US 5,467,744 A · Oscillating piston engine for helicopters

Abstract

The system including an internal combustion engine provides the motive power source to the main and tail rotor systems of a helicopter. The engine has a rotating annular cylinder which is rotated in a predetermined ratio to oscillation of a plurality of pairs of oscillating pistons in the cylinder, the pistons being so oscillated so that adjacent pistons are moved alternately apart from one another and toward one another for the respective strokes of the internal combustion engine and having intake port, exhaust ports and ignition means on the rotating annular cylinder located by the rotation of the cylinder between adjacent pistons according to the firing order and cycle of the engine in a typical four stroke cycle system. The engine includes the use of unitary in place of articulated, oscillating crank arms to transmit power from the torque tubes to the crankshaft, and the use of pistons having gabled surfaces that are rigidly connected to the torque discs. The system also includes transmission means means for reducing the torque speed of said crankshaft and for rotating the main rotor head and blades and tail rotor systems of the helicopter.

An internal combustion engine system to provide the motive power source of a rotor system comprising:

(a) a rotating annular cylinder,
(b) a plurality of pairs of oscillating pistons in said cylinder,
(c) means to oscillate said pistons so as to alternately move adjacent pistons apart from one another and toward one another for the respective strokes an the internal combustion engine of said system,
(d) intake ports, exhaust ports and ignition means on said rotating annular cylinder for registry with the respective spaces between the adjacent pistons according to the firing order and cycle of said engine,
(e) a power take-off shaft in said engine,
(f) means to convert the oscillating of said pistons into rotation of said power take-off shaft,
(g) transmitting means between said power take-off shaft and said cylinder to rotate said annular cylinder in a predetermined ratio to the oscillation of said piston for registering said intake ports, exhaust ports and ignition means with the respective spaces between said oscillating pistons in a predetermined sequence,
(h) the ratio between the rotation of said shaft and the resulting angular oscillation of said pistons with respect to the rotating annular cylinder is one oscillation of each piston for each quarter of one revolution of said cylinder,
(i) the inner periphery of the cylinder being of circular cross-section and said pistons being also of circular cross-section, and piston rings on said pistons being in contact with the inner circular periphery of said cylinder,
(j) said means to convert said piston oscillation into rotation including concentric tubes journalled concentrically with said rotating cylinder,
(k) connecting means between the tubes and the power take-off shaft for converting oscillation of the tubes into rotation of the shaft,
(l) a crankcase,
(m) journal means on said crankcase to support said rotating cylinder in a generally horizontal plane,
(n) said oscillation converting means including connecting devices between the respective concentric tubes and said power take-off shaft for oscillating said tubes oppositely to one another during the rotation of said shaft,
(o) said inner tube being connected to a fuel vapor intake,
(p) an intake manifold on said rotating cylinder connected to the said intake ports, said inner tube discharging into said intake manifold,
(q) piston supporting torque disks being flanges extending from the respective concentric tube to the inner periphery of said rotating cylinder and to the adjacent pistons so that said pistons are directly connected alternately to each of the respective torque disks,
(r) transmission means for reducing the torque speed of said power take-off shaft, and for providing the motive force for rotating a rotor system, operably connected to said power take-off shaft,
(s) said torque disks being slidable relatively to one another according to relative turning movement of said concentric tubes and extending from the respective tubes to support said pistons in a balanced position in said cylinder,
(t) each of said pistons having a substantially cylindrical section which is operably seated against the walls of said cylinder and which is attached to each of the respective torque disks, and
(u) each of said connecting means between each of the concentric tubes and the power take-off shaft comprises an elongated arm having a circular aperture near one end thereof and through which one of the respective tubes passes and is fixedly attached thereto and having an elliptical aperture near the other end thereof operably connected to said power take-off shaft to transmit the axial oscillation of each of said torque discs and the back-and-forth oscillation into rotation of the power take-off shaft.

18 more elements

Oscillating piston engine for helicopters

Life of this patent

Oscillating piston engine for helicopters

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20