US3710691A

US3710691A - Reciprocating piston engine

Info

Publication number: US3710691A
Application number: US00059876A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Sullivan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-31
Filing date: 1970-07-31
Publication date: 1973-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-16

Abstract

A rotary engine comprises a rotor defining interiorly a plurality of radially disposed cylinders and a reciprocating, fluid-pressure-driven piston in said cylinder. Each piston carries a cross pin extending parallel to the axis of rotation and projecting through a radially elongated slot in the rotor. Rotation of the rotor about its axis is effected by the interaction of the cross pins with one or more fixed elliptical tracks disposed in planes normal to the axis of rotation.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Sullivan 1 1 Jan. 16, 1973 RECIPROCATING PISTON ENGINE James P. L. Sullivan, P. O. Box 3241, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85257 Filed:- July 31, 1970 Appl. No.: 59,876 I Inventor:

US. Cl. ..9l/496 Field of Search ..-..91/6.5, 474, 496, 498, 491

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,093,079 6/1963 Graham ..9I/474 1,674,374 6/1928 Papackoua FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,911,747 10/1969 Germany ..9l/496 544,410 4/1942 Great Britain ..9l/496 Primary Examiner-William L. Freeh Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [5 7 ABSTRACT A rotary engine comprises a rotor defining interiorly a plurality of radially disposed cylinders and a reciprocating, fluid-pressure-driven piston in said cylinder. Each piston carries a cross pin extending parallel to the axis of rotation and projecting through a radially elongated slot in the rotor. Rotation of the rotor about its axis is effected by the interaction of the cross pins with one or more fixed elliptical tracks disposed in planes normal to the axis of rotation.

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAHIEISYS 3.710.691

sum 1 [1F 3 FIG.|

INVENTOR. fins; P1. .5711 um Fl G.2 gum g ae/vzvs RECIPROCATING PISTON ENGINE This invention relates to reciprocating-piston, rotary machines suitable for converting fluid pressure to rotary power or utilizing rotary power to pump or com press a fluid.

The type of machine under consideration has some features in common with the type of machines disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 1,475,509 and 1,627,403. These known machines include a rotor fixed to and rotatable with a shaft and defining a plurality of internal cylinders arranged with their axes disposed in a radial pattern with respect to the axis of rotation. A

reciprocating piston is disposed in each cylinder and carries at a location intermediate its ends a cross pin which extends parallel to the axis of rotation and which projects through and rides along a radial slot in the rotor. The ends of the pins ride within a stationary endless raceway or groove of such shape that linear movement of the pistons, under the action of steam pressure or combustion pressure against one face of the pistons, is converted to torque on the rotor. Alternatively as disclosed in US. Pat. No, 1,475,509, by applying rotary power to the rotor the pistons will be reciprocated so as to act as a pump, compressor or the like.

The present invention represents improvements over the above-described prior machines in that constructional features are incorporated which increase the versatility, performance and efficiency of the machine and which increase the power/weight ratio when the machine is employed as a motor. The improved constructional features relate primarily to piston and cylinder configuration and to special valving arrangements by which fluid is introduced to and exhausted from the cylinders. One particularly important feature renders the pistons double-acting in the sense that the pistons can be driven in two directions by the driving fluid.

The invention will be-further understood from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment which functions as a motor, taken with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view, partly broken away, of a fluid pressure motor embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of part of the stator assembly of the motor showing the raceway;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 6-6 and 77,.respectively, of FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 8a through 8e are diagrammatic illustrations of the operation of one of the pistons.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the motor embodiment disclosed therein includes a rotor 10 fixed to and rotatable with a power-output shaft 12 and a stator housing 14 enclosing the rotor 10 and supporting the shaft 12 by means of suitable bearings 16. Formed within the rotor 10 are a plurality of cylinders 18 disposed with their axes extending radially with respect to the shaft .12. A double-acting piston 20 reciprocates I within each cylinder 18. Affixed to each piston 20 at a location intermediate the ends of the latter is a crosspin assembly 22 which extends parallel to the shaft 12 and which has opposite free ends projecting through radially elongated slots 24 in opposite sides of each cylinder wall.

