US 5,350,287 AGranted

Rotary engine and cam-operated working member assembly

OwnerDenver Secordinventor

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Abstract

A rotary engine includes a stationary engine block and a power shaft mounted along a central axis for rotation with the engine block. An annular working chamber is formed in the engine about the central axis. A working member is connected to the power shaft to travel in a circular path about the central axis through the annular working chamber. The engine block has an elongated passage which extends through or across the annular working chamber in a direction perpendicular to the travel of the working member. An elongated bar is received within the elongated passage for slidable movement therethrough between first and second positions. The elongated bar includes a slot which is aligned with the annular working chamber when the elongated bar is in its first position to allow passage of the working member therethrough. The elongated bar forms a wall across the annular working chamber when the working member is in its second position to divide the annular working chamber into expansion and exhaust chambers.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A rotary engine comprising:

an engine block having an annular working chamber formed about a central axis;
a power shaft mounted coaxially about the central axis for rotation within the engine block;
a rotor connected to the power shaft, the rotor including a working member positioned to travel in a circular path about the central axis through the annular working chamber;
a partition member mounted within the engine block to extend across the annular working chamber, the partition member being slidable between first and second positions in a direction perpendicular to the travel of the working member, the partition member spanning the annular working chamber in both the first and second positions;
the partition member including a slot which is aligned with the annular working chamber when the partition member is in its first position to allow passage of the working member therethrough;
and
the partition member further including a solid wall which is aligned with the annular working chamber when the partition member is in its second position, the partition member thereby dividing the annular working chamber into expansion and exhaust chambers;
the working member having a leading surface and a trailing surface, the leading and trailing surfaces being angled so that the leading surface gradually enters the partition member slot as the partition member slides to its first position and so that the trailing surface gradually exits the partition member slot as the partition member slides to its second position.

5 more elements

A rotary engine comprising:

at least one engine block having first and second annular working chambers formed about first and second parallel central axes;
first and second power shafts mounted coaxially with the first and second central axes, respectively, for rotation within the at least one engine block;
first and second rotors connected to the first and second power shafts, respectively, the first rotor including a first working member positioned to travel in a circular path about the first central axis through the first annular working chamber, the second rotor including a second working member positioned to travel in a circular path about the second central axis through the second annular working chamber;
a partition member mounted to extend across the first and second annular working chambers, the partition member being slidable between first and second positions, the partition member allowing passage of the working members when the partition member is in its first position;
the partition member including solid walls which are aligned with the first and second annular working chambers when the partition member is in its second position, the partition member thereby dividing the annular working chambers into expansion and exhaust chambers;
the first and second power shafts being drivingly connected to one another for synchronous movement in opposite rotational directions to equalize combustion forces from within the first and second working chambers.

3 more elements

A rotary engine comprising:

an engine block having first and second annular working chambers formed about first and second parallel central axes;
first and second power shafts mounted coaxially with the first and second central axes, respectively, for rotation within the engine block;
first and second rotors connected to the first and second power shafts, respectively, the first rotor including a first working member positioned to travel in a circular path about the first central axis through the first annular working chamber, the second rotor including a second working member positioned to travel in a circular path about the second central axis through the second annular working chamber;
a partition member mounted within the engine block to extend across the first and second annular working chambers, the partition member being slidable between first and second positions;
the partition member including slots which are aligned with the first and second annular working chambers when the partition member is in its first position to allow passage of the working members therethrough;
a cam wheel which is drivingly connected to at least one of the power shafts for synchronous rotation therewith, the cam wheel engaging the partition member to reciprocate the partition member between its first and second positions;
the first and second power shafts being drivingly connected to one another for synchronous movement in opposite rotational directions to equalize combustion forces from within the first and second working chambers.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.