Engine and compressor arrangement

Claim 1

A rotary engine in combination with a compressor apparatus for supplying a charge of air or an air-fuel mixture to said engine, said engine comprising an enclosed housing having a cavity extending therein, said cavity including two cylindrical portions having spaced-apart centers but having substantially equal radii of curvature, a rotor disposed in said cavity and rotatably supported in said housing for rotation about an axis coaxial with the center of a first one of said two cylindrical portions, said rotor having a plurality of radial openings therein, vane means disposed in each of said radial openings for sliding movement therein and rotary movement along with said rotor, an intake port and an exhaust port communicating with said cavity, said intake port being separated from said exhaust port by said two cylindrical portions, a second cylindrical portion of said cavity forming a circumferential channel extending from said intake port to said exhaust port, said channel in operation of said engine forming with said rotor and vane means thereof a plurality of rotating chambers moving from an intake-combustion zone to at least a power-expansion zone and an exhaust zone, said vane means extending radially outwardly of said rotor in pressure sealing relationship with said channel, said first cylindrical portion of said cavity providing an idle cycle downstream of said exhaust port and between said exhaust port and said intake port over which said rotor passes with said vane means retracted within said rotor and a circumferential groove extending in said first cylindrical portion to provide communication between radial openings simultaneously passing said first cylindrical portion to relieve pressure therein and thereby to facilitate radial movement of said vane means, said compressor apparatus comprising a casing having a hollow space extending therethrough and a rotary member disposed in said hollow space, air inlet and compressed charge outlet, means drivingly connecting said rotary member of said compressor apparatus to said rotor of said engine, conduit means connecting said compressed charge outlet of said compressor apparatus to said intake port of said engine, timed valve means disposed in said intake port cyclically opening to admit a charge into each of said rotating chambers as each of said chambers is passing through the air intake-combustion zone, ignition means disposed in said intake-combustion zone to ignite said charge upon closing of said valve means and thereby effecting a power stroke on said vane means.