US 4,228,656 A · Power control for hot gas engines

Abstract

A hot gas engine in which the expander piston of the engine is connected to an expander crankshaft. A displacer piston of the engine is connected to a separate displacer crankshaft which may or may not be coaxial with the expander crankshaft. A phase angle control mechanism used as a power control for changing the phase angle between the expander and displacer crankshaft is located between the two crankshafts. The phase angle control mechanism comprises a differential-type mechanism comprised of a pair of gears, as for example, bevel gears, one of which is connected to one end of the expander crankshaft and the other of which is connected to the opposite end of the displacer crankshaft. A mating bevel gear is disposed in meshing engagement with the first two bevel gears to provide a phase-angle control between the two crankshafts. Other forms of differential mechanisms may be used including conventional spur gears connected in a differential type arrangement.

Claims25

Dependent claims

In a hot gas engine having a displacer member and an expander member with a displacer shaft section operatively connected to said displacer member and an expander shaft section operatively connected to said expander member, an improved means to control the phase angle between the displacer shaft section and the expander shaft section, said improved means comprising:

(a) a first gear on said displacer shaft section,
(b) a second gear on said expander shaft section,
(c) shiftable gear means including at least one gear in mating engagement with said first gear and mating engagement with said second gear permitting angular changing of the phase angle between said shaft section when said shiftable gear means is moved causing movement of said first and second gears, and
(d) means operatively connected to said shiftable gear means which is manually operable to cause movement of said gear means in an arcuate path having a center point substantially coincident with the axis of each of said crankshafts for changing the phase angle between the shaft sections and the resultant power output of said engine, the amount of arcuate movement of said gear means being selectively determined by the operator of the engine to obtain the desired resultant power output so that said last named means can be moved for the selected amount through manual operation by the operator, and where said phase angle can be changed during operation of said engine and rotation of said crankshafts.

1 more element

A hot gas engine comprising:

(a) a displacer member,
(b) an expander member,
(c) a displaced crankshaft operatively connected to said displacer member,
(d) an expander crankshaft operatively connected to said expander member,
(e) a first gear on said displacer crankshaft,
(f) a second gear on said expander crankshaft,
(g) a shiftable gear means including at least one gear in mating engagement with said first gear and mating engagement with said second gear permitting angular displacement between said crankshafts where said shiftable gear means is moved causing movement of said first and second gears, and
(h) means operatively connected to said gear means which is manually operable to cause movement of said gear means in an arcuate path having a center point substantially coincident with the axis of each of said crankshafts for changing the phase angle between the crankshaft and the resultant power output of said engine, the amount of arcuate movement of said gear means being selectively determined by the operator of the engine to obtain the desired resultant power output so that said last named means can be moved for the selected amount through manual operation by the operator, and where said phase angle can be changed during operation of said engine and rotation of said crankshaft.

5 more elements

A hot gas engine comprising:

(a) an expander piston,
(b) an expander crankshaft operatively connected to said expander piston and being rotated thereby,
(c) a displacer piston,
(d) a displacer crankshaft operatively connected to said displacer piston and being rotated thereby,
(e) a power output shaft operatively connected to one of said expander crankshaft or displacer crankshaft,
(f) differential gear means for changing the phase angle between said expander crankshaft and displacer crankshaft to thereby control the power output of said engine, said differential gear means comprising:
(1) an outer housing having a sidewall with a pair of opposite transverse ends,
(2) bearing means interposed between said outer housing and a stationary structure to permit said outer housing to be rotatable about an axis passing through said opposite ends and with respect to said stationary structure,
(3) a first gear in said housing and on a portion of said displacer crankshaft extending into said housing through one of the transverse ends,
(4) a second gear in said housing and on a portion of said expander crankshaft extending into said housing through the other of the transverse ends,
(5) a shiftable gear means in said housing and being movable with said housing, said shiftable gear means including at least one gear in operative mating engagement with said first gear and second gear permitting angular displacement between said crankshafts when said shiftable gear means is moved causing movement of said first and second gears, and
(6) control means opertively connected to said housing and being manually actuable by an operator of said engine to cause rotation of same about an axis generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said first and second crankshafts, said rotation of said housing causing rotatable movement of said gear means relative to said first and second gears to adjustably control the phase angle between said expander crankshaft and displacer crankshaft and thereby control the resultant power output of the engine.

9 more elements

In a hot gas engine having a displacer member and an expander member with a displacer crankshaft section operatively connected to said displacer member and an expander crankshaft section operatively connected to said expander member;

an improved differential means to control the phase angle between the displacer shaft section and the expander shaft section, said improved means comprising:
(a) an outer housing having a sidewall with a pair of opposite transverse ends,
(b) bearing means interposed between said outer housing and a stationary structure to permit said outer housing to be rotatable about an axis passing through said opposite ends and with respect to said stationary structure,
(c) a first gear in said housing and on a portion of said displacer crankshaft section extending into said housing through one of the transverse ends,
(d) a second gear in said housing and on a portion of said expander crankshaft section extending into said housing through the other of the transverse ends,
(e) a shiftable gear means in said housing and being movable with said housing, said shiftable gear means including at least one gear in operative mating engagement with said first gear and second gear permitting angular displacement between said crankshaft sections when said shiftable gear means is moved causing movement of said first and second gears, and
(f) control means operatively connected to said housing and being manually actuable by an operator of said engine to cause rotation of same about an axis generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said first and second crankshaft sections, said rotation of said housing causing rotatable movement of said gear means relative to said first and second gears to adjustably control the phase engine between said expander crankshaft section and displacer crankshaft section and thereby control the resultant power output of the engine.

4 more elements

A hot gas engine comprising:

(a) an engine casing having an expander cylinder and a displacer cylinder,
(b) an expander piston shiftable in said expander cylinder,
(c) an expander piston rod connected to and being movable with said expander piston,
(d) a displacer piston shiftable in said displacer cylinder,
(e) a displacer piston rod connected to and being movable with said displacer piston,
(f) a crankcase secured to one end of said engine block and communicating with one end of the expander cylinder and one end of the displacer cylinder,
(g) means associated with said expander piston rod to reduce side loads from being imparted thereto and guiding movement of said expander piston rod,
(h) sealing means in said expander cylinder to prevent oil in said crankscase from entering into said expander cylinder beyond said expander piston but to maintain said expander cylinder at substantially the same pressure as said crankcase,
(i) means associated with said displacer piston rod to prevent reduce side loads from being imparted thereto and guiding movement of said displacer piston rod,
(j) sealing means in said displacer cylinder to prevent oil in said crankcase from entering into said displacer cylinder beyond said displacer piston but to maintain said displacer cylinder at substantially the same pressure as said crankcase,
(k) a displacer crankshaft in said crankcase operatively connected to said displacer piston rod,
(l) an expander crankshaft in said crankcase operatively connected to said expander piston rod,
(m) a first gear on said displacer crankshaft,
(n) a second gear on said expander crankshaft,
(o) a shiftable gear means including at least one gear in mating engagement with said first gear and second gear permitting displacement between said crankshafts when said shiftable gear means is moved causing movement of said first and second gears, and
(p) means operatively connected to said gear means which is manually operable to cause movement of said gear means in an arcuate path having a center point substantially coincident with the axis of each of said crankshafts to permit movement for changing the phase angle between the crankshaft and the resultant power output of said engine, the amount of arcuate movement of said gear means being selectively determined by the operator of the engine to obtain the desired resultant power output so that said least named means can be moved for the selected amount through manual operation by the operator, and where said phase angle can be changed during operation of said engine and rotation of said crankshafts.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power control for hot gas engines

Life of this patent

Power control for hot gas engines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25