Rotary piston engine and piston phasing apparatus therefor

Claim 2

A phasing mechanism for a pair of rotary pistons comprising: a pair of coaxial piston shafts, each of said piston shafts connected to one of said pair of rotary pistons; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary pistons; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; at least one tensioned band having one end carried by one of said pair of rotary members and the other end carried by the second of said pair of rotary members and being operable to resiliently urge said pair of rotary members radially outwardly into engagement with said phasing opening; and, means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft.

Claim 3

The phasing mechanism of claim 1 wherein: said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear.

Claim 4

The phasing mechanism of claim 1 wherein: said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates disposed adjacent said phasing member and connected to said rotary power shaft, each of said rotary plates provided a radial slot for each of said at least one pair of rotary members.

Claim 5

The phasing mechanism of claim 1 wherein: said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates, each plate porvided with at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots, said radial slots of one said plate being aligned with said radial slots of the other said plate, said rotary plates connected to said rotary shaft; said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed adjacent said pair of rotary plates; said at least one pair of rotary members being pinions which mesh with said curvilinear internal ring gear, each of said at least one pair of pinions constrained to move radially with respect to said pair of rotary plates, each of said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of said pair of rotary plates; and said interconnecting means including means for correlating the rotation of said at least one pair of pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts such that said rotary plates make one full revolution for each full revolution of said pair of coaxial piston shafts.

Claim 6

The phasing mechanism of claim 4 wherein: each of said pair of rotary plates includes two pairs of symmetrically disposed perpendicularly aligned slots; and two pairs of rotating pinions are provided, each pinion being carried by one of said perpendicularly aligned radial slots.

Claim 7

The phasing mechanism of claim 4 wherein: said curvilinear internal ring gear defines a generally barbell-shaped opening.

Claim 8

A rotary power device comprising: a housing which defines a phasing cavity and a piston cavity; a pair of rotary piston elements mounted within said piston cavity; a pair of coaxial piston shafts, one end of each said pair of coaxial piston shafts connected to one of said rotary piston elements; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts and having one end disposed within said phasing cavity; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft within said phasing cavity, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary piston elements; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; at least one tensioned band having one end carried by one of said pair of rotary members and the other end carried by the second of said pair of rotary members and being operable to resiliently urge said pair of rotary members radially outwardly into engagement with said phasing opening; and, means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft.

Claim 9

A rotary power device comprising: a housing which defines a phasing cavity and a piston cavity; a pair of rotary piston elements mounted within said piston cavity; a pair of coaxial piston shafts, one end of each said pair of coaxial piston shafts connected to one of said rotary piston elements; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts and having one end disposed within said phasing cavity; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft within said phasing cavity, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary piston elements; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; at least one tensioned band having one end carried by one of said pair of rotary members and the other end carried by the second of said pair of rotary members and being operable to resiliently urge said pair of rotary members radially outwardly into engagement with said phasing opening; and, means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft.

Claim 10

The rotary power device of claim 7 wherein: said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates each of which is provided with at least one pair of perpendicularly aligned radial slots, each of said rotary plates being attached to said rotary power shaft and said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of one rotary plate being aligned with said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of the second of said rotary plates; said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear connected to said housing and disposed adjacent to said rotary plates; said at least one pair of rotary members are pinions which mesh with said internal curvilinear ring gear; and, said interconnecting means constrains said rotary plates to make one complete revolution for each complete revolution of said pair of coaxial piston shafts.

Claim 11

The rotary power device of claim 8 wherein: the cross-section of each said piston element includes a pair of straight converging sides which are tangent to a generally circular end portion; and said piston cavity is provided with a cross-section similar to the shape of said piston elements.

Claim 12

The rotary power device of claim 8 wherein: said housing also defines a cooling jacket which surrounds said piston cavity, said cooling jacket being disposed partially between said phasing cavity and said piston cavity.

Claim 13

A phasing mechanism for a pair of rotary pistons comprising: a pair of coaxial piston shafts, each of said piston shafts connected to one of said pair of rotary pistons; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary pistons; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft; said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates, each plate provided with at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots, said radial slots of one said plate being aligned with said radial slots of the other said plate, said rotary plates connected to said rotary shaft; said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed adjacent said pair of rotary plates; said at least one pair of rotary members being pinions which mesh with said curvilinear internal ring gear, each of said at least one pair of pinions constrained to move radially with respect to said pair of rotary plates, each of said at least one pair of pinions carried by one of said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of said pair of rotary plates; said interconnecting means including means for correlating the rotation of said at least one pair of pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts such that said rotary plates make one full revolution for each full revolution of said pair of coaxial piston shafts; said phasing mechanism includes means for maintaining engagement between said at least one pair of pinions and said curvilinear internal ring gear; and, said means for maintaining engagement includes a tensioned steel band, one end of which is attached to one of said at least one pair of pinions the other end of which is attached to the second of said at least one pair of pinions.

Claim 14

A phasing mechanism for a pair of rotary pistons comprising: a pair of coaxial piston shafts, each of said piston shafts connected to one of said pair of rotary pistons; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary pistons; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft; said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates, each plate provided with at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots, said radial slots of one said plate being aligned with said radial slots of the other said plate, said rotary plates connected to said rotary shaft; said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed adjacent said pair of rotary plates; said at least one pair of rotary members being pinions which mesh with said curvilinear internal ring gear, each of said at least one pair of pinions constrained to move radially with respect to said pair of rotary plates, each of said at least one pair of pinions carried by one of said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of said pair of rotary plates; said interconnecting means including means for correlating the rotation of said at least one pair of pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts such that said rotary plates make one full revolution for each full revolution of said pair of coaxial piston shafts; said phasing mechanism includes means for maintaining engagement between said at least one pair of pinions and said curvilinear internal ring gear; and, said means for maintaining engagement includes a tensioned steel band, one end of which is attached to one of said at least one pair of pinions the other end of which is attached to the second of said at least one pair of pinions.

Claim 15

The phasing mechanism of claim 11 wherein: said means of maintaining engagement includes a radially movable pulley disposed at the radially outermost end of each of said at least one pair of perpendicularly aligned radial slots; and biasing means urging each of said pulleys radially outward whereby said steel band is maintained in a tensioned condition.

Claim 16

A phasing mechanism wherein: a pair of coaxial piston shafts, each of said piston shafts connected to one of said pair of rotary pistons; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary pistons; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft; said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates, each plate provided with at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots, said radial slots of one said plate being aligned with said radial slots of the other said plate, said rotary plates connected to said rotary shaft; said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed adjacent said pair of rotary plates; said at least one pair of rotary members being pinions which mesh with said curvilinear internal ring gear, each of said at least one pair of pinions constrained to move radially with respect to said pair of rotary plates, each of said at least one pair of pinions carried by one of said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of said pair of rotary plates; said interconnecting means including means for correlating the rotation of said at least one pair of pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts such that said rotary plates make one full revolution for each full revolution of said pair of coaxial piston shafts; said phasing mechanism includes means for maintaining engagement between said at least one pair of pinions and said curvilinear internal ring gear; said means for correlating the rotation of said pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts includes a pair of driving gears, one of said driving gears connected to one of said pair of coaxial piston shafts, the other said driving gear being connected to the other of said coaxial piston shafts; at least one pair of perpendicualr rotary shafts, each of which is rotatably mounted on one of said rotating plates; a pair of fixed gears, each of which is mounted on one of said at least one pair of perpendicular rotary shafts approximately midway between the ends thereof; at least one pair of translating gears, each of which is mounted on one of said at least one pair of perpendicular rotary shafts between said fixed gear and an end of said perpendicular rotary shaft such that each perpendicular rotary shaft has one translating gear thereon; a pair of pinion driving gears, each pinion driving gear connected with one of said at least one pair of pinions and meshing with one of said translating gears; and means constraining each said translating gear to slide radially with respect to said rotary member, each said constraining means being connected to one of said at least one pair of pinions.

