Fluid transfer in reciprocating devices

A device for the working of fluids, said device having an operating cycle and being substantially defined by a casing having an exterior surface, said casing at least partly supporting and enclosing a cylinder assembly, said assembly having a cylinder portion and at least one cylinder head portion and a component reciprocally movable within said assembly, said head portion and said component partly defining a cyclically variable working chamber therebetween, said component having an internal passage for transfer of fluids to or from said working chamber, said head portion being separated from and pierced by said passage during at least part of said cycle, said casing including insulating material for the purpose of restricting heat transfer from said assembly, said device having no purposely designed means for transferring heat from said assembly, such means including fluid circulating in a jacket adjacent to said assembly or cooling fins radiating from said assembly.

A device for the working of fluids comprising at least one cylinder assembly containing a component reciprocatable therein, said component having two longitudinal extremities and at least one circumferential projection, said cylinder assembly having at least one internal circumferential depression in which said projection is positioned to reciprocate, said projection and depression forming a pair of toroidal fluid working chambers of cyclically variable capacity, said component having at least one internal passage for movement of fluids to or from said working chambers, said assembly including a multiplicity of elements of ceramic material held in assembled and abutted condition by at least one fastener loaded in tension, said device having no purposely designed means for transferring heat from said assembly, such means including fluid circulating in a jacket adjacent to said assembly or cooling fins radiating from said assembly.

A device for the working of fluids defined by an exterior surface, said device including a structure and a cylinder assembly having at least one internal circumferential depression all substantially located within said surface, said assembly containing a component having two cylindrical ends each with at least one opening, said component having at least one circumferential external projection reciprocatable in said depression, in operation said projection and depression forming at least one pair of toroidal fluid working chambers of cyclically variable capacity, said component having at least one internal passage communicating with said openings for transfer of fluids to or from said working chambers, said structure being in proximity to and at least partially surrounding portion of said cylinder assembly and including insulating material to restrict heat transfer from said assembly.

A device for the working of fluids, said device having a cylinder assembly comprising a cylinder with at least one internal circumferential depression, said assembly containing a component with at least one external circumferential projection, said external circumferential projection reciprocating in said circumferential depression and both having working surfaces defining at least one pair of toroidal fluid working chambers which in operation have cyclically variable capacity, said assembly including a multiplicity of elements of ceramic material held in assembled and abutted condition by at least one fastener loaded in tension.

A device for the working of fluids defined by an exterior surface, said device including substantially within said surface a structure, a cylinder assembly, a component reciprocatable within said assembly and filamentary material, said component having at least one external circumferential projection, said cylinder assembly having at least one internal circumferential depression in which said projection is positioned to reciprocate, in operation said projection and depression defining a pair of toroidal fluid working chambers of cyclically variable capacity, said structure located outside said cylinder assembly and within said exterior surface, said structure together with said assembly at least partly defining a volume for passage of fluids to or from said working chambers, said volume containing said filamentary material and at least partly surrounding portion of said cylinder assembly.

A device for processing fluids, said device substantially defined by a casing having an exterior surface and thermal insulation, said casing at least partly supporting and enclosing at least one cylinder assembly including a cylinder and at least one cylinder head, said assembly containing a component reciprocatable therein to define at least one working chamber of cyclically varying capacity located between said component said cylinder and said cylinder head, wherein said device is an un-cooled reciprocating internal combustion engine and said working chamber functions as a combustion chamber, said engine having a charge gas supply system, a fuel delivery apparatus and an emission control system for hot exhaust gas emitted from said engine when operative, said engine having no purposely designed means for transferring heat from said assembly nor any circulating liquid lubrication between said component and said cylinder.