US2664865A - Engine - Google Patents

Description

S. ELIOT Jan. 5, 1954 ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1- Filed Sept. 27, 1949 Jan. 5, 1954 s. ELIOT 2,664,865

ENGINE Filed Sept. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 235% w v a5 l... as I l IQ I 1 /4 S. ELIOT Jan. 5, 1954 ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 27, 1949 Jan. 5, 1954 s. ELIOT ENGINE Filed Sept. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE Samuel Eliot, Newton, Mass.

Application September 27, 1949, Serial No. 118,139 4 Claims. (01. 123-52) This invention relates to internal combustion engines. It aims to improve engines of this type with a view to simplifying their construction, greatly reducing the weight per horse power ratio, improving the performance of such engines, and devising an organization which can be manufactured and operated far more economically than those of the common commercial forms.

The nature of the invention Will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an engine or motor embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 1A is a sectional view of a piston cylinder with a double-ended piston in it;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the engine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal, sectional view of the engine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the crank and gear supporting unit;

Fig. 5A is a section of Fig. 5 on the line 5A--5A; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken, respectively, approximately on the line 6-5 of Fig. 1 and 'i-'i of Fig. 4.

Preliminary to a detailed description of the construction shown in the drawings, it may be pointed. out that the engine here illustrated for the purposes of disclosure is of the two-cycle type and includes two double-ended cylinders, two double-ended pistons operating, respectively, in said cylinders, and mechanism operatively connecting said pistons with a power take-off gear.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 4, the two cylinders above referred to are there shown at A and B, respectively, positioned side by side. Preferably each cylinder includes an inner shell of iron, steel, or equivalent material, and an outer shell of aluminum or an equivalent light-weight metal alloy. These preferably consist simply of tubes telescoped, one in the other, and for manufacturing reasons each may be made of sections united at the middle of the sleeve or cylinder with an overlapping joint, as shown at a, Fig. 4.

Mounted in each cylinder is a double-ended piston, that for the cylinder A being shown at 6 and that for the cylinder B at I. Preferably each piston consists of a suitable length of solid 2 aluminum bar fitting snugly, but slidably, with suitable piston clearance, in its respective cylinder, the opposite ends of each piston being shaped as shown in Fig. 4. In addition to the diagonal faces 8 provided at opposite ends of each piston, the part adjacent to the junction of this face with the end surface of the piston is drilled both transversely and radially to provide an auxiliary exhaust passage 9 which, at appropriate times, is moved into register with one of the exhaust slot ports I!) formed through the outer walls of both cylinders. The ends of the cylinders are closed by cylinder head plates l2 which are clamped against the cylinder ends by stay rods I3 and nuts threaded on them. Also secured to the opposite ends of the cylinders are two hollow cylinder head castings or stampings I4-l4, which are bolted to the plates I2 and thus hold the cylinders side by side in fixed relationship to each other.

Between the two cylinders is a frame piece I5, which is best shown in Figs. 5 and 5A. It is secured in place by bolts or screws Iii-46, Fig. 4, passing through the cylinder head castings I 4-H, and it forms the support for the mechanism which connects the two pistons and transmits the power produced in them to a suitable take-off. A base 0 for supporting the motor may be secured to the lower edge of the frame piece I5.

As best shown in Figure 4, the piston i has a wrist pin I'I anchored to it and equipped with a ball bearing D, Fig. 7, on its outer end facing the crank gear. The frame piece I5 has a cavity or recess formed in one side thereof to receive a gear I8, preferably of the helical type, a bearing stud for this gear being formed integral with the member I 5. Connecting this gear with the wrist pin I1 is a crank rod I 9, best shown in Fig. '7. Preferably this connection is made to the crank pin 20 on the gear It by a ball bearing or other antifriction bearing.

Also mounted on the frame piece I5 in essentially the manner above described is another gear 2|, like the gear I8, meshing with it and connected with the piston '6 by parts similar to those above described connecting the piston I with the latter gear. These parts are designated by the same but primed numerals. The two gears I8 and 2| are mounted on opposite sides or faces of the frame member l5 and the crank pins I1 and ii" are set at angles to each other so that, for example, when the crank I 9 is vertical the other crank I9 will be horizontal, and the power impulses transmitted by the two pistons to a power take-off gear driven by either of the gears E8 or 2! will thus be only 90 apart, or where one piston is at the top dead center, an alternate opposite piston will be half-way up on its stroke.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the opposite ends of the piston 6 cooperate with the opposite ends of the cylinder A in which it slides to function as two combustion chambers or cyl inder" structures of an internal combustion engine. The same is true of the piston 8 in the cylinder B. And these four cylinders or combustion chambers may be designated as 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, referring to the numbers enclosed in circles.

