US2397752A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

P 1946' F. RUSTAD 2,397,752

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 25, 1944 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR F'RITS RUSTAD BY W U'MIM,MWJ MM ATTORNEYS A '2, 1946. F. RUSTAD I INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 25, 1944 w KT v 5 o n TU N JR Mm W M n I... W A R .v. 1 a

Patented Apr. 2, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Fri ts Rustad, Larchmont, N. Y. Application September 23, 1944, Serial No. 555,417'

14 Claims. (01. 123-42) I have found it advantageous to support the on This invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for its object the provision of an improved engine of the opposed-piston type. The invention provides an engine having at least one cylinder with the opposed pistons reciprocable therein, a crankshaft for each piston and means for shifting the cylinder in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis during each revolution of the crankshaft.

One of the characteristic features of the invention is the use of piston connecting rods which travel in the direction of the cylinder axes without swinging, and a component of the forces acting on the crankshafts imparts a motion to the engine cylinders which is transverse to the movement of the pistons. In one of its embodiments, the invention provides means acting in synchronism with the pistons for applying forces in a direction transverse to the cylinder axes to start the engine and to supplement, during the operation of the engine, the action of the crankshafts in imparting the transverse motion to the cylinders. I have found it advantageous to attach to the engine cylinders resilient means having an oscillatory effect on the cylinders which aids in supporting the cylinders and in starting and continuing the transverse motion.

The invention is especially applicable to Diesel engines containing any number of cylinders and is advantageously adapted to multi-cylinder engines, either upright or horizontal, and to engines with interconnected groups of cylinders in which the shafts are connected by gears to a common power shaft. The cylinders, including the immediately connected elements, such as fuel supply means, pistons, connecting rods and the like, are

slidably supported on bearings which permit movement thereof on each side of the center position of the cylinders the length of the shaft crank.

One of the important features of the invention is the provision of a pump system, preferably operated by the lubricating oil, to start the engine and to apply forces aiding in the continuing transverse movement of the cylinder. This feature is especially important when the engine is a Diesel engine because it provides a simple and compact means of starting the engine; By means of one or more small pumps arranged to act against the slidable mass of the engine, the cylinders are moved transversely with a resulting movement of the pistons, fuel pump, etc., and the engine is started. The engine of the invention may, accordingly, be started without the use of the complicated and bulky equipment now necessary to provide air under pressure to start Diesel engines.

gine cylinder on one or more double acting springs which have an oscillatory effect on the movement of the cylinders and which cushions the movement of the cylinder at the extreme positions of motion.

Another importantaspect of the invention is the provision of a very simple reversing system comprising valve means operated from a control station for controlling the action of the'starting pumps. The invention provides manually operable valve means for controlling the admission of oil to the starting pumps to determine the movement of the cylinders and the directionof rotation ofthe crankshafts.

These and other novel features of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a single cylinder engine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the cylinder portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the engine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, along the line 44 o f I Fi 1; I 7

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along'the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view along the line 66 of Fig. ,1 with control apparatus included; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the parts in different positions;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the fuel pump; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of means for the intake and exhaust of gases; and

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view through the valve and its ports. a

The opposed piston engine illustrated in the drawings comprises but a single cylinder which is provided with suitable fins for air cooling, it being understood, of course, that any desired number of similar cylinders may be used and that the engine may be liquid, cooled if desired. The engine is also a two-stroke Diesel engine and it is to be understood that the invention also applies to spark-ignition engines. The invention illustrated is arranged in a horizontal position and it is to be understood that the invention also applies to engines in which the cylinders are. arranged in an upright position. r

The Diesel engine illustrated in the. drawings comprises an air cooled cylinder I having opposed pistons 2 and'3 reciprocable therein which are connected to crankshafts 4 and 5 by the connecting rods 6 and 1 respectively. It will be noted rotation of the crankshafts, the cylinder and its immediate assembly of connected elements moves upward and downward. This use of rigid connecting rods moving in a straight line resulting in or pontributing to a movement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the pistons is one of the characteristic features of the invention. I In order that the crankshafts will move in unison, they are connected together by mean's of the intermediate gears 8, 9, l0 and 1] to the master gear (2 which drives the power shaft 13 (Fig. i).

The intake manifoldsifi and I6 and the eX- haust manifolds l1 and 18 are permanently secured to the foundation structure 119 and do not participate in the upward and downward movement of the cylinder assembly. In the vicinity of the intake ports 29 and the exhaust ports 2i the cylinder has enlargements or projections 22 and 23 which, as shown in Fig. 5, are substantially square in cross section. The upright sides of these extensions are in engagement with the upright bearing guides .25, 26, 21 and 28 which are securely attached to the manifold l5, l6, H. The intake mani and 18 respectively (Fig. .2).

folds l5 and I6 and the exhaust manifolds I! and.

48 have elongated slots 30, 3|, 32 and 33, respectively, which are in coincident engagement with similar slots 34;, 35, 36 and-31 in the bearing guides 25, 26, 21 and 28 respectively. As the cyl inder moves upward and downward in'sliding engagement with the guides, the intake ports 20 and exhaust ports 2] are always in direct communication, through said slots, with the interiors of their respective manifolds.

In order to facilitate the circulation of cooiing air around the central portion of the cylinder-between the intake and exhaust ports, a'houslng member 40 is mounted in spaced relation-there around and in secure attachment to the guides 25, 26, 21 and 23, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 9. This housing is oblong in cross section to permit the upward and downward movement of the 0311- inder therein. By means of a suitablearrangement of valves, as best shown in-Figs. 4 and 9, the air from the intake manifold which is provided under pressure for scavenging and combustion is introduced into the space inside the housing 40 through the valves 4i and is discharged through the valves 42 intothe exhaust gas manifold. -i y In the schematic illustration of the invention in Fig. 9, it will be seen that the cylinder I slides upward .and downward in bearing contact with the guides '25, 25, 21 and 28 with the inlet ports 20 and exhaust ports 21 always in coincident engagement with openings communicating with the interiors of the manifolds l5, Hi, i! and I8. The air for scavenging and combustion is supplied to the manifold 15 from such sources as are usually used for Diesel engines, and it .flows through the engine passages in the directions indicated by the arrows. When the piston 2 is in a position clearing the inlet ports 20, the air blows therethrough and serves as scavenging air blowing the exhaust gases through the ports 21 and into the exhaust,

manifold. The air continues to flow, providing a residual quantity of air for combustion purposes. It will be noted that a part of the air entering the intake manifold forces the one-way valves 4| open and flows into the space between the housing 40 and the cylinder and thence through the one-way valves 42 from which it is discharged into the exhaust gas manifold, The end closures 43, 44, 45 and 46 are rigidly attached to the engine cylinder and move upward and downward therewith. They are in bearing contact with the sides of the inlet and exhaust -manifolds and, accordingly, seal off the space in side the housing 40. It will be understood that Fig. -9 is somewhat exaggerated to facilitate illustration and that the housing 40 is much shorter, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

i I In order to-facilitate the starting of the engine, and also to aid in the continuing transverse movement of the cylinder, suitable spring means are provided, and tothis end, the two diagonally disposed cylinders 50 and 5| are mounted on the platform or engine bed l9 and are attached to the manifolds l5 and 18 respectively. As best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the cylinders 50 and 5] contain- double acting springs 52 and 52' and 53 and 53' with rods 54 and 55, respectively, in hearing engagement therewith. The rods 54 and 55 are attached at the top to brackets 56. and 51 which are rigidly and securely attached to the upper portion of the cylinder. These springs serve to cushion the upward and downward movement of the cylinder and aid in the upward and downward movement to the cylinder.

In order to start the engine, and preferably to aid in the continuing transverse movement of the cylinder, diagonally disposed cylinders 53 and 59 are mounted on the platform l9 and attached to the manifolds l5 and 18. pistons 60 and 51 slidably mounted therein with connecting rods 62 brackets 55 and 51" respectively. The rods 54, 55, 52 and 53 move'upward and downward with the cylinder of the engine. The upper part of the cylinder 59 has a port. 64 and the lower part has a port 65, each in communication with a valve 66 having a rotatable control member 61 which is operated by cams 68 and G9 on the rod 10. The upper end ofrod '10 is. attached to the stationary platform 11 and, while it may turn, does not move upward or downward. The bracket 51 moves upward and downward with the cylinder and has a projecting roller 12 which engages the cams 68 and 69 to turn the member 67 first in one direction and then in the opposite direction repeatedly as the engine operates.

Th valve '66 in the position of the valves shown in Fig. 6 is supplied with oil under high -pressure through the pipe 14, reversing valve 15 and pipe 16 which connects to any suitable source of high pressure oil, for example, to the high pressure side of the lubricating oil system of the engine (not shown); The oil flows through the diagonal passa'geffli, pipe 11 and port 65 into the lower part of cylinder 59, forcing the piston El and the engine assembly upward. The oil is'removed from the upper part of cylinder 59 through port 154, diagonal passage 18, pipe 19, reversing valve 15, and pipe from which sump through pipe 81 or to the low pressure side of a lubricating system through pipe 82. The oil for cylinders 58 and 59 may be from a source of sufficient pressure that the oil discharged from the cylinders may be under a sufliciently high pressure to be used as the lubricating oil and returned to the sump after passing through the The cylinders have and 63 securely attached to it flows to the bearings. In such a construction the excess of oil over that required for lubrication may be returned directly to the sump through a pressure release valve.

The control portion 83 of the valve I is connected by lever 04 and rod 85 to the manually operated starting lever 06 which may be located at any desired place, for example, at a remote operating station. The lever 85 may be moved to a position, such as that shown in full lines which is for forward rotation of the engine, to set the member 83in a position whereby there are communicating passages therethrough as shown in full lines, or it may be set in the position shown in broken lines for reverse running of the engine to connect the passageways in member 83 shown in broken lines. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, the oil forces the piston BI and the entire cylinder assembly in an upward direction to upper dead center, at which time cam 09 engages roller '52 and valve member 01 is turned sufiiciently to connect the horizontal hole 01 with port 04 and pipe 14 and horizontal hole 88 with pipes '11 and I9, as shown in Fig. 7. The high pressure oil nowenters the top of cylinder 59 forcing piston BI and the engine cylinder downward and the oil in the lower part of cylinder 53 flows out through port 65, pipe I1, hole 88, pipe 19 and 30 to the low pressure side of the lubricating system or to the sump. When cylinder I reaches lower dead center, the cam 68 engages the roller 12 and turns member 61 back to the position shown in Fig. 6. The piston 60 of cylinder 58' has a similar arrangement of apparatus to that shown for operating and controlling piston 0! of cylinder 59.

The engine may be reversed by controlling the fuel supply, as will be described fully hereinafter, and by manipulating the lever 80 by throwing it to the stop position, thus turning the valve member 83 to close the passages therethrough and stop the engine. The lever 80 is then set in the reverse position to drive the pistons and cylinders in the opposite direction and fuel is again admitted to the engine.

The means for supplying the engine with fuel oil are best shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The fuel oil pump 9i comprises a cylinder 92 that is rigidly connected to the engine cylinder I and is movable up and down therewith. The piston 93 is attached by the hollow rod 94 to the stationary platform II. It is the movement of the cylinder 92 that gives relative movement to piston 93.

Fuel oil from any suitable source not shown is admitted into the hollow rod 94 from which it flows through the piston 93, as best shown in Fig. 8. The lower portion of cylinder 92 communicates with duct 95 and the upper part of cylinder 912 communicates with duct 90. The ducts 95 and 00 lead to the fuel oil reversing valve 91 which is operated through rods 98 and 99 by the handwheel I00 located at the control position. When the valve 91 is in the position shown in Fig. 10, the passage IOI connects duct 96 with duct I02, and passage ,IOI' connects duct 95 with duct I 02' which leads to a container under atmospheric pressure (not shown). When valve 91 is turned to the position with passages IOI and IOI' shown in dotted lines, the passage 95 is connected to duct I02 and passage 96 is connected to the container under atmospheric pressure. At any suitable place in duct I02, a non-return or check valve I02 is used to prevent a return of oil in the direction of valve 91.

When valve 97 is set in the position shown,

which is for the forward running of the engine, the oil flowing through the hollow rod 94 passes through the ducts I04 and I05 into the chamber I06 and the valve I01 is raised off its seat by the suction in the cylinder. It then flows from chamber I08 through hole I09 into the upper part of cylinder 92. At this time, cylinder 92 is moving upward. On the downward stroke of cylinder 92, the oil in the upper part of the cylinder is forced through ducts and E02 into ducts H5 and I 20. Duct II5 leads to the pressure regulating valve I2 I, and when a suitable oil pressure is attained, as described hereinafter, the valve opens, permitting the oil to be forced through duct I22 and through the fuel oil nozzle I23 into the engine cylinder. The duct II 5 connects to duct I20 which connects to the cylinder I24 of the fuel oil regulating valve I25. Cylinder I24 moves up and down but the piston I26 having a control edge I 21 is rotatably mounted on shaft I28 which is prevented from upward and down ward movement by its mounting on platform II. In order to vary the amount of fuel injected through the nozzle I23, the piston I26 is turnedto the desired position by means of the manually operated wheel I30 which is connected by rod I3I and gears I32 and I33 with piston rod I20. The turning of piston I20 varies the position of the control edge I21 with respect to the inlet to duct I20 and this varies the period during which duct L20 is closed. During the time duct I20 is thus closed, the fuel oil is being injected through valve I2I and nozzle I23. When the desired measured quantity ofoil has been injected into the engine,

the control edge I21 moves over the opening to duct I20 by reason of the movement of cylinder I24, permitting the excess oil to flow into cylinder I 24 and through pipe I34 from which it is returned to the fuel oil supply. When piston I 25 is below duct I20, the excess oil flows into the upper part of cylinder I24 and then through passage I 24' in piston I26 into the lower part of cylinder I24 from which it returns to'the fuel oil supply through pipe I34.

Again referring to Fig. 8, it will be noted that the valve I40 has a stem slidable over the stem of valve i0? and that both valves are pressed into engagement with their respective seats by the spring Ml. During the aforementioned operation, the valve Hill has remained closed. When the engine is reversed, the wheel I09 is turned to change the position of the valve 91' from the position with the passage HM and IOI' shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted'lines. In this position, the oil flow from duct to duct I02 and duct 93 is connected through passage I0! to the container. When cylinder 92 moves downward, valve I40 opens and the fuel oil flows through rod 94 into the lower portion of cylinder 92. On the upward stroke of cylinder 92, valve I40 closes and the oil is forced through duct 95, valve 9?, ducts I02 and H5, pressure regulating valve I2I, duct I22, and through nozzle 23, assuming, of course, that valve I 28 has closed duct I20. It will be noted. that the control edge i 2'! of valve I20 is tapered to a thin edge at the right side of the drawings and that the valve may be set with wheel I 30 in a position which does not permit the injection of any fuel oil into the engine cylinders. In other words, duct may always remain open and the oil from cylinder 92 is returned to the source through pipe I34.

It is, of course, necessary, when changing the direction of fuel admission from forward travel to reverse a inst desc bed, to cheese the: mo e 32155 115 st ne as b st. s ow tes. 6 and 7 Thes spr n s o the eng ne e oer by e ie'otios a suitable cha ge in the m ve...-ent oi the oil operated. 59, It is acco din y heoes. hen chat-isms the d re ion oi the! admission by the m nulat en f wheel. lti) o f e a simultane manipu ation oi leve t6 first to set va e m mber 85 to st p p siti to stop the new o oi throug p pe 14 a d 9 nd h to more the startin ever t to either he e. pos tion s d sirede s o era in and e. c linder a d i hhmdtately co nected assembly oi movab e elements mov nsu w rd and downward,

