Internal combustion engine
AssigneeTemplet Industries, Inc.
InventorLawrence M. Rheingold
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine is disclosed having opposed, axially aligned, annular reciprocating and rotatable pistons connected through radially disposed crankshafts to a drive shaft which extends coaxially of the opposed pistons. The crankshafts are so supported to permit rotation about the axis of the drive shaft when a clamping brake is released, as during an idle condition. Planetary cam plates are rotated by and in timed relation to the crankshafts and serve to control valve and ignition operation for four cycle operation.
Claims28
An internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, housing means defining a longitudinal axis, at least two axially aligned piston receiving chambers within said housing means, said piston receiving chambers having annular configurations and each chamber being substantially closed at one end and open at its opposite end such that the open ends of said chambers are in substantially axially opposed relation, an annular piston disposed within each of said piston receiving chambers means mounting said pistons for reciprocal and rotatable movement within said chambers, said pistons being rotatable about a common axis and each cooperating with its associated piston receiving chamber to define an annular combustion chamber, at least one connecting rod pivotally connected to each of said pistons and extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said pistons, drive shaft means supported by said housing means for rotation about an axis coincident with the common axis of said annular pistons, said drive shaft means extending outwardly of said housing means, means interconnecting said connecting rods to said drive shaft means so as to effect selective rotation of said drive shaft means upon reciprocating movement of said pistons, and means for introducing combustible fuel into said combustion chambers and effecting ignition of said fuel in a manner to effect reciprocating movement of said pistons.
An internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, housing means defining a longitudinal axis, at least two axially aligned annular piston receiving chambers within said housing means the common axis of which is coincident with said longitudinal axis of said housing means, said piston receiving chambers each being substantially closed at one end thereof and open at the opposite end such that the open ends of said chambers are in substantially axially opposed relation, an annular piston disposed within each of said piston receiving chambers and being reciprocally and rotatably slidable therein, said pistons cooperating with said housing means to define an annular combustion chamber for each of said pistons, at least one connecting rod pivotally connected to each of said pistons and extending generally parallel to the axis of said piston chambers, drive shaft means supported by said housing means for rotation about an axis coincident with the common axis of said pistons, said drive shaft means extending outwardly of said housing, fuel control means for introducing combustible fuel into said combustion chambers, said fuel control means including valve means cooperable with said substantially closed ends of said piston receiving chambers and selectively operable to facilitate the introduction of combustible fuel into said combustion chambers and effect discharge of exhaust gases after combustion of said fuel, means for effecting combustion of fuel introduced into said combustion chambers so as to effect reciprocating movement of said pistons, crankshaft means interconnecting said connecting rods to said drive shaft means so as to facilitate selective rotation of said drive shaft means upon reciprocating movement of said pistons, gimbal means supporting said crankshaft means for rotation about an axis which intersects the axis of said drive shaft means and lies in a plane substantially normal to said axis of said drive shaft means, said gimbal means also facilitating selective rotation of said crankshaft means and said pistons about said axis of said drive shaft means during reciprocating movement of said pistons, and clamping brake means operatively associated with said gimbal means and operable between a first position preventing rotation of said crankshaft means and said pistons about said axis of said drive shaft such that reciprocating movement of said pistons effects rotation of said drive shaft, and a second position allowing said rotation of said crankshaft means and pistons about said axis of said drive shaft means so that reciprocating movement of said pistons will cause rotation of said pistons and crankshafts about said drive shaft means when said drive shaft means is prevented from rotating.
In combination, housing means, a rotatable drive shaft supported by said housing means, a pair of opposed reciprocative and rotatable pistons disposed within said housing means, means for effecting movement of said pistons in power strokes, at least one crankshaft, gimbal means supported by said housing means and supporting said crankshaft with the longitudinal axis of said crankshaft intersecting the axis of said drive shaft and lying in a plane perpendicular to said axis of said drive shaft, said gimbal means further being rotatable about an axis coincident with the axis of said drive shaft and supporting said crankshaft for rotation within said perpendicular plane about the axis of said drive shaft, means interconnecting said crankshaft to said pistons so as to effect rotation of said crankshaft about its longitudinal axis and effect reciprocating movement of said pistons upon movement of said pistons in said power strokes, gear means positively interconnecting said crankshaft to said drive shaft, and control means cooperative with said gimbal means to selectively control rotation thereof about its said axis of rotation so as to control the rotational speed of said drive shaft for a given reciprocating speed of said pistons whereby said crankshaft, gimbal means and control means provide a stepless transmission between movement of said pistons and rotation of said drive shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.