Two-cycle engine

Claim 2

A two-cycle engine for use with molecular fuel gases, comprising, in combination, housing means having a longitudinal axis and defining at least first and second banks of piston chambers, each bank of piston chambers including a plurality of piston chambers each having a substantially closed end portion defining a combustion chamber, piston means supported within each bank of piston chambers and including a piston received within each of said piston chambers for arcuate reciprocating movement therein, the pistons disposed within each bank of piston chambers being interconnected for conjoint reciprocating movement, means interconnecting the piston means of said banks such that arcuate movement of a piston in one bank effects equal magnitude arcuate movement of the pistons in the other bank in an opposite arcuate direction, a plurality of inlet ports communicating with each of said combustion chambers for allowing the introduction of separate fuel vapor gases into the associated combustion chambers, fuel control valve means associated with each of said inlet ports and adapted to effect the introduction of a separate fuel vapor gas into the corresponding inlet port, ignition means associated with each of said combustion chambers for effecting ignition of fuel vapor gases introduced into said combustion chambers, and exhaust valve means communicating with each of said piston chambers, each of said exhaust valve means being exposed to the combustion chamber of the associated piston chamber as the corresponding piston reaches a predetermined position during an expansion stroke, said exhaust valve means of each bank of piston chambers being positioned such that maximum exposure to the corresponding combustion chambers is effected when the pistons of the other bank of piston chambers begin their expansion strokes due to the reaction forces of combustion of fuel vapor gases, each of said exhaust valve means being adapted to open at a predetermined vapor pressure within the associated combustion chamber when exposed thereto and reduce the vapor pressure to a predetermined value greater than zero, said reduced vapor pressures acting on the associated pistons constituting the sole forces opposing movement of said associated pistons in a compression direction upon movement of the pistons in the opposite bank in opposite expansion directions by virtue of combustion of fuel gases within their associated combustion chambers.

Claim 3

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said piston means include annular hub portions disposed coaxially to the longitudinal axis of said housing means, said hub portions having gear teeth on opposing end portions thereof, and whereiN said means interconnecting the piston means of said banks includes pinion gear means supported by said housing for engagement with said gear teeth of said hub portions such that arcuate movement of either of said hub portions about its axis effects movement of the other hub portion in an opposite arcuate direction.

Claim 4

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 2 wherein the axes of said pinion gears means lie in a common plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said housing means.

Claim 5

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 3 wherein said pinion gear means includes a pinion gear corresponding to each of said piston chambers,and including means interconnecting each of said fuel control valve means with a pinion gear to effect the introduction of said fuel vapor gases into the corresponding combustion chambers in direct relation to reciprocating movement of the piston disposed within the corresponding piston chamber.

Claim 6

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 4 wherein said gear teeth on said hub portions have a gear ratio relative to each of said associated pinion gears of 4:1.

Claim 7

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 4 wherein said means interconnecting each of said fuel control valves with a pinion gear includes collar drive means disposed on said pinion gear and adjustable to alter the timing relationship between movement of said pinion gear and the associated fuel control valve means.

Claim 8

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 5 wherein two inlet ports are provided in communicating relation with each of said combustion chambers, and wherein said valve means associated with each of said inlet ports comprises a spool valve operatively connected to the pinion gear associated with the corresponding combustion chamber such that each of said spool valve means is caused to introduce a fuel vapor gas into the associated inlet port in predetermined relation to the arcuate position of the associated piston during reciprocating movement thereof.

Claim 9

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said piston means includes an annular hub portion having an axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of said housing means, and including shaft means disposed within each of said annular hub portions, and unidirectional clutch means supported within each of said hub portions for cooperation with the associated shaft means to effect unidirectional rotational movement of said shafts during arcuate reciprocating movement of said pistons.

Claim 10

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 1 including shaft means supported by said housing for rotational movement coincident with the longitudinal axis of said housing means, and including unidirectional clutch means operatively interconnecting said shaft means and said piston means for effecting unidirectional movement of said shaft means upon arcuate reciprocating movement of said pistons.

Claim 11

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said exhaust valve means includes spring means urging said valve means to closed positions, said spring means being characterized by exerting greater closing biasing forces as said valve means are opened upon exposure to the associated combustion chambers.

Claim 12

A two-cycle engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said ignition means includes glow plugs continually maintained at temperatures sufficient to effect combustion of the fuel vapor gases as they are introduced into the corresponding combustion chambers through said inlet port means.

Claim 13

A two-cycle engine for use with molecular hydrogen and oxygen fuel gases, comprising, in combination, housing means having a longitudinal axis and defining at least first and second banks of arcuate piston chambers, piston means disposed within each bank of piston chambers and including a piston received within each of said piston chambers for arcuate reciprocating movement therein, said pistons disposed within each of said banks of piston chambers being interconnected for conjoint reciprocating movement, means interconnecting the pistons Disposed within said banks of piston chambers such that reciprocating movement of a piston in one of said banks of piston chambers effects equal magnitude arcuate movement of the pistons disposed in the other bank of piston chambers in an opposite arcuate direction, a hydrogen inlet port and an oxygen inlet port communicating with each of said combustion chambers for allowing the separate introduction of molecular hydrogen and oxygen vapor gases into the corresponding combustion chamber, valve means associated with each of said inlet ports, said valve means associated with said hydrogen inlet ports being adapted to effect introduction of a predetermined volume of hydrogen vapor gas under pressure into the corresponding combustion chamber, said valve means associated with said oxygen inlet ports being adapted to effect introduction of a predetermined volume of oxygen under pressure into the corresponding oxygen inlet port, said volume of oxygen introduced being equal to one-half the volume of hydrogen introduced, ignition means associated with each of said combustion chambers and adapted to effect ignition of said hydrogen and oxygen vapor gases after they are introduced into the corresponding combustion chamber, exhaust valve means communicating with each of said piston chambers and adapted to be exposed to the corresponding combustion chamber as the associated pistons are moved in arcuate directions during expansion strokes, said exhaust valve means being adapted to reduce the vapor pressures within the combustion chambers when exposed thereto to a predetermined value greater than zero, said pistons of said respective banks of pistons being synchronized such that the exhaust valve means of one bank of pistons are subjected to maximum exposure to their corresponding combustion chambers as the pistons of the opposite bank of piston cambers are subjected to reaction forces from combustion of the hydrogen and oxygen vapor gases introduced into the corresponding combustion chambers, shaft means supported by said housing means for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said housing means, and means interconnecting said shaft means and said banks of pistons to effect unidirectional movement of said shaft means upon reciprocating movement of said pistons.

Claim 14

A two-cycle engine for use with molecular hydrogen and oxygen fuel gases, comprising, in combination, housing means having a longitudinal axis and defining at least first and second banks of arcuate piston chambers, piston means disposed within each bank of piston chambers and including a piston received within each of said piston chambers for arcuate reciprocating movement therein, said pistons disposed within each of said banks of piston chambers being interconnected for conjoint reciprocating movement, means interconnecting the pistons Disposed within said banks of piston chambers such that reciprocating movement of a piston in one of said banks of piston chambers effects equal magnitude arcuate movement of the pistons disposed in the other bank of piston chambers in an opposite arcuate direction, a hydrogen inlet port and an oxygen inlet port communicating with each of said combustion chambers for allowing the separate introduction of molecular hydrogen and oxygen vapor gases into the corresponding combustion chamber, valve means associated with each of said inlet ports, said valve means associated with said hydrogen inlet ports being adapted to effect introduction of a predetermined volume of hydrogen vapor gas under pressure into the corresponding combustion chamber, said valve means associated with said oxygen inlet ports being adapted to effect introduction of a predetermined volume of oxygen under pressure into the corresponding oxygen inlet port, said volume of oxygen introduced being equal to one-half the volume of hydrogen introduced, ignition means associated with each of said combustion chambers and adapted to effect ignition of said hydrogen and oxygen vapor gases after they are introduced into the corresponding combustion chamber, exhaust valve means communicating with each of said piston chambers and adapted to be exposed to the corresponding combustion chamber as the associated pistons are moved in arcuate directions during expansion strokes, said exhaust valve means being adapted to reduce the vapor pressures within the combustion chambers when exposed thereto to a predetermined value greater than zero, said pistons of said respective banks of pistons being synchronized such that the exhaust valve means of one bank of pistons are subjected to maximum exposure to their corresponding combustion chambers as the pistons of the opposite bank of piston cambers are subjected to reaction forces from combustion of the hydrogen and oxygen vapor gases introduced into the corresponding combustion chambers, shaft means supported by said housing means for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said housing means, and means interconnecting said shaft means and said banks of pistons to effect unidirectional movement of said shaft means upon reciprocating movement of said pistons.