, od 54.- an 5.5 oper ing in th c l nders 5 and 53. move, with the en ne cyl nder and athe two spr n s 5. and t2" e ertm'a m te pre sur on the rods at he dead 1 end posi ions oi cyli der and coopera e. with 1 the pump. istons s or in the c l nder unwa d and downward,

eratively connected to th c lind r permit in mov ment of th cy nder in a irec i n tr n verse to the movement of thepistons, said cranks Shafts havin force. component whi h m ve the d r the transv rse d re io 2- n osnoeed pi to i r aleomblf stioh s n wh ch c m ri es at least ne c nder h v ins wo p s on r oiior ea l he in, epar c ankshaf for ea h piston, s ar m ns nhe t ns th v crankshaft to a ommon p e shait, each, pistgn being connected to its crankshaft by o ne t ns r d does not pivot with're spect to its piston, bearing guide means operas tively connected to the cylinder permitting m0vement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the pistons, said crankshafts hav n fo ce comp n nt wh h m e h or nder the transverse direction, n ump m an c nn ted to the engine cy i for movin t cylind r ansversely to start t e ne- 7 3. opposedspiston internal combustion ensine whi c mpr s s at l ast on c l d r ha me two p st n re i r o e herei a p ra nksha t for ea h P ston, ar e ns eo n ins the. ranksha t to a mmo power s f h piston being connected to its crankshaft by a onne t n rod which d ot i ot i h r spe to its piston, hearing guide means operatively n c e to the. cy nder ermi -tine mov ment o t e c lind r in. a di ec n an erse t the mehtot the p sto s s e an ai s havingtor e. com onents hic m e h cy in in the transverse direction, and resilient means con ected t t e enshe y i de o impart an os lla or m ti n ther to 7 I All ppos d-piston Hteral m us n s ne which c mpris s a least on ylin er a ns two pis ons reoioroo h e therein a pa a e rankshaft fo ac p s n e h piston being connected to rah shat b a c nnectin r d which. travels in. t e l n i ud nal di ec on of the pistons throughout its travel, bearing guide means operatively connected to the engine. cylinder permitting movement or the'cylinder in a 7 di ection ran erse to the m vement of the ris on and moths tor m ving the engine ylinder upward n downward throug o e comp ete cle of movement while the crankshait v voluti n.

5, .An o pos dis on nter a c mbust on s ne wh ch comprises at east ne ylinder ha ins wo st ns recioro e le the ein, s p r te e anks ei or ac pist n. s r means connect t e he ank h tts to a comm n p wer-sha t, each piston be ng connected to its cran s aft by a connecting rod which travels. in the long tud na d r ction of th istons t oughout its tr vel. hearin g ide mea ooe at v ly connected o he engin yl nder pe mi ting movement of. the cylinderin a r ction ans erse to t e mo e- :nent of. he p stons, sa oran shafts hav n fo ce mponen s tend n to move t engine eylinder the ran e se o1 ot onz and pump means he n o d to t e engine cylind r and ope ated, i sv ohronism wit he r n ss i s to oroe th engine y nder n the ran r e d rect on- .Ah opr d ist n int rnal c mbus i n ens ne h c co p ises t least one ylinder awins tw p tons r ei r cabletherein, a Se a at crankshait for each piston, gear means connect-v ing the crankshafts to a common power shaft, each piston being connected to its crankshaft by a c n c ng rod h c t a e s n he longitudi a direction o t p stons th oughout s travel b a i guide means o r i e v connected to the en ine. yli der erm t in movement t the yl h r in a d r ct n rans r o the movement of th is ns, a d rahk jhaf s havin fo ce m onents tendin to mo e e n in oy i, er in the transverse direction, pump means con nected to the n ne cylinde and op rated in ynehronism with the c an shet s to tome th en e in er n th transverse di ection, and res i n 'me ns co n t d t h ne y in er o ai n t ran er e movem t of the en ine oy ihder- .Ah mooted-pist n internal combustion on t s ne which omprises at l ast one cylinder hav ing two pistons reciprocable' therein, a separate crankshaft for each piston, means connecting the crankshaft, to a common power shaft, each piston being connected to its crankshaft by a connecting rod which travels in the longitudinal direction of the pistons throughout its travel, bearing guide means operatively connected to the engine cylinder permitting movement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the move ment of the pistons, said crankshafts having force components tending to move the engine cylinder in the transverse direction, an oil pump connected to the engine cylinder to move the engine cylinder in the transverse direction, and means for operating the oil pump by oil from the lubricating oil system of the engine.

