Abstract: A medical device comprising a cannula having a stone extracting unit on its distal end and a hand piece on its proximal end for operating the unit through the cannula. The unit includes more than four annularly arranged tubular elements with fixed proximal ends and distal ends movable between opened and closed position by the movement of an equal number of wire elements extending through the tubular elements with their distal free ends fixed to the distal ends of tubular elements so as to define a 5 or 6 pointed star configuration.

Abstract: A four cylinder engine including two outer cylinders valved to operate on a four cycle basis, the outer two cylinders being movable together in opposite directions than the direction of movement together of the two inner cylinders. The two inner cylinders valved to operate on a two-cycle basis. The four cylinders having fuel injectors for injecting an amount of fuel in an associated cylinder so as to cause a self-ignited power event to occur therein during each cycle. The engine, when embodied in a vehicle having a battery energized computer and manually operated accelerator pedal being selectively operated in three power levels: (1) a minimum fuel mode (2) an intermediate fuel mode and (3) a maximum fuel mode. (1) Enabling a two-third fuel saving (two injections out of a possible six) when in minimum fuel mode and (2) a one-third saving fuel (four injections out of a possible six) when in the intermediate mode.

Abstract: An engine including having a frame structure with a central longitudinal space containing a gear train in which end gears drive end crankshafts and a central gear drives a central crankshaft, a pair of dual piston and cylinder assembly are connected between each end crankshaft and central crankshaft on opposite side of the central space. The combustion chambers of cylinders on each side of the central are intercommunicated by passages extending through the hubs of gears in the gear train, a controller for the fuel injectors of the cylinders selectively causes the double pistons of each pair of passage connected to have either simultaneous internally fired power drive strokes in one mode or simultaneous internally fired and shared power drive strokes in another mode.

Abstract: In an inverted V-8 engine capable of operating in power level steps with four pairs of piston and cylinder assemblies having fuel injectors with dual options, the improvement which comprises a three component frame structure having cooperating interengaging surfaces containing two banks of four inline crankshaft connected piston and cylinder units converging angularly upwardly from two interconnected crankshafts. The surface-to-surface contact between the block component and head component includes oppositely paired cylinder open ends covered by cam operated valving in the head component with the adjacent upper combustion chambers of each pair of cylinders being communicated by an intercommunicating polished passage formed in a two-piece insert fixedly positioned in a recess in the head component and a method of operating the engine in a vehicle.

Abstract: This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to internal combustion engines and methods of operating the engines with a new fuel saving cycle. Various embodiments use a passage between adjacent cylinders to enable a mode in which fuel combusted in one cylinder supplies pressure to the other that has not been supplied with fuel, thus enabling driving of both cylinders with less fuel.

Abstract: An engine including having a frame structure with a central longitudinal space containing a gear train in which end gears drive end crankshafts and a central gear drives a central crankshaft, a pair of dual piston and cylinder assembly are connected between each end crankshaft and central crankshaft on opposite side of the central space. The combustion chambers of cylinders on each side of the central are intercommunicated by passages extending through the hubs of gears in the gear train, a controller for the fuel injectors of the cylinders selectively causes the double pistons of each pair of passage connected to have either simultaneous internally fired power drive strokes in one mode or simultaneous internally fired and shared power drive strokes in another mode.

Abstract: An engine including at least two piston and cylinder assemblies that, when operating with a fuel savings cycle, establish at the end of the simultaneous compression strokes a charge of compressed air in one cylinder of one assembly and a charge of compressed air fuel mixture in the other cylinder of the other assembly. When the air fuel mixture is ignited, the high pressure conditions in the other cylinder are immediately communicated through a passage to the one cylinder to accomplish a double expansion during the simultaneous power drive strokes thus using much of the pressure energy before exhaust occurs by the pistons themselves. The improvement comprises changing the other assembly which has the charge of compressed air fuel mixture therein between the two piston and cylinder assemblies in a predetermined pattern as, for example, an operative alternation between the two piston and cylinder assembles.

