Gas pressure operated power source

The method of operating an expander to supply a continuously reversing torque load, said expander having a body mounted for oscillation about an axis, a fluid pressure chamber on the body having a longitudinal axis and a uniform cross-section, the longitudinal axis of the fluid pressure chamber being substantially non-radially disposed relative to the oscillation axis and a free piston slidably and sealably mounted for reciprocating movement in the fluid pressure chamber, comprising the steps of:

• 1. introducing a pressured fluid into the one end of the fluid pressure chamber to expand and drive the free piston toward the other end of the fluid pressure chamber, thereby exerting a torque pulse in one direction on the body;
• 2. exhausting the expanded fluid from the fluid pressure chamber;
• 3. stopping the motion of the free piston adjacent the opposite end of the fluid pressure chamber by fluid pressure;
• 4. introducing a pressured fluid into said opposite end of the fluid pressure chamber to expand and drive the free piston in a reverse path, thereby exerting a torque pulse on the body in the opposite direction;
• and
• 5. repeating steps 2 and 3 to stop the return movement of the free piston to said one end of the fluid pressure chamber;
• thereby producing an oscillating torque on said body about said axis having a peak value substantially in excess of the applied load torque.

The method of deriving mechanical energy from a pressured gas, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mounting a cylinder defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber for oscillation about an axis transverse to and spaced from the elongated axis of the elongated fluid pressure chamber;
• (2) inserting a free piston element in the elongated fluid pressure chamber for slidable sealing movement therein;
• (3) applying a valving head to each end of the cylinder, each said valving head having an inlet valve;
• (4) applying at least one exhaust valve to the cylinder;
• (5) opening the inlet valve at one cylinder end to admit pressured fluid and closing the exhaust valve to expand the fluid and move the free piston to the other end;
• (6) opening the exhaust valve to exhaust the expanded fluid;
• and,
• (7) opening the inlet valve at the other cylinder end and closing the exhaust valve as the free piston approaches said other end, thereby producing a reciprocating movement of the free piston in the elongated fluid pressure chamber and reaction forces on the cylinder producing the oscillation thereof about said axis.

The method of expanding and cooling a pressured gas while deriving mechanical energy therefrom, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mounting a cylinder defining an S-shaped fluid pressure chamber for oscillation about an axis transverse to the elongated axis of the chamber at its center;
• (2) inserting a free piston element in the S-shaped fluid pressure chamber for slidable sealing movement therein;
• (3) applying a valving head to each end of the cylinder, each said valving head having a power operated inlet valve and exhaust valve;
• (4) opening the inlet valve to admit pressured fluid and closing the exhaust valve at one cylinder end and closing the inlet valve and opening the exhaust valve at the other cylinder end as the free piston moves toward said one end, thereby producing a reciprocating movement of the free piston and reaction forces on the cylinder producing the oscillation thereof about said axis;
• (5) closing the opened inlet valve in one cylinder end after the free piston has moved a pre-selected distance toward the other cylinder end, thereby trapping the pressured fluid charge for expansion until the free piston approaches the other cylinder end;
• (6) exhausting the expanded gas;
• and,
• (7) closing the exhaust valve and opening the inlet valve at said other cylinder end to reverse the movement of the free piston in the S-shaped fluid pressure chamber, thereby producing reversing torque pulses on said cylinder.

The method of extracting mechanical energy from a pressured gas, comprising:

• (1) mounting a cylinder defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber for oscillation about an axis transverse to and spaced from the elongated axis of the chamber;
• (2) permitting a free piston to slidably and sealably move in said elongated fluid pressure chamber;
• (3) introducing pressured gas in said elongated fluid pressure chamber to impart kinetic energy to said piston to move toward one end of said elongated fluid pressure chamber while exerting a fluid pressure force on the cylinder to produce oscillation of said cylinder about said axis;
• and
• (4) transmitting said kinetic energy of said piston to a charge of gas in said one end of fluid pressure chamber to further augment the oscillation movements of said cylinder.

Apparatus for producing oscillating movement of a body mounted for oscillating movement about an axis by expansion and cooling of a pressured gas comprising:

• cylinder means defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having a longitudinal axis;
• means for rigidly mounting said cylinder means on said body with one end of said fluid pressure chamber being radially remote from said oscillation axis;
• said longitudinal axis being substantially non-radial throughout its length;
• said fluid pressure chamber having uniform cross-section throughout its length;
• a free piston mounted in said fluid pressure chamber for sliding sealable movement throughout the length thereof;
• first and second valve means responsive to the position of said free piston for respectively supplying pressured gas to the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• third and fourth valve means responsive to the position of said free piston for respectively exhausting expanded and cooled gas from said fluid pressure chamber;
• thereby causing said piston to continuously reciprocate from one end to the other of said fluid pressure chamber and produce continuous oscillating movements of said body about said axis.

The method of operating an expander by expansion and cooling of a pressured gas, said expander having a body mounted for oscillation about an axis, a fluid pressure chamber on the body having a longitudinal axis and a uniform cross-section, the longitudinal axis of the fluid pressure chamber being substantially non-radially disposed relative to the oscillation axis, and a free piston slidably and sealably mounted for reciprocating movement in the fluid pressure chamber, comprising the steps of:

• (1) introducing a pressured fluid into the one end of the fluid pressure chamber to expand and drive the free piston toward the other end of the fluid pressure chamber, thereby exerting a torque pulse in one direction on the body;
• (2) exhausting the expanded and cooled fluid from the fluid pressure chamber;
• (3) stopping the motion of the free piston adjacent the opposite end of the fluid pressure chamber by fluid pressure;
• (4) introducing a pressured fluid into said opposite end of the fluid pressure chamber to expand and drive the free piston in a reverse path, thereby exerting a torque pulse on the body in the opposite direction;
• and
• (5) repeating steps 2 and 3 to stop the return movement of the free piston to said one end of the fluid pressure chamber;
• thereby producing an oscillating torque on said body about said axis having a peak valve substantially in excess of the applied load torque.

The method of extracting heat and mechanical energy from a pressured gas, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mounting a cylinder defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber for oscillation about an axis transverse to and spaced from the elongated axis of the elongated fluid pressure chamber;
• (2) inserting a free piston element in the elongated fluid pressure chamber for slidable sealing movement therein;
• (3) applying a valving head to each end of the cylinder, each said valving head having an inlet valve
• (4 ) applying at least one exhaust valve to the cylinder;
• (5) opening the inlet valve at one cylinder end to admit pressured fluid and closing the exhaust valve to expand the fluid and move the free piston to the other end;
• (6) opening the exhaust valve to exhaust the expanded and cooled fluid;
• and
• (7) opening the inlet valve at the other cylinder end and closing the exhaust valve as the free piston approaches said other end, thereby producing a reciprocating movement of the free piston in the elongated fluid pressure chamber and reaction forces on the cylinder producing the oscillation thereof about said axis.