The other accessories necessary to the operation of this structure as a four-cylinder engine may be connected to the unit above described in any suitable manner. As shown in Figs. 2 and '7 a carburetor 22, which may be of a standard form is connected to each of the intakes 22', Fig.

1, provided in the cylinder head castings I l-l4,

these castings serving as intake manifolds. Also, in each cylinder head plate l2 several, for in stance four, automatic spring-actuated intake valves 24 are provided to control the admission of the fuel mixture into the respective cylinders l. to 4, inclusive, and closing same. Spark plugs for each of these four cylinders are also shown in Fig. 4 at 25. An ignition system of any suitable form may be provided including, for example, a magneto or a distributor 26, Fig. l, driven by the gear 2| through another gear 21, as shown in Fig. 2, the gear 21 running at twice the speed of the gear 2 I. Also, as above indicated, another gear 28, Fig. 2, meshing with and driven by the gear (8 may be utilized as a power take-off or a blower drive, or both, and its shaft is equipped with a double V-belt pulley 30, or any other suitable means for transmitting power in the manner described.

A Venturi tube 3| is secured to the motor in register with each of the exhaust ports ID for reasons that will presently be explained.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that each of the pistons will make two strokes, one forward and one backward, for each rotation of either the gear [8 or 2!. In Fig. 4 the end of the piston 6 cooperating with the combustion chamber or cylinder section 1 has just completed its power stroke to the right and the other end of this piston, cooperating with the cylinder 2, is completing its compression stroke prior to being fired. The ignition system may be so timed with reference to the movements of the pistons that the four cylinders will fire in the order of, say, one, four, two, three.

Because this is a two-cycle engine, without the conventional crank case, unique and automatic timing of the exhaust from each cylinder is provided. Assuming that the left-hand end of the piston 6 in Fig. 4 is making its power stroke and the port 9 comes into register with the exhaust port l while the piston is still moving to the right, a limited burst of exhaust gases through the ports 9 and I0 and into the Venturi exhaust tube 3! will first occur. This discharge, however, will 'be cut oif shortly by the passage of the section d of the piston across the port I0. As soon as it has passed, the port II) will be fully open to the combustion chamber for the discharge of exhaust gases which, at this time, are expanding rap-idly. It is preferable to position the port !0 somewhat farther up in the cylinder than normal so that the exhaust begins at an abnormally early period in the cycle of operation of each cylinder. The two bursts or gets of exhaust gases passing through the port [0,

as just described, and discharged into the Van-- turi tube, set up a partial vacuum behind them and this vacuum continues to build up as the gases are discharged through the Venturi tube and while the piston reverses its travel and starts back toward the left. A final discharge of residual gases from the cylinder occurs as the port 9 passes the port l0, moving toward the left on its compression stroke, but it is created mainly by the suction already set up in the exhaust tube 31. This same suction is sufficient to open the intake valves 24 at the head of this cylinder No. 1 and permit an inrush of fuel mixture into that cylinder. An instant later the port I0 is closed as the piston continues to move up and the intake valves now close automatically, with the result that compression of the new charge of fuel mixture occurs before the piston reaches its top dead center. At about this time this compressed charge is fired and the piston starts on another power stroke.

The same action occurs in each of the other four cylinders or combustion chambers so that when the engine is running it produces four power impulses during each rotation of either gear I8 or 2|.

Because the time interval in which each cylinder can pick up a new charge of fuel is extremely short, the efficiency of the engine can be greatly increased by connecting a blower to the intake of each of the carburetors 22, or by providing some other simple form of supercharger with a carburetor at its intake. However, the engine can be run without such ad ditional equipment, care being taken to advance the opening of the exhaust port I!) sufliciently, as above explained, to take advantage of the suction-creating properties characteristic of Venturi exhaust tubes.

Lubrication may be supplied to the bearings for the gears and crank links by hand, or in any convenient manner. Each piston is provid ed with a central circumferential groove to which lubricant can be fed from a supply pipe or an oil cup 0, Figs. 1 and 1A, tapped through the middle of each cylinder at its center. Only a. very slow feed of oil is required for this purpose because the piston floats in oil restricted by opposite end pressures.

