Air-steam-vapor expansion engine

Claim 1

A fluid expansion engine including a cylinder having a reciprocal piston therein, one end of said cylinder comprising an expansion chamber, a plurality of elongated heat exchange members including first spaced end portions thereof projecting endwise into said chamber, a heat energy source disposed exteriorly of said chamber, said heat exchange means including second spaced end portions thereof projecting endwise into and disposed in good heat transfer relation with said heat energy source exteriorly of said chamber, said heat exchange members operative to rapidly transfer heat energy absorbed by said second end portions of said heat exchange members to said first end portions of said heat exchange members, fluid supply means operatively associated with said chamber and piston for injecting fluid under pressure into said chamber in timed sequence with reciprocation of said piston and for expansion of said fluid as a result of said fluid being heated by said first end portions of said heat exchange members, and exhaust means operatively associated with said chamber for exhausting expanded fluids from said chamber in timed sequence with reciprocation of said piston, and energy conversion means operatively associated with said exhaust means operative to convert the fluids expanded in said chamber and exhausted from the latter into rotational torque.