US3905338A

US3905338A - Vee engine with centrifugally assisted scavenging

Info

Publication number: US3905338A
Application number: US482154A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Turner
Original assignee: TURNER RESEARCH Inc
Current assignee: TURNER RESEARCH Inc
Priority date: 1974-05-13
Filing date: 1974-06-24
Publication date: 1975-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-16

Abstract

An improved rotary vee engine of the angle piston type having conventional components and characterized by critically located and designed intake ports and passageways and discharge ports and passageways to take advantage of the centrifugal force of the engine to obtain very nearly perfect scavenging without overscavenging, thereby obtaining a good combustible mixture for firing. Also disclosed are the specific details of the critical locations and angle for effecting the centrifugally assisted scavenging.

Description

United States Patent Turner Sept. 16, 1975 I5 VEE ENGINE WITH CENTRIFUGALLY 1,779,032 10/1930 Cathcan..." 123/43 A ASSISTED SCAVEN(;ING [$863192 1 H1932 Manson A A A 123/43 A [972,335 9/1934 Gardner 123/43 AA l lnvenmr: Willlam R n r, m, T x- 2.512,2e5 6/1950 Brigaudet 123 43 A [73] Assignee: Turner Research. Inc., Graham Tex.

Primary Examiner-william L Freeh [22] F'led: June 241 1974 Assistant ExaminerMichael Koczo, Jr. [21] APP] NO: 482,154 Alrorney, Agent, or Firm-James C. Fails 63 Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT Ct"'-'' fS.N14692l6,M' l3. l I gy i m pan 0 er 0 An 1mproved rotary vee engine of the angle piston type having conventional components and character- [52] Cl 123/43 A ized by critically located and designed intake ports 51 11.1. C1. m1, 57/06 and passageways and discharge Ports and passageways [58] Field of Search 1. 91/499 500- 123/43 A m advantage of centrifugal of 23/43 A gine to obtain very nearly perfect scavenging without overscavenging, thereby obtaining a good combustible [56] References Cied mixture for firing. Also disclosed are the specific details of the critical locations and angle for effecting the UNITED STATES PATENTS centrifugally assisted scavenging. L2 19,377 3/l9l7 Davidson 123/43 A l 389,873 9 1921 Hult 123 43 AA 20 Claims. 14 Drawing Figures Pmirmajsw 659x75 SHEET 1 OF 2 PRIOR ART VIIF. ENGINE WI'IH (EN'IRIFUGALLY ASSIS'IEI) SCAVENGING (ROSS RI-Il-IiRIiNCli 'I'C RELAI'IiD APPLKA'I'IONS 'lhis application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 469,216, filed May I}, I974 and entitled Center Section (ompressor.

BACKGROUND ()l" 'lHl'l INVIiN'l'ION l. Field of the Invention l'his invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines (I(F.) of the so-called angle piston type.

2. Description of the Prior Art As delineated in my copending patent application Scr. No. 25I,3l7, filed May 8, 1972 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,208 and entitled Vee Engine," at wide variety of devices of the so-called angle piston type have been employed as: universal joints for transmitting forces, pumps, compressors, fluid powered motors and rotary vcc engines,

Specifically, l have found that conventional practice with respect to two-cycle engines cannot be employed satisfactorily with the rotary vee engine. The lack of satisfaction is theorized to be due to the centrifugal force field and an engine having such a centrifugal force field should have one or more of the following features not heretofore provided.

l. The engine should scavenge, or exhaust, combustion products and waste gases adequately even in the centrifugal force field.

2. The structure of the intake and exhaust system should reduce overscavcnging in the centrifugal force field.

3. The intake and exhaust system should alleviate problems with exhausting incoming combustible mix ture without adequately exhausting combustion products. Once this problem, which formerly left poor intermixes for firing, has been alleviated, there is a good combustible mixture that fires readily and develops good power.

4. The intake and exhaust system should scavenge via a llow pattern that takes advantage of the centrifugal force field to retain the dense incoming air-fuel mixture relatively separated from and interfacing with combustion products and waste gases so as to scavenge only the combustion products and waste gases; and that substantially completely without overscavenging.

Insofar as I am aware, one of the primary reasons that the internal combustion engines of the so-called angle piston type did not achieve eflectiveness in the prior art was their failure to provide these features such that they were either inoperable, relatively inefficient, or developed low horsepower that kept them from achieving commercial significance.

