US3579980A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Uniflow stirling engine and frictional heating system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-11-10
•
Granted: 1971-05-25
•
Expires: 1989-11-10
Abstract
Abstract The Uniflow Sterling engine consists of multiple power and displacer sections which are arranged in in-line form. The inline arrangement allows for the ganging of the piston sets so that a simple modular, easily-serviced engine is produced. Hot and cold conduction rods within the thermal zones aid in transferring heat within the displacer sections. Alternating one-way gas flow bores within the displacer blocks provide a uniflow gas flow loop for improved thermal effectiveness. A frictional heating system is advocated as a sustaining heating means, which utilizes an electric motor and battery system to drive a friction drum against replaceable heat transfer elements to produce sufficient heat energy for the hot displacer zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald A Kelly
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:30
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B9/00; F25B9/14; F02; F02G; F02G1/00; F02G1/04; F02G1/043; F02G1/044; F01; F01B; F01B1/00; F01B1/12; F25B2309/00; F25B2309/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
396 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine comprising multiple rectangular power stage housings, multiple squarish power blocks fitted with ball bearings in rolling association with the internal surfaces of said multiple rectangular power stage housings, rectangular sealing strips disposed within corresponding square grooves within one end of the said squarish power blocks, wrist pins secured inside the squarish power blocks, connecting rods pivoting on said wriSt pins, a crankshaft assembly disposed at the lower portion of said multiple rectangular power stage housings, bearing means for said crankshaft assembly, sealing means associated with said crankshaft assembly, multiple rectangular displacer stage housings disposed at one end and coaxial with said multiple rectangular power stage housings, communication means between the two said stage housings, hot and cold end plates secured to each end of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, insulation means disposed between the said hot and cold end plates and said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, squarish displacer blocks fitted with multiple ball bearings, in rolling association with the internal surfaces of said rectangular displacer stage housings, multiple uniformly disposed regenerator bores within said squarish displacer blocks, multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies uniformly disposed within said regenerator bores, multiple uniformly disposed metallic conduction rods secured to said hot and cold end plates, electric heating means disposed within some of the hot said metallic conduction rods, axial clearance bores uniformly disposed within said squarish displacer blocks in association with said metallic conduction rods, a vertical slot disposed midway on one side of said squarish displacer block, output shafts and bearing means secured midway in said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, a crankdiscs secured to said output shafts, ball bearings secured to the ends of said crankdiscs in rolling association with said vertical slot of said squarish displacer blocks, multiple chain sprockets secured to said output shaft and said crankshaft assembly, drive chains connecting said multiple sprockets, a half-stroke phase relationship between the said squarish power blocks and said squarish displacer blocks, pressure tight cover assemblies disposed over said multiple chain sprockets and drive chains, a liquid fuel burner means disposed at the said hot end plate in association with the hot side of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, a liquid cooling means and circulating system disposed adjacent to and in contact with said cold end plate in association with the cold side of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
396 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine comprising multiple rectangular power stage housings, multiple squarish power blocks fitted with ball bearings in rolling association with the internal surfaces of said multiple rectangular power stage housings, rectangular sealing strips disposed within corresponding square grooves within one end of the said squarish power blocks, wrist pins secured inside the squarish power blocks, connecting rods pivoting on said wriSt pins, a crankshaft assembly disposed at the lower portion of said multiple rectangular power stage housings, bearing means for said crankshaft assembly, sealing means associated with said crankshaft assembly, multiple rectangular displacer stage housings disposed at one end and coaxial with said multiple rectangular power stage housings, communication means between the two said stage housings, hot and cold end plates secured to each end of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, insulation means disposed between the said hot and cold end plates and said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, squarish displacer blocks fitted with multiple ball bearings, in rolling association with the internal surfaces of said rectangular displacer stage housings, multiple uniformly disposed regenerator bores within said squarish displacer blocks, multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies uniformly disposed within said regenerator bores, multiple uniformly disposed metallic conduction rods secured to said hot and cold end plates, electric heating means disposed within some of the hot said metallic conduction rods, axial clearance bores uniformly disposed within said squarish displacer blocks in association with said metallic conduction rods, a vertical slot disposed midway on one side of said squarish displacer block, output shafts and bearing means secured midway in said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, a crankdiscs secured to said output shafts, ball bearings secured to the ends of said crankdiscs in rolling association with said vertical slot of said squarish displacer blocks, multiple chain sprockets secured to said output shaft and said crankshaft assembly, drive chains connecting said multiple sprockets, a half-stroke phase relationship between the said squarish power blocks and said squarish displacer blocks, pressure tight cover assemblies disposed over said multiple chain sprockets and drive chains, a liquid fuel burner means disposed at the said hot end plate in association with the hot side of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, a liquid cooling means and circulating system disposed adjacent to and in contact with said cold end plate in association with the cold side of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1 including a frictional heating system comprising multiple rotating friction drums in rubbing contact with replaceable heat transfer plates, electric motors and an electrical power source to rotate said rotating friction drums, gear reduction means between said rotating friction drums and said electric motors, pivots and pivoting brackets for said replaceable heat transfer plates in communication with said hot end plates spring means in association with said replaceable heat transfer plates, mounting brackets for said rotating friction drums and electric motors in association with said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, speed control means for said electric motors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1, wherein the said sealing means associated with said crankshaft assembly is comprised of multiple rotor discs equally spaced and sealed to said crankshaft assembly, multiple stator discs equally interspaced between said multiple rotor discs and sealed to a stationary disc housing sealed in association with said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, multiple tiny air flow vanes uniformly arrayed on said multiple rotor discs disposed to cause an outward air flow when said uniflow Stirling cycle engine is in normal operation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
159 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1, wherein the total number of said multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies are equally divided into hot and cold gas flow directions, half said multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies have the apex of the cones pointing toward the cold end of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, the remaining half Of said multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies have the apex of the cones pointing toward the hot end of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, the said half multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies having their cone apex pointing toward the cold end of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings are uniformly arrayed around the cross-sectional periphery of said squarish displacer blocks, the remaining half of said multiple interconnected conical baffle assemblies having their cone apex pointing toward the hot end of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings are uniformly arrayed on and near the cross-sectional center of said squarish displacer blocks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1, wherein dry film lubrication is uniformly applied to all internal working surfaces and bearings of both said multiple rectangular power and displacer stages and said squarish displacer blocks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1, wherein a gas fuel burner means is applied in place of said liquid fuel burner means disposed at at the said hot end plate in association with the hot side of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1, wherein said liquid cooling means consists of a liquid containing jacket in close maximum surface area contact with said cold end plate associated with the cold side of said multiple rectangular displacer stage housings, multiple connecting tubes from said liquid containing jacket to multiple air-cooling radiators forming a circulating cooling loop system, pumping means driven directly from said uniflow Stirling cycle engine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A uniflow Stirling cycle engine according to claim 1, wherein said output shaft and crankshaft assembly are fitted with large spur gears in place of said chains and sprockets, an idler gear is interposed and meshes with said large spur gears, said large spur gears are of equal size so that a one-to-one ratio is provided.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3508393A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-24 | 1974-11-23 | 1975-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-24 | 1978-11-23 | 1979-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-24 | 1982-11-23 | 1983-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |