Abstract: A drive mechanism for use in the transmission of power from a plurality of linear reciprocating power generating elements to a rotating output element. The drive mechanism includes a drive cam member having a cam follower guiding contour extending along the cam member; a drive cam follower operatively connected to each power generating element. Each follower is adapted to engage the cam follower guiding contour throughout each reciprocation cycle of the power generating elements, the drive cam follower guiding contour following a generally sinusoidal profile on the surface of the drive cam member, the profile including a series of lobes forming peaks and troughs with intermediate regions therebetween, the peak to peak amplitude of the substantially sinusoidal profile of the cam follower guiding contour on the surface of the drive cam substantially corresponding to the stroke amplitude of the stroke of the reciprocating power generating elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting between reciprocal piston motion and rotary shaft motion. A unique H-shaped piston rod configuration and corresponding cylinder assembly for improving the efficiency of internal and external combustion engines. A Stirling engine having improved efficiency due to the use of heat exchangers that are integral with the cylinder assemblies. A Stirling engine employing a novel apparatus for rapidly varying power output.

Abstract: A folded linkage for coupling a crankshaft and a piston undergoing reciprocating linear motion along a longitudinal axis. The folded linkage has a guide link with a first end coupled to the piston. A connecting rod couples the distal end of the guide link to the crankshaft which rotates about an axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of piston motion and located between the proximal end and the distal end of the guide link. A guide link guide assembly supports lateral loads on the guide link at its distal end. The folded linkage may be applied to couple the compression piston and displacer piston of a Stirling cycle machine to a common crankshaft.

Abstract: A Stirling cycle engine having two chambers (formed by 12-14, or 12, 15 and 16) containing a working fluid and rotatable rotor disks (10, 11) coupled to a common output power shaft (3). Each chamber has a hot zone and a cold zone, and a passage (23) leads from the hot zone in one chamber to the cold zone in the other chamber and a passage (24) leads from the hot zone in the other chamber to the cold zone in the one chamber. Each rotor disk (10, 11) has a displacer section (5) for displacing the working fluid and a turbine section (6) having turbine blades (7) arranged along its periphery. The disks (10, 11) rotate out of phase with each other and working fluid from the respective passages (23, 24) is directed to the blades (7) to rotate the disks (10, 11) when engine is in operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to fluid displacement apparatuses and methods. The inventive apparatus comprises: a housing having an interior space; a crankpin positionable in the interior space; and a plurality of articulated displacement members positionable in the interior space such that the articulated displacement members extend from the crankpin and define in the interior space a plurality of displacement zones. The inventive apparatus can be embodied as a pump, a compressor, a fluid flow meter, a stirling-type engine, a relay system, an actuator, and many other devices.

Abstract: A hot and cold engine operating based on a regenerative gas cyclical process, with at least two pistons (2, 3), which separate at least three processing chambers (4, 6, 7) with an in-line arrangement of respectively at least one heat exchanger (13, 15) and at least one regenerator (11, 12) arranged in series with the heat exchanger. In order to eliminate the danger of freezing for the cold heat exchanger (15) and thus the air heat exchanger (16), at least one of the regenerators (12) assigned to the cold processing chamber (6) has a bypass (17) with a control valve (17a).

Abstract: A thermal hydraulic engine including a frame. A working fluid changes volume with changes in temperature. A working fluid container houses the working fluid. A cylinder secured to the frame includes an interior space. The cylinder also includes a passage for introducing the working fluid into the interior space. A piston is housed within the interior space of the cylinder. The working fluid container, the interior space of the cylinder, the piston, and the working fluid container define a closed space filled by the working fluid. The engine also includes means for transmitting heat to and removing heat from the working fluid, thereby alternately causing the working fluid to expand and contract without undergoing a phase change. The piston moves in response to the expansion and contraction of the working fluid.

Abstract: A heater assembly for a heat engine designed to utilize solar energy and heat produced by combustion of a fuel such as natural gas. A receiver housing allows concentrated solar energy to be directed through a receiver aperture into a receiver chamber. Inner and outer arrays of heater tubes within the receiver chamber absorb the solar energy and transfer heat to working fluid in the heater tubes. A burner within the housing produces combustion gases which circulate past the heater tubes and transfer heat to the working fluid. The heater tubes form an opaque surface to solar energy and have uniform gaps which allow heated fluid to be passed between adjacent heater tubes. A precise three-dimensional mathematical description for the centerlines of the heater tubes which maintains uniform gaps between adjacent heater tubes is disclosed.

Abstract: A free-piston variable stroke linear-alternator AC power generator for a combustion engine. An alternator mechanism and oscillator system generates AC current. The oscillation system includes two oscillation devices each having a combustion cylinder and a flying turnbuckle. The flying turnbuckle moves in accordance with the oscillation device. The alternator system is a linear alternator coupled between the two oscillation devices by a slotted connecting rod.

Abstract: A pressure relief system for a multi-cylinder heat engine, such as a multi-cylinder Stirling engine, having at least two essentially discrete working gas volumes which experience out of phase cyclical variations in pressure during operation of the engine, to reduce the likelihood of damage to the components of the engine in the event of severe pressure imbalance conditions developing within the engine. A spool positioned within a cavity in a housing has a closed position and an open position. In the event of a severe pressure imbalance condition, the spool is moved to the open position, the working gas volumes are allowed to communicate and the engine is unloaded.

Abstract: The weight of crank mechanism portion is reduced and driving force efficiency is improved by reducing in the friction loss in the driving force on the side of a compression piston. A gas compressor expander includes a first expansion cylinder and a first displacer arranged in a T shape, a first connecting lever, a first compression cylinder, a first compression piston, a second expansion cylinder and a second displacer also arranged in a T shape, a second connecting lever, a second compression cylinder, a second compression piston. A first expansion chamber, a first compression chamber, and a third compression chamber are communicated through a first communicating tube, while a second expansion chamber, a second compression chamber, and a fourth compression chamber are communicated through a second communicating tube.

Abstract: In an energy generating system, which is preferably suitable for satellites and space stations, a total of four Stirling engines are assembled together into a cross-shaped unit, at the center of which is arranged a cross-gear drive that is acted upon by the pistons of the Stirling engines. The heaters of the Stirling engines are impinged upon by solar energy. The incident sun's rays either are guided by a radiation trap that is arranged in the center of a collector onto an umbrella-shaped tubular heating heat exchanger, or are absorbed by disk collectors that are arranged inside a fusion heat reservoir.

Abstract: A stirling engine having multiple mutually parallel distant cylinders which operates in a double acting cycle configuration. The engine includes a drive case having a rotatable drive shaft which is mounted to a cylinder block. The cylinder block includes mutually parallel cylinder bores and mutually parallel cooler bores. A generally flat retainer plate is mounted to a flat mounting surface of the cylinder bore to affix cylinder extensions and regenerator housings to the block mounting surface in alignment with the cylinder bores and regenerator bores.

Abstract: A Stirling engine having a modular construction including a drive case and a cylinder block with generally flat mounting surfaces that face each other. The cylinder block includes cylinder bores and cooler bores that are perpendicular to the cylinder block mounting surface. Piston rods extend through the plane defined by the cylinder block mounting surface and couple piston assemblies positioned within the cylinder bores to a drive shaft. Piston rod seals contain a working gas present within the cylinder block from leaking into the drive case. The same basic engine components may be used with either sliding contact rod seals or bellows or other types of hermetic sealing elements.

Abstract: In an energy generating system, which is preferably suitable for satellites and space stations, a total of four Stirling engines are combined together into a cross-shaped unit, in the center of which is arranged a cross-gear drive that is acted upon by the pistons of the Stirling engines. Therein, two planet gears revolve around in internally toothed annular gears. The common shaft of the annular gears is connected with the piston rods of the Stirling engines by an inner crankshaft, which simultaneously carries the planet gears, and by an outer crankshaft articulately connected with the inner crankshaft. Both crankshafts comprise counterweights as balancing masses, whereby a complete mass balancing of the cross-gear drive and therewith a vibration-free operation of the entire arrangement is achieved.

Abstract: A Stirling engine having multiple mutually parallel cylinders which operate in a double acting cycle configuration. The engine includes a drivecase having a rotatable driveshaft coupled to the pistons which is mounted within the cylinder block. The cylinder block includes cylinder bores and mutually parallel cooler bores. A generally flat retainer plate is fastened to a mounting surface of the cylinder block to affix cylinder extensions and regenerator housings to the block mounting surface in alignment with the cylinder bores and cooler bores.

Abstract: In an engine having free floating reciprocating pistons each with a cam follower which bears on a tri-lobed cam, each cam follower is supported by a guide bearing running in a track which serves to transmit to the track lateral reactive force components generated between the cam and the cam follower.

Abstract: A balanced compound, regenerative cycle, external heat source engine is mad by using mechanically double acting rigidly affixed and self-aligned reciprocating opposed piston and cylinder structure in which substantially all of the energy created during reciprocating motion is converted or translated into rotational motion by the action of a scotch yoke type, transfer lubricated, sliding/roller bearing mechanism which acts on a single and centrally located crankshaft which is contained in a telescopic crankcase structure. A balanced compound engine structure may be constructed so that two or more subsystems are housed in one or more modules. Two or more power modules may then be coupled together and an engine power and speed control may be attained by varying the relative phase angle of the couple.

Abstract: A Stirling cycle engine having its cylinders ganged together by connecting through a cross connect passage and valve the cold variable volume chamber of one cylinder with the compression chamber of a cylinder in which the displacer piston and the power piston are ninety degrees (90.degree.) out-of-phase with the pistons in the first cylinder.The displacer piston and power piston in each cylinder are connected by a sealed piston rod so that the two pistons move in unison. Each cylinder's power piston is connected by means of a connecting rod to a means for converting the reciprocating motion of the power piston into rotational motion. Each cross connect passage is provided with a valve which allows a working fluid to pass from the cold variable volume chamber of one cylinder to the compression chamber of any cylinder which is ninety degrees (90.degree.) out-of-phase with the displacer piston of the first cylinder. This valving feature allows the engine to be reversed and throttled.

Abstract: The Stirling engine uses an annular cam for converting the reciprocating movements of the pistons of the engine in a rotating movement. The annular cam is concentric with the engine block and provides movement to a first piston located in a first radial cylinder. A second piston located in a second radial cylinder provides work to the annular cam. A working gas circuit located between the first and the second cylinders is provided for powering the engine. The circuit comprises a cooling assembly, a regenerator and a heating assembly. The pistons are operatively connected to the annular cam by means of a radial rod at the end of which are located rollers engaged with the inner cam path and maintained by an inner guide parallel to the cam path. The engine provides a very simple and economical construction of the Stirling engine.

Abstract: A Stirling engine having a cooler, regenerator and heat exchanger stacked end to end along with a working cylinder position adjacent to the heat transfer stack and connected thereto by several connecting ducts. By using more than one hot connecting duct, their bending stiffness is less as compared with a single duct being the same area as the multiple ducts, allowing thermally induced relative displacement between the elements to occur. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of axially extending tubes spaced apart from one another with a combustor positioned adjacent to the tubes such that the combustion gases flow between the tubes. The tubes are preferably flattened in the direction of the gas flow between them to increase the surface area for heat transfer. Furthermore, wire is coiled around and brazed to the tubes creating a fin for additional heat transfer.

Abstract: A stirling engine with mechanical output through a main shaft (71) has piston(s) (44) reciprocable in cylinder bore(s) (41). Each piston is guided on a fixed piston guide (52) which extends into but not through the piston. This guidance holds the piston clear of mechanical contact with the cylinder bore (41). A separate seal is provided between the piston and the bore. Internal guidance of the piston permits a guidance arrangement where clearances change very little or not at all with changes in temperature of the engine.

