CA1045557A - Rotary engine having cam-controlled pivoted vanes - Google Patents
Rotary engine having cam-controlled pivoted vanesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1045557A CA1045557A CA221,673A CA221673A CA1045557A CA 1045557 A CA1045557 A CA 1045557A CA 221673 A CA221673 A CA 221673A CA 1045557 A CA1045557 A CA 1045557A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- stator
- impeller
- rotor
- chambers
- rotary engine
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01C—ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES
- F01C1/00—Rotary-piston machines or engines
- F01C1/30—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members
- F01C1/40—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having the movement defined in group F01C1/08 or F01C1/22 and having a hinged member
- F01C1/44—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having the movement defined in group F01C1/08 or F01C1/22 and having a hinged member with vanes hinged to the inner member
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02B—INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
- F02B55/00—Internal-combustion aspects of rotary pistons; Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons
- F02B55/08—Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons; Casings
- F02B55/10—Cooling thereof
- F02B55/12—Cooling thereof by air or other gas
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
- Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Supercharger (AREA)
- Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
- Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
- Rotary Pumps (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A rotary engine having a plurality of impel-lers pivotally mounted within respective chambers around a rotor. The rotor is mount-ed in a stator which has at least one pair of oppositely positioned chambers between which chambers inner surfaces of the stator define an outer cam profile, inlet and exhaust ports being provided in each stator chamber. The outer cam profile causes the impellers to move inwardly of the rotor into the rotor chambers to compress air blown into the stator between the compression face of an impeller and the out-er cam profile. A fixed cam causes the impel-lers to move outwardly of the rotor into the stator chambers during the firing, exhaust and induction stages, whilst fuel is injected into the compressed air above one impeller prior to the preceding impeller opening, such that the resultant explosion acts against a rear face of the preceding impeller as it opens to pro-vide the firing or power stroke of the engine.
The outer cam profile is such as to retain each impeller closed after ignition of its charge, until a preceding impeller has moved towards the completion of its firing stroke.
A rotary engine having a plurality of impel-lers pivotally mounted within respective chambers around a rotor. The rotor is mount-ed in a stator which has at least one pair of oppositely positioned chambers between which chambers inner surfaces of the stator define an outer cam profile, inlet and exhaust ports being provided in each stator chamber. The outer cam profile causes the impellers to move inwardly of the rotor into the rotor chambers to compress air blown into the stator between the compression face of an impeller and the out-er cam profile. A fixed cam causes the impel-lers to move outwardly of the rotor into the stator chambers during the firing, exhaust and induction stages, whilst fuel is injected into the compressed air above one impeller prior to the preceding impeller opening, such that the resultant explosion acts against a rear face of the preceding impeller as it opens to pro-vide the firing or power stroke of the engine.
The outer cam profile is such as to retain each impeller closed after ignition of its charge, until a preceding impeller has moved towards the completion of its firing stroke.
Description
lV~
This invention relates to improvements in and relatiny to rotary engines.
It is an object of this invention to provide a rotary engine that has a high power/weight ratio with a relatively 5. low number of moving parts and a high number of firings per - revolution.
Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.
According to one aspect of this invention there is pro-10. vided a rotary engirle comprising:
a stator having an inner surface provided with .
at least one pair of oppositely positioned stator chambers and a cam surface between each of said stator chambers, 15~ a rotor mounted within said stator;
said rotor provided with a plurality of impellers each impeller pivotally mounted within a respec-ti~e chamber in said rotor;
a fixed cam engaged by a plurality o cam 20. followers;
each cam follower connected with a respective impeller to pivot it outwardly into each of said stator c~ambers as it moves into and through the chambers;
Z5. said cam surfaces so adapted as to maintain an impeller within its ch2mber in said rotor until a preceding impeller has moved towards the completion of its firing stroke within one of said stator cham~ers.
;l 30. Further aspects of this invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description, given by way of exampLe of a pre-ferred embodiment of the invention and in w~ich reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
~ 55~7 Fiqure 1: shows a partly schematic cross sectional view through the rotary engine according to a preferred embodiment of the in~ention.
5. Fiqure 2: shows a part sectional end view of the rotary engine accordi~g to a preferred embodiment of ~he invention.
Fi~ure 3: shows a part sectional side view ~
10. of the rotary engine of figure 2 0 : .
Fiqure 4: shows exploded~ cross sectional and rear views of an impeller ancl its gudgeon pin for use in the rotary engine of a preferred embodimQnt 15. of the invention.
Fi~ure S:is a part sectional sc~ematic drawing of a rotary engine according to a '' ' further embodiment of ~he invention.
The present invention comprises a rotary engine which 20. has a plurality, for example six, impellers pivotally mou~ted-within respective ~hambers provided in a rotor, the rotor being rota~ably mounted within a stator. The stator is provided with at least one pair of oppositely positioned chambers within each of which chambers the firing9 exhaust 25~ and induction stages of a rotary engine cycle takes placer Each of the stator chambers lS thus accordingly provided with an inlet a~d an e~haust port, the inlet port enabling air to ~e blown into the stator against a compression face of .: . . .
an impeller and between adjacent pairs of impellers as the 30. rotor rotiates within khe stator. The iair thus caused to flow into the rotary engine is compressed as an outer cam profile p~ovided on the inner surface of the stiator causes each impeller to pivot i~wardly a~d to compress the air within the rotor chi~mber, betwee~ the compression ~ace and ~3-~ .
