AU598004B2

AU598004B2 - Internal combustion engine and positive displacement pump

Info

Publication number: AU598004B2
Application number: AU75985/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rodney Peter Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-07-21
Filing date: 1986-07-21
Publication date: 1990-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2007-07-21
Also published as: AU7598587A

Description

PATENTS ACT 1952 v'93 A Form F COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: aeiid1~~I%5 jde under sictiou #9.

and is Crr*% tor Prtns.

Complete Specificatior-.-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT RODNEY PETER SMITH 12 Brock Avenue, St. Marys, New South Wales 2760 As above Halford Maxwell Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 20, 44 Market Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP The following statement is* afull description of this Invention, Including fthe beeo method of perfomlngk I k v~~r to -2- This invention relates to rotary engines, motors and pumps, particularly internal combustion engines, fluid motors and positive displacement pumps.

An object of the present invention is to provide a light, powerful and efficient internal combustion Pngine with compact construction and few moving parts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide economical and reliable unit which can be used alone as a pump for liquids and gases or the like or as a motor driven by oil, steam or the like.

The present invention seeks to fulfil these objects by providing a rotary engine, motor or pump in which movement of the rotors is controlled by means of roller .9' .9 assemblies which co-operate with roller races on the rotors.

S 20 In one form, the present invention provides an internal combustion engine comprising: a stator having a cavity, an inlet port for admitting fluid to the cavity and an outlet port for expulsion of fluid from the cavity; a pair of rotors mounted for rotation about a common axis, each rotor having a pair of pistons located within the cavity and a roller race located C outside the cavity; two roller assemblies connected by a shaft, each roller assembly comprising at least two rollers mounted f for rotation about axes parallel to the shaft; ~,cF wherein each of the roller assemblies co-operates C 4 with a respective one of the roller races such that rotation of each of the rotors is alternately accelerated and decelerated relative to the other rotor to obtain a four cycle function between the pistons.

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Il~C t*I In another form, the present inventicn provides a rotary engine pump or fluid-driven motor comprising: a stator having a cavity, an inlet port for admitting fluid to the cavity and an outlet port for expulsion of fluid from the cavity; a pair of rotors mounted for rotation about a common axis, each rotor having at least one piston located within the cavity and a roller race located outside the cavity; and two roller assemblies connected by a shaft, each roller assembly comprising at least two rollers mounted for rotation about axes parallel to the shaft; wherein each of the roller assemblies co-operates with a respective one of the roller races such that rotation of each of the rotors is alternately accelerated and decelerated relative to the other rotor to obtain a two cycle function between the pistons.

20 Preferably, the roller races have depressions therein which are adapted to co-operate with the respective roller assembly to decelerate the rotation of the rotor. The depressions are preferably each adapted to receive a roller to decelerate the respective rotors.

The number of depressions required varies according to the form of the invention. Two depressions on each rotor will be required for a four cycle internal combustion engine, while only one depression on each rotor will be required for a two cycle internal combustion ent ine, fluid-driven motor or pump. The number of pistons on each rotor also will vary according to the form of the invention.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, rotation of a first rotor causes a depression on the respective first roller race to come into contact with a roller of l--gYI p-~l ii rr~LaC1L- -4the respective first roller assembly, thus allowing both roller assemblies and the shaft to rotate. The rotation of the roller assemblies and shaft allows the roller to be received in the depression and releases a roller of the second roller assembly from a depression in the second roller race. The first rotor is decelerated and the second rotor is allowed to accelerate. The second rotor rotates until a depression on the second roller contacts a roller, allowing the roller assemblies and shaft to rotate again to release the roller of the first roller assembly from the depression on the first roller race and to allow the depression on the second roller to receive the respective rotor. In this manner, the rotors are alternately accelerated and decelerated.

