Compression Volume Means Axially Disposed Relative To Expansion Volume Means Patents (Class 123/234)
  • Patent number: 10837443
    Abstract: A liquid ring fluid flow machine is presented. The machine includes a stationary annular housing having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a chamber that is arranged to receive a liquid. A rotor having a core and a plurality of radially extending vanes is eccentrically rotatably mounted within the chamber for directing the liquid into a recirculating liquid ring in proximity to the inner surface of the housing within the chamber. The inner surface of the housing that is in contact with the recirculating liquid ring is covered by a hydrophobic coating. The machine further includes a first supply pipe and a second supply pipe, each in fluid communication with the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Tecnologic - SRL
    Inventors: Sean Craig Jenkins, Vittorio Michelassi
  • Patent number: 10801442
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, and an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section and a gear assembly within or downstream of the turbine section. The turbine section includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component along the longitudinal direction. The first rotating component includes one or more connecting airfoils coupled to a radially extended rotor, and the second rotating component includes an inner shroud defining a plurality of inner shroud airfoils extended outward of the inner shroud along the radial direction. The second rotating component is coupled to a second shaft connected to an input accessory of the gear assembly, and the first rotating component is coupled to an output accessory of the gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Patent number: 9435318
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns liquid ring systems, including (i) a fixed or rotating casing adapted to contain a liquid, (ii) a rotor located within the casing and having at least one impeller, (iii) a liquid ring formed by rotation of the rotor or the casing, and (iv) a plurality of gas cells formed between the inner surface of the liquid ring and vanes of the impeller. For example, at least one compressing gas cell is in fluid connection with at least one expanding gas cell integrated with the rotor. A liquid valve may include a small gas cell with a reciprocating liquid surface and at least two fluid connections having a free pathway between the connections during an angle of rotation of the rotor and a closed pathway between the connections during 360° minus the angle of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Inventor: Sten Kreuger
  • Patent number: 9175685
    Abstract: A liquid ring pump having a channel including a first opening which opens into a first bucket formed by rotor blades. The first opening is located along an arcuate path between a closing edge of an inlet port and a leading edge of a discharge port The inlet port and discharge port are in a port plate of the liquid ring pump. The channel has a second opening which opens into a second bucket formed by rotor blades The second opening is on an arcuate path between a closing edge of the discharge port and a leading edge of the inlet port. A fluid pathway interconnects the first and second openings. At least a portion of the liquid ring pump forming the channel is disposed in a circumferential cylindrical cavity, wherein the cavity is formed from a plurality of axially extending rotor blade ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: GARDNER DENVER NASH, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Eric Bissell
  • Patent number: 8683975
    Abstract: A positive displacement rotary system may include a main rotor and a slotted rotor. The main rotor can include an interior cavity and a fixed vane (or blade) that is attached to the peripheral and side walls of that cavity. The slotted rotor is positioned within the main rotor interior and includes a slot for the main rotor blade. The main and slotted rotors rotate about parallel axes that are offset from one another. As the rotors turn, separate chambers are formed between the blade and an inter-rotor seal, with the inter-rotor seal located at or near a rolling contact between the outer surface of the slotted rotor and an inner perimeter wall of the main rotor cavity. The separate chambers contract and expand as the rotors rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventor: Joseph F. Tinney
  • Patent number: 8225767
    Abstract: A positive displacement rotary system may include a main rotor and a slotted rotor. The main rotor can include an interior cavity and a fixed vane (or blade) that is attached to the peripheral and side walls of that cavity. The slotted rotor is positioned within the main rotor interior and includes a slot for the main rotor blade. The main and slotted rotors rotate about parallel axes that are offset from one another. As the rotors turn, separate chambers are formed between the blade and an inter-rotor seal, with the inter-rotor seal located at or near a rolling contact between the outer surface of the slotted rotor and an inner perimeter wall of the main rotor cavity. The separate chambers contract and expand as the rotors rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Joseph F. Tinney
  • Patent number: 7793516
    Abstract: The problems of prior compressor structures relying upon conventional check valves are obviated by using, instead, flow control passages which operate to control flow while avoiding mechanical moving elements which may become problematical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Timothy Samuel Farrow, Albert Vincent Makley
  • Publication number: 20100192904
