US2463308A

US2463308A - Multiple opposed piston propulsive engine

Info

Publication number: US2463308A
Application number: US674028A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fernando G Prieto
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-06-03
Filing date: 1946-06-03
Publication date: 1949-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1966-03-01

Description

Mamh L 1&9, F. G. PRHET MULTIPLE OPPOSED PISTON PROPULSIVE ENGINE Filed June 3, 1946 i 9 I ll 7::

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 1, 1949 IvEEILTIlPLE PPSED WESTON PRGPULSIWE ENGKNE Fernando G. iPriieto, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application done 3, 1946, Serial No. 674,028

(El. ll23-51) 3 (liaims. l

The present invention relates to an improved internal combustion propulsive engine and deals more specifically with a two-stroke cycle engine and with a novel manner of applying the power of said engine. This application is a continuation in part of my Patent 2,399,507, April 30,1946.

The objects of the present invention are: first, to provide an improved engine having opposed pistons in a cylinder and constructed to obtain an efficient power output; second, to provide an engine of the character indicated which has an efficient weight to power output ratio and which is economical to both manufacture and operate; third, to provide an improved internal combustion engine which efliciently conserves fuel; fourth, to provide an improved internal combustion engine in which the scavenging of the cylinders thereof is efllciently effected; fifth, to provide an internal combustion engine in which opposed portions of the cylinders thereof are alternately cooled by a charge of fresh air; sixth, to provide means operatively associated with an internal combustion engine to move impulsively a vehicle or to perform other desired work.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly realized from the following detailed description of the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows, by way of example, an engine embodying the present invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal plan sectional view-of an engine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the same engine, in part, taken at right angle to the plane of section of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view as 7 taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional enlarged View as taken on line 6-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the engine shown comprises an elongated cylinder 1, which is closed at its

end

8 and 9, and is provided with a pair of opposed working pistons l0 and l l a free piston i2, disposed between the working pistons l0 and H for free movement in the cylin-' der 1; a crankshaft 13 which is divided in two portions. as shown; means operatively connecting the crankshaft and theworking pistons Ill and H, said working pistons being provided with piston rods l4 and 15 which are respectively connected to the inertia members l6 and I1 disposed outside of the cylinder 1 and beyond its ends, said inertia members being in turn respectively connected to the crankshaft 13 by mean of connecting rods l5 and i9 and crank rods iBa and 39m arranged longitudinally on either side of the cylinder l.

The working pistons l0 and ii are each provided with a longitudinal passage 2!] controlled by poppet valves 2| and flap valves 22 which open inwardly to allow fluid to pass from the outer to the inner faces of each of said working pistons.

Each end of the cylinder I is provided with a fuel line 23 for admitting a fuel charge to said cylinder by displacing a back pressure valve 24 in each of said lines. Between each fuel line and the cylinder 1 there is a valve 25 which reciprocates for controlling the air and fuel ports; in a position, closes its related fuel line and permits air to enter the respective portion of the cylinder 1; in its other position permits flow of fuel to the respective portion of the cylinder I. Said cylinder is also provided with exhaust valves 26 for the gases of combustion of the engine, said valves being operated in a typical manner to alternately open and close in synchrony with the operation of the engine.

Said cylinder is further provided with poppet valves 2'! which automatically and intermittently open and close; open under the pressure of the combustion when the explosion occurs and close afterwards when said pressure decreases. A shutter (not shown) between each valve 21 and its related port will control the opening of said port. Suitable operating mechanism driven by the engine or by timed outside means may be provided for operating said shutters.

The engine structure also includes means such as

compression springs

28 and 29 arranged to be acted on respectively by the inertia members l8 and H; to compress when said inertia members are propelled outwardly and to expand when said inertia members reverse their motion. Said springs may turnaside to avoid to be acted on by said inertia members.

The engine above set forth may be used in various ways. Herein, it will be described with rela. tion to a vehicle which it propels accordingly; the

springs

28 and 29 are respectively secured to transverse members 30 and 3| of said vehicle as by means of

bolts

32 and 33, respectively. It therefore, will be seen that the engine is, gen.- erally, disposed in the plane or line of movement of a vehicle of which the members 30 and 3| are.

transverse components.

The valves 2| and 22 of the working pistons Ill and H are arranged to open during the out stroke of said pistons, only when the pressure" on the outer face of said pistons is greater than atmosphere.

Suitable operating mechanism of conventional design may be provided for operating the

valves

25 and 26 in timed relation with the operation of the engine. Said mechanism may either be driven by the engine orby timed outside means.

