Abstract: An engine and method for achieving superior operational benefits by application of the General Cycle for heat engines. A two-stroke internal combustion engine having an Atkinson ratio A and a compression ratio RC, the compression ratio having a value in the range from 19 to 30, and an Atkinson ratio selected such that the product of Atkinson ratio and compression ratio is near to and generally greater than 36. The best values of this product, ARC, vary slightly with the choice of compression ratio according to the following relationship: ARC?36.33+8788e?0.375Rc. The engine includes a conventional exhaust valve and may include a high ratio of stroke length to bore, or may be of an opposed piston construction.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to reciprocating piston engines having four cylinders with a circular cross section, cylinder axes which are parallel to one another, and an output shaft. The cylinder axes, as viewed in axial section, lie at the corner points of a rectangle that is a square, with the output shaft, which extends parallel to the cylinder axes, in the center of the square. Each pair of cylinders which lie diagonally opposite one another are arranged in the same direction, as viewed axially, and in opposite directions, as viewed axially, with respect to the other pair of cylinders. The force or moment from each cylinder is transmitted to the output shaft via a dedicated rotating crank and a toothing system.

Abstract: The horizontally opposed center fired engine improves on the traditional design of the horizontally opposed engines and center fired engines with a better engine geometry. The present invention utilizes four pairs of opposing pistons to compress a larger volume of air-fuel mixture within four different cylinders. The four different cylinders are radially positioned around a center axle in order to achieve a perfectly symmetric engine geometry. The center axle consists of two different shafts spinning in two different directions, which could drastically reduce engine vibrations in the present invention. Engine vibrations are caused by a change in engine speed and result in a loss of energy. Due to the design, the present invention will only experience energy loss in the form of entropy and friction. Thus, the present invention can convert a higher percentage of chemical energy into mechanical energy than any other internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A cylinder block for an axial piston pump or motor is formed from a steel material. The block includes a plurality of bores that each have an internal bore surface of a predefined final material surface finish. The bores are subjected to various machining and heat treating processes to provide a bore surface formed from the same material as the cylinder block, and which has the desired final surface finish. Pistons are mounted within each of the bores for axial movement relative to the cylinder block. Each of the pistons is formed from a steel material and has an exterior surface that is in sliding contact with the internal bore surface. The subject cylinder block is processed to provide a steel-to-steel interface between the bore and piston and eliminates the need for liners to be specially formed or installed within each piston bore.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a cylindrical outer housing with inner cylindrical cylinders defining power cylinders circumferentially spaced in the engine. Each of the cylinder(s) has opposed intake and exhaust pistons. The intake and exhaust pistons use air bearings instead of conventional oil as a lubricant. The intake and exhaust pistons power a rotary cam mounted on opposed ends of the engine and a cam follower system positions the pistons. The rotary cam is operatively connected to a drive shaft or power take off shaft. A four bar linkage system is connected to the piston rod to minimize piston side loads. A jumper connects the ends of the power cylinders to pressurize air drawn into the engine and to admit heated air, indirectly heated during the combustion cycle, to charge the power cylinder for improved efficiency and to purge the pressure cylinder after combustion.

Abstract: A reciprocating engine having a housing (25), having at least two cylinders (3, 4; 5, 6) with inlet orifices and outlet orifices which are to be opened and are closable by means of controllable valves, in each of which cylinders (3, 4, 5, 6) a piston (7, 8, 9, 10) can be linearly reciprocated, and having at least one shaft (17) rotatingly mounted in the housing (25), comprises a gear device by means of which the linear reciprocation of the pistons (7, 8, 9, 10) is convertible into a rotary motion of the shaft (17), or the rotary motion of the shaft (17) is convertible into a linear reciprocation of the pistons (7, 8, 9, 10).

Abstract: A drive mechanism for use in the transmission of power from a plurality of linear reciprocating power generating elements to a rotating output element. The drive mechanism includes a drive cam member having a cam follower guiding contour extending along the cam member; a drive cam follower operatively connected to each power generating element. Each follower is adapted to engage the cam follower guiding contour throughout each reciprocation cycle of the power generating elements, the drive cam follower guiding contour following a generally sinusoidal profile on the surface of the drive cam member, the profile including a series of lobes forming peaks and troughs with intermediate regions therebetween, the peak to peak amplitude of the substantially sinusoidal profile of the cam follower guiding contour on the surface of the drive cam substantially corresponding to the stroke amplitude of the stroke of the reciprocating power generating elements.

Abstract: The bearing arrangement includes an annular flange provided with a groove, a holder disposed on a fixed axis opposite the groove and a hollow shell-shaped sphere mounted between the holder and the groove in the annular flange. The sphere is elastically deformable so that loads imposed on the bearing arrangement, for example, by a reciprocating piston rod of an internal combustion engine, can be spread over a large area as the sphere elastically deforms.

Abstract: A balanced five cycle internal combustion engine having first and second inlet and outlet annular cams configured to move first and second inlet and outlet pistons respectively within associated cylinders through successive five cycle repeating movements each of which includes (1) a power cycle, (2) an exhaust cycle, (3) a transfer cycle, (4) an intake cycle, and (5) a compression cycle. The movements of each first inlet piston and an associated first inlet cam follower being accompanied by an equal and opposite movement of a second inlet piston and an associated second inlet cam follower so that all movements of the first and second inlet pistons and the associated first and second inlet cam followers thereof are dynamically balanced.