Method of operating an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

IN THAT METHOD OF OPERATION OF A RECIPROCATING PISTON, INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WHICH COMPRISES FORMING A MASS OF COMPRESSED SWIRLING AIR ROTATING AT HIGH VELOCITY WITHIN A COMBUSTION SPACE OF A CYLINDER OF SAID ENGINE, INJECTING FUEL INTO SAID COMPRESSED SWIRLING AIR SO AS TO IMPREGNATE SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY WITH FUEL A LOCALIZED SEGMENT OF SAID SWIRLING AIR AS IT ROTATES PAST THE LOCUS OF FUEL INJECTION, PROMPTLY IGNITING THE FIRST INCREMENT OF INJECTED FUEL AT A POINT NEAR SAID LOCUS OF FUEL INJECTION SUBSTANTIALLY AS SOON AS A COMBUSTIBLE FUEL VAPOR-AIR MIXTURE HAS FORMED THEREFROM TO ESTABLISH A FLAME FRONT TRAVELING IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE THAT OF SAID SWIRLING AIR, THE RESULTING INCOMBUSTIBLE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS ROTATING AWAY FROM SAID FLAME FRONT AS FRESH COMPRESSED AIR ROTATES TOWARD SAID FLAME FRONT, WHEREBY THE TRAVELING FLAME FRONT IS CONFINED ON ITS REAR SIDE BY A LAYER OF SAID INCOMBUSTIBLE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS AND ON ITS FRONT SIDE BY A LAYER OF INCOMBUSTIBLE AIR, AND CONTINUING THE INJECTION OF FUEL INTO A LOCALIZED PORTION OF SAID FRESH COMPRESSED AIR IMMEDIATELY IN ADVANCE OF SAID TRAVELING FLAME FRONT TO FORM PROGRESSIVELY ADDITIONAL COMBUSTIBLE FUEL VAPOR-AIR MIXTURE WHICH ARE IMMEDIATELY IGNITED BY SAID TRAVELING FLAME FRONT AND BURNED SUBSTANTIALLY AS RAPIDLY AS FORMED WHILE MAINTAINING SAID FLAME FRONT CONFINED BETWEEN INCOMBUSTIBLE LAYERS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES THE IGNITION OF SAID FIRST INCREMENT OF INJECTED FUEL, AS SOON AS A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE HAS FORMED THEREFROM, BY COMPRESSION WHEN SAID ENGINE OPERATES AT LOW POWER, AND WHEN SAID ENGINE OPERATES AT HIGH POWER, THE IGNITION BEING EFFECTED BY A SOLID MEMBER DISPOSED AT THE MIXTURE LOCUS AND HEATED BY THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION SPACE, SAID INJECTED FUEL HAVING COMPRESSION IGNITION CHARACTERISTICS FAVORABLE FOR EASY STARTING AND OPERATION AT LOW POWER, AND COMPRISING A LOW GRADE FUEL FOR OPERATION AT HIGH POWER.