Abstract: Internal combustion engine and method in which pistons on different rotors move relative to each other to form chambers of variable volume in a toroidal cylinder. The pistons move in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor travelling a predetermined distance while the pistons on the other rotor remain substantially stationary. Fuel is drawn into a chamber as one of the pistons defining the chamber moves away from the other, and then compressed as the second piston moves toward the first. Combustion of the fuel drives the first piston away from the second, and the spent gases are then expelled from the chamber by the second piston moving again toward the first. An output shaft is connected to the rotors in such manner that the shaft rotates continuously while the rotors and pistons move in their stepwise fashion.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine and method in which pistons on different rotors move relative to each other to form chambers of variable volume in a toroidal cylinder. The pistons move in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor travelling a predetermined distance while the pistons on the other rotor remain substantially stationary. Fuel is drawn into a chamber as one of the pistons defining the chamber moves away from the other, and then compressed as the second piston moves toward the first. Combustion of the fuel drives the first piston away from the second, and the spent gases are then expelled from the chamber by the second piston moving again toward the first. An output shaft is connected to the rotors in such manner that the shaft rotates continuously while the rotors and pistons move in their stepwise fashion.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine and method in which pistons on different rotors move relative to each other to form chambers of variable volume in a toroidal cylinder. The pistons move in stepwise fashion, with the pistons on one rotor travelling a predetermined distance while the pistons on the other rotor remain substantially stationary. Fuel is drawn into a chamber as one of the pistons defining the chamber moves away from the other, and then compressed as the second piston moves toward the first. Combustion of the fuel drives the first piston away from the second, and the spent gases are then expelled from the chamber by the second piston moving again toward the first. An output shaft is connected to the rotors in such manner that the shaft rotates continuously while the rotors and pistons move in their stepwise fashion.

Abstract: Semiautomatic pistol which is small enough to be carried in a pocket or otherwise concealed on the body of a person, and caseless ammunition for use in the pistol. The pistol has a grip adapted to be held in the hand of a shooter, a barrel extending in a forward direction from the grip, a closed chamber at the rear of the barrel, means for firing a caseless cartridge in the chamber with the entire cartridge being discharged through the barrel, and means responsive to the firing of the cartridge for opening the chamber and loading another cartridge into the chamber. The caseless cartridge consists of a hollow projectile filled with gunpowder, and a primer for igniting the powder. The primer is mounted directly to the projectile, and there is no casing or other material to ejected from the chamber before another round is loaded.

Abstract: Semiautomatic pistol and ammunition in which the pistol has a grip adapted to be held in the hand of a shooter, a barrel extending in a forward direction from the grip, a magazine of cartridges positioned above the barrel, and an action located within the grip for firing cartridges through the barrel. Cartridges are transferred from the magazine down to the action, and spent cartridge cases are ejected down through the lower portion of the grip. The barrel intersects the grip below the top of the grip at an angle such that the barrel will be aligned axially with the forearm of the shooter when the grip is held in the hand with the top of the shooter's wrist level with the top of the forearm. The action includes a breech which is rotatable between rest and cocking positions, a chamber which rotates with the breech between battery and loading positions, a firing pin carried by the breech, and a rotatively mounted hammer which is moved to a cocked position by rotation of the breech.