Uniflow-type external combustion engine featuring double expansion and rotary drive

A reciprocating piston-type engine comprising:

• a. an engine housing;
• b. a drive shaft extending longitudinally through said housing rotatably journaled thereto;
• c. a drum-shaped cylinder block fastened coaxially about said drive shaft within said housing so as to rotate in unison therewith, said cylinder block defining a plurality of cylinders having longitudinal axes parallel with the axis of said drive shaft and spaced radially about said drive shaft;
• d. a torque transmission plate universally attached to said drive shaft adjacent one end of said cylinder block so as to rotate about said shaft in unison with said shaft and cylinder block, said plate being tiltably journaled to said housing so as to rotate about an axis which is tilted with respect to the axis of said drive shaft;
• e. a reciprocating piston within each of said cylinders, each having a piston rod protruding through said end of said cylinder block and universally attached to said torque transmission plate at a respective point spaced radially from the axis of rotation of said plate;
• and
• f. means in said cylinder block defining respective chambers on both sides of each said piston.

A method of driving an engine of the type having at least one cylinder in which a piston reciprocates, said cylinder defining respective chambers located at first and second ends of said cylinder on either side of said piston and having an exhaust port in the wall of said cylinder adjacent the center thereof, said method comprising:

• a. injecting a pressurized gas charge through a gas admission port adjacent the first end of said cylinder while said piston is located adjacent said first end;
• b. moving said piston toward the second end of said cylinder by expansion of said pressurized gas charge;
• c. when said piston is adjacent the second end of said cylinder, transferring said gas charge to the second end of said cylinder through a transfer port in the wall of said cylinder adjacent the center thereof, while simultaneously blocking said exhaust port from communication with the interior of said cylinder;
• d. thereafter moving said piston toward the first end of said cylinder;
• and
• e. when said piston is adjacent the first end, exposing said exhaust port to the interior of said cylinder and exhausting said gas charge through said exhaust port.

Engine apparatus of the type having a plurality of cylinders in each of which a piston reciprocates, each said cylinder defining respective chambers located at first and second ends of said cylinder on either side of said piston, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a. means defining an exhaust port in the wall of each said cylinder adjacent the center thereof positioned so as to be exposed to the interior of said cylinder when said piston is adjacent the first end of said cylinder and blocked by said piston when said piston is adjacent the second end of said cylinder;
• b. means defining a transfer port in the wall of each said cylinder adjacent the center thereof separate from said exhaust port and positioned so as to be exposed to the interior of said cylinder when said piston is adjacent said second end and blocking said exhaust port;
• c. means defining an inlet port in the wall of each said cylinder adjacent the second end thereof and positioned so as to communicate with the interior of said cylinder when said piston is adjacent said second end and blocking said exhaust port;
• and
• d. means defining a transfer passageway joining a respective transfer port with a respective inlet port of said cylinders for selectively transferring gas from a chamber at the first end of one of said cylinders to a chamber at the second end of one of said cylinders when the exhaust port in the same cylinder as said transfer port is blocked.