Rack drive fluid engine

Claim 1

A FLUID ENGINE COMPRISING: A CYLINDER HAVING A PISTON RECIPROCATIVELY CARRIED THEREWITHIN AND A PISTON ROD EXTENDING FROM ONE END OF THE CYLINDER; A DOUBLE-GEAR RACK ATTACHED TO THE PISTON TO FORM A LONGITUDINAL EXTENSION THEREOF AND HAVING OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL SLOTS ON OPPOSITE SIDES; A PAIR OF SPACED, PARALLEL DRIVE SHAFTS STRADDLING, AND LYING TRANSVERSELY OF, THE GEAR RACK, AND AT OPPOSING POSITIONS WITHIN THE RECIPROCATIVE REACH OF THE RACK MOVEMENTS; A GEAR MOUNTED UPON EACH DRIVE SHAFT MESHING WITH ONE OF THE SAID GEAR RACKS AND BEING ADAPTED TO ROTATE CLOCKWISE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE RESPONSIVE TO RECIPROCATIVE MOVEMENTS OF THE RACK; A FRAMEWORK ON WHICH SAID GEARS ARE MOUNTED; A ROLLER MOUNTED UPON SAID FRAMEWORK ON EACH SIDE OF SAID RACK BETWEEN SAID GEARS EXTENDING INTO THE RESPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL SLOT, WITH THE EDGE OF THE RESPECTIVE ROLLER ENGAGING A SIDE OF THE CORRESPONDING SLOT TO HOLD THE RACK IN POSITION; AND RATCHET MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH GEAR AND SHAFT ADAPTED TO LOCK THE GEAR WITH THE SHAFT WITH THE GEAR ROTATION IN ONE DIRECTION AND TO FREE THE GEAR FROM THE SHAFT WITH THE GEAR ROTATION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WHEREBY THE CLOCKWISE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE MOVEMENTS OF THE GEAR ROTATES THE SHAFT IN A SELECTED DIRECTION AND SAID SHAFT IS ADAPTED TO ROTATE CONTINUOUSLY IN SAID DIRECTION.