Compressed air engine

Claim 2

A compressed air engine having engine pistons for rotation of a crankshaft, the engine being characterized by a compressed air supply tank connected with an auxiliary air compressor, first electric clutch means on said air compressor, a switch operated electric motor operatively connected with said air compressor, a first electric pressure control switch connected with said clutch means, an electric switch for energizing said clutch and the switch of said electric motor thereby actuating said motor for driving said compressor through said first clutch, said tank being connected with said engine pistons in series, means for operating said pistons from said tank after a predetermined minimum air pressure level is reached, a main recycle air compressor interconnected between the last of said series connected pistons and said supply tank for recycling compressed air through the engine, a second electric clutch means on said auxiliary air compressor, and a second electric pressure control switch connected with said second clutch means, said auxiliary air compressor being operatively connected with said crankshaft, said first electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to open to thereby de-energize said first clutch and stop said motor when the pressure in said tank reaches the minimum predetermined operating air level, said second electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to be closed to thereby energize said second clutch at the time said first clutch is deenergized maintaining operation of said auxiliary air compressor from the crankshaft up to a maximum predetermined operating air pressure level, and again starting said auxiliary air compressor when the pressure in said tank falls below said maximum predetermined operating air level.

Claim 3

The engine according to claim 1 wherein said main recycle air compressor is operatively connected with said crankshaft.

Claim 4

The engine according to claim 1 wherein a vacuum exhaUst tank is provided into which said last piston exhausts and from which air is fed into said main recycle air compressor.

Claim 5

A compressed air engine having engine pistons for rotation of a crankshaft, the engine being characterized by a compressed air supply tank connected with an auxiliary air compressor, first electric clutch means on said air compressor, a first electric pressure control switch connected with said clutch means, an electric switch for energizing said clutch and the switch of said electric motor thereby actuating said motor for driving said compressor through said first clutch, said tank being connected with said engine pistons in series, means for operating said pistons from said tank after a predetermined minimum air pressure level is reached, a second electric clutch means on said auxiliary compressor, and a second electric pressure control switch connected with said second clutch means, said compressor being operatively connected with said crankshaft, said first electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to open to thereby de-energized said first clutch and stop said motor when the pressure in said tank reaches the minimum predetermined operating air level, said second electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to be closed to thereby energize said second clutch at the time said first clutch is de-energized maintaining operation of said auxiliary air compressor from the crankshaft up to a maximum predetermined operating air pressure level and again starting said auxiliary air compressor when the pressure in said tank falls below said maximum predetermined operating air level, said pistons comprising a multi-cylinder four-cycle engine having intake and exhaust valves for each power stroke thereof, intake and exhaust valves for each compression stroke thereof, and a baffle valve in the exhaust of the compression stroke for each said cylinder, a camshaft for said power stroke valves and another camshaft for said compression stroke valves, cam lobes on each said camshaft arranged to open and close said valves during the power and compression strokes in series order upon rotation of said camshaft.

Claim 6

A compressed air engine having engine pistons for rotation of a crankshaft, the engine being characterized by a compressed air supply tank connected with an auxiliary air compressor, first electric clutch means on said air compressor, a first electric pressure control switch connected with said clutch means, an electric switch for energizing said clutch and the switch of said electric motor thereby actuating said motor for driving said compressor through said first clutch, said tank being connected with said engine pistons in series, means for operating said pistons from said tank after a predetermined minimum air pressure level is reached, a second electric clutch means on said auxiliary compressor, and a second electric pressure control switch connected with said second clutch means, said compressor being operatively connected with said crankshaft, said first electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to open to thereby de-energized said first clutch and stop said motor when the pressure in said tank reaches the minimum predetermined operating air level, said second electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to be closed to thereby energize said second clutch at the time said first clutch is de-energized maintaining operation of said auxiliary air compressor from the crankshaft up to a maximum predetermined operating air pressure level and again starting said auxiliary air compressor when the pressure in said tank falls below said maximum predetermined operating air level, said pistons comprising a multi-cylinder four-cycle engine having intake and exhaust valves for each power stroke thereof, intake and exhaust valves for each compression stroke thereof, and a baffle valve in the exhaust of the compression stroke for each said cylinder, a camshaft for said power stroke valves and another camshaft for said compression stroke valves, cam lobes on each said camshaft arranged to open and close said valves during the power and compression strokes in series order upon rotation of said camshaft.