The operation of the present structure is as follows:

During the in-stroke of piston III atmosphere air is drawn in the portion Ia of the cylinder I.

arly, during the in-stroke of piston II, a fuel charge is drawn into the portion 1b of said cylinder. At the end of said in-stroke of pistons I and II, a fuel charge which had previously been displaced into the space 'Ic between the working piston III and the free piston I2, is ignited by a suitable spark or other firing means (not shown). The space thus becomes a combustion chamber. The resulting gas expansion in chamber 10 causes the out-stroke of the working pistons Ill and II to begin, said pistons moving outwardly and oppositely with the same velocity. Piston III receives its moving force directly from the expanding gases, but piston I I receives its thrust from the free piston I2 which is propelled by the expanding gases of combustion. During said out-stroke of pistons I0 and I I, the position of the valves 25 remain as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen (1) that the air charge in the cylinder portion Ia, after eifecting cooling of said cylinder portion and of the piston III, will be expelled through the relative valve 25, since said air is still under atmosphere pressure, and the valves 2! in the piston I I) remain closed; and (2) that the fuel charge in the cylinder portion lb will be compressed during said out-stroke to close the fuel valve 24. Said pressure will open the valves 2| and 22 of the piston I I to allow the fuel charge to pass through passage 20 into the space M between the pistons II and I2. It follows then that the free piston I2, instead of following the outward movement of the working piston II, gradually slows up and then reverses its movement in a direction toward the piston Ill. Such movement is the result of both the incoming fuel charge and the gradual loss of force of the fully expanded gases of combustion.

At the end of the out-stroke of the'working pistons, the valves 25 will move to open the lower fuel line and close the upper one, and, simultaneously, reverse the position of the exhaust valves 26. As the next in-stroke of the working pistons I0 and I I is initiated, the combustion chamber 1c is exhausted through the lower valve 26 as the free piston I2, being impelled by the incoming fuel charge, comes in contact with piston I0, and said fuel charge is compressed by the piston II in the space Id which now becomes the combustion chamber. Upon ignition of this fuel charge,

the above described operation is repeated except that during the in-stroke of piston I 0 a fuel charge is drawn into the cylinder portion Ia and during the in-stroke of piston I I, an air charge is drawn into the cylinder portion 'Ib.

It will be evident that upon each power stroke of the working pistons I0 and II, the inertia members It and I I thrust upon and compress either the spring 28 or the spring 29. When, for example, the spring 29 is disengaged from its related inertia member I I and it turns aside, the spring 28 will be compressed and transmit a thrust or push on the transverse member 30 of the vehicle, and, reversely, when the spring 28 a is disengaged from its related inertia member and 4 it turns aside, the spring 29 will be compressed and transmit a thrust or push on the transverse member 3| of the vehicle. The energy thus stored in the compressed spring will propel the vehicle by a series of cushioned blows either forward or backward respectively, and, also, upon recoil of the compressed spring, institute the in-stroke cycle of the engine.

It is also evident that the crankshaft I 8, likewise, receives power from the engine. It follows that this crankshaft power may be used in combination with the forces applied through the inertia member or, by suitable means, either application of the engine force may be applied.

It is further evident that, if the engine is placed in a position with its cylinder or cylinders parallel to the motion of the vehicle which it propels and with the valves 21 downwards, every explosion in the combustion chamber will tend to move the cylinder in a direction opposed to that of the jet or flow of the escaped gases through the respective valve 21, that is, upwards, and the velocity of such movement will vary according to the opening of its related shutter, Other engines that have ports on the sidewall of the cylinder have said ports always closed during the power stroke and open afterwards, its purpose being to exhaust the burnt gases of combustion, but the ports controlled by valves 21, on the contrary, will be opened by the expanding gases of combustion when the explosion occurs and closed afterwards, its purpose being to utilize the energy of said expanding gases as above disclosed. If the

springs

28 and 29 are disengaged, the rate of explosions in the combustion chamber will greatly increase, and, with the shutters totally open, the engine will tend to ascend rapidly since almost all its power then is applied to move the engine upward.

Various fuels may be used. For instance, carbureted air comprising a spray mixture of oil and oxygen or oil mixed with vapors of liquid oxygen are effective.

Only the essentials of my engine structure have ben disclosed and it is obvious that skilled persons can readily incorporate such attending instrumentalities that may be needed to complete the structure. Further, many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. I therefore, desire to reserve to myself such variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. I claim:

1. A two-stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising: at least one cylinder; a crankshaft associated with said cylinder and divided in two portions, each portion placed at the end and in the direction of a diameter of said cylinder; a pair of opposed working pistons in each cylinder; a free piston freely movable between said working pistons to form a combustion chamber between itself and its related working piston, alternately; and means connecting each working piston to said crankshaft.

2. A two-stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising: at least one cylinder; a crankshaft associated with said cylinder and divided 5 each working piston to said crankshaft; and at each end of each cylinder, a spring having one end secured to a rigid member and the other end in engagement with one of said inertia members for intermittent compression thereof by said inertia member.

3. The device as characterized in claim 2 which includes two ports near the central portion and on the sidewall of each cylinder, a poppet valve closing each port, said valves opening automatically under pressure of the expanding gases of combustion immediately after the explosion in the engine,.a shutter between eachport and its respective valve, and means for actuating said shutters.

FERNANDO G. PRIETO.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,018,093 Blair Feb. 20, 1912 1,044,089 Shaw Nov. 12, 1912 10 1,257,104 Olson Feb. 19, 1918 1,324,520 Robbins Dec. 9, 1919 1,587,052 Tolputt June 1, 1926 1,615,133 Pescara Jan. 18, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 15 Number Country Date 583,350 France of 1924