55~ ~:
the inner surface of the stator. As the first of these ~.
impellers approaches the point at which a fixed cam causes it to commence opening into a stator chamber, a charge of fuel is injected into the compressed air, (now compressed 5- between the cam profile of the stator" a front rotor chamber surface and a compression face of a succeeding impeller), which mixture, as the first impeller opens, is ignited ~y the common compression/igni~ion or diesel principle and the explosion provi~es the firing or power stro~e against a rear 10. face of the first impeller. The effect of this arrangement is that each impeller as it passes through the compression stage ~ :
in fact carries the charge for the preceding impeller, such that in the rotary engine of the present invention, a front face o each impeller provides the compression ~ace whilst ~5- the rear face of each impeller provides the face against which the explosion takes place during the power stroke. The outer cam profile provided by the inner cam surface is such as to delay the opening of each impeller after the ignition of its fuel/air mixture, until the preceding impsller has at least 20. moved towards the aompletion of its power stroke. This provides considerable advantages in the rotary engine of the present invention in that no counter-reaction is experienced by the rotor due to the fact that no adjacent po~er strokes take place, the ignitions of the fuel/air mixtu~e and the :~ 25~ subsequent explosions taking plaae symmetrically about the rotor. In one embodiment of the invention, two stator cham~ers are provided, oppositely positionèd around the stator a~d six impellers are pivotally mounted about the rotor such ~ ;~
that each impeller completes two cycles of the rotary engine, . 30~ per revolution, p~oviding twelve power strokes for the engine every revolution. However, any suitable number of oppositely positioned pairs af stator chambers could be provided together with any suitahle number of symmetrically spaced a~)art impellers, depending on the required design and power ~` 4 , ` ~45S57 characteristics of the engine.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings, and more ;~
; especially to figure 1, the rotary engine is schematically shown in cross section having a stator 1 and a rotor 2 mounted 5. therein on a shaft 15. The stator 1 has a pair of oppositely positioned chambers 3, each chamber 3 having two separate segments 4 and 5, which segments have a common radius, but ; offset centres of curvature and conjoined by a substantially flat surface 103. On either side of the substantially flat ; 10. surface 103 an inlet port 7 and an exhaust 6 are respectively provided, the inle.t port 7 being connected to an air blower (see figure 5) whilst the exhaust port 6 is connected with an exhaust manifo].d (not shown) in any known manner. The inner surface of the stator 1 is also provided or forrned with a cam 15~ profile 8 between each of the chambers 3.
The rotor 2 is provided with a plurality of impellers 9 a `:
' mounted within chambers 10 in the rotor, the impellers 9 being pivotally mounted within the chambers 10 by means of gudgeon pins 23 on which are secured rocker arms 12 which ..
20. engage with cam followers 13, which extend through radial .
slots in the rotor and abut a fixed cam 14 which is mounted~
on one of a pair of end plates secured on either side of the .: ;
stator 1.
As the rotor 2 rotates within tXe stator 1, the cam ~! .
25. followers 13 which follow the profile of the cam 14 cause the . .~.
impellers 9 to pivot outwardly into each of the stator chambers 3 whilst the cam profiles 8 of the inner surface of the stator 1 ;~ -'cause the impellers 9 to pivot inwardly of the chambers 10~.`;-~
in the rotor 2, (as will hereinafter be described in more 30, detail)~
~ 5 ',: : ' ~`, ' . '' ' .
,'. . .
,, - ' ~4SS57 ,. .
At suitable points around the stator fuel injection ; ports 16 are provided which are positioned such that fuel is injected into compressed air within a chamber formed by a front compression face 17 of an impeller and a front face ' ~
. ~ -: ' -5a- ~ :
., .
~0~55S~
of its rotor chamber 10, about 10 prior to a preceding impeller starting to open into a chamber 3. This 10 phasing of the fuel injection enables full power to be exerted against the preceding impellex as it opens, this being 5. the firing or power stroke of the eng:lne cycle. As the imp~ller pivots to a greater degree a:Long the chamber 3 towards an exhaust port 6, a greater sur~ace area is exposed to the explosive charge behind its rear ~ace 18. As an impeller, such as referenced X, passes the exhaust port 6, the 10. combustion gases are released into -the exhaust manifold, the succeeding impeller referenced W following behind and opening out on its power stroke and completing the exhaustion of the yases behind the impeller X. The cam profiles 8 are such as to e~able an impeller such as referenced W to commence :
15~ to open out within approximately 10 on either side of the completion of the power stroke, a~d the commencement of the exhaust stage, of a preceding impe~er such as referenced X.
Once the impeller X has passed the inlet port 7 then the air ~
blown through this port will cause cross sca~enging to take ..
20. place which completely o:rces the combustion gases remaining between the impellers X and W out through the ex~aust port 6.
Continuing now with the engine cycle and referring still to impeller X as it approaches the inlet port 7, air is bLown into the space between the preceding impeller Y
- 25. and t-he front face 17 of -the impeller X, which air, as the impeller X proceeds around the chamber 3 is compressed as .. . . .
I t~e impeller X moves along the cam profile 8 and towards the fuel injection port 16, (see impeller Y). At this posi~on and as shown in figure 1, impeller Z will be 30. approaching the sta~e at which it will begin opening, preferably about 10 prior to opening when fue]L :is injected into the compressed air carried k~ i.mpeller Y such that as the impeLler Z opens, the full ignition o~ the charge carried between the upper surface 17 of the impe:l.ler and --6_ ..
