Abstract: Improved lubricant control assemblies for reciprocating piston rods of an engine which prevent crankcase lubricant intruding into the cylinders and fluid from the cylinders from escaping into the crankcase. Each assembly comprises a tubular scraper fitting closely onto a piston rod and yieldably mounted within the bore between cylinder and crankcase through which the piston rod extends. The yieldable mounting is by means of a compliant housing. The compliant housing allows the scraper to be displaced radially and thereby follow limited radial displacement of the piston rod while maintaining substantially full effectiveness of the scraper's action on the reciprocating piston rod. The scraper is urged into forceful contact around the piston rod by means of a crown spring which is supported on a tubular part which attaches to the compliant housing.

Abstract: An improved construction for a thermal engine, particularly a Stirling engine, comprising a two-part drive shaft. One part of the drive shaft contains the swashplate mechanism and is journaled on the engine housing so that the component of force acting on the swashplate which induces bending of the drive shaft is reacted on the housing by the journaling of the one part of the shaft. The second shaft part is separate from but operatively coupled with the first-mentioned shaft part and has its own journal mounting on the housing. The operative coupling in the disclosed embodiment is by means of a spline connection between the two shaft parts which are in coaxial alignment. The second shaft part is journaled on a housing part which is separable from other parts of the housing on which the first shaft part is journaled.

Abstract: An improved heat pipe comprising a duct having disposed at opposite ends thereof an evaporator with wick-lined hollow fins in the form of extended corrugations thereon, and operable to supply heat to the evaporator comprised of a gas combustor having an internal volume for containing the evaporator and combustion air for supply to a combustion chamber located therein; a wick capable of transporting liquid by capillary action lining substantially all internal surfaces of said heat pipe; an external heat sink operable to remove heat from the condenser; and a heat transport medium contained by said heat pipe. The evaporator is further comprised of a coarse porous material lining and completely filling the spaces within the hollow fins open to the evaporator for increased structural stiffness and ease of fabrication; and a porous mass completely filling the evaporator for increased compressive strength.

Abstract: A heat exchanger stack apparatus for use on a remotely heated Stirling engine having a variable swashplate drive mechanism, which comprises rigidly combining a regenerator, a flexible heat exchanger, a short, rigid hot connecting duct and a cylinder. A heat exchanger stack apparatus for each cylinder of the engine is mounted on a drive mechanism housing with the regenerator adjacent to a cooler located within the drive mechanism housing. The cooler, regenerator and flexible heat exchanger are axially aligned providing a linear flowpath for the engine working fluid. Bellows and flexible tubes connected to the flexible heat exchanger provide axial and transverse flexibility to reduce thermal stresses within the heat exchanger stack apparatus.

Abstract: The pressure containment device for containing pressurized gas within a Stirling engine is characterized by enclosing a drive mechanism housing with a cylindrical pressure hull having first and second ends whereby a portion of the drive mechanism housing extends through the first end of the pressure hull and the second end thereof, is rigidly connected to the drive mechanism housing. An o-ring is used to seal the connection where the drive mechanism housing extends through the first end of the pressure hull to allow small axial and radial relative motions therebetween. An output shaft extends along the axis of revolution of the pressure hull and is supported by front and rear main bearings and a thrust bearing, all rigidly connected to the drive mechanism housing. A rotating shaft seal, also connected to the drive mechanism housing, prevents pressurized gas from escaping along the output shaft.

Abstract: A variable angle wobble plate drive for varying piston displacement has constant velocity coupling from the wobble plate to the frame which permits all axis-dynamic balancing. The coupling uses an idler element rotating on a tilted axis portion of the shaft, and conical gear sets connecting the idler member to the machine frame and the idler member to the wobble plate. The sum of the acute angles from the tilted axis to the shaft, and to the driving axis, is made greater than the maximum driving angle thereby permitting low reaction torque on a driving angle control mechanism without reversal of control torque.

Abstract: A wobble plate drive mechanism for machines having axial pistons or the like clustered about a shaft. The moving parts are dynamically balanced over a range of wobble plate tilt angles by a balance ring arranged outboard of the wobble plate. The wobble plate restraint has balanced gimbal rings.

Abstract: A solar collector comprising a focussing reflector rotatable about an axis; an adjusting mechanism for effecting rotation of the reflector about such axis; and a solar-tracking arrangement for actuating the adjusting mechanism, the solar-tracking arrangement including a pair of sun-sensor reservoirs each containing a high-pressure working medium that thermally expands when subjected to solar radiation.

Abstract: A spring compensation mechanism for a swashplate drive having a variable swashplate angle, particularly suited for use with ahot gas engine. A compensating rod has one end connected for movement in one direction in response to tilting of the swashplate while the other end is connected to move in a perpendicular direction against the force of a spring.

Abstract: A hot-gas engine in which the transfer of heat from the heat-source to the meltable material of a heat storage reservoir is effected exclusively indirectly via the working medium in order to prevent overheating, fast corrosion and cracking of the reservoir walls.