Multi-cycle trainable piston engine

A variable-cycle engine capable of alternating between two-cycle and four-cycle operation, comprising:

• a cylinder block having at least one piston cylinder and a piston reciprocable in the cylinder, the cylinder block further having a crankshaft and a connecting rod;
• the connecting rod connecting the piston and the crankshaft such that the piston may rotate within the cylinder on the connecting rod;
• the piston having a top and a side;
• the piston further having a piston port, the piston port having a first end on the piston side and a second end on the piston side;
• the piston further having a first and second exhaust vent, each such exhaust vent having an exhaust intake end on the piston top and an exhaust discharge end on the piston side;
• means for sequentially and repeatedly training the piston from a first to a second to a third rotation position for four-cycle operation, and, alternatively, for sequentially and repeatedly the piston from a fourth to a fifth rotation position for two-cycle operation;
• a fuel charge intake port alignable with the piston port first end, when the piston is in the first rotation position, such that the fuel charge is scavenged from the intake port into the piston port first end, such scavenging being terminated when the piston is in the second rotation position;
• a first scavage port positioned such that, When the piston is in the first rotation position, the piston port second end scavenges the fuel charge into the first scavage port and the first scavage port discharges the fuel charge into the cylinder above the piston top, the first scavage port being further positioned such that the fuel charge scavenging into the first scavage port is terminated when the piston is in the second rotation position;
• an exhaust port positioned for receiving exhaust from the piston first exhaust vent discharge end when the piston is in the third rotation position;
• and
• a second scavage port positioned such that, when the piston is in the fourth rotation position, the intake passage scavenges the fuel charge into the piston port second end intake and exhaust happening simultaneously, the piston port first end discharges the fuel charge into the second scavage port, and the second scavage port discharges the fuel charge into the cylinder above the piston top and exhaust port being aligned to receive exhaust from the piston second exhaust vent discharge end, the second scavage port being further positioned such that the fuel charge discharge from the second scavage port terminates when the piston is in the fifth rotation position compression/ignition in the fifth rotation position all ports are closed and compression/ignition occurs.

A variable-cycle engine capable of alternating between two-cycle and four-cycle operation, comprising:

• a cylinder block having at least one piston cylinder and a piston reciprocable in the cylinder, the cylinder block further having a crankshaft and a connecting rod, the cylinder further having a training block, the training block being movable about the inner periphery of the cylinder;
• the connecting rod further having a ball and the piston further having a socket for mating with the ball to form a ball and socket joint, such that the piston may rotate within the cylinder on the connecting rod;
• the piston having a top and a side;
• the piston further having a piston port, the piston port having a first end on the piston side and a second end on the piston side;
• the piston further having a first and second exhaust vent, each such exhaust vent having an exhaust intake end on the piston top and an exhaust discharge end on the piston side;
• the piston further having a tail member extending to and received by the training block such that the piston rotates within the cylinder as the training block moves;
• a detector for detecting the operational conditions of the engine;
• at least one sensor for detecting engine speed and engine load, and a microprocessor, the microprocessor analyzing the sensed engine operating conditions;
• a training block driving assembly for receiving signals from the microprocessor and selectively causing the training block to sequentially and repeatedly move from a first to a second to a third position for four-cycle operation, and, alternatively, for selectively causing the training block to sequentially and repeatedly move from a fourth to a fifth position for two-cycle operation, the movement of the training block causing the piston to rotate into five rotation positions corresponding with the five positions of the training block, the microprocessor signals causing the training block driving assembly to move the training block movement in accordance with predetermined conditions necessitating such movement;
• a fuel charge intake port alignable with the piston port first end, when the piston is in the first rotation position, such that the fuel charge is scavenged from the intake port into the piston port first end, such scavenging being terminated when the piston is in the second rotation position;
• a first scavage port positioned such that, when the piston is in the first rotation position, the piston port second end discharges the fuel charge into the first scavage port and the first scavage port discharges the fuel charge into the cylinder above the piston top, the first scavage port being further positioned such that the fuel charge discharge into the first scavage port is terminated when the piston is in the second rotation position;
• an exhaust port positioned for receiving exhaust from the piston first exhaust vent discharge end when the piston is in the third rotation position;
• and
• a second scavage port positioned such that, when the piston is in the fourth rotation position, the intake passage scavenges the fuel charge into the piston port second end, the piston port first end discharges the fuel charge into the second scavage port, and the second scavage port discharges the fuel charge into the cylinder above the piston top and intake and exhaust happen simultaneously, the second scavage port being further positioned such that the fuel charge and exhaust port being aligned to receive exhaust from the piston second exhaust vent discharge end, discharge from the second scavage port terminates when the piston is in the fifth rotation position, the exhaust port, in this fifth rotation position, being aligned to receive exhaust from the piston second exhaust vent discharge end.

A method for alternating between two-cycle and four-cycle operation of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

• connecting a piston to a crankshaft such that the piston is rotatable within a cylinder and reciprocable within the cylinder;
• positioning the piston in a first rotation position such that a fuel charge is scavenged through the intake port into a piston port first end, then out a piston port second end, then into a first scavage port runner, then into a combustion chamber;
• positioning the piston in a second rotation position such that the combustion chamber is sealed for compression and ignition;
• positioning the piston in a third rotation position such that the exhaust from the ignition enters a first piston exhaust vent, then exits the first piston exhaust vent into a cylinder exhaust port, and then exits the cylinder;
• positioning the piston in a fourth rotation position such a fuel charge is scavenged through the intake port discharges a fuel charge into a piston port second end, then out a piston port first end, then into a second scavage port runner, then into a combustion chamber, while, simultaneously, exhaust enters a second piston exhaust vent, then exits the second piston exhaust vent into the cylinder exhaust port, and then exits the cylinder;
• and
• positioning the piston in a fifth rotation position such that the combustion chamber is sealed for combustion and ignition.