    Abstract: The invention is an internal combustion engine converting the fuel/air mixture (17) to energy, comprising at least one engine having at least one engine cover (2), at least one external piston (5) having geared rotary ducts and providing the combustion and compression volumes inside said engine body (1), having fuel/air mixture (17) and exhaust gas (18) discharge openings (4.1), one internal piston (7) which rotates inside said internal piston space (6) and compresses the fuel/air mixture (17) sucked in through the suction opening (6.1) behind it and pumps this into the external piston inner space (4) and an external piston (5) rotating in the opposite direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventor: Yilmaz Yasar Tuncer
  • Patent number: 7762228
    Abstract: The rotary-piston machine consists of two operating units. The first one comprises a horizontal operating cylinder (1) with cylindrical shaft (5), connected to the main shaft (4) and sealed with rings to the walls of the cylinder (1). The shaft (5) has a first friction element (9) pressed against the internal wall of the cylinder (1). The second unit comprises a cylindrical body (15) mounted to the main shaft (4) with a firmly connected to its circumference inner ring (16) of a bearing with an outer ring (17) provided of an articulated joint (18) connected to a frame (19) that is connected to a valve (13) which press a second friction element (14) to the shaft (5). Both units move in synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Inventor: Lyubcho Kirilov Georgiev
  • Publication number: 20100024765
    Abstract: The invention relates to a central-axis rotary piston internal combustion engine, having a round cylindrical rotor housing (1) which is closed off by a drive-output-side and a drive-output-opposite housing cover (3, 2), having an outer rotor (13) which rotates in the rotor housing (1) about its central axis with uniform speed and supports a drive-output-side and a drive-output-opposite rotor side disk (12, 15), and having an inner rotor (31) which rotates in the interior of the outer rotor (13) about the central axis with uniform speed, wherein the outer rotor (13) has a plurality of inwardly pointing pistons (13a-c) which are rigidly connected to one another, and the inner rotor (31) has a corresponding number of radially outwardly pointing mating pistons (31a-c) which are rigidly connected to one another and which engage between in each case two pistons of the outer rotor (13) so as to delimit in each case two working chambers (AK), and wherein each working chamber (AK) is assigned a combustion chamber and
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Dietrich Eckhardt, Huschmand Sabet
  • Patent number: 7421998
    Abstract: An engine is shown and disclosed having individual components that can be optimized depending upon the situation, application or desired performance of the engine. The individual components perform the intake, compression, combustion, expansion and exhaust elements of the cycle. These individual components can all be optimized for the particular application in which this engine is designed. The components can be easily individually controlled either mechanically or electrically and easily removed for repair or replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventor: Adam F. Aldrin
  • Publication number: 20080210194
    Abstract: The casing (1) of a positive displacement machine has a cylindrical internal surface (3) delimiting an operating chamber which accommodates an orbiting piston (4) having a cylindrical external surface. At least one of the said surfaces, e.g. the internal surface (3), is at least partly constituted by a peripheral wall (2) having a front surface facing the operating chamber and a rear surface. The peripheral wall (2) having through-slots (22) which extend parallel to one another and accommodate respective compliant strips (24) extending from the front surface to the rear surface. The strips (22) are retained in the slots (22), against pressure in the operating chamber, by a retaining device such as a clamping member (28). An assembly of three positive displacement machines and engines comprising first and second positive displacement machines are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Ronald William Driver
  • Publication number: 20080141973
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes in one aspect a source of a pressurized working medium and an expander. The expander has a housing and a piston, movably mounted within and with respect to the housing, to perform one of rotation and reciprocation, each complete rotation or reciprocation defining at least a part of a cycle of the engine. The expander also includes a septum, mounted within the housing and movable with respect to the housing and the piston so as to define in conjunction therewith, over first and second angular ranges of the cycle, a working chamber that is isolated from an intake port and an exhaust port. Combustion occurs at least over the first angular range of the cycle to provide heat to the working medium and so as to increase its pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: LIQUIDPISTON, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander C. SHKOLNIK, Nikolay SHKOLNIK
  • Patent number: 7156068
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to dispense with the disadvantages of previous engines either fully or partially. This is achieved by two cylindrical parts which rotate into each other, respectively possessing a wing and which can rotate about an axis of different speeds. Similar to a four-stroke engine, the following occurs: induction of an air-fuel mixture, compression until self-ignition, creation of a working stroke and discharge of combustion gases. The variable inlet and outlet opening times are controlled according to a control bushing and a special stepper motor. The rotating wings are controlled by freewheeling and by unilaterally acting hydrodynamic brakes or secured against reversed rotation. In relation to the cylinder core, two functional variable work chambers arise for each disk discharge elements, which were not possible with the previously rigid engine structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Galip Yüksel
  • Patent number: 6886527
    Abstract: A rotary vane motor uses a gear train arrangement for controlling the position of the vanes as well as the compression ratio of the motor. The motor includes a first pair of vanes namely a leading and trailing vane defining a working chamber therebetween and an opposed second pair of vanes namely a leading and trailing vane defining therebetween a second working chamber. Preferably the motor uses a pair of second order elliptical gears for controlling movement of the vanes to define an intake stage, a compression stage, an expansion stage, and an exhaust stage. In a preferred structure of the motor both the intake port and the exhaust port are movable to change or alter the intake stage and the exhaust stage respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Rare Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Aron Regev
  • Patent number: 6457451
    Abstract: A rotary piston engine (20) is shown that includes a housing (22) having a toroidal working chamber with inlet (56) and exhaust (54) ports. First and second piston assemblies (30 and 32), each of which includes at least one pair of diametrically opposed pistons (30A and 30B, and 32A and 32B), are located in the working chamber. Piston assemblies (30 and 32) are connected to the engine output shaft through a differential (78) and two pairs of the Sakita gear sets (74 and 76), each of which gear sets includes a Sakita type 1 gear (74A and 76A) and a Sakita type 2 gear (74B and 76B). The piston assemblies rotate at variable speed, whereby pistons of the slower speed are trailing pistons during portions of the power and intake phases of engine operation. In one embodiment, one of the Sakita gears includes teeth in the form of rollers. Also, spark plugs embedded within piston assemblies (30 and 32) are accessible from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventor: Masami Sakita
  • Patent number: 6352063
    Abstract: A rotary piston machine adapts the Stirling principle and can operate as an engine or a heat pump. Two variable volume units (1,4) have n-lobed chambers (3,6) rotatable about a common axis at a first speed. Each chamber contains an (n+1) sided piston (2,5), these being rotatable about a different common axis at a different second speed, and co-operating with the lobes to form expanding and reducing sub-chambers. The first to second speed ratio is (n+1):n.n ducts (10,11) incorporating regenerators provide intercommunication between the chambers (3,6) and are open and closed by the relative piston rotation to exchange fluid or vapour between units. Heating may be provided for one unit, the expansion unit (1), and cooling for the other, the compression unit (4), and the ducts can also incorporate heating and cooling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Ceres IPR Limited
    Inventor: Ian Weslake-Hill
  • Patent number: 6273055
    Abstract: A combustion engine comprised of (i) at least one compression stage, (ii) at least one combustion unit, and (iii) at least one expansion stage is described. The compression and expansion stages include tongue and groove cylindrical rotors in sealing relation to one another for fluid volume displacement and transfer of rotational force from expansion of compressed fluid volumes following combustion. Related methods of providing a rotational force to a drive shaft are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Inventor: Robert A. White
  • Patent number: 5819699
    Abstract: An improved rotary combustion engine is provided with a cylindrical intake and compression housing and a cylindrical combustion and exhaust housing. Each of the housings contain variable volume spaces defined by the inner surface of elliptically shaped openings in the housings, the outer surface of a rotor within the opening, fusiform shaped pistons and end walls perpendicular to the common axis of the cylinder and the rotor. The stages are coaxial and separated by a disk valve. The rotors within each housing are attached to the engine shaft. The pistons are supported in bearings mounted in end plates which are attached to the rotors. The attitude of the pistons is controlled during engine rotation by cams at each end of the engine. A mixture of fuel and air is drawn through one of two ports into variable volume spaces in the intake and compression housing by the relative motion of rotor and pistons. Further rotation seals the spaces and compresses the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventor: William A. Burns
  • Patent number: 5419288
    Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing containing a rotatable cylinder having a circular wall containing at least two rows of radially extending circular passageways forming compression and power engine cylinders, respectively, displaced from each other along the axis of rotation. Each of the engine cylinders contains a freely reciprocal and rotatable spherical piston. A stationary cam is mounted within the housing surrounding each of the rows of engine cylinders, each cam consisting of a pair of edges circular in diameter whose axis coincides with the axis of rotation of the rotatable cylinder. Each pair of edges is in contact with all of the spherical pistons within its respective row, the spacing of the edges varying over 360 degrees of rotation so that the spherical pistons move at a uniform velocity within each cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Inventor: Thomas W. Dale
  • Patent number: 5257599
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which various engine functions are carried out simultaneously rather than sequentially with the result that engine operation is smoother, less subject to vibrational forces, and has greater efficiency due to the elimination of the need to overlap functions. The engine comprises a rotatable cylinder made up of fuel charge, combustion, and working segments rotating in unison. The fuel charge and working segments each contain a plurality of radially arranged cylinders open at both ends and a spherical piston in and freely movable within each of the cylinders. A stationary cam surrounds the cylinder having cam surfaces to contact the spherical pistons within each of the cylinders causing each piston in its respective cylinder to reciprocate as the cylinder rotates. A stationary core is located within and enclosed by the rotatable cylinder for supplying and carrying away working fluid into and from the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Inventor: Thomas W. Dale
  • Patent number: 5251593
    Abstract: A liquid ring machine comprises an outer drum having a cylindrical outer wall 1 surrounding a central axis 2, a vaned rotor 3 rotatable within the drum about an axis 4 which is parallel to, but offset from, the central axis 2 of the drum, and a liquid disposed within the drum such that, when the rotor 3 rotates at a sufficient speed, the liquid forms a rotating ring 5 adjacent the outer wall 1 of the drum. The ends of the vanes 6 on the rotor are maintained in contact with the liquid during such rotation so that a series of chambers 8 is formed between the vanes 6 of the rotor 3. The chambers 8 are bounded at the outer periphery by the liquid ring 5 and vary in volume in dependence on the angular orientation of the rotor 3 in view of the offset between the axis 4 of rotation of the rotor and the central axis 2 of the drum. An inlet 23 and an outlet 25 are provided by means of which a working fluid is introduced into, and discharged from, each of the chambers 8 at appropriate angular positions of the rotor 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Inventor: John R. Pedersen
  • Patent number: 5133317
    Abstract: A rotary piston engine is shown which includes a housing (22) having a cylindrical working chamber with inlet (88) and exhaust (86) ports. First and second piston assemblies (30 and 32) each of which includes at least one pair of diametrically wedge-shaped pistons (30A and 30B, and 32A and 32B) are located in the working chamber. The piston assemblies rotate in the same direction at recurrently variable speeds so that one pair of diametrically opposite sub-chambers decreases in volume while the other pair increases in volume. In FIG. 1, four eccentric elliptical gear sets (60, 62, 64 and 66) interconnect coaxial piston shafts (38 and 36B). Compound eccentric elliptical gear sets (106 and 108) for interconnection of the piston shafts are shown in FIG. 7. Gear trains of large effective eccentricity are employed such that during the power phase of engine operation the trailing piston rotates only a small amount for efficient engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Inventor: Masami Sakita
  • Patent number: 5101782
    Abstract: A rotary piston engine comprising two segregated body chambers of compression and expansion, and one separable combustion chamber, carrying out air suction and compression, combustion resultant expansion and exhaust, and fuel injection and constant-volume combustion process without any valve respectively: the compression and the expansion chamber both are arranged parallel adjacent to each other, both are formed by two partially overlapped body-bores provided respectively with cylindrical hubs at respective centers thereof, both have a pair of screwed rotors rotatably mounted on said respective hubs, and both communicate to each other by the combustion chamber and gas passageway means; it is characteristic in configuration that the closed space made by rotor projecting portions are progressively changed in geometry as rotors rotate, and that exhaust gases make no explosion noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Inventor: Ki W. Yang
  • Patent number: 5094205
    Abstract: A scroll-type engine includes an orbiting member situated inside the interior volume of the engine to define a compression chamber and an expansion chamber. The orbiting member includes an aperture for transferring an air and fuel mixture from the compression chamber to the expansion chamber. A spiral wrap found on a first stator of the engine provides a valve for controlling flow through the aperture in response to movement of the orbiting member relative to the first stator. A drive post is coupled to the first stator for rotation about its longitudinal axis. A drive pin formed on the orbiting member engages the drive post to rotate the drive post about its longitudinal axis in response to movement of the orbiting member relative to the first stator. The engine also includes a mechanism for converting rotational movement of the drive post to rotational movement of a crank shaft of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Inventor: James C. Billheimer
  • Patent number: 5083540
    Abstract: This invention relates to improvements on rotary engines having annular cylinders, each having at least two pistons drivable in rotation therein, the pistons being fixed respectively to concentric shafts that are thereby independently rotated around their concentric axis. Each of the concentric shafts extends through all the cylinders, which are formed by rotatable discs within an annular master cylinder. The concentric shafts are supported for rotation by bearings mounted within the end housings of the annular master cylinder with each of the concentric shafts having an end extending through one of the end housings for connecting to means for independently coupling the two concentric shafts to a common eccentric shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Inventor: Thomas A. Smith
  • Patent number: 4901694
    Abstract: A rotary engine includes separate compressor and combustion sections which are interconnected. Each section includes a cylinder formed with a cylindrical working chamber containing a pair of pistons rotatable about the cylinder axis. The pistons are attached by cylindrical hubs to coaxial shafts extending from an end of the cylinders, which shafts are interconnected by generally elliptical gear means to provide for rotation of the pistons at periodically variable speeds such that sub-chambers of periodically variable volume are provided. The outer free edges of the pistons and attached hubs are recessed, and seal means are located in the recesses to prevent gas leakage between opposite sub-chambers. The combustion section cylinder is provided with intake and exhaust ports in the cylinder wall and, for spark ignition, with a spark plug. For compression ignition, fuel injector means are provided in place of the spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Inventor: Masami Sakita
  • Patent number: 4886024
    Abstract: A rotary piston engine energizable by internal combustion having an engine assembly whereby expansion of gas for driving the engine occurs on the outer circumference of at least one rotary disc element in the engine assembly and generated power is taken and exerted at a place that is relatively distant from the axis of a main drive shaft incorporated in the engine assembly so as to allow maximum torque generation in and by the apparatus even when operating at relatively low rates of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Inventor: Harold M. Meredith
  • Patent number: 4699101
    Abstract: This machine can serve as a compressor or motor and, more specifically combines a compressor and a motor to constitute an internal combustion engine with compressed air injection. A toothed rotor is rotatable in a fluid displacement chamber and in sealing contact with a sealing rotor having peripheral cavities for receiving the teeth of the toothed rotor. Both rotors are axially curved, so as to better resist differential axial thrust exerted on the same and, therefore, maintaining better sealing contact. The teeth of the toothed rotor are generally of a hemispherical shape to facilitate the provision of effective sealing segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Inventor: Georges Dettwiler
  • Patent number: 4566411
    Abstract: The improved split cycle engine comprises a compression unit 1 mechanically connected to an expansion unit 3 via shaft 2 and to a load via a coupling or centrifugal clutch 5, and a second compression unit 7 which is mechanically connected by shaft 9 to a second expansion unit 8. Compression unit 1 is fed by compression unit 7 and its output is fed to expansion unit 3 via a variable cut-off valve. Fuel is burnt in the air supplied by compression unit 1. The exhaust of expansion unit 3 feeds expansion unit 8. At high cut-off ratios shaft 9 rotates many times faster than shaft 2 and its relative speed is reduced as the cut-off ratio is decreased. At high cut-off ratios the torque output is substantially higher than that of a conventional internal combustion engine so that a complicated transmission is not necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Inventor: Frederick A. Summerlin
  • Patent number: 4553513
    Abstract: A thermodynamic rotary engine (2) comprising a positive displacement compressor (4), a combustion chamber (6) in which air from the compressor and fuel are burnt, and a rotatable cyclicly operating gas expander (10) for receiving combustion gas from the combustion chamber, the gas expander comprising a rotor (12) which is constructed for rotation within a cylinder (16), the cylinder being rotatable with the rotor in the same direction as the rotor, the cylinder and the rotor defining between them a variable volume expansion chamber (10) as they rotate during operation of the engine, the cylinder having a fixed inwardly projecting vane (22) which slidably engages in sealing means (24) in the rotor and so divides the variable volume expansion chamber into two portions, the sealing means being rotatable in the rotor so that the vane can remain engaged between the rotor and the cylinder in spite of differential rotational speeds between the rotor and the cylinder during each cycle of operation of the gas expander
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Inventors: Perry E. Miles, Mary A. P. Miles
  • Patent number: 4249492
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided which includes a compression bank and an expansion bank each of which include a toroidal cylinder and at least a pair of cooperating pistons within each cylinder. The pistons define expanding and contracting chambers within the cylinders. The chambers defined by the revolving pistons in the compression bank serve to force a compressed mixture of fuel and air, or other oxidizing agent, into a combustion chamber where the fuel is ignited and acts against the expansion bank pistons forcing them in opposite directions. At least one piston in the expansion bank and the compression bank revolves within its respective cylinder in a predetermined and unitary direction. A single bank or plurality of compression banks of pistons can be used as a compressor. Moreover, a single or plurality of expansion banks of pistons can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Inventor: Gilbert H. Norris