Internal combustion engine

In a 2-cycle, diesel cycle internal combustion engine comprising a single in-line engine block, internal wall surfaces defining at least one cylinder within the engine block, the central longitudinal axis of each cylinder being within a common plane extending longitudinally of the engine block, the axially extending internal wall surface to each cylinder being closed at one end and having at least one air intake port therethrough, a piston axially and reciprocally movable within each cylinder over a permitted stroke distance, so as to alternately cover and expose for a finite time period each air intake port;

• an exhaust port at the closed end of the cylinder above the piston and a mechanically operated valve for opening and closing such port located immediately adjacent such exhaust port, a substantially rigid connecting rod pivotably connected at one end to each piston, and a crankshaft, rotatably connected to the second end of each connecting rod, such that the crankshaft is caused to rotate by reciprocating movement of each piston, and a rotatable connecting means between the piston and the connecting rod, the improvement wherein the diameter of the cylinder is greater than the permitted stroke distance of the piston within the cylinder, and the axis of the crankshaft is parallel to and laterally offset from the common plane by a distance sufficient to increase by at least about 10 percent the time during which each inlet port is open during each cycle when the direction of crankshaft rotation is opposite to the direction of the crankshaft offset from the common plane.

In a 2-cycle, diesel cycle internal combustion engine comprising a single in-line engine block;

• an internal wall surface defining at least one cylinder, having one closed end, within the engine block, the longitudinal axis of each cylinder being aligned within the common plane extending longitudinally of the engine block, each axially extending internal wall surface having a plurality of air intake ports therethrough distributed around the circumference of the cylinder;
• a piston having a head surface extending transversely across the cylinder, an axially extending circumferential skirt portion adjacent the internal wall surface and extending axially from the head surface in a direction away from the closed end of the cylinder, and at least one circumferential sealing surface secured to the skirt portion and in movable sealing relationship to the internal wall surface, the piston being axially and reciprocally movable within each cylinder so that the sealing surface alternately covers and exposes for a finite period of time each air intake port;
• an exhaust port at the closed end of the cylinder;
• and a mechanically operated valve located immediately adjacent such port for opening and closing such port;
• a substantially rigid connecting rod;
• a rotatable connecting means pivotably connecting one end of the connecting rod to the piston;
• and
• a crankshaft, rotatably connected to the second end of the connecting rod, such that the crankshaft is caused to rotate by reciprocating movement of each piston, the axis of the crankshaft being parallel to and laterally offset from the common plane;
• the improvement characterized by the engine being so designed that the diameter of the piston is greater than the permitted axial movement of the piston within the cylinder;
• the axis of the crankshaft being offset from the common plane by a distance such that the angle alpha formed between the longitudinal axis of each cylinder and a line drawn from the center point of the rotatable connection means to the axis of the crankshaft, at the top dead center position of the piston, is equal to at least about 12 degrees;
• and further wherein the rotatable connection means is adjacent a plane which is perpendicular to the axis, includes the sealing surface, and is located at a distance from the piston head surface, such that the period of time during which each air intake port is exposed is increased when the direction of crankshaft rotation is opposite to the direction of the crankshaft offset from the common plane.