Combustion engine with steam powered piston assist
OwnerJohn W. Marshallinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention entails a combustion type engine of the internal reciprocally mounted piston type. Formed adjacent the conventional combustion pistons and communicatively open thereto are a series of steam pistons reciprocally mounted in alignment in face-to-face relationship with said combustion pistons. A steam generator is provided and utilizes engine exhaust heat to produce steam that is directed to the cylinders having said steam pistons reciprocally mounted for driving the same in time relationship to the reciprocal movement of said combustion pistons. Essentially the steam pistons are driven such that they assist in driving the combustion pistons by exerting a force against the combustion pistons during the ignition or combustion stroke of the combustion pistons.
Claims10
A combustion type engine with a steam powered piston assist system comprising:
- a combustion type engine assembly having an engine block with combustion cylinder means formed therein for receiving reciprocally mounted combustion piston means;
- steam cylinder means formed adjacent said cylinder means of said combustion type engine;
- steam piston means reciprocally mounted within said steam cylinder means and adapted to cooperate with said combustion piston means for assisting in driving the same during the combustion process;
- steam generator means associated with said engine for generating steam;
- means operatively connected between said steam generator means and said steam cylinder means for directing steam from said steam generating means to said steam cylinder means;
- control means operatively associated with said engine for selectively directing steam to said steam cylinder means in time relationship to the reciprocal movement of said combustion piston means for driving said steam piston means in time relationship with the reciprocal movement of said combustion piston means;
- and wherein said steam cylinder means and the combustion cylinder means having said combustion piston means reciprocally mounted are communicatively connected to each other such that said steam piston means tends to exert a compressing and driving action against said combustion piston means during the combustion process as the generated steam acts to drive said steam piston means in time relationship to the movement of said combustion piston means such that power generated by said steam piston means is applied against said combustion piston means for assisting in driving the same.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.