US3886734A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Continuous combustion engine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-05-23
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1993-05-23
Abstract
Abstract A continuous combustion engine wherein air or other compressible working fluid is initially compressed in a working chamber defined by a power cylinder and piston means movable in the cylinder with a cyclic motion which causes alternate expansion and contraction of the chamber, the compressed air is transferred to and heated at substantially constant pressure in a combustion chamber to produce a hot pressurized working fluid, this working fluid is returned to the same power cylinder to drive the piston means in its cyclic motion, and the spent working fluid is exhausted from the cylinder. Two inventive embodiments are described, one having an annular power cylinder and rotary pistons and the other having linear power cylinders and reciprocating pistons.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard G Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:49
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02G; F02G1/00; F02G1/02; F02G2250/00; F02G2250/03; F02G2254/00; F02G2254/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A continuous combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber containing a fuel burner, a housing, a rotary shaft supported in said housing, an annular power cylinder in said housing about said shaft, pistons in and movable around said cylinder and defining with the cylinder working chambers between the adjacent pistons, and means connecting said pistons, housing, and shaft for effecting reciprocating motion of said pistons in timed relation during movement of said pistons around said cylinder in a manner such that said working chambers undergo alternate expansion and contraction during their movement around said cylinder with said pistons and that said shaft is rotated by movement of said pistons around said cylinder, and valving means for effecting admission of air to each working chamber through an intake phase for compression of said air and transfer of the compressed air to said combustion chamber through a port in said housing during contraction of the working chamber for heating through a transfer phase by fuel combustion of the air in said combustion chamber to produce a hot pressurized working fluid, transfer of said working fluid to the working chamber through a port in said housing during expansion thereof through a power phase to drive said pistons around said cylinder and thereby said shaft in rotation, and exhausting of the spent working fluid from the working chamber through an exhaust phase.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
A continuous combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber containing a fuel burner, a housing, a rotary shaft supported in said housing, an annular power cylinder in said housing about said shaft, pistons in and movable around said cylinder and defining with the cylinder working chambers between the adjacent pistons, and means connecting said pistons, housing, and shaft for effecting reciprocating motion of said pistons in timed relation during movement of said pistons around said cylinder in a manner such that said working chambers undergo alternate expansion and contraction during their movement around said cylinder with said pistons and that said shaft is rotated by movement of said pistons around said cylinder, and valving means for effecting admission of air to each working chamber through an intake phase for compression of said air and transfer of the compressed air to said combustion chamber through a port in said housing during contraction of the working chamber for heating through a transfer phase by fuel combustion of the air in said combustion chamber to produce a hot pressurized working fluid, transfer of said working fluid to the working chamber through a port in said housing during expansion thereof through a power phase to drive said pistons around said cylinder and thereby said shaft in rotation, and exhausting of the spent working fluid from the working chamber through an exhaust phase.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
227 words
A continuous combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber containing a fuel burner, a housing, a rotary shaft supported in said housing, an annular power cylinder in said housing about said shaft, pistons in and movable around said cylinder and defining with the cylinder working chambers between the adjacent pistons, and means connecting said pistons, housing, and shaft for effecting reciprocating motion of said pistons in timed relation during movement of said pistons around said cylinder in a manner such that said working chambers undergo alternate expansion and contraction during their movement around said cylinder with said pistons and that said shaft is rotated by movement of said pistons around said cylinder, and valving means for effecting admission of air to each working chamber through an intake phase for compression of said air and transfer of the compressed air to said combustion chamber through a port in said housing during contraction of the working chamber for heating through a transfer phase by fuel combustion of the air in said combustion chamber to produce a hot pressurized working fluid, transfer of said working fluid to the working chamber through a port in said housing during expansion thereof through a power phase to drive said pistons around said cylinder and thereby said shaft in rotation, and exhausting of the spent working fluid from the working chamber through an exhaust phase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
227 words
A continuous combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber containing a fuel burner, a housing, a rotary shaft supported in said housing, an annular power cylinder in said housing about said shaft, pistons in and movable around said cylinder and defining with the cylinder working chambers between the adjacent pistons, and means connecting said pistons, housing, and shaft for effecting reciprocating motion of said pistons in timed relation during movement of said pistons around said cylinder in a manner such that said working chambers undergo alternate expansion and contraction during their movement around said cylinder with said pistons and that said shaft is rotated by movement of said pistons around said cylinder, and valving means for effecting admission of air to each working chamber through an intake phase for compression of said air and transfer of the compressed air to said combustion chamber through a port in said housing during contraction of the working chamber for heating through a transfer phase by fuel combustion of the air in said combustion chamber to produce a hot pressurized working fluid, transfer of said working fluid to the working chamber through a port in said housing during expansion thereof through a power phase to drive said pistons around said cylinder and thereby said shaft in rotation, and exhausting of the spent working fluid from the working chamber through an exhaust phase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
121 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein: said valving means comprise intake port means opening to said cylinder through which saId air enters said cylinder during said intake phase, pressure port means communicating said cylinder and combustion chamber through which the compressed air passes from said cylinder to said combustion chamber during said transfer phase, power port means communicating said combustion chamber and cylinder through which said working fluid passes from said combustion chamber to said cylinder during said power phase, exhaust port means through which the spent working fluid is exhausted during said exhaust phase, and means on said pistons for opening and closing said port means in timed relation to movement of said pistons about said cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 2 wherein: each of said port means comprises a pair of parts opening through opposite sides of said power cylinder opposite one another to effect balancing of the lateral pneumatic forces on said pistons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 1 including: means forregulating fuel flow to said burner, and means for adjusting the timing of said working chamber phases independently of shaft rotation in unison with adjustment of fuel flow to said burner.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 1 including: means for adjusting the timing of said working chamber phases independently of shaft rotation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
122 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 5 wherein: said connecting means comprises planetary gearing including a sun gear fixed to said housing in concentric relation to said shaft, planetary pinions associated with said pistons, respectively, and meshing with said gear, a spider fixed to said shaft and rotatably mounting said pinions, whereby said pinions undergo rotation on their central axes during rotation of said shaft, spider, and pinions relative to said gear, and means connecting each pinion to its associated piston in a manner such that rotation of each pinion about its central axis imparts a reciprocating motion to its associated piston, and said timing adjustment means comprises means for rotatably adjusting said sun gear about the axis of said shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 6 wherein: said sun gear adjusting means comprises a servo plate rotatable on said shaft, interfittig radial vanes on said sun gear and said housing defining pressure chambers between the adjacent gear and housing vanes, means for pressurizing said chambers in a manner which tends to maintain the sun gear vanes positioned between the housing vanes in accordance with the servo plate position, and means for rotatably adjusting said servo plate relative to said shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
A continuous combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein: said combustion chamber has an outer wall, an inner combustion sleeve within and spaced from the outer chamber wall and containing said burner, and means communicating the ends of said sleeve to said ports, respectively, whereby compressed air flow occurs from said working chambers to said sleeve to produce said working fluid and said working fluid flows from said sleeve back to said working chambers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |