Free piston engine bounce compressor

Claim 2

In a free piston engine, a bounce compressor including a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston within the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber therein, one of the bounce cylinder and bounce piston being operatively connected to the engine whereby the bounce cylinder and bounce piston are relatively and reciprocally movable with respect to each other to provide desired control requirements of the engine during operation, and improved venting and control means for said bounce chamber, said venting and control means including venting passage means of restricted cross section, and fluid controlling means selectively opening said venting passage means to said bounce chamber during only a limited portion of that half of the relative reciprocal movement of said piston and cylinder in which the bounce chamber pressure has increased, the venting passage means and fluid controlling means having a construction and relative arrangement and location providing, during said limited portion of movement, a brief, controlled high-velocity ejection of a small portion of fluid from said chamber through said venting passage means at a velocity and location providing effective removal of contaminants from said chamber with said fluid while maintaining sufficient compression pressure in the bounce chamber at the end of a bounce compression stroke to provide desired control requirements of the engine, and means for replacing the ejected fluid.

Claim 3

A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which said means for replacing the ejected fluid includes means for adding fluid to the bounce chamber at a temperature and in an amount providing cooling of the bounce chamber during operation of the engine.

Claim 4

A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which said venting passage means is opened to said bounce chamber during an intermediate portion of said relative reciprocal movement while the bounce chamber approaches its minimum volume and is closed to said bounce chamber during the final portion of said relative movement in which the bounce chamber reaches its minimum volume thereby further increasing the bounce chamber pressure during said final portion of said relative movement and accordingly storing further energy by compression of said fluid in preparation for a return stroke.

Claim 5

A free piston engine according to claim 3 in which said venting passage is opened to said bounce chamber during an intermediate portion of the last half of the relative movement of the bounce piston in the direction of increasing pressure in the bounce chamber.

Claim 6

A free piston engine according to claim 3 in which said venting passage and said means selectively opening the venting passage includes a passage located at a lower inner surface of said bounce cylinder at a point passed by a lower edge of said bouncer piston during a limited portion of its compression stroke, thereby utilizing said piston to scrape solid and liquid contaminants along said lower surface to said venting passage for controlled high velocity ejection of pressurized fluid and entrained contaminants through said passage.

Claim 7

A free piston engine according to claim 1 in which said venting passage opens into and connects two axially spaced portions of said cylinder, said bounce piston has at least one sealing ring moving with it and engaging said cylinder, and said sealing ring moves along said cylinder from a first sealing position spaced from both of said cylinder portions toward one end of the cylinder to an intermediate venting position between said spaced cylinder portions, to a second sealing position spaced from both said cylinder portions toward the opposite end of the cylinder, said sealing ring thereby constituting at least part of the means selectively opening said venting passage to said bounce chamber during said limited portion of movement.

Claim 8

A free piston engine having, in combination, a power piston, a bounce compressor including a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston within the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber therein, one of the bounce cylinder and bounce piston being operatively connected to the power piston whereby the bounce cylinder and bounce piston are relatively and reciprocally movable with respect to each other to control the movement of the power piston during operation of the engine, and improved venting and control means for said bounce chaMber, said venting and control means including venting passage means for communicating with a fluid discharge region and designed to communicate with the one bounce chamber in only certain positions of the bounce piston, and fluid controlling means for selectively controlling the communication of the venting passage means with the one bounce chamber, said fluid controlling means being effective to connect the venting passage means with the bounce chamber during a portion of the cycle of relative movement of the bounce piston and cylinder in which the pressure in the bounce chamber has increased, thereby providing a brief high velocity ejection of fluid and contaminants from the bounce chamber through the venting passage means, and said fluid controlling means and venting passage means having a cooperating construction and relative location limiting the high velocity ejection to only a small portion of the fluid compressed in the bouncer chamber and thereby maintaining sufficient pressure within the bounce chamber at the end of a bounce compression stroke to provide desired control of the power piston movement.

Claim 9

A free piston engine having, in combination, a power piston, a bounce compressor including a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston within the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber therein, one of the bounce cylinder and bounce piston being operatively connected to the power piston whereby the bounce cylinder and bounce piston are relatively and reciprocally movable with respect to each other to control the movement of the power piston during operation of the engine, and improved venting and control means for said bounce chaMber, said venting and control means including venting passage means for communicating with a fluid discharge region and designed to communicate with the one bounce chamber in only certain positions of the bounce piston, and fluid controlling means for selectively controlling the communication of the venting passage means with the one bounce chamber, said fluid controlling means being effective to connect the venting passage means with the bounce chamber during a portion of the cycle of relative movement of the bounce piston and cylinder in which the pressure in the bounce chamber has increased, thereby providing a brief high velocity ejection of fluid and contaminants from the bounce chamber through the venting passage means, and said fluid controlling means and venting passage means having a cooperating construction and relative location limiting the high velocity ejection to only a small portion of the fluid compressed in the bouncer chamber and thereby maintaining sufficient pressure within the bounce chamber at the end of a bounce compression stroke to provide desired control of the power piston movement.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7, including one-way control valve means positioned in the passage means to only allow the egress of fluid from the bounce chamber through the passage means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7, including one-way control valve means arranged relative to the bounce chamber to only allow the ingress of fluid into the bounce chamber, and including second passage means having one end communicating with the valve means and having another end arranged to communicate with a source of fluid to provide fresh fluid to the bounce chamber during a portion of the bounce compressor cycle.

Claim 12

In a free piston engine, a bounce compressor including: a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston reciprocally movable within and relative to the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber in the bounce cylinder, passage means communicating with a fluid discharge region and designed to communicate with the one bounce chamber in certain positions of the bounce piston, and fluid controlling means for selectively controlling the communication of the passage means with the one bounce chamber including sealing means positioned around the bounce piston between the bounce piston and the adjacent wall of the bounce cylinder, the fluid controlling means being effective during a portion of the cycle of relative movement of the bounce piston to connect the passage means with the bounce chamber to vent the bounce chamber and allow fluid along with any contaminants therein to flow to the fluid discharge region, wherein the fluid controlling means includes at least one slot formed in the bounce cylinder and extending longitudinally of the bounce cylinder, and wherein the bounce piston includes connection means and the passage means is formed within the bounce piston with a first end of the passage means formed in the side of the bounce piston and a second end of the passage means formed in the connection means to allow fluid communication from the bounce chamber to the fluid discharge region when the position of the bounce piston causes the first end of the passage to align with the slot.

Claim 13

In a free piston engine, a bounce compressor including: a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston reciprocally movable within and relative to the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber in the bounce cylinder, passage means communicating with a fluid discharge region and designed to communicate with the one bounce chamber in certain positions of the bounce piston, and fluid controlling means for selectively controlling the communication of the passage means with the one bounce chamber including sealing means positioned around the bounce piston between the bounce piston and the adjacent wall of the bounce cylinder, the fluid controlling means being effective during a portion of the cycle of relative movement of the bounce piston to connect the passage means with the bounce chamber to vent the bounce chamber and allow fluid along with any contaminants therein to flow to the fluid discharge region, wherein the fluid controlling means includes at least one slot formed in the bounce cylinder and extending longitudinally of the bounce cylinder, and wherein the bounce piston includes connection means and the passage means is formed within the bounce piston with a first end of the passage means formed in the side of the bounce piston and a second end of the passage means formed in the connection means to allow fluid communication from the bounce chamber to the fluid discharge region when the position of the bounce piston causes the first end of the passage to align with the slot.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sealing means comprises at least one sealing ring carried by the bounce piston between the first end of the passage means and the bounce chamber, and wherein the slot is of sufficient length to bypass the sealing ring carried by the bounce piston during a portion of the cycle of the bounce compressor to allow fluid communication between the first bounce chamber and the fluid discharge region during that portion of the cycle of the bounce compressor.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the bounce piston carries at least two sealing rings spaced from each other to form a second bounce chamber between the sealing rings and between the bounce piston and the adjacent wall of the bounce cylinder, wherein the length of the slot is sufficient to bypass tHe sealing ring adjacent the first bounce chamber but less than required to bypass both sealing rings, and wherein the first end of the passage means is positioned in the bounce piston adjacent the second bounce chamber.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12, including one-way control valve means positioned in the passage means to only allow the egress of fluid from the second bounce chamber.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the bounce piston includes second one-way control valve means positioned adjacent the first bounce chamber and arranged to only allow the ingress of fluid into the first bounce chamber, and wherein the bounce piston and the connection means include second passage means having a first end communicating with the second valve means and having a second end arranged to communicate with a source of fluid to allow fresh fluid to enter the first bounce chamber during a portion of the bounce compressor cycle.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a first cavity is formed within the bounce piston with a first end of the first cavity communicating with the second bounce chamber and a second end of the first cavity communicating with the first end of the first passage means; wherein the first one-way control valve means comprises a ball check valve assembly positioned in the first cavity and including an adjustable retaining ring positioned within the first cavity near the first end, a valve seat being formed in the side of the retaining ring adjacent the second end, including a ball positioned in the valve seat, and including a valve spring having one end in contact with the ball and having the other end in contact with the second end of the first cavity for applying a force to the ball tending to maintain the ball in the valve seat unless force applied to the ball by the pressure differential between the fluid discharge region and the second chamber overcomes the force applied by the valve spring to allow fluid from the second chamber to flow into the fluid discharge region; wherein a second cavity is formed within the bounce piston with a first end of the second cavity communicating with the first chamber and a second end of the second cavity communicating with the first end of the second passage; and wherein the second one-way control valve means comprises a second ball check valve assembly positioned in the second cavity and including a valve seat formed in the bounce piston adjacent the second end of the second cavity, including a ball positioned in the valve seat, including a retaining ring positioned in the bounce piston adjacent the first end of the second cavity, and including a valve spring having one end in contact with the retaining ring and the other end in contact with the ball for applying a force to the ball tending to maintain the ball in the valve seat unless the force applied to the ball by the pressure differential between the source of fluid and the first chamber overcomes the force applied by the valve spring to allow fluid from the source of fluid to flow into the first chamber.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the bounce piston has first and second faces, the first face being adjacent the first bounce chamber, wherein the bounce piston defines a third bounce chamber in the bounce cylinder, the third bounce chamber being defined adjacent the second face of the bounce piston, and wherein the apparatus includes at least one second slot formed in the housing and extending longitudinally of the bounce cylinder, the second slot being longitudinally spaced from the first slot and being of sufficient length to bypass the sealing ring adjacent the third bounce chamber but shorter than required to bypass both sealing rings, the second slot venting the third bounce chamber during a portion of the cycle of the bounce compressor for allowing the venting of at least a part of any contaminants within the third bounce chamber.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16, including one-way control valve means positioned adjacent the third bounce chamber and arRanged to only allow entrance of fluid into the third bounce chamber to allow fresh fluid to flow into third chamber during a portion of the bouncer compressor cycle.

Claim 21

In a free piston engine, a bounce compressor including: a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston reciprocally movable within and relative to the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber in the bounce cylinder, passage means communicating with a fluid discharge region and designed to communicate with the one bounce chamber in certain positions of the bounce piston, and fluid controlling means for selectively controlling the communication of the passage means with the one bounce chamber including sealing means positioned around the bounce piston between the bounce piston and the adjacent wall of the bounce cylinder, the fluid controlling means being effective during a portion of the cycle of relative movement of the bounce piston to connect the passage means with the bounce chamber to vent the bounce chamber and allow fluid along with any contaminants therein to flow to the fluid discharge region, wherein the sealing means includes first and second axially spaced sealing means between the piston and the bounce cylinder, the first sealing means being adjacent the bounce chamber and the second sealing means being axially spaced from the bounce chamber; wherein the bounce piston defines a second chamber in the bounce cylinder, the second chamber being defined adjacent the second sealing means of the bounce piston at the opposite axial side of the second sealing means from the bounce chamber and first sealing means; and wherein the fluid controlling means includes slot means positioned in the bounce cylinder and extending longitudinally of the bounce cylinder, the slot means arranged to bypass both of the first and second sealing means during a portion of the bounce compressor cycle to provide fluid communication between the first bounce chamber and the second chamber.

Claim 22

In a free piston engine, a bounce compressor including: a bounce cylinder, a bounce piston reciprocally movable within and relative to the bounce cylinder and defining at least one bounce chamber in the bounce cylinder, passage means communicating with a fluid discharge region and designed to communicate with the one bounce chamber in certain positions of the bounce piston, and fluid controlling means for selectively controlling the communication of the passage means with the one bounce chamber including sealing means positioned around the bounce piston between the bounce piston and the adjacent wall of the bounce cylinder, the fluid controlling means being effective during a portion of the cycle of relative movement of the bounce piston to connect the passage means with the bounce chamber to vent the bounce chamber and allow fluid along with any contaminants therein to flow to the fluid discharge region, wherein the sealing means includes first and second axially spaced sealing means between the piston and the bounce cylinder, the first sealing means being adjacent the bounce chamber and the second sealing means being axially spaced from the bounce chamber; wherein the bounce piston defines a second chamber in the bounce cylinder, the second chamber being defined adjacent the second sealing means of the bounce piston at the opposite axial side of the second sealing means from the bounce chamber and first sealing means; and wherein the fluid controlling means includes slot means positioned in the bounce cylinder and extending longitudinally of the bounce cylinder, the slot means arranged to bypass both of the first and second sealing means during a portion of the bounce compressor cycle to provide fluid communication between the first bounce chamber and the second chamber.