S~i~;7 the inner surface o the stator 1, will take place and pro-vide an explosive force against the rear surface of the impeller Z to provide the powe~ stroke for this impeller.
At the same time, the oppositely positioned impeller W will 5. also be starting its power stroke, this symmetrical arrange-ment of power strokes substantially reducing any vibration experienced from the output shaft 15. Moreover, the cam `
profile 8 is such as to maintain an impeller, for example V, substantially closed, until its preceding impeller Z
10. has completed or substantially completed its power stroke and is starting to exhaustt the combustion gases behind it. This once again, substantially reduces counter-reaction on the rotor and the output shaft 15, thus enhancing the efficiency of this engine together ~th substantially reducing the 15. vibrations.
Turning now more especially to figures 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, the stator 1 is shown provided with a pair of chambers 3 comprising adJoining segments 4 and 5 and between which cham~ers 3 arcuate cam profiles 8, see 20. figure 1~ are provided. Referring more particularly to figure 4, each of the impellers 9 is shown provided with a compression face 17 about which are provided grooves 22 which accommodate the front, side and rear seals 19, 20 and 21 respectively. The seals are shown to be located in 25. grooves 22 so as to be sliaab1y and removably located therein thus enabling their ready replacement when necessary, the seals preferabIy being of cast iron. Each of the mpellers 9 is shown pivotally mounted within its chamber 10 ~y means of a gudgeon pin 23 which is secured within an 3~. axial aperture in the impeller 9 ~y means of cotters 47 secured within a respective aperture on an arauate face 26 at the rear o each of the impellers 9. Each of the cotters 47 is provided with a-tapered surface 49 which abuts against a respective one of a pair of flat; surfac~es 48 on _7_ 3L~91L~iiS~7 the gudgeon pin 23~ The cotters 47 are provided with a slot 51 to enable them to be turned such that the taper 49 is uppermost in the axial slot. A nut 50 engages a threaded end of the cotter 47 to pull its taper 49 against the flat .
5. 48 of the pin 23 to secure it in the i.mpeller 9O The arcuate face 26 and the explosi~n face 18 are adapted so as to be slidable within the arcuate chamber 10 in which the impeller 9 is mounted.
At the spli~ed end 52 of each of the gudgeo~ pins 23, a 10. rocker arm 12 is secured by means of a nut engagi~g thread 53, and engages with a cam follower 13 which is slidably located within a respective channel 54 extending through ~ :
the rotor from a top surface thereof to an inner recessed portion 27 adjacent the shaft 15. The cam fol:Lowers 13 15. abut against a cam 14 secured to one of the end plates 28.
~he end plates 28 and 29 are secured to the stator 1 by :
means of through bolts 31, suitable locating pins 30 and corresponding apertures being provided on the abutting faces of the stator 1 and the end plates 28 and 29. A
20. seal 63 for example of Neoprene (trade mark~, is secured about the mounting of the cam 14 on the end plate 28 and .
the channels 54 within the rotor are packed with a suitable lubricant to ena~le the cam followers 13 to slide freely thereinO As the rotor 2 rotates, the cam followers 13 25. follow the profile of the cam 14 and are caused to move upwardly and downwardly within a respective channel 54 thus causing -the subsec~uent pivoting of the impellers g.
The front seal 19 of the impellers 9 provides a gas tight seal between the leading edge of each of the impellers 9 30. and the inner surface of the stator 1. Peripheral seals are also provicled in slbts 34 about the periphery of the rotor 2, on either side of the chambers 10, which seals being sec~mented to allow -Eor expansion and are pxovided as six pairs of seals 57 mounted within the slots 34, the , -8-.,; '.
~45557 seals 57 of each pair spaced apart by means of corrugated spring steel members 56 and mounted with the slots 34 on corrugated spring steel members 62 so as to provide a fluid tight seal between the peripheral portions of the rotor 2 5. and the inner surfaces of the stator .I. The rotor 2 is shrunk onto a splined part of the shaft 15 and the shaft 15 and the rotor 2 are mounted within the stator 1 by means of bearings 58, shown as ball bearings, which are located ~ithin each of the end platesr one end of the shaft 15 10~ having mounted thereon and dri~ing, the injection fuel pumps . and an air blower as will hereinafter be described with reference to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
The cam 14 is provided with a splined part 66 which locates the cam within the stator 1, a ring nut 64 securing 15. the cam 14 in place and a seal 65 also being provided between shaft 15 and the cam 14.
The rotor 2, has fan blades 32 provided on each of its end surfaces whilst the outer edges of the stator 1 has de~p angular slots 37 and transverse grooves 38, across its 20. circumferential surface w~ich slots, grooves and fan blades facilitating and directing the flow of cooling air around the engine.
Either side of the stator 1 has a raised platform 73 in whi~h are provided inlet apertures 60 and exhaust aper-25. tures 59, an inlet and exhaust manifold being bolted to each platform 73 in known manner. r~he aper-tures 59 and 60 extend through the stator 1 and connect with the exhaust and inlet ports 6 and 7 respectively.
