Engine with compressor and bypass for combustible mixture

In a rotary internal combustion engine of the so-called angle piston type having:

• a. first and second cylinder blocks rotatable about respective central longitudinal axes;
• said first and second cylinder blocks each having a plurality of radially spaced, substantially parallel cylinders arranged for rotation about respective said central longitudinal axes;
• the open ends of the respective sets of cylinders being disposed toward each other, aligned, and disposed at an angle with respect to each other so as to form a vee angle .alpha. of at least 90.degree. and less than 180.degree.;
• b. first and second sets of pistons disposed in respective said cylinders, a pair of aligned pistons in aligned said cylinders being connected together at said vee angle .alpha.;
• each said respective pair of connected pistons being rotatable with and, by angular displacement, reciprocally movable within and with respect to respective cylinders as said pistons are rotated in a generally elliptical path;
• said pair of connected pistons maintaining their same relative position of top-on-top as they rotate with their respective cylinders;
• c. first and second cylinder heads connected, respectively, with said first and second cylinder blocks and rotatable therewith;
• d. a plurality of respective inlet ports for intake of at least a combustion supporting gas within respective cylinders atop respective said pistons therewithin at least by the time said pistons and cylinders have attained a predetermined first position;
• said intake ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said first position;
• e. fuel-air admixing means for forming a combustible mixture comprising said combustion supporting gas and a fuel;
• f. ignition means for igniting said combustible mixture at a predetermined second position;
• said ignition means being operatively in communication with the interior of said cylinders intermediate a second end of said cylinders and respective said pistons at said second position for firing;
• g. a plurality of respective discharge ports for discharging combustion products and waste gases, following firing and combustion of said combustible mixture, from within said cylinder and at a predetermined third position of respective said pistons and cylinders;
• said discharge ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said third position;
• and
• h. power delivery means connected with said first and second cylinder blocks for delivery of power with respect thereto;
• the improvement comprising a center section compressor and bypass combination that allows rapid acceleration and deceleration without damage to elements of said center section compressor because of high vacuum and that includes:
• i. a plurality of uniformly shaped members connected with respective pistons in at least one said set of pistons in at least one said block and extending to near the connection with respective aligned pistons at said vee angle .alpha.;
• j. radially inner and outer walls and end sealing means defining an annular chamber concentrically disposed about said central longitudinal axis of said at least one block;
• said annular chamber varying in length from its greatest longitudinal dimension at a first location BDC, equivalent to bottom dead center position, to its smallest longitudinal dimension at a second location TDC, equivalent to a top dead center position;
• said inner and outer walls being disposed immediately adjacent said uniformly shaped members so as to constraim said members to traverse through said annular chamber and in fluid tight relationship therewith so as to effect compression of a fluid between adjacent said members as they move from said first location to said second location and to effect suction of said fluid into said annular chamber as they move from said second location to said first location;
• k. center section intake port for taking in said at least a combustion supporting gas;
• said center section intake port being in fluid communication with said annular chamber upstream of said first location;
• l. center section discharge port for discharging compressed said at least a combustion supporting gas;
• said center section discharge port being in fluid communication with said annular chamber adjacent said second location and with said inlet ports;
• m. bypass manifold connected in fluid communication with said annular chamber adjacent a third location upstream of TDC and upstream of said first location for bypassing compressed said at least a combustion supporting gas to the suction side of said compressor and thereby diverting a portion of said at least a combustion supporting gas from said cylinders and alleviating high vacuum and attendant damage to said walls and end sealing means of said center section compressor;
• and
• n. throttle means for controlling the speed and power output;
• said throttle means including a valve portion within said bypass manifold and an accelerator portion drivingly operable to effect positioning of said valve portion and operable by an operator so as to position said valve portion as signalled by said operator for fine control of said engine;
• whereby said combustion supporting gas can be taken into said annular chamber of said center section compressor intermediate said members and be compressed as said members having said combustible mixture trapped therebetween move from said first location to said second location for more efficient combustion of a fuel and less pollution is effected by said bypass manifold and throttle means;
• and damage to elements of said center section compressor because of said high vacuum is eliminated.