SUMMARY ()I" 'IHli INVI'IN'I'ION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art and provide a rotary \ee engine that has one or more of the delineated features not heretofore provided.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rt tary \ee engine that has all of the delineated features not heretofore provided.

l'hesc and other objects will become apparent from the descriptive matter hereinafter, particularly when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

In accordance with this invention, one or more of the features delineated hereinbefore are provided in a ro tary vee engine that has its intake and discharge passageways and ports critically positioned with respect to each cylinder so as to take advantage of the centrifugal force field and scavenge, via a critical flow pattern of incoming combustible mixture, the hot, less dense eombustion products and waste gases toward the center of the rotary vee engine. The respective inlet passageways terminate at the respective inlet ports in terminal ends disposed at critical angles to achieve the critical flow pattern that affords the features delineated hereinbefore. The particular positions and angles of the intake passageways will be described hereinafter, as will the critical flow pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view, partly in section, of an angle piston internal combustion engine of one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial isometric view, partly in section, illustrating the intake, or inlet, and exhaust, or discharge, ports and passageways with respect to one of the cylinders of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of conventional porting and passageways for a two-cycle engine.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of a simplified cylinder block showing a layout of one set of inlet and discharge passageways and ports with respect to a particular cylinder.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view looking longitudinally of the intake passageway along lines VV of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the cylinder block of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 4, illustrating the respective inlet and outlet passageways with respect to the central passageway and the respective cylinders.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a top plate having the exhaust passageways and discharge ports formed, or milled, thereinto.

FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view along the lines VIII-VlII of FIG, 7.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of a middle plate having the terminal ends of the inlet passageways milled thereinto.

FIG. 10 is a partial side elcvational view taken along the lines XX of FIG. 9.

FIG. I I is a partial side elevational view taken along the lines XI-Xl of FIG. 9.

FIG. I2 is a top view of the bottom plate of the em bodiment of FIG. 1 showing the inlet passageways formed, or milled, thereinto.

FIG. 13 is a partial side elevational view taken along the lines XIIIXIII of FIG. [2.

FIG. [4 is a partial side elevational view of the ass-cm bled views of FIGS. '7-I2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I, a rotary vee engine II is mounted on a conventional base, as described in my above-referenced US. Pat. No. 3,830,208. The respective detailed interconnection ofelements and operation of the internal combustion engine I] is explained in that co-pending application Ser. No. 25l,3l7 and that descriptive matter is embodied herein by reference for details not duplicated in the brief description hereinafter. The vee engine I I may be employed in any configuration that will accommodate its delivery of power in normal usage. The power may be delivered to transmissions or any other uses where power from conventional reciprocating internal combustion engines has been employed. The vee engine I 1 includes outer housing [5 having right and left casings l7 and i9. Disposed interiorly of the housing are first and second cylinder blocks, such as cylinder block 2]. that are rotatable about their respective central longitudinal axes and have radially spaced parallel cylinders 23. The vee engine ll also has respective first and second cylinder heads, such as cylinder head 22, that are connected respectively with the first and second cylinder blocks and rotatable therewith. If desired, the respective cylinder heads may be integrally connected, or formed, with the cylinder blocks and the cylinders formed by precision boring into the unitary block-head combination. Respective first and second sets of pistons, such as pistons 25, are disposed in the respective cylinders 23 in the cylinder blocks. The pistons reciprocate within their cylinders as the cylinder blocks rotate, simultaneously carrying the pistons in a generally elliptical path. The pistons maintain their same relative top-on-top position, however.

The vee engine ll has a plurality of inlet, or intake, ports; such as inlet port 27; for intake of gaseous fluid, such as a charge of combustible mixture, within respective cylinders atop the respective pistons therewithin at least by the time each piston has attained a predeter mined first position, such as below the port 27. Each inlet port 27 is in fluid communication with its respective cylinder and with the central intake passageway 29. This invention is primarily concerned with the location of the respective inlet port 27 and the shape of the respective inlet passageway that connects the respective inlet ports with the central intake passageway 29, in combination with the critical location of the discharge, or exhaust, ports 33, all as described later hereinafter.

A center support 30, that is stationary, carries cylin drical tubular members 32 defining the central intake passageway 29. Fluid communication between the central intake passageway and the interior of each respective cylinder is blocked, however, when the piston moves above the inlet port 27. The piston thus traps the combustible mixture for compression thereof, as in a two-cycle internal combustion engine. ln the illustrated embodiment, the combustible mixture is formed by a combination of an oxygen-containing fluid, such as air, and fuel, such as gasoline vapors. The combustible mixture will be formed by the admixture of the fuel with air in a conventional device, such as carburetor (CARE) 31.

A plurality of respective exhaust, or discharge, ports 33 are provided for discharging combustion products and waste gases from within the respective cylinders 23 after compression, ignition and combustion there within. More specifically, the combustion products are discharged only after the respective pistons 25 have re ciprocated below the level of their respective discharge ports 33 in the illustrated embodiment.

Power delivery shafts 35 deliver power from the ro tating cylinder blocks. The power shafts 35 are con nected with respective torque output means. such as gears, (not shown) in the illustrated vee engine 11. The gears may be connected with the respective shafts so as to rotate in unison therewith; for example, by keys and keyways or co-engaging splines. As illustrated, the

shafts are tubular for use with a central oil supply passageway in the lubrication system, described briefly hereinafter,

The vee engine l 1 also has ignition means in the form of spark plugs 37 that fire to ignite the combustible mixture as the piston nears the position equivalent to top dead center and the respective plug 37 is moved past an ignition harness (not shown).

The vee engine ll and the respective elements described hereinbefore with respect to FIG. 1 are conventional and need not be amplified in detail. Similarly, conventional are the respective accessory systems, such as the oil circulation system, and the cooling system that are illustrated but not described in detail. For example, the oil circulation system comprises a longitudinally extending main passageway 39 with a plurality of small tributaries 41 for distributing the oil responsive to centrifugal force developed in the rotating cylinder blocks. Similarly, the use of air cooling, such as afforded by the cooling blower and cooling passageway 43 need not be described in detail. it is sufficient to note that the cooling air in passageway 43 flows past the fins 45 on the cylinder blocks for cooling. The cylinder sleeve and members 49 are also cooled by the injection of oil via passageway 73 to minimize friction and by passage of a cooling fluid, such as the air, past the fins 75.

The main thrust of this invention, however, lies in the critical location of the respective inlet and discharge ports and the design of the respective inlet passageways leading to the respective inlet ports for achieving a predetermined critical flow pattern within the cylinders for scavenging completely, without overscavenging. By scavenging is meant causing the undesirable combustion products and waste gases to flow out of the cylinder. Overscavenging means also flowing from the cylinder, in addition to the combustion products, a portion of the incoming fresh charge of combustible mixture. The design of the intake and exhaust system takes advantage of the centrifugal force field of the rotary vee engine to effect eentrifugally assisted intake and scavenging.

Specifically, the passageway 29, that is disposed centrally of the respective cylinder blocks 21 and connected via an intake manifold with the carburetor 3|, conducts the combustible mixture upwardly and into the cylinders as indicated by the arrows 79 and 8! and as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The necessity for applicants invention can be understood more clearly by considering the prior art, as illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view across a piston 51 in cylinder 53 with respective inlet and

outlet passageways

55 and 57. In the prior art the incoming combustible mixture was forced upwardly by protrusion 59 on the top of the piston 51. Accordingly. the upwardly flowing fuelair mixture forced the combustion products downwardly and out through the outlet, or discharge, passageway 57. Because of the centrifugal force field of the rotary vee engine ll, this type of construction will not work. When this structure was tried with the vee engine 11, all that was attained was an initial firing and the engine refused to fire thereafter. The following theory is believed to explain what happened. The incoming and more dense fresh charge of combustible mixture was flung outwardly across the top of the protrusion 59 and out the outlet passageway 57. Consequently, the combustion products and waste gases were left in the cylinder so no new firing could take place. The foregoing theory explains the necessity for applicants invention if the rotary vee engine is to become a practical commercial engine.

It is believed helpful to consider this invention in the broad aspects as illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 and then to consider the preferred embodiment of how to effect the result in a practical commercial embodiment. as illustrated in the remaining figures.

The rotary vee engine I I has a plurality of respective inlet passageways 61 connected with the central passageway 29 and extending outwardly with their terminal ends 63 connected to the respective inlet ports 27. Each of the cylinders has its own respective inlet passageway 6|. of course. The inlet ports 27 are disposed in the respective cylinders 23 such that in conjunction with the direction of entry of the terminal end 63 the flow of incoming cool, dense. combustible mixture is directed in a critical flow pattern toward the radially exterior side of the cylinder (radially of the cylinder block) and upwardly toward and adjacent the top of the cylinder 23. The critical flow pattern thus uses the centrifugal force field of the rotating blocks to advantage. In a preferred embodiment. the respective inlet ports 27 are located radially exteriorly. with respect to the cylinder block. of the center line of the cylinder and the terminal end 63 is inclined upwardly a critical angle H in the range of 306(I with respect to a plane 66 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the cylinder. Preferably, the angle 6 is about 45 upwardly. Preferably also. the longitudinal axis of the terminal end 63 makes an angle [3 with respect to a radial ex tending from the central intake passageway 29 through the center of the cylinder 23, FIG. 6, within the range of l590 so as to impart to the incoming combustible mixture motion that has a tangential component. Thus, the cool. dense charge of incoming combustible mixture is flung to the radial exterior of the cylinder and toward the top. and forces the hot. less dense combustion products and waste gases radially toward the interior of the cylinder and downwardly toward the respective exhaust. or discharge. ports 33.

The discharge ports 33 are connected with a plurality of respective discharge passageways 83. The discharge passageways 83 extend exteriorly of the engine for dis charging combustion products and the waste gases; as illustrated. into an exhaust collector ring 85, FIGS. 2 and 6. In order to facilitate exhaust of the combustion products and waste gases. the respective discharge ports 33 are located in the cylinders interior one half, or the I80 sector closest to the central passageway 29. The respective discharge ports 33 are also located in the lower portion of their respective cylinders, or toward the second end of the cylinder. The discharge ports 33 are located a distance above the inlet ports. however. as is conventional in two-cycle enginesv Specifically, the discharge ports 33 are located above the inlet ports 27 a distance that is equivalent to degrees of rotation. with equivalent movement of the respective pistons within the cylinders, in the range of l020; preferably. about In this way. the hot combustion products and waste gases are first vented by the down ward movement of the piston opening the discharge ports 33 such that pressure interiorly of the cylinder 23 is reducedv Subsequently, continued downward movement of the piston opens the inlet port 27 and the cool. dense combustible mixture is flung into the cylinder.

The incoming combustible mixture is forced into its critical flow pattern radially exteriorly of the cylinder and toward the top. forcing the combustion products and waste gases downwardly and radially interiorly and out the discharge ports 33; thereby effecting complete scavenging. Since the incoming combustible mixture retains a relatively discrete front with the hot combustion products and does not intermix therewith, the complete scavenging can be effected with almost no overscavenging, leaving a good combustible mixture for ignition.

Before considering operation. it is believed helpful to look at the practical way of effecting this invention. as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7-14.

With the practical embodiment of FIGS. 7-14, it can be seen that portions of the respective inlet and outlet passageways are allowed to overlap because of their different elevations. or different plates that are stacked on top of each other. As can be seen in FIG. I, the assembly includes a top plate 87. a middle plate 89 and a bottom plate 91.

The bottom of the top plate 87 is illustrated in FIG. 7. showing the discharge passageways 83 formed therein. As illustrated. the discharge passageway recesses 83 are milled into the bottom of the top plate 87. As can be seen in FIG. 8. the discharge passageways 83 extend toward the top side 93 an appreciable portion of the total thickness of the plate. As illustrated. each of the cylinders 23 has a respective sleeve 95 grippingly held in place. as by being emplaced within the hot plate and the hot plate allowed to cool. A seal 97 is disposed in the central aperture of the plate 87 for sealingly engaging the central tube in defining the oil passageway 39.

The middle plate 89, FIG. 9, shows the terminal ends 63 of the inlet passageways 61 drilled at an angle to intercept the respective interior walls of the cylinders 23. The top of the middle plate 89 has a smooth finish for conformably and sealingly fitting the bottom of the top plate 87 so as to complete the discharge passageways 83. As shown in FIG. 10, the terminal end 63 is connected with the inlet port 27. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 14, the terminal ends 63 and the inlet ports 27 have portions 99 that are milled into the top plate 87 so as to intersect the interior walls of the cylinders. The terminal ends 63 of the inlet passageways have joining apertures 101 in the bottom of the middle plate 89. The joining apertures 101 intersect milled slots in the bottom plate when assembled. as explained hereinafter. The terminal end 63 can also be seen in FIG. 11 as it intersects the cylinder 23.

The top side of the bottom plate 91. FIG. 12, is illustrated. The top side is emplaced contiguous the bottom of the middle plate 89. The illustrated inlet passageways 61 are milled into the bottom plate 91 so as to intersect the respective terminal ends 63 at the joining apertures 101, FIG. 9. Thus. when the three plates are stacked as illustrated in FIG. 14, the top plate 87 has its milled exhaust passageways 83 completed by the top I03 of the middle plate 89. Similarly. the terminal ends 63 are completed by the respective inlet ports 27 and the inlet passageways 6]. Thus. it can be seen that an economical. workable embodiment can be achieved without requiring a relatively expensive casting of the inlet and exhaust passageways in the cylinder block. The casting may be employed. of course. if desired.

OPERATION In operation. the cylinder blocks. cylinder heads and pistons 21. 22 and 25 of the vee engine 11 are rotated by conventional starter apparatus engaging respective gears 0n the shafts 35. As a respective piston moves near the top dead center position. compressing its charge of compressed combustible mixture. the spark plug 37 is fired. The compressed combustible mixture is ignited. and the combustion front begins to move outwardly through the compressed combustible mixture. The power developed at this point then acts on the face of the respective piston and cylinder head to force the piston and cylinder head apart. in turn causing automatic rotation of the cylinder heads and blocks such that rotation by the starter is no longer necessary. The starter is disengaged by a conventional bendix or the like. Air is sucked inwardly through the carburetor 31 where it is admixed with the fuel. such as gasoline, in a conventional carburetion step. The resulting conibustible mixture is then sucked inwardly through the center section intake port and passed into central intake passageway 29. As described in my copending application Ser. No. 469,216. and entitled Center Section Compressor." the center section of the rotary vee engine ll can be employed as an effective supercharger to compress the combustible mixture to more nearly atmospheric pressure or higher for increased power. The discussion of application Ser. No. 469.216 is incorporated herein by reference for the details which are omitted from this application. Briefly. as the piston moves downwardly past its respective inlet port 27. the combustible mixture flows into the respective cylinder 23 prior to the compression stroke of that respective piston. Conversely. as the piston that has just fired is moved downwardly with respect to its exhaust. or discharge, ports 33. the combustion products flow out of the exhaust ports 33 and. thence. out the exhaust system as in a conventional two-cycle internal combustion engine. As the piston that has just allowed exhaust of the combustion products moves further downwardly. it opens its respective inlet port 27 for an influx. under the higher pressure than exists in the cylinder. of a combustible mixture from the central intake passageway 29. The incoming combustible mixture scavenges almost perfectly. as described hereinbefore. because of the critical angle and design of the inlet passageway and the location of the respective inlet and

discharge ports

27 and 33. as described hereinbefore. Thereafter. the combutible mixture that has flowed into the cylinder is compressed as the cylinder block rotates further and the piston simultaneously reciprocates within its cylinder and the rotating cylinder block 21. As the compressed charge reaches the firing position, its respective spark plug causes ignition as it passes the ignition harness, to complete the cycle.

