Steam engine in which the cylinder inlet valves are actuated by the operation of the power conversion means

A steam engine comprising:

• (a) a source of steam under pressure;
• (b) a first cylinder forming a first chamber and formed with an inlet port communicating with said first chamber and an exhaust port communicating with said first chamber;
• (c) a first inlet valve communicating with said source of steam and said first chamber through said inlet port for controlling the flow of steam in said first chamber;
• (d) a first piston disposed within said first chamber of said first cylinder, said first piston being reciprocated within said first chamber of said first cylinder by the flow of steam in said first chamber;
• (e) power conversion means operatively responsive to the reciprocating movement of said first piston for converting the rectilinear movement of said first piston to a rotary motion;
• (f) first valve-actuating means operatively responsive to the movement of said power conversion means and arranged to engage said first inlet valve for controlling the opening and closing of said first inlet valve;
• (g) a second cylinder forming a second chamber and formed with an inlet port communicating with said second chamber and an exhaust port communicating with said second chamber, said second cylinder being axially aligned with said first cylinder;
• (h) a second inlet valve communicating with said source of steam and said second chamber through said inlet port of said second cylinder for controlling the flow of steam in said second chamber;
• (i) a second piston disposed within said second chamber of said second cylinder, said second piston being reciprocated within said second chamber of said second cylinder by the flow of steam in said second chamber, said second piston being aligned with said first piston,
• (j) said power conversion means being operatively responsive to the reciprocating movement of said second piston for converting the rectilinear movement of said second piston to a rotary motion;
• and
• (k) second valve-actuating means operatively responsive to the movement of said power conversion means and arranged to engage said second inlet valve for controlling the opening and closing of said second inlet valve,
• (l) said power conversion means comprising a swash plate rotated about an axis by the reciprocating movement of said first and second pistons, said swash plate being disposed between said first and second pistons,
• (m) said swash plate being formed with oppositely directed first and second annular thrust surfaces in oppositely directed faces thereof, said oppositely directed faces of said swash plate being disposed in parallel planes, which are angularly disposed relative to the axis of rotation of said swash plate, said first and second annular thrust surfaces having their respective axes coincident with the axis of rotation of said swash plate and the radial components of said first and second annular thrust surfaces being at right angles to the axis of rotation of said swash plate,
• (n) said swash plate having a first cam mounted on one of said faces thereof and projecting from said first thrust surface, said swash plate having a second cam mounted on the other of said faces thereof and projecting from said second thrust surface, said first valve-actuating means being arranged to engage said first cam to be actuated thereby for controlling the opening and closing of said first inlet valve, said second valve-actuating means being arranged to engage said second cam to be actuated thereby for controlling the opening and closing of said second inlet valve,
• (o) said first valve-actuating means comprising a first push rod slidably journalled for movement parallel to the path of travel of said first piston, said first push rod at one end thereof having a first cam follower for engaging said first cam and at another end thereof said first push rod being adapted to engage said first inlet valve for controlling the opening and closing of said first inlet valve in response to the rotation of said swash plate, said second valve-actuating means comprising a second push rod slidably journalled for movement parallel to the path of travel of said second piston, said second push rod at one end thereof having a second cam follower for engaging said second cam and at another end portion thereof said second push rod being adapted to engage said second inlet valve in response to the rotation of said swash plate, said first and second push rods being oppositely directed with one end portion thereof confronting said swash plate,
• (p) said first piston being formed with a first tubular extension extending toward said swash plate and said first push rod being disposed in said first tubular extension of said first piston, whereby said first push rod moves with said first piston during a portion of its reciprocating movement and said first push rod moves relative to said piston under the urgency of said first cam of said swash plate to actuate said first inlet valve, said second piston being formed with a second tubular extension extending toward said swash plate and said second push rod being disposed in said said second extension of said second piston, whereby said second push rod moves with said second piston during a portion of its reciprocating movement and said second push rod moves relative to said second piston under the urgency of said second cam of said second inlet valve.