In the illustrated embodiment all the cross-pin assemblies 22 are guided to move in a common nonlinear endless path which is disposed in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the rotor 10 in amanner such that the interaction of the pin assemblies 22 with a fixed guide means converts reciprocation of the pistons 20 to torque on the rotor 10. As shown, this may be accomplished by receiving the free ends of each cross-pin assembly 22 within a pair of spaced-apart, parallel elliptical grooves 26 cut in opposite interior faces of the stator housing 14 and disposed symmetrically with respect to the shaft 12. The grooves 26 may be channel-shaped in-transverse cross-section, and the sides of the end portions of the cross-pins 22 may be provided with roller bearing means in the form of oppositely disposed

rollers

28, 30 which engage the sides of the grooves 26. As seen in FIG. 3 the body or shank portion of each pin assembly 22 may be similarly provided with rollers 32 for engaging the sides of the slots 24 in the rotor 10. In each case the rollers are partially disposed in appropriate recesses in the pins.

As-will be understood, one side of a given pin assembly 22 will push against the inner channel wall 26a during inward movement of the respective piston 20 and its other side will push against the outer channel wall 26b during outward movement of the respective piston 20. In the illustrated embodiment there are four cylinders 18 arranged in opposed pairs, the pistons of each pair being guided by the grooves to move inwardly and outwardly in unison and in the opposite direction from the pistons of the other pair. As shown in FIG. 2 the right and left pistons20 are in their outermost position, as determined by the horizontally spaced apart ends of the groove 26 (FIG. 4), and the upper and lower pistons 20 are in their innermost position. In operation fluid pressure is delivered simultaneously to the inner faces of the out pistons and to the outer faces of the in pistons. At each quarter revolution of the .rotor 10 the pressure is released'and applied to the opposite faceof each piston with the result that there are 16 pressure strokes per revolution (four pressure strokes per piston per revolution).

Referring to the double-acting characteristic of the pistons 20 it will be seen that each cylinder is in communication with four

fluid passages

34,36, 38 and 40.

Passages

34 and 36 extend, respectively, from the inner endand the outer end of the respective cylinder 18 to a central cylindrical bore 42 disposed on the axis of rotation of the rotor 10. In the illustrated embodiment the bore 42 is a hollow tubular portion of the shaft 12. The

passage 38 extends from the side wall of the cylinder 18 at a location near its inner end to the periphery of the rotor 10. The passage 40 extends from the side wall of the cylinder 18 at a location near its outer end to the periphery of the rotor 10. In operation of the motor the

passages

38 and 40 serve as primary exhaust outlets for passages 34 and with the four passages 36 during rotation of the shaft 12 and rotor. The valve member 44 has an axial bore 46 in communication with a conventional fluid pressure connection 48 located outside the stator housing 14. Two

transverse passages

50 and 52 are provided through the valve member 44 at axially spacedapart locations. The passage 50 is disposed adjacent the inner ends of the four passages34 which as seen in FIGS. 3 and 6 are disposed symmetrically with respect to the shaft 12, so that during rotation of the rotor 10 the bore 46 of the valve member 44 communicates first with the inner ends of two opposite cylinders 18 and then the inner ends of the other two opposite cylinders 18. Similarly, the passage 52 is disposed adjacent the symmetrically arranged inner ends of the four passages 36 so as to place the valve bore 46 first in communication with the outer ends of two opposite cylinders 18 and then with the outer ends of the other two opposite cylinders 18. In the position of the valve member 44 shown in FIG. 5 it will be seen that the valve bore 46 is in communication with the inner ends of two of the cylinders 18 and the outer ends of the other two cylinders with the result that all four pistons 20 are being acted on by pressure fluid simultaneously.

The

passages

34 and 36 also serve as secondary exhaust outlets, as will be described hereinafter. To this end the valve member 44 is provided with two

external spiral grooves

54 and 56 which communicate at their outer ends with an annular space 58 defined between the outer end of the valve member 44 and 'the stator housing 14. As seen in FIG. 6 the

grooves

54 and 56 place the inner ends of the passages 34 of two opposite cylinders 18 in communication with the atmosphere while the inner ends of the other two passages 34 are receiving pressure fluid through the valve bore 46 and passage 50. The

grooves

54 and 56 perform a similar function for the inner ends of the other passages 36, as seen in FIG. 7.

The

passages

38 and 40 serve as exhaust outlets, and in the illustrated embodiment they lead to the space defined between the rotor 10 and the stator housing 14. Each pair of

passages

38 and 40 is shown as having been drilled from a common point on the periphery of the rotor 10 as a simplified manufacturing technique, but this feature is not critical. Exhaust fluid leaves the stator housing 14 through a suitable fitting 60.

The sequence of operation of the pistons is illustrated in FIGS. 8a through 8e. The position of the piston 20 in FIG. 8a corresponds to the position on the left-hand piston 20 in FIG. 2 wherein it is in its outer position, as is the opposed piston at the right side of FIG. 2. The other two pistons, at this stage, are in their inner positions.

