Rotary internal combustion engine

Claim 1

A ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING AN OUTER BODY INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED END WALLS INTERCONNECTED BY A PERIPHERAL WALL TO FORM A CAVITY, A SHAFT SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION IN BORES IN SAID OUTER BODY END WALLS AND HAVING AN ECCENTRIC PORTION DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CAVITY, A ROTOR SUPPORTED FOR RELATIVE ROTATION ON SAID ECCENTRIC PORTION AND CARRYING APEX SEAL MEANS FOR SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL AND GAS SEAL MEANS IN EACH END FACE THEREOF DISPOSED ADJACENT TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID ROTOR FOR SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE AXIALLY FACING INNER SURFACE OF AN ASSOCIATED END WALL, AND A PLURALITY OF VARIABLE-VOLUME WORKING CHAMBERS DEFINED BETWEEN THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL AND THE OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID ROTOR, SAID ROTOR HAVING INTERNAL PASSAGE MEANS FOR OILCOOLING THEREOF AND HAVING A BORE IN EACH END FACE THEREOF, FIRST SEAL GROOVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SHAFT CONCENTRIC WITH SAID END WALL BORES, FIRST OIL SEAL RING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID FIRST GROOVE MEANS FOR RADIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID END WALL BORES AND AXIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH A WALL OF SAID FIRST GROOVE MEANS, SECOND SEAL GROOVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ECCENTRIC AND CONCENTRIC WITH SAID ROTOR END FACE BORES, SECOND OIL SEAL RING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID SECOND GROOVE MEANS FOR RADIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROTOR END FACE BORES AND AXIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH A WALL OF SAID SECOND GROOVE MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND RING MEANS BEING URGED INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALLS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND GROOVE MEANS DURING ENGINE OPERATION BY GAS PRESSURE BYPASSING SAID GAS SEALS AND SUBSISTING BETWEEN SAID ROTOR END FACES AND SAID END WALLS, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES: (A) SAID ROTOR HAVING IN EACH END FACE A THIRD ANNULAR GROOVE DISPOSED RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID ROTOR END FACE BORE AND CONCENTRIC THEREWITH AND RADIALLY INWARD FROM SAID GAS SEALS, (B) A THIRD OIL SEAL RING DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID THIRD ANNULAR GROOVES FOR RADIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH A WALL OF SAID THIRD ANNULAR GROOVE AND AXIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ASSOCIATED END WALL, (C) SPRING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID THIRD ANNULAR GROOVE UNDER SAID THIRD OIL SEAL RING RESILIENTLY URGING SAID THIRD OIL SEAL RING IN THE AXIALLY OUTWARD DIRECTION TOWARD SAID END WALL, (D) SAID THIRD OIL SEAL RING BEING RESPONSIVE TO GAS PRESSURE BYPASSING SAID GAS SEALS TO RELIEVE SAID THIRD OIL SEAL RING FROM SEALING ENGAGEMENT DURING ENGINE OPERATION TO ALLOW SAID GAS PRESSURE TO REACH SAID FIRST AND SECOND OIL SEAL RING MEANS TO EXERT GAS PRESSURE THEREON DURING ENGINE OPERATION WHEREBY SAID FIRST AND SECOND OIL SEAL RINGS PREVENT LEAKAGE OF ROTOR COOLING OIL INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ROTOR END FACES AND SAID END WALLS AND THENCE PAST SAID GAS SEALS INTO SAID WORKING CHAMBERS, AND (E) DURING SHUTDOWN SAID THIRD OIL SEAL RINGS ARE RESILIENTLY URGED BY SAID SPRING MEANS INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID END WALLS TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OF ROTOR COOLING OIL THEREPAST.