Abstract: One way of reducing nitrogen oxide emissions from an engine having a plurality of combustion chambers is through exhaust gas recirculation. The present invention provides an apparatus for exhaust gas recirculation by causing at least a selected subset of the combustion chambers to be operated in a four-stroke reverse flow motoring mode of operation while the remaining combustion chambers are operated is a normal four-stroke mode. In the four-stroke reverse flow motoring mode of operation, exhaust gas is inducted into the combustion chamber of a selected subset of combustion chambers. The exhaust gas is then compressing and expanded in the combustion chambers. Cooling of the exhaust gas is achieved during the compression and expansion strokes. The cooled exhaust gas is then expelled from the combustion chambers to be mixed with fresh charge air.

Abstract: Systems to optimize breathing have been used with internal combustion engines in the past and used a variety of mechanical mechanisms to improve breathing and combustion. Many of these systems fail to provide the option of controllably and modulatively varying the sequence and amount of the opening and closing of an intake or exhaust valve relative to a piston position in a cylinder bore. The present invention provides an electronic control system outputting an discrete control signal, and an opening device for unit actuation of each of the pair of valves independently. The electronic control system is programmable to respond in a first predetermined logic pattern for conventional operation of the engine at which time the intake valve is intermittently moved between the closed position and the open position during the intake stroke.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for performing a plurality of diagnostic testing modes on an engine having a plurality of cylinders by controlling, independently, a mode of operation for each of the cylinders, each cylinder including intake and exhaust valves and a fuel injector for injecting fuel into a corresponding cylinder. A first method comprises the steps of cutting fuel to all but one cylinder, monitoring the output of the engine, repeating the fuel cutting and monitoring steps for the remaining cylinders, and calculating engine friction by averaging the power required to crank the engine by the cylinders during the monitoring steps.

Abstract: Multiple intake valves operatively associated in a common combustion chamber are advantageous in that the design achieves high output for an internal combustion engine. The subject modified cylinder head utilizes the advantages available in a multiple intake valve system, but further enhances the design by reducing heat rejection. In the subject modified cylinder head, three intake valves (38,40,42) having corresponding intake valve ports (26,28,30) and one exhaust valve (68) having an exhaust valve port (66) are operatively associated in a common combustion chamber. A reduction in heat rejection is achieved through a relationship between the cross-sectional areas of the intake and exhaust valve ports (26,28,30,66). The intake valve ports (26,28,30) are constructed so that their cross-sectional area is larger than about 69% of the combined cross-sectional area of the intake and the exhaust ports (26,28,30,66).

Abstract: A system for controlling operational modes of an engine including valve and injection events, in which the engine comprises a plurality of cylinders having an intake and exhaust valve, an injector, a chamber and an intake and exhaust port. The plurality of cylinders are connected by an intake and exhaust manifold. The system comprises a cylinder control unit for independently governing an operational mode of each of the cylinders. The cylinder control unit comprises a valve control unit for controlling the operation of the intake and exhaust valves. The cylinder control unit also controls opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves in accordance with the independently governed operational mode of each cylinder. The cylinder control unit further comprises an injector control unit for controlling the operation of the each of the injectors. The injector control unit controls fuel injection timing of each of the injectors, independently of the operation of the intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: A thoracentesis device which includes an elongated flexible catheter fixed at its proximate end to an elongated conduit which is aligned therewith. The conduit is provided with a seal which seals around a hollow needle which penetrates the seal means and passes through the conduit and the catheter and slightly beyond the catheter distal end. A vacuum source is connected to the proximate needle end. The seal also reseals the elongated conduit when the needle is removed. The conduit includes a valve which can be manipulated to connect the catheter to a side conduit when the needle is removed.