Referring specifically to FIG. 8a the piston 20 therein has just arrived at its outer position at which point the rotation of the rotor 10 has just closed the inner end of the passage 34 at the valve member 44 so that pressure fluid no longer flows into that passage. At this time the piston20 has uncovered the inner end of the passage 38 to permit primary exhaust of compressed fluid through the passage 38 to the exterior of the rotor 10. Upon slight additional rotation of the rotor 10 the inner end of the passage 36 opens to allow pressure fluid from the valve bore 46 to enter the left end of the cylinder 18 to begin pushing the piston to the I right, as illustrated in FIG. 8b. Simultaneously the inner member 44 by This will exchange the positions of.

end of the passage 34 arrives at the location of the groove 56 in the exterior of the valve 44, as shown in FIG. 6, so that secondary exhaust occurs as the fluid in the cylinder 18 to the right of the piston 20 is forced outwardly through the annular space 58 around the valve member 44 to the exterior of the stator housing 14.

FIG. 8c illustrates the position of the piston 20 at V4 revolution of the rotor 10 from the FIG. 8a position. At this point the inner end of the passage 36 becomes closed at the valve member 44, and the piston 20 has uncovered the outer end of the passage 40 to permit primary exhaust to the exterior of the rotor 10. The piston has now undergone two complete pressure strokes. Upon slight further rotation of the rotor 10, pressure fluid enters the inner end of the passage 34 from the valve bore 46, and the piston begins to move to the left, closing the outer end of the passage 40, as seen in FIG. 8d. Simultaneously the inner end of the passage 36 opens to' the groove 54 in the valve member 44 to permit secondary exhaust to the exterior of the stator housing 14.

At h revolution of the rotor from the FIG. 8a position the piston arrived at its outer position, as shown in FIG. 8a, and the above-described cycle begins to repeat. Since each of the four pistons 20 receives four pressure strokes per revolution of the rotor 10, there are 16 total pressure strokes appliedper revolution.

From FIG. 2 it will be seen that one pair of opposite pistons 20 moves inwardly simultaneously with outward movement of the other pair and that pressure fluid is applied to all four pistons at the same time.

The conversion of linear movement of the pistons 20 to rotation of the rotor 10 by the interaction of the pin assemblies 22 and the inner and outer walls26a and 26b of the fixed groove 26 is self-evident and requires no detailed discussion.

The machine may also be employed as a pump or compressor by connecting the fitting 48 to a source of fluid and by applying torque to the rotor shaft 12 with a motor. In this mode of operation inward movement of the right and left pistons 20, as illustrated in FIG. 2, will draw fluid into the outer ends of these cylinders along a path defined by the

passages

46, 52 and 36. Simultaneously, outward movement of the other two pistons 20 will draw fluid into the inner ends of these respective cylinders along a path defined by the

passages

46, 50 and 34. This outward movement pumps fluid from the outer ends of these cylinders through the passages 40 for a portion of the stroke and through the passages 36 and the groove 54 and into the annular space 58 for the entire stroke. The inward movement of the first pair of pistons pumps fluid through the passages 38 for a portion of the stroke and through the passages 34 and the groove 56 and into the annular space 58 for the entire stroke. The fluid that is pumped outwardly through the

passages

38 and 40 leaves the machine through the fitting 60 and may be combined by means of suitable piping with the fluid which leaves the machine by way of the annular space 58.

In order to reverse the direction in which the rotor shaft 12 is driven it is necessary only to change the rotational position of the stationary cylindrical valve the exhaust ports and pressure ports, as will be evident from inspection of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The valve member 44 carries a disc 70 from which a pointer 72 extends in a radial direction. The assembly of valve member 44, disc 70 and pointer 72 is normally held in a fixed position by two cap screws 74 which pass through arcuate slots 76 in the disc 70 into threaded engagement with the stator housing 14. Rotational adjustment of the valve member 44 may be made by loosening the screws 74, manually rotating the pointer 72 and tightening the screws 74.

The above-described modes of operation occur when the stator housing 14 is fixed to a frame or other support. A different mode of operation in which the housing 14 rotates may be obtained by securing the shaft 12 against rotation and removing restraints from the housing 14. In this mode the torque produced by the interaction of the cross-pin assemblies 22 and the elliptical grooves 26 will cause the housing to rotate although the basic principles of operation are the same as for the previous modes. When the rotating housing mode is employed the housing 14 will generally be constructed in a circular shape about the axis of rotation so that the housing 14 can be fitted with external peripheral gear teeth or with fan blades or otherwise adapted to various driving configurations.

What is claimed is: 1

1. A rotary machine comprising: rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis passing therethrough, said rotor including a shaft and a body, said body defining a plurality of cylinders arranged radially with respect to said axis of rotation, each of said cylinders having a closed inner end and a closed outer end; a reciprocating piston disposed within each cylinder, each of said pistons carrying intermediate its ends a cross-pin extending parallel to said axis of rotation and having an end portion projecting through a radially elongated slot in said rotor body; stator means defining fixed non-linear endless track means cooperating with the end portions of said cross-pin of each piston in a manner such that the interaction of said cross-pins with said fixed track means causes reciprocation of said pistons to occur simultaneously with rotation of said rotor means; said rotor means having first and second passages therethrough associated with each cylinder, said first passage having an outer end in communication with the outer end of the respective cylinder and said secondpassage having an outer end in communication with the inner end of the respective cylinder, each of said passages having an inner end in communication with a central bore within said rotor means, said bore being coaxial with said axis of rotation; and valve means associated with said bore for alternately closing the inner end of each passage and placing said inner end in communication with the exterior of said valve means in a predetermined manner upon rotation of said rotor means whereby each of said passages may be placed in communication with a source of fluid located exteriorly of said valve means.

2. A rotary machine as in claim 1 including anti-friction roller means carried by said cross pins intermediate their ends for engagement with the walls of the slots in the rotor body and anti-friction roller means carried by the endportions'of said cross-pins for engagement with said endless track means.

3. A rotary machine comprising: rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis passing therethrough, said rotor means defining a plurality of cylinders arranged radially with respect to said axis of rotation, each of said cylinders having a closed inner end and a closed outer end; a reciprocating piston disposed within each cylinder, each of said pistons carrying intermediate its ends a cross-pin extending parallel to said axis of rotation and having an end portion projecting through a radially elongated slot in said rotor means; stator means defining fixed non-linear endless track means co-operating with the end portions of said cross-pin of each piston in such a manner that the interaction of said cross-pins with said fixed track means causes reciprocation of said pistons to occur simultaneously with rotation of said rotor means; said rotor means having first, second, third and fourth passages therethrough associated with each cylinder, said first and second passages having inner ends communicating, respectively, withopposite ends of the respective cylinder and outer ends communicating with a common bore on the axis of said rotor means, said third passage having one end at the exterior of said rotor means and another .end which is in communication with the side of the respective cylinder at a location near one endthereof so as to be alternately opened and closed by the respective piston during reciprocation, said fourth passage having one .end at the exterior of said rotor means and another end which is in communication with the side of the respective cylinder at a location near the opposite end thereof so as to be alternately opened and closed by the respective piston during reciprocation; and valve means associated with said inner ends of said first and second passages, said valve means defining a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and being operable sequentially to connect each inner end of said first and second passages with said fluid inlet, to close said inner endand to connect said inner end with said fluid outlet, whereby an external source .of fluid may be placed in communication with said first and second passages and hence with the opposite ends of each piston.

4. A rotary machine as in claim 3 wherein said valve means includes a stationary cylindrical element disposed on the axis of rotation of the rotor, said valve element having a longitudinal bore and two spaced apart transverse passages each connecting the bore- ,with the periphery of said element, the apertures associated with the inner ends of the cylinders being c.--a plurality of cylindersformed within said rotor housing, said cylinders arranged radially with respect to the axis of rotation, said cylinders having closed inner and outer ends and a radially elongated slot associated with each cylinder and arranged to communicate between said cylinders and the exterior of said rotor housing,

d. a reciprocating piston disposed within each of said cylinders,

a cross-pin mounted intermediate the ends of each of I said pistons, said cross-pins extending exteriorly of said rotor housing through the radial slot, said pins extending parallel to the axis of rotation, and,

f. a first and second passageways respectively connecting the outer and inner ends of said cylinders with the central bore of said rotor housing;

B. Stator means for containing said rotor housing, said stator means comprising, 7 a. a stator housing having a sealed center cavity in adapted to sequentially exhaust the inner and outer ends of said cylinders through said'first and second passageways, the exhaust andfpressure operations being out of phase.

