Stratified charge rotary engine

Claim 2

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing including opposed end walls in conjunction with a central peripheral wall defining a cavity, a rotor, an output shaft, an eccentric on said output shaft, said rotor planetating on said eccentric as it rotates within said cavity compressing a regular relatively lean air-fuel mixture for combustion therein, said rotor having opposite side walls each facing an adjacent one of said housing end walls, at least one precombustion chamber formed in one of said rotor side walls opening toward said adjacent housing end walls, means supplying a relatively rich air-fuel mixture to a supply inlet port strategically positioned in said adjacent housing end wall, a throat passage in said rotor connecting said precombustion chamber with said rotor cavity wherein said relatively lean airfuel mixture is compressed, and ignition means mounted in said adjacent housing end wall igniting the relatively rich air-fuel mixture in said precombustion chamber at a precise time during rotation of said rotor whereby the ignited rich mixture burns through said throat passage torch igniting said relatively lean air-fuel mixture compressed by said rotor in said cavity.

Claim 3

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing including opposed end walls in conjunction with a central peripheral wall defining a cavity within the housing, a rotor, an output shaft, an eccentric on said output shaft, said rotor planetating on said eccentric as it rotates within said cavity compressing a regular relatively lean air-fuel mixture for combustion therein, said rotor having opposite side walls each facing an adjacent one of said housing end walls, at least one precombustion chamber formed in one of said rotor side walls opening toward said adjacent housing end wall, a cup-shaped liner positioned within said precombustion chamber and formed to define in conjunction with the precombustion chamber a circumferential insulating air space thereabout, means supplying a relatively rich air-fuel mixture To a supply inlet port strategically positioned in said adjacent housing end wall, a throat passage in said rotor connecting said precombustion chamber with said rotor cavity wherein said relatively lean air-fuel mixture is compressed, and ignition means mounted in said adjacent housing end wall igniting the relatively rich air-fuel mixture in said precombustion chamber at a precise time during rotation of said rotor whereby the ignited rich mixture burns through said throat passage torch igniting said relatively lean air-fuel mixture compressed by said rotor in said cavity.

Claim 4

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing including opposed end walls in conjunction with a central peripheral wall defining a cavity within the housing, a rotor, an output shaft, an eccentric on said output shaft, said rotor planetating on said eccentric as it rotates within said cavity compressing a regular relatively lean air-fuel mixture for combustion therein, said rotor having opposite side walls each facing an adjacent one of said housing end walls, at least one precombustion chamber formed in one of said rotor side walls opening toward said adjacent housing end wall, a cup-shaped liner positioned within said precombustion chamber and formed to define in conjunction with the precombustion chamber a circumferential insulating air space thereabout, means supplying a relatively rich air-fuel mixture To a supply inlet port strategically positioned in said adjacent housing end wall, a throat passage in said rotor connecting said precombustion chamber with said rotor cavity wherein said relatively lean air-fuel mixture is compressed, and ignition means mounted in said adjacent housing end wall igniting the relatively rich air-fuel mixture in said precombustion chamber at a precise time during rotation of said rotor whereby the ignited rich mixture burns through said throat passage torch igniting said relatively lean air-fuel mixture compressed by said rotor in said cavity.

Claim 5

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine as described in claim 2 further comprising a balancing cavity formed in the rotor side wall opposite to said one rotor side wall containing said precombustion chamber, said cup-shaped liner having an aperture in the bottom thereof connecting with a passage through said rotor to said balancing cavity, said one rotor wall having a circumferential groove formed therein adjacent said precombustion chamber and a spring biased gas seal positioned in said circumferential groove continually being biased into engagement with said adjacent housing end wall thereby sealing the rich air-fuel mixture within said precombustion chamber as said rotor rotates with said cavity.