C 44 C: C 4 4C C 4- C C CC C C: C C rc C 4c 44: 4;r c.4 4 20 Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of the following drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the internal combustion engine of the present invention according to one embodiment; Fig. 2 is a further exploded view of the engine of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates the principle of operation of the engine according to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side view of the engine according to Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the motor of the present invention according to one embodiment thereof; Fig. 6 is a further exploded view of the motor of Fig. Fig. 7 is an end view of the motor according to Fig. Fig. 8 is a side view of the motor according to Fig. In the engine of Figures 1 to 4, the case halves 10 are

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bolted (now shown) to the stator 11 whilst the rotors 12a and 12b are supported by two outer bearings 13 and a centre bearing 14. Drive from rotor 12a is transferred to the right hand gear 15 through shaft 16 and the spline 17. Drive from rotor 12b is transferred to the left hand gear 19 through coupling 20 whilst output shaft 21 is driven by gears 22.

As shown best in Fig. 2, each rotor has two pistons which contact the stator via spring loaded seals 36.

Inner and outer seals 38 and 39 are provided on each rotor to prevent leakage past the pistons.

0 0 o o 0 0 a 0 ao 00e 0 ioo 0 o 00 0 0 Movement of the rotors is controlled by the roller assemblies 25a and 25b which are attached to splined shaft 26 and mounted on the case halves via bearings 27. Each roller assembly has three rollers, with the rollers of the roller assembly 25a being offset by from the rollers of roller assembly 25b. The roller assemblies 25a and 25b contact roller races 34a and 34b respectively to control movement of the rotors. Fig.

4 shows a roller of roller assembly 25b received within a depression 50b to decelerate rotor 12b. Rotor 12a rotates until depression 40a contacts one of the 25 rollers of roller assembly 25a. This allows both roller assemblies and the shaft to rotate by 60 to release roller assembly 25b from depression 0409 0 0*00 4040l O 0r Fig. 3 shows the four cycles of operation of the 30 engine. In Fig 3A, piston 35a is held by roller assembly 25a and piston 35b is allowed to move in an anticlockwise direction. The inlet and outlet ports 23 and 24 are in circuit and an ign ition mixture is inducted into the chamber.

As shown in Fig. 3B, the ignition mixture in the chamber in front of that piston 35b is compressed. As i i ;i i I slil- -6piston 35b approaches top dead centre, a depression in the corresponding roller race contacts roller assembly resulting in rotor 12b being decelerated and rotor 12a being released. Fig 3B shows the operation of the engine as rotor 12b is being slowed down and rotor 12a is being released, just after ignition of the ignition mixture by spark plug 37.

Fig. 3C shows .:he operation of the power cycle.

Piston 35b is held by roller assembly 25b and piston is allowed to rotate in an anticlockwise direction.

Fig. 3D illustrates the exhaust cycle. As the exhaust port 24 is brought into circuit by rotation of piston 35a, a depression in the corresponding roller race contacts roller assembly 25a, resulting in rotor 12a being slowed down and rotor 12b being released. Fig.

3D illustrates the operation of the engine as rotor 12a is being slowed down and rotor 12a is being released.

The use of the linked roller assemblies to control the rotors allows the energy from the decelerating rotor to be transferred to the accelerating rotor, thus providing efficient operation of the motor.

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Ct C Lt t t 4CCEC Figs. 5 to 8 illustrate a pump or fluid-driven motor.

The principle of operation is similar to that of the engine of Figs. 1 to 4, and like reference numerals have been used to denote like parts. One difference between the operation of the motor or pump is that the motor or pump has a two-cycle operation and thus requires only one piston per rotor and only one depression on each roller race.

Fig. 7 illustrates the method and principle of operation of the motor. Fluid (not shown) is applied at pressure to port 23 and exhausted at port 24. As -7the fluid pressure is applied the rotating piston is rotated in a clockwise direction. As depression of rotor 12a contacts the roller assembly 25a, the roller assemblies and shaft rotate approximately degrees anticlockwise releasing rotor 12b and slowing rotor 12a. By holding one of the rotors and allowing the other rotor to be driven by the fluid, rotors 12a and 12b transfer torque to the output shaft 21.

To prevent sticking at the change-over point, a shuttle assembly having pistons 29 and 30 and shoes 32 and 33 is provided. The inner end of each cylinder communicates with the adjacent port 23 or 24 via venturi tubes 44. The outer end of each cylinder communicates with the cavity between the rotors and the 9. stator via fluid passage 48.

