Abstract: A scotch yoke type fluid device in which the pistons are decoupled from each other is provided. Each piston of the device has its own pair of sliding surfaces and its own slider. The sliding surface of each piston is disposed on the same side of a big end bearing of a crank. The main axis of the crank is movable along a path such that the pistons are neither substantially retarded nor advanced. The effective centre of mass of the crank, piston and slider remains stationary relative to the crank axis. Each piston includes a guide for constraining the piston to move along the piston axis. An intermediate member may interconnect the piston and the slides.

Abstract: A scotch yoke type fluid device in which the pistons are decoupled from each other is provided. Each piston of the device has its own pair of sliding surfaces and its own slider. The sliding surface of each piston is disposed on the same side of a big end bearing of a crank. The main axis of the crank is movable along a path such that the pistons are neither substantially retarded nor advanced. The effective centre of mass of the crank, piston and slider remains stationary relative to the crank axis. Each piston includes a guide for constraining the piston to move along the piston axis. An intermediate member may interconnect the piston and the slides.

Abstract: An improved scotch yoke engine of pump including a piston joined to a yoke structure wherein the piston (1) is free to move along at least one axis defined by a flying cross (60) relative to the yoke structure (7) during piston reciprocation, the piston and yoke structure being joined in a flat type joint arrangement and the piston prevented from rotation around the piston axis by engagement of the piston and the yoke with the flying cross, the flying cross being not locked in position between the piston base (50) and the yoke shank end arrangement (700).

Abstract: A scotch yoke engine or pump with a female Vee land means (2a) extending parallel to the cylinder axis (1) of cylinder (11) and including two surfaces, the first planar surface extending parallel to a first plane, and the second planar surface extending parallel to a second plane, the first plane and the second plane being at an angle to each other, a third guide means (4a) including two surfaces extending parallel to the cylinder axis, the first surface extending parallel to the first plane and the second surface extending parallel to the second plane; a fastener means (6a) such as a bolt or stud adapted to fasten the third guide means into a corner (20a) of the Vee land, the Vee land located in the axial foot print of the cylinder.

Abstract: A thermal air engine for the production of electricity which uses collector exchanger means to transport heat into an updraft tract to impart heat into the air in the tract such that it rises in the tract causing a partial vacuum above a turbine means located below the exchanger means in the tract; the turbine means adapted to extract work from the air passing through it such that it drives a generating means for the production of electrical energy.

Abstract: An improved scotch yoke engine of pump including a piston joined to a yoke structure wherein the piston (1) is free to move along at least one axis defined by a flying cross (60) relative to the yoke structure (7) during piston reciprocation, the piston and yoke structure being joined in a flat type joint arrangement and the piston prevented from rotation around the piston axis by engagement of the piston and the yoke with the flying cross, the flying cross being not locked in position between the piston base (50) and the yoke shank end arrangement (700).

Abstract: A zero height roof including tension members drawn tight over an arched strip or parcel of land, the tension members being cable like truss means pulled tight between stay means and upon which is secured batons means which are then clad with roof sheeting or tile means.

Abstract: A scotch yoke type fluid device in which the pistons are decoupled from each other is provided. Each piston of the device has its own pair of sliding surfaces and its own slider. The sliding surface of each piston is disposed on the same side of a big end bearing of a crank. The main axis of the crank is movable along a path such that the pistons are neither substantially retarded nor advanced. The effective centre of mass of the crank, piston and slider remains stationary relative to the crank axis. Each piston includes a guide for constraining the piston to move along the piston axis. An intermediate member may interconnect the piston and the slides.

Abstract: A scotch yoke type fluid device where the or each piston (32) has its own slider (18) and its own pair of sliding surfaces (30) disposed on the same side of the big end bearing (16) of the crank (12). The main crank axis (14) is movable along a path such that the pistons are neither substantially retarded nor advanced. The effective centre of mass of the crank, piston and slider remains stationary relative to the crank axis. Guide means (2030) constrain each piston to move along its piston axis. The guide means is transverse of the sliding surfaces (30) and engages crankcase mounted guides. An intermediate member may interconnect the piston and the slides capable of adjusting the intermediate member to change the compression ratio. For a device having opposed pistons, the yoke (6060) attached to the two pistons is split into two parts (6062a, 6062b) releasably held together.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scotch yoke fluid device (10). The scotch yoke fluid device (10) has a crank (11) with a big end having an axis (14) which orbits around a main axis (15) for the crank (11). Connecting means (13) are mounted on the big end axis (14). There is at least one piston (22) mounted for reciprocating motion in a cylinder (18) along a piston axis. The piston has a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the piston axis. The piston also has guide means (16) which include a linear surface transverse to the piston axis. The guide means (16) engage engagement means on the connecting means. There is at least one restricting means (24) for constraining the piston (22) to move along the piston axis. The restricting means (24), or a constraining means (19) for the restricting means (24), or both, always extend into a volume defined by the swept area of the crank (11), projected along the main axis (15) of the crank (11).

Abstract: The invention has many aspects. One aspect is that of an internal combustion engine (8010) that has a piston (8020) within a cylinder (8022) and has a crankcase (8012), defining a combustion chamber (8024) and crank volume (8026). A passageway (8032 and 8034) links the combustion chamber (8024) and the crank volume (8026). There is provided valve means (8038) for selectively closing the linking passageway and valve means (8030) for selectively closing and inlet to the crank volume (8026). In another aspect, there is an improvement to a scotch yoke fluid device. A displaceable member for relieving pressure in a variable volume chamber in the cylinder where combustion is occurring is provided. The invention includes a method of varying power output of a scotch yoke device, by choosing cylinder angle, pin angle and firing order in various ways. The invention also deals with other aspects of scotch yoke designs.