GB2576909A - A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine - Google Patents

A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2576909A
GB2576909A GB1814514.4A GB201814514A GB2576909A GB 2576909 A GB2576909 A GB 2576909A GB 201814514 A GB201814514 A GB 201814514A GB 2576909 A GB2576909 A GB 2576909A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
valve
bore
volume
rotary valve
combustion
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.)
Granted
Application number
GB1814514.4A
Other versions
GB201814514D0 (en
GB2576909B (en
Inventor
Lawes Keith
Mason Brian
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
RCV Engines Ltd
Original Assignee
RCV Engines Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by RCV Engines Ltd filed Critical RCV Engines Ltd
Priority to GB1814514.4A priority Critical patent/GB2576909B/en
Publication of GB201814514D0 publication Critical patent/GB201814514D0/en
Priority to TW108101965A priority patent/TWI826412B/en
Priority to US17/272,800 priority patent/US11377983B2/en
Priority to JP2021512237A priority patent/JP7479612B2/en
Priority to BR112021004246-6A priority patent/BR112021004246A2/en
Priority to AU2019333865A priority patent/AU2019333865A1/en
Priority to CN201980059398.7A priority patent/CN112703301B/en
Priority to GB1912687.9A priority patent/GB2576981A/en
Priority to PCT/EP2019/073559 priority patent/WO2020049032A1/en
Priority to EP19772652.4A priority patent/EP3847347B1/en
Publication of GB2576909A publication Critical patent/GB2576909A/en
Priority to PH12021550465A priority patent/PH12021550465A1/en
Priority to CONC2021/0002958A priority patent/CO2021002958A2/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2576909B publication Critical patent/GB2576909B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01L—CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01L7/00—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements
    • F01L7/02—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly shaped valves
    • F01L7/021—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly shaped valves with one rotary valve
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01L—CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01L7/00—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements
    • F01L7/02—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly shaped valves
    • F01L7/021—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly shaped valves with one rotary valve
    • F01L7/023—Cylindrical valves having a hollow or partly hollow body allowing axial inlet or exhaust fluid circulation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01L—CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01L7/00—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements
    • F01L7/02—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly shaped valves
    • F01L7/028—Rotary or oscillatory slide valve-gear or valve arrangements with cylindrical, sleeve, or part-annularly shaped valves having the rotational axis coaxial with the cylinder axis and the valve surface not surrounding piston or cylinder
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02F—CYLINDERS, PISTONS OR CASINGS, FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES; ARRANGEMENTS OF SEALINGS IN COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02F1/00—Cylinders; Cylinder heads 
    • F02F1/24—Cylinder heads
    • F02F1/242—Arrangement of spark plugs or injectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01L—CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01L2250/00—Camshaft drives characterised by their transmission means
    • F01L2250/06—Camshaft drives characterised by their transmission means the camshaft being driven by gear wheels
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01L—CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01L2301/00—Using particular materials

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Combustion Methods Of Internal-Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Valve-Gear Or Valve Arrangements (AREA)
  • Cylinder Crankcases Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)

Abstract

A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore and a rotary valve 5 rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing. A spark plug is screwed into a plug bore in the valve housing adjacent the valve body with a bore volume 26 between the spark plug 24 and the opening into the combustion chamber, the bore volume being in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber through a vent 27. Vent 27 vents volume 26 so as to avoid trapping burnt exhaust gas within volume 26 which may cause a problem with fresh air/fuel mix reaching the spark plug.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine Abstract Title: A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine (57) A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore and a rotary valve 5 rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing. A spark plug is screwed into a plug bore in the valve housing adjacent the valve body with a bore volume 26 between the spark plug 24 and the opening into the combustion chamber, the bore volume being in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber through a vent 27. Vent 27 vents volume 26 so as to avoid trapping burnt exhaust gas within volume 26 which may cause a problem with fresh air/fuel mix reaching the spark plug.
At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.
2/2-
FIG. 2
A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine
The present invention relates to a spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine in which the control of the intake and exhaust gases of combustion is achieved by means of a rotary valve.
A rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising: a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, the cylinder having a combustion end, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore and a rotary valve rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing, the rotary valve having a hollow valve body having an interior volume forming a part of the combustion chamber, wherein the interior volume of the hollow valve body is subjected to combustion gases throughout the combustion process, and further having in a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing.
The present invention seeks to provide such an engine with improved combustion efficiency.
According to the present invention there is provided a rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising: a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, the cylinder having a combustion end, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore and a rotary valve rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing, the rotary valve having a hollow valve body having an interior volume forming a part of the combustion chamber, wherein the interior volume of the hollow valve body is subjected to combustion gases throughout the combustion process, and further having in a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing, wherein the engine is a spark ignition engine, the spark plug being screwed into a plug bore in the valve housing adjacent the valve body, a spark plug volume being formed in the plug bore between the spark plug and the valve body, and a vent is located between the spark plug volume and the main cylinder volume, to vent combustion gases in the spark plug volume into the main cylinder volume
In a preferred embodiment, the vent comprises a bleed hole in the valve housing or a channel or groove in the valve housing
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a single cylinder air cooled spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine, and
Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic view of part of the rotary valve body and spark plug, and
Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a single cylinder air cooled engine. The engine has a cylinder housing containing the cylinder 2. A piston 1 is connected in the conventional manner to a crankshaft 3 mounted for rotation in a crankcase 14 for reciprocation in the cylinder 2. The upper part of the cylinder 2 is closed by a combustion chamber 4 in a combustion chamber housing. The flow of inlet air/fuel mix and exhaust gas into and out of the combustion chamber 4 is controlled by a rotary valve 5. In this embodiment, the valve 5 is rotatable in a valve housing 8 in the combustion chamber housing about an axis 5a which is co-axial with the axis of the cylinder 2. In other embodiments, the axis of rotation of the valve body is offset from the axis 5a of the cylinder 2.
At its end remote from the combustion chamber 4, the rotary valve 5 has a concentric drive shaft 6 carrying a single race ball bearing 7 which rotatably supports the valve 5 in the valve housing 8. The valve driveshaft 6 is secured to a coaxial driven gear 9 which meshes with a drive gear 10 of a drive arrangement 11 through which the driven gear 9 and hence the rotary valve 5 is connected to the crankshaft 3. The drive arrangement 11 includes a drive shaft 12 which is located in a channel or tube 17 in the cylinder housing and mounted for rotation in an upper bearing 18 adjacent the drive gear 10 and a lower bearing 13 adjacent the crankshaft 3. The driveshaft 11 carries a bevel gear 15 which meshes with a corresponding bevel gear 16 secured on the crankshaft for rotation with the crankshaft 3. Thus, the rotation of the crankshaft 3 and hence the piston movement is coordinated with the rotation of the rotary valve 5 so that the engine operates on the conventional four stroke cycle. To achieve this, the diameter of the driven gear 9 is twice that of the drive gear 10 so that the rotary valve 5 rotates at half engine speed.
Referring now to Figure 2 also, there is shown more detail of the rotary valve 5 which comprises a generally cylindrical rotary valve body 5 rotatable about a rotary valve axis 5a with a close sliding fit in the bore in the valve housing 8, the rotary valve 5 having a hollow valve body having an interior volume 19 forming a part of the combustion chamber. The valve has a generally cylindrical body part comprising the valve body 19 itself which is slightly larger in diameter than the shaft 6, which forms a shoulder 14 against which the inner race of the ball bearing 7 is located. The valve body 19 extends into the combustion chamber and has in its interior a volume 20 which forms part of the combustion chamber 4 and which is subject to combustion gases at all stages of the combustion process. The valve body 19 is rotatable in a bore in a valve housing 8 with a close sliding fit.. The valve 5 and the valve housing 8 are formed of aluminium.
The shaft 6 part of the rotary valve 5 is only slightly smaller in diameter than the valve body 19 to provide the shoulder 14. The shaft is solid to provide a good path for conducting heat from the valve body 19 to the exterior.
The rotary valve body 19 has a port 21 which, during rotation of the valve, enables fluid communication successively to and from the interior volume of the valve and hence the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing. In this embodiment the port 21 is in the form of a recess formed in the lower peripheral edge 22 of the wall 23 of the valve body adjacent to the combustion chamber 4 the recess extending upwardly from this lower edge of the wall of the valve to form the port 21 in the side of the valve.
Ignition is provided by a spark plug secured into a plug bore 25 formed in the valve housing 8 and extending into the valve bore. The axis of the plug bore 25 where it meets the valve body is axially below the centreline of the valve ports. In this way, the point of ignition is closer to the main mass of the incoming fuel mixture.
The plug bore is formed with a screw thread just long enough to secure the plug 24 in the plug bore 25, the remaining part of the plug bore 25 between the end of the screw thread supporting the plug and the opening of the plug bore 25 into the combustion chamber comprises a spark plug bore volume 26 the bore of which is smooth to improve the flow of the incoming fuel charge and to speed the passage of the flame front from the spark plug into the main volume of the combustion chamber 4.
The plug bore volume 26 is inevitably present since it is necessary to ensure that there is a gap between the body of the spark plug itself and the rotating valve. However, this does have the disadvantage in that it forms a pocket for exhaust gases after ignition which tends to delay the incoming charge/air mixture for the next cycle and also prevents the maximum possible amount of charge/air mix reaching the spark plug. To obviate this disadvantage a vent 27 is provided leading from the spark plug bore volume 26 to the main volume of the combustion chamber so that the spark plug bore volume 26 is in fluid communication with the main volume of the combustion chamber 4. This vents the volume 26 prior to the next input of fresh fuel charge for the next cycle. As shown in Figure 2, the vent 27 comprises a bore leading from the volume 26 into the combustion chamber 4. In alternative constructions, the vent may be formed by a channel or groove formed in the valve housing 8.

