Abstract: A fuel pump and method for draining such and for providing a lubrication fluid sump level for startup of the fuel pump are disclosed. The fuel pump may comprise a housing, a first plunger apparatus, and a camshaft rotatably mounted in the housing. The camshaft has a first end and a second end and may define a bore extending from the first end to the second end. The camshaft may include a first interface operatively connected to the first plunger apparatus.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has cylinder wall cavities located near the top dead center stroke end to allow optimizing the compression ratio in first stage compression, as function of fuel octane number used. The volume of the cylinder wall cavities is designed to be adjustable, even when the engine is operating. Using a conventional piston motion, the second stage compression becomes accelerated as soon the upper piston ring seals-off the cylinder wall cavities. This is due to the sudden significant reduction in volume. During the power stroke, after the upper piston ring opens the cylinder wall cavities; their fuel content is ignited by second stage combustion products. Because the torque required during accelerated compression is no greater than during first stage compression, stresses in the crankshaft are no more than in conventional spark ignition engines. This allows small displacement engines to be of light weight and to be hand cranked.

Abstract: An eight-stroke engine cycle may include a first stroke forming an intake stroke and including opening an intake valve and providing a first fuel mass to the combustion chamber. The second stroke may form a first compression stroke and the third stroke may form a first expansion stroke including a first power stroke. The fourth and sixth strokes may form a second and third compression strokes and the fifth and seventh strokes may form a second and third expansion strokes. A second fuel mass may be provided to the combustion chamber during the fourth or sixth stroke. The intake valve may be in a closed position during the second and third expansion strokes and an exhaust valve in communication with the combustion chamber may be in a closed position during the second and third compression strokes. The eighth stroke may form an exhaust stroke including opening the exhaust valve.

Abstract: A method of operating an engine is provided. The engine may have a housing with one or more combustion chambers, including a first combustion chamber. The engine may also have a piston in fluid communication with the first combustion chamber. The method may include combusting fuel in the first combustion chamber, thereby producing combustion gas that expands and drives the piston during a first combustion-gas-expansion stroke of the piston. The method may also include compressing at least part of the combustion gas in the first combustion chamber during a compression stroke of the piston. Additionally, the method may include, between commencement of the first combustion-gas-expansion stroke and completion of the compression stroke, releasing part of the combustion gas from the first combustion chamber.

Abstract: In a gas fuel engine, a first air-fuel mixture having a local excess air factor ? not less than 2 is combusted (a first combustion). When a target torque is not sufficiently obtained by the first combustion, a fuel is directly injected into a combustion chamber to form a second air-fuel mixture having a local excess air factor ? less than 1.1, so that a second combustion is performed. The combustion of the air-fuel mixture is switched from the first combustion to the second combustion in one combustion stroke.

Abstract: A direct injection type internal combustion engine has an intake and exhaust mechanism for intaking and exhausting air for a predetermined period of time between a second half of a second expansion stroke and a first half of a first compression stroke following the second expansion stroke so that the first compression stroke, a first expansion stroke, a second compression stroke, and the second expansion stroke can be repeated sequentially along with rotation of a crank shaft; and a control device for controlling fuel injection. The control device injects first fuel during the first compression stroke and injects second fuel during the first expansion stroke or the second compression stroke. Therefore, the first fuel executes the first combustion process, and the second fuel is then injected into burnt gases generated in the first combustion process to enable a second combustion process following the first combustion process.

Abstract: The invention is a combustion method for operation of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine in a cycle including intake, compression, expansion and exhaust strokes. A first amount of fuel is introduced into each of the cylinders with introduction initiated earlier than 45.degree. before top dead center of a combustion stroke. An amount of air significantly in excess of that providing a stoichiometric amount of oxygen, typically 2-3 times stoichiometry, is also introduced into each of the cylinders to produce a first mixture upon introduction of the fuel, which mixture is ignited to produce a first combustion event. Subsequent to substantial completion of the first combustion event but prior to top dead center in the same compression stroke (or shortly after top dead center in the expansion stroke), a second amount of fuel is introduced into each of the cylinders without introduction of additional air.

Abstract: An expandable chamber piston type internal combustion engine operating in an open thermodynamic cycle includes a combustion process having a constant volume (isochoric) phase followed by a constant temperature (isothermal) phase.

Abstract: Two pistons in adjacently situated cylinders in a twin-piston two-stroke engine share a common combustion chamber. To ensure low exhaust gas emissions with low consumption, a lean mixture is burnt whereof the complete combustion is made possible by designing the combustion chamber so that circulation of the ignited mixture takes place and the mixture burns through rapidly. The twin-piston two-stroke engine may also be devised to run with a stratified charge, the centrally arranged partition in the twin cylinder providing excellent separation between the lean and rich mixture portions.

Abstract: In a cylinder head for internal combustion engines, the engine having a longitudinal axis and intake and exhaust ports, the head including at least one concave portion defining a curved wall of a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber being provided with at least two spark plugs, the improvement comprising, providing in the cylinder head, a fluid channel means which extends into a cone-like projection for cooling the central part of the combustion chamber. The cone-like projection is located between the spark plugs and extends into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a power cylinder, a power piston reciprocating therein and an auxiliary piston reciprocating within an auxiliary cylinder. Passages connect the upper end of the auxiliary cylinder to a combustion chamber and a source of air. Rotating valves or conventional reciprocating valves control the intake of an air/fuel mixture into the supercharging cylinder, transfer the mixture to the main or power cylinder and exhaust combusted gases from the main cylinder. An expansion chamber is placed in communication with the power cylinder at the beginning of the power stroke to permit an overcharge of air/fuel mixture to be transferred to the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A fuel injected heat engine of the reciprocating type wherein a piston moves reciprocally within a cylinder to compress gases for the support of combustion and to be moved by burning gases to turn a crank with torque, there being a low compression storage chamber of substantial volume normally open into the cylinder and closed by upward movement of the piston to withhold gases at combustion supporting temperature, there being a high compression auto ignition chamber of limited volume comprising the upper portion of the cylinder and isolated from said low compression chamber by said piston closure thereof for continued compression of combustion supporting gases by said piston movement to auto ignition temperature, and there being constant volume fuel injection means for injecting fuel at high pressure into the auto ignition chamber and at a progressively diminishing rate as the first mentioned storage chamber is re-opened and as the cylinder pressure decreases during the effective power stroke.

Abstract: An arrangement for an internal combustion engine is provided in which one or more of the cylinders of the engine are used for generating hydrogen rich gases from hydrocarbon fuels, which gases are then mixed with air and injected into the remaining cylinders to be used as fuel. When heavy load conditions are encountered, hydrocarbon fuel may be mixed with the hydrogen rich gases and air and the mixture is then injected into the remaining cylinders as fuel.

Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an engine frame having a rotor rotatably mounted therein which has a plurality of radially spaced cylinders mounted thereon. The free floating piston is slidably mounted in each of the cylinders with the head of the piston being positioned towards the center of the rotor with a roller mounted in the skirt end thereof which rides against a circular cam. A drive shaft is secured to the rotor and it rotatably extends outwardly from one side of the engine frame. A core means extends into the engine frame opposite of the drive shaft and has air and fuel passageways formed therein which are in communication with a source of air and fuel respectively. The inner end of the core means communicates with a rotary valve which is in communication with air and fuel passageways formed in the rotor which are in communication with the cylinders. Each of the cylinders is provided with a plurality of radially spaced openings formed therein.

Abstract: A reciprocating piston engine of the type including a piston reciprocal in a cylinder toward and away from an expansion chamber at one end of the cylinder and also provided with intake and exhaust valves openable and closable in timed sequence with reciprocation of the piston. The valves are closed during the compression and power strokes of the piston and the exhaust valve is opened during the third stroke of the piston toward the expansion chamber. During the fourth stroke of the piston, a readily vaporizable liquid is injected into the expansion chamber under pressure for flashing into a vapor upon being heated by the residue heat of combustion in the expansion chamber and during the fifth and sixth strokes of the piston the exhaust and intake valves, respectively, are open to exhaust the vaporized liquid therefrom and intake a fresh combustible mixture of air and fuel into the expansion chamber and cylinder prior to compression of the mixture on the next stroke of the piston toward the expansion chamber.