Abstract: The invention relates to the measuring of the cetane number of fuels supplied to diesel engines. According to the invention, the combustion chamber of a diesel engine for measuring the cetane number of a fuel is decoked by creating, between two measurement cycles, for 80 to 160 seconds, strong turbulence in the gases inside the combustion chamber. The invention finds its application in research laboratories, test laboratories and the units which manufacture these fuels in crude oil processing plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device in a cylinder head for an internal combustion engine, said cylinder head for each cylinder comprising at least one inlet channel with an inlet valve for controlling the communication between the inlet channel and a combustion chamber, which is at least partially located in the cylinder head, and at least one outlet channel with an outlet valve for controlling the communication between the outlet channel and the combustion chamber, each of the valves being a poppet valve and being moveable between a first position in which the valve disc is in contact with a valve seat in the cylinder head to shut off the communication between the combustion chamber and the channel in question, and a second position in which the valve disc is spaced from the valve seat and opens the communication.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is described in which each combustion chamber (10) in the engine has an associated auxiliary chamber (18), and in which, for low compression ratio operation, the auxiliary chamber (18) is constantly connected to the combustion chamber (10) and, for high compression ratio operation, the auxiliary chamber (18) is connected to the combustion chamber (10) by a one way valve (24, 36, 38, 40) which permits gas flow only in the direction from the combustion chamber (10) towards the auxiliary chamber (18).

Abstract: A conventional internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, the combination of a first means for varying the volume of said combustion chamber, an intake valve operated solely by vacuum forces occurring within said combustion chamber, and a second means for varying the volume of said combustion chamber, said second means for varying the volume of said combination chamber being selectively movable in response to pressure conditions within said combustion chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine which includes a cylinder, a piston mounted for movement internally of the cylinder, a precombustion chamber and a device external of the cylinder for compressing and transferring air to the precombustion chamber. The cylinder is provided as a bore extending through a member mounted on trunnions for rocking or pivoting movement internally of the engine and the pivoting member provides the device for compressing air which is transferred to the precombustion chamber.

Abstract: A controlled pressure combustion chamber for a reciprocating engine. The engine includes a main cylinder and a main reciprocating piston. In the cyliner head is a second cylinder which opens to the first cylinder. A free piston in the second cylinder in shiftable in the second cylinder to absorb energy upon displacement of the main piston in the main cylinder due to compression and combustion. A pneumatic cushion is defined behind the free piston in its second cylinder and pressure in the pneumatic cushion adjusts displacement of the free piston. The free piston includes a projection which abuts an abutment in the second cylinder and motion of the free piston is damped. Valves in the second cylinder maintain the desired pressure in the pneumatic cushion.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder (10), one piston (2) mounted to the crankshaft (2'), and at least one inlet valve and one exhaust valve. At the end of the cylinder (1) corresponding to the top dead center of the piston (2) are arranged on one hand a second cylinder (3) and a second piston (6) which are integral parts of the cylinder (1) and on the other hand a third cylinder (4) and a third piston (7) wherein injection means (8) and ignition means (9) are provided, the cylinder (4) communicating by a conduit (5) with the cylinders (1) and (3). The coupler means (11) provide for the drive of a small crankshaft (13). The control (10) enables via the coupler (11) a rotation angle shift up to 180.degree. between the shaft of the crankshaft (2') of the cylinder (1) and the shaft of the small crankshaft (13 ), the latter having two throws (14) and (14') offset by 180.degree. and actuating the pistons (6) and (7).

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has at least one chamber (2) where there is a moving working member (3), an inlet valve (4) and an outlet valve (5) as well as a compression regulation device (6). In an inlet channel (8) there is arranged a regulating valve (9) upstream of the inlet valve (4), said regulating valve being open only during a portion of the motion cycle of the working member. This regulating valve has a rotatable valve body (11) provided with at least one inlet passage (12), the rotational speed of the body being proportional to that of the engine.

Abstract: A mixture-compressing, spark-ignited internal combustion engine has a combined throttle and compression control. The engine has at least one main piston sliding in a main cylinder and driving a crankshaft, and an auxiliary piston sliding in an auxiliary cylinder, which auxiliary piston is driven at half the frequency of the crankshaft by a drive shaft activated by a drive means coupled to the crankshaft. The compression chamber formed by the auxiliary piston is connected with the compression chamber formed by the main piston, and a control device is provided for modification of the phase piston of the auxiliary piston relative to the main piston so as to achieve a compression chamber volume at compression top dead center of the main piston which is variable as a function of the operating parameters of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A diesel, gasoline or gas internal combustion engine adapted for operation on a two-cycle or four-cycle basis includes apparatus to vary the compression ratio of gases during operation of the engine. Two pistons, connected to separate crankshafts, communicate with each other in a single internal combustion chamber. One piston is reciprocated by a crankshaft in one cylinder portion to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy. The displacement of the one piston defines a fixed compression ratio and the displacement of a second piston by a second crankshaft in the other cylinder portion operates in the combustion chamber to a second fixed compression ratio. The two crankshafts are coupled together through timing means used to change the relative rotational phase relation between the crankshafts whereby a net compression ratio is formed as components of the compression ratios of both pistons.

Abstract: A spring-loaded piston is slidably arranged in an auxiliary chamber opening into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The spring-loading of the piston is preset so that the piston retracts at a certain high pressure attained during the combustion process, thereby increasing the combustion chamber volume. This enables higher compression ratios to be used than is otherwise possible.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine construction to improve thermodynamic efficiency by providing, in addition to the standard cylinders and pistons, a supplemental cylinder connected to each combustion chamber of each cylinder and, a piston in each supplemental cylinder associated to move in conjunction with the standard pistons, the relationship of the association being such that the volume of the combustion chamber can be enlarged or ensmalled either by a manual control or an automatic control regulable in response to engine conditions and to modify the volume time relationship.