Claim 7

A compressed air engine having engine pistons for rotation of a crankshaft, the engine being characterized by a compressed air supply tank connected with an auxiliary air compressor, first electric clutch means on said compressor, a switch operated electric motor operatively connected with said air compressor, a first electric pressure control switch connected with said clutch means, an electric switch for energizing said clutch and the switch of said electric motor thereby actuating said motor for driving said compressor through said first clutch, said tank being connected with said engine pistons in parallel, fluid means for operating said pistons from said tank after a predetermined minimum air pressure level is reached, means associated with each of said engine pistons for actuating said pistons, a main recycle air compressor interconnected between said parallely connected pistons and said supply tank for recycling compressed air throughout the engine, a second electric clutch means on said auxiliary air compressor, and a second electric pressure control switch connected with said second clutch means, said auxiliary air compressor being operatively connected with said crankshaft, said first electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to open to thereby de-energize said first clutch and stop said motor when the pressure in said tank reaches the minimum predetermined operating air level, said second electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to be closed to thereby energize said second clutch at the time said first clutch is de-energized thereby maintaining operation of said auxiliary air compressor when the pressure reaches a minimum predetermined level from the crankshaft up to a maximum predetermined operating air pressure level and again starting said auxiliary compressor when the pressure in said tank falls beloW said maximum predetermined operating air pressure level.

Claim 8

A compressed air engine having engine pistons for rotation of a crankshaft, the engine being characterized by a compressed air supply tank connected with an auxiliary air compressor, first electric clutch means on said compressor, a switch operated electric motor operatively connected with said air compressor, a first electric pressure control switch connected with said clutch means, an electric switch for energizing said clutch and the switch of said electric motor thereby actuating said motor for driving said compressor through said first clutch, said tank being connected with said engine pistons in parallel, fluid means for operating said pistons from said tank after a predetermined minimum air pressure level is reached, means associated with each of said engine pistons for actuating said pistons, a main recycle air compressor interconnected between said parallely connected pistons and said supply tank for recycling compressed air throughout the engine, a second electric clutch means on said auxiliary air compressor, and a second electric pressure control switch connected with said second clutch means, said auxiliary air compressor being operatively connected with said crankshaft, said first electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to open to thereby de-energize said first clutch and stop said motor when the pressure in said tank reaches the minimum predetermined operating air level, said second electric pressure control switch being so arranged as to be closed to thereby energize said second clutch at the time said first clutch is de-energized thereby maintaining operation of said auxiliary air compressor when the pressure reaches a minimum predetermined level from the crankshaft up to a maximum predetermined operating air pressure level and again starting said auxiliary compressor when the pressure in said tank falls beloW said maximum predetermined operating air pressure level.

Claim 9

The engine according to claim 5 wherein said main recycle air compressor is operatively connected with said crankshaft.

Claim 10

The engine according to claim 5 wherein a vacuum exhaust tank is provided into which each of said pistons exhaust and from which air is fed into said main recycle air compressor.

Claim 11

The engine according to claim 5 wherein said fluid means comprises a hydraulic cylinder for each said piston at least partially filled with hydraulic fluid and having a floating piston therein for forcing the fluid from said hydraulic cylinder into its connected piston cylinder upon movement of said floating piston by the compressed air from the supply tank.

Claim 12

The engine according to claim 5 wherein said fluid means comprises a sealed air cylinder having a piston therein connected to each said engine piston which acts as a guide for its respective air cylinder piston, the downward movement of the power stroke of each said engine piston being actuated by its respective air cylinder piston.