US3648670A

US3648670A - Internal combustion engine

Info

Publication number: US3648670A
Application number: US34771A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Royston Siddons
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-05-06
Filing date: 1970-05-05
Publication date: 1972-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-14
Also published as: BE749963A; FI50451B; NO124949B; ES379305A1; IE34213B1; GB1315004A; ZA703045B; DE2022039A1; SE356553B; FI50451C; IE34213L; FR2047296A5; CH508125A; NL7006571A

Abstract

This invention provides an internal combustion engine, specifically a rotary engine, operable either by compression ignition or spark ignition and having an engine rotor with means for introducing combustible fuel to the rotor and means for exhausting burnt gases from the rotor, the rotor having at least one track for the travel therein of a free piston member, a free piston member in said track, and at least one reaction member operatively mounted in relation to the rotor so as to resist the application to the engine rotor of torque applied in a reverse direction upon the explosion of combustible gases within the rotor, the free piston member being operable upon such explosion of combustible gases to travel in said track to induce in the rotor an engine torque in the forward direction.

Description

ilit

fiieldons INTERNAL CUMBUSTIUN EN GllNE Inventor: .llohn llioyston Siddons, Chandella, Rosehill Road, Lower lPlenty, Victoria, Australia Filed: May 5, 1970 Appl. No: 341,771

Foreign Application Priority Date May 6, 1969 Australia ..54539/69 US. Cl. ..123/43 R, 123/44 D, 123/46 A, 60/D1G. l lint. Cl ..i 02b 71/00, F02d 39/10, F02b 57/04 Field of Search ..60/D1G. l; 123/46 R, 46 A, 123/46 B, 46 SC, 43 R, 44 D References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,511,985 10/1924 Spencer ..l23/46 A Nichol ....123/46 SC Sykes ..l23/46 SC Primary Examiner-Allan D. Herrmann Att0rney-Oberlin, Maky, Donnelly & Renner 5 7] ABSTRACT This invention provides an internal combustion engine, specifically a rotary engine, operable either by compression ignition or spark ignition and having an engine rotor with means for introducing combustible fuel to the rotor and means for exhausting burnt gases from the rotor, the rotor having at least one track for the travel therein of a free piston member, a free piston member in said track, and at least one reaction member operatively mounted in relation to the rotor so as to resist the application to the engine rotor of torque applied in a reverse direction upon the explosion of combustible gases within the rotor, the free piston member being operable upon such explosion of combustible gases to travel in said track to induce in the rotor an engine torque in the forward direction.

10 Claims, 110 Drawing Figures Patentea March 14, 1972 3,648,670

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented March 14, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet f;

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Marchl4, 1972 3,648,670

5Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented March 14, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Many different forms and designs of internal combustion engine have been devised in the past, and the majority of these are well knovm in the art.

This invention has been devised with the object of providing an improved construction of rotary internal combustion engine which will have a high efliciency of operation and which will provide a high power output, particularly at low speeds.

The rotary engine provided by this invention has a frame, an engine rotor mounted on the frame for rotation relative thereto, said engine rotor having in it a track for the travel of a free piston member therein, a free piston member in said track, and means for transmitting to the frame at least part of the force of reaction resulting from the explosion of combustible gases in said track, the free piston member being operable upon such explosion of combustible gases to travel in said track to induce in the rotor an engine torque in the forward direction of rotation.

In the preferred construction of rotary engine made to date the track in the engine rotor for the travel of the free piston member is of somewhat S-shape, having a middle part which passes through the axis of rotation and which is curved at its opposite ends in opposite directions so that the opposite end parts extend in opposite directions-either tangentially in parallel arrangement or arcuately about the axis of rotation. In this construction the free piston member is spherical, the track in the engine rotor is of circular cross section and there is a reaction member in each end part of the track, and the parts are so constructed, arranged and mounted that upon each explosion of gases in the space between the free piston member and a reaction member said reaction member is held against linear movement relative to the engine frame so as to permit the free piston member to induce a positive engine torque in the engine-that is to say, a torque in the driving direction. However, it is believed that it is not essential that the track should conform to that substantially S-shape, as I believe it may be straight-such as substantially tangential to the direction of rotary movementor arcuateas arcuate about the axis of rotation.

The parts of the engine rotor may be incorporated in a balanced fly wheel member, and the several services to the engine-power, lubrication-may be incorporated therewith in any suitable manner.