' t I: n

Claims

1. A rotary machine comprising: rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis passing therethrough, said rotor including a shaft and a body, said body defining a plurality of cylinders arranged radially with respect to said axis of rotation, each of said cylinders having a closed inner end and a closed outer end; a reciprocating piston disposed within each cylinder, each of said pistons carrying intermediate its ends a cross-pin extending parallel to said axis of rotation and having an end portion projecting through a radially elongated slot in said rotor body; stator means defining fixed non-linear endless track means cooperating with the end portions of said cross-pin of each piston in a manner such that the interaction of said cross-pins with said fixed track means causes reciprocation of said pistons to occur simultaneously with rotation of said rotor means; said rotor means having first and second passages therethrough associated with each cylinder, said first passage having an outer end in communication with the outer end of the respective cylinder and said second passage having an outer end in communication with the inner end of the respective cylinder, each of said passages having an inner end in communication with a central bore within said rotor means, said bore being coaxial with said axis of rotation; and valve means associated with said bore for alternately closing the inner end of each passage and placing said inner end in communication with the exterior of said valve means in a predetermined manner upon rotation of said rotor means whereby each of said passages may be placed in communication with a source of fluid located exteriorly of said valve means.

2. A rotary machine as in claim 1 including anti-friction roller means carried by said cross pins intermediate their ends for engagement with the walls of the slots in the rotor body and anti-friction roller means carried by the end portions of said cross-pins for engagement with said endless track means.

3. A rotary machine comprising: rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis passing therethrough, said rotor means defining a plurality of cylinders arranged radially with respect to said axis of rotation, each of said cylinders having a closed inner end and a closed outer end; a reciprocating piston disposed within each cylinder, each of said pistons carrying intermediate its ends a cross-pin extending parallel to said axis of rotation and having an end portion projecting through a radially elongated slot in said rotor means; stator means defining fixed non-linear endless track means co-operating with the end portions of said cross-pin of each piston in such a manner that the interaction of said cross-pins with said fixed track means causes reciprocation of said pistons to occur simultaneously with rotation of said rotor means; said rotor means having first, second, third and fourth passages therethrough associated with each cylinder, said first and second passages having inner ends communicating, respectively, with opposite ends of the respective cylinder and outer ends communicating with a common bore on the axis of said rotor means, said third passage having one end at the exterior of said rotor means and another end which is in communication with the side of the respective cylinder at a location near one end thereof so as to be alternately opened and closed by the respective piston during reciprocation, said fourth passage having one end at the exterior of said rotor means and another end which is in communication with the side of the respective cylinder at a location near the opposite end thereof so as to be alternately opened and closed by the respective piston during reciprocation; and valve means associated with said inner endS of said first and second passages, said valve means defining a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and being operable sequentially to connect each inner end of said first and second passages with said fluid inlet, to close said inner end and to connect said inner end with said fluid outlet, whereby an external source of fluid may be placed in communication with said first and second passages and hence with the opposite ends of each piston.

4. A rotary machine as in claim 3 wherein said valve means includes a stationary cylindrical element disposed on the axis of rotation of the rotor, said valve element having a longitudinal bore and two spaced apart transverse passages each connecting the bore with the periphery of said element, the apertures associated with the inner ends of the cylinders being disposed so as to cooperate periodically with the inner end of each of said first passages and the other apertures being disposed so as to cooperate periodically with the inner end of each of said second passages during rotation of the rotor.

5. A fluidic-pressure operated rotary machine comprising: A. Rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotor means comprising, a. a rotor housing having a central bore co-axial with the axis of rotation, b. a shaft arranged within the central bore and adapted to rotate with said rotor housing, c. a plurality of cylinders formed within said rotor housing, said cylinders arranged radially with respect to the axis of rotation, said cylinders having closed inner and outer ends and a radially elongated slot associated with each cylinder and arranged to communicate between said cylinders and the exterior of said rotor housing, d. a reciprocating piston disposed within each of said cylinders, e. a cross-pin mounted intermediate the ends of each of said pistons, said cross-pins extending exteriorly of said rotor housing through the radial slot, said pins extending parallel to the axis of rotation, and, f. a first and second passageways respectively connecting the outer and inner ends of said cylinders with the central bore of said rotor housing; B. Stator means for containing said rotor housing, said stator means comprising, a. a stator housing having a sealed center cavity in which said rotor means is rotatably mounted, b. at least one non-linear endless track formed in said stator housing and arranged to receive said cross-pins and cooperate therewith to convert reciprocation of said pistons into rotation of said rotor housing; and, C. Stationary valve means mounted within said shaft and adapted to receive the fluidic-pressure and apply the pressure sequentially to the inner and outer ends of said cylinders through said first and second passageways, said valve means also adapted to sequentially exhaust the inner and outer ends of said cylinders through said first and second passageways, the exhaust and pressure operations being out of phase.