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o As one piston is being slowed down and the other piston o is being released at the change-over point, the pistons 20 momentarily block both thE inlet and exhaust ports. If the pistons become stuck at this point, the pressure at the inlet port, and consequently the pressure at the inner end of the cylinder 43 shown on the left, increases. This produces a pressure differential 25 between the inner and outer ends of the cylinder 43 and piston 29 and the shuttle assembly is forced to the left. This brings shoe 33 into contact with the roller Et assembly to force it to rotate anticlockwise to complete the change-over. When the change-over is completed and the inlet and exhaust ports are cleared, the piston 29 and shuttle assembly is reset to its e starting position by a reduction of pressure at the inner end of cylinder 43 caused by flow through the inlet port 23 across the end of the venturi tube 44.

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Claims

2. An engine according to claim 1 wherein each of the roller races has two depressions therein, each depression being adapted to co-operate with the roller assembly to decelerate the rotation of the respective rotor. i
3. An engine according to claim 2 wherein the V depressions are each adapted to receive a roller to decelerate the rotation of the rotor.
4. An engine according to claim 3 wherein, as viewed from an end of the shaft, the axes of the rollers are radially spaced about the shaft with the rollers of one roller assembly being circumferentially offset from the rollers of the other roller assembly. An engine acco1ding to any of the preceding claims, in which a first of said rotors has a first roller race which co-operatas with a first of said roller -i C C CC (C C -9- assemblies, and a second of said rotors has a second roller race which co-operates with a second of said roller assemblies, wherein rotation of the first rotor causes a depression on the first roller race to come into contact with a roller of the first roller assembly and allows the first and second roller assemblies and the shaft to rotate, the rotatj.n of the roller assemblies and shaft allowing said roller to be received in said depression and causing a roller of the second roller assembly to be released from a depression on the second roller race.
6. An engine according to claim 1 wherein rotor movement is transferred to an output shaft through differential gearing.
7. A rotary engine, pump or fluid-driven motor comprising: a stator having a cavity, an inlet port for admitting fluid to the cavity and an outlet port for expulsion of fluid from the cavity; a.pair of rotors mounted for rotation about a common axis, each rotor having at least one piston located within the cavity and a roller race located outside the cavity; and two roller assemblies co.--ected by a shaft, each roller assembly comprising at least two rollers mounted for rotation about axes parallel to the shaft; wherein each of the roller assemblies co-operates with a respective one of the roller races such that rotation of each of the rotors and its pitsons is alternately accelerated and decelerated relative to the other rotor and its pistons such that the pistons of each rotor co-operate with the pistons of the other rotor and with the stator to obtain a two cycle function between the pistons.
8. A rotary engine, pump, or fluid-driven motor according to claim 7 wherein each of the roller races has a depression therein, each depression being adapted i I 1 ~---iii I I to co-operate with the roller assembly to decelerate the rotation of the respective rotor.
9. A rotary engine, pump or fluid-driven motor according to claim 8 wherein the depressions are each adapted to receive a roller to decelerate the rotation of the rotor. A rotary engine, pump or fluid-driven motor according to claim 9 wherein, as viewed from an end of the shaft, the axes of the rollers are radially spaced about the shaft with the rollers of one roller assembly being circumferentially offset from the rollers of the r other roller assembly.
11. A rotary engine, pump or fluid-driven motor according to any of claims 7 to 10, in which a first of said rotors has a first roller race which co-operates with a first of said roller assemblies, and a second of said rotors has a second roller race which co-operates with a second of said roller assemblies, wherein rotation of the first rotor causes a depression on the first roller rc.e to come into contact with a roller of the first roller assembly and allows the first and r t C second roller assemblies and the shaft to rotate, the rotation of the roller assemblies and shaft allowing e said roller to be received in said depression and causing a roller of the second roller assembly to be released from a depression on the second roller race.
12. A fluid-driven motor according to claim 7 wherein rotor movement is transferred to an output shaft through differential gearing.
13. A pump according to claim 7 wherein the rotors are driven by an input shaft via differential gearing.
14. An engine substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. A motor substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 5 to 8. DATED this 16th day of March 1990. RODNEY PETER SMITH By his Patent Attorneys HAILFORD CO. r I 4 4 0 4 4 4 e g t v C r