Rotary jet reaction turbine

Claim 2

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form having an output shaft rotatable about an axis; (b) a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending from an inner portion of said rotor to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, there being means whereby rotation of said rotor causes the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) a jet channel in said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel from said combustion chamber and produce a jet reaction, the burning of said fuel being produced at least in part as a result of the heating of said combustion supporting fluid in its passage through said passageway; (e) a turbine structure rotatably supported about said axis and including means against which said burned fuel impinges to rotate said turbine structure; and (f) means to prevent said turbine structure from rotating as fast as said rotor.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said turbine structure rotates in a direction opposite to that in which said rotor rotates, and in which the last-named means of claim 1 constitutes a means coupling said turbine structure to said output shaft such that energy from both said rotor and said turbine structure is delivered to said output shaft in the same direction of rotation.

Claim 4

An engine as set forth in claim 1 in which said passageway is of decreasing cross-sectional area as it extends away from the rotational axis of said rotor.

Claim 5

An engine as set forth in claim 1 including a jet nozzle portion at the periphery of said full circle rotor and adjacent to and in communication with said combustion chamber, and a flame holder in said combustion chamber forming a part thereof into a mixing chamber.

Claim 6

A jet type engine as set forth in claim 1 including coolant passage means extending through said rotor and in heat conducting relationship to said passageway and terminating near the periphery of said rotor for producing vapor and a jet reaction at said periphery by said vapor leaving said coolant passage means.

Claim 7

A jet type engine as set forth in claim 1 including means whereby a coolant is added to the combustion supporting fluid.

Claim 8

An engine as set forth in claim 1 including means whereby said combustion supporting fluid is heated sufficiently in its travel through said fluid passageway to cause burning of said fuel in said combustion chamber without an auxiliary igniting means.

Claim 9

A jet type engine including; (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; and (e) said rotor incorporating two fully-circular disc-like elements each having a thickened center portion and tapering radially outwardly, one of said disc-like portions being apertured near its periphery with said fluid passageway extending therethrough.

Claim 10

A jet type engine including; (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; and (e) said rotor incorporating two fully-circular disc-like elements each having a thickened center portion and tapering radially outwardly, one of said disc-like portions being apertured near its periphery with said fluid passageway extending therethrough.

Claim 11

An engine as set forth in claim 8 in which said passageway extends to the exterior of said rotor and is enclosed by a streamlined shroud.

Claim 12

A jet engine as set forth in claim 8 in which a space between said disc-like elements forms a part of said combustion supporting passageway.

Claim 13

A jet engine as set forth in claim 8 in which said disc-like elements have spaced peripheral edge portions, a tube-like structure secured to said peripheral edge portions and defining said combustion chamber, said tube-like structure having a restricted cross-sectional portion defining a nozzle portion.

Claim 14

An engine as set forth in claim 8 in which the other one of said disc-like elements is apertured near its periphery to allow the flow of burned fuel.

Claim 15

An engine as set forth in claim 11 in which a circumferentially extending half-tube extends between adjacent peripheral edge portions of said disc-like elements and said tube-like structure is spaced from said peripheral edge portions and said circumferentially extending half-tube to define a generally annular space for coolant means.

Claim 16

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; (e) there being a plurality of pairs of combustion chambers, passageways, fuel channels and jet channels; and (f) means for separately adjusting the flow of fuel through said different pairs of fuel channels.

Claim 17

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; (e) there being a plurality of pairs of combustion chambers, passageways, fuel channels and jet channels; and (f) means for separately adjusting the flow of fuel through said different pairs of fuel channels.

Claim 18

An engine as set forth in claim 14 in which there is adjusting means for adjusting the flow of combustion supporting fluid through said fluid passageway includes a central hollow shaft through which said fluid flows into said fluid passageway, the interior of said hollow shaft being formed as a valve seat, and a valve element movable with respect to said valve seat.

Claim 19

An engine as set forth in claim 14 in which said fuel flow adjusting means includes concentric fuel tubes, valve means near the ends of said fuel tubes, a hollow shaft forming a shaft for said rotor, said concentric fuel tubes extending concentrically through said hollow shaft, and a plurality of outwardly extending second fuel tubes, each having one of its ends in communication with a corresponding one of said concentric fuel tubes and the other one of its ends in communication with one of said combustion chambers.

Claim 20

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; and (e) additional continuously open conduit means extending from said fluid passageway for delivering the combustion supporting fluid as a coolant to mix with said burned fuel, said additional conduit means being positioned in heat conducting relationship to said combustion chamber and to an exhaust nozzle in communication with said combustion chamber.

Claim 21

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; and (e) additional continuously open conduit means extending from said fluid passageway for delivering the combustion supporting fluid as a coolant to mix with said burned fuel, said additional conduit means being positioned in heat conducting relationship to said combustion chamber and to an exhaust nozzle in communication with said combustion chamber.

Claim 22

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; (e) turbine means rotatably supported for rotation about the same axis as said rotor, said burned gases which exhaust from said rotor being directed axially thereunto; and (f) means to prevent said turbine means for rotating as fast as said rotor.

Claim 23

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; (e) turbine means rotatably supported for rotation about the same axis as said rotor, said burned gases which exhaust from said rotor being directed axially thereunto; and (f) means to prevent said turbine means for rotating as fast as said rotor.

Claim 24

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; and (e) there being a reinforcing means for said combustion chamber which consists of a backing plate and a plurality of webs secured to said backing plate positioned inwardly of said combustion chamber and at least partly encircling said combustion chamber.

Claim 25

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form; (b) means in said rotor defining a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending radially from an inner portion thereof to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, rotation of said rotor causing the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) means defining a jet channel in and near the periphery of said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel and produce a jet reaction; and (e) there being a reinforcing means for said combustion chamber which consists of a backing plate and a plurality of webs secured to said backing plate positioned inwardly of said combustion chamber and at least partly encircling said combustion chamber.

Claim 26

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form having an output shaft rotatable about an axis; (b) a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending from an inner portion of said rotor to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, there being means whereby rotation of said rotor causes the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) a jet channel in said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel from said combustion chamber and produce a jet reaction, the burning of said fuel being produced at least in part as a result of the heating of said combustion supporting fluid in its passage through said passageway; (e) a turbine structure rotatably supported about said axis and including means against which said burned fuel impinges to rotate said turbine structure; and (f) means coupling said turbine structure to said output shaft such that energy from said turbine structure is delivered to said output shaft in the direction of rotation of said output shaft, said last named means including a ring gear driven by said turbine structure, a pinion gear on said output shaft, and planetary gear means intermeshing between said ring gear and said pinion gear, said gearing causing said turbine structure to rotate slower than said rotor.

Claim 27

A jet type engine including: (a) a rotor of full circular form having an output shaft rotatable about an axis; (b) a combustion chamber near the periphery of said rotor; (c) a combustion supporting fluid passageway in said rotor extending from an inner portion of said rotor to said combustion chamber, and a fuel channel in said rotor extending to said combustion chamber, there being means whereby rotation of said rotor causes the combustion supporting fluid in said passageway to be compressed and heated prior to entering said combustion chamber; (d) a jet channel in said rotor in communication with said combustion chamber to exhaust the burned fuel from said combustion chamber and produce a jet reaction, the burning of said fuel being produced at least in part as a result of the heating of said combustion supporting fluid in its passage through said passageway; (e) a turbine structure rotatably supported about said axis and including means against which said burned fuel impinges to rotate said turbine structure; and (f) means coupling said turbine structure to said output shaft such that energy from said turbine structure is delivered to said output shaft in the direction of rotation of said output shaft, said last named means including a ring gear driven by said turbine structure, a pinion gear on said output shaft, and planetary gear means intermeshing between said ring gear and said pinion gear, said gearing causing said turbine structure to rotate slower than said rotor.