Abstract: An infinitely variable power transmission having three power transmitting shafts (14,16,25) differentially rotatable around a common axis (20) and connected together by at least one bevel wheel (12) rotatable around a nutating axis (22). The nutating axis (22) intersects the common axis (20) and is carried by the first shaft (16) around the common axis (20). The second shaft (25) has a bevel gear (26) connecting it to the wheel (12) perimeter. The wheel (12) sits on a convex segment (13) of the third shaft (14) making a single traction point (52) in the plane defined by the axes (20,22). Power may be applied to any two of the shafts with the speed of the power output by the third being controlled by the location of the traction point (52). The traction point (52) may be moved within the plane so that for any single engine speed, the speed of the power output shaft may be infinitely varied in a specific range.

Abstract: A method of performing work and an apparatus for performing the method utilizing the following thermodynamic cycle. Ambient air is isothermally compressed to a predetermined degree (A-B) and then heat is added to the air at constant pressure (B-C). This is followed by isentropic compression (C-D) which in turn is followed by heat addition at constant volume (D-E). Thereafter follows isentropic expansion (E-F-H-G) then finally heat recovery (G-A). The recovered heat (G-A) is preferably utilized for the initial heat addition (B-C).

Abstract: A slant axis rotary piston mechanism including a shaft (42) having an angularly offset eccentric (44) and a housing (10) defining a general spherical chamber (22) journalling the shaft and containing the eccentric. A peripheral, generally sinuous partition (20) is fixed in the housing and extends radially into the chamber towards the eccentric. A rotor (62) is journalled on the eccentric and is of generally spherical exterior configuration (64) and has a peripheral groove (66, 68, 70) extending about and opening to its periphery. Each of the sides (66 and 68) of the groove face a corresponding side (24, 26) of the partition and define therewith at least two working volumes of variable volume. Gears (108, 110) synchronize relative movement between the shaft, the rotor and the housing, and ports (90, 92, 94, 96) provide for ingress and egress of working fluid to the working volumes.

Abstract: Rotary expansible chamber devices include slant-axis rotary apparatus such as engines, compressors, pumps, and the like. Eccentric rotating members of such apparatus generate thrust and bending loads of high magnitude during operation thereof. The rotor shaft of the apparatus is subjected to severe bending and thrust loads which tend to fatigue various connections in the apparatus. The present invention provides a connection for counteracting the bending loads, including a bolt (21) extending through a rotor shaft (15), a nut (28) threadably mounted (27) on an end of the rotor shaft, and portions (30,31) of the rotor shaft (15) and bolt (21) which are disposed closely adjacent to the nut (28) and are further disposed in press-fit relationship relative to each other. Thus, bending loads imposed on the rotor shaft are transmitted directly to the bolt but not to the screw threads during operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: An engine having a first reaction chamber to which fuel is to be supplied, either alone or with another reactant, and to which heat is applied to effect an endothermic chemical reaction to produce, under substantially reversible conditions, a reformed fuel, a second reaction chamber to which the reformed fuel discharged from the first reaction chamber is passed together with air or other reactant to effect an exothermic chemical reaction in the second reaction chamber, and a heat exchanger (conveniently of the fluidized bed type) to transfer heat produced by the exothermic reaction in the second reaction chamber to the first reaction chamber to effect the endothermic reaction.

Abstract: Cooling a hot component such as a rotor of a rotary piston engine by passing a coolant liquid through a passageway defined between adjacent surfaces of the component and a plug inserted into a socket in the component, the plug being made of a material having greater thermal conductivity than that of the material from which the component is made and the cross-sectional area of the passageway being sufficiently small as to produce turbulent flow of the coolant through the passageway.

Abstract: An improved slant axis rotary mechanism such as an engine, a compressor, pump, or the like. The mechanism includes a housing defining an operating chamber and a shaft is journalled within the housing. The shaft includes an angularly offset portion within the chamber, the angularly offset portion including an outwardly opening peripheral groove. A thrust collar is disposed in the groove and a rotor is journalled on the angularly offset portion. The rotor is formed of two rotor segments secured together with the rotor segments, at their interface, including complementary groove parts clampingly receiving the thrust collar.