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US3769796A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary heat engines
Assignee: EIDP Inc
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Filing: 1971-02-10
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Granted: 1973-11-06
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Expires: 1991-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A rotary closed Rankine cycle engine including rotary closed housing containing a boiler and an expander, and a condenser connected to the housing, all rotatable as a unit about a common axis. The boiler is of annular construction and the housing and boiler are rotationally driven at a predetermined speed to maintain in the boiler an annular body of liquid having a liquid/vapor interface spaced a predetermined distance radially outward from the engine axis. The condenser is mounted coaxially adjacent the housing to rotate therewith as a unit about the engine axis. The expander actuates a coaxial driving member in the rotary housing and an occluded fixed ratio gear train mounted coaxially within the rotatable housing is driven by the expander driving member and connected to and communicating with the rotary housing-boiler-condenser unit to rotationally drive the latter at said predetermined speed. An external drive member is connected to the rotary housing and rotationally driven thereby, and means is provided opposing the reaction torque generated by the internal gear train so that the power output of the expander is transmitted directly to the rotary housing and the external drive member.
Inventors
- 👤 M Bechtold
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 17:46
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01K; F01K11/00; F01K11/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A rotary closed Rankine cycle engine comprising: a closed cylindrical housing rotatable about its axis and containing an annular boiler, said housing and boiler adapted to be rotated at a predetermined speed to maintain an annular liquid body about the inner peripheral surface of said boiler with a liquid/vapor interface spaced a predetermined distance radially outward from said axis, means to heat the liquid body in the boiler to generate pressure vapor therein, an expander coaxially within said closed housing for extracting work from said pressure vapor and including a coaxially rotatable driving member actuated thereby, a condenser for the exhaust vapor from the expander mounted coaxially adjacent and communicating with the closed housing forming a sealed chamber and rotatable therewith as a unit, means for returning vapor condensate from the condenser to the boiler, an occluded fixed ratio gear train mounted coaxially within the rotary closed housing and interconnected between the expander driving member and said closed housing operable to rotationally drive the latter and said boiler about said axis at said predetermined speed, an external drive member fixedly carried by and rotatable with the rotary closed housing coaxially thereof for driving equipment connected thereto, and means cooperable with the occluded gear train opposing the reaction torque generated thereby so that the full power output of the expander is transmitted directly to the rotary housing and said external drive member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
A rotary closed Rankine cycle engine comprising: a closed cylindrical housing rotatable about its axis and containing an annular boiler, said housing and boiler adapted to be rotated at a predetermined speed to maintain an annular liquid body about the inner peripheral surface of said boiler with a liquid/vapor interface spaced a predetermined distance radially outward from said axis, means to heat the liquid body in the boiler to generate pressure vapor therein, an expander coaxially within said closed housing for extracting work from said pressure vapor and including a coaxially rotatable driving member actuated thereby, a condenser for the exhaust vapor from the expander mounted coaxially adjacent and communicating with the closed housing forming a sealed chamber and rotatable therewith as a unit, means for returning vapor condensate from the condenser to the boiler, an occluded fixed ratio gear train mounted coaxially within the rotary closed housing and interconnected between the expander driving member and said closed housing operable to rotationally drive the latter and said boiler about said axis at said predetermined speed, an external drive member fixedly carried by and rotatable with the rotary closed housing coaxially thereof for driving equipment connected thereto, and means cooperable with the occluded gear train opposing the reaction torque generated thereby so that the full power output of the expander is transmitted directly to the rotary housing and said external drive member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means cooperable with the gear train for generating the counter torque force comprises means for anchoring at least one of the gears in the gear train against relative rotation circumferentially about the engine axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the gear anchoring means comprises stationary non-rotatable means fixedly positioning the gear circumferentially with respect to the engine axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the gear anchoring means comprises a magnetic coupling between the gear and a stationary non-rotatable member operable to anchor said gear circumferentially with respect to the engine axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the gear anchoring means comprises a pendulum member connected to the gear and having predetermined density and dimensions operable to anchor said gear circumferentially with respect to the engine axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 comprising means variably controlling the generated counter torque force in relation to the generated engine reaction torque.