Preferably the at least one reaction member is mounted slidably in the track at one end thereof and it may be operatively connected to any suitable fixed part for holding the reaction member against rearward movement-as by slidable connection to an outer frame member through a member permitting one-way travel only, such as a sprag clutch, or by a similar connection through linkage mechanism to part of the frame for mounting the engine. As the engine rotor moves rotationally relative to the at least one reaction member following each firing of the combustible gases it is necessary to move the at least one reaction member back to its operative position relative to the track after each such rotational movement of the engine rotor, and in order to effect this gas under pressure may be used, the exhaust gases being used for that purpose and the gas being led from a suitable position in the track to a position behind the at least one reaction member. Alternatively, other means may be used, such as spring means.

To provide for the admission of fuel to the end part of the track at the location whereat it is to be exploded the or each reaction member has a valve to control the flow of fuel through it, and there is a fuel pipe for conveying fuel from the fuel inlet to the end part of the track, the parts being so arranged that the supply of fuel to the track is controlled by the valve in the or each reaction member. The valve may be a leaf valve, poppet valve or other suitable valve.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily put into practical form I shall now describe with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings one experimental construction of spark ignition internal combustion engine made according to this invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 11 is a side view of the engine mounted in a frame, which is which is shown in vertical section;

FIG. 2 shows a vertical cross section on the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the reaction member being shown in cross section;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical cross section through part of the apparatus on the plane and in the direction indicated by the line and arrows 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are somewhat diagrammatic views similar to FIG. 2 but also showing a simple form of the sprag clutch mechanism, the three views showing successive stages in the operation of the engine;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken; on the line and in the direction of the arrows 88 of FIG. ll;

FIG. 9 is a cross section taken on the plane and in the direction indicated by the line and arrows 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of the movement of the piston from one end of the track and back again, the views (a), (b), (c) and (d) illustrating different stages in its travel.

The frame 11 has upright members 12 and 13 supporting respectively inlet and exhaust pipes 14! and 15, the inlet pipe 14 being connected at one end to a carburettor 16 and other fuel supply means (not shown) such as fuel pump and air filter, and at the other end to the hollow shaft 17 of the engine rotor 18, a suitable seal being provided. at the junction of the pipe 14 and shaft 17. The exhaust pipe 15 is connected to the outlet passage 119 of said engine rotor 11%, a suitable seal 20 being provided at the junction of the two.

The rotor has a hub 22 mounted in and by the frame I by bearings 23 for rotation about the common axis of the coaxial inlet and exhaust pipes 1 15. Extending outwardly from the hub 22 are two

main engine arms

24 and 25. The inner parts of these arms are straight and diarnetrally opposedthat is to say, in in line relationship-as shown in FIG. 2. Each arm is curved arcuately at the outer end of the inner part-that is, at about its middle-at 26, the extent of the curvature being a little more than and the outer parts 27 of the main engine arms extend in substantially parallel arrangement, in opposite directions, these parts 27 being straight and substantially tangential to the intended direction of rotation of the rotor M. A track 28 for a ball piston 29 is formed through the

engine arms

24, 25 and the hub 22 so that the ball piston 29 can travel smoothly from the outer end part 27 of the arm 24 to the outer part 27 of the other arm 25 without obstruction, the track 2% having a smooth bore of circular cross section and such diameter that it constitutes a cylinder" for the ball piston 29. The middle part of the track 28 has an outlet opening connecting said track 28 to the outlet passage 19, so that gas can flow from within said track to the outlet passage 19 and exhaust pipe 15.

The hollow shaft 17 is integral with the hub 22 and it has an inlet passageway 3i branching at 32see FIG. tI-so as to lead to two

fuel pipes

33 and 34 connected at their inner ends to the hub 22 and at their outer ends to the outer parts 27 of the two

arms

24, 25 respectively, so as to be adapted to convey or lead fuel to the outer end parts of the track 23.

