GB2062748A - Internal Combustion Engine - Google Patents

Abstract

In a body in which are rotatably mounted one or two crankshafts 2, 3 having three cranks 2A, 2B, 3A, three cylinders 6, 7, 8 are provided with axially moving pistons 12, 13, 14 each piston being operatively connected to a respective crank. In the first cylinder 6 air is compressed; in the second cylinder 7 some of the said air is further highly compressed and charged with fuel whereby compression-ignition causes combustion and a rise in pressure which motivates the respective crank 2B; the third cylinder 8 receives still- burning gases from the second cylinder 7 and also the remaining compressed air to effect by means of the respective crank 3A further motivation of the crankshaft, the main objects of which processes is to extend the engine's combustive and motivational periods and to minimise aerial pollution. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An Internal Combustion Engine Background of the Invention This Application relates to the construction and operation of a highly efficient internal combustion engine, which is herein referred to as the subject engine, and which includes many significant characteristics or features of which the following four are regarded as being essential to the engine's efficiency.The first essential feature consists of means whereby the engine's combustion period is extended, whereby its combustive efficiency is greatly enhanced; the second essential feature consists of means whereby the engine's effective motive period is also extended whereby the engine's motive efficiency is also greatly enhanced, (and both said periods shall be defined); the third essential feature being that whereas many fuels contain added chemical compounds which affect the fuels combustion, such additives usually cause very harmful pollution, and such polluting effects must be avoided in the subject engine; and the fourth essential feature being that such an engine must effect at very high pressure the combustion of charges of fuel and air whereby a piston is activated in a chamber and a crankshaft is rotated; a fifth feature which is important is that the subject engine's power-weight ratio is to be as high as is practicable, which feature is of special significance to the problem of vehicular propulsion. In reference to the second essential feature many conventional engines, for the purpose of improving their power-weight ratio, are constructed and adjusted to operate on an over-rich fuel-air mixture, (which term describes a mixture which lacks sufficient air for the complete combustion of the fuel), but the usage of such a mixture causes a serious loss of combustive efficiency and also causes excessive pollution which results from discharging into the atmosphere an excessive amount of unburnt fuel.

In contrast, to reduce the said excessive pollution many engines in recent times operate on a too lean mixture with the result that although pollution is somewhat reduced thereby, the motive efficiency and fuel economy are also seriously reduced. The subject engine includes means which reduce pollution but increase the engine's motive efficiency and fuel economy, as shall be explained. In reference to the third essential feature as herein stated it relates only to pollution of the atmosphere and has three principal sources, firstly the discharge of the said additives as described; secondly unburnt carbon hydro-carbons, and carbon-monoxide as discharged by an engine; and thirdly sulphates, nitrites, and other chemicals which are inherent to fossil fuels.For the reason that the invention aims at minimising pollutions, types of engines which for inherent reasons cause pollution by the discharge of additives, or which are incapable of effecting combustion at high pressure as explained are eliminated from this discussion, but in contrast three types of engine which do not include such inhibiting features are herein designated as comparative types of engine and are discussed for comparison with the subject engine.In this discussion it is assumed, (a) that only engines which include a chamber which houses a piston which effects the rotation of a crankshaft are capable of performing the four said essential functions; (b), that for convenience in this discussion the crankshaft of each such engine shall be understood to rotate in a clockwise sense unless otherwise described; and, (c), that the "stroke" of a piston is its movement from its inner dead central position to its outer dead central position or its movement in the opposite sense.

For the reason that the said comparative types of engine all include many common features of construction and operation a general description of such a unit in its simplest form is herein referred to as the general form of an engine, which form consists of a simple viable unit which includes a body which rotatably houses a crankshaft which integrally includes a crank; integral with the body a combustion chamber which is cylindrial in form and which slidably houses a piston; a connecting rod which is rotatably attached both to the crank and to the piston whereby axial movement of the piston causes rotary movement of the crankshaft.

Whereas the engines which are herein referred to operate generally at varying speeds it is necessary that descriptions of the instantaneous locations or the displacements of their motive pistons shall be described in terms of the corresponding angular locations or angular displacements of cranks which operated in concert with the respective pistons, so that when a motive piston of an engine, being located at its inner dead central position at a time when the respective combustion chamber contains a charge which consists of air or a mixture of air and fuel, the location of the piston is described as being at zero degrees, after which as explained the crankshaft rotates in a clockwise sense while the piston moves outward, (which means that the piston moves further away from the crankshaft) until it arrives at its outer dead central, or 1 80 degrees position, after which further rotation of the crankshaft moves the piston inward until it returns to its inner dead central position which in the case of a two-stroke engine, (which term shall be explained), is the piston's position either at zero or at 360 degrees.

Engines of the said general form operates as follows: when the piston is located at its inner dead central position (which is its zero degrees position), the chamber contains a charge of fresh air or fuel-laden air; the crank then rotates in a clockwise sense as explained, whereby the piston moves outward thereby compressing in the combustion chamber the said charge. If the said charge consists of fresh air fuel is injected into it whereby compression-ignition occurs approximately at 1 70 degrees, but alternatively if the charge consists of fuel-laden air heat is applied thereto, (which heat is usually applied by means of an electric spark), whereby in either case ignition occurs and causes a contained explosion whereby the gas pressure in the chamber increases and the engine's combustive period commences.After leaving the piston's 170 degrees position the piston moves firstly to its outer dead central position, (which is its 1 80 degrees position), and then moves inward to its 200 degrees position. It is obvious (a), that when the piston is located at its outer dead central position the gas pressure which is meanwhile being applied to the head of the piston cannot apply torque to the crank; (b), that after leaving its outer dead central position the piston moves inward, whereby torque is increasingly applied to the crankshaft until a time arrives at which the torque becomes effective which time is arbitrarily assumed to be when the piston arrives at its 200 degrees position, whereat the engine's effective motive period commences.From the foregoing it is also obvious that a piston which is so mounted and operated cannot apply effective torque to a respective crankshaft after the piston has reached its 340 degrees position, whereby it is shown that such a piston cannot have an effective motive period of more than 140 degrees. The foregoing discussion describes the significant features which are common both to the subject engine and to comparative engines and which features are hereinafter referred to as the general form of an engine.Acceptable practice in the design of engines includes appropriate factors such as the ratio that the piston stroke over the piston diameter approximately equals one and onetenth; and that the ratio of the optimum length of the connecting rod over the stroke of the piston equals approximately two and one half, and such proportions have been included in the subject engine, but it is to be understood that all angle and dimensions which are included herein are for explaining the various processes which the engines perform and are not necessarily the best angles available for the stated purposes. Certain characteristics which inhibit the efficiency of comparative internal combustion engines are herein described and are numbered as faults as follows.

Fault Number 1. Combustion when effected at low pressure is unacceptable in that it lowers the power-weight ratio of the respective engine; Fault No. 2, volumetric inefficiency wherein, especially at high speed, various types of engine lack sufficient air for the complete combustion of their fuel, (and this inefficiency can be caused either by the respective engines inability to inhale sufficient air for the efficient combustion of the fuel, or by the engine's being supplied with an excess of fuel in its air-fuel mixture); Fault No. 3 the too early discharge of the gases of combustion causes Fault 3a, motive inefficiency; Fault No. 3b, excessive exhaust noise;Fault No. 3c, excessive engine vibration; Fault No. 3d, wastage of fuel, and Fault No. 3e an unacceptable degree of pollution which results from excessive discharge of carbon monoxide, of unburnt hydrocarbons, or of lubricating oil; Fault No. 4, pollution which is caused by fuel additives as explained;Fault No. 5, time lag which occurs especially at high engine speeds which lag is caused, (Fault No. 5a) by the inertia of operative gases; (Fault No. 5b) by the inertia of mechanically motivated valvular means; (Fault No. 5c) by long and tortuous passages; (and in consideration of an engine's performance it is to be noted that high rotational speed is necessary to maximise the power-weight ratio, but that high engine speed reduces the time wherein fresh air can enter the combustion chamber, whereby the said engine lacks sufficient fresh air to completely burn its contained charge, and as a result experiences volumetric inefficiency;Fault No. 6, inefficient scavenging of burnt gases which occurs, (Fault No. 6a) as a result of the said delayed valvular action when such delay is caused by inertia of the valvular means, and (Fault No.

6b), which inefficient scavenging also occurs very significantly when an engine's exhaust and inlet ports are both located near the inner end of an engine's combustion chamber and in close promixity to one another whereby the said location of the ports inhibits the efficient scavenging of the burn gases, especially of the gases which remain at the outer end of the respective combustion chamber.

A first comparative type of engine is known as a "two stroke diesel" and an operable unit of this type in its simplest form is constructed as in the said general form of an engine, and this type is characterised in its first compressing in its combustion chamber a charge of fresh air until, approximately at the respective piston's 170 degrees position, fuel is injected into the air, whereby compression-ignition occurs and the period of combustion commences. The effective motive period commences at the piston's 200 degrees position and both periods end at the piston's 270 degrees position as a result of the piston, while moving inward at that time uncovering a port wherethrough the gases of combustion escape.

After releasing the gases of combustion the piston uncovers an inlet port wherethrough fresh air is admitted to the combustion chamber, after which the piston moves to its 360 degrees position whereby the engine's cycle of operations is completed.

In summarising the main features of this first type of engine it has been shown to have a 360 degree cycle of operation, a combustive period of 100 degrees, and an effective motive period of 70 degrees, but is liable, especially at high engine speed, to experience volumetric inefficiency as in Fault No. 2; that due to a short combustive period it is liable to experience Faults Numbers 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and 3e; that it is liable to experience time lag as in Fault 5a, and possibly its most serious fault is its inefficient scavenging of the combustion chamber as described in connection with Fault 6b.

The second type of comparative engine is known as a "four stroke diesel engine" and a viable unit in its simplest form thereof includes the said general form of an engine, but differs from engines of the first type in that its cycle of operation is completed while the piston performs four strokes in completing its cycle of operations, and while the piston moves from its zero degrees position it applies a very high degree of compression to a charge of air which is contained in the combustion chamber. When the piston, thus performing its first stroke, arrives at its 1 70 degrees position additive-free fuel is injected into the compressed air whereby compression-ignition is effected and the engine's combustion period commences.As in the general form of an engine, the piston, while performing its second stroke arrives at its 200 degrees position whereat the effective motive period commences, after which the piston completes its second stroke by moving to its inner dead central position, (which is at the piston's 360 degrees position) and a mechanically activated discharge valve is unseated whereby the gases of combustion escape and the piston again moves outwards to perform its third stroke, during which the gases of combustion are discharged and the piston arrives at its outer dead central position, (which is the piston's 540 degrees position); after which a discharge valve being reseated and an inlet valve being unseated the piston moves inward to perform its fourth stroke and thereby draws a charge of fresh air into the combustion chamber, after which the piston arrives at its inner dead central position, (which is its 720 degrees position), whereat both valves being seated the engine completes its cycle of operation.

As explained a piston which is operated as described cannot apply effective torque to a crank after passing its 340 degrees position whereby if a summary of the characteristics of this second type of conventional engine it has been shown that such engines have a 720 degree cycle of operation, have a combustion period of 170 degrees and an effective motive period of 140 degrees, but that such engines, to some extent are subject to the Faults Numbers 2, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, and to a greater extent to Faults Numbers 5b and 6a, and also that such engines powerweight ratio is reduced by the necessity of their crank-shafts to rotate twice in order to deliver each motive impulse.

The third type of comparative engine is known as a "four stroke engine having fuel injection" and a le unit thereof in its simplest form includes the said general form of an engine and is similar to the said second type in that during its first stroke the piston compresses a charge of air until, approximately at the piston's 1 70 degree position, fuel is injected into the compressed air, but this third type differs from the second type in that the fuel-charged air is ignited by the application of heat, which application is usually effected by means of an electrical spark.A summary of the characteristics of engines of this third type is identical with the summary which has been applied to engines of the second type, but differs therefrom in that engines of the third type operate efficiently at lower gas pressures than are required for engines of the first or second types.

The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims, and in order that the invention and its manner of performance will be more fully described reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the medial plane of the subject engine.

Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C are diagrams which illustrate the flow and pressure of gases which operate the subject engine.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the medial plane of a simplified alternative embodiment of the subject engine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a pressure relieving means which relates to Figures 1 or 3.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment The construction of the preferred embodiment is shown on Fig. 1 and includes a body 1 which rotatably houses a first crank shaft 2 which has two cranks 2A and 28 and the description also includes a second crankshaft 3 which has one crank 3A; mounted respectively on the crankshafts 2 and 3 are two operatively identical gears 4 and 5 which engage each other to effect co-action of the said crank shafts. The body also includes three integrally constructed cylinders as follow; a first cylinder 6, a second cylinder 7, and a third cylinder 8.Respectively the cranks 2A, 28 and 3A are rotatably connected to pistons 12,13, and 14, whereby rotation of the cranks 2A, 2B, and 3A can effect respective axial movement of the pistons 12, 13, and 14 in the cylinders 6, 7, and 8. (An advantage which accrues from the inclusion in the subject engine of the second crank shaft 3 is that such an inclusion enables each of the connecting rods 9, 10, and 11 to be of the optimum length (which has been explained), whereby their motive efforts are most efficiently applied to their respective cranks or pistons).The outer ends of the cylinders 6 and 7 are gas-tightly closed by a valve mounting plate 1 5 and a cover plate 1 6 to form in the cylinder 6 a compression chamber 17, (wherein fresh air is compressed), and the cylinder 7 includes a first or high pressure combustion chamber 18. The outer end of the cylinder 8 is gas-tightly closed by a cover 1 9 to form a low pressure or second combustion chamber 20.

The cover 16 mounts a mushroom headed relief valve 23 whose face contacts and closes a port 1 SA which is in the valve mounting plate 15.

The valve 23 includes a valve stem 23A upon which a weak spring 238 is mounted. The outer face of the port 1 5A contacts a groove 1 6A which is in the cover plate 16, which groove connects with the chamber 1 7 and acts as a portion thereof. In the wall of the cylinder 7 a passage or port 7A connects the chamber 18 to the chamber 20.

Against the inner face of the cover 16 is located a plate valve 21 which has a plurality of holes such as 21A, at least one stem 21 B, and each such stem has a weak locating spring 21 C.

The cover 16 has a plurality of holes such as 16B, none of which opposes holes such as the holes 21 A in the plate valve 21. The cover 16 also mounts a fuel injection device 22 as shown on Fig. 1.

The cover 19 includes a passage 1 9A wherein a relief valve 24 is located, a valve seat 19B which contacts the valve 24, and a boss 1 9C which mounts a valve cover 24A. A stem of the relief valve 24 is housed in the boss 1 9C and also in the outer end of the valve cover 24A, and the stem is shouldered to contact a pressure plate 25, and between the pressure plate and the inner end of the valve cover 24A is located a strong spring 26 whose strength shall be described.

The foregoing descriptions of the essential components of the subject engine are followed by descriptions of the interactions of the said components and such latter descriptions include references to the Figures 2A, 28, and 2C, which record the respective gas pressures which apply during each operational period of the subject engine, which periods are each of 360 degrees duration, and which pressures apply respectively to the pistons 12, 13, and 14 which operate in the chambers 17, 18, and 19 as shown respectively on Figs. 2A, 2B, and 2C.In each of the three said figures a straight line relates to normal atmospheric pressure, and a curved line indicates the relatively higher or lower gas pressure which applies instantaneously in respective chambers; numbered ordinates relate to angular displacements of each of the three cranks 2A, 2B, and 3A during the operational period of the subject engine, of which ordinates the zero degrees ordinate relates to the respective locations of each crank and piston as shown on Fig. 1. The inner and outer dead central positions of each piston are shown respectively as IDC and ODC.Periods which on the Figs. 2A, 28 and 2C are dimensioned and designated as "Port 6A" "Port or Passage 7A" and "Port 8A" relate to respective ports and passages shown on Fig. 1 and such periods are located about ordinates as shown and commence at an ordinate marked "0" whereat an associated piston commences the uncovering or opening of a related port, and such periods end at the time when a piston closes a respective port, which time is indicated by the letter "C ' being shown on the respective ordinate.

The flow of gases is shown by arrows which are designated as D - - - D, E - - - E, and so on. For the reason that relief valves 21,23 and 24 operate automatically as the result of gas pressure differentials their actions are not shown on Figs. 2A, 28, or 2C.

Fig. 2A relates to the piston 12 which is motivated by the clockwise-rotating crank 2A whereby at the 20 degrees position the piston is moving inward, whereby a partial vacuum is created in the chamber 17, and as a result of this vacuum atmospheric air unseats the plate valve and enters the chamber as shown by the arrows E. Also, when the piston 12 uncovers the port 6A the partial vacuum is ended and the chamber 17 is filled with fresh air at atmospheric air pressure, (whereby the Fault No. 2 is obviated), and thereby the plate valve 21 resumes its seat.The piston completes its inward movement at 180 degrees as shown and then moves outward until at 230 degrees it covers the port 6a and proceeds to compress the now enclosed air, which compression is intensified until the said air unseats the valve 23 and passes into the chamber 18, as shown by the arrows D; and the piston 12 arrives at its outer dead central, zero, or 360 degree position, whereat the unit pressures in the chambers 17 and 18 becomes equalised and the valve 23 returns to its seat. After the valve 23 leaves its said position at zero degrees the piston 12 moves inward until its movement causes a pressure drop in the chamber 1 7 and the creation therein of a partial vacuum as already explained, which movement completes the cycle of operation of the piston 12.

Fig 28 relates to the piston 13 which operates in the chamber 18 to rotate the crank 28 in a clockwise sense, and the piston is at its zero degrees position, (which is also its inner dead central position as shown on Fig. 1), after which it moves outward to its 40 degrees position whereat it completes the covering of the port or passage 7A and thereby encloses in the chamber 18 a volume of gases whose composition shall be described.

After passing the 40 degree position the piston applies very high pressure to the said enclosed gases until at the 1 70 degrees position, (which is shown by the letter Z on Fig. 28), additive-free fuel is injected into the compressed air through the fuel injecting device 22, (see Fig. 1), whereby compression-ignition of the fuel-air mixture results, and which, during an engines cycle of operations as described, such a piston effectively motivates the crank 28.

To understand the composition of the said burning gases it is to be noted that as shown on Fig. 1, the capacity of the chamber 17 exceeds that of the chamber 18 whereby, when the said volume of compressed air moves axially through the chamber 18 from its outer to its inner end and the passage 7A being open, almost all of the still burning gases pass into the chamber 20 and are followed there into by an indefinable amount of the said compressed air which has been received from the chamber 17, which movements are shown by the arrows F on Fig. 28.

It is obvious that the described movements of gases scavenge the products of combustion very efficiently from the chamber 18.

As a result of the said movements of gases pressure is maintained in both chambers 18 and 20 until the piston 13, moving outward to its 40 degrees position covers the passage 7A thereby enclosing under pressure in the chamber 18 a charge of almost pure air which the piston's continued outward movement compresses for the performance of a second motive effort, which effort will be part of the engines subsequent cycle of operation.

After the said ignition in the chamber 1 8 a first combustion period commences, after which the piston moves, firstly, outward to its outer dead central positions, and secondly, inward to motivate the crank 28 by means of the gas pressure which is meanwhile being applied to the piston 13, which pressure causes a first stage of a first motive period to commence at the 200 degree ordinate as shown on Fig. 28, and which motive period is shown as a hatched area from the 200 degree position onward. From the 200 degree ordinate onward the piston 13 effectively motivates the crank 28 while the gas pressure in the chamber 18 diminishes somewhat until approximately at the 340 degree position, at which time, while the gases of combustion are still burning the first stage of the engines first effective motive period ends.At the 320 degree position the piston commences the uncovering of the passage 7A as shown on Fig. 28, and thereby the burning gases are released into the chamber 20 at a time which is assumed to be the piston's position at 340 degrees, which as explained is the latest position at which the piston 13 is able to apply effective motivation to the crank 28. It is of significance that while the piston 12 is taking a great amount of energy from the crankshaft 2 for the purpose of compressing air, another great amount of energy as explained is being delivered to the said crankshaft by the piston 13, which coaction between the said pistons results in the subject engine obviating most of the engine vibration which other high pressure combustion engines produce. (See Fault No. 3C).

Fig. 2C relates to the piston 14 which operates in the chamber 20 to rotate the crank 3A in an anticlock sense, which sense being reversed by the co-action of the gears 5 and 4 ensures the coaction of the crankshafts 2 and 3 in motivating the engine.

As shown on Fig. 2C the piston 14 when at its 300 degrees position is also at its outer dead central position and is experiencing very high gas pressure which shall be explained. At the 320 degrees position the piston 14 is moving inward and the chamber 20 being closed by the piston 1 3 having covered the passage 7A movement of the piston 14 causes the gas pressure in the chamber 20 to drop suddenly. At the 320 degrees position when, as explained, the piston 13 is commencing the uncovering of the passage 7A practically all of the gases of combustion together with a portion of compressed air which came from the chamber 1 7 move into the chamber 20 as shown by the arrows F on Fig. 28.

It is of great significance, firstly, that at the 340 degrees position the gas pressure in the chamber 1 8 becomes motivationalfy ineffective as explained; and secondly, that at that instant the gases being released into the chamber 20, wherein, for the reason that at that time the piston 14 in its inward movement has moved 40 degrees beyond its outer dead central position, it is ideally located to use the pressure being exerted by the gases of combustion to motivate the piston 14; and thirdly, that the gas pressure which ensues from combustion in the chamber 1 8 is greatly augmented by further combustion in the chamber 20, which combustion accrues from the said gases of combustion being mixed with the said portion of the volume of fresh air which was received through the chamber 1 8 into the chamber 20, and thus, as explained, and as shown by the hatched area on Fig. 2C, a second stage of the subject engines first effective motive period commences approximately at the 340 degrees position. (Effects which results from the presence of the said supply of extra fresh air to the chamber 20 shall be further described as the work proceeds).

The piston 14 in continuing its inward movement as shown on Fig. 2C completes the second stage of the engine's first effective motive period when it uncovers the exhaust port 8a, and it is assumed that the gases of combustion will not produce effective torque after the 100 degrees position has been met, whereat the second stage of the engine's effective motive period, together with the engine's combustive period end, (as shown by the hatched area on Fig.

2C), and almost all of the gases of combustion leave the chamber 20 as shown by the arrows G.

As shown on Fig. 2C the pistion 14 arrives at its inner dead central position at the 120 degrees position and thenceforth moves outwards, and at the 1 60 degree position, (at which time the piston 1 3 is covering the passage 7A), the piston 14 covers the exhaust port 8A and by moving outward compresses the gases contained in the chamber 20 until the piston 14 approaches its outer dead center, (which is at the 300 degrees position) whereat the volume of the chamber 20 is minimal, and the gas pressure therein is very high, being sufficiently high to unseat the valve 24 by compressing the strong spring 26 whereby the said compressed gases of combustion escape through the channel 1 9A after which the valve 24 returns to its seat. The strength of the spring 26 is such that the valve 24 will not be moved by pressures which are applied by operative gases in the chamber 20, but the valve will be unseated by the higher pressures which as explained are applied to discharge the gases of combustion through the passage 19A.

The control of the richness or the leanness of the subject engines fuel-air mixture affects the performance of the engine as will now be explained.

The engine is designed to be motivated, firstly, by combustion in the chamber 18 of an over-rich fuel-air mixture, and secondly. in the chamber 20 by the said burning mixture together with additional fresh air as explained whereby the originally rich mixture becomes a lean mixture which discharges a minimum of polluting substances into the atmosphere, and which applies added motivation by the piston 14 to the crank shaft 3.

In conditions when the engine is lightly loaded the richness of the fuel-air mixture in the chamber 1 8 is diminished somewhat but such diminution of richness still allows the piston 13 to operate very efficiently whereby the engine will continue to operate satisfactorily and its fuel economy will not be greatly impaired meanwhile. In contrast, in an emergency, when extra energy is required of the engine, extra fuel is delivered to the already rich fuel mixture which arrives in the chamber 1 8, and together with added fresh air as explained, passes into the chamber 20 wherein the added fresh air assists in the efficient combustion of the over-rich mixture, whereby extra energy is produced by the engine without seriously reducing the engines fuel economy and without seriously increasing the engines air polluting effect.

This ability to operate efficiently even when under-loaded or over-loaded is known as the engines flexibility, which is more a characteristic of the subject than of commercial engines, which latter in a viable unit have but one motive chamber but no secondary supply of air and wherein a diminution of the fuel supply thereto causes a very significant, or a complete loss of power, and wherein an increase of the fuel supply causes, firstly, only aa a small increase in the energy produced, and, secondly, an appreciable increase in pollution and a wastage of fuel as in Faults Numbers 3d and 3e.

The following discussion compares the significant features which have been herein attributed to the said comparative engines with similar or corresponding features which relate to the subject engine. Whereas combustion in the subject engine is effected at high pressure the said Fault No. 1 is thereby obviated. The volumetric efficiency of the subject engine is ensured as described by the actions of the valve 21 and of the inlet port 6A, and by the suitability of the extent of the volume of the chamber 17 whereby the Fault No. 2 is obviated. Whereas comparative engines have a maximum period of combustion of about 1 70 degrees and a maximum effective motive period of about 140 degrees the subject engine has respective periods of 290 and 260 degrees whereby the Faults Numbers 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, and 3e are obviated.

The subject engine burns additive-free fuel efficiently because of its extended period of combustion. thereby obviating the Fault No. 4.

Whereas the design of the subject engine excludes plain and tortuous passages which in some engines are used for conveying operative gases the subject engine thereby obviates the Faults Numbers 5, 5a, 5b, and 5c. Whereas in the subject engine the gases of combustion are dnven from the high pressure chamber 18 into the chamber 20 by a blast of compressed air received from the chamber 1 7, and whereas the residual gases of combustion are forcibly expelled from the chamber 20 through the passage 1 9 the scavenging effected by the subject engine is very efficient, and therefore the Faults Numbers 6, 6a and 6b are obviated.

On Fig. 1 a spark plug is shown, and it is to be located in the chamber 20 at a point whereat it is best able to ignite the gases contained in the chamber, and its functions are, (a) in circumstances such as when starting to operate the engine, before the engine is capable of applying compression-ignition to fuel-laden gases contained in the chamber 18, the said gases pass into the chamber 20 wherein they are electrically ignited by the spark plug and the engine is thereby activated, and, (b) when the subject engine is operating, to provide an auxiliary ignition means to improve the subject engines combustive efficiency Whereas engines of the third type appear to be the most efficient of the three said types of comparative engine, a comparison shall now be made between a unit of such a type and a unit of the subject engine, wherein each unit includes four motivational cylinders and operates during one revolution of its respective crankshaft. It is of the greatest significance that whereas the comparative engine burns two charges of fuel and is notivated through a total angle of 280 degrees, each charge being burnt during an angle of 1 70 degrees, the subject engine also burns two charges and is thereby motivated through a total angle of 520 degrees, each charge being burnt through an angle of 290 degrees whereby improvements in both the combustive and the motivational efficiency of the subject engine are clearly shown.

An alternative embodiment of the subject engine is shown on Fig. 3 which has one crankshaft 101 which includes cranks 101A, 101 B and 101 C, which act respectively in concert with connecting rods 102 103 and 104 and with pistons 105 106 and 107 as shown on Fig. 3, whereby as explained in referenccnccnce to the similar pistons 12 13 and 14 which are shown on Fig. 1, the motivation of this alternative embodiment is effected. This alternative embodiment differs from the preferred embodiment only in that only one crankshaft is included. This feature is advantageous in that the construction is thereby simplified, but is thereby disadvantaged in that either the connecting rods 102 and 103 need to be inordinately long or the connecting rod 104 needs to be inordinately short whereby motive efficiency of the embodiment wouid be inhibited.

For the reason that activation of an engine at high pressure presents difficulties, Fig. 4 illustrates a means whereby either embodiment of the subject engine can be activated at low pressure and then switched to high pressure operation. and the figure includes a fragment of an engine whose features closely resemble those which are shown on Figs. 1 and 3 and which include a body 301 which has a compression chamber 302 and a high pressure motive chamber 303, both chambers being gas-tightly closed at their outer end by a valve mounting plate 304 and by a cover plate 305. In the cover plate 305 a groove 305A connects to, and acts as a part of the compression chamber 302.A piston 306 having moved to its outer dead central position has minimised the volume of the chamber 302 and has highly compressed a charge of fresh air, which charge has passed into the groove 305A, and by unseating a valve 307 has then passed into the chamber 303, all of which herein described equipment is operative as similar equipment which is described in connection with Fig. 1, but in contrast thereto Fig.

4 includes, integral with the cover plate 305, a boss 308 which contains an internal passage 308A, which at its inner end meets the groove 305A and its outer end meet a chamber 308B, which chamber includes a valve seat 308C and which passage is intercepted by a stop valve 309.

Attached to the boss 308 is a valve housing 310 whose outer end is closed by a cover 311.

Within the valve housing 310 is housed a spherically ended valve 312 which contacts the valve seat 3088 which valve has a stem which is slidably housed in the valve cover 311. Mounted on the stem is a spring 31 3 which abuts the head of the valve 312 and also the cover 311, whereby the valve head contacts the valve seat 308C.

Included in the valve housing 310 is at least one laterally located hole 31 OA.

The operation of the boss 308 and its associated members is as follows When the rotary valve 309 is closed the elements which on Fig. 4 are associated with the boss 308 are inoperative so that an engine which is then so equipped operates identically as described in connection with Fig. 1, but when the rotary valve 309 is open a portion of the compressed air from the chamber 312 raises the valve 31 2 from its seat and escapes through the hole(s) 310 whereby insufficient air to effect compression-ignition is delivered to the chamber 303, but the air which is delivered being charged with fuel passes into the low pressure motive chamber wherein it is ignited by a spark plug such as is shown on Fig. 3, whereby the respective engine is motivated, after which the stop valve 309 being closed causes the respective engine to function normally; that is, it receives charges of fuel-laden air in the chamber 303 and pressureignites the charges in the chamber 303 in a normally operative manner as described in reference to Fig. 1, which method of starting the operation of the respective engine is an improvement on the usual method of starting the operation of compression-ignition engines.

Fig. 1 illustrates the first stage of motivation in the embodiment wherein combustion creates very high pressure in the chamber 18 whereby the piston 13 motivates the crank 28, as explained, and meanwhile the said pressure diminishes and the gases of combustion pass to the chamber 20 whereby the piston 14 applies a second act of motivation indirectly to the said crank, after which the gases of combustion, which are still at pressure, pass away through the port 8A. It is obvious that the said pressurised gases can be further utilised to perform a further act(s) of motivation if transferred through the port 8A to an added chamber which can receive and process the said gases received from the port 8A in the same manner that the chamber 20 receives and processes the gases received from the chamber 18, and it is to be understood that the Application covers means whereby each charge of fuel, through a plurality of chambers together with their associated components, applies motivation to an engines crankshaft.

