Crankless internal combustion engine

A mechanism for converting linear reciprocating motion of a member to rotary output movement, said mechanism comprising:

• an elongated rod having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being connected to said member;
• guide means operatively connected to said rod lower end for guiding and moving said rod along a path having first and second, horizontally spaced, essentially vertical runs;
• an output shaft;
• means for rotatably supporting said output shaft adjacent said first run of said guide means and offset from a vertical centerline of said member;
• and
• an output means secured to said output shaft and having an outer periphery extending along said first run for operatively connecting said output shaft to said elongated rod lower end so that torque is transmitted to said output shaft as said rod moves along said first essentially vertical run as said member reciprocates, wherein said guide means comprises:
• a cam member defining an elongated, closed loop cam track, said lower end of said rod having a pin riding along said track, and wherein said guide means further includes:
• another shaft positioned in horizontally spaced relationship to said output shaft, said output means comprising:
• an output sprocket secured to said output shaft and having an outer periphery extending along said first run, said output shaft being driven by said rod as said member reciprocates;
• and
• another sprocket secured to said another shaft, said another sprocket dimensioned the same as said output sprocket and having a periphery extending along said second run, said output sprocket and said another sprocket defining semicircular recesses opening through their peripheries for receiving said pin as said pin moves along said closed loop cam track.

An internal combustion engine of the type including a cylinder, a piston reciprocal within the cylinder, an elongated rod having an upper end connected to the piston and a lower end, and driven means operatively connected to the lower end of the rod for converting reciprocating movement of the piston and rod to rotary output movement, said driven means comprising:

• guide means operatively connected to the lower end of the rod for guiding and moving the lower end of said rod along a predetermined, generally vertical, closed loop path having first and second, horizontally spaced, essentially vertical runs, said guide means including a fixed cam member fixed with respect to said cylinder and which defines an elongated, closed loop cam track, said rod lower end having a pin extending into and riding along said cam track so that said lower end moves along said cam track;
• an output shaft;
• means for rotatably mounting said output shaft adjacent said first run of guide means and offset from a vertical centerline of said cylinder and said piston;
• a generally circular driven member on said output shaft, said driven member having an outer periphery extending along said first run of said guide means;
• and
• drive means engaging said driven member for rotating said driven member as said rod lower end moves from a first position to a second position along said cam track during a power stroke of said engine so that torque is transmitted to said output shaft as said rod moves along said first essentially vertical run as said piston reciprocates.

An internal combustion engine of the type including a cylinder, a piston reciprocal within the cylinder, a rod having an upper end connected to the piston and driven means operatively connected to the lower end of the rod for converting reciprocating movement of the piston and rod to rotary output movement, said driven means comprising:

• guide means engaging the lower end of the rod for guiding movement of the lower end along a predetermined, generally vertical, closed loop path;
• an output shaft;
• means for rotatably mounting said output shaft adjacent said guide means and offset from a vertical centerline of said cylinder;
• a generally circular driven member on said output shaft;
• and
• drive means engaging said driven member for rotating said driven member as said rod moves from a first position to a second position during a power stroke of said engine, said guide means comprising a cam member comprising an elongated curvilinear cam track, said lower end of said rod including an elongated pin riding within said track, and wherein said circular driven member comprises a disc fixed to said output shaft and defining recesses opening through the outer periphery of said disc at circumferentially spaced points on said disc, said recesses being positioned to be engaged by said pin as said piston reciprocates, and said driven means further includes another shaft supported in spaced opposed, horizontal relationship to said output shaft.