Patents by Inventor Keith Lawes
Keith Lawes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11377983Abstract: A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine includes a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore, and a rotary valve rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing. The rotary valve has a hollow valve body subjected to combustion gases throughout the combustion process. The rotary valve also has, in a wall part thereof, a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing. The inlet and exhaust ports are angularly offset with respect to a radial line from the center of the engine cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignees: RCV ENGINES LIMITED, KAAZ CORPORATIONInventors: Keith Lawes, Brian Mason
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Patent number: 11377982Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft, where the piston is reciprocatable in a cylinder, and a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having in a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing. The valve body has a non-uniform radial profile along its axial length and/or about its axis of rotation to accommodate changes in the profile of the valve body during operation to maintain a substantially constant clearance between the valve body and the housing throughout the length of the valve body.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: RCV ENGINES LIMITEDInventors: Keith Lawes, Brian Mason
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Publication number: 20210317761Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft, where the piston is reciprocatable in a cylinder, and a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having in a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing. The valve body has a non-uniform radial profile along its axial length and/or about its axis of rotation to accommodate changes in the profile of the valve body during operation to maintain a substantially constant clearance between the valve body and the housing throughout the length of the valve body.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2019Publication date: October 14, 2021Applicant: RCV ENGINES LIMITEDInventors: Keith LAWES, Brian MASON
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Publication number: 20210285346Abstract: A spark ignition rotary valve internal combustion engine includes a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston and the combustion end of the cylinder, a valve housing fixed at an outer portion of the combustion end of the cylinder and defining a bore, and a rotary valve rotatable about a rotary valve axis in the bore in the valve housing. The rotary valve has a hollow valve body subjected to combustion gases throughout the combustion process. The rotary valve also has, in a wall part thereof, a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing. The inlet and exhaust ports are angularly offset with respect to a radial line from the center of the engine cylinder.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2019Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Keith LAWES, Brian MASON
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Patent number: 9951685Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston (1) connected to a crankshaft (3) and reciprocatable in a cylinder (2), a combustion chamber 4 being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve (5) rotatable with a close sliding fit in a valve housing (8) fixed relative to the cylinder (2), the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume (9) defining, in part, the combustion chamber 4 and further having in a wall part (11) thereof a port (1)2 giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports (13), (14) in the valve housing. The rotary valve and the valve housing are both formed of aluminum.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: RCV ENGINES LIMITEDInventors: Keith Lawes, Brian Mason
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Patent number: 9644505Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing, wherein the rotary valve is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the crankshaft, the valve being mounted in a bearing arrangement which restrains the valve from movement in the axial direction but permits movement in the radial direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: RCV ENGINES LIMITEDInventors: Keith Lawes, Brian Mason
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Publication number: 20150204235Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston (1) connected to a crankshaft (3) and reciprocatable in a cylinder (2), a combustion chamber 4 being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve (5) rotatable with a close sliding fit in a valve housing (8) fixed relative to the cylinder (2), the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume (9) defining, in part, the combustion chamber 4 and further having in a wall part (11) thereof a port (1)2 giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports (13), (14) in the valve housing. The rotary valve and the valve housing are both formed of aluminium.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2013Publication date: July 23, 2015Inventors: Keith Lawes, Brian Mason
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Publication number: 20140366818Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston. The engine has a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having a wall part thereof a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports in the valve housing, wherein the rotary valve is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the crankshaft, the valve being mounted in a bearing arrangement which restrains the valve from movement in the axial direction but permits movement in the radial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2012Publication date: December 18, 2014Applicant: RCV ENGINES LIMITEDInventors: Keith Lawes, Brian Mason
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Publication number: 20140327160Abstract: A carburetor incorporating an air passage, and a fuel passage, and a rotating barrel, the rotating barrel being arranged between the air passage and the fuel passage so that a first portion of its surface is exposed to the air passage, and a second portion of its surface is exposed to the fuel passage. The rotation of the barrel transfers fuel from fuel passage to the air passage via an indent feature, the proportion of that indent feature that is exposed to the air or fuel passage being varied to meter the amount of fuel transferred.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2012Publication date: November 6, 2014Applicant: VEPEC LIMITEDInventor: Keith Lawes
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Patent number: 8839757Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston, and a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2010Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: RCV Engines LimitedInventor: Keith Lawes
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Publication number: 20110308491Abstract: A rotary valve internal combustion engine has a piston connected to a crankshaft and reciprocatable in a cylinder, a combustion chamber being defined in part by the piston, and a rotary valve rotatable in a valve housing fixed relative to the cylinder, the rotary valve having a valve body containing a volume defining, in part, the combustion chamber and further having a port giving, during rotation of the valve, fluid communication successively to and from the combustion chamber via inlet and exhaust ports.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2010Publication date: December 22, 2011Inventor: Keith Lawes
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Publication number: 20070034179Abstract: A cooling mechanism for a rotary valve cylinder engine 1 comprising a rotary valve cylinder 3 rotatably mounted within an outer cylindrical valve element 8, the rotary valve cylinder 3 and the outer cylindrical valve element 8 each being formed with a respective valve port 51, 71, 81, the rotary valve cylinder 3 being rotatable relative to the outer cylindrical valve element 8 to a position in which the ports 51, 71, 81 are aligned, the cooling mechanism comprising fluid passages 11, 28 formed in the rotary valve cylinder 3 and the outer cylindrical valve element 8 through which, in use, cooling oil flows.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2004Publication date: February 15, 2007Inventor: Keith Lawes
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Publication number: 20050166885Abstract: The invention relates to a valve seal mechanism for a rotatable valve assembly that provides a sealing function between a rotating first valve element and a fixed second valve element as used in a rotary cylinder valve engine. In one embodiment the seal mechansim comprises a substantially rigid sealing frame which surrounds and sealingly engages the periphery of the valve port of one of the cyclindrical valve elements and also sealingly engages a surface of the other cylindrical valve element. In another embodiment, the seal mechanism comprises a resiliently deflectable tubular element of variable diameter, the tubular element being mounted around a first valve element with an aperture of the tubular element being radially aligned with a valve port of the first valve element, the tubular element being biased radially outward of the first valve element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2003Publication date: August 4, 2005Inventor: Keith Lawes
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Publication number: 20050145210Abstract: A housing assembly for a rotating cylinder valve engine comprising a rotary cylinder and a crank assembly, comprises a first casing part and a second casing part each formed with a respective jointing face, the first casing part being formed with a tubular bore adapted to receive the rotary cylinder and being formed to partially house the crank assembly and the second casing part being formed to partially house the crank assembly. The housing assembly further comprises a tubular portion for housing bearing means for the crankshaft assembly, the tubular portion being defined by a semi-cylindrical section formed on the first casing part and a semi-cylindrical section formed on the second casing part.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2003Publication date: July 7, 2005Inventor: Keith Lawes