Wobble plate engine

In a conventional Stirling cycle engine of the type characterized by an elongated cylinder having a closed end and an open end, means for applying heat to the exterior of the cylinder to heat gas in the interior of the cylinder at the closed end thereof, a displacer piston mounted for a reciprocation within the closed end of the cylinder and a power piston axially aligned with the displacer piston and mounted for coaxial reciprocation between the displacer piston and the open end of the cylinder, the reciprocation of the displacer piston leading the corresponding stroke of the power piston by a predetermined phase angle, the improved means for properly phasing the reciprocation of the two pistons and for converting the reciprocation of the power piston into rotation of an output shaft which is parallel to the axis of reciprocation comprising:

• a supporting frame;
• an output shaft mounted on said frame for rotation about a first axis which is parallel to the axis of reciprocation of the two pistons, said shaft having an inclined cylindrical bearing surface the axis of which intersects said first axis at an acute angle;
• gimbal means pivotally mounted on said supporting frame for oscillation about a second axis perpendicular to and intersecting first axis;
• a wobble plate pivotally mounted on a third axis within said gimbal means for oscillation with said gimbal means and for further oscillation about said third axis which is mutually perpendicular to and intersecting said first and second axes, said wobble plate being rotatably mounted on said inclined cylindrical bearing surface in a plane which is perpendicular to said axis of said bearing surface whereby said output shaft can rotate about said first axis as said wobble plate oscillates about said second and third axes;
• a power piston rod connected at one end to said power piston for reciprocation therewith and extending out of the open end of the cylinder for connection at its other end to said gimbal means, whereby reciprocation of said power piston causes said gimbal means to oscillate about said second axis;
• a displacer piston rod connected at a first end to said displacer piston for reciprocation therewith and extending out of the open end of the cylinder for connection to a slider member which is mounted for reciprocating movement along an axis supported by said frame and parallel to said first axis;
• connecting means between said slider member and said wobble plate for causing said slider member and said displacer piston rod and displacer piston to reciprocate in response to the oscillation of said wobble plate;
• reciprocation of said power piston causing said gimbal means and said wobble plate to oscillate about said second axis, which motion causes said output shaft to rotate due to the mounting of the wobble plate thereon, the resulting oscillation of said wobble plate about said third axis causing said slider member and said displacer piston to reciprocate in predetermined phased relationship with the reciprocation of said power piston, thereby to establish the proper sequence of relative motion between the two pistons to permit the engine to operate according to the Stirling cycle when a gas within the cylinder is heated.