US3610214A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Unsymmetrical, double-acting free piston engine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-01-30
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Granted: 1971-10-05
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Expires: 1990-01-30
Abstract
Abstract An unsymmetrical, synchronized, balanced, free piston engine is disclosed which includes two oppositely directed, interconnected, alternately acting, coaxial power piston portions positioned for translational reciprocatory movement as a unit along their common axis, as part of a power assembly. The engine also includes a synchronizer-balancer assembly having a movable first portion attached to move as part of the power assembly and having a movable counterbalancing second portion arranged for translational reciprocating movement in an opposite direction during each movement of the power assembly. In the engine embodiment shown, a first movable member of an energy absorbing device, e.g., a first compressor piston, is attached to move with the power assembly, and a second movable member of the same or a different energy-absorbing device, e.g., a second compressor piston, is attached to move with the movable counterbalancing second portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly in opposite directions to the power assembly. The movable counterbalancing second portion of the synchronizer is designed to be of such a weight that the absolute value of the product of all the weight associated to move with the second portion of the synchronizer in one direction (i.e., the sum of the weight of the counterbalancing movable second portion itself plus the weights of any additional elements or members moving as a unit with it, including the second movable member of an energy-absorbing device) times the length of its stroke, is equal to the absolute value of the product of all the weight associated to move with the power assembly (i.e., the sum of the weights of the power piston portions and the movable first portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly plus the weights of any additional elements or members moving as a unit with the power assembly, including the first movable member of an energy-absorbing device) times the corresponding length of stroke of the power assembly. Also shown are alternate embodiments of the alternately acting interconnected power piston portions, in one of which the power piston portions are interconnected as parts of one double-acting piston in a single double-acting cylinder or power section. In another embodiment, the power piston portions are spaced from each other in two separate single-acting cylinders or power sections at opposite ends of the engine.
Inventors
- 👤 Anton Braun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:08
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B71/00; F01; F01B; F01B9/00; F01B9/04; F01B9/047
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
394 words
An unsymmetrical, synchronized, balanced, free piston engine arranged to drive two reciprocally and oppositely movable energyabsorbing device members comprising, in combination: means for defining a first power cylinder section, means for defining a second power cylinder section with its central longitudinal axis substantially coaxial with the corresponding axis of the first power cylinder section; a first power piston portion reciprocable along said axis in the first power cylinder section, a second power piston portion reciprocable along said axis in the second power cylinder section; said first and second power piston portions being interconnected for simultaneous translational reciprocating movement back and forth as a unit along said axis, said power cylinder sections and a piston portions defining respective combustion chambers arranged to provide a power strike for the first power piston portion in one direction, and a power stroke for the second power piston portion in the opposite direction along said axis, means for causing combustion alternately and successively in the respective combustion chambers and thereby providing the reciprocating movement of said interconnected power piston portions; a synchronizer-balancer assembly having a movable first portion connected for reciprocating movement as a unit with said power piston portions, said assembly also having a movable counterbalancing second portion, and means interconnecting said movable first and second portions for reciprocating movement of the second portion in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first portion, said interconnected power piston portions and said movable first synchronizer-balancer portion constituting parts of a power assembly; a first movable energy-absorbing device member mounted for reciprocatIng movement along said axis and connected to move as a unit with said power assembly; and a second movable energy-absorbing device member mounted for reciprocating movement along said axis and connected to move as a unit with said movable counterbalancing second portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly, said synchronizer-balancer assembly having a construction transmitting relatively large instantaneous differential forces between said power assembly and said counterbalancing portion (and their respective energy-absorbing device members), the movable counterbalancing second portion having a preselected weight such that the absolute value of the product of all weight associated to move with the power assembly multiplied by the length of its stroke is substantially equal to the absolute value of the product of all the weight associated to move with the counterbalancing portion multiplied by the length of its corresponding stroke.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
394 words
An unsymmetrical, synchronized, balanced, free piston engine arranged to drive two reciprocally and oppositely movable energyabsorbing device members comprising, in combination: means for defining a first power cylinder section, means for defining a second power cylinder section with its central longitudinal axis substantially coaxial with the corresponding axis of the first power cylinder section; a first power piston portion reciprocable along said axis in the first power cylinder section, a second power piston portion reciprocable along said axis in the second power cylinder section; said first and second power piston portions being interconnected for simultaneous translational reciprocating movement back and forth as a unit along said axis, said power cylinder sections and a piston portions defining respective combustion chambers arranged to provide a power strike for the first power piston portion in one direction, and a power stroke for the second power piston portion in the opposite direction along said axis, means for causing combustion alternately and successively in the respective combustion chambers and thereby providing the reciprocating movement of said interconnected power piston portions; a synchronizer-balancer assembly having a movable first portion connected for reciprocating movement as a unit with said power piston portions, said assembly also having a movable counterbalancing second portion, and means interconnecting said movable first and second portions for reciprocating movement of the second portion in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first portion, said interconnected power piston portions and said movable first synchronizer-balancer portion constituting parts of a power assembly; a first movable energy-absorbing device member mounted for reciprocatIng movement along said axis and connected to move as a unit with said power assembly; and a second movable energy-absorbing device member mounted for reciprocating movement along said axis and connected to move as a unit with said movable counterbalancing second portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly, said synchronizer-balancer assembly having a construction transmitting relatively large instantaneous differential forces between said power assembly and said counterbalancing portion (and their respective energy-absorbing device members), the movable counterbalancing second portion having a preselected weight such that the absolute value of the product of all weight associated to move with the power assembly multiplied by the length of its stroke is substantially equal to the absolute value of the product of all the weight associated to move with the counterbalancing portion multiplied by the length of its corresponding stroke.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The free piston engine of claim 1 in which the first and second movable members are parts of a single energy-absorbing device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
