US1596543A - Hot-air engine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 17,1926. l y 1,596,543

J. Kor-:N16

HOT AIR ENGINE Filed April 15, 1925 z'sneezs-Snee. 1

,un u

gg Jus Epl-L Koenig Patented ug. 17, 1926.

JOSEPH KOENIG, OF MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN. f

HOT-AIR ENGINE.

Application led April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22,682.

This invention relates to hot air engines.

Objects of this invention are to provide a hot air engine which has a minimum num.- ber of stuing boxes or other similar parts likely to cause leaking or subject to wear, which is substantially enclosed as to the or portion of its structure, which may be readily placed under initial compression, which may be made in any desirable size, and which is substantially `fool proof in operation.

Further objects are to providea hot air engine in which a high degree of efficiency is attained, in which quick interchanges of heat are secured, and which is automatic in its operation, and may be controlled by a speed responsive governor, if desired, to in` sure a smooth and uniform action of the engine. v

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the engine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1 with the air treating cylinders in vertical section.

Referring to the drawingsl particularly Figure 1, it will be seen that the engine comprises a working cylinder 1 within which 30 is a piston 2 provided with a piston rod 3.

This piston rod projects through a stufng box 1 adapted to receive packing and also oil under pressure in accordance with the well known practice.

The outer end of the piston rod is secured to the cross head 5 which is connected by means of a pitman 6 with a crank pin 7 rigidly carried by the main shaft 8. A fly wheel 9 of any suitable weight is rigidly secured to the shaft and it is to be noted further from reference to Figure 1, that a governor 10 is also carried directly by the shaft and oscillates a controlling rod 1l hereinafter described in greater detail.

From Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the working cylinder 1 is preferably mounted upwardly above the base 12 and approximately half way between the air treating cylinders indicated generally at A and B. These air treating cylinders are identical in construction and are connected with opposite ends of the work cylinder 1 in a similar manner as will appear as the description proceeds, only one of the cylinders need, therefore, be described.

,the cylinders 22 Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the cylinders are. each provided with a main cylinder portion or shellA 12 which is equipped with an outer head 13 and with an limer head 14. lt is to be noted that the shell extends to adjacent the rear of the device and is provided with an inturned or inwardly extending smaller shell 15 which extends to the inner cylinder head 111.

4A stationary sleeve 16 is rigidly carried by the head 13 and slidably receives the elongated piston 17, such piston being rigidlyl attached to a piston rod 18 which in turn is guided through the plug 19. Preferably, the piston 17 is provided with a heat insulating lining 20, as indicated in Figure 2. The rear end of the piston rod 18 is provided with a relatively small piston 21 which slides within a small cylinder 22,.

It is to be noted from Figure 2 that the cylinders 22 are connected by means of a pipe or conduit 23 and that these cylinders are preferably iilled with a liquid such for instance as oil. The purpose of this construction is to insure simultaneous and reverse operations of the pistons 17, as indicated in Figure 2, and it is obvious that thevoil in will secure this reverse operation.

It is to be noted fromv Figures 1 and 2 that the working cylinder 1 has a relatively large which extends to an annular chamber 25 surrounding the ends of each of the cylinders A and B. These annular chambers communicate directly with the cylinders through the `space between the stationary sleeve 16 and the outer shell 12.

A pair of smaller pipes 26 extend from opposite. ends of the cylinder 1 to the forward ends of the small cylinders 22.

It is to bey noted from reference to Figure 2 that the lower end of the cylinders A and B are provided with water jackets 27 so that such rear ends are chilled at alltimes. y

It is to be noted particularly fromreference to Figure 2 that a plurality of heating pipes 28 extend from one portion of the annular channel or chamber 5 into the forward end of the cylinder on a diametrically opposed side. These pipes are adapted to be heated in any suitable manner, and may, if desired, be enclosed by a casing 29 to house the heating iiame of a burner 29 (see Figpipe at each end, as indicatedl at 24, f

ure 1) or similar member, the products of combustion passing out of the aperture 29 shownin Figure 2.

1n operation, th-e system is preferably placed under compression means-.- ozh the valves 30, `as shown in Figure 1, which are adapted to be connected to any suitable source of air pressure. ln addition to this, it is preferable to supply a high pressure to one side or'V the piston 2 to turn the engine over when starting.

Consider l'or example, the condition when the piston Q, is approaching tlierear endoi its strole, the air is discharged from the cylinder 1 into one or the cylinder A. This air passes intothe annular chamber 25 and Jrom thence rearwardly between the wal 1 and thestationary sleeve* 16v and past the cool end o't'- the cylinder where it isV chilledy and contractedl As the pist-en 2L more closely approaches the limit el its stroke, pressure builds upr ahead o the piston 2' andistransmitted through the pipe 25 tothe cylinder 22 associated with the cylinder A and thus causes the rearward travel of the piston 21 of such cylinder and' the 'forward travel of the small piston in the other cylinder. This causes a similar motion of the piston 1T. When the piston 17. ot the cylinder A travels rearwardly it :tor-ces the air in a revers-e direction between the shell' 132iand the'sleeve 16 and through the heated pipes 28, such airbeingdischarged in aY heated. condition forwardly oli the piston l?. This air is, therefore, quickly heated and expands and lorces the piston 2' in a reversedirection. QbViOusly, as the piston 2i travels in areverse direction the airis passed trom the end ot the cylinder which the pistonis approaching, into the cylinder- B, of theair treating portion ofy theapparatus, and1 is chilled), vas-previously described. However, as the end of the stroke is approached, the pistons 17 are moved ink a reverse direction with consequent reverseoperatio-n of the piston 2, as previously described.

It is to be notedV that when the pistonA 17 is in its outermost position adjacent the head 13th-at has expelled the Ihotairthrough the tubes/28 into the cold end ci; the cylinder, through the passage between the' casing 12 and the .sleeve 16. However, whenthe piston 17-'is in its rearmost position, as show-rr for the cylinder B, air has been orced in a reverse directionA through the heated pipes, into the hot end of the cylinder` B, through the' same passages in a reverse direction from theY cylinder A.

1n order to prov-ide for-.automaticcontrol or the engine, the rocking shalt 11 from the governor is provided with a valveA 31 (see Figure 2)- which controls communication between the cylinders A. andI B. Obviously, if theY governor operates due toAV excessive speed, the

annulary chambers of ythe pressure in the two cylinders A and B is allowed tey partly equalize, and consequently the eect of these cylinders is reduced temporarily and the .speed or the engine decreased.`

It will be seen that an extremely simple type of hot air engine has been provided which is ciiicient in operation, which is devoid ol' valves with the exception of the governor valve, and in which the working partsare enclos-ed" with the single' exception of the worlri-ng' piston rod 3 which ente-nds through a packinggla-nd'. There is, therelore, a veryv small chance of leakage in this system and" consequently an effective opera-- tion is maintained.

Although theinvention has been described inv considerablev detail, it is to bel understood that the invention-'may be variously embodiedg and is, therefore, to he limited only as claimed. f

1 claim:

1l. A hot air engine comprising a' working cylinder, a piston mountedl therein, a pair of cylinders connected with. opposite ends of sai-d working cylinder, each or said pair or cylinders having air circulating pistons therein provided! withv pis-ton rods, and having heating and cooling means, a pain oit auxiliary cylinders into which said piston rods project, pistons litting said? auxiliary cylinders and carried by said pistony rods, said auxiliary cylinders containing aL l-ifqui'd and having' their-outer ends connected, and means whereby the syst-emv may be; placed under initial compression.

2. rh hot air enginev comprising a worlring cylinder, a pistony mounted" therein, a pair of' cy 7linders connectedI with opposite ends of said work-ing cylinder, each or" said pair ot cylinders having air circulatingV pistons thereinprovided with piston rods and having heating and cool-ing means, a' pair of auxiliary cylinders into which said'- piston rods project, pistons htting saidi auxiliary cylinders and carried by said:` piston rods, said auxiliary cylinders containing ai liquid and having their outer ends connected, and pipes connecting said auxiliary cylinders with opposite Aends of saidlworlting cylinder.

3. A hotv air engine comprising' a working cylinder', apair of air conditioning cylinders having at one end extern-all heated mea-ns through which the air is adapted tob pass, said pair" o'f'cylinders havingj tl'reother ends cooled, pistons within saidV pair of cylinders and controlling the flow or air' through said heating means, means connect-ing opposite ends o said. working cylinderv with said pair of cylinders, the working# piston for operating` theA pistons inthe air conditioning cylinders.Y

t'. A hot air engine comprising' a: working cylinder, a pair of air conditioningcylinders having atl one end external heated means and means controlled by through Which the air is adapted to pass, said pair of cylinders having the other ends cooled, pistons within said pair of cylinders and controlling the Iiow of air through said heating means, means connecting opposite ends of said Working cylinder with said pair of cylinders, means controiled by the Working piston for operating the pistons in the air conditioning cylinders, rotary means driven from the Working piston, a governor operatedby said rotary means, and-a valve operated by said governor and controlling interoommunication of said pair of cylinders.

5. A hot air engine comprising a pair of air cylinders each having closed ends, a sleeve carried by one end and projecting into the cylinder and 'spaced from the Walls thereof, an annular chamber surrounding such end of the cylinder and communicating With the space between said sleeve and the cylinder Walls, a plurality of heated pipes extending from the annular chamber and opening through the head of the cylinder, a piston mounted Within each cylinder and fitting Within said sleeve, cooling means for each cylinder remote from the heating pipes, a Working cylinder having opposite ends connected With the annular chambers of said pair of cylinders, a Working piston Within said Working cylinder, and means controlled by said Working piston for controlling the position of the iirst mentioned pistons.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Manitowoc, in the county of Manitowoc and State ot' Wisconsin.

' JOSEPH KOENIG.

Images