US 6,739,307 B2 · Internal combustion engine and method

Abstract

Internal combustion engine and method in which pistons on different rotors move relative to each other to form chambers of variable volume in a toroidal cylinder. The pistons move in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor travelling a predetermined distance while the pistons on the other rotor remain substantially stationary. Fuel is drawn into a chamber as one of the pistons defining the chamber moves away from the other, and then compressed as the second piston moves toward the first. Combustion of the fuel drives the first piston away from the second, and the spent gases are then expelled from the chamber by the second piston moving again toward the first. An output shaft is connected to the rotors in such manner that the shaft rotates continuously while the rotors and pistons move in their stepwise fashion.

Claims35

Dependent claims

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

a toroidal cylinder, a pair of rotors adapted for rotation about the axis of the cylinder, four pistons on each of the rotors dividing the cylinder into eight chambers, an output shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder, a carrier affixed to the output shaft, a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier, a timing mechanism interconnecting the output shaft and the crankshafts so that the crankshafts make four revolutions for each revolution of the output shaft, and connecting rods interconnecting the rotors and the crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously and the rotors rotate alternately in stepwise fashion, making one complete revolution for each revolution of the output shaft.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

a. a cylindrical housing having a cylinder block and a crankcase toward opposite ends thereof;
b. a toroidal cylinder formed in the cylinder block;
c. an output shaft extending axially of the housing;
d. a first hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the output shaft;
e. a second hollow shaft rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
f. a pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the cylinder block;
g. four pistons on each of the rotors, with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the toroidal cylinder and dividing the toroidal cylinder into eight chambers;
h. means interconnecting the hollow shafts and the output shaft in the crankcase for stepwise rotation of the pistons and rotors and continuous rotation of the output shaft.

5 more elements

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

a. a toroidal cylinder;
b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around the cylinder;
c. an output shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinder;
d. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the output shaft;
e. a carrier affixed to the output shaft;
f. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier;
g. a pair of rotors adapted for rotation about the axis of the cylinder;
h. a plurality of pistons on the rotors interposed between each other around the cylinder to divide the cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
i. a pair of cranks each having a pair of radial arms and a crank pin which extends between and is supported symmetrically by the radial arms:
j. means interconnecting respective ones of the rotors and cranks for rotation in concert;
k. connecting rods interconnecting the crankshafts and the rotors such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports;
and
l. gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the output shaft continuously about the axis of the output shaft as the pistons move in stepwise fashion and the crankshafts rotate about their axes.

10 more elements

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

a. first and second toroidal cylinders positioned side-by-side;
b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around each of the two cylinders;
c. a common shaft disposed coaxially of the two cylinders;
d. first and second sets of hollow shafts disposed coaxially of the common shaft, with each set comprising a first hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the common shaft and a second hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
e. a first pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the first set;
f. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the first pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the first cylinder and dividing the first cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
g. a second pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the second set;
h. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the second pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the second cylinder and dividing the second cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
i. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the common shaft;
j. a carrier affixed to the common shaft;
k. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the common shaft about the axis of the shaft as the crankshafts rotate about their axes;
l. a pair of crank arms affixed to corresponding ones of the hollow shafts in the two sets for rotation in concert with the rotors;
and
m. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and the crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor in each of the cylinders remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor in each cylinder advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports.

11 more elements

An internal combustion machine, comprising:

a. first and second toroidal cylinders positioned side-by-side;
b. intake and exhaust ports arranged in pairs around the first cylinder;
c. inlet and outlet ports arranged in pairs around the second cylinder;
d. a common shaft disposed coaxially of the cylinders;
e. first and second sets of hollow shafts disposed coaxially of the common shaft, with each set comprising a first hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the common shaft and a second hollow shaft which is rotatively mounted on the first hollow shaft;
f. a first pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the first set;
g. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the first pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the first cylinder and dividing the first cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
h. a second pair of rotors affixed to respective ones of the hollow shafts in the second set;
i. a plurality of pistons on the rotors in the second pair with the pistons on the two rotors being interposed between each other around the second cylinder and dividing the second cylinder into a plurality of chambers;
j. a sun gear disposed coaxially of the common shaft;
k. a carrier affixed to the common shaft;
l. a pair of crankshafts rotatively mounted on the carrier with gears on the crankshafts in meshing engagement with the sun gear for rotating the carrier and the common shaft about the axis of the shaft as the crankshafts rotate about their axes;
m. a pair of crank arms affixed to corresponding ones of the hollow shafts in the two sets for rotation in concert with the rotors;
and
n. connecting rods interconnecting the crank arms and crankshafts such that the crankshafts rotate continuously as the rotors turn alternately in stepwise fashion, with
(1) the pistons on one of the rotors in the first cylinder remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the intake and exhaust ports while the pistons on the other rotor in the first cylinder advance, drawing fuel into chambers in communication with the intake ports and expelling exhaust gas from chambers in communication with the exhaust ports, and
(2) the pistons on one of the rotors in the second cylinder remaining substantially stationary and forming seals between the inlet and outlet ports while the pistons on the other rotor in the second cylinder advance, drawing fluid into chambers in communication with the inlet ports and expelling fluid from chambers in communication with the outlet ports.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Internal combustion engine and method

Life of this patent

Internal combustion engine and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35