US 4,150,544 A · Engine

Abstract

An engine for converting temperature differentials to power or for converting power to heating or cooling. In the more obvious use, heat is applied to designated segments of metal belts to cause the designated segments to expand for the conversion of heat to power. If desired, cooling fluid is also applied to other segments of said belts to cause these other segments to contract and thus cooperate with the above stated application of heat in the conversion of temperature differences to power. In the preferred embodiment, two pairs of pulleys are provided. The two pulleys of each pair are mounted on and keyed to a common shaft. The two shafts are spaced apart but are parallel to each other. One of the pair of belts extends around one pulley of each pair and the other belt extends around the other two pulleys. The belts are positioned in planes parallel to each other. One pulley of each pair is larger than the other pulley of the pair to which it is connected by the associated shaft. The said larger pulley is also larger than the pulley to which it is connected by the associated belt. In another embodiment, only one pair of pulleys is provided and a bimetallic belt goes around this pair of pulleys.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A heat engine comprising:

two spaced pulleys;
a continuous belt which is mounted on said pulleys in a closed loop to provide two parallel lengths of belt each extending between the two pulleys and each extending tangentially from each of the two pulleys;
means for prestressing the belt;
and
means for changing the length of one of the lengths of belt relative to the other length by creating a temperature difference between one of said lengths and the other said length
in which the continuous belt is of metal and consists of a plurality of belts in layers one on the other.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Engine

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Engine

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Abstract

Claims2