RO117931B1 - Rotary internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary internal combustion engine that utilizes a toroidal cylinder for the working chambers and comprises a toroidal motor (20) provided with some opposing rotor assemblies (45) which support some pistons (47). Some partially toroidal working chambers are formed between pistons (47), where a mixture of air and fuel builds up and then is ignited at the minimum volume of the working chamber, forcing the activated pistons (47) and the rotor assemblies (45) to accelerate. The rotor assemblies drive a planetary member (50) in a rotary motion about its own axis through a sliding pin connection (56). The planetary member or each planetary member rests on a crankpin (51) of a crankshaft (40), and is integral with a planet gear, meshed with an annulus gear (53) centered on the crankshaft axis. The crankshaft (40) may be arranged to counter-rotate relative to the rotor assemblies (4), by meshing the planetary member gear (52) with an annulus gear (53) or in the same direction by meshing with a sun gear.

Description

RO 117931 Β

The invention relates to a rotary internal combustion engine as well as to positive displacement rotary apparatus with pumps and fluid motors using a toroidal cylinder for working chambers.

Thus, internal combustion engines, fluid driven engines, 5 fluid pumps and external combustion engines are collectively referred to as toroidal engines in the following. However, for explanatory reasons the invention will be exemplified below with reference to its application to the internal combustion engine.

Many forms of rotary engines have been studied and manufactured to date. Primarily, they have been proposed as a means of reducing the inherent disadvantages associated with 10 conventional reciprocating piston engines and/or to provide a compact or lightweight engine that is more economical to manufacture and more efficient in terms of ; and view of the fuel. So far they have not been commercialized. The only mass-produced internal combustion engines are the Wankel rotary engine and the reciprocating piston engine. Conventional reciprocating engines and pumps have T-15 been used universally as a result of the simple and efficient conversion of reciprocating motion of pistons into rotary motion through a crankshaft. However, conventional reciprocating internal combustion engines have fuel consumption limitations due to friction caused by the multitude of moving parts. These moving parts generally include thrust bearings where friction increases with rotational speed and the number of bearings, piston rings which impose friction through the multitude of rings on each piston, and the valve train where numerous components operate, such as a combined system that produces significant friction to the engine as a whole.

In addition, the thermal efficiencies of internal combustion engines are reduced by the design of the mechanical components, the materials used, the mode of operation and the use of a common cylinder portion for all phases of the cycle. There are fuel efficient conventional internal combustion engines, but they are very complex units. Such complexity increases manufacturing and assembly costs.

The Wankel engine has found application in motor vehicles due to its high performance potential. However, for various reasons they have not been put into general use as replacements for conventional piston engines such as for commuter vehicles or mass-produced small industrial engines.

Other forms of rotary engines have also been produced. These include toroidal motors having a toroidal cylinder formed in the cylindrical cavity around a drive shaft assembly, rotor means supported to rotate about the drive shaft 35 and coupled to pistons in the toroidal cylinder, while the pistons move cyclically in and out of each other forming between them working chambers that enlarge and shrink in the toroidal cylinder and intake and exhaust ports that extend through the cylinder cavity assembly for the entry and exit of fluid into and out of the working chambers .

Typical earlier toroidal engine developments are described in Jan P. Norbye's THE 40 WANKEL ENGINE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS published by Chilton Book Company. in the bibliographic references can also be included in this chapter the patent FR 2498248 owned by Societe Naționale D' Etude et de Construcțion de Moteurs D' Aviațion Snecma and the patent DE 3521593, owned by Gebhard Huaser. Some of these engines use external mechanisms to effect the cyclic movement of the pistons, which 45 move in the cylinder while others use swashplates and cams and the like in the power train to achieve the desired mechanical coupling of the drive components.

RO 117931 Β for the purpose of mass production it is found that all prior art engines have disadvantages, either in inefficient configurations from the point of view of operation, or in the ability to achieve optimal power satisfactorily at normal working loads at 50 capacity. Many of the prior art also require sophisticated manufacturing or assembly processes, are difficult to assemble, are particularly complex, or operate inefficiently.

The present invention aims to provide toroidal motors that include at least one of the disadvantages specified above. 55

Internal combustion rotary engine of the type with moving pistons that progressively advance in a fixed toroidal cylinder _; formed in a cylindrical chamber assembly placed concentrically around a driving shaft, pistons having some sealing elements around them which directly engage the wall of the toroidal cylinder, so that the progressive advance of the pistons creates working chambers in expansion and contraction, defined of 60 the adjacent pistons and the fixed toroidal cylinder wall, which has inlet and outlet ports in communication with the outside of the cylinder chamber assembly for the inflow and outflow of fluid into and out of the working chambers, solves the above problem in that said cylinder toroidal has an annular access opening extending around its inner peripheral portion, the drive shaft is supported at its opposite ends on main bearings 65 to rotate about a drive shaft axis in a cylindrical chamber assembly in which it is formed fixed toroidal cylinder, this shaft also having an intermediate bearing concentric with its axis of rotation and located between the main bearings, supporting a pair of juxtaposed rotors to rotate about the axis of rotation of the driving shaft, rotors extending into the annular opening of access and operatively closed toroidal cylinder, the pistons 70 being supported on and extending outside the correspondingly juxtaposed rotors, and the driving shaft having a crank button outside the axis of the toroidal cylinder and being disposed, between the bearing and one of the main bearings , the crank knob supporting a planetary member rotating thereabout, provided with a complementary fixed drive member associated with the cylindrical chamber assembly such that rotation of the drive shaft causes the planetary member to rotate about the crank knob at a predetermined speed of rotation relative to the drive shaft, and each rotor supports a different drive pin from the intermediate bearing and is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, extending into one of the corresponding pairs of radially opposed clearances formed in the planetary element, the lead pin in one rotor passing through a window in 80 the other rotor to the respective clearance in the planetary element; the access opening being symmetrical with respect to the central plane comprising the toroidal central line of the toroidal cylinder; the access opening forming a narrow passage to the toroidal cylinder; each end of the drive shaft is placed on opposite sides of the cylinder chamber assembly;

the intermediate bearing extending radially behind the crank knob; the intermediate bearing 85 being symmetrical with respect to a central plane containing the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder;

the peripheral faces of the wheels being cylindrical and extending towards each other and terminating at the respective opposite joints between the access opening and the toroidal cylinder; juxtaposed rotors being identical, but opposite each other; each driving pin being placed in a boss formed in the respective rotor; the juxtaposed rotors overlapping the central plane containing 90 the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder, and the joint between said rotor and the piston thereon extending along a sector of said peripheral portion to a lateral part of said central plane; the cylindrical chamber assembly includes respective opposite chamber portions joining along the center plane containing the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder; the inlet and outlet ports being spaced from the joint, between the chamber portions 95; the drive shaft being forced into counter-rotational motion relative to

RO 117931 Β rotor; each pair of rotors having at least the number of pistons corresponding to the number of cycles of the engine type, the number of pistons being increased as a multiple of the number of cycles of the engine type; the rotors rotating in the opposite direction relative to the drive shaft 100, the inlet and outlet ports include a pair of diametrically opposed inlet ports and a pair of diametrically opposed outlet ports, said inlet and outlet ports being disposed at the respective spaced apart positions, adjacent to the positions where the pistons form volumes of the working chambers; the toroidal cylinder having a circular cross-section; the planetary element having a planetary wheel concentric to the crank button which 105 meshes with a wheel the complementation associated with the chamber, cylinder assembly and arranged concentrically around the axis of the driver shaft; the fixing of the driving pin being placed with the possibility of rotation in a sliding block that slides freely along the respective opening; each opening having a circular profile in which the sliding block is held captive by the opening; includes a duplicate planetary element mounted on another button

110 crank arranged coaxially with the knob but on the opposite side of the rotors, and each lead pin extends through a window in the rotor adjacent to its corresponding slot in each planetary member; the inlet and outlet ports being positioned in a portion of the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder; crank knob and intermediate bearing are one piece, and each main bearing spindle adjacent to a crank knob is in the form of a

115 movable main bearing eccentrically securing a crank knob end extension; is further provided with a corresponding driving joint placed between each rotor and the planetary element deflected from their respective axes, so that the different angular velocity of each driving joint about the axis of the driving shaft resulting from the epicyclic movement of the planetary element causes the pistons of the rotors to

120 cyclically move toward and away from each other as the rotors rotate in progressive motion about the drive shaft; the direct driving joint is a driving pin fixedly located in either the planetary element or the rotor and slidably mounted in a respective radial opening in the other element of the two to which it is not fixed; the drive shaft assembly extends between the chamber portions and is fitted with

125 rotatability in the respective portions of the opposite chamber within them, and the driving joint comprises components that can be operatively assembled over the driving shaft, from one of the respective opposite ends thereof by connecting the components in an axial direction, so that the rotating apparatus with positive displacement can be easily assembled by sequentially adding components in the axial direction in the gear

130 operative with each other; the pistons are supported in equal numbers on a pair of juxtaposed rotors, the total number of pistons being a multiple of four, the pistons being equally spaced around each rotor, and the inlet and outlet ports comprising an inlet hole and an outlet hole for each four pistons being arranged in the respective spaced positions where the adjacent pistons form minimum working chamber volumes, so that

135 each inlet hole opens successively in a constant time relation to an expanding working chamber, and each exit hole opens successively in a constant time relation to a contracting working chamber;

the pistons being partially circular in profile each having a sealing ring placed around the circular portion engaging the wall of the fixed toroidal cylinder and another seal 140 engaging the opposite rotor portion found in the annular access opening; juxtaposed rotors extend into the annular access opening operatively including the toroidal cylinder, the pistons resting on and extending beyond the respective juxtaposed rotors, and the drive shaft having a crank knob which deviates from the axis of the toroidal cylinder, being disposed between the main bearings and supporting a planetary element which 145 rotates around it and meshes with some fixed complementary driving elements

RO 117931 Β associated with the cylindrical chamber assembly, so that the rotation of the driving shaft causes the planetary element to rotate around the crank knob at a predetermined speed relative to the driving shaft, and each rotor supports a driving pin that deviates from the axis of the driving shaft , being arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the driving shaft extending into a corresponding radial opening placed 150 symmetrically to the planetary element, the driving pin of each rotor blocked from the planetary element by another rotor passing through a window in each rotor locked to a corresponding opening in the planetary element; the drive shaft having an intermediate bearing on which the rotors are mounted, which is concentric with the axis of the drive shaft and placed between the main bearings; the drive shaft has an intermediate bearing concentric with its axis, placed intermediate to the main bearings, supporting a pair of juxtaposed rotors for rotation about the axis of the drive shaft, the rotors extending into the annular access opening and operatively including the toroidal cylinder, and the pistons rest on and extend outside the respective juxtaposed rotors, the driving shaft having crank buttons which deviate from the axis of the toroidal cylinder and are disposed between the intermediate bearings and one 160 of the main bearings, each crank button supporting a planetary member to rotates about itself, meshing with some fixed driving elements associated with the cylindrical chamber assembly, so that the rotation of the driving shaft causes the driving in unison rotary motion of the planetary elements about the respective crank knobs at a predetermined rotational speed relative to drive shaft, and each rotor 165 supports a drive pin projecting from the intermediate bearing, arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the drive pins extending into one of a pair of corresponding diametrically opposed radial slots formed in each planetary element the lead pins in each rotor passing through a window in the other rotor to the corresponding slot in one of the planetary elements. 170

In relation to the above, presented the invention, in one aspect thereof, consists more broadly in a positive displacement rotary apparatus of the type having a toroidal cylinder formed in an assembly of the cylinder cavity around a driving shaft with its axis concentric with the axis of the toroidal-shaped cylinder and coupled to rotor-jambar assemblies having pistons in the toroidal-shaped cylinder, such that rotation of the driving shaft induces rotation of the rotors 175 in a manner that causes the pistons to move toward and away from each other during their rotation, forming between them working chambers that widen and shrink in the toroidal cylinder and inlet and outlet ports that extend through the cylinder chamber assembly for the entry and exit of fluid into and from the working chambers in which means for coupling the pistons in the toroidal cylinder to the drive shaft include: 180

- some means of coupling a rotor assembly to the driving shaft;

- a crank button that comes out of the driving shaft;

- a planetary element driven in rotation around the crank knob at a rotational speed relative to the drive shaft, such that this element rests on the crank knob for an epicyclic movement around the drive shaft; 185

- a direct drive link between the other rotor assembly and the planetary element emerging from their axes, so that the differential angular velocity of the direct drive link around the axis of the driving shaft, resulting from its epicyclic movement, determines the pistons of said rotor assembly as rotates around the drive shaft.

The drive shaft can rotate in the same direction as the rotor assembly, but in most 190 internal combustion engine applications it is preferred that the drive shaft be forced to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotor assembly, so that the rotational speed of rotor assemblies to be reduced compared to the speed of rotation of the driving shaft.

RO 117931 Β

The means for driving the planetary element in rotation about its axis may include 195 a chain or toothed belt passing over a driven sprocket/roller mounted on the planetary element concentric with the axis of motion and around a mounted driven wheel/roller on the cylinder chamber assembly. Alternatively, the drive means may include a gear mounted on the planetary member and meshing internally or externally or indirectly through a gear train with a sun/ring gear secured to the cylinder chamber assembly. Thus, the planetary element 200 can rotate with a planetary gear driven from a fixed sun gear coaxial with the drive shaft to rotate in the same direction as the rotor assemblies.

in a preferred form, the planetary element rotates with a planetary gear driven from a ring gear coaxial with the drive shaft, such that the latter rotates in the opposite direction to the rotor assemblies.

205 The planetary element can be in the form of a lobe part determined to move epicyclically in relation to the axis of the driving shaft and cooperating directly with the cylinder chamber assembly. For example, in the 8-piston version, the planetary element can be a 6-lobe part that drives externally with an 8-lobe chamber portion.

Preferably, the drive shaft extends through the rotor assemblies and is rotatably mounted 210 in engagement in the cylinder chamber assembly at opposite edges of the rotor assemblies. The planetary element may be constrained to rotate about the axis of the drive shaft in support thereof in a path formed in the support assembly, extending about the drive shaft or on a crank-type assembly rotating about the axis of the drive shaft. Preferably, however, the drive shaft is in the form of a crankshaft forming a crank knob 215 intermediate its mountings in the cylinder chamber assembly, and the planetary member rests on the crank knob extending therefrom. It is further preferred that the drive shaft is formed with a floating intermediate shaft on which the rotor assemblies are mounted.

It is also preferred that the direct drive link be a fixed driving pin 220 in either the planetary element or the other rotor assembly which is slidable in the other to allow epicyclic movement of the planetary element and thus load transfer between the driving pin fixedly located and the planetary element or each rotor assembly is effected by transferring the loads on an almost direct load path through the sliding connection to these elements. This means that the load transfer is carried out without the need for an interposed link or mechanism and can therefore be more robust, simpler, compact and safe. Also, the direct drive connection allows all metal construction to be pushed forward of the choroidal cylinder whose diameter is limited to appreciable proportions by engine capacity without sacrificing strength and durability.

230 in a preferred form, the planetary member is in the form of a driving yoke which rotates about the crank knob having low friction sliding means extending outside the knob being directly engaged with the driving pin, so that the load transfer between the drive pin and the planetary element is made along a substantially direct load path through a slide-type (sliding) assembly with the planetary element 235 .

The sliding means may provide a non-linear slide path if desired but preferably extends radially outward from the crank knob.

The sliding means advantageously includes a radially extending slot in the drive yoke and a slide block that slides freely along the slot, carrying an axially extending guide pin 240 that engages the other rotor assembly. Preferably, the sliding block is located in a slot having a partially circular profile being held captive in said slot, and in a preferred form is made of low friction material such as

RO 117931 Β ceramic. If desired, the lead pin could engage directly in a slot or rectangular sectioned hole. Additionally, the lead pin could be integral with the slide block and/or rotor assembly, but suitably the lead pin is a separate pin 245 rotatably located in the slide block or rotor assembly.

One of the rotor assemblies may be coupled to the drive shaft to rotate at a relatively constant angular velocity so that only the other rotor assembly oscillates relative to the first to form a variable working chamber. However, it is preferred that both rotor assemblies are coupled to the drive shaft in a corresponding manner. 250 in an internal combustion engine according to the present invention, it is preferred that the pistons in the respective rotor assembly alternately function as active or reactive pistons. In order to achieve the same dynamic loads for each rotor assembly when in their active or reactive phases it is preferred that each driving yoke be formed with the respective sliding means extending radially outside diagonally opposite sides 255 of the crank knob, and its driver pin to engage a respective rotor assembly. This will cause the differential angular velocities of the opposing drive pins to move the active pistons cyclically away from the reactive pistons during an induction or expansion cycle and simultaneously cyclically toward the reactive pistons during the compression or exhaust cycle. 260

Also, arranging the coupling means so that the coupled rotors are driven identically and out of phase has the advantage of maintaining a balance of inertia of the components as well as ensuring equivalence of physical characteristics for all phases of the cycle. This situation is also stimulated by the resulting almost sinusoidal action of the rotors. To provide a more robust engine the drive pins may extend through the 265 rotor assemblies for direct engagement with corresponding drive yokes mounted on opposite sides of the rotor assemblies. suitably, the chamber portions each form a complementary lateral portion of the toroidal chamber and a respective portion of the annular access opening thereto. However, this access opening could be formed, if desired, in a portion of the chamber. 270

The number of pistons for each rotor of the positive displacement rotary apparatus can vary from a minimum of one for each rotor. The engine can operate as a two-stroke/cycle or four-stroke/cycle type machine. Preferably, each pair of rotors has at least a number of pistons corresponding to the number of cycles of the particular type of machine, with the number of pistons increasing as a multiple of this number of 275 cycles, for each pair of rotors. This means that for a two-stroke/cycle type engine the total number of pistons may be 2, 4, 6, 8, etc., while a four-stroke/cycle type engine, 4, 8, 12, 16, etc. It is also preferred that the intake and exhaust port block comprises for each preferred minimum number of pistons for the engine type one intake port and one exhaust port, suitably the 280 pistons for each rotor assembly are equidistant around the outer portion of the respective rotors.

It is also preferred that the engine be operated as a four stroke/cycle type machine having the rotor assemblies driven in the opposite direction to the crankshaft at an average rotational speed equal to one third thereof, so that each rotor have a 285 body which extends into the inner opening of the toroidal cylinder and seals and four pistons arranged at equal distances around the outer portion of the rotor body and that the block of suction and exhaust ports includes a pair of diametrically opposed suction ports and a pair of diametrically opposed exhaust ports and that the respective intake and exhaust ports are arranged in pairs of ports adjacent to each other and adjacent 290 to the position of the pistons when arranged side by side.

RO 117931 Β in a preferred embodiment the access means is an annular opening around the interior of the wall portion of the cylinder and the rotors are arranged side by side extending into the opening to operationally seal it and support the corresponding pistons in the cylinder. The aperture and rotors may be asymmetrical with respect to a central plane containing the toroidal center line of the cylinder, but preferably these landmarks are symmetrical with respect to that plane. The cross-sectional configuration of the toroidal chamber is advantageously circular but may also be square, triangular, or in some other shape as desired.

Preferably, the rotor assemblies are disposed substantially centrally in the cylinder chamber assembly and supported for rotation on a central spindle of a crankshaft having in-line crank knobs on opposite sides of the central spindle to support the spaced parts of the elements planetary gears aligned, and the rotor assemblies support drive pins that extend from opposite sides of the rotor assembly through the adjacent rotor assembly to each planetary element. in the four-piston-per-rotor variant, identical but opposite rotors can be used with the drive pins bent 22.5° to a line extending between the opposite pistons. The radial placement of the drive pins may be such a variation to provide variations in the relative displacements of the pistons in the respective rotor assemblies.

The opening of the inlet and exhaust ports may be timed by poppet valves or the like, but preferably the intake and exhaust ports are formed in the cylinder wall and are timed by their arc length providing selective communication with the working chambers.

The ports may be formed in one portion of the chamber, but preferably the suction ports are formed in one portion of the chamber and the exhaust ports in the other portion of the chamber. Advantageously, the ports project from opposite sidewalls of the toroidal cylinder, but if desired may project at any angle or radially from either or both cylinder chamber assemblies to enable groups of such assemblies to be grouped together to form an engine having multiple toroidal cylinders arranged around a common crankshaft assembly.

It is also preferable that in a true motor for low speed, high torque applications such as those intended to power commuter vehicles, this motor should be designed so that the bore/stroke ratio is 1 to 3 or 1 to 4 for the combustion/expansion process to ensure increased power extraction and minimize energy losses. advantageously this situation is achieved in an engine having a cylinder bore diameter in the range of 1/4 to 1/3 of the toroidal radius.

advantageously the toroidal radius is between 6 and 10 times larger than the gauge of the crank knob, and the pin! driver is offset from the crankshaft axis by a distance between three and five times the gauge of the crank knob. in a preferred embodiment with four pistons per rotor, the drive pins are located from the crankshaft axis at four times the distance between the crank knob and the crankshaft needle, and the toroidal axis is spaced from the crankshaft axis by a gap 8 times greater than the gap between the toroidal axis and the crank knob.

Alternatively, an engine for high-speed performance applications having 12 or 16 pistons per rotor pair, for example, can be formed with a bore/stroke ratio in the 1/1 or 1/2 range.

In another aspect, the invention consists principally of a toroidal internal combustion engine of the type having a toroidal cylinder formed in a cylinder chamber assembly around a drive shaft assembly, supported for rotation in about a concentric axis as the axis of the toroidal cylinder and coupled to some coupling means so that

RO 117931 Β the rotation of the driving shaft causes the posts to move cyclically towards each other or away from each other and vice versa, forming working chambers that increase or decrease in the toroidal cylinder and inlets and outlets that extend through the assembly cylinder chambers for fluid entry and exit to and from working chambers in which:

- the driving shaft is determined to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotor assemblies, so that the speed of rotation of the rotor assemblies is reduced, compared to the speed of rotation of the rotor assemblies.

in a toroidal internal combustion engine adapted to equip a medium-capacity passenger car intended for driving on comfortable highways, it is preferable that at 100 km/h, the average speed of the pistons should be stated at a value of the order of 1100 feet per minute 350 (fmp ) which, for a motor with a centerline toroidal radius between 150 and 200 mm, results in a rotation speed of the rotor assemblies of about 300 RPM (rot/min).

This is preferably achieved by configuring the motor so that the drive shaft rotates three times as fast as the rotor assemblies, i.e. at about 900 RPM. This output shaft speed is achieved using a final 355 drive ratio of 1:1. Similar proportions will exist for smaller vehicles. This means that smaller wheel diameters correlate with smaller toroidal cylinders having rotor assemblies that rotate at higher speeds for the same piston speed.

yet another aspect of the invention, consists broadly of a toroidal internal combustion engine of the type having a toroidal cylinder formed in a cylinder chamber assembly 360 around a drive shaft assembly supported for rotation in about an axis concentric with the axis of the toroidal cylinder and coupled to the axially opposite rotor assembly, which supports some pistons in the toroidal cylinder by a coupling means, so that the rotation of the driving shaft causes the pistons to move cyclically towards each other or away from each other one another and vice versa, forming between them working chambers in suction and exhaust which 365 extend through the cylinder chamber assembly for the entry and exit of the fluid in and out of the working chambers and in which the coupling element of the pistons in the toroidal-shaped cylinder , to the driving shaft includes:

- a driving means for coupling a rotor assembly to the driving shaft;

- a crank button that is offset from the driving shaft; 370

- a planetary element driven in rotation about the crank knob at a predetermined rotational speed relative to the drive shaft, such that the planetary element rests on the crank knob for epicyclic movement about the drive shaft, and the drive shaft is in the form of a shaft crank extending through the cylinder chamber assembly forming the crank knob intermediate its mountings in the cylinder assembly, and the planetary element 375 rests on the offset crank knob.

in yet another aspect, the invention broadly consists of a positive displacement rotary apparatus of the type having a toroidal cylinder formed by a cylinder chamber assembly about a drive shaft supported for rotation about a axes concentric with the axis of the toroidal cylinder and coupled to axially opposed rotor assemblies supporting some 380 pistons in the toroidal cylinder by a coupling means such that rotation of the driving shaft causes the pistons to cyclically move toward each other or one outside of the other and vice versa, forming between them working chambers that expand and contract in the toroidal cylinder and a means of inlet and outlet ports that extend through the cylinder chamber assembly for the entry and exit of fluid into and out of the working chambers and in which: 385

- the cylinder chamber assembly includes portions of that chamber, opposite, which extend along the central plane of the toroidal cylinder;

- the drive shaft assembly extends between the chamber portions and engages in rotation with the respective chamber portions by loading the opposite ends of the axial drive shaft into the opposite chamber portions within them and wherein: 390

RO 117931 Β

- the coupling element comprises components that can be operatively assembled over the driving shaft, from one or the respective opposite ends thereof by interengaging the components in an axial direction, so that the rotary positive displacement apparatus can be easily assembled by successive addition of components axially in 395 functional engagement with each other.

Preferably, the drive shaft is formed as a crankshaft, wherein the coupling member includes a drive yoke rotatable with a planet gear around a crank knob assembly of the crankshaft, the planet gear meshing with the internal ring gear secured to the chamber portion adjacent, concentric with the crankshaft axis. The drive yoke 400 may include a radially expanding slot into which a sliding block fits prior to assembly of the drive yoke to the drive shaft. in such an arrangement the sliding block is advantageously associated with a guide pin extending in the direction of the assembly in engagement with a rotor assembly.

Also, to facilitate assembly by loading the components in the assembly direction 405 it is preferable that the driving yoke is driven by a planetary gear fixed to the driving yoke to rotate there and mesh with a ring gear fixed to the chamber, having its axis coaxial with the driving shaft.

In another aspect, the invention broadly consists of an internal combustion engine including:

410 - a cylinder chamber assembly having a cylinder of toroidal shape and an annular access opening to the cylinder;

- a drive shaft assembly supported in the cylinder chamber assembly to rotate about a crankshaft axis concentric with the toroidal cylinder axis supporting a crank button assembly, having its axis offset from the crankshaft axis; 415 - a planetary member rests on the crank knob assembly to rotate about it;

- a pair of rotor assemblies which abut the planetary element and are supported to rotate about an axis concentric with the toroidal cylinder axis, each rotor assembly including a body portion supporting the pistons, the total number of pistons 420 for each pair of rotors being a multiple of 4, the pistons being arranged equidistantly around the body portions of the respective rotors and tightly engaged with the cylinder, being movable around it, each body portion extending into the access opening to operatively close the toroidal cylinder ;

- coupling element between the planetary element and the rotor assemblies, so that the 425 coupled rotors and the planetary element are carried around the axis of the crankshaft, and the rotation of the planetary element around the crank knob causes the rotor assemblies to move out of phase with respect to each other, and the pistons move cyclically towards each other and vice versa, forming working chambers that expand and reduce between certain maximum and minimum working chamber volumes;

430 - element of the evacuated suction holes that extend through the cylinder chamber assembly for the entry and exit of the fluid into and towards the cylinder, element of holes that includes for each of the four pistons an entry hole and an exit hole;

- the intake and exhaust ports are arranged in positions where the adjacent pistons form minimum volumes of the working chamber;

435 - conductive element for rotating the planetary element around the crankshaft at a relative speed of rotation, so that the element of the inlet ports successively opens, in a constant temporary relationship, the path to an expanding working chamber, and the element of the exhaust ports it successively opens, in a constant temporal relation, the way to a working chamber under compression.

RO 117931 B

Preferably, the internal combustion engine includes a duplicate planetary element 440 mounted on a further crank knob, in-line on the opposite side of the rotor assemblies and means coupling the duplicate planetary element to the rotor assemblies. It is also preferred that the internal combustion engine has the cylinder chamber assembly formed as a chamber split along the central plane comprising the toroidal centerline of the cylinder to form opposed chamber portions which are spaced apart along a of the inner portion 445 of the cylinder chamber assembly to form the annular access opening, the planetary elements being supported at a distance from each other, on the respective coaxial crank knobs, for rotation thereabout, and the coupling means including the respective sliding element associated with the planetary elements, has diametrically opposed splines in engagement with respective drive pin assemblies extending parallel to the crankshaft axis 450 and from opposite sides of each rotor assembly toward each planetary element.

The invention will be presented further, in connection with fig. 1...20, which represent:

- fig. 1, front view of engine;

- fig. 2, rear view of engine;

- fig. 3, longitudinal section through the cylinder chamber assembly; 455

- fig. 4, longitudinal section through the crankshaft assembly;

- fig. 5, front view of a piston rotor;

- fig. 6, front view of opposing rotors with pistons in working relationship and illustrated with rotors hatched differently for clarity;

- fig. 7a, side view of the guide pin and bearing block assembly; 460

- fig. 7b, top view of the guide pin and bearing block assembly;

- fig. 8, cross section through a rotor assembly;

- fig. 9a, front view of a planetary element;

- fig. 9b, top view of a planetary element;

- fig. 9c, side view of a planetary element; 465

- fig. 10, side view of spaced planetary members supporting a drive pin and ring gear;

- fig. 11, side view of planetary element and ring gear with connection therebetween;

- fig. 12, cross section through the sealing area of the rotor assemblies in the cylinder chambers 470;

- fig. 13, longitudinal section through engine;

- fig. 14 a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z , aa, bb, cc, dd, θθ, ff, gg drawings illustrating sequential positions of engine working chambers during a cycle; 475

- 15, cross-section through a variant of the driving pin incorporating a spherical bearing matched with the rotor assembly;

- fig. 16 is a side view of two coupled rotor assemblies for a single planetary element or light industrial motor with associated lead pin and bearing blocks;

- fig. 17, cross-section through a light industrial engine or single mechanism 480;

- fig. 18, front view of a single mechanism or light industrial engine;

- fig. 19, cross-section through a 2-cylinder engine having the rear rotor pair offset in the drawing by 90°, for demonstration purposes;

- fig. 20 load flow diagram producing torque in the 485 motor shaft.

RO 117931 Β

The engine, according to the invention, is constituted (fig. 1) by a front portion of the cylinder chamber 22 of an engine 20, which has two intake ports 24, for suction, two spark plugs 25 mounted in two spark plug sockets 26, a series of radial reinforcing ribs 27 and a counterweight front cap 490 of the drive shaft 28 (hatched). The front chamber portion 22 of the cylinder is fixed by a series of peripheral bolts 29, to the rear chamber portion 23 of the cylinder (fig. 2). The front portion of the cylinder chamber 22 also has an arrangement for an oil pump 30 driven by a drive shaft belt pulley 31 and a toothed belt 32. The oil pump 30 is fed through an oil manifold 33 from - a bath 34, 495 and the oil in the bath 34 can be drained through a plug 35.

A cooling cap 36 is also located at the lowest point on the water chamber jacket.

According to fig.2, the rear portion 23 of the engine cylinder chamber has two exit holes 37 and an arrangement 38 for adapting the driven elements. A flywheel 39 (hatched) 500 is shown bolted to the crankshaft assembly 40.

According to fig.3 the cylinder chamber assembly 21 is formed by bolting the chamber portions 22 and 33. The chamber assembly 21 forms a toroidal cylinder 41 and an annular opening 58 around its inner face which opens into a chamber 59 The annular opening 58 is formed symmetrically about the plane containing the toroidal center line 505 60 and between the opposite and spaced apart circular faces 61 of the chamber portions 22 and 23.

The main bearings 62 and inner side support faces 63 are located centrally in the front and rear cylinder chamber portions 22 and 23, while the rotor side support faces 64 are located on the sides of the annular opening 58.

510 A combustion seal 65 and another seal 66 are located between the cylinder chamber portions 22 and 23. The seal 65 is located between the toroidal cylinder 41 and the water jacket 42 to prevent leakage of combustion gas, and the seal 66 is located between water jacket 42 and the outside of the cylinder chamber 21, to prevent the coolant from leaking to the outside of the engine or to the lower portion of the engine in the oil pan.

515 The water inlet 68 is located at the upper end of the rear portion of the cylinder chamber 23 while the water outlet 69 to the radiator is located at the upper end of the front portion of the cylinder chamber 22. The oil in the bath 34 is drained through the hole oil drain 43.

4, the crankshaft assembly 40 is a multiple piece containing a crankshaft 520 70 with two crank knobs 51, two rotor center portions 49 and two movable main bearing elements 44. The crankshaft assembly 40 incorporates the front belt 71, front counterweight 72 and counterweight flywheel 73, each main bearing member 44 has a tapered bore 74 into which a corresponding portion 75 of the end of the crank knob 51 is placed. The main bearing member 44 525 aligns with a wedge 76 and is sometimes secured with a retaining pin 77 to the end of the portion 75 of the button 51.

These elements also incorporate impact faces 78 for controlling the final float of the crankshaft assembly 40 in the cylinder chamber assembly 21 and impact faces 79 for controlling the final float of the planetary element 50 (according to Fig. 9). The assembly 530 of the crankshaft 40 located in the assembly of the cylinder chamber 21 rests on some main bearings 62 (according to fig.2). The oil supply to the bearings is through a central main gallery 80 in the crankshaft 70 and continued through transverse bores to the bearing elements 44, the rotor portions 49 and the crank knobs 51.

RO 117931 B

5, each rotor assembly has four pistons 47 which are front/rear symmetrical, supported at their base by an outer flange 46. Each rotor 45 contains a drive pin tube 81 535 spaced inwardly from the outer flange 46 and has an arched opening 82 formed diametrically opposite the tube 81.

The tube 81 is inclined by 22.5° to the common diameter line 83 of an opposing pair of pistons to allow the pistons of the rotor assemblies with which they are in contact to be placed in series around the toroidal cylinder 41 (as shown in Fig. 3) and to oscillate in and out 540 with respect to each other on the support surface 84 of the support hub 85. The mass of the rotor assembly 45 is reduced by a series of windows 86.

As illustrated in fig. 6 the arcuate opening 82 in the rotor 45A accommodates the tube 81 of the corresponding opposite rotor 45B when in contact therewith. This opening 82 allows the rotors in contact 45, hatched differently for clarity, to oscillate 545 relative to each other within the clearances 82.

7, each guide pin 56 supports a bearing block 57 at its opposite ends and each bearing block 57 has a cylindrical main bearing outer surface 87.

8, the pistons 47 are mounted on the outer flange 46 of the rotor assembly 550 45, having their centers in a plane containing the inner surface 88 of each rotor assembly 45, so that they extend behind the inner surface 88. respective drive pin 56 extends through the tube 81 of the rotor assembly 45 and supports a bearing block 57 at each of its ends. The guide pin 56 and bearing blocks 57 combine with the rotor assembly 45 to become the operative rotor assembly 89. 555

According to fig.9, the planetary element 50 is formed with diametrically opposed sliding yokes each having partially cylindrical sliding surfaces 55 supported by partially circular flanges 90 that extend around the bearing hub 91. The sliding surfaces 55 extend outward in the vicinity of the hub 91 and terminates in spaced open ends 92 of the yokes 54. The planetary member 50 incorporates a planet gear 560 52 on its outer end and has striking faces 93 at each end of the bearing hub 91.

According to fig. 10 illustrates how the guide pin 56 engages the planetary elements 50 through the bearing blocks 57 that slide on the bearing faces 55 of the corresponding planetary elements 50. The partially cylindrical bearing faces 87 of the bearing blocks allow axial deflection of the guide pin during operation.

Fig.11 illustrates the gear driving element to rotate the planetary element 50 about its axis on the orbit, through the planetary gear 52 to the ring gear 53. It can be seen that the axis of the orbit is the center line of the crank knob around which the planetary element 50 it can rotate freely. 570 in fig. 12 illustrates the rotor assembly sealing arrangement. The pistons 47 are sealed in the toroidal cylinder 41 by conventional piston rings 94 which extend into ring grooves 95 around the pistons 47 in the outer flanges 96A and 96B of the rotors 45. An end portion of each piston ring pushes a sliding seal 97.

Preferably, the gasket 97 is cylindrical having the contact faces arcuate in the shape 575 corresponding to the radius of curvature of the outer surface of the rotor and is pressed into wiping engagement with the exposed edge 99 of the adjacent rotor 45 by a spring 100.

Alternatively, the piston ring 94 is so profiled to form a sliding seal 97 which is placed in an extension 98 of the piston ring groove 95 and is resiliently pressed into wiping contact with the exposed edge of the adjacent rotor 45. 580

RO 117931 Β

If desired, the piston rings 94 may completely surround the pistons 47 through tunnels extending through the rotors at their connections with the pistons 47, and the rings extend transversely on the exposed edges 99, which may be curved as a continuation of the toroidal cylinder. 41.

Truncated ring combustion seals 101 elastically extend between outer faces 96A and 96B adjacent recess faces 102 in cylinder chambers 21 and between rotors 45 as illustrated by reference 103 where flat base portions 104 of the O-rings 101 wipe each other. Alternatively, the combustion seals in the form of rings may be placed in concentric or eccentric grooves with respect to the axis of the crankshaft in the cylinder chamber assembly 21 and may be constrained from rotation by means of reinforcements.

For isolation purposes, the contact side portions of the gaskets are predominantly flat, as illustrated, to achieve axial sealing on the respective chamber/rotor surfaces. Similar sets of O-rings are placed inboard of the aforementioned combustion chamber seals and form oil seals 105 as illustrated. Oil seals may incorporate 0-shaped seals to facilitate sealing.

Combustion sealing gaskets 101 are supplied with a suitable oil supplied through galleries 106 ensuring the supply of both these gaskets and the striking faces of the rotor 108. Alternatively, the oil can be supplied by injection.

Fig.13, illustrates the assembled engine in cross-section. The engine 20 comprises two opposed cylinder chamber portions 22 and 23 forming the toroidal cylinder 41 partially surrounded by a water cooling chamber 42. The lower portion of the cylinder chamber 21 is used as an oil bath 34.

The engine 20 contains a crankshaft assembly 40 seated on its main bearing members 44. Two identical but opposite rotor assemblies are supported centrally between the cylinder chamber portions 22 and 23 by a respective bearing hub 48 on a spindle center 49 of the crankshaft assembly 40.

Two identical but opposite planet elements are rotatably supported on respective crank knobs 51 of the crankshaft assembly 40. Each planet element has a planet gear 52 embedded in its outer part which meshes with one of the gears respectively rings 53 located in a niche in each chamber portion 22 and 23 concentric with the axis of the crankshaft.

A sliding yoke 54 integrally formed on the inner side of the planetary element 50, having diametrically opposed slides 55, is engaged with the respective guide pins 56 through the respective bearing blocks 57. The lead pins 56 are mounted in the rotors 45 opposite each other.

The components are assembled as mentioned above so that the action of forcing an adjacent pair of pistons apart by a combustion process will cause the planetary element 50 to rotate and its corresponding path in the gear around the ring gear 53. The resulting orbital motion of the planetary element 50 resting on the crank buttons 51 causes the crankshaft assembly 40 to rotate.

RO 117931 Β

Fig. 14 contains 6 drawings and illustrates a complete engine cycle in phases of 33.75° of crankshaft rotation. in the illustrated 8-piston engine, having 4 pistons on each rotor, a complete engine cycle covering the starting and returning to their original position of all 625 components required to revolutionize the rotors, three revolutions of the crankshaft, providing 16 combustion and expansion processes . The pistons on rotor A are marked, A1 to A4, and the pistons on rotor B are marked, B1 to B4.

during the first 135° of crankshaft rotation, the respective opposite pairs of pistons of the set of 4 pistons A1 through A4 on a rotor, will become active and advance 630 simultaneously through the opposite induction/compression zones in the toroidal chamber.

At 67.5° of crankshaft rotation, corresponding to the mid-stroke of the pistons, the thrust faces of a pair of active pistons Al and A3, will induce the combustion Ti mixture into the working chambers behind them in expansion through the intake ports /T opposite, and the leading surfaces of that pair of active pistons A1 and A3 will corn- 635 any fuel mixture in the moving working chambers towards the point of

T· ignition.

Simultaneously, the thrust faces of the other pair of opposite active pistons A1 and A4 will be forced by the expansion of the combustion gases to drive the pistons A2 and A4 forming working chambers, expanding towards the exhaust ports providing 640 engine power, and the faces conductors of the opposite piston pairs A2 and A4 will form the working chambers in contraction towards the exhaust ports to force the retrained combustion gases of the previously expanded fuel mixture in the working chamber to contract through the exhaust ports.

during this 135° crankshaft rotation, both the leading faces and the thrust faces 645 of pistons B1 and B4 will act as reactive faces of the working chambers in the same way as the cylinder closing faces of the cylinder heads in conventional piston engines.

during the next phase, corresponding to a rotation of the crankshaft, from 135 to 270°, the functions of the respective piston sets are reversed, and the corresponding piston pairs 650 of the 4-piston sets, B1 to B4 on rotor B will become active pistons and will simultaneously perform the functions described above of pistons A1 to A4, which will become reactive pistons for working chambers.

