A self-lubricating internal combustion engine comprising:
- an engine ring constructed of two concentric rings, one being an outer engine ring and an other being an inner engine ring, each ring of said two concentric rings having a C-shaped cross-section having a first seam edge, a second seam edge, and an engine ring wall therebetween, wherein said first seam edge of said outer engine ring is sealable with said first seam edge of said inner engine ring, and said second seam edge of said outer engine ring is correspondingly sealable with said second seam edge of said inner engine ring so as to form a torus having an engine-ring cross-section bounded by said engine ring wall of said outer engine ring and by said engine ring wall of said inner engine ring, said engine ring wall of said outer engine ring having an outer ring diameter and said engine ring wall of said inner engine ring having an inner ring diameter that is smaller than said outer ring diameter;
- a plurality of pistons that includes a plurality of intake-valve pistons and a plurality of exhaust-valve pistons;
- wherein said plurality of intake-valve pistons are fixedly connected to a first one of said two concentric rings, said plurality of intake-valve pistons being spaced apart from each other;
- wherein said plurality of exhaust-valve pistons are fixedly connected to a second one of said two concentric rings, said plurality of exhaust-valve pistons being spaced apart from each other;
- wherein each piston of said plurality of pistons has a piston body with a piston face at each end of said piston body, said piston body having a cross-section that is slidably and sealably movable in said engine ring, and wherein a first face of a first intake-valve piston and a first face of a first exhaust-valve piston form boundaries for a chamber, wherein, when combustion occurs in said chamber, combustion forces applied to said first intake-valve piston and to said first exhaust-valve piston force said first one and said second one of said two concentric rings to counterrotate, thereby increasing a volume of said chamber and decreasing a volume of an adjacent chamber;
- a plurality of gas flow valves;
- wherein said plurality of gas flow valves corresponds in number to said plurality of pistons, and wherein said plurality of gas flow valves includes an intake valve and an exhaust valve;
- an intake manifold;
- an exhaust manifold;
- and
- and a cooling system for cooling said engine ring, said cooling system including an air-cooling system and excluding an oil-lubrication-and-cooling system;
- wherein a gas flow valve of said plurality of gas flow valves is assembled on each piston of said plurality of pistons, said intake valve being assembled directly on said intake-valve piston and said exhaust valve being assembled on said exhaust-valve piston;
- wherein said intake valve is gas-flowably connected to said intake manifold so as to control air flow from said intake manifold through said intake-valve piston into said engine ring, and said exhaust valve is gas-flowably connected to said exhaust manifold so as to control exhaust-gas flow from said engine ring through said exhaust-valve piston into said exhaust manifold.