The particular engine shown in the drawings has four combustion chambers or cylinders but, as compared to the ordinary eight-cylinder four-cycle engine, it also gives eight-cylinder performance. That is, the former engine produces eight explosions in each two revolutions, and that likewise is true of applicants engine.

l lowever, as compared to the ordinar eightcylincler engine, applicants engine is extraordinarily simple. Those parts of the orthodox engine just referred to, which are eliminated in applicants construction, are the crank shaft with all of its bearings, the crank case, oil sump, cam shaft with its gears and bearings, push rods, rocker arms, fly wheel, water pump, water jacket, air cooler fins, and others. Because of this elimination of parts, plus the low cost of manufacture of applicants engine in accordance with light-weight practice, the horsepower per pound of weight can be made extraordinarily high. It should also be observed that in this engine no piston rings are necessary, due to the floating conditions and opposing pressures.

No cooling mechanism is required for ordinary operation. Much internal cooling naturally is produced. Largely responsible for this result is the fact that outside air is taken into the cylinders for a larger proportion of the time than in engines of the orthodox constructions, and the quick vacuum exhausts and the early initiation of the exhaust contributing to this result. The solid pistons also are helpful in this respect.

It should be observed that the engine can be run in either direction and on any type of fuel suitable for use in internal combustion engines. The invention can also be incorporated in other types of engines, such as the diesel, by the use of a suitable fuel injection mechanism with higher compression and no spark.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be evident that it is susceptible of embodiment in a great variety of other forms. For example, the number of cylinders used can be changed within a wide range while still obtaining the benefit of novel features of this invention. Naturally while one of these engines of one cylinder functions as a two-cylinder engine, better balancing effects can be accomplished with more cylinders. It is preferred to make a flat engine with two cylinders, as shown in the drawings, or in multiples of two.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In an internal combustion engine comprising a pair of cylinders positioned side by side in spaced relation, a double ended piston in each cylinder, ignition means and fuel supply means at each end of each cylinder, an intake valve for each cylinder, a relative flat frame member positioned between said spaced cylinders, said frame members being formed with a pair of generally annular recesses in its opposite faces, a bearing stud carried by said frame member centrally of each annular recess, head castings connecting the ends of said cylinders, means securing the ends of the frame member to said head castings, meshing gears on said bearing studs, wrist pins projecting from the medial portion of each piston,

and a crank connecting each wrist pin with a .gear at points eccentric of the gear axis.

2. In a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising a pair of cylinders positioned side by side in spaced relation, head castings connecting the opposite ends of said cylinders, a double ended piston in each cylinder, ignition means and fuel supply means at each end of each cylinder, a pair of spaced exhaust ports formed in each cylinder wall, exhaust pipes for conducting the exhaust gases away from the cylinders, exhaust passageways formed in each end of each piston and extending from the ends of the pistons and discharging laterally through the side of the piston through the exhaust ports, an intake port in each cylinder head in substantial alignment with the exhaust opening in the end of each piston head, an inwardly opening normally spring closed inlet valve for said intake ports, an elongated frame member positioned between said pair of cylinders, means fixing the ends of the elongated frame member to said head castings, said frame member being formed with a pair of annular oppositely facing recesses, a bearing stud carried by the frame member centrally of the annular recesses, meshing gears mounted on said studs, wrist pins projecting from the medial portion of each piston, and a crank connecting each wrist pin with a gear at points eccentric of the gear axis.

3. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that head castings enclose the opposite ends of each pair of cylinders, and elongated fastening means extend from the head castings longitudinally into said frame member to secure the latter in position.

4. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that the exhaust pipes connected with each of the exhaust ports are formed with venturis, and said venturis are positioned relatively close to the cylinder walls.

SAMUEL ELIOT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 125,114 Barden Apr. 2, 1872 315,516 Lane Apr. 14, 1885 923,069 Nessler May 25, 1909 1,035,899 Pearson Aug. 20, 1912 1,411,556 Almen Apr. 4, 1922 1,550,704 Knott Aug. 25, 1925 1,734,489 Jereb Nov. 5, 1929 1,878,767 Freund Sept. 20, 19 2 1,909,729 Southwick May 16, 1933 2,188,630 Graham Jan. 30, 1940 2,278,718 Cook Apr. 7, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,837 Great Britain Oct. 3, 1908 572,749 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1944 695,967 France Oct. 7, 1930

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