US3809025A

US3809025A - Rotary engine having inclined piston and cylinder rotation axes

Info

Publication number: US3809025A
Application number: US00329186A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Harper
Original assignee: HARPER DEV CORP
Current assignee: HARPER DEV CORP
Priority date: 1973-02-02
Filing date: 1973-02-02
Publication date: 1974-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-07

Abstract

The rotary engine includes a housing which defines a plurality of chambers for primary compression and combustion and a plurality of pistons mounted to a piston carrier positioned within the housing. Both the housing and the piston carrier rotate at the same rate on separate shafts and the axes of rotation of the two shafts are at an angle to one another. Combustible gas is fed through a central hollow portion of the piston carrier shaft where it is directed into the primary compression chamber by inlet means in the piston carrier which are exposed to the chamber through the movement of the housing relative to the piston carrier. Transport means communicate with each primary compression chamber to transport the combustible gas around the piston from an inlet side to a combustion side of the chamber.

Description

United States Patent Harper [451 May 7,1974

[ ROTARY ENGINE HAVING INCLINED PISTON AND CYLINDER ROTATION AXES 21 Appl. No.: 329,186

[52] US. Cl l23/8.47, 123/43 R, 418/68, 418/164 [51] Int. Cl. F02b 53/00 [58] Field of Search..... l23/8.47, 43 R, 43 A, 43 B,

123/44 R, 44 C, 44 D; 418/49, 50, 51, 68, 164

1 56] References Cited UN1TED STATES PATENTS 2,828,695 4/1958 Marshall 418/138 3,101,059 8/1963 Easter 418/13 3,176,667 4/1965 Hammer 123/43 R 3,549,286 l2/l970 Moriarty 123/8.47 X 3,702,602 11/1972 Lotesto 418/68 X 2,708,413 5/1955 Loewen 418/68 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,451,810 6/1969 Germany 123/43 R Primary ExaminerCarlton R. Croyle Assistant Examiner-Michael Koczo, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Webb, Burden, Robinson & Webb 5 7] ABSTRACT The rotary engine includes a housing which defines a plurality of chambers for primary compression and combustion and a plurality of pistons mounted to a piston carrier positioned within the housing. Both the housing and the piston carrier rotate at the same rate on separate shafts and the axes of rotation of the two shafts are at an angle to one another. Combustible gas is fed through a central hollow portion of the piston carrier shaft where it is directed into the primary compression chamber by inlet means in the piston carrier which are exposed to the chamber through the movement of the housing relative to the piston carrier. Transport means communicate with each primary compression chamber to transport the combustible gas around the piston from an inlet side to a combustion side of the chamber.

25 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDIAY 7 I974 SHEET 2 BF 7 FIGJa PATENTEDIAY 11914 4 380-9025 SHEET 4 [IF 7 PATENTEDIAY 7 m4 SHEET 5 BF 7 Fig.9

Fig. 8

ROTARY ENGINE HAVING INCLINED PISTON AND CYLINDER ROTATION AXES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION My invention relates to rotary engines and, more particularly, to rotary engines in which the axis of rotation of the combustion chamber is at an angle to the axis of rotation of the pistons.

Fluid pumps and motors are known in the art which operate on the principle of rotating chambers and displacement elements wherein the rotational axes are angularly displaced. Attempts have been made heretofore to apply these principles to an internal combustion engine, but these attempts have been directed to apparatus functioning in a known four stroke cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention utilizes the principle of the angular displacement of the axes of rotation of chambers and pistons, but these principles are adapted to operate in a manner similar to a two stroke cycle engine. My invention provides a perfectly balanced engine in which pure linear motion is transformed into rotary motion. The engine can be air or liquid cooled. My engine provides variable compression and self-lubricating seals. My engine provides high torque at low speeds and there is no side thrust on the combustion chamber walls as is produced on a standard piston engine by the angle of the connecting rod. The efficiency of the engine and the power curve are such that the size and weight of the engine can be substantially less than existing rotary engines for a given horsepower. During operation, no parts stop, start, wobble or change direction. My engine is an improvement on existing engines from the standpoint of pollution control in two respects. Since the main bearings are sealed ball bearings mounted external of the engine and there is no lateral thrust of the piston on the chamber walls, less oil is required and, therefore, there is less burning of hydrocarbons. In addition, the surface area of the combustion chamber wall to the cubic inch displacement is easily controlled so the engine can be operated at a lower flame temperature than existing engines, thereby reducing the nitric oxide emissions. As a result of the spherical and conical shapes of the engine components, the seal mechanisms are greatly simplified over known rotary engines and line contact seals can be easily employed.