Abstract: An engine including at least two piston and cylinder assemblies that, when operating with a fuel savings cycle, establish at the end of the simultaneous compression strokes a charge of compressed air in one cylinder of one assembly and a charge of compressed air fuel mixture in the other cylinder of the other assembly. When the air fuel mixture is ignited, the high pressure conditions in the other cylinder are immediately communicated through a passage to the one cylinder to accomplish a double expansion during the simultaneous power drive strokes thus using much of the pressure energy before exhaust occurs by the pistons themselves. The improvement comprises changing the other assembly which has the charge of compressed air fuel mixture therein between the two piston and cylinder assemblies in a predetermined pattern as, for example, an operative alternation between the two piston and cylinder assembles.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having two banks of four piston and cylinder assemblies arranged in an inverted V configuration so that there are four pairs of assemblies each pair having cylinders with adjacent combustion chambers intercommunicated by a passage extending therebetween. Crank shaft driven pistons in said cylinders movable within the combustion chambers thereof through successive cycles each including a compression stroke followed immediately by a power drive stroke. Computer controlled fuel injectors are capable of being selectively controlled to operate either to inject fuel into (1) both cylinders of a pair to establish therein a double fire single expansion mode, or (2) into only one cylinder of a pair to establish therein a single fire double expansion mode with the one cylinder receiving the injection being alternated between the pair every predetermined number of piston cycles.

Abstract: A medical device comprising a canula having a stone extracting unit on its distal end and a hand piece on its proximal end for operating the unit through the canula. The unit includes more than four annularly arranged tubular elements with fixed proximal ends and distal ends movable between opened and closed position by the movement of an equal number of wire elements extending through the tubular elements with their distal free ends fixed to the distal ends of tubular elements so as to define a 5 or 6 pointed star configuration.

Abstract: This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to internal combustion engines and methods of operating the engines with a new fuel saving cycle. Various embodiments use a passage between adjacent cylinders to enable a mode in which fuel combusted in one cylinder supplies pressure to the other that has not been supplied with fuel, thus enabling driving of both cylinders with less fuel.

Abstract: In an inverted V-8 engine capable of operating in power level steps with four pairs of piston and cylinder assemblies having fuel injectors with dual options, the improvement which comprises a three component frame structure having cooperating interengaging surfaces containing two banks of four inline crankshaft connected piston and cylinder units converging angularly upwardly from two interconnected crankshafts. The surface-to-surface contact between the block component and head component includes oppositely paired cylinder open ends covered by cam operated valving in the head component with the adjacent upper combustion chambers of each pair of cylinders being communicated by an intercommunicating polished passage formed in a two-piece insert fixedly positioned in a recess in the head component and a method of operating the engine in a vehicle.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having six in-line piston and cylinder assemblies providing a center pair, an intermediate pair and an outer pair, each pair having crankshaft connected pistons mounted in cylinders through simultaneous repetitive strokes four of which together constitute simultaneous repetitive cycles including a drive event injectors selectively (1) in a (Mode 1) to inject fuel in both cylinders and (2) in a (Mode 2) to inject fuel in only one cylinder, the cylinders of the center pair being intercommunicated by a passage. The effect of skipping an injection in (Mode 2) in the center pair is a pair of shared power drive events and in the other pairs the effect in one of the cylinders is a directly fired power drive shaft and the effect in the other cylinder is deactivation and a method of operating the engine in a vehicle.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having two banks of four piston and cylinder assemblies arranged in an inverted V configuration so that there are four pairs of assemblies each pair having cylinders with adjacent combustion chambers intercommunicated by a passage extending therebetween. Crank shaft driven pistons in said cylinders movable within the combustion chambers thereof through successive cycles each including a compression stroke followed immediately by a power drive stroke. Computer controlled fuel injectors are capable of being selectively controlled to operate either to inject fuel into (1) both cylinders of a pair to establish therein a double fire single expansion mode, or (2) into only one cylinder of a pair to establish therein a single fire double expansion mode with the one cylinder receiving the injection being alternated between the pair every predetermined number of piston cycles.

Abstract: One non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide modifications to conventional in line 6 cylinder engines capable of increasing their efficiency in operation. This includes modifying the central two adjacent piston and cylinder assemblies of the engines. The modifications involve (1) changing the camshaft so that the central two adjacent piston and cylinder assemblies have their four stroke cycles in phase rather than 180° out of phase, (2) providing a communicating passage between the combustion chambers of the central two piston and cylinder assemblies and (3) modifying either the hardware or programming for the control of the fuel injectors of the central two piston and cylinder assemblies so that they can be selectively controlled not to inject fuel during the operation cycle thereof.

Abstract: An engine including at least two piston and cylinder assemblies that, when operating with a fuel savings cycle, establish at the end of the simultaneous compression strokes a charge of compressed air in one cylinder of one assembly and a charge of compressed air fuel mixture in the other cylinder of the other assembly. When the air fuel mixture is ignited, the high pressure conditions in the other cylinder are immediately communicated through a passage to the one cylinder to accomplish a double expansion during the simultaneous power drive strokes thus using much of the pressure energy before exhaust occurs by the pistons themselves. The improvement comprises changing the other assembly which has the charge of compressed air fuel mixture therein between the two piston and cylinder assemblies in a predetermined pattern as, for example, an operative alternation between the two piston and cylinder assembles.

Abstract: One non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide modifications to conventional in line 6 cylinder engines capable of increasing their efficiency in operation. This includes modifying the central two adjacent piston and cylinder assemblies of the engines. The modifications involve (1) changing the camshaft so that the central two adjacent piston and cylinder assemblies have their four stroke cycles in phase rather than 180° out of phase, (2) providing a communicating passage between the combustion chambers of the central two piston and cylinder assemblies and (3) modifying either the hardware or programming for the control of the fuel injectors of the central two piston and cylinder assemblies so that they can be selectively controlled not to inject fuel during the operation cycle thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to internal combustion engines and methods of operating the engines with a new fuel saving cycle. An engine including at least two piston and cylinder assemblies preferably adjacent to one another, that when operating with the new fuel savings cycle, establish at the end of the simultaneous compression strokes a charge of compressed air in one cylinder of one assembly and a charge of compressed air fuel mixture in the other cylinder of the other assembly. When the air fuel mixture is ignited, the high pressure conditions in the other cylinder are immediately communicated through a passage to the one cylinder to accomplish a double expansion during the simultaneous power drive strokes thus using much of the pressure energy before exhaust occurs by the pistons themselves rather than to dump it as is usually done.

Abstract: An exercising apparatus which comprises first and second sets of weights, each of which has an opening extending inwardly from a periphery thereof defined by opposed surfaces. An elongated tubular assembly is provided which has a longitudinal axis and includes exterior surfaces constructed and arranged to provide a central surface area configured to be manually engaged by a user and first and second surface areas on opposite sides of the central surface area configured to enter the openings of the first and second sets of weights into operative positions therein. The tubular assembly includes first and second sets of locking elements mounted within the first and second surface areas thereof for movement between weight releasing positions disposed within their respective first and second surface areas and weight locking positions extending partially outwardly of the respective first and second surface areas. The opposed surfaces of the weights have lock element receiving recesses therein.

Abstract: An exercising apparatus which comprises first and second sets of weights, each of which has an opening extending inwardly from a periphery thereof defined by opposed surfaces. An elongated tubular assembly is provided which has a longitudinal axis and includes exterior surfaces constructed and arranged to provide a central surface area configured to be manually engaged by a user and first and second surface areas on opposite sides of the central surface area configured to enter the openings of the first and second sets of weights into operative positions therein. The tubular assembly includes first and second sets of locking elements mounted within the first and second surface areas thereof for movement between weight releasing positions disposed within their respective first and second surface areas and weight locking positions extending partially outwardly of the respective first and second surface areas. The opposed surfaces of the weights have lock element receiving recesses therein.