Claims (3)

1. A rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising: a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, the cylinder having a combustion end, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore and a rotary valve rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing, the rotary valve having a hollow valve body having an interior volume forming a part of the combustion chamber, wherein the interior volume of the hollow valve body is subjected to combustion gases throughout the combustion process, and further having in a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing, wherein the engine is a spark ignition engine, the spark plug being screwed into a plug bore in the valve housing adjacent the valve body, a spark plug bore volume being formed in the plug bore between the plug and the valve body, and a vent is located between the spark plug volume and the main cylinder volume, to vent combustion gases in the spark plug volume into the main cylinder volume.
2. A rotary valve internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the vent comprises a bleed bore in the valve housing or a channel or groove in the valve housing.
3. A rotary valve internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the vent comprises a channel or groove in the valve housing.
Intellectual
Property
Office
Application No: GB1814514.4
Examiner:
Mr Gareth Bond
GB1814514.4A 2018-09-06 2018-09-06 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine Active GB2576909B (en)

Priority Applications (12)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1814514.4A GB2576909B (en) 2018-09-06 2018-09-06 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine
TW108101965A TWI826412B (en) 2018-09-06 2019-01-18 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine
CN201980059398.7A CN112703301B (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 Rotary valve internal combustion engine
EP19772652.4A EP3847347B1 (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 A rotary valve internal combustion engine
BR112021004246-6A BR112021004246A2 (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 internal combustion engine with rotary valve
AU2019333865A AU2019333865A1 (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 A rotary valve internal combustion engine
US17/272,800 US11377983B2 (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 Rotary valve internal combustion engine
GB1912687.9A GB2576981A (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine
PCT/EP2019/073559 WO2020049032A1 (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 A rotary valve internal combustion engine
JP2021512237A JP7479612B2 (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 Rotary valve internal combustion engine
PH12021550465A PH12021550465A1 (en) 2018-09-06 2021-03-04 A rotary valve internal combustion engine
CONC2021/0002958A CO2021002958A2 (en) 2018-09-06 2021-03-04 An internal combustion engine with rotary valve

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1814514.4A GB2576909B (en) 2018-09-06 2018-09-06 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201814514D0 GB201814514D0 (en) 2018-10-24
GB2576909A true GB2576909A (en) 2020-03-11
GB2576909B GB2576909B (en) 2022-12-14

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GB1814514.4A Active GB2576909B (en) 2018-09-06 2018-09-06 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine
GB1912687.9A Withdrawn GB2576981A (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1912687.9A Withdrawn GB2576981A (en) 2018-09-06 2019-09-04 A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine

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GB (2) GB2576909B (en)
TW (1) TWI826412B (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB201814496D0 (en) * 2018-09-06 2018-10-24 Rcv Engines Ltd A spark iginition rotary valve internal combustion engine

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4494500A (en) * 1982-06-01 1985-01-22 Hansen Engine Corporation Rotary valve assembly
US4773364A (en) * 1984-11-15 1988-09-27 Hansen Engine Corporation Internal combustion engine with rotary combustion chamber
GB2467947A (en) * 2009-02-20 2010-08-25 Rcv Engines Ltd Rotary valve internal combustion engine

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB578866A (en) * 1944-08-21 1946-07-15 Briggs Mfg Co Improvements in and relating to valves for internal combustion engines
US4311119A (en) * 1979-04-05 1982-01-19 Menzies Murray A Internal combustion engines
US4612886A (en) * 1984-11-15 1986-09-23 Hansen Engine Corporation Internal combustion engine with rotary combustion chamber
GB2453593A (en) * 2007-10-12 2009-04-15 Gordon Mcnally Turbo valve gas seal system for i.c. engine rotary valve
GB201814496D0 (en) * 2018-09-06 2018-10-24 Rcv Engines Ltd A spark iginition rotary valve internal combustion engine

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4494500A (en) * 1982-06-01 1985-01-22 Hansen Engine Corporation Rotary valve assembly
US4773364A (en) * 1984-11-15 1988-09-27 Hansen Engine Corporation Internal combustion engine with rotary combustion chamber
GB2467947A (en) * 2009-02-20 2010-08-25 Rcv Engines Ltd Rotary valve internal combustion engine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TW202010930A (en) 2020-03-16
GB201814514D0 (en) 2018-10-24
TWI826412B (en) 2023-12-21
GB2576981A (en) 2020-03-11
GB201912687D0 (en) 2019-10-16
GB2576909B (en) 2022-12-14

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