My invention is a rotary engine in which the combustion chambers and the pistons rotate on separate axis with the axes being at an angle to one another. Transport means direct the combustible gases around the pistons in each chamber during the engine cycle so that the operation of the engine is similar to a two stroke cycle engine. The pistons are mounted on a spherical piston carrier which also receives the combustible gas and directs it into the chambers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a section through the rotary engine taken along section line II of FIG. 3;

FIG. la is an elevation of the engine with the housing removed;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along section lines IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial section taken through the rotary engine illustrating the piston member-partition member relationship;

FIG. 4 is an isometric of the piston member;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the piston member;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along section lines VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section through the piston carrier showing the operation of the inlet ports;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the partition member and the seals therefor;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the partition member showing the milled out portion;

FIG. 10 is a section through another embodiment of my rotary engine illustrating different faces of the pistons; and

FIG. 11 is another section through the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10.

The principles described hereinafter can be applied to pumps, fluid motors and compressors, but are disclosed for the preferred embodiment, a rotary combustion engine.

The engine, generally designated 10, includes a housing 11 and a piston carrier 14, both of which rotate at a common speed, FIGS. 1-3. Housing 11 is annular in shape and has a concave inner surface 17 defined by a segment of a sphere. A top cover plate 12 and a bottom cover plate 13 are bolted to the housing 11 by a plurality of

bolts

25 and 26, respectively. Each

cover plate

12 and 13 is defined by inner conical walls 27 which terminate in a concave socket 28 which is also a segment of a sphere. Shaft 19 connects to cover plate 13 through a plurality of bolts 20. Shaft 19 represents the power take off for the rotary engine 10.

Piston carrier I4, which is a complete sphere, is positioned within the housing 11 and in operable engagement with concave sockets 28 of the top and

bottom cover plates

12 and 13, respectively. Seals 53 in cover plate 12 engage the piston carrier 14. Rigidly secured to the piston carrier 14 is shaft 21 which extends outward through an appropriate opening in the top cover plate 12. Shaft 21 is hollow and includes a central passageway 22 which communicates with chamber 23 located internal of the piston carrier 14. Shaft 21 is positioned with respect to shaft 19 so that the axes of rotation of the two shafts intersect at an angle at the center of the piston carrier 14. This angle, as measured in degrees from a coaxial position and represented by theta in FIG. 1, is variable and will normally be between 5 and 20.

Partition members 16 are positioned within the housing 11 in spaced apart relationship so as to form combustion chambers 35, the inlet side being referred to as primary compression chambers 34, FIGS. 13. The rotary engine 10 with four partition members 16 has four combustion chambers 35. Each partition member 16 is substantially trapezoidal in shape and includes a spherical concave inner surface 30 positioned for slidable engagement with the piston carrier 14 and an outer convex spherical surface 29 which cooperates with the inner surface 17 of housing 11. Each partition member is rigidly connected to the housing 11 by four bolts (not shown) which extend through the housing and screw into bolt holes 51 in the partition member 16, FIGS. 3 and 9. The partition member 16 also has upper and lower concave spherical surfaces 48 which engage with the conical surfaces 27 of the cover plates I 33 which extend along and are recessed in a portion of the surfaces 45 of the partition member 16, FIGS. 1-3. As will be explained hereinafter, the transport grooves 33 serve to transfer the gases from the primary compression chamber 34 around the piston to each combustion chamber 35. Therefore, as long as the grooves 33 perform this function, there can be a single groove or a plurality of grooves and the two grooves 33 on each surface 45 for a total of four grooves per each partition member 16, FIG. 3, or two grooves 33 for each partition member 16, FIG. 2, are exemplary only.

Operating within each combustion chamber 35 is a piston 15, FIGS. l-6, connected to the piston carrier 14. The piston is also substantially trapezoidal in shape and includes an outer convex spherical surface 31 which slidably engages the spherical inner surface 17 of the housing 11 and an inner concave spherical surface 32 which engages the piston carrier 14, FIGS. 1-3. The side surfaces 46 of the piston 15 are concavely shaped as segments of a sphere so as to slidably cooperate with the convex sides 45 of adjacent partition members 16. The pistons 15 separate the chamber into the combustion chamber 35 and primary compression chamber 34.

Each piston 15 is connected to the piston carrier 14 as follows. The piston 15 includes a rectangular opening 39 extending through the piston and terminating in a cylindrical opening 40 so as to form a shoulder at the juncture thereof, FIGS. 1-6. Piston pin 37 provides the connecting means and is circular in cross section, threaded at one end to threadably engage the piston carrier 14 and has an enlarged head at the other end to shoulder against the rectangular opening 39. A cross sectionally square block 38 includes a cylindrical clear through passageway which accommodates the cylindrical piston pin 37. The block 38 in turn is positioned within the rectangular piston opening 39 in the piston 15. The walls of block 38 are tapered slightly inward from the piston carrier end to the housing end. This tapered axial extent of the block 38 provides increasing clearance in a direction away from the piston carrier 14 and this clearance is necessary for the relative movement of the piston 15 as rotation takes place, with the total relative movement being not unlike a universal in that respect, FIG. 1a. The distance between common points along the center lines of adjacent pistons 15 increases slightly as the adjacent pistons 15 move from a position along the center line of the combustion chamber to a position adjacent opposite ends of the combustion chamber, FIG. 1a. This slight movement of the pis ton 15 is relative to the piston pin 37 and thus the piston carrier 14 is accommodated by the clearance formed by the tapered walls of block 38.

Exhaust ports 18 extend through the housing 11 and communicate with each combustion chamber 35, FIGS. 1-3. Spark plugs 36 extend through the top cover plate 12 and through the conical wall 27 thereof into communication with the combustion chamber 35.

The fuel mixture such as gas is fed from a carburetor (not shown) into passageway 22 of the shaft 21 and into the chamber 23 internal of the piston carrier 14. Four curved gas inlets 24 extend outward from chamber 23 and an inlet 24 communicates with each of the four primary compression chambers 34, FIGS. 1 and 7. These inlets 24 are opened and closed by the relative movement of the piston carrier 14 with respect to the socket 28 of the bottom cover plate 13. The curvature of the inlets 24 matches the curvature on the socket 28 so that a maximum exposure of the inlet 24 occurs and yet the opening can be immediately closed, FIG. 7.

Each piston 15 is recessed about its periphery by slot 43 which accommodates a piston ring. This piston ring slot 43 is positioned as close to the combustion side face of the piston 15 as possible. Each piston also includes on the combustion side face opposing deflector notches 44 which serve two functions. Namely, the notches 44 place the gases closer to the seal 43 thereby avoiding a wasted length of piston movement. In addition, the shape of each notch directs the gas in a loop scavenging stroke and away from the exhaust ports 18 as will be described hereinafter.

In order to minimize the horsepower requirements on the inlet side of the piston 15, the bottom surface 41 of piston 15 adjacent the inlet port 24 is recessed by cutout 47, FIGS. 5 and 6. Cutout 47 may be recessed in any desired shape to minimize the horsepower required in the compression stroke in the primary compression chamber 34.

The partition members are sealed against the piston carrier 14 and opposite sides of the piston 15 by

seals

49 and 50 positioned in mating slots recessed in surface 30 and in the form of a cross. Seal 50 extends into seal 49 so as to provide a lock for sea] 49. In order to reduce the weight of the engine, the partition member 16 may be hollowed out such as by conical cutout 52 milled deeply into the interior of partition member 16, FIG. 9.

The operation of my rotary engine 10 is as follows. As the shaft 21 and shaft 19 rotate relative to and at an angle to one another, the piston 15 has the effect of moving back and forth in the combustion chambers 35 even though there is rotation in a single plane. The movement of the piston 15 is between the opposing conical faces 27 of the

cover plates

12 and 13, respectively. When the piston 15 is in the combustion position, the gases have been compressed between the piston and the conical surface 27 which accommodates the spark plug 36. The spark plug 36 rotates with the housing 11 and is easily fired through stationary contact surfaces which are engaged by the spark plug 36 as it travels. Combustion creates a thrust on the piston and housing and is directed along the power take off in standard fashion.

At the same time the piston 15 is in the firing position, the inlet ports 24 have been opened and the gases have been drawn into the primary compression chamber 34. As the piston 15 moves away from the site of the combustion, it continues to cover the transport grooves 33 thereby compressing the gases on the inlet side. This compression takes place because the inlet ports 24 are closed and the transport grooves 33 have not as yet been exposed on both sides of the piston 15.

This latter circumstance continues until the products of combustion have exhausted through the exhaust port 18, after which the piston exposes the transport grooves 33 on opposing sides of the piston 15 and since the gas is under compression it is caused to transfer to the combustion side, namely combustion chamber 35. This process repeats itself every revolution of the rotary engine 10 so that with the four combustion chambers 35, the engine is firing four times per every revolution. The transfer of gases from one side of the piston to the other is somewhat similar to a two stroke cycle reciprocating internal combustion engine. Of course, with the subject rotary engine, there is no reciprocation of a piston since pure linear motion is transformed to rotary motion.

My rotary engine 10 can be constructed in a number of ways, all of which embody the principles described hereinbefore. A three power impulse per revolution cycle is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. The housing 55 is in the form of a three leaf clover and has an interior surface 56 defining three combustion chambers 60. The housing 55 is constructed in three substantially equivalent segments and then joined by means of bolts 58. Cooling fins 59 are bolted to the exterior of housing 55 by means of bolts 86. A power take off shaft 81 is secured by bolts to the housing 55 and functions in the same manner as shaft 19 of the earlier embodiment.

The housing 55, by being shaped in the form ofa cloverleaf, eliminates the partition members of the earlier embodiment. In addition, the housing itselfincludes the interior concave socket 57 which accommodates the spherical piston carrier 65. Piston carrier 65 is rigidly connected to piston shaft 84 which contains hollow passageway 85 communicating with the inlet ports 68 in the piston carrier 65.

The housing 55 also includes exhaust ports 66 extending therethrough from each combustion chamber 60. In addition, spark plugs 82 are carried by the housing 55 and communicate with each combustion chamber 60. Transfer ports 67 are formed in the housing 55 so as to create a bypass from one side of the piston (primary compression) to the other (combustion) in the same manner as the earlier embodiment. Transfer ports 67 can be milled into the housing 55 or can be separate duct work secured to the housing. These transfer ports 67 perform the same function as the transport grooves of the earlier embodiment.

Pistons

61, 62 and 63 are secured to the piston carrier 65 so that each combustion chamber 60 has a single piston operable therein. Each piston itself has a spherical concave end portion 70 which mates with the spherical piston carrier 65 and a convex end portion 71 which slidably mates with the spherical housing interior surface 56 at the end of each combustion chamber 60. The

pistons

61, 62 and 63 differ from the pistons of the earlier embodiment in that each piston includes a flat face 69 on the combustion side of the chamber and a flat face 72 on the inlet side -or primary compression chamber. These flat faces 69 and 72 approach corresponding flat faces of the housing interior surface 56 during operation in the combustion and compression portion of the cycle.

The

pistons

61, 62 and 63 are connected to the piston carrier 65 in the same manner as the earlier embodiment. Specifically, each piston includes a rectangular cutout 75 into which is inserted a cross sectionally square block 76 tapered along its length and which also has a cylindrical opening clear through. Into the cylindrical opening is inserted the cylindrical section 78 of piston pin 74 so that the piston pin head 79 shoulders against the opening in the piston to hold the piston in place.

An additional sealing and wear feature is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 for the piston pin 74 and the

pistons

61, 62 and 63 and such a feature is equally applicable to the earlier embodiment. Piston pin head 79 has a concave undersurface 87 which cooperates with a convex washer 77 positioned against the shoulder formed at the termination of the rectangular opening 75. The washer is hardened steel and acts as a wear plate for the piston pin 74. This arrangement adequately holds the pistons against the piston carrier and prevents the piston through centrifugal force from being forced against the inside surface 56 of the housing 55.

The operation of the rotary engine illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 is identical with that of the earlier embodiment except that the engine has three power impulses per revolution instead of four.

The pistons are sealed in the same manner as the earlier embodiment. Each piston includes a seal extending abouts its entire periphery, as illustrated by dotted lines for piston 62 in FIG. 10. More than one seal 80 can be employed in spaced apart relationship about the periphery, albeit only one such seal is illustrated.

Face 72 of piston 63 is inverted FIG. 10, for purposes of illustrating the plurality of conical cutouts 73 which reduce the weight of the piston and relieves the horsepower requirement of the piston in the compression stroke.

The rotary engine 10 transforms pure linear motion to rotary motion in a totally balanced system so as to obtain optimum performance with a minimum of weight and moving parts.

