Internal combustion engine and method

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. a toroidal cylinder;
• b. first and second groups of pistons disposed alternately around the cylinder and dividing the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• c. means for holding the pistons in the second group substantially stationary and moving the pistons in the first group away from them to draw fuel into the chambers during an intake stroke, holding the pistons in the first group substantially stationary and moving the pistons in the second group toward them to compress the fuel during a compression stroke, holding the pistons in the second group substantially stationary and allowing the pistons in the first group to move away from them in response to combustion of the compressed fuel during a power stroke, and holding the pistons in the first group substantially stationary and moving the pistons in the second group toward them to expel spent gas from the chambers during an exhaust stroke;
• and
• d. an output shaft driven by the pistons.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. a toroidal cylinder;
• b. first and second groups of pistons disposed alternately around the cylinder and dividing the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• and
• c. an output shaft connected to the pistons in such manner that the pistons in the second group remain substantially stationary while the pistons in the first group move away from them to draw fuel into the chambers during an intake stroke, the pistons in the first group remain substantially stationary while the pistons in the second group move toward them to compress the fuel during a compression stroke, the pistons in the second group remain substantially stationary while the pistons in the first group move away from them in response to combustion of the compressed fuel during a power stroke, and the pistons in the first group remain substantially stationary while the pistons in the second group move toward them to expel exhaust gas from the chambers during an exhaust stroke, and the output shaft rotates continuously.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. a toroidal cylinder;
• b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around the cylinder;
• c. an output shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder;
• d. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the output shaft;
• e. a carrier affixed to the output shaft;
• f. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier;
• g. a pair of rotors adapted for rotation about the axis of the cylinder;
• h. a plurality of pistons on the rotors interposed between each other around the cylinder to divide the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• i. connecting rods interconnecting the rotors and the crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports;
• and
• j. gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the output shaft continuously about the axis of the output shaft as the pistons move in stepwise fashion and the crankshafts rotate about their axes.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. a toroidal cylinder;
• b. an output shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder;
• c. a first hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the output shaft;
• d. a second hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
• e. a pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts;
• f. a plurality of pistons on the rotors with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the cylinder and dividing the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• g. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the output shaft;
• h. a carrier affixed to the output shaft;
• i. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the output shaft about the axis of the shaft as the crankshafts rotate about their axes;
• j. a pair of crank arms affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts;
• and
• k. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and the crankshafts such that crank arms turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor moving a predetermined distance around the cylinder while the pistons on the other rotor remain substantially stationary and the crankshafts and the output shaft rotate continuously.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. a toroidal cylinder;
• b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around the cylinder;
• c. an output shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder;
• d. a first hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the output shaft;
• e. a second hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
• f. a pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts;
• g. a plurality of pistons on the rotors, with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the cylinder and dividing the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• h. a pair of crank arms affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts for rotation in concert with the rotors and pistons;
• i. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the output shaft;
• l. a carrier affixed to the output shaft;
• j. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier;
• l. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and the crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the crank arms turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports;
• and
• m. gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the output shaft continuously about the axis of the output shaft as the pistons move in stepwise fashion and the crankshafts rotate about their axes.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. first and second toroidal cylinders positioned side-by-side;
• b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around each of the two cylinders;
• c. a common shaft disposed coaxially of the two cylinders;
• d. first and second sets of hollow shafts disposed coaxially of the common shaft, with each set comprising a first hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the common shaft and a second hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
• e. a first pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the first set;
• f. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the first pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the first cylinder and dividing the first cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• g. a second pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the second set;
• h. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the second pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the second cylinder and dividing the second cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• i. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the common shaft;
• j. a carrier affixed to the common shaft;
• k. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the output shaft about the axis of the shaft as the crankshafts rotate about their axes;
• l. a pair of crank arms affixed to corresponding ones of the hollow shafts in the two sets for rotation in concert with the rotors;
• and
• m. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and the crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor in each of the cylinders remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor in each cylinder advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports.

An internal combustion machine, comprising:

• a. first and second toroidal cylinders positioned side-by-side;
• b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around the first cylinder;
• c. inlet and outlet ports arranged in pairs around the second cylinder;
• d. a common shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinders;
• e. first and second sets of hollow shafts disposed coaxially of the common shaft, with each set comprising a first hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the common shaft and a second hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
• f. a first pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the first set;
• g. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the first pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the first cylinder and dividing the first cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• h. a second pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the second set;
• i. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the second pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the second cylinder and dividing the second cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• l. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the common shaft;
• m. a carrier affixed to the common shaft;
• n. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the common shaft about the axis of the shaft as the crankshafts rotate about their axes;
• o. a pair of crank arms affixed to corresponding ones of the hollow shafts in the two sets for rotation in concert with the rotors;
• and
• p. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with
• (1 ) the pistons on one of the rotors in the first cylinder remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor in the first cylinder advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports, and
• (2) the pistons on one of the rotors in the second cylinder remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the inlet and outlet ports while the pistons on the other rotor in the second cylinder advance, drawing fluid into chambers in communication with the inlet ports and expelling fluid from chambers in communication with the outlet ports.

A machine comprising:

• a. first and second toroidal cylinders positioned side-by-side;
• b. a common shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinders;
• c. first and second sets of hollow shafts disposed coaxially of the common shaft, with each set comprising a first hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the common shaft and a second hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
• d. a first pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the first set;
• e. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the first set with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the first cylinder and dividing the first cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• f. a second pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the second set;
• g. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the second set with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the second cylinder and dividing the second cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• h. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the common shaft;
• i. a carrier affixed to the common shaft;
• j. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the common shaft about the axis of the shaft as the crankshafts rotate about their axes;
• k. a pair of crank arms affixed to corresponding ones of the hollow shafts in the two sets for movement in concert with the rotors;
• and
• l. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and the crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one of the rotors in each of the cylinders moving a predetermined distance around the cylinder while the pistons on the other rotors remain substantially stationary.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a. a cylindrical housing having a cylinder block and a crankcase toward opposite ends thereof;
• b. a toroidal cylinder formed in the cylinder block;
• c. an output shaft extending axially of the housing;
• d. a first hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the output shaft;
• e. a second hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
• f. a pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the cylinder block;
• g. a plurality of pistons on each of the rotors, with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the toroidal cylinder and dividing the toroidal cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
• h. means interconnecting the hollow shafts and the output shaft in the crankcase for stepwise rotation of the pistons and rotors and continuous rotation of the output shaft.