Internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having a crankcase and a cylinder, said cylinder having a hollow interior, a piston mounted for reciprocation within the interior of said cylinder, inlet port means in communication with the interior of said cylinder, outlet port means in communication with the interior of said cylinder, a crankshaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation within said crankcase, a connecting rod connecting said piston with said crankshaft, said piston cooperating with said cylinder to define a combustion space above said piston, said piston forming the top of a compression space below said piston, passage means exterior of said cylinder block for transferring compressed air from said compression space to said combustion space through said inlet port means, first valve means through which ambient air flows into said compression space and through which substantially no air flows from said compression space into ambient air, second valve means through which compressed air flows from said compression space into said passage means and through which substantially no compressed air flows from said passage means into said compression space, whereby the compression process within said compression space is substantially independent of the processes occurring in said combustion space, an inner crankcase supported within said crankcase, said inner crankcase having a hollow interior and defining an upper compression area between said inner crankcase and said piston and a lower compression area within said hollow interior, said inner crankcase having an opening therein receiving said connecting rod, exhaust means connected with said outlet port means for exhausting said combustion space, means for creating a combustible fuel-air mixture in said combustion space, means causing ignition of the fuel-air mixture in said combustion space, and control means for controlling the speed and torque of the engine.