WO2000009873A1

WO2000009873A1 - Two-four-eight engine

Info

Publication number: WO2000009873A1
Application number: PCT/IB1998/001243
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roger Macpherson
Original assignee: Roger Macpherson
Priority date: 1998-08-12
Filing date: 1998-08-12
Publication date: 2000-02-24
Also published as: AU8555898A

Abstract

It is my endeavor to describe a low RPM two-cycle one hundred and eighty degree, directly opposed, four cylinder, internal combustion engine with a sealed crank case to contain oil. The disclosure also shows the charging of the cylinders at the top end and the expelling of the burned mixture from the bottom end of the cylinders. Another endeavor is to show that the described engine will run with two, four or eight firing cylinders per two revolutions of the crank shaft with no vibration. It is also my endeavor to describe an engine that has three torque curves derived from running with two power strokes per two revolutions of crank shaft, four power strokes per two revolutions of the crank shaft, or eight power strokes per two revolutions of the crank shaft. Finally, it is my endeavor to disclose complete combustion created by the use of excessive air entering the top of the cylinder, which is unrestricted from entering the exhaust manifold when the piston is near bottom dead center.

Description

"DESCRIPTION"

"TITLE OF INVENTION"

TWO-FOUR-EIGHT ENGINE

"BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION"

It requires a great deal of energy to create the large quantity of heat that today's four-cycle internal combustion engines produce. It is obvious that the fuel wasted is totally responsible for the heat generated. Another observation I would like to make is that the longer you contain an explosion without adding air, the more heat is created. The endeavor is to describe a two-cycle, directly opposed, flat, four-cylinder internal combustion engine that has much more efficient breathing than any known internal combustion engine having a sealed crankcase containing oil. It is also an endeavor to show that air and fuel fed into the top of the cylinders and exhausted at the bottom of the cylinders is very efficient because both mixtures move in the same direction and the burned mixture is contained for only the power portion of the crank stroke. It is also obvious that both ends of the cylinders are utilized at the same time, which allows excessive air to be used for complete combustion of the fuel, therefore no catalytic converter or other pollution controls to burn fuel are required. All excessive air utilized for complete combustion goes directly into the sealed exhaust manifold and eventually into the rest of the exhaust system.

Another feature of the described engine is the ability to run on two, four, or eight cylinders. No vibration problems are encountered during running or transition from two to four or eight, as directly opposed cylinders firing at the same time are in perfect balance. The Cadillac failure (not so long ago) of a two, four, six, eight had vibration and valve train problems unsolvable. It should be mentioned at this time that it takes very little torque to keep a full sized vehicle or light truck moving at speed on level ground. The astounding fuel economy of the described engine can be attributed to its ability to run on two power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft for idle, four power strokes for medium power and eight power strokes for maximum torque. In conclusion, it is well past time for a really new internal combustion engine configuration, as everything imaginable has been tried on the original fourcycle engine.

"BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION"

The internal combustion engine described is a 180° (one hundred eighty degree) flat four with two cylinders opposite each other fore and aft. This two-cycle four-cylinder engine has a sealed crankcase with oil for lubrication. The cylinder walls contain no bypass ports to allow the fuel and air mixture to be fed into the cylinders via the crankcase as is standard with two-cycle engines. Pressurized air and fuel are fed into the top of the four cylinders at the time the cylinder wall exhaust port or ports are opened by the piston near the bottom of the stroke. The ignition timing, air injection and fuel injection are identical on opposing cylinders to prevent vibration. Each pair of cylinders has the ability to two-cycle or fourcycle by turning off the fuel injector intermittently via the computer-controlled ignition timing, air injection and fuel in- jection. To date the engine described is the only known internal combustion engine that utilizes both ends of the cylinder, i.e. the top end for injection and the bottom end for exhaust. The described configuration allows straight-through breathing and excessive pressurized air for complete combustion, as the exhaust port is open at the same time that pressurized air is fed into the top of the cylinder. Excess air not used for combustion goes directly into the exhaust manifold. A relief valve electrically operated at the top of each cylinder will eliminate compression resistance to the crankshaft of non-firing cylinders. Pressurized air supplied to the non-firing cylinders via the computer will aid in rotating the crankshaft in the direction of rotation. In simpler terms, the non-firing pairs of cylinders will enhance crankshaft rotation instead of resisting crankshaft rotation.

The major differences in the configuration of this internal combustion engine and all other configurations in use today are as follows: 1. A much longer than normal cylinder is required because the oil wiper ring on the piston never passes the exhaust port or ports. 2. A much longer than normal piston must be used to enable the desired compression ratio, and still maintain the oil wiper ring below the exhaust port or ports, when the piston is at top dead center. The length of the stroke can not be used to calculate the compression ratio and displacement of the described engine. The compression ratio and displacement of this engine must be calculated from the position that the piston closes the exhaust port or ports to top dead center of the piston. It should be noted at this time that the usable area of exhaust ports in the cylinder wall increases as the stroke of the engine increases.

The capabilities of the described engine to utilize excess quantities of dense air are illustrated by the ability of the engine to run with compressed air. The only changes in the computer programming to make this a true statement are the relief valves to close at top dead center and to open when the piston starts to open the exhaust port or ports. All normally aspirated engines in use today use less than dense air to aid combustion. The mile high drag strip in Colorado offers a prime example of the aforementioned air density effect on internal combustion engines.

The technology for all components and accessories of the engine described is now in use, or available for use.

All two-cycle internal combustion engines run with high RPM for maximum horsepower because they are limited to the amount of mixture that a piston can force through the bypass ports into the cylinder on the power stroke of the engine. This limitation does not apply to the described engine, therefore the described engine will produce torque instead of horsepower at low RPM, which enables vehicles to accelerate much more quickly and to consume less fuel. Uneducated people think that horsepower is an indication of automotive performance, when torque and the transmission are really the determining factors.

The object of the invention is to provide a light, easy-to- anufacture internal combustion engine that will enable a full sized car or light truck to achieve 100 (one hundred) miles per gallon on the highway. In addition, the engine will supply more torque than today's large V-eights. Another objective is to describe an internal combustion engine that will run on two, four, or eight power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft, with no vibration problems, for maximum fuel economy.

"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING"

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of the proposed two-cycle four-cylinder engine with oil in a sealed crank case. This view also shows the two double-throw crankshaft 12 with two opposed connecting rods 9 at bottom dead center and the other pair of opposed connecting rods 9 at top dead center. Fig. 1 shows the sectional view of one of the four identical cylinders 2 along with crankshaft bearings 13, crankshaft journals 14, connecting rods 9, wrist pin 8, piston 1, ring grooves 7, contour of piston top 6, relief valve 5, cylinder head 4, air fuel injector 3, and cylinder 2, exhaust port 10, and water cooling 11. Air pump 15 to supply pressurized air to the four cylinders 2 is not shown in Fig. 1. The two pairs of opposed cylinders in Fig. 1 are designated as pair A and pair B.

Fig. 2 is the same view of the same sectioned cylinder of Fig. 1. The only difference in the two drawings is that Fig. 2 shows the air pump 15, which supplies pressurized air to the four cylinders. Also the crankshaft 12 is rotated 180° to show the piston at bottom dead center with exhaust port open.

"DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION"

Fig. 1 discloses a drawing of the opposed two-cycle four- cylinder internal combustion engine claimed in this patent application. Oil in the crank case is achieved by eliminating the bypass ports in all the cylinders 2. The proposed internal combustion engine charges each and every cylinder 2 from the top by injecting fuel and air via the air-fuel injector 3, and exhausts each and every cylinder 2 when the piston contour 6 passes the exhaust port 10 on the power stroke. By eliminating the flow of fuel, by computer, of fuel valve 3, each pair of opposed cylinders may be made to two-cycle or four-cycle. When a two-cycle internal combustion fires every other time at top dead center, as shown in Fig. 1, it is four-cycling. The relief valve 5 is utilized to reduce all resistance to crankshaft 12 turning when power from the cylinder is not called for by the computer. The computer is also utilized to close all relief valves when engine braking is required.

The efficiency and cleanliness of burning an air-petroleum mixture utilizing both ends of the cylinder are far superior to all known internal combustion engine burning methods in use today.

Fig. 2 shows that the cylinder head 4 is affixed to cylinder 2 at an angle to accommodate the piston top contour 6. The piston top contour 6 is utilized to increase the velocity of the exhaust gases passing out the bypass port 10 when the piston 1 is at the bottom dead center position as shown in Fig. 2.

The piston 1 must be longer than most pistons in use today because the bottom ring or oil wiper of ring set 7 does not ever pass the exhaust port 10 during a complete cycle. This portion of the design is mandatory to prevent crank case oil from escaping the bypass port 10. The longer piston 1 utilizes a longer stroke and crankshaft 14 throw to produce torque instead of revolutions per minute of the crankshaft 12. The two compression rings of set 7 must be pinned to prevent rotation and wear created if the assembly joint or joints of the rings were to pass the bypass 10 while the engine is running. The wrist pin 8 is of the type commonly used in today's internal combustion engines, as is the crankshaft 12 and connecting rod 9. All mechanical parts and electronic controls of the proposed engine, except for the piston 1 and cylinders 2, are common knowledge in today's internal combustion engines.

As both the air-fuel inlet 3 and the exhaust port 10 are open at the same time, it should be noted that excess air may be used to clean the burned mixture from the cylinder and add air to the exhaust manifold. Remembering that heat is energy, it should be obvious that the described engine will run much cooler than any internal combustion engine now in use. A small increment of crankshaft rotation is used to start the exit of burned mixture before the pressurized incoming air is allowed into the cylinder. This feature keeps the air-fuel charge and the exhaust gases moving in the same direction for maximum efficiency or breathing.

An air pump with 15 cubic feet per minute output enough to supply the cubic inch displacement and excess air at full throttle is required. The air pump 15 is driven by or off the crankshaft as an accessory.

"EIGHT CYLINDER OPERATION"

All of today's state-of-the-art V-eight internal combustion engines operate with eight power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft from idle to full power. The EIGHT-FOUR-TWO engine described has three different torque curves to accommodate fuel saving at idle, medium power and full power. In addition, it will create no vibration when the number of cylinders it is utilizing is changed by the engine control computer while running. The fuel saving at full power is accomplished by superior breathing, lower RPM, fewer moving parts and much less weight. When all four cylinders of the described engine are two-cycling in Fig. 1, pair A and pair B, eight power strokes are produced per two revolutions of the crankshaft. The torque curve of this configuration will reflect maximum power of the engine.

"FOUR CYLINDER OPERATION"

When today's two-cycle engines are run with the mixture of gas and oil too rich, they are said to four-cycle, or have a power stroke every other revolution. It is disclosed how to make each cylinder of the described two-cycle four-cylinder internal combustion engine, with oil in a sealed crank case, two- cycle or four-cycle by the engine computer programming of today's state-of-the-art engine computers. If both pairs of opposed cylinders designated A and B of Fig. 1 are programmed to receive fuel via the fuel injectors, on every other revolution of the crankshaft there will be four power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft and cause the engine to run as a four- cylinder. The actuation of relief valves 5 of all cylinders during non-firing cycles will enhance rotation of the crankshaft. This four-cylinder mode of operation may be utilized for mild acceleration and hill ascent. The four-cylinder operation of the described engine will have more torque than today's four- cylinder, four-cycle engines with equal displacement.

"TWO CYLINDER OPERATION"

Fig. 1 shows two pairs of directly opposed cylinders that fire at the same time to furnish two power strokes to the crankshaft 12. To clarify explanation of the EIGHT-FOUR-TWO engine, one pair is designated A and the second pair B. For the described engine to run with two power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft 12, it is necessary to have the engine computer control programmed to shut off the fuel injectors of pair A and actuate the relief valve of pair B when the engine is run- ing as a two-cylinder. Secondly, the fuel injectors of pair B are only actuated to make the two-cycle pair B fire every other revolution, or to make the pair B four-cycle. Pair B will also have the relief valves intermittently operated for non-firing revolutions of crankshaft 12. Resistance to coasting to the next power strokes will be enhanced by pressurized air and the relief valve operation during non-firing cycles. The two power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft may be used for idle and cruise on the flat, once the vehicle is up to the speed limit. It should be obvious that less fuel is consumed when the power strokes, per two revolutions of the crankshaft, are reduced. The torque of the power strokes of the described engine will furnish adequate power for cruise on the flat.

Claims

" CLAIMS "

1. I claim that it is much more efficient to charge an internal combustion engine cylinder from one end of the cylinder and exhaust the burned mixture from the opposite end of the same cylinder .

2. I claim a low RPM, two-cycle four-cylinder internal combustion engine with oil in the sealed crank case, and no bypass valves from crank case to opposed cylinders at one hundred eighty degrees.

3. I claim that a longer stroke, produced by a larger crank throw, will increase the torque and reduce the RPM of the engine .

4. I claim oil wiper rings on each much longer than normal piston that never reach the exhaust port or ports in the cylinder wall when the pistons reach top dead center.

5. I claim that the eight power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft of the two-cycle, four-cylinder internal combustion engine described, with oil in the crank case, will run with no compression resistance in the non-firing cylinders when operated with two or four power strokes per two revolutions of the crankshaft.

6. I claim that the computer controlled relief valves in the four cylinders will release compression resistance to the crankshaft of non-firing cylinders, whenever it is desirable.

7. I claim that the engine described will breath better than all other internal combustion engines known because both ends of the cylinders are open at the same time to allow injection of unburned mixture and expulsion of burned mixture at the same time.

8. I claim that the usable exhaust area of the cylinders described may be increased as the stroke of the crankshaft is increased .

9. I claim that forced air injection of air at the top of the cylinders will aid in expelling the burned mixture, and add air to the exhaust manifold, as both are moving in the same direction.

10. I claim that the relief valves of the described engine may be turned off by the engine computer in the four cylinders for engine braking at any prudent predetermined speed.

11. I claim that over half of the cylinder wall area near the bottom of the piston travel may be used for exhaust port or ports .

12. I claim that when the relief valve for the relief of compression closes at or near top dead center, the pressurized air entering the cylinder through the air injector or injectors will aid in turning the crankshaft in the direction of rotation, and cool the cylinder wall during a non-firing stroke .

13. I claim that the velocity of the exhaust gases will be increased in the engine described by contouring the tops of the pistons.

14. I claim that the described engine has greater area for exhaust and more volume of forced intake air, either by multiple injectors or multiple valves than any other known internal combustion engine.

15. I claim that the increased velocity of the exhaust gases will product a cleaner, less polluted environment for the new charge .

16. I claim more torque per pound of engine weight than any other known engine, of equal displacement, with a sealed crank case containing oil.

17. I claim that an air pump, to supply pressurized air directly into the top of the four cylinders via the air injectors, may be run by or from the crankshaft.

18. I claim that the velocity of the exhaust gases will be increased in the two-cycle four-cylinder engine described by eliminating all bypass intake ports in the cylinder wall.

19. I claim that opposed cylinders that compress fuel-air mixtures, and ignite at the same time, will eliminate any vibration or unbalanced condition.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 15 April 1999 (15.04.99); original claims 1-19 replaced by new claims 1-16 (3 pages)]

1. I claim two pairs of opposed cylinders, in the described engine, that will operate as two-cycle or four-cycle with no mechanical valve train.

2. I claim that the complete alternate deactivation of the pairs of cylinders for four cycles, via the electrically controlled relief valves and air injectors, of the described engine, will allow it to idle on both pairs of cylinders with the second pair firing only after two and one half revolutions of the crankshaft and vice versa plus furnish four power strokes for five revolutions of the crankshaft.

3. I claim that the described engine will run with two pairs of cylinders firing in the four-cycle mode of operation and have four power strokes in two revolutions of the crankshaft.

4. I claim that the described engine will run with both pairs of cylinders firing in the two-cycle mode and have eight power strokes for two revolutions of the crankshaft.

5. I claim greater efficiency with the use of a computer to change the operation of the pairs of cylinders from two-cycle to four-cycle by the intermittent operation of the two fuel injectors on each pair of cylinders, or vice versa, as there is no valve train or valve train change mechanism required.

6. I claim three distinct torque curves, for the described four cylinder engine, which are dependent upon the number of power strokes per revolution of the crankshaft.

7. I claim that the described engine is capable of many more than three torque curves when all combinations of complete deactivation, two-cycle operation and four-cycle operation of the pairs of cylinders are used.

8. I claim three distinct fuel consumptions, for the described

13 AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 18) engine, which are dependent upon the number of power strokes per revolution of the crankshaft.

9. I claim that compression relief, by an independent ancillary device operating the pairs of non-firing cylinders, will almost eliminate the resistance to crankshaft rotation of the pairs of cylinders during compression cycle of the described engine when they are not firing.

10. I claim that the pressurized air used to feed the pairs of cylinders before they are fired can be used to enhance or aid crankshaft rotation when the cylinders are not firing in the four-cycle operation of the pairs of cylinders when the relief valve is utilized.

11. I claim that the independent ancillary device controlling the electric relief valve may be deactivated, when both pairs of cylinders are four-cycling, to produce engine braking at any predetermined speed.

12. I claim no vibration of the described engine during transition of the two operating pairs of cylinders from two-cycle to four-cycle or vice versa.

13. I claim that in the four-cycle operation of the two pairs of cylinders, the cylinders are scavenged twice by compressed air of ten pounds per square inch or less, before the next compression cycle.

14. I claim that the marriage of the two-cycle and four-cycle described engine, a candid design for the eighty mile per gallon vehicle, powered by an internal combustion engine, will help to clean up the environment and save natural resources.

15. I claim a long stroke, of the described engine, that will require a longer piston and cylinder to create a lower RPM of the two-cycle operation of the engine that will come closer

14

AMENDED SHEET ARTICLE 19 to matching the four-cycle RPM operation. 16. I claim compressed air of ten pounds or less per square inch for the new charge, via the ancillary device controlling the injectors, will increase the velocity of the burned mixture from the pairs of cylinders, regardless of whether the pairs of cylinders are firing in the two-cycle or four-cycle mode, and add excess air to the exhaust manifold.