During the operation of the engine of the present 30. invention, the explosion or rear face 18 of each of the impellers 9 more than doubles in area during the power stroke as the pressure of the explosion o the fuel. air mixture drops. This enables the tor~ue proviaed t:o continue right to the point of ex~austing yet allowing the exhaust ;i7 pressure to be low. Moreover, the tip speed of the impellers is quite high at low revolutions and this reduces the shock loading on the impellers 9. The impellers are also ~alanced centri~ugally and this substantially reduces the wear actor 5. on the impellers whilst the design of the impellers is such that on the compression stroke of each impeller they lead to the sealing position. The centrifugal forces acting on the rotor will also reduce the load on the cam followers as they rotate with the rotor within the s~ator. In a pre-ferred 10. embodiment of the invention, the stator and rotor are both ~ -of alumini~, whilst the cam, cam followers, rocker arms ~-`
; and gudgeon pins are all of hardened steel. ~;;
Referring now more particularly to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings, the rotary engine of the present 15. invention, referenced generally by arrow 40 is schematically shown in part section with its shaft 15 extending outwardly therefrom and coupled by suitable gearing (not s~own) wi~h an air blower 41. The air blower 41 is schematically shown in part section having a substantially conical blade support 42 20. on which a series of blades 43 are mounted. The air passing through and over the engine 40 is ducted through ducts 45 in a cowling 67 into the first stage of the blower blades 43 and hence through the second and third stages shown when the air is then returned via ducts 44 to the inlet manifold apertures 25~ 60 of the engine 40 ancl hence to the inlet ports (7). An exhaust duct 68 is shown connected to the exhaust port (6) through the exhaust apertures 59.
; ~lso mounted on the shaft 15 are a plurality of fuel injection p~unps 46, preferably one for each statc>r chamber ; 30. of the stator, which fuel injection pumps preferably bein~
run off the shaft 15 by means of a cam arxange~ent similar ; to that used for the distributor of a noxmal four-stro~e car engine. The pumps 46 are connected with t~le fuel injetion ports by uel lines 69.
~S~7 Although this invention has been described particularly with reference to a rotary combustion engine having compression ignition it should be understood that the engine of the present invention could be adapted so as to be readily 5. utilizable as an engine in which a fuelA/air mixture is sucked or induced into the stator chambers by the impellers and spark plugs or other ignition means utilized to provide the explosion of this fuel/air mixture.
Further, with sui~able modifications to the ports 10. provided in the stator, the engine of the present invention, could be adapted so as to readily operate as a turbine or a pump.
As hereinbefore mentioned, the cam followers are lubricaked by means of a sealed system, whilst an oil 15. p~mp (not shown) which would be mounted on or driven by the shaft 15, provides spurts of oil into the air stream blown from the air blower 41 into the stator chambers 50 as to lubricate each of the impellers.
Although in the xotary engine shown in the accompanying 20. drawings, see especially figure 2, the cam followers 13 abut directly on the rocker arms 12 and the fixed cam 14, it is envisaged that the cam follower operation could be spring assisted.
Thus, by this invention there is provided a rotary 25. engine which has a relatively low number of moving parts whilst providing a high power/weight ratio, the engine shown in the accompanyihg drawings having two stator ch~mbers and six impellers thus providing twelve power stro~es per rotor revolution.
30. Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that modifications and improvements may be made thereto without deparl;ing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendecL claims.
This invention relates to improvements in and relatiny to rotary engines.
It is an object of this invention to provide a rotary engine that has a high power/weight ratio with a relatively 5. low number of moving parts and a high number of firings per - revolution.
Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.
According to one aspect of this invention there is pro-10. vided a rotary engirle comprising:
a stator having an inner surface provided with .
at least one pair of oppositely positioned stator chambers and a cam surface between each of said stator chambers, 15~ a rotor mounted within said stator;
said rotor provided with a plurality of impellers each impeller pivotally mounted within a respec-ti~e chamber in said rotor;
a fixed cam engaged by a plurality o cam 20. followers;
each cam follower connected with a respective impeller to pivot it outwardly into each of said stator c~ambers as it moves into and through the chambers;
Z5. said cam surfaces so adapted as to maintain an impeller within its ch2mber in said rotor until a preceding impeller has moved towards the completion of its firing stroke within one of said stator cham~ers.
;l 30. Further aspects of this invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description, given by way of exampLe of a pre-ferred embodiment of the invention and in w~ich reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
~ 55~7 Fiqure 1: shows a partly schematic cross sectional view through the rotary engine according to a preferred embodiment of the in~ention.
5. Fiqure 2: shows a part sectional end view of the rotary engine accordi~g to a preferred embodiment of ~he invention.
Fi~ure 3: shows a part sectional side view ~
10. of the rotary engine of figure 2 0 : .
Fiqure 4: shows exploded~ cross sectional and rear views of an impeller ancl its gudgeon pin for use in the rotary engine of a preferred embodimQnt 15. of the invention.
Fi~ure S:is a part sectional sc~ematic drawing of a rotary engine according to a '' ' further embodiment of ~he invention.
The present invention comprises a rotary engine which 20. has a plurality, for example six, impellers pivotally mou~ted-within respective ~hambers provided in a rotor, the rotor being rota~ably mounted within a stator. The stator is provided with at least one pair of oppositely positioned chambers within each of which chambers the firing9 exhaust 25~ and induction stages of a rotary engine cycle takes placer Each of the stator chambers lS thus accordingly provided with an inlet a~d an e~haust port, the inlet port enabling air to ~e blown into the stator against a compression face of .: . . .
an impeller and between adjacent pairs of impellers as the 30. rotor rotiates within khe stator. The iair thus caused to flow into the rotary engine is compressed as an outer cam profile p~ovided on the inner surface of the stiator causes each impeller to pivot i~wardly a~d to compress the air within the rotor chi~mber, betwee~ the compression ~ace and ~3-~ .