Fastened to the outer extremity of the outer part 27 of each

engine arm

24, 25 is a cap member 35 which is connected by a tube 36 to the relative arm 24, 25-see FIG. 2. Mounted slidably in the outer part 27 of each arm 24 25 are a reaction member 37 of the construction illustrated particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, and a pusher member 38. Each pusher member is a neat sliding fit in the cap member 35 and at its outer end is a neck part 39 of reduced thickness which constitutes a stop to limit the outward movement of the pusher member 3%, such that the flow of gas through the tube 36 into the interior of the cap 35 will not be restricted. At one end of the reaction member is a head part 40 and at the opposite end is an external flange or shoulder 41, the head part 40 and shoulder 411 being neat sliding fits in the outer end part of the track 28. The body 42 of the reaction member 37 between the head 40 and shoulder 41 is the full width of the track 28 but is of reduced height so that fuel can flow freely from the fuel pipe (33 or 34) into the outer part of said track 28. An opening 43 extends through the middle of the body 42, and in the inner end of the head part 40 is a valve seating for a poppet valve 44, with two ports 45 leading to the valve opening. The valve head is biased on its seating by a light spring which is retained in position by a suitable clip attached to the valve stem. Thus, fuel may flow through the ports 45 into the track 28 when the valve head is lifted from its seating, which may be effected by the pressure of the fuel supply which may be assisted by suction from the exhaust.

A pin 47 extends laterally through the outer end part of the reaction member and through longitudinal slots 48 in opposite sides of the outer part 27 of each

arm

24, 25. The pin 47 limits the forward sliding movement of the reaction member 37 in the track 28 and connects the member 37 to two links 49. Each of the links 49 is connected to a transverse bar 50 extending between the outer ends of two

lever arms

51, 52 which are rigidly mounted at their inner ends on the outer housings of a sprag clutch 53 and a ball race 54, respectively. As there is a pair of

lever arms

51, 52 for each of the

main engine arms

24 and 25 there are two sprag clutches, with a lever arm 51 attached to each, and two ball races 54, with a lever arm 52 attached to each. The two sprag clutches 53 are mounted on a boss of the frame upright 13 and the two ball races 54 are mounted on the rotor hub 22. As the sprag clutches 53 are mounted side-by-side, as are the ball races 54, it is apparent that the two lever arms 51 will not be of identical shape, and neither will the two lever arms 52. However, for convenience, the same references are used for the two arms 51 and for the two arms 52.

The two sprag clutches are mounted so that, in considering the apparatus as shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 7, they will permit anti-clockwise rotation of the engine rotor 18 but will hold it against clockwise rotation.

In the outer end part 27 of each of the

arms

24, 25 there is a mounting for a spark plug 56 and for a plug-switching means 57, here shown diagrammatically as a pressure biased plunger to be actuated by the ball piston 29. There will also be provided the ancilliary equipment (not shown) for providing a spark of required intensity across the points of the spark plug 56 when the switching means 57 is operated.

The drive from the engine rotor 18 may be through a gear wheel, pulley wheel or other suitable means, depicted as a pulley wheel 58 in FIG. 1.

The operation of the internal combustion engine is depicted somewhat diagrammatically in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 10. Considering the reaction member 37 as being initially in the forward position as shown in FIG. and the ball piston 29 as having been driven along the track 28 towards the head part 40 of said reaction member 37 so as to compress combustible gases within the track 28 between the head part 40 and the ball 29 the plug switching means 57 is actuated to produce a suitable spark across the points of the plug 56 and the gaseous mixture is exploded. The force of the explosion will act on the reaction member 37 and the ball piston 29. The reaction member 37 is held against rearward movement by the sprag clutch 53 acting through the

lever arms

51, 52, bar 50, links 49 and pin 47 but the ball piston 29 can travel freely in the track 28. By reason of the shape of the track 28 illustrated in these drawingsthe track being of somewhat S-shape-the travel of the ball piston 29 along the curved part 26 of the arm 24 induces an anticlockwise movement of the engine rotor 18. As the rotor has been moved in the forward direction relative to the reaction member, said reaction member 37 is then in the position in relation to the outer part 27 of the engine arm 24 as is shown in FIG. 6-in its rearmost position in relation to the arm 24. As the ball piston 29 travels down the straight part of the track 28 it passes the inner end of the tube 36 and then gas under pressure can flow along the tube 36 into the cap 35 to force the pusher member 38 and reaction member 37 forwardly in the outer end part 27 of the am 24, as shown in FIG. 7.

When the ball piston 29 passes the axis of rotation of the engine rotor 18 the exhaust gases can travel into the outlet passage 19 and out the exhaust pipe 15.

The speed of the ball piston 29 is such that it then travels along the track 28 in the engine arm 25 to compress the gaseous mixture in that arm between it and the head part 40 of the reaction member 37 in the outer end part 27 of the arm 25. The spark plug 56 mounted in that arm 25 is then actuated, and the ball piston is driven, in the same manner as described above, in a return path back to the outer end part 27 of the arm 24. With each firing of the compressed combustible gases a positive engine torque is induced in the engine rotor 18 and said rotor 18 is caused to travel forwardly, in an anti-clockwise direction when viewing the apparatus in the direction as illustrated in the drawings.

