Multi-stage engine and method for operating the engine by combustion

Claim 1

A ROTARY MULTI-STAGE ENGINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVE STAGES, EACH STAGE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, THE OUTLET OF EACH STAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INLET OF THE FOLLOWING STAGE, A PAIR OF ROTORS IN SAID HOUSING CONNECTED FOR SYNCHRONOUS ROTATION AND FORMING IN SAID HOUSING TWO CHAMBERS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INLET AND SAID OUTLET, EACH ROTOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE DRIVE PORTION PROJECTING THROUGH THE RESPECTIVE CHAMBER TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING AND MOVING ALONG THE SAME DURING ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR SO THAT EACH CHAMBER HAS AN EXPANDING INLET CHAMBER PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INLET AND A CONTRACTING DISCHARGE CHAMBER PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OUTLET; IGNITING MEANS LOCATED IN EACH OF SAID HOUSINGS OF SAID STAGES IN EACH OF SAID INLET CHAMBER PORTIONS; SAID DRIVE PORTIONS OF SAID ROTORS OF EACH STAGE BEING ANGULARLY DISPLACED IN PHASE RELATIVE TO THE DRIVE PORTIONS OF THE ROTORS OF A PROXIMATE STAGE SO THAT AT ANY TIME SAID DRIVE PORTIONS OF AT LEAST ONE STAGE ENGAGE THE INNER SURFACE OF THE RESPECTIVE HOUSING TO PREVENT DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INLET OF THE FIRST STAGE AND THE OUTLET OF THE LAST STAGE WHEREBY WHEN A GAS IS ADMITTED THROUGH THE INLET OF THE FIRST STAGE, SAID ROTORS OF THE FIRST STAGE ARE ROTATED BY GASES EXPANDING IN SAID INLET CHAMBER PORTIONS, AND SAID ROTORS OF THE FOLLOWING STAGES ARE ROTATED BY GASES EXPANDING IN SAID INLET CHAMBER PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE SUCCESSIVE STAGE UNTIL THE GASES ARE DISCHARGED FROM THE OUTLET OF THE LAST STAGE; AND OUTPUT MEANS CONNECTED TO AND DRIVEN BY SAID ROTORS.