RO 117931 Β Table 1 Engine simulation Angular velocity Rotor B AVERAGE (dec) ΝΙΙΙΙ AVERAGE (acc) MAX AVERAGE (dec) MIN AVERAGE (acc) MAX AVERAGE (dec) Rotor A MEDlE(acc) MAX AVERAGE (dec) MIN AVERAGE(acc) MAX AVERAGE (dec) MIN MEDlE(acc) Designation of working chamber (with limitation of piston faces) e IND 0. O o Q_ Ξ O O COMP Eng o. X you 0. X MON EXP EXH EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND IND IND IND IND ta^v z IGN EXP EXP EXP EXH EXH EXH X MON EXH/IND IND IND IND IND COMP COMP COMP IGN 6 B3; A4 EXH EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND IND IND IND IND COMP COMP COMP IGN EXP Οχ LU EXP and X UJ 5 A3; B3 EXH/IND IND IND QN! IND COMP COMP COMP IGN CL X MON Ο- X IU EXP EXH EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND 4 B2; A3 IND COMP COMP COMP IGN EXP EXP EXP EXH EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND IND IND IND IND 3 A2; B2 IGN Οχ LU EXP EXP I X MON EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND IND IND IND IND COMP COMP COMP IGN 2 B1; A2 and X UI R X IU EXH EXH EXH/IND IND IND IND IND COMP COMP COMP A EXP X MON EXP EXH 1 A1; B1 EXH/IND IND IND IND IND CL Ξ O O 0. O o COMP IGN EXP CL X UJ EXP EXH EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND Rotation of elements yoke (degrees) A -11.25 -22.5 -33.75 -45 -56.25 -67.5 -78.75 -90 -101.25 s'zn·- -123.75 -135 -146.25 -157.5 -168.75 -180.43 Crankshaft (degrees) a 33.75 67.5 101.25 135 168.75 202.5 236.25 270 303.75 337.5 371.25 405 438.75 472.5 506.25 540 LO LC one in one ό Ό MD O vo

o 00

LC CO <o

ΙΛ O kD

RO 117931 B Table 1 (continued) Angular velocity Rotor B ΝΙΙΛ1 AVERAGE (acc) I MAX | AVERAGE (dec) MIN AVERAGE (acc) | | MAX AVERAGE (dec) Note: The symbols included in table 1 have the following meanings: - aspiration (intake) - IND, - compression (compression) - COMP, - explosion - IGN, - expansion (expansion) - EXP, - exhaust - EXH. Rotor A MAX AVERAGE (dec) z S AVERAGE(acc) I MAX | AVERAGE (dec) z AVERAGE(acc) Designation of working chamber (with limitation of piston faces) 8 B4; A1 COMP COMP COMP A z CL X UJ EXP CL X MON and X IU EXH EXH X III EXH/IND QZ QZ Qz Qz t^W 2 CL X MON CL X iu CL X IU and X MON I X UJ T X UJ and X UJ EXH/IND □ z QZ QZ QZ COMP COMP COMP z 0 6 B3; A4 I X MON I X MON and X IU EXH/IND Qz a z a z a z COMP COMP COMP Z 0 EXP EXP EXP T X MON 5 A3; B3 a z QZ Qz QZ COMP COMP COMP z 0 CL X MON CL X MON CL X MON I X MON ΞΕ X LU EXH EXH EXH/IND 4 B2; A3 COMP COMP COMP z 0 EXP EXP EXP EXH EXH EXH EXH EXH/IND QZ Qz QZ Qz OJ C0 ⁰⁹ et seq CL X MON CL X IU CL X MON I X MON T X IU ΞΕ X IU I X UJ EXH/IND a z Qz Qz Qz COMP COMP i COMP 0 z CM Ol и. 5 EXH SE X MON and X MON EXH/ENG Qz Qz QZ QZ CL Ξ O O COMP COMP z 0 0_ X LJJ Οχ UJ Οχ UJ EXH 1 A1; B1 QZ □ z Q Z Qz COMP COMP CL O o z A EXP CL X MON CL X MON EXH T X MON EXH EXH EXH/IND Rotation of elements yoke (degrees) -191.25 m CM O CM -213.75 IO CM CM -236.25 -247.5 -258.75 A CM -281.25 -292.5 -303.75 LD 0? -326.25 -337.5 -348.75 -360 (1 rotation) Crankshaft (degrees) 573.75 607.5 641.25 m CD 708.75 742.5 776.25 O v· 00 843.75 877.5 911.25 σ> 978.75 1012.5 1046.25 1080 (3 rotations)

RO 117931 Β

Table 1 details how the defined chambers work between the 16 working faces of the pistons as a function of crankshaft rotation. This table also shows the relative rotation of the rotors and their corresponding angular velocities for the tabulated J 710 cycle positions.

Fig. 15 illustrates the alternative form of the driving pin 110 having a partially spherical central bearing 111 mounted in a slotted bushing 113 so that slight variations in alloy between the bearing blocks 112 in the respective non-illustrated driving yokes can be accommodated without creating imbalances in the forces applied to the guide pin 110. According to 715 the figure, the bearing blocks 112 may be adapted to slide in slots with straight edges or may be partially spherical blocks, as in the previously described variant.

Fig. 16, illustrates two rotor assemblies of a single element planetary or light industrial motor. The guide pins 116 are in the bracket of the rotor assemblies 118A and 118B for engagement in the bearing blocks 119.

720 Fig.17, illustrates the light industrial motor 114 which differs from the one described above in that it uses only a planetary element 115 with some guide pins 116 in the bracket of the rotor assemblies 118A and 118B to engage the bearing blocks 119. +C Such engines are usually provided with a heavy duty output coupling 120 to handle the significant load shocks that may occur in the coupling 120. Thus, 725 in this engine the crankshaft is relatively massive at its end from its coupling coupling 120 extending behind the main bearing 122 and formed as a locating collar 124, for the purpose of attaching auxiliary driving elements or discs. The crankshaft strikers 121 control the float of the crankshaft assembly.

Fig. 18 illustrates that both the intake ports 130 and the exhaust ports 131 and 730 pass through the front cylinder chamber 133. In most other respects, the industrial engine 114 is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1... 13.

in Fig. 19, engine 140 is a 2-cylinder toroidal engine comprising two single-cylinder toroidal engine banks illustrated almost entirely in Figs. 17 and 18. However, crankshaft 141 has its respective crank knobs bent 180°. in this variant 735 both chambers at the end of the cylinder 142 and 143 are configured with inlet and outlet ports to the respective cylinders as in the industrial engine in fig. 18. The ports in the rear chamber of the cylinder have been rotated 90° around the axis of the crankshaft, relative to the front chamber, to form a train with more attenuated pulsations in order to minimize the differences in power at the peak or in normal mode.

740 From the above, it can be seen that the engine described is a spark-ignition, water-cooled version working on a 4-stroke principle of intake, compression, expansion and exhaust. Each of the 8 working chambers that expand, between the 16 working faces, formed by the 8 pistons, achieves each of these 4 times in order.

For each complete engine cycle corresponding to one revolution of the rotors and three 745 revolutions of the crankshaft there are 16 intake and compression times occurring in relatively cold zones and 16 intake and compression times occurring in distinct hot zones in the toroidal cylinder .

Each of the 4 times are performed simultaneously in the diametrically opposite room.

This means that operations in one part of the engine are repeated in the other

750 engine part. This configuration ensures a balance of pressure forces in the 8 working chambers of the engine.

The 4 fixed zones of the toroidal cylinder described above are defined by the positions of opposite pairs of intake and exhaust ports and, in the case of a spark ignition engine, by the opposite position of pairs or groups of spark plugs. If desired, not all possible working chambers should be used, but they should be used selectively and/or alternatively, depending on the power needs of the engine.

RO 117931 Β

The size and angular position of the port openings in the toroidal cylinder control the flow of air into and out of the working chambers and therefore the power potential of the engine. The length of the holes determines their communication duration with each working chamber, while their angular position relative to the working chambers determines the timing of the 760 holes. The width of the orifice ultimately controls the volumetric air flow.

The number of rotors in each toroidal cylinder is 2, however, this number can be increased by grouping them in banks along the crankshaft axis. The number of strokes or phases per rotor revolution varies with the number of pistons on each rotor. The number of pistons for each pair of rotors can vary as a multiple of 4, since this 765 corresponds to the 4 times of the combustion process. in the engine described there are 4 pistons on each rotor and therefore there are 4 distinct progressions or movements of the rotor at each rotation of the rotor.

By arranging the axis of the driving pin in the rotor assembly, to coincide with the pitch circle diameter of the ring gear, according to fig. 14, at 67.5° of rotation of the crankshaft 770 corresponding to a half stroke of the pistons and intervals, of 135°, subsequently, the pistons of one rotor reach their maximum angular velocity, while the pistons on the other rotor reach their minimum angular velocity and are effectively stationary. This piston movement in the toroidal cylinder occurs with each of the two rotor assemblies at the same relative position in the cylinder chamber, and therefore the operational angular positions of the intake and exhaust ports 775 are established, along with the positions of the spark plugs.

The rotational speed of each of the two rotor assemblies varies in a sinusoidal manner from a minimum angular velocity to a maximum angular velocity, and then back to the minimum.

The pair of rotor assemblies in the 8-piston engine alternately rotate in 780 90° phase so that the active pistons on the rotor assembly during one phase move rapidly through the respective intake/compression and expansion/exhaust areas of the cylinder toroidal and thus, operate in conventional piston mode, while the reactive pistons of the other rotor assembly move smoothly between the intake and expansion/exhaust areas of the toroidal cylinder and thus, operate like the 785 cylinder closures in a conventional cylinder head.

Unlike a conventional engine where the piston stops at minimum chamber volume, the pistons in the engine according to the present invention are in the process of moving at minimum chamber volume. The rotor speeds are momentarily identical and equal to the average rotor speed. in the engine described, the average speed of the rotor is one-third the speed 790 of the shaft and in the opposite direction.

There are inertial forces exerted by the rotors that act in the opposite direction to the pressure forces of the gas. These inertial forces result from the alternating acceleration and deceleration of the rotor table. However, at any moment in time, the inertial forces of the rotors have the same magnitude relative to each other, but in the opposite direction they balance. 795

The rotor torque is created by the gas pressures in the combustion chambers reacting equally on the piston faces of both rotor assemblies. The net rotor moment is transferred equally through the guide pins and bearing blocks to the additional bearing faces of the sliding yokes in the planetary elements.

The forces applied through the rotor guide pins to the yoke, producing 800 torque at the crankshaft are always equal. However, forces are applied through differential lever lengths that are constantly changing using the crank knob on the crankshaft as a fulcrum. This means that the distance between the center of the rotor crank knob and the center, each driving pin represents the lever arm that is constantly changing during the rotation of the crankshaft. 805

RO 117931 Β

When the sliding yoke in the planetary element is perpendicular to the centerline of the crank knob, which equates to top dead center on a conventional engine, the pins are equal in length to the non-torque lever at the crankshaft. After top dead center (TDC), the differential lever length effectively forces the planetary element 810 to rotate about the crankshaft, as shown in FIG. 14 at the rotor rotation position at 33.75°. It is obvious that the lever arm of lead pin A is longer than the lever arm of lead pin B.

The planetary element has a planetary gear mounted on one end which meshes with a stationary ring gear. When the planetary element is forced to rotate on the 815 driven pin with the gear wheels, it in turn forces the crankshaft to rotate, generating torque at the crankshaft.

At the end of each duty cycle, each rotor assembly changes its function from active to reactive, i.e. from piston to cylinder head quality. at this moment the force application of the rotor is changed from its opposite support face of the planetary element820. The reaction force generated at the ring gear does not change in direction as the yoke continues to rotate in the same direction.

The transmission ratio of! planetary gears and ring gear is governed by the number of pistons in the engine. The pitch circle diameter of these wheels is determined by the gauge of the crank knob. The radial placement of the guide pins in the rotors and the gauge of the 825 crank knob, determines the angular separation of the rotors.

The oil is supplied to the engine by the oil pump mounted in the front cylinder chamber, and it enters the bath after use through the internal drains. The time for the oil to reach operating temperature after a cold start will be reduced as the oil level in the bath is in intimate contact with the lower water jacket. The 830 engine warm-up water temperature rise is used by heat transfer through the water jacket in contact with the oil to increase the heating rate of the oil and then to set the oil to the working temperature of the water.

It should be noted that an inherent characteristic of the engine is that almost perfect balance must be achieved since there are no reciprocating moving parts. Ensam835 rotor blades and planetary elements as separate components will balance statically and dynamically in their respective pairs. The masses of the planetary elements are later added to the crankshaft assembly and are dynamically balanced using the counterweight mass at the front and rear of the engine.

It will be observed from the general description thus far, that an engine making 840 16 combustion processes at three revolutions of the crankshaft requiring, two main support spindles, two crank knob support spindles and only two rotor support spindles , has the potential ability to reduce bearing frictions compared to those in the corresponding conventional engine.

further, the intake and compression timings are performed in the respective areas of the toroidal cylinder 845 that remain relatively cool, while the combustion and exhaust timings are performed in areas of the toroidal cylinder that remain relatively hot. This physical separation of cold and hot areas in the toroidal cylinder will increase the efficiency of the intake and expansion times.

It will also be seen that the engine assembly is simplified to facilitate 850 mass production techniques, assembly being largely a joinery process with many components stacked on top of each other requiring few fasteners to position the components in motion.

The motor assembly can be configured for air, water or oil cooling and with its output shaft at any angle including horizontal and vertical position.

Claims (30)