This invention has served a major role in reducing specific fuel consumption for the vee engine it below that considered the absolute minimum for internal combustion engines by theoretical automotive engineers. Moreover. it has enabled developing a light weight engine having a torque at rotational speeds as low as 535 revolutions per minute (rpm) that is greater than large truck engines of more than twice the volu metric capacity and weight and running at 2,000 rpm.

This invention is applicable. of course. where only one-half, or one cylinder block. of the vee engine is employed. Such structures may be feasible in the future where one cylinder block. head and pistons are em ploycd as an engine and the others are employed as a compressor; or where a wobble plate is employed with only one cylinder block. head and pistons.

From the foregoing. it can be seen that this invention achieves the objects delineated hereinbeforc and provides one or all of the features delineated as being desirable and not heretofore provided by the prior art apparatus.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity. it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rotary internal combustion engine of the socalled angle piston type having:

a. first and second cylinder blocks rotatable about respective central longitudinal axes; said first and second cylinder blocks each having a plurality of radially spaced. substantially parallel cylinders ar ranged for rotation about respective said central longitudinal axes; the open ends of the respective sets of cylinders being disposed toward each other. aligned. and disposed at an angle with respect to each other so as to form a vce angle a of at least 90 and less than 180; first and second sets of pistons disposed in respective said cylinders. a pair of aligned pistons in aligned said cylinders being connected together at said vee angle 01'. each said respective pair of connected pistons being rotatable with and. by angular displacement. reciprocally movable within and with respect to respective cylinders as said pistons are rotated in a generally elliptical path; said pair of connected pistons maintaining their same relative position of topon-top as they rotate with their respective cylinders;

c. first and second cylinder heads connected. respectively. with said first and second cylinder blocks and rotatable therewith;

d. a plurality of respective inlet ports for intake of a combustible mixture comprising a combustion supporting gas and fuel within respective cylinders atop respective said pistons therewithin at least by the time said pistons and cylinders have attained a predetermined first position; said intake ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said first position;

ignition means for igniting said combustible mixture at a predetermined second position; said igni tion means being operatively in communication with the interior of said cylinders intermediate a second end of said cylinders and respective said pistons at said second position for firing; a plurality of respective discharge ports for dis charging combustion products and waste gases. following firing and combustion of said combustible mixture. from within said cylinder and at a prede termined third position of respective said pistons and cylinders; said discharge ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said third position; and

g power delivery means connected with said first and second cylinder blocks for delivery of power with respect thereto;

the improvement comprising a ccntrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system that includes:

h. at least one mixture passageway traversing longitudinally of at least a portion of respective said cylinder blocks and connected with an intake manifold and a carburetor for passing said combustible mixture to respective said cylinders and inlet ports;

i. a plurality of respective inlet passageways connected with said mixture passageway and extending from said mixture passageway toward respective said cylinders; said inlet passageways having their respective terminal ends connected to respective inlet ports; said inlet ports being located in respec tive said cylinders and said terminal ends being disposed such that said dense charges of combustible mixture operatively coming into respective cylinders in said rotating cylinder blocks are thrown by the centrifugal and pressure differential forces to the radial exterior and to the top of said cylinder and forces combustion products and waste gases to the radial interior and bottom of said cylinder to and out respective discharge ports and passageways; and

j. a plurality of respective discharge passageways connected with said discharge ports and extending exteriorly of said engine for discharge of said combustion products and waste gases; said discharge ports being disposed in respective said cylinders radially interiorly of a central longitudinal axis of each of said cylinders and toward said second end of said cylinder at distance above said inlet port that is equivalent to a degree of rotation and equivalent movement of respective said pistons and with respect to said cylinders within the range of l20; said radially interiorly being defined as toward respective central longitudinal axes of said cylinder blocks;

such that in each cylinder at respective discharge port is opened and its combustion products and waste gases are vented exteriorly of said internal combustion engine; subsequently, said inlet port is opened and the cool dense charge of combustible mixture is flung into said cylinder, outwardly and upwardly toward said cylinder head to force hot, less dense combustion products and waste gases downwardly toward said piston and interiorly toward said discharge ports whereby ef fective scavenging is effected without overscavenging and wasting fresh combustible mixture.

2. The internal combustion engine ofclaim I wherein said mixture passageway comprises a central passageway in each said cylinder blockv 3. The internal combustion engine of claim I wherein said inlet ports are located radially outwardly from said central passageway of the center line of said cylinders; and each said terminal end comprises a section of pas sageway that is inclined at a critical angle 6 with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of said cylinder and at a critical angle B with respect to the central planes extending from said central passageway through the respective center lines of respective said cylinders.

4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein t! is within the range of -6(l.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 wherein 0 equals about 6. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein B is within the range of l590.

7. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein each said discharge port is located within a sector that is closest to said central passageway 8. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein each said inlet port is located with respect to said discharge port in said cylinder such that said inlet port is opened about l5 later than said discharge port;

9. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein said centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system comprises top middle and bottom plates having respective discharge passageways and inlet passageways formed therein and joined together such that the interface between adjacent respective plates de fines a portion of the respective passageways and allows forming the engine without casting a block containing the centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system.

10. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 9 wherein each cylinder block contains said three plates; said top plate contains said discharge passageways formed therein and said discharge passageways are completed by the top of the middle plate; where said middle plate has formed therein said terminal ends that intersect at one of their ends the respective interior walls ofthe respective cylinders at the indicated critical location and angle to obtain the flow pattern for obtaining the predetermined scavenging and have respective joining apertures at their other ends; said bottom plate has the radially interior portion of the inlet passage ways formed therein; said inlet passageways and said bottom plate intersecting at respective said joining apertures of said terminal ends in said middle plate so as to define said inlet passageways.

ll. ln a rotary internal combustion engine having:

a. at least one cylinder block rotatable about a respective central longitudinal axis and rotating in operation; said cylinder block having a plurality of radially spaced, substantially parallel cylinders arranged for rotation about its central longitudinal axis;

b. at least one set of pistons disposed in respective said cylinders respective said pistons being constrained to move in a substantially elliptical path, being rotatable with and by angular displacement, reciprocally movable within and with respect to respective cylinders as said pistons are operatively rotated with said cylinders in said cylinder block;

c. at least one cylinder head connected with said cylinder block and rotatable therewith;

d, a plurality of respective inlet ports for intake of a combustible mixture comprising a combustion supporting gas and fuel within respective cylinders atop respective said pistons therewithin at least by the time said pistons and cylinders have attained a predetermined first position; said intake ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said first position;

e. ignition means for igniting said combustible mixture at a predetermined second position; said ignition means being opcratively in communication with the interior of said cylinders intermediate a second end of said cylinders and respective said pistons at said second position for firing;

f. a plurality of respective discharge ports for discharging combustion products and waste gases, fol lowing firing and combustion of said combustible mixture, from within said cylinder and at a predetermined third position of respective said pistons and cylinders; said discharge ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said third position; and

g. power delivery means connected with said at least one cylinder block for delivery of power with respcct thereto;

the improvement comprising a centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system that includes:

h. at least one longitudinally extending mixture passageway traversing longitudinally of at least a portion of said cylinder block and connected with an intake manifold and a carburetor for passing said combustible mixture to respective said cylinders and inlet ports;

i. a plurality of respective inlet passageways con nccted with said mixture passageway and extending from said mixture passageway toward respective said cylinders; said inlet passageways having their respective terminal ends connected to respective inlet ports; said inlet ports being located in respective said cylinders and said terminal ends being disposed such that said dense charges of combustible mixture opeiatively coming into respective cylin ders in said rotating cylinder block are thrown by the centrifugal and pressure differential forces to the radial exterior and to the top of said cylinder and forces combustion products and waste gases to the radial interior and bottom of said cylinder to and out respective discharge ports and passageways; and

j. a plurality of respective discharge passageways connected with said discharge ports and extending exteriorly of said engine for discharge of said combustion products and waste gases; said discharge ports being disposed in respective said cylinders radially interiorly of a central longitudinal axis of each of said cylinders and toward said second end of said cylinder a distance above said inlet port that is equivalent to a degree of rotation and equivalent movement of respective said pistons with respect to said cylinders within the range of l20; said radially interiorly being defined as toward a central longitudinal axis of said cylinder block;

such that in each cylinder a respective discharge port is opened and its combustion products and waste gases are vented exteriorly of said internal combustion engine; subsequently said inlet port is opened and the cool, dense charge of combustible material is flung into said cylnder, outwardly and upwardly toward said cylinder head to force hot less dense combustion products and waste gases downwardly toward said piston and interiorly toward said discharge ports whereby effective scavenging is effected without overscavenging and wasting fresh combustible mixture.

12. Ther internal combustion engine of claim 1] wherein said mixture passageway comprises a central passageway in said cylinder block.

13. The internal combustion engine of claim 12 wherein said inlet ports are located radially outwardly from said central passageway of the center line of said cylinders; and each said terminal end comprises a sec tion of passageway that is inclined at a critical angle 6 with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the lon gitudinal center line of said cylinder and at a critical angle B with respect to the central planes extending from said central passageway through the respective center lines of respective said cylinders.

14. The internal combustion engine of claim wherein l) is within the range of 3060.

IS. The internal combustion engine of claim wherein 6 equals about 45.

16. The internal combustion engine of claim wherein B is within the range of l590.

17. The internal combustion engine of claim I] wherein each said discharge port is located within a l sector that is closest to said central passageway.

18. The internal combustion engine of claim 12 wherein each said inlet port is located with respect to said discharge port in said cylinder such that said inlet port is opened about 15 later than said discharge port.

19. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 12 wherein said centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system comprises top. middle and bottom plates having respective discharge passageways and inlet pas sageways formed therein and joined together such that the interface between adjacent respective plates defines a portion of the respective passageways and allows forming the engine without casting a block containing the centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system.

20. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 19 wherein each cylinder block contains said three plates; said top plate contains said discharge passageways formed therein and said discharge passageways are completed by the top of the middle plate; where said middle plate has formed therein said terminal ends that intersect at one of their ends the respective interior walls of the respective cylinders at the indicated critical location and angle to obtain the flow pattern for obtaining the predetermined scavenging and have respective joining apertures at their other ends; said bottom plate has the radially interior portion of the inlet passageways tormed therein; said inlet passageways and said bottom plate intersecting at respective said joining apertures of said terminal ends in said middle plate so as to define said inlet passageways.

Claims

1. In a rotary internal combustion engine of the so-called angle piston type having: a. first and second cylinder blocks rotatable about respective central longitudinal axes; said first and second cylinder blocks each having a plurality of radially spaced, substantially parallel cylinders arranged for rotation about respective said central longitudinal axes; the open ends of the respective sets of cylinders being disposed toward each other, aligned, and disposed at an angle with respect to each other so as to form a vee angle Alpha of at least 90* and less than 180*; b. first and second sets of pistons disposed in respective said cylinders, a pair of aligned pistons in aligned said cylinders being connected together at said vee angle Alpha ; each said respective pair of connected pistons being rotatable with and, by angular displacement, reciprocally movable within and with respect to respective cylinders as said pistons are rotated in a generally elliptical path; said pair of connected pistons maintaining their same relative position of top-on-top as they rotate with their respective cylinders; c. first and second cylinder heads connected, respectively, with said first and second cylinder blocks and rotatable therewith; d. a plurality of respective inlet ports for intake of a combustible mixture comprising a combustion supporting gas and fuel within respective cylinders atop respective said pistons therewithin at least by the time said pistons and cylinders have attained a predetermined first position; said intake ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said first position; e. ignition means for igniting said combustible mixture at a predetermined second position; said ignition means being operatively in communication with the interior of said cylinders intermediate a second end of said cylinders and respective said pistons at said second positiOn for firing; f. a plurality of respective discharge ports for discharging combustion products and waste gases, following firing and combustion of said combustible mixture, from within said cylinder and at a predetermined third position of respective said pistons and cylinders; said discharge ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said third position; and g. power delivery means connected with said first and second cylinder blocks for delivery of power with respect thereto; the improvement comprising a centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system that includes: h. at least one mixture passageway traversing longitudinally of at least a portion of respective said cylinder blocks and connected with an intake manifold and a carburetor for passing said combustible mixture to respective said cylinders and inlet ports; i. a plurality of respective inlet passageways connected with said mixture passageway and extending from said mixture passageway toward respective said cylinders; said inlet passageways having their respective terminal ends connected to respective inlet ports; said inlet ports being located in respective said cylinders and said terminal ends being disposed such that said dense charges of combustible mixture operatively coming into respective cylinders in said rotating cylinder blocks are thrown by the centrifugal and pressure differential forces to the radial exterior and to the top of said cylinder and forces combustion products and waste gases to the radial interior and bottom of said cylinder to and out respective discharge ports and passageways; and j. a plurality of respective discharge passageways connected with said discharge ports and extending exteriorly of said engine for discharge of said combustion products and waste gases; said discharge ports being disposed in respective said cylinders radially interiorly of a central longitudinal axis of each of said cylinders and toward said second end of said cylinder a distance above said inlet port that is equivalent to a degree of rotation and equivalent movement of respective said pistons and with respect to said cylinders within the range of 10*-20*; said radially interiorly being defined as toward respective central longitudinal axes of said cylinder blocks; such that in each cylinder a respective discharge port is opened and its combustion products and waste gases are vented exteriorly of said internal combustion engine; subsequently, said inlet port is opened and the cool, dense charge of combustible mixture is flung into said cylinder, outwardly and upwardly toward said cylinder head to force hot, less dense combustion products and waste gases downwardly toward said piston and interiorly toward said discharge ports whereby effective scavenging is effected without overscavenging and wasting fresh combustible mixture.

2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 wherein said mixture passageway comprises a central passageway in each said cylinder block.

3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 wherein said inlet ports are located radially outwardly from said central passageway of the center line of said cylinders; and each said terminal end comprises a section of passageway that is inclined at a critical angle theta with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of said cylinder and at a critical angle Beta with respect to the central planes extending from said central passageway through the respective center lines of respective said cylinders.

4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein theta is within the range of 30*-60*.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 wherein theta equals about 45*.

6. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein Beta is within the range of 15*-90*.

7. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein each said discharge port is located within a 180* sector that is closest to saId central passageway.

8. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein each said inlet port is located with respect to said discharge port in said cylinder such that said inlet port is opened about 15* later than said discharge port.

9. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein said centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system comprises top, middle and bottom plates having respective discharge passageways and inlet passageways formed therein and joined together such that the interface between adjacent respective plates defines a portion of the respective passageways and allows forming the engine without casting a block containing the centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system.

10. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 9 wherein each cylinder block contains said three plates; said top plate contains said discharge passageways formed therein and said discharge passageways are completed by the top of the middle plate; where said middle plate has formed therein said terminal ends that intersect at one of their ends the respective interior walls of the respective cylinders at the indicated critical location and angle to obtain the flow pattern for obtaining the predetermined scavenging and have respective joining apertures at their other ends; said bottom plate has the radially interior portion of the inlet passageways formed therein; said inlet passageways and said bottom plate intersecting at respective said joining apertures of said terminal ends in said middle plate so as to define said inlet passageways.

11. In a rotary internal combustion engine having: a. at least one cylinder block rotatable about a respective central longitudinal axis and rotating in operation; said cylinder block having a plurality of radially spaced, substantially parallel cylinders arranged for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; b. at least one set of pistons disposed in respective said cylinders, respective said pistons being constrained to move in a substantially elliptical path, being rotatable with and, by angular displacement, reciprocally movable within and with respect to respective cylinders as said pistons are operatively rotated with said cylinders in said cylinder block; c. at least one cylinder head connected with said cylinder block and rotatable therewith; d. a plurality of respective inlet ports for intake of a combustible mixture comprising a combustion supporting gas and fuel within respective cylinders atop respective said pistons therewithin at least by the time said pistons and cylinders have attained a predetermined first position; said intake ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said first position; e. ignition means for igniting said combustible mixture at a predetermined second position; said ignition means being operatively in communication with the interior of said cylinders intermediate a second end of said cylinders and respective said pistons at said second position for firing; f. a plurality of respective discharge ports for discharging combustion products and waste gases, following firing and combustion of said combustible mixture, from within said cylinder and at a predetermined third position of respective said pistons and cylinders; said discharge ports being connected with and communicating with said cylinders at said third position; and g. power delivery means connected with said at least one cylinder block for delivery of power with respect thereto; the improvement comprising a centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system that includes: h. at least one longitudinally extending mixture passageway traversing longitudinally of at least a portion of said cylinder block and connected with an intake manifold and a carburetor for passing said combustible mixture to respective said cylinders and inlet ports; i. a plurality of respective inlet passageways connected with said mixture passageway and extenDing from said mixture passageway toward respective said cylinders; said inlet passageways having their respective terminal ends connected to respective inlet ports; said inlet ports being located in respective said cylinders and said terminal ends being disposed such that said dense charges of combustible mixture operatively coming into respective cylinders in said rotating cylinder block are thrown by the centrifugal and pressure differential forces to the radial exterior and to the top of said cylinder and forces combustion products and waste gases to the radial interior and bottom of said cylinder to and out respective discharge ports and passageways; and j. a plurality of respective discharge passageways connected with said discharge ports and extending exteriorly of said engine for discharge of said combustion products and waste gases; said discharge ports being disposed in respective said cylinders radially interiorly of a central longitudinal axis of each of said cylinders and toward said second end of said cylinder a distance above said inlet port that is equivalent to a degree of rotation and equivalent movement of respective said pistons with respect to said cylinders within the range of 10*-20*; said radially interiorly being defined as toward a central longitudinal axis of said cylinder block; such that in each cylinder a respective discharge port is opened and its combustion products and waste gases are vented exteriorly of said internal combustion engine; subsequently, said inlet port is opened and the cool, dense charge of combustible material is flung into said cylnder, outwardly and upwardly toward said cylinder head to force hot, less dense combustion products and waste gases downwardly toward said piston and interiorly toward said discharge ports whereby effective scavenging is effected without overscavenging and wasting fresh combustible mixture.

12. Ther internal combustion engine of claim 11 wherein said mixture passageway comprises a central passageway in said cylinder block.

13. The internal combustion engine of claim 12 wherein said inlet ports are located radially outwardly from said central passageway of the center line of said cylinders; and each said terminal end comprises a section of passageway that is inclined at a critical angle theta with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of said cylinder and at a critical angle Beta with respect to the central planes extending from said central passageway through the respective center lines of respective said cylinders.

14. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 wherein theta is within the range of 30*-60*.

15. The internal combustion engine of claim 14 wherein theta equals about 45*.

16. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 wherein Beta is within the range of 15*-90*.

17. The internal combustion engine of claim 11 wherein each said discharge port is located within a 180* sector that is closest to said central passageway.

18. The internal combustion engine of claim 12 wherein each said inlet port is located with respect to said discharge port in said cylinder such that said inlet port is opened about 15* later than said discharge port.

19. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 12 wherein said centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system comprises top, middle and bottom plates having respective discharge passageways and inlet passageways formed therein and joined together such that the interface between adjacent respective plates defines a portion of the respective passageways and allows forming the engine without casting a block containing the centrifugally assisted intake and scavenging system.

20. The rotary internal combustion engine of claim 19 wherein each cylinder block contains said three plates; said top plate contains said discharge passageways formed therein and said discharge passageways are completed by the top of the midDle plate; where said middle plate has formed therein said terminal ends that intersect at one of their ends the respective interior walls of the respective cylinders at the indicated critical location and angle to obtain the flow pattern for obtaining the predetermined scavenging and have respective joining apertures at their other ends; said bottom plate has the radially interior portion of the inlet passageways formed therein; said inlet passageways and said bottom plate intersecting at respective said joining apertures of said terminal ends in said middle plate so as to define said inlet passageways.