Rotary energy converter with retractable barrier

A rotary internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an outer housing and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing so as to define an enclosure between an inner peripheral surface of the outer housing and an outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, the inner housing being rotatable relative to the outer housing so as to define a drive member;
• first and second side housings disposed on opposite sides of the outer housing;
• at least two barriers disposed in the enclosure, at least one of the barriers being rotatable relative to at least one other barrier and at least one of the barriers comprising a retractable barrier mounted along a pivot axis and being pivotable between an extended position in which the at least one retractable barrier extends into the enclosure and a retracted position in which the at least one retractable barrier retracts from the extended position, the enclosure being divided into a combustion chamber and an exhaust chamber when the at least one retractable barrier is in the extended position;
• an intake port formed in the inner housing for introducing a fluid into the combustion chamber;
• a cylindrical stationary shaft disposed inside the inner housing and oriented substantially coaxially with the inner housing for delivering fluid into the combustion chamber;
• an exhaust port for exhausting combustion gases from the exhaust chamber;
• and
• an ignition source disposed in the combustion chamber for igniting a mixture of fuel and combustion fluid;
• wherein the cylindrical stationary shaft has an intake opening configured to be intermittently fluidly connected with the intake port.