US3148625A

US3148625A - Hydraulic engine

Info

Publication number: US3148625A
Application number: US115847A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Caloia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-05-12
Filing date: 1961-05-12
Publication date: 1964-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-15

Description

SePt- 15, 1964 J. A. cALolA 3,148,625

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HYDRAULIC ENGINE:

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INVENTOR JoHN A Cmmam.A

United States Patent O 3,148,625 HYDRAULIC ENGINE John A. Caioia, Rte. 2, Box 440, Elsinore, Calif. Filed May 12, 1961, Ser. No. 115,847 9 Claims. (Cl. 103-54) This invention relates to a novel hydraulic engine wherein the piston of an internal combustion cylinder actuates the pistons of a plurality of pumping cylinders for producing fluid under pressure for driving hydraulically operated devices.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an engine of the character indicated above wherein the pistons of the pumping cylinders are moved, in a direction to draw fluid thereinto, by a power stroke of the internal combustion cylinder piston, and are moved in fluid-compressed directions by spring means compressed by the intake strokes of the pumping pistons.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an engine of the character indicated above, wherein the stroke of the driving piston is longer than the strokes of the pumping pistons, and the driving piston is connected to the pumping pistons by lever means whose fulcrum is located closer to the pumping cylinders than to the driving cylinder.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an engine of the character indicated above, having a cylinder receiver for fluid under pressure, for connection to a hydraulically operated device, to which all of the pumping cylinders are connected by individual conduits which are smaller in diameter than the receiver.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specic form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of a hydraulic engine of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, showing the driving piston at the top of its compression stroke;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view like FIGURE 3, with parts omitted, showing the driving piston at the bottom of the power stroke; and,

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated engine comprises an open base frame 10, here shown as being octagonal in plan, having right straight sides 12. The frame sides 12 have inwardly and downwardly angled inner edge portions 14 which have depending Vertical flanges 16 on their inner edges. Four equally circumferentially spaced brackets 18 are ixed to and extend inwardly and upwardly from the flanges 16 of related frame sides 12 and support, at the center of the opening of the frame 10, `a vertical internal combustion driving cylinder 20.

The brackets 18 can be, as shown in the drawings, inverted channel forms having outwardly declining webs 22 and side walls 24, the webs 22 terminating, at their outer or depressed ends in vertical portions 26, and at their inner or elevated ends, in horizontal portions 28. At their lower ends, the vertical web portions 26 are rice fixed centrally to related flanges 16, as by means of bolts 30, extending therethrough. The driving cylinder 20 has an open lower end, around which extends an external annular flange 32, which bears upon the bracket web horizontal portions 28, and is fixed thereto, as by means of bolts 34 extending therethrough.

The cylinder 20 has a domed concave head 36 on its upper end, which, at one side thereof, is formed with a vertical recess 38, which is vertically aligned with a fuel inlet port 40, provided in the sidewall 42 of the cylinder, v

at a location substantially midway between its upper and lower ends. The head 36 has a central threaded hole 44 through which a spark plug 46 is threaded. The inlet port 40 is relatively small in diameter and extends radially through the sidewall 42 and opens, at its inner end, into a recess in the inner surface of the sidewall 42 which defines an inlet valve seat 48 which is larger in area than and surrounds the port 4t). A flap valve 50 is suitably hinged, at its lower end, in the lower part of the seat 48, as indicated at 52, in a manner to assure its assuming a gravitationally depressed open position, as shown in FIG- URE 3, when the driving piston 54 in the cylinder 20 is in a downwardly fuel intake stroke and is located below the port 4l). On a level just below the port 4t), the cylinder sidewall 42 is provided with circumferentially spaced exhaust ports 56.

The driving piston S4 has a iiat head 58 and a sidewall 60 which is provided, in the region of the head 58, with external grooves 62, in which compression sealing rings 64 are seated. At one side of the piston 54, the head 58 is provided with an upstanding lug 66 which has an outwardly declining cam surface 68 on its upper end, for camming the inlet valve 58 upwardly and outwardly, into the seat 48, as the piston 54 rises in the cylinder 20. As shown in FIGURE 5, at the limit of its drive stroke, the head 58 of the piston 54 is on a level with `the lower sides of the exhaust ports 56, and at the limit of its upstroke, the head 58 is close 4to the cylinder head 36, and the cam lug 66 is positioned in the recess 48.

