Abstract: The efficiency of a spark-ignition internal-combustion engine having an adjustable fuel-to-air mixture ratio is improved significantly by reducing the fuel-to-air mixture ratio and increasing compression ratio. The increase in compression ratio and the reduction in fuel-to-air mixture ratio causes the engine to operate at higher efficiency and with lower air pollution levels, and without detrimental engine knock or misfire.

Abstract: The invention is a piston engine which has a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having two ends in a first embodiment, and single ended in another embodiment, each end having a spark plug and inlet and exhaust valves. A distibutor is used for controlling the timing of firing the spark plugs and cams for controlling the operation of the inlet and exhaust valves. In each cylinder is a double ended piston. A transition arm is connected to each double ended piston by connecting shafts which extend into a central opening in each double ended piston. An adjustable flywheel is connected by a drive arm to the transition arm. Output from the engine is through an output shaft connected to the flywheel.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has at least one pair of first and second cylinders (12, 14) with the first (12) cylinder having a larger swept volume than the second cylinder (14) and respective first and second pistons (16, 18) reciprocable in the cylinders. The second piston (18) has a drive stem (234) and divides the second cylinder into a first volume (15a) containing the drive stem of the second piston and a second volume (15b) between the two pistons. The first cylinder (12) has an air inlet (25) and an exhaust outlet (12). A common combustion space (20) is formed between the pistons when the pistons are substantially at their inner dead center positions, the combustion space comprising the second volume (15b). The engine also has transfer means (38) enabling gas flow between the first and second volumes (15a, 15b) towards the end of the compression stroke of the second piston (18).

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having variable intake valve timing to control the compression work performed by the piston, so as to avoid knocking operation while allowing maximum use of exhaust energy in the event that the engine is equipped with a turbocharger.

Abstract: An improved arrangement for controlling and adjusting the compression ratio of an internal combustion engine (10) during operation. A secondary cylinder (201) is formed in the engine cylinder head (102) and opens upon the combustion chamber (110) of the engine. A secondary piston (203) is positioned by a control device (503) within the secondary cylinder (201). The rear most position corresponding to the lowest compression ratio. The desired position of the secondary piston (203), that compression ratio which corresponds to maximum efficiency of the engine, is controlled by a logic unit (816) operating upon such inputs as the engine load as correlated to the input manifold pressure, the engine RPM and the present position of the secondary piston (203). The linkage of the control may utilize a servo motor or hydraulic driver to rotate a shaft (301). All secondary pistons (203) may be operated in unison or a control system may be provided for each cylinder (201).

Abstract: A two-cycle diesel engine and means for operating it to improve the performance by increasing the compression ratio by the closing of a supplemental exhaust port under light loads and low speeds. In order to reduce combustion chamber temperature and reduce nitrous oxide emissions, the injection timing is advanced an additional increment during the closing of the supplemental exhaust port. Various control strategies are described which involve either quickly raising the compression ratio and retarding the injection timing.

Abstract: An axial cylinder variable displacement internal combustion engine. In a first embodiment, variable displacement is provided by a cylindrical sleeve that axially receives the hollow drive shaft of the engine. Plural helical slots are formed in the sleeve. Two of the helical slots slidingly receive opposite ends of a pin that carries a wobble plate and a third slot slidably receives a control pin secured to a control piston that reciprocates in response to changes in inlet manifold pressure. Displacement of the control piston thus effects rotation of the sleeve and a change in the angular and axial orientation of the wobble plate. In a second embodiment, a pair of hydraulically operated cylinders, also responsive to inlet manifold pressure, replace the slotted sleeve but perform the same function.

Abstract: This invention relates to internal combustion engines in which the cylinders are arranged parallel to the main shaft and the reciprocating movements of the pistons are converted to rotation by means of a swashplate, and more particularly to means for automatically varying the combustion chamber volume to get at all times the maximum combustion chamber pressure permissible. Various embodiments of the invention are shown and involve changing the compression ratio by the controlled movements of a fluid under the action of the gas pressure in the combustion chambers. The movement of the fluid being controlled variously and in combination by check valves, spring loaded discharge valves and discharge orifices arranged and adjusted to give the required changes in position in accordance with the engine load with the use of spring pressure to maintain a balanced condition in the various arrangements.

