Rotary engine with auxiliary combustion chamber

Claim 2

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship, said peripheral wall and said rotor cooperatively defining with said end walls a plurality of working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said housing means further having an auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet open to said cavity located so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase and having an outlet open to said cavity located so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means after the working chamber from which the lean airfuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, flame arrestor means between said fuel injector means and said check valve means for preventing flame in said auxiliary combustion chamber from progressing through said check valve means while open and then said inlet into said working chambers as they are contracting, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.

Claim 3

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, means for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship of three crankshaft revolutions for each rotor revolution, said peripheral wall having two lobes with two cusps and said rotor having three lobes with three apexes cooperatively defining with said end walls three working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume as said apexes remain adjacent said peripheral wall and reaching a minimum volume when the associated rotor lobe is opposite one of said cusps, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located on the leading side of the other cusp relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said housing means further having an auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet open to said cavity located on the trailing side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase, said auxiliary combustion chamber also having an outlet open to said cavity located on the leading side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, spring biased check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means when the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, flame arrestor means between said fuel injector means and said check valve means for preventing flame in said auxiliary combustion chamber from progressing through said check valve means while open and then said inlet into said working chambers as they are contracting, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location on the trailing side of said other cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.

Claim 4

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, means for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship of three crankshaft revolutions for each rotor revolution, said peripheral wall having two lobes with two cusps and said rotor having three lobes with three apexes cooperatively defining with said end walls three working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume as said apexes remain adjacent said peripheral wall and reaching a minimum volume when the associated rotor lobe is opposite one of said cusps, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located on the leading side of the other cusp relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said housing means further having an auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet open to said cavity located on the trailing side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase, said auxiliary combustion chamber also having an outlet open to said cavity located on the leading side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, spring biased check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means when the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, flame arrestor means between said fuel injector means and said check valve means for preventing flame in said auxiliary combustion chamber from progressing through said check valve means while open and then said inlet into said working chambers as they are contracting, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location on the trailing side of said other cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.

Claim 5

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a rotor housing with a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, means for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship of three crankshaft revolutions for each rotor revolution, said peripheral wall having two lobes with two cusps and said rotor having three lobes with three apexes cooperatively defining with said end walls three working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume as said apexes remain adjacent said peripheral wall and reaching a minimum volume when the associated rotor lobe is opposite one of said cusps, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located on the leading side of the other cusp relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said rotor housing having a peripherally extending auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet in said peripheral wall open to said cavity located on the trailing side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase, said auxiliary combustion chamber also having an outlet in said peripheral wall open to said cavity located on the leading side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, spring biased check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means immediately after the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said Auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, flame arrestor means between said fuel injector means and said check valve means for preventing flame in said auxiliary combustion chamber from progressing through said check valve means while open and then said inlet into said working chambers as they are contracting, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location on the trailing side of said other cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.

Claim 6

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a rotor housing with a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, means for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship of three crankshaft revolutions for each rotor revolution, said peripheral wall having two lobes with two cusps and said rotor having three lobes with three apexes cooperatively defining with said end walls three working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume as said apexes remain adjacent said peripheral wall and reaching a minimum volume when the associated rotor lobe is opposite one of said cusps, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located on the leading side of the other cusp relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said rotor housing having a peripherally extending auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet in said peripheral wall open to said cavity located on the trailing side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase, said auxiliary combustion chamber also having an outlet in said peripheral wall open to said cavity located on the leading side of said one cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, spring biased check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means immediately after the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said Auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, flame arrestor means between said fuel injector means and said check valve means for preventing flame in said auxiliary combustion chamber from progressing through said check valve means while open and then said inlet into said working chambers as they are contracting, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location on the trailing side of said other cusp so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.

Claim 7

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, means for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship, said peripheral wall and said rotor cooperatively defining with said end walls a plurality of working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said housing means further having an auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet open to said cavity located so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase and having an outlet open to said cavity located so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means after the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.

Claim 8

A rotary combustion engine comprising housing means having opposing end walls and a peripheral wall cooperatively defining a cavity, a crankshaft rotatably supported in said housing means having an eccentric located in said cavity, means for providing a fixed speed ratio between said rotor and said crankshaft so that said crankshaft is caused to rotate as said rotor executes planetary motion with a fixed cyclic relationship, said peripheral wall and said rotor cooperatively defining with said end walls a plurality of working chambers that are spaced about and move with said rotor while varying in volume, said housing means having an intake port open to said cavity located relative to rotor rotation so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an intake phase, lean air-fuel mixture supply means for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture to said intake port, said housing means further having an auxiliary combustion chamber with an inlet open to said cavity located so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in a compression phase and having an outlet open to said cavity located so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they expand in an expansion phase, check valve means in said inlet for permitting the lean air-fuel mixture in said working chambers to flow into said auxiliary combustion chamber above a predetermined pressure as said working chambers are contracting and preventing flow in the opposite direction, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into the lean air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber downstream of said check valve means after the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture has been obtained opens to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, ignition means for igniting the enriched air-fuel mixture in said auxiliary combustion chamber while the working chamber from which the lean air-fuel mixture was obtained remains open to said outlet of said auxiliary combustion chamber, and said housing means having an exhaust port open to said cavity at a location so as to be opened past said rotor to said working chambers as they contract in an exhaust phase.