Abstract: A double-headed swash plate type Stirling engine includes double headed pistons defining front spaces and rear spaces and anchored to the swash plate by shoes. Thus, the reciprocal movement of the double-headed pistons, resulting from the expansion and compression of an operating gas in the front and rear spaces, are directly converted into the rotary movement of the swash plate. Hence, the Stirling engine has a very simplified construction.

Abstract: In a Stirling engine having a housing chamber (1) which is divided by a reciprocating gas-permeable regenerator plate (4) into two part chambers (6, 7), of which one can be heated and the second is provided with cooling (13), the second part chamber (7) communicating with a working cylinder which acts on a working shaft (14) or a flywheel mass (10) via a first drive device (9) and on the regenerator plate (4) via a second drive device, it is proposed to design the housing chamber (1) in a wedge-shape and to mount the regenerator plate (4) pivotably about a pivoting axis (5) in the tip of the housing chamber. As a result of the proposed design of the housing chamber (1) with the pivotable fixing of the regenerator plate (4) which at the same time serves as a displacement piston, the displacement function of the regenerator plate (4) is fully effected by low-wear pivoting motion about the pivoting axis (5).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetoelectric resonance engine combining in its construction and operation an Alpha-type Stirling cycle thermal machine and a magnetoelectric resonance mechanism having a broad application to both electric generators and electric heat pumps.

Abstract: There is disclosed a rotary pump or engine or compressor or expander comprising a spherical cavity divided by a pivotable disc into two sections. First and second wedges are pivotally connected at opposed disc surfaces. One wedge may be driven causing the disc to pivot and rotate the second wedge covering and uncovering suitably positioned inlet and outlet ports for transferring fluid. Novel constructions to simplify manufacturing and improve sealing are described. Other features include a transparent housing part, altering the angle between input and output shafts to vary the displacement and output, and a combined compressor-expander interconnected by a Cardan joint to reduce vibration.

Abstract: Combustion engine of high efficiency comprising two cylinders with a channel between them, each cylinder containing a sliding piston, said pistons being coupled such that they move synchronously and in opposite directions, or comprising a stator and a rotor, a duct shaped as a closed circle between said stator and rotor, at least one vane sliding in the duct and being fastened to the rotor, wherein the expansion takes place at a substantially constant temperature and at a substantially constant pressure.

Abstract: An external combustion rotary engine having a configuration which allows spatial separation of the heaters and coolers, and a process which enables rotary motion of the rotors to be performed without internal combustion.The engine includes the triangular rotors enclosed inside the housings shaped in the form of an epitrochoid curve, the heat generating units, and the heat absorbing and discharging units. The heat generating units and the heat absorbing and discharging units are located outside the housings and connected to the housings.The engine can also include the ultrasonic fuel atomizers inside the heat generating units and the turbine for the purpose of rapid acceleration.The present invention provides the simple, compact, lightweight, extremely energy-efficient and environmentally clean engine.

Abstract: This heat engine, uses a Stirling cycle design, wherein a cold exchanger section of a cylinder and a hot exchanger section of the same cylinder are attached to an axis in an off-center positioned. The axis is preferably capable of rotation, but in some embodiments may be fixed. When a rotatable axis is used, a liquid acting as a piston moves within a portion of the cylinder against centrifugal force, and is driven by a working gas which is used in the same cylinder. By oscillating the liquid in the cylinder outwardly in the cylinder during a downward, or "power", stroke and inwardly in the cylinder during an upward, or "drag", stroke the center of mass of the liquid in the cylinder provides a greater moment of force during the downward power stroke than during the upward drag stroke. When used with a rotating axis and subjected to heating at a hot exchanger section and to cooling at a cold exchanger section at selected times it produces continuous power producing rotary motion about the axis.

Abstract: A radial, hot-gas engine which derives the necessary phase angle between hot and cold cylinders by locating them ninety degrees apart around the circumference of the crankcase, thereby eliminating complicated piston connecting rod linkages and permitting use of a simple eccentric and roller-follower drive arrangement between pistons and crankshaft. The radial design permits use of the crankcase as a pressure vessel and storage reservoir for the working fluid while keeping crankcase mass low relative to conventional engine designs. The invention also eliminates critical seals by application of an integral pump that scavenges working fluid from the crankcase reservoir and pressurizes the working cylinders when the engine is started, and maintains working pressure while the engine is in operation.

Abstract: A stirling cycle apparatus having a buffer connecting the compressor piston back room with the expansion piston back room. The apparatus also has a diaphragm which divides the buffer and the crank room. The buffer reduces the pressure changes between the both sides of the diaphragm so that the stress to the diaphragm can be reduced.

Abstract: In an engine based on the Stirling cycle the individual hot side and cold side cylinders typically used in conventional Stirling engines are subdivided into a cluster of parallel cylinders of smaller diameter than the single cylinder but with the area of the cylinder walls greater than that for the single cylinder for the same displacement and with spaces between the cylinders in the cluster to allow a heating or cooling medium to flow through the spaces and contact the enlarged surface area for tranferring heat into or out of the cylinders more efficiently. The described engine has the hot side cylinder cluster disposed horizontally to facilitate allowing hot gases of combustion to flow through the spaces between the subdivided cylinders by natural convection. Moreover, having the hot side cylinders disposed horizontally facilitates confining the hot combustion gases to one end region of the cylinders in isolation from the rest of the engine structure.

Abstract: A Free-Piston Stirling cycle system includes a cylinder arranged within a sealed, pressurized housing. A power piston is arranged for reciprocation within or about one region of the cylinder, and a light-weight displacer, having a selected diameter is arranged for reciprocation within or about another region of the cylinder and defining with the cylinder a compression space and an expansion space. The power piston also defines with the cylinder, a gas spring space. A gas spring piston of preselected diameter couples the displacer with this gas spring space to establish a relative gas spring which generates a force to reciprocate the displacer by the relative motion between the displacer and the power piston. In accordance with this present invention the ratio of the diameter of the gas spring piston to the diameter of the displacer is made to be at least 0.50.

Abstract: An environmentally safe cooling system employing a non-freon base Stirling cycle cooler whereby a collant is cooled in a heat exchanger, circulated to a remote location to a set of refrigeration coils (over which air is circulated) and subsequently recirculated to the heat exchanger for removal of the coolant absorbed heat to repeat the cycle.

Abstract: A Stirling engine having a configuration which allow spatial separation of the heaters and coolers. The engine includes four cylinders with passageways connecting the cylinders such that a direct fluid connection is formed between each cylinder and every other cylinder. The configuration of the passageways and arrangement of the cylinders is such that heat energy is not wasted. The spatial separation of the heaters and coolers allows the heaters and coolers to be located in separate environments. The pistons within each cylinder are connected to one or two crankshafts through a connecting device which generates no side thrust on the cylinder walls. Preferably, the connecting device used is a hydraulic connecting rod.

Abstract: A common heat acceptor is provided between opposed displacers in a Stirling cycle machine. It includes two sets of open channels in separate fluid communications with the expansion spaces of the receptive cyclinders. The channels confine movement of working fluid in separate paths that extend between the expansion space of one cylinder and the compression space of the other. The method for operating the machine involves alternatively directing working fluid from the expansion space of each cylinder in a fluid path leading to the compression space of the other cylinder and from the compression space of each cylinder in a fluid path leading to the expansion space of the other cylinder.

Abstract: Stirling cycle heat engine adapted for use as space heating and/or air conditioners. One embodiment features a Stirling engine prime mover providing a hybrid Stirling machine. Another embodiment utilizes an electric drive motor as a prime mover and a final embodiment is an open drive Stirling thermal engine particularly adapted for automotive belt driven applications. Enhancements in performance are provided by using pressure ratios significantly lower than that ordinarily provided for Stirling cycle engines. Decreases in pressure ratios are provided by intentionally adding dead volume to the cycle and particularly adding this dead volume strategically in the regenerator of the device which has been found to provide performance benefits. The systems according to this invention can be used either as space heaters or air conditioners by appropriately directing heat absorbed and rejected from the heat exchangers of the device to the approrpriate environment.

Abstract: A Stirling engine having multiple cylinders arranged in a square cluster with a gas combustor devices for each cylinder integrated into the engine. The combustor devices include individual combustion chamber tubes for each of the cylinder of the engine. Air is introduced into the chambers in a manner which generates a tangential air flow which mixes with a combustible gas injected from a gas nozzle in the center of the tube which provides a highly turbulent combustible gas flow regime. Combustion gases pass through the Stirling engine heat exchangers to transfer heat to the engine. Exhaust gas heats inlet air through a counterflow heat exchanger. The relatively small size of the combustion chamber tubes enables the components of the combustion chambers to reach an equilibrium temperature repidly and minimizes thermal distortion of the components.

Abstract: An improved conduit assembly for coupling a heat pipe evaporator with a Stirling engine heat exchanger. The conduit assembly features a cylindrical main tube section connected to a flared shell joining the heat exchanger of the Stirling engine. The flared shell provides an increasing cross-sectional area which reduces the velocity of vaporized heat pipe working fluid flowing from the heat pipe evaporator to the heat exchanger. Such reduced velocity has been found to minimize entrainment of liquid within the transmitted vapor. The conduit assembly further includes an internal small diameter liquid return duct which provides additional isolation of the liquid and vapor phases of the heat pipe working fluid as a means of further reducing entrainment. Surface tension breakers are provided which communicate the heat exchanger to the inlet end of the liquid return duct to wick away liquid working fluid from the heat exchanger.

Abstract: In an installation for harnessing thermal energy, in which in a first part of an operating cycle the working fluid is positively displaced out of a first chamber into a second chamber, in which a higher temperature prevails than in the first, and in a second part of the operating cycle working fluid is positively displaced from the second chamber back into the first chamber, wherein thermal energy is supplied to the working fluid on its passage from the first to the second chamber and removed from the working fluid on its passage from the second to the first chamber, the chambers are formed by variable-volume working chambers of piston machine units (10, 12, 14, 16) coupled with one another and operating out of phase with one another, which communicate with one another by fluid ducts (18, 20, 22, 24) in such a way that the working fluid is positively displaced out of a shrinking work chamber having a relatively high temperature through a first duct, into an expanding work chamber having a lower temperature, a

Abstract: A hot gas engine which uses elliptical members in place of gears or connecting rod linkages to couple the reciprocating pistons to the central shaft of the machine, thereby reducing friction and overall size of the machine, reducing weight to power ratios and increasing efficiency. The elliptical members are so designed as to provide two power strokes per revolution of the central shaft, and the piston and cylinder arrangement is such that they spiral around the body of the machine, allowing a very compact engine.

Abstract: A Stirling engine heater head is constructed to provide an annular heat exchange region defined between a pressure vessel sidewall and the engine displacer cylinder. From an external manifold, through which a heated fluid flows, either heat pipes or heat exchange tubes are sealingly introduced into the heat exchange region. Thermal energy is thus transferred to the engine working fluid, while the heated fluid is maintained isolated from the vessel walls and the displacer cylinder. For a compound Stirling engine configuration, thermal energy is introduced from a common heated fluid manifold to the heat exchange regions of a pair of axially aligned Stirling engine modules via heat pipes or heat exchange tubes. This manifold may be sealingly joined with the pressure vessel to create a chamber which is pressurized to pressure balance the vessel walls.

