Abstract: An improvement to a free-piston Stirling machine having a cylinder mounted within a housing. The cylinder has a flange for mounting the cylinder within the housing to a transition plate with a central opening for receiving the cylinder. An elastic rim bounds and surrounds the opening and extends in an axial direction from the plate to a crest of the rim. The crest of the rim is in contact against a first axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The interior side of the rim is outwardly spaced from the exterior side of the cylinder. A compliant clamp is attached to the transition plate and is positioned on the opposite, axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The compliant clamp has an elastic spring extending against the cylinder flange which applies a force urging the cylinder flange in an axial direction against the crest of the elastic rim.

Abstract: An improvement to a free-piston Stirling machine having a cylinder mounted within a housing. The cylinder has a flange for mounting the cylinder within the housing to a transition plate with a central opening for receiving the cylinder. An elastic rim bounds and surrounds the opening and extends in an axial direction from the plate to a crest of the rim. The crest of the rim is in contact against a first axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The interior side of the rim is outwardly spaced from the exterior side of the cylinder. A compliant clamp is attached to the transition plate and is positioned on the opposite, axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The compliant clamp has an elastic spring extending against the cylinder flange which applies a force urging the cylinder flange in an axial direction against the crest of the elastic rim.

Abstract: A regenerator having a plurality of involute foils disposed in an annular gap between an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube. The involute shape of the foils provides uniform spacing throughout the entire regenerator and substantial surface area for fluid contact.

Abstract: A regenerator having a plurality of involute foils disposed in an annular gap between an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube. The involute shape of the foils provides uniform spacing throughout the entire regenerator and substantial surface area for fluid contact.

Abstract: The concentricity and coaxiality of a central bore through a piston for a free piston Stirling machine is improved with a piston that has a sleeve with a core constructed from at least two, separate, axially-engaging core components sealed within the sleeve. During fabrication, a central bore is machined through each of the core components. The piston is assembled by heating the sleeve and cooling the core components, inserting the core components into the sleeve and then allowing the sleeve to cool and the core components to warm. This drives the core components into sealed engagement with each other and with the sleeve and aligns the central bore coaxially with the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: The concentricity and coaxiality of a central bore through a piston for a free piston Stirling machine is improved with a piston that has a sleeve with a core constructed from at least two, separate, axially-engaging core components sealed within the sleeve. During fabrication, a central bore is machined through each of the core components. The piston is assembled by heating the sleeve and cooling the core components, inserting the core components into the sleeve and then allowing the sleeve to cool and the core components to warm. This drives the core components into sealed engagement with each other and with the sleeve and aligns the central bore coaxially with the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: A regenerator having a plurality of involute foils disposed in an annular gap between an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube. The involute shape of the foils provides uniform spacing throughout the entire regenerator and substantial surface area for fluid contact.

Abstract: A regenerator having a plurality of involute foils disposed in an annular gap between an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube. The involute shape of the foils provides uniform spacing throughout the entire regenerator and substantial surface area for fluid contact.

Abstract: A method of forming a wound roll, such as a regenerator, including the steps of inserting wires at the lateral edges of an elongated strip as the strip is being wound around a spool. Spacers, such as localized bumps, are formed on the strip to space strip layers apart to form uniform gaps. An offset is added to the angle of rotation between each spacer-forming step to inhibit the nesting of bumps in the cavities of adjacent strip layers.

Abstract: A regenerator having a plurality of involute foils disposed in an annular gap between an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube. The involute shape of the foils provides uniform spacing throughout the entire regenerator and substantial surface area for fluid contact.