine 10 is as follows. As the shaft 21 and shaft 19 rotate relative to and at anangle to one another, the piston 15 has the effect of moving back and forth in the combustion chambers 35even though there is rotation in a single plane. The movement of the piston 15 is between the opposingconical faces 27 of the cover plates 12 and 13, respectively. When the piston 15 is in the combustionposition, the gases have been compressed between the piston and the conical surface 27 whichaccommodates the spark plug 36. The spark plug 36 rotates with the housing 11 and is easily fired throughstationary contact surfaces which are engaged by the spark plug 36 as it travels. Combustion creates athrust on the piston and housing and is directed along the power take off in standard fashion.

At the same time the piston 15 is in the firing position, the inlet ports 24 have been opened and the gases

have been drawn into the primary compression chamber 34. As the piston 15 moves away from the site ofthe combustion, it continues to cover the transport grooves 33 thereby compressing the gases on the inletside. This compression takes place because the inlet ports 24 are closed and the transport grooves 33 havenot as yet been exposed on both sides of the piston 15. This latter circumstance continues until the productsof combustion have exhausted through the exhaust port 18, after which the piston 15 exposes the transportgrooves 33 on opposing sides of the piston 15 and since the gas is under compression it is caused totransfer to the combustion side, namely combustion chamber 35. This process repeats itself everyrevolution of the rotary engine 10 so that with the four combustion chambers 35, the engine is firing fourtimes per every revolution. The transfer of gases from one side of the piston to the other is somewhatsimilar to a two stroke cycle reciprocating internal combustion engine. Of course, with the subject rotaryengine, there is no reciprocation of a piston since pure linear motion is transformed to rotary motion.

My rotary engine 10 can be constructed in a number of ways, all of which embody the principles described

hereinbefore. A three power impulse per revolution cycle is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. The housing 55is in the form of a three leaf clover and has an interior surface 56 defining three combustion chambers 60.The housing 55 is constructed in three substantially equivalent segments and then joined by means of bolts58. Cooling fins 59 are bolted to the exterior of housing 55 by means of bolts 86. A power take off shaft 81




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is secured by bolts to the housing 55 and functions in the same manner as shaft 19 of the earlierembodiment.

The housing 55, by being shaped in the form of a cloverleaf, eliminates the partition members of the earlierembodiment. In addition, the housing itself includes the interior concave socket 57 which accommodatesthe spherical piston carrier 65. Piston carrier 65 is rigidly connected to piston shaft 84 which containshollow passageway 85 communicating with the inlet ports 68 in the piston carrier 65.

The housing 55 also includes exhaust ports 66 extending therethrough from each combustion chamber 60.In addition, spark plugs 82 are carried by the housing 55 and communicate with each combustion chamber60. Transfer ports 67 are formed in the housing 55 so as to create a bypass from one side of the piston(primary compression) to the other (combustion) in the same manner as the earlier embodiment. Transferports 67 can be milled into the housing 55 or can be separate duct work secured to the housing. Thesetransfer ports 67 perform the same function as the transport grooves of the earlier embodiment.

Pistons 61, 62 and 63 are secured to the piston carrier 65 so that each combustion chamber 60 has a singlepiston operable therein. Each piston itself has a spherical concave end portion 70 which mates with thespherical piston carrier 65 and a convex end portion 71 which slidably mates with the spherical housinginterior surface 56 at the end of each combustion chamber 60. The pistons 61, 62 and 63 differ from thepistons of the earlier embodiment in that each piston includes a flat face 69 on the combustion side of the

chamber and a flat face 72 on the inlet side or primary compression chamber. These flat faces 69 and 72approach corresponding flat faces of the housing interior surface 56 during operation in the combustionand compression portion of the cycle.

The pistons 61, 62 and 63 are connected to the piston carrier 65 in the same manner as the earlierembodiment. Specifically, each piston includes a rectangular cutout 75 into which is inserted a crosssectionally square block 76 tapered along its length and which also has a cylindrical opening clear through.Into the cylindrical opening is inserted the cylindrical section 78 of piston pin 74 so that the piston pin head79 shoulders against the opening in the piston to hold the piston in place.

An additional sealing and wear feature is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 for the piston pin 74 and thepistons 61, 62 and 63 and such a feature is equally applicable to the earlier embodiment. Piston pin head 79has a concave undersurface 87 which cooperates with a convex washer 77 positioned against the shoulderformed at the termination of the rectangular opening 75. The washer is hardened steel and acts as a wearplate for the piston pin 74. This arrangement adequately holds the pistons against the piston carrier 65 andprevents the piston through centrifugal force from being forced against the inside surface 56 of the housing55.

The operation of the rotary engine illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 is identical with that of the earlierembodiment except that the engine has three power impulses per revolution instead of four.

The pistons are sealed in the same manner as the earlier embodiment. Each piston includes a seal 80extending abouts its entire periphery, as illustrated by dotted lines for piston 62 in FIG. 10. More than oneseal 80 can be employed in spaced apart relationship about the periphery, albeit only one such seal isillustrated.

Face 72 of piston 63 is inverted 180.degree., FIG. 10, for purposes of illustrating the plurality of conicalcutouts 73 which reduce the weight of the piston and relieves the horsepower requirement of the piston inthe compression stroke.

The rotary engine 10 transforms pure linear motion to rotary motion in a totally balanced system so as toobtain optimum performance with a minimum of weight and moving parts.

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