GB759110A - Improvements in or relating to internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Abstract

759,110. Rotary engines. FRANCIS. C. J. Aug. 10. 1955 [Aug. 14, 1954], No. 23684/54. Class 110(2) An internal combustion engine comprises a fixed cylinder 10 of hollow toroidal form disposed eccentrically to a rotatable shaft 23, a number of pistons arranged in pairs 28, 29 and rotatable around inside the cylinder 10, and connecting means between each piston and the shaft 23, said means controlling the relative movement between the pistons. The pistons of each pair move together during their revolution from maximum to minimum radial distance from the shaft, and move apart during their revolution from minimum to maximum radial distance from the shaft. The embodiment illustrated has four pairs of pistons with the shaft 23 off-set towards the top of the cylinder 10 and operates on a two-stroke cycle. Arcuate sealing plates 17. 18 which slide against each other are L-shaped in crosssection and are arranged back-to-back so that their vertical limbs fit closely within an inner annular slot 14 in the cylinder 10 to seal said slot between each pair of pistons 28, 29, each piston being secured to one end 32 of a sealing plate. Roller bearings 34 are placed between transverse limbs 17a of the sealing plates and flanges 15 formed from the edges of the slot 14. A connecting rod 36 connects a lug 40 on each sealing plate to the periphery of a disc mounted on the shaft 23 the disc having two flanges 38, 39 with the leading pistons 28 connected to the flange 38 and the trailing pistons 29 to the flange 39. In Fig. 2 the pistons rotate anti-clockwise, a pair of pistons 28, 29 being closest together at top dead centre where there is one or a set of sparking plugs 42, the pistons moving apart during the driving stroke until they reach a first exhaust port 43 and a second exhaust port 44, at bottom dead centre, preferably connected to a rotary exhauster driven by a shaft 26. The pistons pass an inlet port 45 and move towards each other to compress the charge. Eight or more pairs of pistons may be used and a four stroke cycle may be employed. The engine is water cooled. Two or more such engines may be mounted on a common drive shaft with angular staggering of the discs.