Rotary energy converter with respiring chambers

An energy converter comprising a hollow housing having end walls enclosing a central section constituting a stator,

• said central section having a chamber therein of generally circular shape defining an inner stator wall,
• a cylindrical rotor mounted for rotation about an axis central within said chamber and having a generally circular outer surface,
• a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted at equallyspaced points about the circumference of said rotor, with each of said vanes extending from its pivotal mount in the same direction along the periphery of said rotor,
• said rotor being formed with spaced troughs underlying the respective vanes, each trough being sized to receive the overlying vane in a retracted position therein with the vane outer surface recessed within the outer surface of the rotor,
• said inner stator wall being formed with at least one arcuate vaulted bay of greater radius from the center of said rotor than the basic circular extent of said stator wall, and at least one abutment station continuous with said bay,
• said abutment station constituting a location on said stator inner wall of minimal radial distance from the rotor axis, and being positioned to depress said vanes into retracted position within said troughs as said vanes travel past said abutment station,
• said vaulted arcuate bay enabling said vanes to pivot outwardly under the centrifugal force of the rotating vanes from their retracted positions to extended angular positions with the outer vane surfaces in engagement with the surfaces of said bay,
• each pair of adjacent vanes forming therebetween a travelling chamber, the volume of which increases and decreases as said vanes move between their extended and retracted positions as said rotor turns within said stator, the outer surface of each vane being formed as a compound curve with each engaging area of the vane outer surface of lesser radius than the radius of the stator inner wall which it engages, whereby the vane outer surface is compatible with all surfaces of the stator inner wall,
• each of said vanes engaging the surface of said bay at a sealing line which migrates from the journal end portion of said vane to the tip end portion thereof during the travel of said vane along said bay, whereby to provide a constant seal at the trailing end of one travelling chamber and the leading end of the succeeding travelling chamber, said vanes providing the only seals between adjacent chambers.