Claim 6

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing including opposed front and rear end walls which in combination with a central peripheral wall define a multi-lobed cavity therein, a multi-apex rotor, an output shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, said rotor planetating on said eccentric as it rotates within said cavity, said rear housing end wall containing an inlet port, a main carburetor supplying a relatively lean air-fuel mixture to said rear housing inlet port, a seal supporting bar in said rear housing end wall extending across said main inlet port, said rotor compressing the relatively lean air-fuel mixture supplied through said rear housing inlet port, said rotor having opposite side walls each facing an adjacent one of said housing front and rear end walls, a precombustion chamber formed adjacent each apex in one of said rotor side walls opening toward said front housing end wall, a cup-shaped combustion liner positioned in each precombustion chamber and secured therein, said cup-shaped liners being formed so that their exterior circumferential surface cooperates with the rotor surface defining said precombustion chambers to provide a circumferentially extending air insulating space thereabout, said rotor having a balance cavity formed in the side wall facing toward said rear housing end wall, said cup-shaped liner having an aperture in the bottom surface thereof, said rotor further having a balance passage connecting with the aperture in the bottom of said cup-shaped liner and the balance cavity in said rotor said wall facing toward said rear housing end wall, said rotor side walls having seal grooves formed therein circumscribing said precombustion chambers and said balance cavities, spring biased annular seals positioned in said circumscribing grooves continually engaging respective front and rear housing end walls sealing gas pressures within said precombustion chambers and said balance cavities, said seal supporting bar retaining said balance cavity seals in place as they pass across said inlet port in said rear housing wall, an auxiliary carburetor supplying a relatively rich air-fuel mixture to an inlet port strategically positioned in said front housing end wall, said precombustion chambers sequentially and periodically connecting with the front housing wall inlet port and being filled with a rich air-fuel mixture, respective throat passages in said rotor connecting each of said precombustion chambers with said multi-lobed rotor cavity wherein said relatively lean air-fuel mixture is compressed, and ignition means mounted in said adjacent front housing end wall igniting the relatively rich air-fuel mixture in each of said precombustion chambeRs at a precise time during rotation of said rotor whereby the ignited rich mixture burns through said passage torch igniting said relatively lean air-fuel mixture compressed by said rotor in said cavity.

Claim 7

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing including opposed front and rear end walls which in combination with a central peripheral wall define a multi-lobed cavity therein, a multi-apex rotor, an output shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, said rotor planetating on said eccentric as it rotates within said cavity, said rear housing end wall containing an inlet port, a main carburetor supplying a relatively lean air-fuel mixture to said rear housing inlet port, a seal supporting bar in said rear housing end wall extending across said main inlet port, said rotor compressing the relatively lean air-fuel mixture supplied through said rear housing inlet port, said rotor having opposite side walls each facing an adjacent one of said housing front and rear end walls, a precombustion chamber formed adjacent each apex in one of said rotor side walls opening toward said front housing end wall, a cup-shaped combustion liner positioned in each precombustion chamber and secured therein, said cup-shaped liners being formed so that their exterior circumferential surface cooperates with the rotor surface defining said precombustion chambers to provide a circumferentially extending air insulating space thereabout, said rotor having a balance cavity formed in the side wall facing toward said rear housing end wall, said cup-shaped liner having an aperture in the bottom surface thereof, said rotor further having a balance passage connecting with the aperture in the bottom of said cup-shaped liner and the balance cavity in said rotor said wall facing toward said rear housing end wall, said rotor side walls having seal grooves formed therein circumscribing said precombustion chambers and said balance cavities, spring biased annular seals positioned in said circumscribing grooves continually engaging respective front and rear housing end walls sealing gas pressures within said precombustion chambers and said balance cavities, said seal supporting bar retaining said balance cavity seals in place as they pass across said inlet port in said rear housing wall, an auxiliary carburetor supplying a relatively rich air-fuel mixture to an inlet port strategically positioned in said front housing end wall, said precombustion chambers sequentially and periodically connecting with the front housing wall inlet port and being filled with a rich air-fuel mixture, respective throat passages in said rotor connecting each of said precombustion chambers with said multi-lobed rotor cavity wherein said relatively lean air-fuel mixture is compressed, and ignition means mounted in said adjacent front housing end wall igniting the relatively rich air-fuel mixture in each of said precombustion chambeRs at a precise time during rotation of said rotor whereby the ignited rich mixture burns through said passage torch igniting said relatively lean air-fuel mixture compressed by said rotor in said cavity.

Claim 8

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing having an interior substantially trochoidal peripheral wall and a pair of oppositely facing first and second interior end walls defining a rotor cavity, an output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, an eccentric on said output shaft and located within said rotor cavity, a triangular rotor rotatably mounted on said eccentric, said rotor having oppositely facing side walls adjacent each of said housing end walls and three peripheral surfaces facing said housing peripheral wall, said rotor surfaces and said housing walls cooperating to provide a plurality of working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor within said housing while varying in volume as said rotor planetates, gas seal means mounted on said rotor for contacting said housing walls sealing said working chambers from each other, intake passage means including an intake port in said first one of said housing walls located so that said working chambers are sequentially periodically opened by said rotor past said gas seal means to said intake port as said rotor planetates so as to receive a lean air-fuel mixture therein as said rotor planetates, exhaust passage means including an exhaust port located in one of said housing walls so that said working chambers are sequentially periodically opened by said rotor past said gas seal means to said exhaust port as said rotor planetates, said rotor having annular precombustion chambers formed in one of said side walls adjacent each rotor apex radially inwardly of said gas seal means, said precombustion chambers opening toward said second housing end wall, said rotor further having throat passages connecting each precombustion chamber with respective working chambers, said opposite rotor side wall having annular balancing cavities formed therein axially opposite each of said precombustion chambers, said rotor containing a passage connecting said precombustion chambers with said balancing cavities, said rotor containing annular sealing grooves circumscribing said chambers and said balancing cavities, spring biased annular seals in said grooves engaging said first and second housing end walls preventing gas flow from said chambers and said balancing cavities, auxiliary inlet passage means in said opposite housing end wall including an auxiliary intake port located so that said precombustion chambers are sequentially periodically aligned with said auxiliary intake port so as to receive a rich air-fuel mixture therein as said rotor planetates, continued rotation of said rotor forcing a portion of said lean air-fuel mixture into said precombustion chambers through said throat passages making said rich mixture combustible, and a spark plug mounted in said opposite housing end wall and being located so that said precombustion chambers are sequentially periodically aligned with the spark plug for ignition of the rich air-fuel mixture therein whereby the burning rich gases expand through said throat passages igniting a lean air-fuel mixture in a respective compressed working chamber.

Claim 9

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine comprising a housing having an interior substantially trochoidal peripheral wall and a pair of oppositely facing first and second interior end walls defining a rotor cavity, an output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, an eccentric on said output shaft and located within said rotor cavity, a triangular rotor rotatably mounted on said eccentric, said rotor having oppositely facing side walls adjacent each of said housing end walls and three peripheral surfaces facing said housing peripheral wall, said rotor surfaces and said housing walls cooperating to provide a plurality of working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor within said housing while varying in volume as said rotor planetates, gas seal means mounted on said rotor for contacting said housing walls sealing said working chambers from each other, intake passage means including an intake port in said first one of said housing walls located so that said working chambers are sequentially periodically opened by said rotor past said gas seal means to said intake port as said rotor planetates so as to receive a lean air-fuel mixture therein as said rotor planetates, exhaust passage means including an exhaust port located in one of said housing walls so that said working chambers are sequentially periodically opened by said rotor past said gas seal means to said exhaust port as said rotor planetates, said rotor having annular precombustion chambers formed in one of said side walls adjacent each rotor apex radially inwardly of said gas seal means, said precombustion chambers opening toward said second housing end wall, said rotor further having throat passages connecting each precombustion chamber with respective working chambers, said opposite rotor side wall having annular balancing cavities formed therein axially opposite each of said precombustion chambers, said rotor containing a passage connecting said precombustion chambers with said balancing cavities, said rotor containing annular sealing grooves circumscribing said chambers and said balancing cavities, spring biased annular seals in said grooves engaging said first and second housing end walls preventing gas flow from said chambers and said balancing cavities, auxiliary inlet passage means in said opposite housing end wall including an auxiliary intake port located so that said precombustion chambers are sequentially periodically aligned with said auxiliary intake port so as to receive a rich air-fuel mixture therein as said rotor planetates, continued rotation of said rotor forcing a portion of said lean air-fuel mixture into said precombustion chambers through said throat passages making said rich mixture combustible, and a spark plug mounted in said opposite housing end wall and being located so that said precombustion chambers are sequentially periodically aligned with the spark plug for ignition of the rich air-fuel mixture therein whereby the burning rich gases expand through said throat passages igniting a lean air-fuel mixture in a respective compressed working chamber.

Claim 10

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine as described in claim 5 further comprising an oil seal inwardly of said precombustion chambers in said one of said rotor side walls and an auxiliary carburetor supplying the rich air-fuel mixture to said auxiliary inlet port whereby said precombustion chambers are sealed from positive pressures so that inlet vacuum is continuously effective to draw in the rich mixture from said auxiliary carburetor.