Method and system for developing gas pressure to drive piston members

Claim 1

A method of delivering gas pressure to drive one or more pistons in an engine or like machine to produce working strokes comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a given quantity of gas in a gas flow circuit arrangement; (b) introducing substantially equal portions of the gas into each of a first container and a second container; (c) developing a change in pressure in at least one of the two equal portions of gas by changing the temperature thereof; (d) establishing communication between the first and second containers to allow gas pressure in the separate containers to equalize by an initial flow of gas from the container having a greater pressure to the one having lower pressure after said step (c); (e) cutting off communication between the first and second containers after equalizing the pressure therein by said step (d); (f) again developing a change in gas pressure in at least one of the first and second containers to cause a relative increase in gas pressure of the container to which gas flowed in said step (d) by changing the temperature in at least one of the first and second containers; (g) establishing gas flow communication between the container having greater relative gas pressure after said step (f) and a piston or like driven member of an engine and then back to the container having less relative gas pressure after said step (f) whereby due to such gas flow a working stroke will be imparted to said piston or like driven member.

Claim 2

A method of delivering gas pressure to drive one or more pistons in an engine or like machine to produce working strokes comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a given quantity of gas in a gas flow circuit arrangement; (b) introducing substantially equal portions of the gas into each of a first container and a second container; (c) developing a change in pressure in at least one of the two equal portions of gas by changing the temperature thereof; (d) establishing communication between the first and second containers to allow gas pressure in the separate containers to equalize by an initial flow of gas from the container having a greater pressure to the one having lower pressure after said step (c); (e) cutting off communication between the first and second containers after equalizing the pressure therein by said step (d); (f) again developing a change in gas pressure in at least one of the first and second containers to cause a relative increase in gas pressure of the container to which gas flowed in said step (d) by changing the temperature in at least one of the first and second containers; (g) establishing gas flow communication between the container having greater relative gas pressure after said step (f) and a piston or like driven member of an engine and then back to the container having less relative gas pressure after said step (f) whereby due to such gas flow a working stroke will be imparted to said piston or like driven member.

Claim 18

A system in which gas pressure may be developed to efficiently produce working strokes to drive one or more pistons in an engine or like machine, said system comprising: (a) at least a first gas receiving container and a second gas receiving container of substantially equal capacity, each of said first and second containers having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a tubular member extending between said inlet and said outlet through which gas may pass, and heat exchange means extending around said tubular member for imposing a temperature change to gas in or passing through said tubular member; (b) a first and a second duct connected to said heat exchange means of each of said containers through which heat exchange fluid may be introduced and discharged respectively; (c) a hot fluid supply line and a cold fluid supply line leading to each of said first duct and a hot fluid return line and a cold fluid return line leading from each of said second duct; (d) an individual supply valve for selectively connecting said hot fluid supply line or said cold fluid supply line leading to the first duct of each of said containers and an individual return valve for selectively connecting said hot fluid return line or said cold fluid return line leading from the second duct of each of said containers; (e) closed circuit passage means leading from the outlet of each of said containers to one or more piston of an engine and back to the inlet of each of said containers; (f) a by-pass passage across said closed circuit passage means for connecting the outlet of said first container to the inlet of said second container whereby intercommunication between inlets and outlets of said containers is established; (g) a pressure equalization valve included in said by-pass passage for selectively establishing communication between the outlet of said first container and the inlet of said second container and by-passing said engine; (h) said pressure equalization valve being responsive to build-up of pressure to a first predetermined value in one of said containers before opening up said by-pass passage to effect equalization of pressure by allowing flow of gas from the container having higher pressure to the one having lower pressure whereby said container to which gas has flowed will contain a higher mass of gas; (i) control means for selectively causing the supply and return valves of one of said containers to connect the hot fluid supply line and the hot fluid return line to the first and second ducts thereof respectively to heat the gas therein and increase its pressure while causing the supply and return valves of the other of said containers to connect the cold fluid supply line and the cold fluid return line to the first and second ducts thereof respectively to cool the gas therein and reduce its pressure; and (j) said control means being operable in response to a second predetermined pressure developed in the container having a higher mass of gas to permit this higher mass of gas to flow through said closed circuit passage means to said engine to produce a working stroke therein and back to said containers.

Claim 19

A system in which gas pressure may be developed to efficiently produce working strokes to drive one or more pistons in an engine or like machine, said system comprising: (a) at least a first gas receiving container and a second gas receiving container of substantially equal capacity, each of said first and second containers having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a tubular member extending between said inlet and said outlet through which gas may pass, and heat exchange means extending around said tubular member for imposing a temperature change to gas in or passing through said tubular member; (b) a first and a second duct connected to said heat exchange means of each of said containers through which heat exchange fluid may be introduced and discharged respectively; (c) a hot fluid supply line and a cold fluid supply line leading to each of said first duct and a hot fluid return line and a cold fluid return line leading from each of said second duct; (d) an individual supply valve for selectively connecting said hot fluid supply line or said cold fluid supply line leading to the first duct of each of said containers and an individual return valve for selectively connecting said hot fluid return line or said cold fluid return line leading from the second duct of each of said containers; (e) closed circuit passage means leading from the outlet of each of said containers to one or more piston of an engine and back to the inlet of each of said containers; (f) a by-pass passage across said closed circuit passage means for connecting the outlet of said first container to the inlet of said second container whereby intercommunication between inlets and outlets of said containers is established; (g) a pressure equalization valve included in said by-pass passage for selectively establishing communication between the outlet of said first container and the inlet of said second container and by-passing said engine; (h) said pressure equalization valve being responsive to build-up of pressure to a first predetermined value in one of said containers before opening up said by-pass passage to effect equalization of pressure by allowing flow of gas from the container having higher pressure to the one having lower pressure whereby said container to which gas has flowed will contain a higher mass of gas; (i) control means for selectively causing the supply and return valves of one of said containers to connect the hot fluid supply line and the hot fluid return line to the first and second ducts thereof respectively to heat the gas therein and increase its pressure while causing the supply and return valves of the other of said containers to connect the cold fluid supply line and the cold fluid return line to the first and second ducts thereof respectively to cool the gas therein and reduce its pressure; and (j) said control means being operable in response to a second predetermined pressure developed in the container having a higher mass of gas to permit this higher mass of gas to flow through said closed circuit passage means to said engine to produce a working stroke therein and back to said containers.