Abstract: A static oil seal asembly to be carried within a seal receiving groove in a piston or the like and including a pair of separate, metallic, band-like scraper rails, each having one side adapted to engage a housing and the other side disposed within the groove, and a spacer of impervious, flexible material disposed between the scraper rails and abutting the sides of the scraper rails within the grooves in sealing relation therewith, the spacer including a built-in biasing spring for biasing the spacer rails outwardly of the groove.

Abstract: An engine cylinder head has valves reciprocally mounted thereto, each valve having a head which is seatable against a seat. The seat is recessed in a cylindrical bore defined by the head, the outer periphery of the head being in close proximity to the surface of the bore, with the head on the seat. The valve apparatus maintains a substantially closed valving state as the head is moved from the seat, until the head is removed from the bore.

Abstract: An improved spray nozzle for use in, for example, fuel injection systems in internal combustion engines. The nozzle includes an element having a hollow interior in fluid communication with a liquid pressurizing device. At least one slit is located in the element and the sides of the slits are in abutment with each other for liquid pressures within the interior less than a predetermined value. Pressurizatin of the interior results in the sides of the slit being spaced from each other to permit the liquid to flow from the interior to generate a liquid spray pattern.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including a housing defining a combustion chamber, a piston movable within the housing, a port in the housing opening into the combustion chamber, a tube within the port having a free end terminating within the port closely adjacent the combustion chamber and an insulator on the exterior of the tube whereby heat flow from the tube to the housing is minimized to preclude thermal distortion thereof in the vicinity of the port.

Abstract: An improved piston assembly comprising a generally cylindrical body having at one end a peripheral shoulder and at the other end a depending skirt, an annular ring groove protection band formed of hard metal and having a peripheral, radially outwardly opening ring receiving groove seated on the shoulder, and a crown secured to the body one end and having a radially outwardly extending flange engaging the band about its periphery and clamping the band against the shoulder. Insulating means are interposed between the crown and the band.

Abstract: An improved piston construction comprising a piston body having a crown and a depending skirt, a peripheral groove about the body intermediate the crown and the skirt closely adjacent the crown, a grooved insert band in the groove and adapted to receive at least one piston ring, and at least one frustoconical washer in the groove abutting the insert band on the side thereof closest the crown, the washer having its minor base directed toward the skirt and its major base directed toward the crown and being stressed into a substantially planar configuration to store energy to tightly clamp the insert band within the groove to preclude loosening of the band during operation of an engine employing the piston. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating the improved piston construction.

Abstract: An improved mechanism such as an engine, pump, compressor, or the like, including two abutting housing members sealingly engaging each other and defining a chamber receiving a piston. The members are clamped together and at least one of the members is relieved over a portion of its area of abutment with the other, the relieved portion being remote from the chamber. Upon clamping, excellent contact stress at the boundary of the chamber is established to preclude gas leakage in spite of yielding or fretting of the parts during operation.

Abstract: An improved rotary mechanism such as a rotary engine, and, more specifically, an improved clamp for securing the center and end housings of such mechanisms together. The improved clamping means include at least one elongated bracket having a convex face when unstressed, with the convex face being in contact with the side of one of the end housings opposite from the center housing. Bolts are employed to stress the clamping bracket to bring the convex face into contact with the end housing side along most of the length of the face to eliminate localized stress.

Abstract: An improved piston assembly including a generally cylindrical piston body having a crown and a depending skirt and being formed of a light-weight metal, an annular ring groove protection band formed of a hard metal disposed about the body adjacent the crown and having at least one peripheral groove adapted to receive a compression ring, and securing devices including a plurality of elongated threaded fasteners clampingly securing the band to the body, the threaded fasteners extending longitudinally of the body and having a length sufficient to store substantial clamping energy whereby the components of the assembly will not loosen during use of the assembly.

Abstract: A light weight piston assembly including a piston body formed of a light-weight metal and having a crown and a depending skirt, an annular recess about the end of the body adjacent the crown and opening toward the crown, the portion of the recess immediately adjacent the crown being threaded, a hard metal ring groove protection band having a peripheral, radially outwardly opening ring receiving groove disposed in the recess, at least one annular wavy spring in the recess, and a nut threaded on the threaded portion securing the band and the spring within the recess such that the spring is compressed to store energy to tightly hold the band against movement relative to the body during various piston operating conditions.

Abstract: An improved rotary mechanism including a housing having a chamber with a wall of a predetermined geometric shape including at least one lobe, the lobe being defined by a continuous curve, a shaft journalled in the housing and having an eccentric within the chamber, a rotor journalled on the eccentric for rotation and translation within the chamber, the rotor having plural apexes, each being provided with an apex seal receiving groove, the wall of the housing deviating from the predetermined geometric shape by being spaced outwardly from the envelope of the predetermined geometric shape and by being generally spaced inwardly from the envelope of a closed geometric figure spaced outwardly of and parallel to the predetermined geometric shape. The closed geometric shape has sharp transition points at the lobes and the wall at the lobes is defined by a continuous curve substantially encompassing the sharp transition points and extending to both sides thereof.

Abstract: An improved internal combustion engine of the type having a relatively high surface to volume ratio. An exemplary embodiment depicts the invention in a rotary engine having a rotor within a combustion chamber. The surfaces of the rotor that are exposed to the gases of combustion are provided with a plurality of pockets. Within each pocket is a heat insulating medium. The pockets are covered by a plurality of individual covers, one for each pocket. Heat flow to the rotor is thereby reduced to increase engine operating efficiency.

Abstract: An apparatus having mating housing parts including a thin metallic sheet disposed at the interface of the housing parts and having multiple, short prongs extending from a side thereof to embed within one of the housing parts to thereby prevent relative movement between the housing parts, and a seal carried by the sheet.

Abstract: A rotary mechanism including a housing defining a chamber, a shaft journalled in the housing to extend through the chamber and having an eccentric within the chamber, a rotor within the chamber and journalled on the eccentric, the rotor having surfaces cooperating with the housing to vary the volume of at least one portion of the chamber upon rotation of the shaft, the rotor and the housing relative to each other, coolant receiving cavities in the rotor adjacent the surfaces, a source of coolant for the cavities, and agitators within the cavities and movable therein for cyclically displacing the coolant to enhance heat transfer.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including a housing having interior walls defining an operating chamber, a piston mounted for movement within the chamber and carrying at least one seal for sealing against an interior wall, an output shaft associated with the piston and journalled in the housing, an exhaust port in one of the interior walls comprises of a series of openings extending through the wall into the chamber and spaced from one another by bridging elements forming part of the housing. Coolant passages are disposed at each of the bridging elements so that the same are cooled to maintain a good oil film at the exhaust port to minimize wear of the seal and to support the seal as it moves across the exhaust port.

Abstract: An improved thrust bearing particularly suited for use in applications wherein the bearing is subjected to cocking loads in addition to thrust loads. The bearing includes first and second relatively rotatable members with one of the members including a thrust collar. The other of the members includes a groove receiving the thrust collar and a bearing surface is interposed between the thrust collar and the groove. The groove, collar and bearing surface are constructed and arranged such that a clearance between the parts may vary in the radial direction to promote the maintenance of an oil film of uniform thickness when wobbling or cocking loads are applied.

Abstract: An improved bearing construction for a mechanism including a shaft and a relatively rotatable member having an opening receiving the shaft with a cylindrical bearing carried by the member and journalling the shaft, the mechanism being of the type adapted to be loaded generally radially of the shaft. The improved bearing construction contemplates that the opening be elongated in a direction transverse to the direction of loading, that the exterior surface of the bearing is grooved to increase its elasticity, and that there be a thin layer of elastomer interposed between the bearing and the opening to compensate for distortion in the bearing due to dynamic loading.

Abstract: An improved slant axis rotary mechanism of the type including a housing defining a chamber having a radially outer spherical wall and a radially inner spherical wall interconnected by opposed, generally radially extending side walls. A shaft is journalled within the housing and has an angularly offset portion within the chamber. A rotor is within the chamber and journalled on the angularly offset portion. The mechanism is provided with an improved cooling system including a plurality of coolant receiving conduits in the walls in close proximity to the chamber. A thin, wear resistant layer is disposed on the walls within the chamber and interiorly of the conduits. The conduits are located closely adjacent the intersections of the side walls and the spherical walls to provide excellent cooling.

Abstract: A vibration damper for rotating members consists of a hub member joined to an inertia member by a plurality of elastic elements. Cooling fins on the inertia member and between the elastic element provide for dissipation of heat from the inertia member and the elastic elements. The cooling fins are parallel to the side surfaces of the insertia member. In an alternate embodiment, the cooling fins are angled to the side surfaces of the inertia member to augment the cooling effect of integral fins therein. In further alternate embodiments the hub member is bifurcated and the cooling fins and elastic member are oriented at angles to the axis of rotation of the hub.

Abstract: An improved rotary engine including a housing having interior walls defining an operating chamber with a rotor mounted for movement therein. Within the chamber is a thin layer of wear resistant metal which is located to be sealingly engaged by the rotor as the rotor moves within the chamber and a backing is secured to the thin layer in good heat transfer relation and interposed between the same and the housing for transmitting pressure applied to the thin layer to the housing. The backing is formed of a metal having high thermal conductivity and is provided with a plurality of relatively closely spaced coolant passages to provide an improved cooling structure for the engine to thereby extend its life.