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
  • F01C1/02—Rotary-piston machines or engines of arcuate-engagement type, i.e. with circular translatory movement of co-operating members, each member having the same number of teeth or tooth-equivalents
  • F01C1/063—Rotary-piston machines or engines of arcuate-engagement type, i.e. with circular translatory movement of co-operating members, each member having the same number of teeth or tooth-equivalents with coaxially-mounted members having continuously-changing circumferential spacing between them
  • F01C1/07—Rotary-piston machines or engines of arcuate-engagement type, i.e. with circular translatory movement of co-operating members, each member having the same number of teeth or tooth-equivalents with coaxially-mounted members having continuously-changing circumferential spacing between them having crankshaft-and-connecting-rod type drive

Definitions

• TECHNOLOGY FIELD The Intellectual Property covered by this Patent relates to engines, compressors and fluid driven motors, particularly to a Revolving/Oscillating piston Machine having a Satellite Crankshaft mechanism, specifically adapted for operation as a 4-Stroke Internal Combustion Engine for use on all manner of machinery/vehicles that can benefit from a prime mover that is compact, lightweight, quiet, vibration free, durable with low fuel consumption and almost zero pollution, including coupling to a propeller of an outboard motor, ship, hovercraft, and aircraft.
• the Scope of the technology field also indisputably includes the enhanced claims of:- Multiple Back-Up Axially adjacent Ganging of a plurality of machines as well as Multiple Back-Up plurality of axially adjacent independent sets of machines coupled to fans having a communal ducted fan casing, adapted for cold jet propulsion of aircraft.
• VTOL Very Take-Off and Landing
• Gas Turbines are unbearably noisy, run at exceedingly high speeds burning hot temperatures, requiring high temperature alloys, suffer from high exhaust pollution, and are too dangerous for use on land vehicles, or near people. Their use is mostly confined to power stations and aircraft. When used on helicopters, heavy, costly gear boxes are required which limit range and work load. Gas turbines are still not powerful enough nor suitable for VTOL Passenger Airliners.
• Wankel Engines (not strictly rotary) are prohibitively difficult to mass produce because they embody a tricorn rotor with internal gear teeth and an epitrochoidal cylinder, a profile that inspite of computer controlled machines, can not compete in price with costly reciprocating engines.
• Wankel Engines (not strictly rotary) are prohibitively difficult to mass produce because they embody a tricorn rotor with internal gear teeth and an epitrochoidal cylinder, a profile that inspite of computer controlled machines, can not compete in price with costly reciprocating engines.
• the object of the present invention is to not only overcome the drawbacks in the present state of the art but to provide a Breakthrough Quantum Leap in innovative Attributes that go well beyond present state of the art limitations creating new embodiments for I.C. engines, compressors, pumps and fluid driven motors, previously not feasible. These embodiments include inexpensive, super efficient, green prime movers for Automotive Vehicles, Giant Power Stations. Ships and whisper quiet Cold Jet Propulsion units for VTOL Passenger Aircraft.
• Peripherally located Ports (claim lm, Figs 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 & 1 1) allows more than 86% PPAR (Piston/Port Area Ratios).
• the best Multi valve PPAR is 27%. Providing 300% Better Breathing than the best Multi valve engines.
• Double acting rotating/oscillating pistons provide rotating combustion chambers efficiently perform all phases of four stroke cycle, (claims le, h, 1 & m, fig 10) without valve gear, cam shafts or multiple crankshafts, provides Power to Weight Ratios, three times and eight times better than the best gas turbine and reciprocating engines respectively.
• Pistons can not touch the encompassing walls (claims lc, Id, le. If, lh & 11, fig 1, 2 & 12) There is no piston slap, consequently less friction, longer life.
• Thermostatically controlled full flow liquid cooled pistons permit provision of thermally protected internal catalytic implants (claims 7 & 10, fig 16). Pollutants burn inside chambers, producing useful work, lowering fuel consumption with almost zero pollution, even during cold start.
• Rotor shaft speed one third crankshaft speed (claim lj. figs 10 & 12) providing high torque at low engine speeds - faster acceleration, important for low speed applications - helicopter rotors, large motor vessels, outboard motors, ducted fans and racing cars.
• Central rotor shaft allows ganging of multiple engines for cold fan jet propulsion (claims la, 16 & 17, fig 17), provides multiple back-up and smoother torque - two ganged Engines give 16 radial cylinder smoothness with small diametrical silhouette and short length; ganging not possible with burning hot turbojet engines.