Abstract: An improved rotary engine (10) utilizing essentially the Stirling cycle is provided having at least three rotors (12, 34, 56) each separately rotatable within a toroidal housing cavity (15) and about a common axis. Each rotor has a pair of diametrically opposed rotor blocks, so that at least six cylindrical working chambers are formed sufficient to accomodate the Stirling cycle. Heat may be added to the closed circuit engine gas via a heat exchanger (74) thermally connected to any heat source external to the working chambers, such as a solar collector, thus rendering the high efficiency engine suitable for outer space applications. A cool compressed gas from one working chamber and a hot exhaust gas from another working chamber pass through respective thermally connected heat exchangers (72, 80) for conservation of energy and increased engine efficiency.

Abstract: A Stirling engine control apparatus includes a pressure reducing valve provided in a maximum cycle pressure line connecting a working space to a working gas compressor via a first check valve, a pressure boost valve provided in a minimum cycle pressure line connecting the working space to the working gas compressor via a second check valve, an operating lever pivotable about a movable fulcrum for controlling opening and closing of the pressure reducing valve and the pressure boost valve, an electronic control circuit for driving a motor adapted to move the pivot point, and an unload valve provided in a line shorting intake and discharge sides of the compressor.

Abstract: A power conversion system is constructed of a plurality of identical Stirling engine modules paired off in opposed, aligned relation with their respective expansion spaces in juxtaposition. Two engine module pairs are arranged in a common plane and in mutually perpendicular relation to create a module group, with plural such module groups stacked together to provide an expanded, self-balanced system with all the modules sharing a common, centrally located thermal energy source. Each module includes a pair of compression positions operating on a common axis intersecting the displacer cylinder axis at right angles. Heat exchangers, either tubes or heat pipes, are disposed within the expansion space to transfer heat from the source to the working fluid therein, thus providing a more idealized Stirling engine cycle.

Abstract: In a stirling cycle machine a shell means enclosing the machine body for maintaining a substantially sealed atmosphere about the machine body. A diffuser arranged between the machine body and the outer shell for diffusing a shock wave traveling towards the outer shell as the result of an explosive failure of the machine body.

Abstract: A Stirling engine which has an expansion cylinder and a compression cylinder with an expansion piston and a compression piston, respectively, that have a fixed phase difference between them, where the expansion cylinder and the compression cylinder are connected through a heater, a regenerator, and a cooler, a fixed amount of working fluid is sealed in the expansion cylinder and a compression cylinder, and the engine is driven by heating or cooling the working fluid with the heater or the cooler, and in the above Stirling engine, the heater for heating the working fluid includes a combustion chamber attached to the expansion cylinder, a burner for jetting a combustible substance into the combustion chamber, a plurality of heat exchanger pipes for forming a plurality of passages for the working fluid to connect through between the expansion cylinder and the regenerator by turning back on themselves, in order to heat the working fluid with the high temperature gas from the burner, and a cylinder head for instal

Abstract: A driving apparatus for a Stirling cycle engine is disclosed. The engine has a diaphragm on a rod connecting each compression piston and a driving mechanism. The diaphragm separates a space of the compression piston back pressure side and a driving chamber. A crank axle has at least one crank pin with two compression pistons connected to the crank pin of the crank axle. The pistons are located on opposite sides of the crank axle. The diaphragms of the two compression pistons perform the capacity change of the piston back pressure sides 180.degree. out of phase relative to one another.

Abstract: A Stirling cycle type engine having five cylinders annularly and equiangularly arranged is disclosed. The expansion chamber of one cylinder is connected to the compression chamber of an adjacent cylinder through a cooler device, a regenerator, and a heater device. The cooler device, regenerator, and heater device are serially stacked and are contained within a cylindrical element. The five cylinders and five cylindrical elements which function as heat exchanging means are supported by a frame having a plurality of plate elements. Each heater device is placed on one of the plate elements adjacent the expansion chamber of one of the cylinders.

Abstract: A hot gas engine operating with a Stirling cycle includes a cylindrical space filled with a process gas and containing one or two working pistons and one or two displacement pistons moveable longitudinally in relation to each other. The displacement piston or pistons are integrated with the respective regenerator. The working and displacement piston or pistons are associated with transmission gears constructed as thrust crank transmissions so as to convert rotary motion into longitudinal piston displacement motion and vice-versa.