Radial cylinder machine
AssigneeSplit Cycle Technology Limited
InventorAlfred R. Mayne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radial cylinder machine comprises a number of equispaced lobed shafts (7) which orbit about the central machine axis inwardly of the pistons (13). The lobed shafts (70) also rotate about their individual axes by virtue of planetary pinions on each shaft (7) meshing with a fixed ring gear. The orbiting and rotating lobes (9) act as cams on the inward faces of the pistons (13) whereby there is inter-conversion of reciprocatory motion of the pistons (13) and rotary motion of the lobed shafts (7). The lobed shafts (7) are mounted on a carrier fixed to a central axis input/output shaft whereby torque may be transferred permitting the machine to act as an engine or pump. There is also disclosed a means of maintaining contact between the pistons (13) and the lobes (9).
Claims22
A machine having a primary axis and comprising:
- a plurality of radially reciprocable pistons disposed radially of said primary axis;
- and
- a circular array of lobed shafts constrained for orbital motion about said primary axis, each shaft being rotatable about a respective secondary axis parallel to the primary axis, the shafts being rotatably driven by drive means at a rate being a predetermined proportion of their orbital rate, and the planes of the lobes lying approximately in the radial plane of the pistons, and wherein during the rotation and orbit of the shafts and reciprocation of the pistons each piston is connected with at least one lobe for rotation and orbit of the shaft in unison with reciprocation of that piston.
A machine having a primary axis and comprising:
- a plurality of radially reciprocable pistons disposed radially of said primary axis;
- and
- a circular array of lobed shafts constrained for orbital motion about said primary axis, each shaft being rotatable about a respective secondary axis parallel to the primary axis at a rate being a predetermined proportion of their orbital rate, and the planes of the lobes lying approximately in the radial plane of the pistons, and wherein during the rotation and orbit of the shafts and reciprocation of the pistons each piston maintains substantially continuous contact with at least one lobe throughout each cycle of reciprocation of that piston, and further wherein there is a transition without substantial time delay, between each successive cycle of reciprocation of each piston defined by the period between contact and separation of respective successive lobes and said piston and wherein said pistons are arranged in pairs, the pistons of each said pair pumping fluid from one to the other in response to piston reciprocation so as to maintain substantially asynchronous reciprocation of the pistons of each pair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.