Vapor powered engine assembly

An engine capable of receiving high pressure vapor from a heated source thereof and transforming a portion of the pressure energy thereof to rotational power prior to discharging said vapor at a lower pressure from said engine, said engine including:

• a. a confined space defining pressure vessel that includes a top and bottom, said confined space in communication with said high pressure source;
• b. a crankshaft that includes a plurality of throws and axially aligned straight end portions;
• c. first means for rotatably supporting said end portions in fixed positions in said confined space, said crankshaft extending between said top and bottom;
• d. a power generating assembly in said confined space for imparting rotary motion to said crankshaft, said assembly including a frame that occupies a fixed position relative to said pressure vessel;
• a plurality of parallel cylinders supported by said frame in axial alignment with said throws, each of said cylinders having a first closed end and a second open end adjacent said crankshaft, with each of said cylinders having a first high pressure vapor inlet port and second low pressure vapor discharge port therein adjacent said first end;
• a plurality of pistons slidably mounted in said cylinders, each of said pistons having first and second ends;
• and a plurality of piston rods pivotally connected to said second ends of said pistons and to said throws most adjacent thereto;
• e. conduit means for receiving low pressure vapor from said cylinders and directing said low pressure vapor to a location remote from the exterior of said pressure vessel;
• f. first rotatable valve means for sequentially establishing communication between each of said second ports and said conduit means;
• g. second rotatable valve means for sequentially establishing communication between each of said first ports and high pressure vapor in said confined space;
• h. second means actuated by the rotation of said crankshaft for so sequentially rotating said first and second valve means that as each of said pistons moves in a power stroke from said second end of said cylinder in which it is disposed towards said first end of said cylinder, due to the force exerted by said high pressure vapor on said first end of said piston, said first valve means maintains communication between said second port and said conduit means during the major portion of said power stroke, with said second valve means obstructing communication between said first port and high pressure vapor in said confined space during at least the major portion of said power stroke, said second valve means during at least the major portion of the return stroke of said piston maintaining communication between said high pressure vapor in said confined space and said first port for said piston to have said high pressure vapor exert equal and opposite forces on said first and second ends thereof and minimize the energy required to move said piston through said return stroke, and said first valve means obstructing communication between said second port and said conduit means during said return stroke;
• i. power take-off means operatively associated with said crankshaft for utilizing the rotational power of the latter due to the reciprocation of said pistons;
• and
• j. third means for lubricating said assembly and crankshaft as said pistons reciprocate and said crankshaft rotates.