55~ ~:
the inner surface of the stator. As the first of these ~.
impellers approaches the point at which a fixed cam causes it to commence opening into a stator chamber, a charge of fuel is injected into the compressed air, (now compressed 5- between the cam profile of the stator" a front rotor chamber surface and a compression face of a succeeding impeller), which mixture, as the first impeller opens, is ignited ~y the common compression/igni~ion or diesel principle and the explosion provi~es the firing or power stro~e against a rear 10. face of the first impeller. The effect of this arrangement is that each impeller as it passes through the compression stage ~ :
in fact carries the charge for the preceding impeller, such that in the rotary engine of the present invention, a front face o each impeller provides the compression ~ace whilst ~5- the rear face of each impeller provides the face against which the explosion takes place during the power stroke. The outer cam profile provided by the inner cam surface is such as to delay the opening of each impeller after the ignition of its fuel/air mixture, until the preceding impsller has at least 20. moved towards the aompletion of its power stroke. This provides considerable advantages in the rotary engine of the present invention in that no counter-reaction is experienced by the rotor due to the fact that no adjacent po~er strokes take place, the ignitions of the fuel/air mixtu~e and the :~ 25~ subsequent explosions taking plaae symmetrically about the rotor. In one embodiment of the invention, two stator cham~ers are provided, oppositely positionèd around the stator a~d six impellers are pivotally mounted about the rotor such ~ ;~
that each impeller completes two cycles of the rotary engine, . 30~ per revolution, p~oviding twelve power strokes for the engine every revolution. However, any suitable number of oppositely positioned pairs af stator chambers could be provided together with any suitahle number of symmetrically spaced a~)art impellers, depending on the required design and power ~` 4 , ` ~45S57 characteristics of the engine.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings, and more ;~
; especially to figure 1, the rotary engine is schematically shown in cross section having a stator 1 and a rotor 2 mounted 5. therein on a shaft 15. The stator 1 has a pair of oppositely positioned chambers 3, each chamber 3 having two separate segments 4 and 5, which segments have a common radius, but ; offset centres of curvature and conjoined by a substantially flat surface 103. On either side of the substantially flat ; 10. surface 103 an inlet port 7 and an exhaust 6 are respectively provided, the inle.t port 7 being connected to an air blower (see figure 5) whilst the exhaust port 6 is connected with an exhaust manifo].d (not shown) in any known manner. The inner surface of the stator 1 is also provided or forrned with a cam 15~ profile 8 between each of the chambers 3.
The rotor 2 is provided with a plurality of impellers 9 a `:
' mounted within chambers 10 in the rotor, the impellers 9 being pivotally mounted within the chambers 10 by means of gudgeon pins 23 on which are secured rocker arms 12 which ..
20. engage with cam followers 13, which extend through radial .
slots in the rotor and abut a fixed cam 14 which is mounted~
on one of a pair of end plates secured on either side of the .: ;
stator 1.
As the rotor 2 rotates within tXe stator 1, the cam ~! .
25. followers 13 which follow the profile of the cam 14 cause the . .~.
impellers 9 to pivot outwardly into each of the stator chambers 3 whilst the cam profiles 8 of the inner surface of the stator 1 ;~ -'cause the impellers 9 to pivot inwardly of the chambers 10~.`;-~
in the rotor 2, (as will hereinafter be described in more 30, detail)~
~ 5 ',: : ' ~`, ' . '' ' .
,'. . .
,, - ' ~4SS57 ,. .
At suitable points around the stator fuel injection ; ports 16 are provided which are positioned such that fuel is injected into compressed air within a chamber formed by a front compression face 17 of an impeller and a front face ' ~
. ~ -: ' -5a- ~ :
., .
~0~55S~
of its rotor chamber 10, about 10 prior to a preceding impeller starting to open into a chamber 3. This 10 phasing of the fuel injection enables full power to be exerted against the preceding impellex as it opens, this being 5. the firing or power stroke of the eng:lne cycle. As the imp~ller pivots to a greater degree a:Long the chamber 3 towards an exhaust port 6, a greater sur~ace area is exposed to the explosive charge behind its rear ~ace 18. As an impeller, such as referenced X, passes the exhaust port 6, the 10. combustion gases are released into -the exhaust manifold, the succeeding impeller referenced W following behind and opening out on its power stroke and completing the exhaustion of the yases behind the impeller X. The cam profiles 8 are such as to e~able an impeller such as referenced W to commence :
15~ to open out within approximately 10 on either side of the completion of the power stroke, a~d the commencement of the exhaust stage, of a preceding impe~er such as referenced X.
Once the impeller X has passed the inlet port 7 then the air ~
blown through this port will cause cross sca~enging to take ..
20. place which completely o:rces the combustion gases remaining between the impellers X and W out through the ex~aust port 6.
Continuing now with the engine cycle and referring still to impeller X as it approaches the inlet port 7, air is bLown into the space between the preceding impeller Y
- 25. and t-he front face 17 of -the impeller X, which air, as the impeller X proceeds around the chamber 3 is compressed as .. . . .
I t~e impeller X moves along the cam profile 8 and towards the fuel injection port 16, (see impeller Y). At this posi~on and as shown in figure 1, impeller Z will be 30. approaching the sta~e at which it will begin opening, preferably about 10 prior to opening when fue]L :is injected into the compressed air carried k~ i.mpeller Y such that as the impeLler Z opens, the full ignition o~ the charge carried between the upper surface 17 of the impe:l.ler and --6_ ..