8. An opposed-piston internal combustion en.- gine which comprises at least one cylinder having two pistons reciprocable therein, a separate crankshaft for each piston, means connecting the crankshaft to a common power shaft, each piston connecting rod which travels in the longitudinal direction of the pistons throughout its travel, bearing guide means operatively connected to the engine cylinder permitting movement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the move ment of the pistons, said crankshafts having force components tending to move the engine cylinder in the transverse direction, an oil pump connected to the engine cylinder to move the being connected to its crankshaft by a engine cylinder in the transverse direction, means for operating the oil pump by oil from the lubricating oil system of the engine, and means in operative connection with the oil pump for reversing the operation thereof to reverse the operation of the engine. 4

9. An opposed-piston internal combustion engine which comprises at least one cylinder having two pistons reciprccable therein, a separate crankshaft for each piston, each pisto-n'being connected to its crankshaft by a connecting rod which travels in the longitudinal direction of the pistons throughout its travel, guide means operatively connected to the engine cylinder permitting movement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the pistons, at least one pump connected to the engine cylinder arranged to move the engine cylinder in its transverse direction, and means for reversing the operation of the pump to reverse the operation of the engine.

10. An opposed-piston internal combustion engine which comprises at least one cylinder having two pistons reciprocable therein, a separate crankshaft for each piston, each piston being connected to its crankshaft by a connecting rod which travels in the longitudinal direction of the pistons throughout its travel, guide means operatively connected to the engine cylinder permitting movement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the pistons, at least one pump connected to the engine cylinder arranged to move the engine cylinder in its transverse direction, means for reversing the operation of the pump to reverse the operation of the engine, and resilient means connected to the engine cylinder to aid in the transverse motion.

11. An opposed-piston internal combustion engine which comprises at least one cylinder having two pistons reciprocable therein, a separate crankshaft for each piston, means connecting the crankshaft to a common power shaft, each piston being connected to its crankshaft by a connecting rod which travels in the longitudinal direction of the pistons throughout its travel, guide means operatively connected to the engine cylinder permitting movement of the cylinder ina direction transverse to the movement of the pistons, at least one oil pump connected to the engine cylinder and operated by the transverse movement thereof, and means at a control position for reversing the operation of the pump in reversing the operation of the engine.

12. An opposed-piston internal combustion engine which comprises at least one cylinder having two'pistons reciprocable therein, a separate crankshaft for each piston, gear means connecting the crankshaft to a common power shaft, each piston being connected to its crankshaft by a connecting rod which travels in the longitudinal direction of the pistons throughout its travel, guide means operatively connected to the engine cylinder permitting movement of the cylinder in a direction transverse to the movement of the pistons, pump means connected to the engine cylinder arranged to move the engine cylinder in its transverse direction, fuel supply means for the engine, means at a control position for reversing the supply of fuel and for reversing the operation of said means when it is desired to reverse the operation of the engine.

13. An opposed-piston engine according to claim 9 which comprises a. fuel oil pump cylinder attached to and movable with the engine cylinder, and a piston in the cylinder secured in a stationary position for pumping the fuel oil.

14. An opposed-piston engine according to claim 9 which comprises at least two pumps one mounted on each side of the engine cylinder, and a set of springs on each side of and attached to the engine cylinder for aiding in the transverse movement of the engine cylinder.

FRITS RUSTAD.

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