I claim:

l. A rotary motor comprising:

A. a housing adapted for rotation about a first axis and including an inner surface formed of spherical segments and defining a plurality of chambers;

B. a spherical piston carrier positioned within the housing so as to cooperate therewith and connected to a shaft adapted for rotation about a second axis, said axes'intersecting at an angle to one another;

C. a plurality of pistons, each mounted to the piston carrier so as to accommodate a slight movement therebetween, and extending radially outward therefrom, each piston configured to cyclically operate within a chamber;

D. inlet means communicating with the chambers to provide a fluid thereto;

E. transport means communicating with each chamber to transport the fluid around the piston; and

F. outlet means communicating with the chamber to exit the fluid therefrom.

2. A rotary engine comprising:

A. a housing adapted for rotation about a first axis and including an inner surface formed of spherical segments and defining at least three chambers,

each chamber formed to accommodate a firing means; B. a spherical piston carrier positioned within the housing so as to cooperate therewith and connected to a shaft adapted for rotation about a second axis, said axes intersecting at an angle to one another;

C. at least three pistons, each mounted to the piston carrier so as to accommodate a slight movement therebetween, and extending radially outward therefrom, each piston configured to cyclically operate within a chamber;

D. inlet means communicating with the chambers to provide a combustible gas thereto;

E. transport means communicating with each combustion chamber to transport the combustible gas around the piston from a primary compression to a combustion side of the chamber; and

F. exhaust means communicating with the chamber to exit the exhaust gases therefrom.

3. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein the piston carrier shaft is hollow and terminates in an inlet chamber within the piston carrier, said inlet means communicating with said inlet chamber.

4. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein the housing is cloverleaf in shape and the inner surface defines three chambers.

5. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein a seal means cooperates with the piston so as to interact between thepiston and the chamber.

6. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein each piston is mounted to the piston carrier by means of a piston pm.

- 7. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein the axes intersect at an angle of from to 8. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein a plurality of spherically segmented partition means form a part of the inner surface and are in spaced apart relationship so as to define a chamber between adjacent partition means.

9. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein the pistons are substantially trapezoidal in shape, spherically segmented and mounted to the piston carrier.

10. The rotary engine of claim 3 wherein the inlet means comprises a plurality of oblong intake ports spaced about the piston carrier and positioned so that the housing inner surface cyclically exposes an intake port to the chamber as rotation of the inner surface relative to the piston carrier occurs.

11. The rotary engine of claim 4 wherein the inner surface is flat along opposing chamber sides so as to accommodate a similarly shaped piston.

12. The rotary engine of claim 6 wherein each piston includes an opening therethrough, said opening being rectangular for at least a portion of its length and forming an internal shoulder to accommodate a head of the piston pin, said pin threadably engaging the piston carrier and positioned in a squarely cross sectioned tapered block, said tapered block positioned within the rectangular opening so that the taper results in increasing clearance in a direction away from the piston car- -rier, said increasing clearance accommodating said 7 carrier.

14. The rotary engine of claim 8 wherein the partition means includes groove means extending along a portion of the chamber, said groove means forming the transport means, said piston exposing the groove means on the inlet means and combustion side of the piston during the piston travel.

15. The rotary engine of claim 8 wherein four partition means form four chambers.

16. The rotary engine of claim 12 wherein the piston pin head is concavely recessed along its underside and a convexly shaped wear washer is positioned between the internal shoulder and the underside.

17. A rotary engine comprising:

A. a housing adapted for rotation about a first axis and including an inner surface formed of spherical segments and defining a central chamber;

B. a spherical piston carrier positioned within the central chamber and connected to a shaft adapted for rotation about a second axis, said axes intersecting at the piston carrier center and being at an angle to one another;

C. a spherically segmented partition means positioned within the central chamber and adapted to rotate with the housing to form a plurality of chambers between the inner surface and the piston carrier, said partition means including groove means extending along a portion of the chambers and each chamber formed to accommodate a firing means;

D. spherically segmented pistons mounted to the piston carrier so as to accommodate a slight movement therebetween with a piston positioned within each chamber to form a compression side and a combustion side and to cyclically operate therein;

E. inlet means communicating with the compression side to provide a combustible gas thereto; and

F. exhaust means communicating with the combustion side to exit the exhaust gases therefrom.

18. The rotary engine of claim 17 including spark plug means connected to the housing so as to rotate therewith and in communication with the combustion chambers so as to ignite the combustible gas.

