Rotary internal combustion engine

Abstract

Abstract A rotary internal combustion engine is disclosed herein and generally comprises a rotor means having a plurality of cylinders spaced radially around a pivoting core. A free floating piston is slidably mounted in each of the cylinders with the head of the piston being positioned towards the center or core of the rotor. A roller is mounted in the skirt end of the piston which rides against a circular cam. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the rotor causes the pistons to follow the internal cam surface of the cam during rotation. The core of the rotor is provided to supply air for purging and charging the cylinders and a fuel pump is provided with ports communicating to each cylinder respectively. A stationary valve plate is mounted against one face of the core so as to communicate fuel and air to the cylinders at the proper time during rotation of the rotor. An air pump is provided to supply fuel under pressure to a metering valve in the valve plate. Ignition is accomplished through compression with the cam being shaped so that the compression is increased suddenly through the range of combustion. The shape of the cam is such that it is possible to inject the fuel as well as the air, at the expanded position of the piston. The piston is then suddenly compressed through the firing range. Preferably, the cam is shaped to provide a slight dwell at the area of maximum compression to provide ample time for the explosion of the fuel and air mixture. The cylinders are exhausted by means of openings extending around a portion of the cylinder which are in communication with the exhaust manifold at the extreme expanded position of the pistons. The exhaust from each cylinder is exhausted through its individual exhaust openings rather than through a common exhaust port. The design of the valve plate and seal plate of the engine is unique and insures that the air and fuel will be properly injected at the proper time without creating objectionable pressures on the valve plate and seal plate thereby eliminating leakage and reducing damage to the components. The preferred embodiment includes an even number of cylinders, ordinarily two or four, with a cam plate having a pair of oppositely disposed lobes. The preferred cam plate includes upsweep portions on either side of the lobes to achieve more rapid compression and more rapid exhaust. Pressure sensing or heat sensing means are provided for at least one of the cylinders so that the timing of ignition of the fuel in the cylinder can be carefully controlled under varying atmospheric conditions.

Inventors

• 👤 R Townsend

Bibliographic Details