Compressed air engine

A compressed air engine having a source of air under pressure, comprising:

• an electrically driven compressor for maintaining said pressure above a predetermined level, an air storage tank, means for supplying air from said source to said storage tank to maintain the pressure in said tank at a desired level below said predetermined level, at least one cylinder having a reciprocating piston therein, means for selectively supplying air from said tank to said cylinder to drive said piston, a crank shaft coupled to said piston and rotatably driven responsive to the reciprocating motion of said piston, means coupled to said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, and further means operative independently of said crank shaft to supply power to said compressor, wherein said means for supplying air to said cylinder comprises:
• a cylinder head, an auxiliary chamber in said cylinder head, conduit means for connecting said tank to said auxiliary chamber, and input valve means operative to periodically admit air from said auxiliary chamber into the chamber formed by said cylinder head and the top of said piston, the periodicity of said admission of air being synchronized with the rotation of said crank shaft, further comprising a reservoir containing lubricant located at the bottom of said engine, a lubricant conveyor traversing a path through said reservoir and driven by said crank shaft, a pan disposed below an upper portion of said path and above the major components of the engine for receiving lubricant from said conveyor and conduit means connected to said pan for gravity distribution of said lubricant to selected locations.