RO 117931 B as a result, in the four-stroke, 8-piston version of this engine, ignition occurs at a minimum volume of the working chamber (V/min) in two diametrically opposed working chambers after the compression of a combustion mixture from the fuel and air, between 4 of 8 pistons working in the toroidal cylinder. The rapid increase in gas pressure in the working chambers exerts a force on the toroidal cylinder, the outer surface of the juxtaposed rotors and the piston faces forcing the 860 driving or active pistons to accelerate, while simultaneously forcing the firing or reactive pistons and the rotor to decelerates. Viewed from the front of the engine, both rotor assemblies rotate counterclockwise, while the crankshaft rotates clockwise. The two drive pins mounted in the respective rotor assemblies exert equal and opposite forces 865 on the drive yokes through their sliding abutment faces on opposite sides of the crank knob. When the bearing sliding faces are perpendicular to the plane containing the axis of the crank knob and the crankshaft, the driving pins are equidistant from the crank knob and do not force the driving yoke to rotate. However, at other positions relative to the crankshaft there is an unequal distance between 870 the crank knob and the opposite guide pins, resulting in a torque which forces the planetary member to rotate about the crank knob. as each driving yoke rotates with a planet gear which is in constant mesh with a stationary ring gear this resultant torque produces a torque in the rotor shaft. 875 while the engine described above is considered the most capable of taking the expected loads in its components, there may also be situations when a higher crankshaft speed is required. in these cases, for example, a similar engine having the planet gears externally geared around a sun gear will provide crankshaft rotations at speeds 5 times that of the rotor assemblies. 880 It is of course understood that the above has been set forth with titles, for example, including the invention, and all modifications and variations which may appear as indicated to those skilled in the art are within the scope and objectives of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. 885 Claims 1. Internal combustion rotary engine of the type with moving pistons progressively advancing in a fixed toroidal cylinder, formed in a cylindrical chamber assembly placed concentrically around a driving shaft, pistons having some 890 sealing elements around their directly engaging the toroidal cylinder wall, so that the progressive advance of the pistons creates expanding and contracting working chambers defined by the adjacent pistons and the fixed toroidal cylinder wall, which has inlet and outlet ports in communication with the outside of the cylinder chamber assembly for the entry and exit of fluid into and out of the working chambers, characterized in that said toroidal cylinder has an 895 annular access opening (58) extending around its inner peripheral portion, the drive shaft (40) abutting against its ends opposed on some main bearings (44) to rotate around an axis of a driving shaft in a cylindrical chamber assembly (21), in which the fixed toroidal cylinder (41) is formed, this shaft (40) also having an intermediate bearing ( 48) concentric with its axis of rotation and located between main bearings (44), supporting a 900 pair of juxtaposed rotors (45) to rotate around the axis of rotation of the driving shaft (40), rotors (45) extending in the annular access opening and closed RO 117931 Β operative toroidally shaped cylinder (41), the pistons (47) being supported on and extending outside the respective juxtaposed rotors, and the driving shaft (40) having a crank button (51) outside the axis of the toroidal cylinder (41 ) and is arranged between the bearing (48) and one of the main bearings (44), the crank knob supporting a planetary element (50) rotating around it, equipped with a complementary fixed conductive element, associated with the cylindrical chamber assembly (21 ), such that rotation of the drive shaft (40) causes the planet element (50) to rotate about the crank knob (51) at a predetermined rotational speed relative to the drive shaft (40), and each rotor (45) supports a drive pin (56) different from the intermediate bearing (48) and is arranged having its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft (40), extending into one of the corresponding pairs of radially opposite clearances (92) formed in the planetary element (50), the pin conductor (56) from one rotor (45) passing through a window in the other rotor to the respective clearance in the planetary element (50). 2. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 1, characterized in that the access opening (58) is symmetrical with respect to the central plane comprising the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder (41). 3. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 2, characterized in that the access opening (58) forms a narrow passage to the toroidal cylinder (41). 4. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 3, characterized in that each end of the drive shaft (40) is placed in opposite parts of the cylindrical chamber assembly (21). 5. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 4, characterized in that the intermediate bearing (48) extends radially behind the crank button (51). 6. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 2, characterized in that the intermediate bearing (48) is symmetrical with respect to a central plane containing the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder (41). 7. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 6, characterized in that the peripheral faces of the wheels (45) are cylindrical and extend towards each other and end at the respective opposite joints, between the access opening (58) and the toroidal cylinder ( 41). 8. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 6, characterized in that the juxtaposed rotors (45) are identical, but opposite to each other. 9. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 8, characterized in that each driving pin (56) is placed in a boss formed in the respective rotor (45). 10. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 8, characterized in that the juxtaposed rotors (45) overlap at the central plane containing the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder (41), and the joint between the respective rotor (45) and the piston (47) ) from it extends along a sector of the respective peripheral portion to a lateral part of said central plane. 11. Rotary internal combustion engine, according to claim 6, characterized in that the cylindrical chamber assembly (21) includes opposite portions of said chamber joining along the central plane containing the toroidal centerline of the toroidal cylinder (41). 12. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 11, characterized in that the inlet and outlet ports (24 and 37) are spaced from the joint between the chamber portions (22 and 23). RO 117931 Β 13. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 11, characterized by 950 that the driving shaft (40) is forced to move in reverse rotation with respect to the rotor (45). 14. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 13, characterized in that each pair of rotors has at least the number of pistons corresponding to the number of cycles of the type of engine, number of pistons which is increased as a multiple of 955 of the number of cycles of the engine type. 15. A rotary internal combustion engine according to claim 13, configured for a four-cycle type of engine, characterized in that, the rotors rotate in the opposite direction to the driving shaft, the inlet-outlet ports include a pair of inlet ports diametrically opposed and a pair of diametrically opposed outlet ports, these inlet and outlet ports 960 being disposed in the respective spaced positions adjacent to the positions where the pistons form volumes of the working chambers. 16. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 11, characterized in that the toroidal cylinder (41) has a circular cross-section. 17. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 1, characterized in that the planetary element (50) has a planetary gear (52) concentric with the crank knob (51) which meshes with a complementary gear (53) associated with the chamber assembly of the cylinder and arranged concentrically around the axis of the drive shaft. 18. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing of the driving pin (56) is placed with the possibility of rotation in a sliding block 970 (54) which slides freely along the respective opening (82). 19. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 18, characterized in that each opening (82) has a circular profile in which the sliding block (54) is held captive by the opening (82). 20. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a duplicate planetary element (50), mounted on another crank button (51) arranged coaxially with the button (51), but on the opposite side of rotors (45), and each lead pin (56) extends through a window in the rotor adjacent to its corresponding slot in each planetary member (50). 21. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 1, characterized by 980 that the inlet and outlet ports (24 and 37) are positioned in a portion of the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder. 22. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 1, characterized in that the crank knob (51) and the intermediate bearing (48) are of one piece, and each main bearing spindle (44) adjacent to a crank knob ( 51) is in the form of a spindle of 985 movable main bearing which eccentrically secures an end extension of the crank knob (51). 23. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 1, characterized in that it is also provided with a corresponding conductive joint placed between each rotor (45) and planetary element (50) deviated from their respective axes, so that the speed 990 the different angularity of each driving joint about the axis of the driving shaft resulting from the epicyclic movement of the planetary element (50) causes the pistons of the rotors (45) to cyclically move toward and away from each other as the rotors (45) rotate in progressive motion around the drive shaft. RO 117931 Β 24. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 23, characterized in that the direct driving joint is a driving pin (56) fixedly located either in the planetary element or in the rotor (45) and slidably mounted in a respective radial opening in the other element of the two to which it is not fixed. 25. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 23, characterized in that the drive shaft assembly (40) extends between the chamber portions and is rotatably mounted in the respective opposite chamber portions (22 and 23) inside them , and the drive joint comprises components that can be operatively assembled over the drive shaft, from one of its respective opposite ends by connecting the components in an axial direction, so that the positive displacement rotary apparatus can be easily assembled by sequentially adding components in the direction axially in operative engagement with each other. 26. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 23, characterized in that the pistons (47) are supported in equal numbers on a pair of juxtaposed rotors (45), the total number of pistons (47) being a multiple of four, the pistons (47) arranged at equal distances around each rotor (45), and the inlet and outlet ports comprise an inlet hole (24) and an outlet hole (37) for each 4 pistons (47) being arranged in the respective spaced positions in which adjacent pistons form minimum working chamber volumes such that each inlet port opens successively in a constant time relationship to an expanding working chamber and each outlet port opens successively in a relationship of constant time to a shrinking working chamber. 27. Rotary engine with internal combustion, according to claim 23, characterized in that the pistons (47) are of a partially circular profile each having a sealing ring (94) placed around the circular portion engaging with the wall of the fixed toroidal cylinder (41 ) and another seal that engages the opposite rotor portion found in the annular access opening (58). 28. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 1, characterized in that juxtaposed rotors (45) extend into the annular access opening (58) operatively including the toroidal cylinder (41), the pistons (47) resting on and extending outside the respective juxtaposed rotors (45) and the drive shaft (49) has a crank knob (51) which deviates from the axis of the toroidal cylinder (41) being arranged between the main bearings (44) and supporting a planetary element (50) which rotates around it and meshes with fixed complementary driving elements associated with the cylindrical chamber assembly (21), so that the rotation of the driving shaft (40) causes the planetary element (50) to be driven in rotation around the crank knob (51) with a predetermined speed relative to the driving shaft (40), and each rotor (45) supports a driving pin (56) which deviates from the axis of the driving shaft (40) being arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the driving shaft ( 40) extending into a corresponding radial opening (82) placed symmetrically with respect to the planetary element (50), the driving pin (56) of each rotor (45) blocked from the planetary element (50) by another rotor (45 ) passing through a window in each locked rotor to a corresponding opening (82) in the planetary element (50). 29. Internal combustion rotary engine, according to claim 28, characterized in that the driving shaft (40) has an intermediate bearing (48) on which the rotors (45) are mounted, which is concentric with the axis of the driving shaft and placed between the main bearings . RO 117931 Β 30. An internal combustion engine, according to claim 1, characterized in that, 1040 the drive shaft (40) has an intermediate bearing (48) concentric with its axis, placed intermediate to the main bearings, supporting a pair of juxtaposed rotors (45) to rotate about the axis of the drive shaft (40), rotors (45) which extend into the annular access opening (58) and operatively include the toroidal cylinder (41), and the pistons (47) rest on and extend outside the respective juxtaposed rotors, the driving shaft (40) having crank buttons 1045 (51), which deviate from the axis of the toroidal cylinder (41) and are arranged, between the intermediate bearings and one of the main bearings, each crank button (51) supporting a planetary element (50) to rotate about it, meshing with some fixed driving elements associated with the cylindrical chamber assembly (21), so that the rotation of the driving shaft (40) causes the driving in unison rotational movement of the planetary elements 1050 ( 50) around the respective crank knobs (51) at a predetermined rotational speed relative to the driving shaft (41), and each rotor (45) supports a driving pin (56) that protrudes from the intermediate bearing (48), arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft (40), the drive pins (56) extending into one of a pair of corresponding diametrically opposed radial slots formed in each planetary element 1055 (50) the drive pins (56) from each rotor (45) passing through a window in the other rotor (45) to the corresponding slot in one of the planetary elements (50). The president of the examination committee: Eng. Cârstea Constantin Examiner: Eng. Anghel Radu