Fixed to the lower, open end of the piston 54 is a solid inverted conical boss 70, having a lower end or apex '72, and having a cylindrical upper portion 74, of the same outside diameter as the piston 54. The upper portion '74 engages in the cylinder 20, in the elevated tiring and compressing strokes of the piston 54, as shown in FIGURE 3.

A fuel line 76 is connected to the inlet port 4t), and leads from any suitable source of liuid fuel, under pressure (not shown), whether of gaseous, liquid, or powder form. Suitable ignition and spark timing means (not shown) is connected -to the spark plug 46, for tiring the same and detonating fuel in the cylinder 20, above the piston 54, following compression of the fuel above the piston, on an upstroke thereof and at the beginning of downward movement of the piston, on a power stroke, whereby the piston 54 is driven downwardly.

The illustrated engine further comprises hydraulic cylinders 80 which are severally centered relative to individual frame sides 12. The hydraulic cylinders 80 have cylindrical main portions 82 having open upper ends, and hemispherical lower portions 84. Lateral flanges 86 at the upper ends of the cylinders 80 are fixed to the undersides of the frame sides 12, as by means of bolts 88, extending therethrough, whereby -the frame sides close the upper ends of the cylinders. In the area of the joining of the lower portions 82 and the lower portions 84, the sidewalls of the cylinders 80 are provided with hydraulic fluid inlet ports 90, to which iiuid supply lines 92 are connected, and which, at their inner ends, open to valve seat recesses 94. Gravity and pressure closed flap valves 3 96 are suitably hinged, at their upper ends, in upper portions of the seats 94, as indicated at 98.

Valved discharge means for the hydraulic cylinders 80 can take the form of vertical tubular valve bodies 100, fixed centrally to the lower ends of cylinders 80, and opening, at their upper ends into the cylinders, and having compressed fluid lines 102 connected to their lower ends, as indicated at 104. At the open upper ends of the valve bodies 100 inward horizontal extensions 106 are provided. which with opposed portions of the lower ends of the cylinders 80, define valve seats 108 having discharge ports 110 therein. Flap valves 112 are hinged, at one end, to the sides of the sidewall, of the valve bodies 100, remote from the extensions 106, as indicated at 114, in a manner to be upwardly engaged with the seats 108, by back pressure through the compressed uid lines 102, for closing the ports 110, and to be depressed to open the ports 110 by fluid pressure within the cylinders 80.

The pressure fluid lines 102 are all connected to a single receiver which is adapted to be connected to a hydraulic device to be operated by fluid pressure produced by the engine. The receiver 116, herein shown, is in the form of an elongated straight open-ended tubular manifold, which is substantially larger in diameter than the lines 102, and has the lines connected thereto, at opposite sides thereof, and at longitudinally spaced points therealong. The ends of `the manifold have connecting flanges 118. The receiver 116 is positioned beneath the frame 10 and is centered relative thereto and extends diametrically thereacross, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, on a level with the lower ends of the pumping cylinders 80, and is rigidly supported by flat vertical brackets 120 which are fixed to and extend downwardly from the frame 10.

The pumping cylinders 80 have flat pistons 122 working thereon which have centered upstanding piston rods 124 thereon, which slide through openings 126, provided in the frame sides 12. Axially aligned with the cylinders 80 and spaced above the frame sides 12, are pumping piston actuating cylinders 128, which are mounted on brackets 130 upstanding from the frame sides 12. The cylinders 128 have upper ends 132, which are provided with central air vent holes 134, and irnperforate sidewalls 136, and open lower ends which are surrounded by lateral flanges 138. Discs 140, to which the brackets 130 are fixed, close the lower ends of the cylinders 128 and are connected to the anges 138, as by means of bolts 142 extending therethrough. The discs 140 have pendant central tubular bosses 144 through which the pump cylinder piston rods 124 work. Fixed on the upper ends of the piston rods 124, within the cylinders 128, as indicated at 146, are disked pressure discs 148, in which are seated the lower ends of coil springs 150, whose upper ends are engaged with the upper ends 132 of the cylinders 128, under compression. The springs 150 are strong enough, when compressed upwardly, to drive the pumping pistons 122 downwardly in the pumping cylinders 80, to produce substantial compression of fluid present in the cylinders 80 and force the fluid under working pressure into the receiver 116.