The free piston engine of claim 2 in which the first movable member of an energy-absorbing device is a first compressor piston, the second movable member of an energy-absorbing device is a second compressor piston, and said first and second compressor pistons are parts of a single energy-absorbing device having a compressor cylinder in which said compressor pistons move toward and away from each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The free piston engine of claim 3 in which said compressor pistons and compressor cylinder have their central longitudinal axis coaxial with that of the power cylinder sections, and said compressor cylinder is located axially between one of said power cylinder sections and said synchronizer-balancer assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The free piston engine of claim 1 in which the first movable member is part of a first energy-absorbing device and the second movable member is part of a second energy-absorbing device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The free piston engine according to claim 5 in which each of the first and second energy-absorbing devices has a separate compressor cylinder with a partition therebetween and each of said compressor cylinders has its central longitudinal axis coaxial with that of the power piston portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The free piston engine according to claim 6 in which said compressor cylinders are located axially adjacent each other between the synchronizer-balancer assembly and at least one of said power piston portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The free piston engine of claim 1 having shaft means connecting the movable first portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly to the power piston portions and to the first movable energy-absorbing device member, the central longitudinal axes of all of the shaft means, power piston sections, movable first portion and first movable member being coaxial.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The free piston engine of claim 1, wherein the second power cylinder section is adjacent to, coaxial with, and interconnected with the first power cylinder section to form a double-acting power cylinder, wherein the first power piston portion and the second power piston portion are interconnected as parts of a single double-acting power piston, and wherein the combination of the double-acting power piston and the double-acting power cylinder form a double-acting power section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The free piston engine of claim 1, wherein the first power piston portion and the first power cylinder section comprise a first single-acting power section, wherein the first single-acting power section is positioned at one end of the engine, and wherein the second power piston portion and the second power cylinder section comprise a second single-acting power section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
The free piston engine of claim 10, wherein a first combustion chamber is defined in the first power cylinder section between the outer face of the first power piston portion and the closed outer end of the first power cylinder section, and wherein a second combustion chamber is defined in the second poWer cylinder section between the outer face of the second power piston portion and the closed outer end of the second power cylinder section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The free piston engine of claim 10, wherein the second single-acting power section is positioned on the other end of the engine opposite from the first single-acting power section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
The free piston engine of claim 1, wherein the first power cylinder section and first power piston portion define a first combustion chamber at one end of the engine, the second power cylinder section and second power piston portion define an oppositely acting second combustion chamber at the opposite end of the engine, and the synchronizer-balancer assembly is located between said combustion chambers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The free piston engine according to claim 13 in which the first and second movable members are parts of a single energy-absorbing device located between said combustion chambers along the central longitudinal axis of the engine.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
The free piston engine according to claim 13 in which the first movable member is part of a first energy-absorbing device, the second movable member is part of a second energy-absorbing device, and each of said energy-absorbing devices is located between said combustion chambers along the central longitudinal axis of the engine.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The free piston engine of claim 15 in which said synchronizer-balancer assembly is located axially adjacent one of said power cylinder sections and said energy-absorbing devices are located axially between said synchronizer-balancer assembly and the other of said power cylinder sections.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The free piston engine of claim 1 wherein the movable counterbalancing portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly includes counterbalancing movable weight means symmetrically distributed with respect to the common central longitudinal axis of translational movement of the power pistons.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The free piston engine of claim 17 having means for adjustment of the total weight of said counterbalancing movable weight means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The free piston engine of claim 18 having means for removal of at least a portion of said counterbalancing movable weight means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The free piston engine of claim 17 wherein the total weight of the movable counterbalancing portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly is greater than the weight required to counterbalance only the movable first portion of the synchronizer-balancer assembly.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which the power assembly includes all the power pistons of the engine and in which all main components of the power assembly always move together as a unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which one of the movable energy-absorbing device members performs an engine control function.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which the first and second movable energy-absorbing device members are compressor pistons.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A free piston engine according to claim 23 in which one compressor piston functions at least in part as a scavenge compressor piston.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A free piston engine according to claim 24 in which each compressor piston is a member of an energy-absorbing load device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which each movable energy-absorbing device member is axially spaced from the sychronizer-balancer assembly along the central longitudinal axis of the engine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-04 | 1975-04-05 | 1975-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-04 | 1979-04-05 | 1979-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-04 | 1983-04-05 | 1983-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |