Atmospheric pressure motor

An atmospheric pressure engine, comprising:

• at least two opposed pistons slidingly received in casing means including respective cylinders each having means providing a closed chamber in front of the respective piston and being vented to atmosphere to the rear of the respective piston;
• said casing means including valve chamber means for each piston;
• a suction source communicated to each valve chamber means via a suction port, said suction source comprising a vacuum tank communicated to a suction line means that is communicated to the respective said suction ports of said valve chamber means;
• vacuum pump means communicated to said suction source for replenishing said suction source by withdrawing air therefrom;
• said vacuum pump means being constituted by a mechanical lung, comprising:
• a base;
• a rotor journalled for rotation on said base about an at least generally vertical axis;
• means for rotating the rotor about said axis;
• a plurality of equi-angularly distributed weights slidably mounted on the rotor for reciprocation along respective radial paths;
• a cylinder mounted on said rotor sleeve for each weight, and sliding by each respective weight piston-fashion, each sleeve having an effectively open radially outer end, and a radially inner end;
• means for modulating the rotational speed of said rotor;
• mechanical means for retracting each piston upon braking or stopping of the rotor;
• housing means sealingly communicated to the radially inner end of each rotor and conduit means connecting the housing means to said suction source, this conduit means incorporating a one-way check valve which opens said conduit means only for sucking air from said suction source, so that as said rotor is rotated with the weights retracted, the weights extend radially outwards in the respective cylinder sleeves due to centrifugal force, thus increasing the volume of, and therefore tending to decrease the pressure in, said housing means, and thus withdrawing air from the suction source, whereupon rotation of the rotor may be slowed or stopped and said mechanical means may be operated to retract the pistons for a next cycle of operation;
• a vent port to atmosphere provided to each valve chamber means;
• means defining a suction port between each valve chamber means;
• and the respective said closed chamber;
• means defining a vent port between each valve chamber means and the respective said closed chamber;
• for each said piston, the respective valve chamber means receiving a first valve member means mounted for movement between a first condition wherein the said vent port of the respective closed chamber and the corresponding said vent port to atmosphere are cut-off from communicating with one another thus isolating the respective closed chamber from atmosphere and a second condition wherein these two vent ports are in communication with one another thus venting the respective closed chamber to atmosphere;
• for each said piston, the respective valve chamber means receiving a second valve member means including a cavity, said second valve member means being mounted for movement between a first condition wherein the cavity is communicated to the respective closed chamber via the respective suction port but said cavity is isolated from said suction source, a second condition wherein the cavity is communicated to the suction source via the respective suction port but said cavity is isolated from the respective closed chamber, and a third condition wherein the respective cavity is isolated from both the respective closed chamber and the respective suction source;
• for each piston, first means coordinating movement of the respective first and second valve member means to repeatingly provide the following cycle:
• that as the respective piston is in a fully retracted condition, and the respective cavity is at least partially evacuated and thus at below-atmospheric pressure, that cavity is communicated to the respective closed chamber causing the respective piston to at least partially extend;
• that the respective cavity is then isolated from the respective closed chamber and first communicated to, then isolated from the suction source, in order to again partially evacuate the respective cavity;
• and
• that after the respective piston has extended, the respective closed chamber is vented to atmosphere and then isolated therefrom;
• second means coordinating the movement of the respective first and second valve member means for all of said at least two pistons to provide an even distribution of phases of operation at least so that for each two mutually opposed pistons, one is being caused to retract as the other is being caused to extend;
• a crank shaft means journalled for rotation;
• connecting arm means joining each piston to the crank shaft means so that coordinated reciprocation of said pistons produces rotation of said crank shaft means;
• and
• rotary power take-off means connected to said crank shaft means to receive rotary power therefrom.