Abstract: A reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with a varying compression ratio comprises a block having at least one piston bore, a piston received in each bore, a head attached to the block and having a dome portion closing the top of each bore and defining with the piston a compression volume when the piston is at top dead center in the bore, a crankcase, a crank rotatably mounted in the crankcase, and a connecting rod coupling each piston to the crank. The block is mounted on the crankcase for pivotal movement about a pivot axis parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of the crank such that the size of the compression volume varies in accordance with the extent of the pivotal movement of the block about the pivot axis. An actuator connected between the block and the crankcase pivots the block about the pivot axis relative to the crankcase in response to at least one signal indicative of at least one operating parameter of the engine.

Abstract: A variable compression ratio engine has a pair of crankshafts connected by a phase adjuster mechanism operative to change the phase angle between the crankshafts so as to vary the compression ratio of the engine. The phase adjuster mechanism includes two pairs of helical phasing gears. Each of those pairs consists of a gear fixedly mounted on a crankshaft and, operatively engaged therewith, a wider gear fixedly mounted on an axially movable adjuster member. The crankshafts can be arranged in-line or side-by-side in parallel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an internal combustion engine comprising first and second cylinders and first and second cylinder head cavities respectively aligned and communicating with said first and second cylinders to respectively define compression ratios respectively associated with each of said first and second cylinders, and means for providing each of said first and second cylinders with respectively different compression ratios selected to maximized the power produced in each cylinder without knocking.

Abstract: A multiple piston expansion chamber internal combustion engine wherein the charge is ignited and combusted (or partially combusted) and partially expanded by one or more of the pistons and after partial expansion thereof additional pistons augment the expansion process.

Abstract: A yoke type engine wherein the orbital path of the slider is alterable to effect piston stroke and compression ratio changes. A crank component has a crankpin which carries and positions the slider. A boss of the crank component is carried by a control shaft in an offset manner. Timing gears normally drive the control shaft in synchronization with the crankshaft to maintain a constant stroke and compression ratio. Relocation of certain timing gears by an actuator causes the control shaft to rotationally advance or retard to reposition the crank component carried thereby to in turn alter the orbital path of the coaxial crankpin and slider relative to a crankshaft axis. Accordingly, high and low compression orbits for the slider may be effected to best suit engine loads. A variable length throw couples the slider to the crankshaft. The orbital path of the slider provides increased crankshaft leverage over conventional engine arrangements.

Abstract: The combustion engine using several kinds of fuels is provided with intake and exhaust valves and an injection device which may be electronically adjusted. It is comprised of at least one working cylinder (1, 1a) at the upper part of which is provided a fuel supply device (4), an intake valve (5) and an ignition device (6); these elements being all electronically adjustable. In the working cylinder (1, 1a) there is provided a piston (9) which is in communication with a pressure accumulator device. This connection device may be comprised of a hydraulic, pneumatic accumulator or even a spring accumulator. The piston rod (12), provided with a blocking device (11) is connected to a transmission shaft (15), (15a). To regulate the running of this engine, there is provided an indicator (3) of the cylinder temperature, a piston position indicator (34) and an electronically programmable adjusting and control device (20), such device (20) possibly being a microprocessor (20a).

Abstract: An automotive engine having an automatically adjusted geometric compression ratio, wherein the charge is compressed to maximum permissible values under all throttle settings. This is achieved by a cylindrical valve carrier, raised or lowered by a screw jack, while valve stem contact is maintained by a fast acting hydraulic valve actuator. The compact arrangement provides an engine profile which is not significantly taller than a standard overhead cam engine.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, two opposed pistons of equal radius are slidably mounted in a cylinder and respectively connected to cranks of unequal throws mounted for rotation at oppositely disposed cylinder ends in a common crankcase. The pistons are adjustable in opposing linear travel to define a flexible cylinder-head, the relative piston positions of piston proximity establishing a range of compressions therebetween correspondable to the respective compression-ignitions of a plurality of available fluid fuels. The cranks are gear connected and similarly offset from the cylinder's longitudinal centerline to eliminate dead centers, produce higher combustion pressures at more effective crank angles, and coordinate the pistons' relative linear speeds in exhaust, air intake, fuel injection, compression and power production in two cycle operation of the engine.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a power cylinder, a power piston reciprocating therein and an auxiliary piston reciprocating within an auxiliary cylinder. Passages connect the upper end of the auxiliary cylinder to a combustion chamber and a source of air. Rotating valves or conventional reciprocating valves control the intake of an air/fuel mixture into the supercharging cylinder, transfer the mixture to the main or power cylinder and exhaust combusted gases from the main cylinder. An expansion chamber is placed in communication with the power cylinder at the beginning of the power stroke to permit an overcharge of air/fuel mixture to be transferred to the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A mixture-compressing, spark-ignited internal combustion engine has a combined throttle and compression control. The engine has at least one main piston sliding in a main cylinder and driving a crankshaft, and an auxiliary piston sliding in an auxiliary cylinder, which auxiliary piston is driven at half the frequency of the crankshaft by a drive shaft activated by a drive means coupled to the crankshaft. The compression chamber formed by the auxiliary piston is connected with the compression chamber formed by the main piston, and a control device is provided for modification of the phase piston of the auxiliary piston relative to the main piston so as to achieve a compression chamber volume at compression top dead center of the main piston which is variable as a function of the operating parameters of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A variable expansion ratio internal combustion engine equipped with throttleless induction control and intake valve mechanism operable to induct an ambient pressure charge varying with load demand. Maximum compression pressure is preferably somewhat below that which produces combustion detonation. Constant compression ratio from idling through full load conditions is maintained by varying the clearance volume inversely with load demand. Charge induction at ambient pressure is provided with a throttleless carburetor and is manually controlled by a servo-power operator functioning to synchronize a linkage interconnecting the intake valve mechanism with mechanism for varying the cylinder clearance volume. This linkage operates to variably control closure of the intake valve during the intake stroke or, alternatively, to close the intake valve during the initial phase of the compression stroke.

Abstract: A low emission, internal combustion compression ignition engine having a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder and a pre-combustion chamber communicating with the cylinder near the top thereof and in which low emissions of NO.sub.x are achieved by constructing the pre-combustion chamber to have a volume of between 70% and 85% of the combined pre-chamber and main combustion chamber volume when the piston is at top dead center and by variably controlling the initiation of fuel injection into the pre-combustion chamber.

Abstract: A connecting rod whose length varies according to given pressure changes in the cylinder of an associated internal combustion engine. The connecting rod lengthens in response to subatmospheric pressures acting on the piston during the fuel intake stroke, and shortens in response to superatmospheric pressures of a given magnitude acting on the piston.

Abstract: An internal combustion four cycle engine is provided with a plurality of stationarily mounted cylinders radially arranged in equal spaced apart relationship within the inner circumference of a rotatably mounted drive drum and in parallel relationship with the axis of rotation thereof, a movable track anchorably supported by a pair of oppositely disposed raised lobes fixed to the interior webbed surface of the drum and comprised of two pairs of declining slope track quadrants serving to receive the driving thrust of each piston during its power stroke and to activate each piston during its intake, compression and exhaust strokes, and a cam ring fixed to the inner circumference of the drive drum serving to activate an intake-exhaust slide of each cylinder commensurate with the requirements of its intake, compression, power and exhaust strokes.

Abstract: The internal combustion engine comprises one or more cylinders in which a main piston provides the means to drive a drive shaft, there is a cylinder head over the cylinders. Auxiliary pistons slide in each auxiliary cylinder in the cylinder head and each communicating with the main cylinder. The auxiliary piston moves up or down to change the compression ratio of each cylinder, each auxiliary cylinder is ported with a hydraulic pressure fluid supply for movement of the auxiliary piston to increase compression and ported to an exhaust to decrease compression, said porting is controlled by a differential resolver that is actuated by the throttle.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine construction to improve thermodynamic efficiency by providing, in addition to the standard cylinders and pistons, a supplemental cylinder connected to each combustion chamber of each cylinder and, a piston in each supplemental cylinder associated to move in conjunction with the standard pistons, the relationship of the association being such that the volume of the combustion chamber can be enlarged or ensmalled either by a manual control or an automatic control regulable in response to engine conditions and to modify the volume time relationship.