US 4,062,330 A · Rotary engine intake and exhaust system

Abstract

An intake/exhaust system adapted for use in rotary engines having a rotatable cylinder block with a plurality of cylinders radially arranged in the block. A plurality of passages are defined in the cylinder block to extend between the cylinders and a plurality of cylinder ports for enabling communication with the cylinders. The cylinder ports are arranged to travel in a circular path as the cylinder block is rotated. Also included are a plurality of poppet valves, each positioned in a different one of the passages to allow or inhibit communication between each of the cylinder ports and the corresponding cylinder. Manifold apparatus includes an intake port and an exhaust port spaced apart and positioned adjacent to the path traversed by the cylinder ports such that the intake port and exhaust port are each aligned with successive ones of the cylinder ports as the cylinder unit is rotated. Fuel charges are supplied via the intake port to the cylinders when the corresponding cylinder port is aligned with the intake port and the corresponding valve is open to allow the fuel charge to pass into the corresponding cylinder. Exhaust gases flow from each cylinder through the exhaust port of the manifold apparatus when the corresponding cylinder port is aligned with the exhaust port and the corresponding valve is opened.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An intake/exhaust system or a rotary engine which includes a rotatable cylinder unit having a plurality of cylinders defined therein, said system comprising

means defining a plurality of cylinder ports in said cylinder unit and a plurality of passages for enabling communication between each of said ports and a different one of said cylinders, said ports arranged to travel in a generally circular path as the cylinder unit is rotated,
control means carried by the cylinder unit for allowing or inhibiting communication between the cylinder ports and corresponding cylinders, and
means defining an intake port, an exhaust port, and a buffer port disposed between the intake port and the exhaust port, said ports being disposed adjacent the path traveled by said cylinder ports, said intake port being aligned with successive ones of said cylinder ports as the cylinder unit is rotated to supply fuel charges to the cylinder ports, said exhaust port being aligned with successive ones of said cylinder ports as the cylinder unit is rotated to receive exhaust products from the cylinder ports, and said buffer port being aligned with successive ones of said cylinder ports as the cylinder unit is rotated to supply air to said cylinder ports following intake of fuel charges.

In a rotary engine which includes a rotatable cylinder block having a plurality of cylinders extending generally outwardly from the axis of rotaton and means for igniting fuel charges introduced into the cylinders, an intake and exhaust system comprising

a plurality of passages and cylinder ports defined in said cylinder block, said cylinder ports being annularly disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cylinder block, each of said passages leading to a different one of said cylinders and each terminating in a different one of said cylinder ports, said cylinder ports being rotatable in an annular pathway as said cylinder block is rotated,
a plurality of poppet valves, each operable to open or close a different one of said passages to thereby respectively allow or prevent communication with the corresponding cylinder, and
manifold means having an intake port and an exhaust port, both positioned to momentarily and successively align with said cylinder ports as said cylinder block is rotated, wherein fuel charges are supplied via said intake port to each cylinder when the corresponding cylinder port aligns with the intake port and when the corresponding valve is operated to open the corresponding passage, and wherein exhaust gasses are received via said exhaust port from each cylinder following ignition in the cylinder when the corresponding cylinder port aligns with the exhaust port and when the corresponding valve is operated to open the corresponding passage, said manifold means defining an annular trough positioned contiguous with and facing the pathway traversed by said cylinder ports, and including means for dividing the trough into first and second arcuate portions, said intake port disposed to communicate with and thereby convey fuel charges to said first portion, and said exhaust port disposed to communicate with and thereby receive exhaust gasses from said second portion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary engine intake and exhaust system

Life of this patent

Rotary engine intake and exhaust system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8