S~i~;7 the inner surface o the stator 1, will take place and pro-vide an explosive force against the rear surface of the impeller Z to provide the powe~ stroke for this impeller.
At the same time, the oppositely positioned impeller W will 5. also be starting its power stroke, this symmetrical arrange-ment of power strokes substantially reducing any vibration experienced from the output shaft 15. Moreover, the cam `
profile 8 is such as to maintain an impeller, for example V, substantially closed, until its preceding impeller Z
10. has completed or substantially completed its power stroke and is starting to exhaustt the combustion gases behind it. This once again, substantially reduces counter-reaction on the rotor and the output shaft 15, thus enhancing the efficiency of this engine together ~th substantially reducing the 15. vibrations.
Turning now more especially to figures 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, the stator 1 is shown provided with a pair of chambers 3 comprising adJoining segments 4 and 5 and between which cham~ers 3 arcuate cam profiles 8, see 20. figure 1~ are provided. Referring more particularly to figure 4, each of the impellers 9 is shown provided with a compression face 17 about which are provided grooves 22 which accommodate the front, side and rear seals 19, 20 and 21 respectively. The seals are shown to be located in 25. grooves 22 so as to be sliaab1y and removably located therein thus enabling their ready replacement when necessary, the seals preferabIy being of cast iron. Each of the mpellers 9 is shown pivotally mounted within its chamber 10 ~y means of a gudgeon pin 23 which is secured within an 3~. axial aperture in the impeller 9 ~y means of cotters 47 secured within a respective aperture on an arauate face 26 at the rear o each of the impellers 9. Each of the cotters 47 is provided with a-tapered surface 49 which abuts against a respective one of a pair of flat; surfac~es 48 on _7_ 3L~91L~iiS~7 the gudgeon pin 23~ The cotters 47 are provided with a slot 51 to enable them to be turned such that the taper 49 is uppermost in the axial slot. A nut 50 engages a threaded end of the cotter 47 to pull its taper 49 against the flat .
5. 48 of the pin 23 to secure it in the i.mpeller 9O The arcuate face 26 and the explosi~n face 18 are adapted so as to be slidable within the arcuate chamber 10 in which the impeller 9 is mounted.
At the spli~ed end 52 of each of the gudgeo~ pins 23, a 10. rocker arm 12 is secured by means of a nut engagi~g thread 53, and engages with a cam follower 13 which is slidably located within a respective channel 54 extending through ~ :
the rotor from a top surface thereof to an inner recessed portion 27 adjacent the shaft 15. The cam fol:Lowers 13 15. abut against a cam 14 secured to one of the end plates 28.
~he end plates 28 and 29 are secured to the stator 1 by :
means of through bolts 31, suitable locating pins 30 and corresponding apertures being provided on the abutting faces of the stator 1 and the end plates 28 and 29. A
20. seal 63 for example of Neoprene (trade mark~, is secured about the mounting of the cam 14 on the end plate 28 and .
the channels 54 within the rotor are packed with a suitable lubricant to ena~le the cam followers 13 to slide freely thereinO As the rotor 2 rotates, the cam followers 13 25. follow the profile of the cam 14 and are caused to move upwardly and downwardly within a respective channel 54 thus causing -the subsec~uent pivoting of the impellers g.
The front seal 19 of the impellers 9 provides a gas tight seal between the leading edge of each of the impellers 9 30. and the inner surface of the stator 1. Peripheral seals are also provicled in slbts 34 about the periphery of the rotor 2, on either side of the chambers 10, which seals being sec~mented to allow -Eor expansion and are pxovided as six pairs of seals 57 mounted within the slots 34, the , -8-.,; '.
~45557 seals 57 of each pair spaced apart by means of corrugated spring steel members 56 and mounted with the slots 34 on corrugated spring steel members 62 so as to provide a fluid tight seal between the peripheral portions of the rotor 2 5. and the inner surfaces of the stator .I. The rotor 2 is shrunk onto a splined part of the shaft 15 and the shaft 15 and the rotor 2 are mounted within the stator 1 by means of bearings 58, shown as ball bearings, which are located ~ithin each of the end platesr one end of the shaft 15 10~ having mounted thereon and dri~ing, the injection fuel pumps . and an air blower as will hereinafter be described with reference to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
The cam 14 is provided with a splined part 66 which locates the cam within the stator 1, a ring nut 64 securing 15. the cam 14 in place and a seal 65 also being provided between shaft 15 and the cam 14.
The rotor 2, has fan blades 32 provided on each of its end surfaces whilst the outer edges of the stator 1 has de~p angular slots 37 and transverse grooves 38, across its 20. circumferential surface w~ich slots, grooves and fan blades facilitating and directing the flow of cooling air around the engine.
Either side of the stator 1 has a raised platform 73 in whi~h are provided inlet apertures 60 and exhaust aper-25. tures 59, an inlet and exhaust manifold being bolted to each platform 73 in known manner. r~he aper-tures 59 and 60 extend through the stator 1 and connect with the exhaust and inlet ports 6 and 7 respectively.
During the operation of the engine of the present 30. invention, the explosion or rear face 18 of each of the impellers 9 more than doubles in area during the power stroke as the pressure of the explosion o the fuel. air mixture drops. This enables the tor~ue proviaed t:o continue right to the point of ex~austing yet allowing the exhaust ;i7 pressure to be low. Moreover, the tip speed of the impellers is quite high at low revolutions and this reduces the shock loading on the impellers 9. The impellers are also ~alanced centri~ugally and this substantially reduces the wear actor 5. on the impellers whilst the design of the impellers is such that on the compression stroke of each impeller they lead to the sealing position. The centrifugal forces acting on the rotor will also reduce the load on the cam followers as they rotate with the rotor within the s~ator. In a pre-ferred 10. embodiment of the invention, the stator and rotor are both ~ -of alumini~, whilst the cam, cam followers, rocker arms ~-`
; and gudgeon pins are all of hardened steel. ~;;
Referring now more particularly to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings, the rotary engine of the present 15. invention, referenced generally by arrow 40 is schematically shown in part section with its shaft 15 extending outwardly therefrom and coupled by suitable gearing (not s~own) wi~h an air blower 41. The air blower 41 is schematically shown in part section having a substantially conical blade support 42 20. on which a series of blades 43 are mounted. The air passing through and over the engine 40 is ducted through ducts 45 in a cowling 67 into the first stage of the blower blades 43 and hence through the second and third stages shown when the air is then returned via ducts 44 to the inlet manifold apertures 25~ 60 of the engine 40 ancl hence to the inlet ports (7). An exhaust duct 68 is shown connected to the exhaust port (6) through the exhaust apertures 59.
; ~lso mounted on the shaft 15 are a plurality of fuel injection p~unps 46, preferably one for each statc>r chamber ; 30. of the stator, which fuel injection pumps preferably bein~
run off the shaft 15 by means of a cam arxange~ent similar ; to that used for the distributor of a noxmal four-stro~e car engine. The pumps 46 are connected with t~le fuel injetion ports by uel lines 69.
~S~7 Although this invention has been described particularly with reference to a rotary combustion engine having compression ignition it should be understood that the engine of the present invention could be adapted so as to be readily 5. utilizable as an engine in which a fuelA/air mixture is sucked or induced into the stator chambers by the impellers and spark plugs or other ignition means utilized to provide the explosion of this fuel/air mixture.
Further, with sui~able modifications to the ports 10. provided in the stator, the engine of the present invention, could be adapted so as to readily operate as a turbine or a pump.
As hereinbefore mentioned, the cam followers are lubricaked by means of a sealed system, whilst an oil 15. p~mp (not shown) which would be mounted on or driven by the shaft 15, provides spurts of oil into the air stream blown from the air blower 41 into the stator chambers 50 as to lubricate each of the impellers.
Although in the xotary engine shown in the accompanying 20. drawings, see especially figure 2, the cam followers 13 abut directly on the rocker arms 12 and the fixed cam 14, it is envisaged that the cam follower operation could be spring assisted.
Thus, by this invention there is provided a rotary 25. engine which has a relatively low number of moving parts whilst providing a high power/weight ratio, the engine shown in the accompanyihg drawings having two stator ch~mbers and six impellers thus providing twelve power stro~es per rotor revolution.
30. Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that modifications and improvements may be made thereto without deparl;ing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendecL claims.
Claims (11)
S CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A rotary engine, including: a generally annular stator having an inner circumferential surface provided with at least one pair of oppositely positioned stator chambers and cam surfaces between each of said stator chambers; a rotor mounted within said stator;
said rotor provided with a plurality of impellers; each impeller being pivotally mounted within a respective chamber in the perimeter of said rotor; each impeller having an explosion face and a com-pression face which converge to an outer lip which sealingly engages said inner surface of said stator as said rotor rotates therein;
the spacing between adjacent impellers being such that a charge can be contained between the compression face of one impeller and the explosion face of the next preceding impeller; and a fixed cam engaged by a plurality of cam followers; each cam follower being connected with a respective impeller to pivot it outwardly into each of said stator chambers to provide a driving stroke as the respective impeller moves through each of said stator chambers;
said cam surfaces being so adapted as to maintain an impeller within its chamber in said rotor until the next preceding impeller has moved near to or just beyond the completion of its driving stroke within one of said stator chambers.
said rotor provided with a plurality of impellers; each impeller being pivotally mounted within a respective chamber in the perimeter of said rotor; each impeller having an explosion face and a com-pression face which converge to an outer lip which sealingly engages said inner surface of said stator as said rotor rotates therein;
the spacing between adjacent impellers being such that a charge can be contained between the compression face of one impeller and the explosion face of the next preceding impeller; and a fixed cam engaged by a plurality of cam followers; each cam follower being connected with a respective impeller to pivot it outwardly into each of said stator chambers to provide a driving stroke as the respective impeller moves through each of said stator chambers;
said cam surfaces being so adapted as to maintain an impeller within its chamber in said rotor until the next preceding impeller has moved near to or just beyond the completion of its driving stroke within one of said stator chambers.
2. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 in which each one of said stator chambers has two adjoining segments each having sub-stantially the same radius of curvature but substantially offset centres of curvature with a substantially flat surface conjoining said segments; with inlet and exhaust ports provided in each stator chamber adjacent said substantially flat surface such that exhaust gases remaining in a first of said segments are assisted in escaping through said exhaust port by air blown through said inlet port.
3. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 2 in which said explosion face and compression face, of each of said impellers, diverge away from said outer lip towards an arcuate rear surface of said impeller which rear surface is slidably mounted within said rotor chamber.
4. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 comprising: a pair of end plates secured on either side of said stator; said fixed cam mounted on one of said end plates; each of said impellers mounted on a gudgeon pin extending through a respective impeller; a rocker arm mounted on each of said gudgeon pins and abutting one end of a respective cam follower; each of said cam followers mounted within, and caused to move along, a respective slot provided in said rotor.
5. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 comprising: an inlet and an exhaust port provided in each of said stator chambers;
an air blower connected with each of said inlet ports in said stator chambers; an air flow provided by said air blower to the front of a compression face of each impeller as it passes an inlet port in a respective stator chamber; said air being compressed between said compression face of each impeller and one of said cam surfaces of said stator; a fuel supply connected with said stator to supply fuel adjacent each stator chamber and to provide an explosion of a fuel/compressed air mixture against the explosion face of each preceding impeller as it pivots outwardly into a stator chamber.
an air blower connected with each of said inlet ports in said stator chambers; an air flow provided by said air blower to the front of a compression face of each impeller as it passes an inlet port in a respective stator chamber; said air being compressed between said compression face of each impeller and one of said cam surfaces of said stator; a fuel supply connected with said stator to supply fuel adjacent each stator chamber and to provide an explosion of a fuel/compressed air mixture against the explosion face of each preceding impeller as it pivots outwardly into a stator chamber.
6. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 5 in which said blower is mounted on and is driven by a shaft extending through said rotor, ducting provided around said stator and end plates to direct cooling air passing thereover into a first stage of said blower.
7. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 6 in which radial slots are provided along end surfaces of the rotor, the outer surfaces of said stator being slotted so as to facilitate and direct a flow of cooling air therearound and into said first stage of said blower.
8. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 3 in which said arcuate rear surface of each impeller is provided with at least one aperture extending into an axial aperture in said impeller, a gudgeon pin located in said axial aperture to pivotally mount said impeller in said rotor, a locking member inserted, into the or each aperture to lock said gudgeon pin and said impeller together.
9. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 3 in which removable seals are provided along said outer lip of each of said impellers further seals being provided along a rear end and each side of said explosion face.
10. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 comprising:
a fuel supply connected with each of said stator chambers;
a fuel ignition apparatus connected with said stator adjacent each of said stator chambers to ignite a compressed fuel/air mixture carried by one impeller and to provide an explosion against an explosion face of a preceding impeller.
a fuel supply connected with each of said stator chambers;
a fuel ignition apparatus connected with said stator adjacent each of said stator chambers to ignite a compressed fuel/air mixture carried by one impeller and to provide an explosion against an explosion face of a preceding impeller.
11. A rotary engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said cam surfaces is formed as a raised arcuate surface between each of said stator chambers.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ17362174 | 1974-03-11 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1045557A true CA1045557A (en) | 1979-01-02 |
Family
ID=19917090
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA221,673A Expired CA1045557A (en) | 1974-03-11 | 1975-03-10 | Rotary engine having cam-controlled pivoted vanes |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5834649B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1045557A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2510588A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2264185B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1500619A (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1032259B (en) |
Families Citing this family (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2139704B (en) * | 1983-05-12 | 1988-03-09 | Aylmer James Martin Aldwinckle | Rotary positive displacement machines |
| JPS59196155U (en) * | 1983-06-15 | 1984-12-27 | 富士重工業株式会社 | Side edge structure of automobile seat |
| JPS6211448U (en) * | 1985-07-04 | 1987-01-23 | ||
| JPH0432993Y2 (en) * | 1985-10-31 | 1992-08-07 | ||
| JPH0432994Y2 (en) * | 1985-10-31 | 1992-08-07 | ||
| JPH02133249A (en) * | 1988-11-15 | 1990-05-22 | Tokyo Seat Kk | Thigh support adjusting device for vehicle seat |
| WO1997012133A1 (en) * | 1995-09-26 | 1997-04-03 | Christopher Bernard Wade | Rotary engine and compressor |
| DE19639503C1 (en) * | 1996-09-26 | 1998-01-15 | Herbert Huettlin | Rotary piston engine |
| CN1310784A (en) * | 1998-06-02 | 2001-08-29 | 克里斯托弗·伯纳德·韦德 | Rotary engine and compressor |
| EP1483487A4 (en) * | 2002-01-09 | 2007-05-30 | Karnes Dyno Rev Engine Inc | Internal combustion engine |
| DE102013017359B4 (en) * | 2013-10-18 | 2020-10-15 | Peter Gehrke | Turntable engine |
-
1975
- 1975-03-10 GB GB9950/75A patent/GB1500619A/en not_active Expired
- 1975-03-10 CA CA221,673A patent/CA1045557A/en not_active Expired
- 1975-03-10 IT IT48534/75A patent/IT1032259B/en active
- 1975-03-11 DE DE19752510588 patent/DE2510588A1/en not_active Ceased
- 1975-03-11 JP JP50029424A patent/JPS5834649B2/en not_active Expired
- 1975-03-11 FR FR7507595A patent/FR2264185B1/fr not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS50132315A (en) | 1975-10-20 |
| DE2510588A1 (en) | 1975-09-18 |
| JPS5834649B2 (en) | 1983-07-28 |
| GB1500619A (en) | 1978-02-08 |
| FR2264185A1 (en) | 1975-10-10 |
| IT1032259B (en) | 1979-05-30 |
| FR2264185B1 (en) | 1978-06-30 |
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