Claim 17

A phasing mechanism wherein: a pair of coaxial piston shafts, each of said piston shafts connected to one of said pair of rotary pistons; a rotary power shaft coaxially aligned with said pair of coaxial piston shafts; a phasing member provided with a phasing opening, said phasing member coaxially disposed about said rotary power shaft, said phasing opening having a predetermined shape which determines relative motion of said pair of rotary pistons; at least one pair of rotary members each being constrained to move radially with respect to the axis of said rotary power shaft, each said rotary member engaging said phasing opening at a location spatially separated from the location at which the other of said at least one pair of rotary members engages said phasing opening; means for interconnecting said pair of coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft, said interconnecting means carrying said at least one pair of rotary members, said interconnecting means permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and also permitting relative motion between said coaxial piston shafts and said rotary power shaft; said interconnecting means includes a pair of rotary plates, each plate provided with at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots, said radial slots of one said plate being aligned with said radial slots of the other said plate, said rotary plates connected to said rotary shaft; said phasing member comprises a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed adjacent said pair of rotary plates; said at least one pair of rotary members being pinions which mesh with said curvilinear internal ring gear, each of said at least one pair of pinions constrained to move radially with respect to said pair of rotary plates, each of said at least one pair of pinions carried by one of said at least one pair of perpendicular radial slots of said pair of rotary plates; said interconnecting means including means for correlating the rotation of said at least one pair of pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts such that said rotary plates make one full revolution for each full revolution of said pair of coaxial piston shafts; said phasing mechanism includes means for maintaining engagement between said at least one pair of pinions and said curvilinear internal ring gear; said means for correlating the rotation of said pinions and said pair of coaxial piston shafts includes a pair of driving gears, one of said driving gears connected to one of said pair of coaxial piston shafts, the other said driving gear being connected to the other of said coaxial piston shafts; at least one pair of perpendicualr rotary shafts, each of which is rotatably mounted on one of said rotating plates; a pair of fixed gears, each of which is mounted on one of said at least one pair of perpendicular rotary shafts approximately midway between the ends thereof; at least one pair of translating gears, each of which is mounted on one of said at least one pair of perpendicular rotary shafts between said fixed gear and an end of said perpendicular rotary shaft such that each perpendicular rotary shaft has one translating gear thereon; a pair of pinion driving gears, each pinion driving gear connected with one of said at least one pair of pinions and meshing with one of said translating gears; and means constraining each said translating gear to slide radially with respect to said rotary member, each said constraining means being connected to one of said at least one pair of pinions.

Claim 18

An internal combustion engine comprising: a. a housing which defines a generally circular cavity, a phasing cavity and a cooling jacket which is partially interposed between said phasing cavity and said generally circular cavity, a first and a second rotary piston element each disposed within said generally circular cavity; b. each said rotary piston element comprising: two diametrically opposed piston faces, each said piston face having a pair of straight converging sides and a generally curved end, a segment shaped skirt defining two radial edges depending from each said piston face, and compression rings provided on each said radial edge of said skirt; c. an inner coaxial piston shaft attached at one end to said first rotary piston element; d. an outer coaxial piston shaft attached at one end to said second rotary piston element and coaxially disposed about said inner coaxial piston shaft; e. a first driving bevel gear attached near the second end of said inner coaxial piston shaft and disposed within said phasing cavity; f. a second driving bevel gear attached to the second end of said outer coaxial piston shaft and disposed within said phasing cavity; g. a first splined shaft disposed within said phasing cavity and generally perpendicularly arranged with respect to said inner coaxial piston shaft; h. a first fixed bevel gear disposed approximately midway between the ends of said first splined shaft, said first fixed bevel gear meshing with said first driving bevel gear attached to said inner coaxial piston shaft; i. a second splined shaft disposed within said phasing cavity and perpendicularly arranged with respect to said outer coaxial piston shaft; j. a second fixed bevel gear disposed approximately midway between the ends of said second splined shaft, said second fixed bevel gear meshing with said second bevel gear attached to said outer coaxial piston shaft; k. a first rotary plate disposed within said phasing cavity and adapted to rotatably support said first splined shaft and said second splined shaft, said first rotary plate being provided with four radially aligned perpendicular slots; l. a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed within said phasing cavity; m. a second rotary plate provided with four radial perpendicular slots and disposed within said phasing cavity such that said curvilinear internal ring gear is between said first rotary plate and said second rotary plate, said radial slots of said first rotary plate and said radial slots of said second rotary plate being aligned with each other; n. a rotary power shaft, one end of which protrudes from said housing, the other end of which is attached to both said first and second rotary plates; o. four pinions, each of which meshes with the curvilinear internal ring gear; p. four pinion shafts, one of said pinions being mounted on each of said pinion shafts, one end of said pinion shaft engaging one of said radial slots in said first rotary plate and the second end of said pinion shaft extending through the aligned radial slot of second rotary plate; q. carriage means provided in each radial slot of said first and second rotary plates for engaging said pinion shaft extending therethrough and for constraining said pinion shaft to move in a radial direction within said slot; r. a pinion bevel gear provided on the first end of each of said four pinion shafts; s. a first translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said first splined shaft between said first fixed bevel gear and one end of said first splined shaft, said first translating bevel gear meshing with the first said pinion bevel gear; t. a second translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said first splined shaft between said first fixed bevel gear and a second end of said first splined shaft, said second translating gear meshing with the second said pinion bevel gear; u. a third translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said second splined shaft between said second fixed bevel gear and one end of said second splined shaft, said third translating gear meshing with the third said pinion bevel gear; v. a fourth translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said second splined shaft between said second fixed bevel gear and the other end of said second splined shaft, said fourth translating gear meshing with the fourth said pinion bevel gear; w. a band pulley positioned at the radially outermost end of each said radial slots of said first rotary plate; x. a first tensioning band being attached at one end to the first pinion shaft and attached at the other end to the second pinion shaft and passing over two said band pulleys each disposed at the end of two adjacent perpendicular radial slots; y. a second tensioning band attached at one end to the third pinion shaft and attached at the other end to the fourth pinion shaft and passing over the two other said band pulleys each disposed at the end of the two remaining adjacent perpendicular slots; and z. pulley tensioning means disposed radially inwardly of each said band pulley for tensioning each said tensioning band when said pinions traverse the curvilinear internal ring gear.

Claim 19

An internal combustion engine comprising: a. a housing which defines a generally circular cavity, a phasing cavity and a cooling jacket which is partially interposed between said phasing cavity and said generally circular cavity, a first and a second rotary piston element each disposed within said generally circular cavity; b. each said rotary piston element comprising: two diametrically opposed piston faces, each said piston face having a pair of straight converging sides and a generally curved end, a segment shaped skirt defining two radial edges depending from each said piston face, and compression rings provided on each said radial edge of said skirt; c. an inner coaxial piston shaft attached at one end to said first rotary piston element; d. an outer coaxial piston shaft attached at one end to said second rotary piston element and coaxially disposed about said inner coaxial piston shaft; e. a first driving bevel gear attached near the second end of said inner coaxial piston shaft and disposed within said phasing cavity; f. a second driving bevel gear attached to the second end of said outer coaxial piston shaft and disposed within said phasing cavity; g. a first splined shaft disposed within said phasing cavity and generally perpendicularly arranged with respect to said inner coaxial piston shaft; h. a first fixed bevel gear disposed approximately midway between the ends of said first splined shaft, said first fixed bevel gear meshing with said first driving bevel gear attached to said inner coaxial piston shaft; i. a second splined shaft disposed within said phasing cavity and perpendicularly arranged with respect to said outer coaxial piston shaft; j. a second fixed bevel gear disposed approximately midway between the ends of said second splined shaft, said second fixed bevel gear meshing with said second bevel gear attached to said outer coaxial piston shaft; k. a first rotary plate disposed within said phasing cavity and adapted to rotatably support said first splined shaft and said second splined shaft, said first rotary plate being provided with four radially aligned perpendicular slots; l. a curvilinear internal ring gear disposed within said phasing cavity; m. a second rotary plate provided with four radial perpendicular slots and disposed within said phasing cavity such that said curvilinear internal ring gear is between said first rotary plate and said second rotary plate, said radial slots of said first rotary plate and said radial slots of said second rotary plate being aligned with each other; n. a rotary power shaft, one end of which protrudes from said housing, the other end of which is attached to both said first and second rotary plates; o. four pinions, each of which meshes with the curvilinear internal ring gear; p. four pinion shafts, one of said pinions being mounted on each of said pinion shafts, one end of said pinion shaft engaging one of said radial slots in said first rotary plate and the second end of said pinion shaft extending through the aligned radial slot of second rotary plate; q. carriage means provided in each radial slot of said first and second rotary plates for engaging said pinion shaft extending therethrough and for constraining said pinion shaft to move in a radial direction within said slot; r. a pinion bevel gear provided on the first end of each of said four pinion shafts; s. a first translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said first splined shaft between said first fixed bevel gear and one end of said first splined shaft, said first translating bevel gear meshing with the first said pinion bevel gear; t. a second translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said first splined shaft between said first fixed bevel gear and a second end of said first splined shaft, said second translating gear meshing with the second said pinion bevel gear; u. a third translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said second splined shaft between said second fixed bevel gear and one end of said second splined shaft, said third translating gear meshing with the third said pinion bevel gear; v. a fourth translating bevel gear which is slidably mounted on said second splined shaft between said second fixed bevel gear and the other end of said second splined shaft, said fourth translating gear meshing with the fourth said pinion bevel gear; w. a band pulley positioned at the radially outermost end of each said radial slots of said first rotary plate; x. a first tensioning band being attached at one end to the first pinion shaft and attached at the other end to the second pinion shaft and passing over two said band pulleys each disposed at the end of two adjacent perpendicular radial slots; y. a second tensioning band attached at one end to the third pinion shaft and attached at the other end to the fourth pinion shaft and passing over the two other said band pulleys each disposed at the end of the two remaining adjacent perpendicular slots; and z. pulley tensioning means disposed radially inwardly of each said band pulley for tensioning each said tensioning band when said pinions traverse the curvilinear internal ring gear.