19. The rotary engine of claim 17 wherein the housing includes top and bottom cover plates which form opposingfaces of the combustion chamber.

20. The rotary engine of claim 17 wherein the shaft is hollow and in communication with the inlet means which are formed in the spherical piston carrier, said combustible gas being fed into the shaft.

21. The rotary engine of claim 17 wherein pins are secured to and extend out from the piston carrier to secure the pistons to the piston carrier.

22. The rotary engine of claim 19 wherein the cover plates are conical shaped and terminate in a concave spherical segment which matingly cooperates with the spherical piston carrier.

23. The rotary engine of claim 19 wherein the pistons are formed of trapezoidal shaped blocks.

24. The rotary engine of claim 22 wherein seal means cooperate with the cover plates in engagement with the piston carrier.

25. The rotary engine of claim 23 wherein the pistons are notched along a surface thereof so as to direct the combustible gas from the groove means into the combustion chamber and away from the exhaust means.

Claims

1. A rotary motor comprising: A. a housing adapted for rotation about a first axis and including an inner surface formed of spherical segments and defining a plurality of chambers; B. a spherical piston carrier positioned within the housing so as to cooperate therewith and connected to a shaft adapted for rotation about a second axis, said axes intersecting at an angle to one another; C. a plurality of pistons, each mounted to the piston carrier so as to accommodate a slight movement therebetween, and extending radially outward therefrom, each piston configured to cyclically operate within a chamber; D. inlet means communicating with the chambers to provide a fluid thereto; E. transport means communicating with each chamber to transport the fluid around the piston; and F. outlet means communicating with the chamber to exit the fluid therefrom.

2. A rotary engine comprising: A. a housing adapted for rotation about a first axis and including an inner surface formed of spherical segments and defining at least three chambers, each chamber formed to accommodate a firing means; B. a spherical piston carrier positioned within the housing so as to cooperate therewith and connected to a shaft adapted for rotation about a second axis, said axes intersecting at an angle to one another; C. at least three pistons, each mounted to the piston carrier so as to accommodate a slight movement therebetween, and extending radially outward therefrom, each piston configured to cyclically operate within a chamber; D. inlet means communicating with the chambers to provide a combustible gas thereto; E. transport means communicating with each combustion chamber to transport the combustible gas around the piston from a primary compression to a combustion side of the chamber; and F. exhaust means communicating with the chamber to exit the exhaust gases therefrom.

5. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein a seal means cooperates with the piston so as to interact between the piston and the chamber.

6. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein each piston is mounted to the piston carrier by means of a piston pin.

7. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein the axes intersect at an angle of from 5* to 20*.

8. The rotary engine of claim 2 wherein a plurality of spherically segmented partition means form a part of the inner surface and are in spaced apart relationship so as to define a chamber between adjacent partition means.

12. The rotary engine of claim 6 wherein each piston includes an opening therethrough, said opening being rectangular for at least a portion of its length and forming an internal shoulder to accommodate a head of the piston pin, said pin threadably engaging the piston carrier and positioned in a squarely cross sectioned tapered block, said tapered block positioned within the rectangular opening so that the taper results in inCreasing clearance in a direction away from the piston carrier, said increasing clearance accommodating said slight movement.

13. The rotary engine of claim 8 wherein seal means cooperate with a surface of the partition means so as to interact between the partition means and the piston carrier.

17. A rotary engine comprising: A. a housing adapted for rotation about a first axis and including an inner surface formed of spherical segments and defining a central chamber; B. a spherical piston carrier positioned within the central chamber and connected to a shaft adapted for rotation about a second axis, said axes intersecting at the piston carrier center and being at an angle to one another; C. a spherically segmented partition means positioned within the central chamber and adapted to rotate with the housing to form a plurality of chambers between the inner surface and the piston carrier, said partition means including groove means extending along a portion of the chambers and each chamber formed to accommodate a firing means; D. spherically segmented pistons mounted to the piston carrier so as to accommodate a slight movement therebetween with a piston positioned within each chamber to form a compression side and a combustion side and to cyclically operate therein; E. inlet means communicating with the compression side to provide a combustible gas thereto; and F. exhaust means communicating with the combustion side to exit the exhaust gases therefrom.

19. The rotary engine of claim 17 wherein the housing includes top and bottom cover plates which form opposing faces of the combustion chamber.