For forcibly elevating the piston rods 124 upwardly, for compressing the springs 150 and moving the pumping pistons 122 upwardly on fluid intake strokes, from their extreme depressed positions, wherein the pistons 122 close the inlet valves 96, levers 152 are provided. The levers 152 have intermediate portions which are pivoted on fulcrum assemblies 154 which are fixed to and rise from the canted inward portions of the frame sides 12. The assemblies 154 comprise pairs of laterally spaced arms 156 between which pivot pins 158 extend, on which the levers 152 are pivoted, at locations outwardly offset from their midpoints, for the mechanical advantage thereby obtained. The levers 152 have free outer end portions 160 which extend pivotally and slidably through diametrical openings 164, provided intermediate the ends of the pumping piston rods. The openings 164 have bevelled and rounded upper and lower ends 166 and 168, respectively, with whose oppositely angled sides the levers 152 alternately engage, as indicated in FIGURE 5, as the levers are rocked on the axes of the fulcrum assemblies 154.

The inner ends of the levers 152 have rollers 170 thereon which are engaged with the conical surface 172 of the boss 70, in radial guide slots 174 in an extension 176 on the lower end of the boss 70, The levers 152 work through slots 178 provided in the outer vertical web portions 26 of the brackets 18. It is to be noted that, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the length of the levers, inwardly of the fulcrum assemblies 154 is greater lthan the length thereof outwardly of these assemblies in order to obtain the consequent mechanical advantage, applied to the piston rods 124.

In operation, the driving cylinder 20 having been started and maintained in operation by any suitable means, so that fuel is inducted into the cylinder 20 through the inlet port 40, on a downstroke of the piston 54, compressed on an upstroke of the piston 54, and detonated by the spark plug 46, as the next downstroke starts, the piston 54 is regularly driven downwardly7 in a power stroke, so that its boss 70 engages and depresses the rollers 170 and hence the inner ends of the lever 152 from their elevated positions, wherein the levers 152 are in substantially horizontal positions, as shown in FIGURE 3. As the inner ends of the levers are thus depressed, the outer ends of the levers 152 are elevated and move the pumping piston rods 124 upwardly. This compresses the springs in the actuating cylinders 128, and at the same time moves the pumping pistons 122 upwardly in the pumping cylinders 80, on fluid intake strokes which draw uid into the pumping cylinders through the inlet ports 90, beneath the pistons 122. The driving piston 54 having reached the bottom of its power stroke and uncovered the exhaust ports 56 of the driving cylinder, and the products of combustion have been exhausted through the ports 56, the piston 54 initially offers little resistance to being elevated in the cylinder 20, and such elevation is produced by expansion of the spring 150. This expansion of the springs 150 also, and primarily, produces downward compression strokes of the pumping pistons 122 in the pumping cylinders 80, which compresses the fluid present therein and forces the fluid by the valves 122, into the lines 102, and into the receiver 116.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder fixed on the support and having an open end and a closed end, a driving piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston, toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means fixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic fluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means fixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means being pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrum means, said lever means having outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having an inner end portion operatively bearing against the surface of said conical boss.

2. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder iixed on the support and having an open end and a closed end, a driving piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means iixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic fluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means iixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means being pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrurn means, said lever means having outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having an inner end portion operatively bearing against the surface of the conical boss, said compressing cylinder means comprising a plurality of compressing cylinders circumferentially spaced around said driving cylinder.

3. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder xed on the support and having an open end and a closed end, a driving piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means fixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic iluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the pistonV means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means fixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means being pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrum means, said lever means having outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston means between the actuating cylinder means and the end of the driving piston, said lever means having an inner end portion operatively bearing against the surface of the conical boss, said driving cylinder having a sidewall provided with an exhaust port, adapted to be closed by the driving piston and a fuel inlet port, and a driving piston operated valve means for said inlet port.

4. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder iixed on the support and having an open end and a closed end, a driving piston working therein7 means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means fixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic uid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means fixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means being pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrum means, said lever means having outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having an inner end portion operatively bearing against the surface of said conical boss, said compressing cylinder means comprising a plurality of compressing cylinders circumferentially spaced around said driving cylinder, said inlet valve means comprising pumping piston operated valve means and said outlet valve means comprising fluid pressure operated valve means.

5. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder fixed on the support and having a closed end and an open end, a driving piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means iixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic fluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means fixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said cornpressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrum means, said lever means having outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having inner end portions having rollers engaged with the surface of the boss.

6. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder iixed on the support and having a closed end and an open end, a driving piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means iixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic fluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means iixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrum means, said lever means having relatively short outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston rod means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having relatively long inner end portions operatively bearing against the surface of said boss, said compressing cylinder means comprising a plurality of compressing cylinder circumferentially spaced around said driving cylinder, said actuating cylinder means being actuating cylinders individually aligned with compressing cylinders, and said lever means being levers individually associated with aligned actuating and compressing cylinders, said support comprising an open frame having sides, bracket means supporting said driving cylinder centrally of and above the frame, said actuating cylinders being mounted on and spaced above related frame sides and said compressing cylinders being mounted on the undersides of related frame sides.

7. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder fixed on the support and having a closed end and an open end, a driving piston working piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel charge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means fixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic fluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means fixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrurn means, said lever means having relatively short outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston rod means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having relatively long inner end portions pivoted having rollers operatively bearing against the surface of the conical boss, said piston rod means having diametrical opening means extending therethrough having opposed bevelled ends, the outer end portions of said lever means being slidably and pivotally engaged through said opening means.

8. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder fixed on the support and having a closed end and an open end, a driving piston working therein, means for detonating a fuel cha-rge in said cylinder for producing a power stroke of said piston toward the open end of the cylinder, hydraulic compressing cylinder means fixed on said support having pumping piston means working therein, said piston means having piston rod means extending out of the cylinder means, said cylinder means having inlet valve means for connection to a source of hydraulic fluid, and outlet valve means, a single receiver'to which said outlet valve means are connected, actuating cylinder means axially aligned with and axially spaced from said compressing cylinder means, said piston means extending into said actuating cylinder means, expanding spring means in said actuating cylinder means compressed between the piston means and the actuating cylinder means, fulcrum means fixed on said support between said driving cylinder and said compressing cylinder means, said driving piston having an outer end exposed through said open end and having a conical boss thereon, lever means pivoted intermediate its ends on said fulcrum means, said lever means having relatively short outer end portions operatively engaged with said piston rod means between the actuating cylinder means and the compressing cylinder means, said lever means having relatively long inner end portions having rollers operatively bearing against the surface of the conical boss, said piston rod means having diametrical opening means extending therethrough having opposed bevelled ends, the outer end portions of said lever means be ing slidably and pivotally engaged through said opening means, said driving piston having an extension on its outer end having radial guide slots through which the inner end portions of the lever means work.

9. A hydraulic engine comprising a support, an internal combustion driving cylinder fixed on the support, said cylinder having a closed end and an open end, a driving piston working in said cylinder and having an end exposed through the open end of the cylinder, means for detonating a compressed charge of fuel in said cylinder and driving the piston through and beyond the open end of the cylinder, a hydraulic fluid compressing cylinder fixed on said support containing a compressing piston, said compressing piston having a piston rod extending out of the compressing cylinder, return spring means fixed on the support and spaced from and aligned with said compressing cylinder, the said piston being operatively engaged with said return spring means, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the support, at a location between the driving cylinder and the compressing cylinder, said lever having an outer end operatively engaged with said piston rod at a location between the compressing cylinder and said return spring means, said lever having an inner end directly and operatively engaged with the outer end of the driving piston, the outer end of the driving piston being conical, and the inner end of the lever having a roller in rolling contact with the conical outer end of the driving piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,136 Kiely Nov. 8, 1910 2,661,592 Bright Dec. 8, 1953 2,949,858 Costley Aug. 23, 1960 3,046,958 Bard et al. July 31, 1962