• Multiple backup diesel fuel engine/fan units having a communal duct case, plurality of cold air vectored thrust swivelling jet nozzle outlets, and fine gyroscopic, stabilising, digital control of pitch, roll and yaw outlet nozzles in wing tips, nose and tail (claims 12, 13 & 18, Fig 19), provide breakthrough VTOL passenger jet propulsion units with almost 100% multiple back-up safety, and no fire hazard - not possible with current heavy Kerosene burning hot turbojet engines.
• Essential features comprise a central revolving shaft, 1, in bearings, 2 & 3, contained in cover plates, 4 & 5, of a coaxial stepped combined piston housing, 9, and satellite crank case, 6s (figs 1, 2, 4 & 12).
• the shaft, 1, has a rotor flange, 10, disc, 1 1.
• the shaft, 1, has a rotor wheel, 19, in the satellite case, 6s, eccentrically carrying a satellite crank shaft, 21. on one side and on the other side, a satellite flywheel. 23, and satellite pinion, 24. having external gear teeth meshing with external teeth of a fixed ring gear, 25. bolted to inside of cover plate. 4.
• the oscillator flange, 16. has eccentric bearings, 26, engaging an integral overhang gudgeon pin, 27, of a connecting rod, 28, linked and actuated by Satellite crankshafts' crank pin, 22.
• Fig 1 is a sectional General Assembly of an Internal Combustion Engine embodiment
• Fig 2 is a sectional radial view of an Internal Combustion Engine embodiment
• Fig 3 is a cut-away perspective view of only the stationary components
• Fig 4 perspectively shows the Rotor Assembly, without the satellite sub-assembly
• Fig 5 is a cut-away perspective of the housing with part Rotor Assembly installed
• Fig 6 perspectively shows the Satellite Sub-Assembly meshing with fixed Sun Gear
• Fig 7 is an exploded and perspective view of the Piston Sealing blades and an Outer Cylinder Sealing Ring;
• Fig 8 perspectively shows the Satellite Sub-Assembly installed on the Rotor Assembly, as well as the fully balanced connecting rod and gudgeon pin;
• Fig 9 is a perspective cut away of the Oscillator Sub-Assembly
• Fig 10 sequential diagrams a-1 show one revolution of all 4 rotating chambers completing the four stroke cycle - Suction, Compression, Expansion and Exhaust, and includes Stroke Commencements. Conclusions, and Ignition Firing Positions;
• Fig 11 is a sectional general assembly of flywheel, starter motor and auxiliary pulley optionally contained in a separate modular housing, facilitating Quick Engine Change;
• Fig 12 is a cut away perspective of the full assembly;
• Fig 13 is a close up view of location of piston seals and disc/cylinder seals;
• Fig 14 shows the Bearing Pressure Lubrication and Internal Oil Cooling Circuits
• Fig 15 shows oil fog lubrication circuits for piston sealing blades and disc sealing rings
• Fig 16 shows optional catalytic implants coating areas on oscillator pistons
• Fig 17 is a GA of 2 ganged machines coupled to a fan having a ducted fan casing;
• Fig 18 is a GA of 2 axially adjacent independent sets of machines coupled to fans having a communal casing, giving multiple back-up without ganging;
• Fig 19 is a plan view showing critically necessary multiple back-up of 3 pairs of axially adjacent machines coupled to fans having a communal casing, particularly adapted for
• a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises:
• the rotor shaft, 1 has extensions. If and lp, beyond the cover plates, 4 & 5 respectively, with output coupling, 65. for mounting an output flywheel, 7 and auxiliary drive pulley, 8.
• One of the coaxial bores, 9, of the stationary housing, 6, is a precision bore of specific diameter and length, hereinafter called the “piston housing”, 9. and the other coaxial bore. 6s, is hereinafter called the “satellite crank case”, 6s.
• the rotor shaft, 1, is keyed to and rigidly supports a thick flat coaxial circular flange, 10. hereinafter called the "rotor flange", 10, which is located inside the piston housing, 9, near the piston housing cover plate, 5.
• the rotor flange, 10, has means provided on the rotor shaft, 1, to constrain it from outward axial movement, the constraining means including a circlip, lc, and snap ring, located in a grove, lg, provided in the rotor shaft, 1.
• the outer diameter of the rotor flange, 10, has a minimal running clearance inside the precision bore, 9.
• the rotor flange, 10, is rigidly attached to and supports a thick flat coaxial circular disc, 11 , of equal outer diameter, hereinafter called the "rotor disc", 1 1.
• the rotor disc. 11. is rigidly attached to and supports a thick walled coaxial inner cylinder, 12, of specific length and precision outer diameter, preferably one third of the precision bore, 9.
• the inner cylinder, 12 is hereinafter called the "rotor cylinder", 12.
• the rotor disc, 11 is rigidly attached to and supports the end faces of a set of two, symmetrically located, coaxial, arcuate, rectangular faced, double acting pistons, 13. hereinafter called the "rotor pistons", 13.
• the rotor pistons, 13, have an outer radius equal to the outer radius of the rotor disc, 11, an inside radius equal to the outer radius of the rotor cylinder, 12. and a specific length shorter than the length of tne rotor cylinder.
• the unattached end faces of the rotor pistons. 13, are bounded by a thick walled flat coaxial circular disc, 14, hereinafter called the "oscillator disc", 14, which has an external diameter and thickness similar to the rotor disc, 11 , and a bore with minimal running clearance on the rotor cylinder, 12, located so that the oscillator disc, 14, rotor disc, 11, rotor cylinder, 12, and piston housing, 9, form a rectangular sectioned annular enclosure within which the rotor pistons, 13. can rotate with minimal clearance and fluid leakage.
• the oscillator disc, 14. is rigidly attached, including integrally attached to(fig 16), and supported by a thick flat coaxial circular flange, 16, of equal outside diameter, hereinafter called the "oscillator flange". 16.
• the oscillator flange, 16, has a coaxial bore containing bearings, 15, mounted on the middle section of the rotor shaft, 1.
• the oscillator flange external axial face. 16f is provided with an axial thrust bearing, 17, and shoulder. Is, located on the rotor shaft, 1, to restrain expanding axial thrust pressure loads between the oscillator disc, 14, and the rotor disc, 11.
• the oscillator disc, 14, is rigidly attached to and supports the end faces of a set of two symmetrically located, coaxial, arcuate, rectangular faced double acting pistons, 18, hereinafter called the "oscillator pistons". 18.
• the oscillator pistons, 18. have an inner and outer arcuate radii equal to the inner and outer radii respectively of the oscillator disc. 14, and a length equal to the length of the rotor pistons. 13.
• the rotor shaft, 1, is rigidly attached to and supports a robust coaxially balanced thick circular disc shaped revolving wheel, 19, hereinafter called the "rotor wheel", 19. which is located inside the crank case, 6s.
• the satellite bearings. 20 support the journal. 21j, of a crank shaft. 21. hereinafter called the “satellite crank shaft", 21.
• the satellite crank shaft. 21 has a counter balance weight, 21b. and a single overhang crank pin, 22, on one side of the satellite bearings, 20, and a keyed circular flywheel, 23, and a pinion, 24, on the other side of the satellite bearings, 20.
• the overhang crank pin, 22, the flywheel, 23, and the pinion, 24, are hereinafter called the "satellite crank pin", 22, the “satellite flywheel”, 23, and the “satellite pinion", 24, respectively.
• the satellite pinion, 24, has external gear teeth meshing with external gear teeth of a fixed ring gear, 25, which is coaxial and separate from the rotor shaft, 1, and rigidly secured by bolts, 25b, to the inside face of the crank case cover plate. 4.
• the gear ratio of the ring gear, 25/satellite pinion, 24, is 2:1 so that one rotation of the rotor shaft, 1 , causes three axial rotations of the satellite crankshaft, 21.
• the unattached face of the oscillator flange, 16. is provided with eccentric parallel axial bearings, 26. which engage an integral overhang gudgeon pin, 27, provided on a robust balanced connecting rod. 28, having crank pin bearings, 29, engaging the satellite crank pin. 22.
• crank radius of the satellite crank shaft, 21 centre distance between crank shaft journal axis, 21a, and rotor axis, la, distance between the connecting rod. 28, centres, centre distance between rotor shaft axis, la, and gudgeon pin bearing axis, 26a, and specific dimensions, clearances and timing of all the aforesaid moving parts are so provided that rotation of the rotor shaft, 1 , causes relative oscillating movement between the rotor pistons, 13, and the oscillator pistons, 18, to provide four rotating chambers, w, x, y, & z, expanding and compressing to specific desired swept volumes, clearance volumes and compression ratios.
• the piston housing, 9, contains peripherally located apertures serving as an inlet port, 30, an exhaust port, 31, and inlet piping, 35, and exhaust piping, 34, respectively, two peripherally located spark plugs, 32a and 32b, including fuel/ignition handling management and equipment specifically phased, located and adapted with means including starter motor. 36, to operate the machine on the four stroke internal combustion engine cycle.