Claims (6)

Claims

1. An internal-combustion engine having a body which rotatably houses a crankshaft which includes three cranks, and which body includes a first, a second, and a third cylinder in each of which a piston is housed, each piston being operably connected to a respective crank whereby rotation of each crank is associated in each respective cylinder with piston movement outward from, or inward movement toward the crankshaft; each cylinder having its outer end enclosed by a cylinder head to form a respective chamber; the operation of the total mechanism is herein described in two stages each of which explains the interactions between the components of the mechanism during practically one half of one revolution of the crankshaft, and during the first stage the following facts emerge; from a first point in time the first piston being motivated by the rotating crankshaft moves outward from its inner dead central location and highly compresses in the first chamber a charge of air which displaces a spring-biassed pressurerelieving valvular means and thereby passes into the second chamber, of which charge its relative volume shall be described; from the same first point in time the second piston being at its outer dead central location, and being subjected to great pressure which is exerted against its head by a burning charge of fuel and air moves inward to its inner dead central location thereby motivating the crankshaft while the pressure in the second chamber lowers and the said piston uncovers in the wall of the second chamber an intermediate passage wherethrough the said burning gases, together with some of the compressed air received from the first chamber, are scavenged from the inner end of the second chamber to the outer end of the third chamber, and the volume of the said charge of compressed air being controlled by the relative capacities of the first and the second chamber is such that when the said air passes into the second chamber its volume is sufficient to effectually scavenge from the second to the third chamber the gases of combustion, and also to provide in the third chamber additional air which assists in the complete combustion of the fuel, while the second chamber remains under pressure which is exerted by practically pure air contained therein; at the said first point in time the third crank having moved the third piston to a location which Is angularly beyond the piston's outer dead centre, the gas pressure resulting from the combustion of gases in the third chamber being applied to the head of the third piston is converted to torque which Is applied to the third crank, which application continues until the piston uncovers a port which aliows all but a remnant of the gases of combustion to escape to the atmosphere whereby the gas pressure In the third chamber reduces to zero, and thus the first said stage of the operation of the mechanism is completed; during the second said stage the first piston moves inward meanwhile creating in the first chamber a partial vacuum whereby atmospheric air unseats a pressure-relieving valvular means and thereby, through at least one port refills the first chamber while the piston moves to its Inner dead central location, also during the said second stage the second piston moves outward firstly covering the said intermediate passage and thereby enclosing in the second chamber the charge which consists partly of buming gases but mainly of compressed air which was received as explained from the first chamber, which charge Is further compressed by the further outward movement of the second piston until the piston approaches its outer dead central location whereat fuel is Injected into the charge whereby compression-ignition occurs, after which the second piston arrives at its outer dead central location and proceeds to move inward as already explained; meanwhile the third piston having arrived at its inner dead central position has released all but a remnant of the gases of combustion as explained, after which, while the second piston having moved outward has covered the intermediate passage the third piston, moving outward approadhes its outer dead centre and then applied very high pressure to the said remnant of the gases of combustion, which pressure operates a pressure-relleving valvular means, thereby discharging the said remnant of gas through a port to the atmosphere, but the said valvular means, because of the strength of its biassing spring, is inoperative under the respective chambers lesser operational gas pressure; almost immediately when the third piston leaves its outer dead central position the gas pressure in the third chamber drops, and then the inward movement of the second piston uncovers the said intermediate passage whereby as explained, the next charge of burnt and burning gases enters the third chamber.

2. In contrast to the combination of Claim 1 wherein Its motivation is effected by reciprocal movements in three cylinders of respective pistons which each receive motivation from, or deliver motivation to three respective cranks on a.

single crankshaft, this Claim relates to a mechanism wherein the first and second pistons identically act in concert with a first crankshaft as described in Claim 1, but this Claim also includes a second crankshaft which includes a crank which operates in concert with the said first crankshaft, and which crank is angularly located about the axis of the second crankshaft whereby the third crank acts in concert both with the third piston and with the first and second pistons to reciprocate identically with the three similar and respective pistons described in Claim 1.

3. The combination of Claim 1 wherein a chamber which receives combustible gases contains a spark plug for igniting the said gases.

4. The combination of Claim 1 and including, integral with the cover plate a boss, which includes an internal passage which at its inner end meets the first chamber and at Its outer end meet a chamber which Includes a valve seat, and which passage is intercepted by a stop valve; a pressure-relieving valve contacting the valve seat to enable the valve to control the pressure at which air can be delivered from the first to the second chamber.

5. The combination of Claim 1 wherein the first chamber being operative to supply compressed air includes at its inner end a port leading to the atmosphere wherethrough an additional means is provided for re-stocking with air the said first cylinder, which port is operative while the first piston is located at Its inner dead central position.

6. The combination of Claim 1 from which is excluded a crank, a connecting rod, a cyllnder, a chamber, a pressure-relieving valvular means and other components which are associated with the air-compressing piston, whereby the first motive piston when moving inward creates a partial vacuum in the first motive chamber whereby air is admitted to the chamber through a port which air is controlled by a pressure-relieving valvular means.