US 4,653,438 AGranted

Rotary engine

OwnerRobert L. Russellinventor

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Abstract

A four cycle internal combustion, rotary engine is disclosed in which a cylindrical rotor having plural arcuately spaced, radially extending, piston carrying cylinders is mounted about a coaxially aligned central combustion chamber and main bearing for rotation therewith about a stationary main bearing support shaft which incorporates a fuel intake and exhaust manifold communicating with the combustion chamber and individual cylinders. A pair of stationary cam plates having registeringly aligned asymmetrical cam tracks are mounted in parallel spaced relation adjacent opposite axial ends of the rotor; the tracks thereof being simultaneously engaged by cooperating pairs of follower rollers slidably coupled to pistons in each of the cylinders in a manner requiring movement of the pistons radially of the rotor in response to rotational movement of the latter about the main bearing shaft. During each rotational cycle of the rotor each piston completes a four cycle operation of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust strokes in which the intake and compression strokes are selectively unequal to the combustion and exhaust strokes in accordance with a selected configuration of the cam tracks whereby to effect maximum fuel efficiency and power output for the engine in accordance with the characteristics of the selected fuel of combustion. A modified form of the engine is disclosed wherein each cam plate provides a pair of radially spaced cam tracks engageable by individual rollers to positively control movement of the pistons radially of the rotor.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An internal combustion four cycle rotary engine comprising:

a generally cylindrical having one or more acrcuately spaced cylinders, each carrying a piston therein extending radially of a central rotational axis of the rotor;
stationary bearings support shaft means disposed coaxially of said rotor, unitary combustion chamber means carrying main bearing means for rotatably supporting the same on said shaft means and providing one or more individual combustion chambers, each indpendently communicating with one of said cylinders;
said chamber means being mounted concentrically of said rotor and rotatably moveable therewith about said shaft means;
plural cam means comprising a pair of registeringly aligned, axially spaced, continuously curvilinear cam track means which are formed radially assymetrical about a central axis coincident with said rotational axis of said rotor;
said pair of cam track means being located axially outwardly of said cylinders in parallel planes lying formal to said rotational axis and adjacent opposite axial ends of said rotor;
plural cam rider assembly means, each having follower means engaged with said track means for following the contour thereof;
and means coupling a said rider assembly means to the piston in each cylinder whereby to effect reciprocal strokes of each said piston coaxially of its associated cylinder and radially of said rotor in response to the movements of said follower means along said track means;
said track means being constructed and arranged to produce distinctly dissimilar rovements of the pistons, to produce strokes of unequal duration and length during the respective intake, compression, combustion and exhaust strokes thereof.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/831,048Filed 14 Feb 1986 · continuation
Priority: 27 Feb 1984
Granted: 31 Mar 1987
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F01B 9/06
With rotary main shaft other than crankshaft: the piston motion being transmitted by curved surfaces
F01B 13/061
In star arrangement: the connection of the pistons with the actuated or actuating element being at the outer ends of the cylinders
F02B 57/10
Engines with star-shaped cylinder arrangements: with combustion space in centre of star
F01B 2009/065
By cams: bi-lobe cams