• piston sealing means is provided comprising a plurality of spring loaded overlapping axially and radially displaced thin rectangular shaped sealing blades.
• Perpendicular spring loading comprises a leaf spring, 40, located beneath each set of the blades, 37, 38 & 39.
• Lengthwise spring loading comprises a helical spring, 41, located in staggered cut-outs. 42, provided in the middle of the blades to seal the four corners of the pistons, 13/18.
• the inlet and exhaust ports, 30 & 31 respectively, include end support lands, 301 & 311, and central peripheral bridges, 30b & 31b, to support and prevent outer axial sealing blades. 37. from popping out when moving across the ports. 30 & 31.
• stepped shoulders, 43a & 43b. are provided on the inside inner peripheral surface of the oscillator disc, 14, containing stationary, snugly fitting inward sprung split sealing rings, 44a & 44b, to minimise fluid leakage between the inner periphery of the oscillator disc, 14, and outer periphery of the rotor cylinder, 12.
• Stepped shoulders, 45a. 45b, 46a & 46b, are also provided on the inside outer peripheral surface of the discs, 11/14 respectively, each containing stationary, snugly fitting outward sprung split sealing rings, 47a & 47b/48a & 48b. to minimise fluid leakage between the periphery of the discs, 11/14, and the bore of the piston housing, 9.
• the rings, 44a, 44b, 47a, 47b, 48a & 48b comprise flat rectangular sectioned spring steel having tolerances and finish to minimise fluid escaping past the clearance gaps under all operating conditions of the machine.
• a void, 16v is provided on the oscillator flange, 16. to counter balance the gudgeon pin bearing hole. 26h, about the centre of the oscillator flange axis, la.
• a balance weight, 28b is provided on the connecting rod, 28. to counter balance the masses of the connecting rod, 28, and the integral gudgeon pin, 27, about the axis of the satellite crank pin, 22.
• a balance weight, 21b is provided on the satellite crank shaft, 21, to counter balance the masses of the satellite crank pin, 22, connecting rod, 28, gudgeon pin, 27, and connecting rod balance weight, 28b, about the axis, 21a, of the satellite crank shaft journal, 21j, and a balance weight, 19b, is provided on the rotor wheel, 19, to counter balance the masses of the rotor wheel, 19, satellite pinion, 24, satellite flywheel, 23, satellite crank shaft, 21, crank shaft balance weight, 21b, satellite crank pin, 22, gudgeon pin, 27, connecting rod, 28, and connecting rod balance weight, 28b, about the axis, la, of the rotor shaft, 1.
• wet lubrication oil sumps, 50 & 51 are provided in the satellite crank case, 6s, and in the piston housing, 9 (in the gap between rotor flange, 10, and adjacent cover plate, 5) respectively, to serve as reservoirs for lubrication oil and oil coolant.
• the bearings in the machine are plain oil pressure lubricated bearings provided with oil pressure lubrication, supplied via a net work of oil pressure galleries, 52n & 53n, by oil pressure pumps, 52 & 53, having rotors. 52r & 53r, driven by the rotor shaft, 1, with oil galleries, 52g & 53g, connected to the sumps, 50 & 51.
• thermostatically controlled cooling means comprising :- coolant passages 13c/18c. contained within the rotor pistons, 13, and oscillator pistons, 18, respectively; coolant passages, 10c/ 16c. contained between the rotor disc, 1 1, and rotor flange, 10, and oscillator disc, 14, and oscillator flange, 16; coolant passages, 12c, on the inside of the rotor cylinder, 12; preferably all the above coolant passages are connected to and provided with coolant pumping means, including communal pumping means, 52 & 53, for oil lubrication and oil coolant; and. water coolant passages.
• the cooling means includes, at least one air cooled fin, (not shown), provided on at least one component of the machine requiring cooling.
• lubrication means is provided to lubricate the piston sealing blades, 37/38/39. and disc sealing rings, 44a 44b/47a/47b/48a & 48b, including oil fog lubrication induced through a network of oil fog lubrication galleries, 54, communicating with the oil fog in oil sumps. 50 & 51 , and gaps between piston sealing blades, 37, 38 & 39, when the gaps are subject to suction pressure.
• the oil fog lubrication galleries, 54 include centrifugally controlled metering means. 55, to automatically meter oil fog lubrication to increase proportionately with the speed of the machine, and include the provision of non-return valves, 56, located in the lubrication galleries, 54. to prevent combustion gases from entering the sumps, 50 & 51.
• exhaust pollution reduction means comprising catalytic material implants. 57, located in a significant portion of piston surface areas exposed to incomplete combustion and pollutants, particularly piston headland surface areas.
• the catalytic material. 57 comprise Platinum. Rhodium and Palladium.
• implant operating temperature control means is provided, comprising thermostatic flow control of piston/encompassing wall coolant to maintain temperatures sufficiently high for catalytic reaction, without thermal damage to catalyst at all engine loads and speeds (not shown);
• the ring gear, 25/satellite pinion, 24, gear ratio is other than 2:1, preferably 3:1, 4:1. 6:1 and 8:1 (not shown).
• At least one low pressure injector nozzle means is provided in wall of the piston housing, 9. including an air/fuel fog injection nozzle, 33, air/lubricant fog injector nozzle (not shown) and supercharged air non-return connection. 67. for injection into the rotating chambers w, x, y and z, after the inlet port, 30. is closed.
• high compression ratio means is provided sufficient to operate the engine on the compression ignition diesel cycle, including, instead of spark plugs, the provision of diesel fuel injection nozzles located in the piston housing and diesel fuel injection handling management and equipment means provided to inject diesel fuel at the end of each compression stroke (not shown).
• the set of two rotor pistons, 13, and set of two oscillator pistons, 18, also includes at least three rotor pistons and at least three oscillator pistons, with corresponding increases in the number of ports, spark plugs and injectors (not shown).
• modular construction means are provided to facilitate quick assembly and disassembly, consisting at least two modules:- a power module containing the piston housing, 9. and satellite crank case housing, 6s, and an auxiliary module containing the main output flywheel, 7m, starter motor, 36m, and an auxiliary drive pulley, 64.
• the auxiliary module comprises a supporting flange, 59, having bearings, 60, which supports an adapter shaft, 63, attached to and supporting the main output flywheel, 7m, and the auxiliary pulley, 64.
• a splined fit. 65 is provided between the adapter shaft, 63 and one end of the rotor shaft, 1.
• a coupling, 71 is provided to enable the rotor shafts, lx & ly, of two machines, 72x & 72y, to be ganged in series for multiple back-up and increased power output, including off-setting of power phases of said machines for smoother torque, for applications including coupling the rotor shaft, 1 , of the ganged machines. 72x and 72y, to the hub, 68. of a fan, 69. having a duct case. 70. adapted for cold air jet propulsion.
• the machines are provided with coolant heat exchangers. 73x & 73y, exhaust piping, 34x & 34y, and exhaust silencers, 74x & 74y, located inside the duct case, 70, so as to dissipate waste heat into the airflow for thrust augmentation.
• multiple back-up independent sets of axially adjacent machines 75 & 76. coupled to a fan. 75f & 76f. having a communal duct casing, 77, with means to operate each set singly, jointly, and as back-ups, as desirable, each machine having its coolant heat exchangers, 75h & 76h Vietnamese exhaust piping, 75p & 76p, and exhaust silencers, 75s & 76s, dissipating their waste heat inside the duct casing, 77, for thrust augmentation.
• a multiple back-up means including six axially adjacent independent sets of machines, 79. each coupled to a fan, 80. including means to operate each of said sets singly, jointly, and as back-ups, the fans. 80, having a communal coaxial ducted fan cold jet propulsion casing, 78, also provided with a plurality of cold air vectored thrust swivelling jet nozzle outlets, 81, including provision of outlet piping, 82. for wing tip jet nozzles, 83. nose jet nozzles, 84, and tail jet nozzles, 85, with means adapted for providing gyroscopic stabilising digitally controlled nozzle actuating means for fine control of pitch, roll and yaw, specifically for VTOL aircraft propulsion.
• the rotor wheel, 19. embodies a starting ring gear with coupling mechanism and starter motor (not shown), instead of a separate flywheel provided with a starting ring gear.
• the machine is adapted for use as a fluid pump, including a compressor, including the use of non-return valves, including reed valves and spring loaded poppet valves, provided in the inlet and outlet ports (not shown).
• a fluid pump including a compressor, including the use of non-return valves, including reed valves and spring loaded poppet valves, provided in the inlet and outlet ports (not shown).
• non-return valves including reed valves and spring loaded poppet valves
• internal and external auxiliary equipment, handling and management means is provided to specifically adapt the machine for use as a pump instead of an internal combustion engine (not shown).

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• 1994
  • 1994-12-07 GB GB9424619A patent/GB2295857B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1995
  • 1995-11-28 EP EP95937122A patent/EP0797723A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1995-11-28 WO PCT/GB1995/002764 patent/WO1996018024A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1995-11-28 AU AU39326/95A patent/AU719681B2/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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