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 2 comprising means for variably controlling the gear anchoring means to provide relative rotation of the gear circumferentially about the engine axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gear train includes a first gear coaxially of the engine axis driven by the expander driving member, a second gear fixedly mounted on the boiler-condenser unit to rotationally drive the latter, and a third gear anchored against rotation circumferentially of the engine axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means anchoring the third gear comprises a stationary member on which said third gear is rotatably mounted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means anchoring the third gear comprises rotatable means mounting saiD third gear and magnetic coupling means between said mounting means and a stationary non-rotatable member operable to anchor the gear against rotation about the engine axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means anchoring the third gear comprises coaxial rotatable means mounting said third gear and a pendulum member of predetermined density, dimensions and location mounted on said rotable member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 1 comprising a flywheel fixedly mounted on the coaxially rotatable driving member of the expander and having predetermined dimensions and weight operable to materially increase the energy storage capacity of the engine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a turbine having a series of nozzles rotatable with the boiler-condenser unit, and a driven rotor and shaft mounted for rotation coaxially of the engine axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 4 comprising means for selectively varying the magnetic field intensity of the magnetic coupling between the gear and stationary member to variably control the counter torque anchoring force in relation to the reaction torque of the engine and provide predetermined relative rotation of the gear about the engine axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the magnetic coupling includes electromagnetic means and means for selectively controlling the current to said electromagnetic means for varying the magnetic field intensity of said coupling and thereby the counter torque anchoring force in relation to the engine reaction torque thereby effecting predetermined relative rotation of the gear about the engine axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the gear train includes a first gear mounted coaxially on the turbine rotor shaft, a circumscribing ring gear mounted on the boiler-condenser unit, a plurality of intermediate gears providing driving connection from said first gear to said second gear, means rotationally mounting each of said intermediate gears, and means anchoring said intermediate gear mounting means against rotation about the engine axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the means anchoring the intermediate gear mounting means comprises a stationary non-rotatable means fixedly positioning said gear mounting means circumferentially with respect to the engine axis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the anchoring means for the intermediate gear mounting means comprises a magnetic coupling between the latter and a stationary non-rotatable member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the anchoring means for the intermediate gear mounting means comprises a pendulum member connected to said mounting means and having predetermined density, dimensions and location operable to anchor the mounting means circumferentially with respect to the engine axis.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 16 comprising a flywheel fixedly mounted coaxially on the turbine rotor shaft and having predetermined dimensions and weight operable to materially increase the energy storage capacity of the engine.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 16 comprising means for variably controlling the anchoring means for said intermediate gear mounting means to provide relative rotation of the latter about the engine axis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 18 comprising means for selectively varying the magnetic field intensity of the magnetic coupling between the gear mounting and stationary member to variably control the anchoring force in relation to the reaction torque of the engine and provide predetermined relative rotation of the mounting means and gears about the engine axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
62 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 18 wherein the magnetic coupling includes electromagnetic means and means for selectively controlling the current to said electromagnetic means for varying the magnetic field intensity of said coupling and thereby the anchoRing force in relation to the engine reaction torque to provide predetermined relative rotation of the mounting means and gears about the engine axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 10 comprising means for selectively varying the magnetic field intensity of the magnetic coupling between the gear and stationary member to variably control the counter torque anchoring force in relation to the reaction torque of the engine and provide predetermined relative rotation of the gear about the engine axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
A rotary engine as claimed in claim 10 wherein the magnetic coupling includes electromagnetic means and means for selectively controlling the current to said electromagnetic means for varying the magnetic field intensity of said coupling and thereby the counter torque anchoring force in relation to the engine reaction torque thereby effecting predetermined relative rotation of the gear about the engine axis.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
An engine as claimed in claim 10 wherein the expander comprises a turbine having a series of nozzles rotatable with the boiler-condenser unit, and a driven rotor and shaft mounted for rotation coaxially of the engine axis on which the said first gear is mounted.
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) | 1976-11-05 | 1977-05-07 | 1977-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-05 | 1981-05-07 | 1981-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-05 | 1985-05-07 | 1985-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |