Abstract: A cylinder head (3) for an axial flow rotary valve (1). The head comprises a bore (2) having an axis and adapted to house an axial flow rotary valve (1), a window (8) in the bore through which at least one port (12, 13) in the valve periodically communicates with a combustion chamber (9) as the valve rotates, at least two axially extending slots (21) in the bore, adjacent opposite sides of the window, each of the slots being adapted to locate a floating elongate gas sealing element (20), and at least one spark plug hole (7) adjacent to the bore and adapted for mounting a spark plug associated with the valve. The head further comprises at least one elongate axially extending cooling passage (24, 25 26) disposed between the bore and the spark plug hole, adjacent to one of the slots, the passage having a substantially constant cross section and extending axially at least over the length of the slots.

Abstract: An axial flow rotary valve (1) for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder head (10) having a bore in which an axial flow rotary valve (1) rotates. The valve having a cylindrical centre portion (4), and an inlet and an exhaust port (2, 3) terminating as openings (7, 8) in the centre portion, the openings periodically communicating with a combustion chamber (23) through a window (15) in the bore. The clearance between the centre portion and the bore being sealed by an array of floating seals comprising at least two axial seals (16a, 16b) spaced apart on opposite sides of the window. The assembly further comprising at least one floating axially extending masking seal (5) being disposed outside the window and circumferentially remote from the axial seals.

Abstract: An axial flow rotary valve for an engine, that is rotatable about an axis within the bore of a cylinder head. The valve communicating with a respective cylinder in which a piston reciprocates, and an ignition means associated with the cylinder. The valve is provided with inlet and exhaust peripheral openings that periodically communicate with cylinder through a window in the bore. A combustion chamber is formed in the space between the crown of the piston at top dead centre and the cylinder head and the valve. The ignition means comprising first and second spark plugs, each of said spark plugs having a nose located at one end thereof exposed to the combustion chamber, said noses being disposed on opposite sides of said window within the axial extremities of said window.

Abstract: A sealing system for an axial flow rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising an array of floating gas seals and an optional oil sealing system. The array of floating seals surrounding a window (15) in the bore (11) of the cylinder head (10) through which the ports (2, 3) of the valve (1) communicate with a combustion chamber (31). The array of floating seals comprising axial seals (16) and circumferential seals (17) housed in slots (18, 19) in the bore of the cylinder head wherein the circumferential seals are disposed axially between the ends of the axial seals.

Abstract: An axial flow rotary valve (1) for an engine, the valve rotatable about an axis (12). The valve having an inlet port (2) extending from an axial opening (5) and terminating as a peripheral opening (7). The port having a throat (22), with a cross sectional area at least 2% less than the axial opening, at a distance of at least 0.2 times the length of the peripheral opening from the end of the peripheral opening closest to the axial opening, and a port floor (19) extending from the first end to the axial opening. The port having a port floor profile (37) generated by the intersection of the port floor with any plane coincident with the axis intersecting the port floor wherein the angle (?) between the tangent to the profile and the axis is less than 60 degrees over at least 75% of the length of the profile.

Abstract: A axial flow rotary valve rotatable within a bore in a cylinder head (9) of an internal combustion engine has a port extending from a peripheral opening (4) to an axial opening at one end of the valve. The peripheral opening (4), which periodically communicates with a combustion chamber (30) through a window (8) in the bore, has a first trailing edge (13). The window (8) has a second trailing edge (12). The port closes from the combustion chamber (30) as the first trailing edge (13) passes the second trailing edge (12). The edges (12, 13) are disposed such that the instantaneous intersection point (17) of the two edges (12, 13) progressively moves away from the axial opening over at least 50% of the length of the window (8) as the port closes.

Abstract: A rotary valve of a hydraulic power steering gear includes an input-shaft journalled within a sleeve. In the bore of the sleeve, an array of eight axially extending blind-ended slots and an array of two primary and two secondary axially extending return channels are formed. The primary return channels are diametrically opposed, and the secondary return channels are diametrically opposed. The return channels extend to at least one axial extremity of the bore to communicate hydraulic fluid to a return port. Further, the radial depth of the secondary return channels is substantially less than the radial depth of the primary return channels at or near the axial extremity.

Abstract: A low noise rotary valve for a hydraulic power steering gear that offers flexibility in the design of its boost characteristic has inlet ports to receive hydraulic fluid from a pump, return ports to return hydraulic fluid to the pump, and cylinder ports to communicate the hydraulic fluid to left and right-hand cylinder chambers of the hydraulic power steering gear. The valve has an input-shaft with a plurality of axially extending grooves separated by lands. A sleeve that has in its bore an array of axially extending slots that circumferentially align with the lands on the input-shaft is journalled on the input shaft. The interfaces between the coacting input-shaft grooves and sleeve slots define axially extending orifices which open and close when relative rotation occurs between the input shaft and the sleeve. These orifices are ported as a network such that they form primary and secondary hydraulic Wheatstone bridges each having right and left-hand inlet orifices and return orifices.

Abstract: A low noise rotary valve for a hydraulic power steering gear offering flexibility in the design of the boost characteristic has inlet ports to receive hydraulic fluid from a pump, return ports to return hydraulic fluid to the pump, and cylinder ports to communicate the hydraulic fluid to left and right-hand cylinder chambers of the hydraulic power steering gear. The valve has an input-shaft with a plurality of axially extending grooves separated by lands. A sleeve that has in its bore an array of axially extending slots that circumferentially align with the lands on the input-shaft is journalled on the input-shaft. A torsion bar residing in a bore of the input-shaft compliantly connects the input-shaft to a driven member. The interfaces between the co-acting input-shaft grooves and sleeve slots define axially extending orifices which open and close when relative rotation occurs between the input shaft and the sleeve.