Normal lubrication of the ball piston 29 and reaction member 37 is effected by lubricant incorporated with the fuel but additional lubrication means may be incorporated.

These movements of the ball piston 29 in the track 28 are illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 10, part (a) showing the application of forces to the reaction member 37 and to the ball piston 29 on the firing of the combustible gases in one end of the track 28, part (b) showing the exhausting of the burnt gases with the travel of the ball piston 29 in its next compression stroke and the commencement of return of the reaction member, part (c) showing the application of forces to the reaction member 37 and to the ball piston 29 on the firing of the combustible gases in the other end of the track 28, and part (d) showing the exhausting of the burnt gases from the second part of the track 28 with the ball piston 29 commencing its next compression stroke and the flow of gases to effect the return of the reaction member 37 to its operative position. It is to be noted that although the reaction member moves rearwardly relative to the outer end part 27 of the track 28 it does in fact remain stationary on each firing and the engine rotor 18 efiects the relative movement-thus the outward positions of the reaction member 37 shown in this Figure are only diagrammatic.

It will be noted from the foregoing that in the operation of the engine the rearward-acting force resulting from the explosion of a gaseous mixture in an outer end part of the track 28 is transmitted through the relative sprag clutch to the frame 11 while the forward-acting force is transmitted to the ball piston 29 which then induces a forward-acting engine torque in the rotor 18.

Instead of having the reaction members 37 connected through linkage means to sprag clutches mounted close to the hub 22 there may be provided an outer frame member about the rotor 18 and the non-return connections of the members 37 may be to that outer frame member.

It will be understood that in the development of the invention to suit different practical requirements many modifications will be required in details of design, arrangement and construction, but all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be deemed to be included in the ambit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine rotor having at least one track for the travel therein of a free piston member, means for introducing combustible fuel to the track, means for exhausting burnt gases from the track, a free piston member in said track, and at least one reaction member operatively mounted in relation to the rotor in such manner as to resist the application to the engine rotor of torque applied in a reverse direction upon the explosion of combustible gases within the rotor, the free piston member being operable upon such explosion of combustible gases to travel in said track to induce in the rotor an engine torque in the forward direction.

2. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the track is of substantially S-shape, having a middle part which passes through the axis of rotation of the engine rotor and is curved at its opposite ends in opposite directions, and outer end parts which extend in opposite directions.

3. An internal combustion engine according to claim 2 wherein the outer end parts are substantially tangential to the direction of rotation of the rotor and substantially parallel.

4. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11 wherein there is a reaction member in each of the opposite end parts of the track.

5. An internal combustion engine according to claim 4 wherein each reaction member is slidably mounted in an end of the track and is operatively connected through a one-way drive means to a frame member of the engine whereby the reaction from the explosion of gaseous fuel is transmitted to the engine frame for resisting the application to the rotor of negative torque.

6. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein said one reaction member has gas inlet valve means arranged to permit the inlet of a combustible gas to the interior of the track.

7. An internal combustion engine according to claim ll wherein the means for introducing combustible fuel to the rotor include at least one fuel supply line for conveying fuel to the track at the location of said one reaction member.

b. An internal combustion engine according to claim ll wherein there are means for applying to said one reaction member a pressure to move said reaction member forwardly relative to the rotor in the direction of rotation of the rotor to an operative position in the track after its displacement from such operative position on the explosion of the gaseous fuel.

9. An internal combustion engine according to claim 3 wherein the means for applying pressure to said one reaction member include a tube for conveying exhaust gas under pressure to the outer end of the track.

110. An internal combustion engine according to claim ll wherein the free piston member is of spherical shape and the track is circular in cross section.

Claims

4. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein there is a reaction member in each of the opposite end parts of the track.

7. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the means for introducing combustible fuel to the rotor include at least one fuel supply line for conveying fuel to the track at the location of said one reaction member.

8. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein there are means for applying to said one reaction member a pressure to move said reaction member forwardly relative to the rotor in the direction of rotation of the rotor to an operative position in the track after its displacement from such operative position on the explosion of the gaseous fuel.

9. An internal combustion engine aCcording to claim 8 wherein the means for applying pressure to said one reaction member include a tube for conveying exhaust gas under pressure to the outer end of the track.

10. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the free piston member is of spherical shape and the track is circular in cross section.