Converting an internal combustion engine to a single acting engine driven by steam or compressed air

A method of converting to a single acting, reversible steam engine a four cycle internal combustion engine which includes an engine block, a cylinder therein having an intake port and an exhaust port, an inlet valve and an exhaust valve for said ports, respectively, a piston reciprocable in the cylinder, a crankshaft driven by the piston, a cam shaft, timing gears interconnecting the crankshaft and cam shaft so that the cam shaft is driven by the crankshaft in a ratio of one revolution of the cam shaft to two revolutions of the crankshaft, cams on said cam shaft for the valves, respectively, and arranged one cam for each valve for lifting and lowering the associated valve so as to open and close its associated port in and for a four cycle operation of the engine;

• said method comprising:
• changing the relation of the camming action on said valves by said cam shaft in relation to the rotation of the crankshaft to cause each of said valves to open and close in substantially the original relation to piston position once per revolution of the crankshaft;
• then
• arranging for continuous introduction of high pressure fluid to the entrance side of said intake port and controlling its passage through said intake port by said inlet valve and for continuous delivery of fluid from the cylinder to the inlet side of the exhaust port and venting of fluid from the outlet side of the exhaust port and controlling the venting through the exhaust port by said exhaust valve, to effect driving of the engine in one direction;
• and
• arranging for manually selectively reversing the introduction and venting of said high pressure fluid to said ports in a manner to effect continuous introduction of the high pressure fluid to the outlet side of the said exhaust port and the continuous venting of the entrance side of the said inlet port, thereby to cause driving of the engine in a direction which is the reverse of said one direction.